The Goop n' Pros Show

Why two losses aren't the same

2009-07-20T19:38:00.004-05:00

Today on Mike & Mike in the Morning, Mike Greenberg and Chris Carter debated what Tom Watson should be feeling after finishing second in The British Open. Greenberg took the side of the non-jock -- saying Watson should simply be happy that his 59-year old body held up for four days and allowed him to be within eight feet of his ninth major. Carter, on the other hand, wasn't as optimistic. As a former athlete, Carter said if he was in Watson's shoes, he would feel zero satisfaction. The fact is, he didn't win, which means he isn't a champion.

I've heard this topic debated between the two before and Carter is all about winning, no matter the circumstance. I agree with the former Minnesota Viking that there is no moral victory by finishing second, or third, or fourth. However, I lean toward Greenberg's perspective on certain occasions.

There are moments in sports when the probability of something happening is so slim that if it does happen, it seems almost sureal. I'm not talking about the Arizona Cardinals surprising some people and making it all the way to the Super Bowl. If I'm Larry Fitzgerald, there isn't an ounce of me that is satisfied with merely exceeding expectations. Arizona could of, and some would say, should have, won the Super Bowl. If you make the playoffs in the NFL, anything short of the Super Bowl is unacceptable.

But every once in a while there comes a moment when not finishing on top shouldn't elicit the same feeling of failure as what the Cardinals felt. For instance, when George Mason made its Cinderella run to the Final Four, it was absolutely ridiculous. No one thought the No. 11 seed would upset No. 6 Michigan State in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. And when they topped No. 1 seed Connecticut in overtime to reach the Final Four, everyone adopted the Patriots as their team. At this point, they could lose by 100 to Florida and it wouldn't matter -- they had more than exceeded expectations, they had done the impossible and silenced every critic. When George Mason returned home and reflected on their season, they didn't feel the same as the Cardinals. There was massive disappointment, of course, but that disappointment was outweighed by the amazing run. The Patriots could take solace for knowing they forever put George Mason on the map and changed the school forever. It's the same feeling Tom Watson had yesterday. Of course he's furious he missed a short putt to win his first major in 26 years, but he also know the odds of him getting to that point were astronomical. I doubt he'll feel the same anger a week from now as he would have 30 years ago.

There are different degrees or losing, and although Watson and the Patriots are all as competitive as they come, their loses are more than just loses.

Ladies and Gentlemen...Brandon Inge!

2009-07-13T21:39:00.005-05:00

A few notes from tonight:

Poor Brandon Inge. Really. I feel for him.

I'm pretty sure I found my calling tonight -- be the guy whose primary job is to wipe the sweat off of Albert Pujols' head after he swings. If I can't get that spot, I'll be the kid that gets to stand behind the wall in center field and catch homeruns.

You could tell Pujols was pissed. After his second round swings, he didn't even say anything to the little kids handing him his fresh Gatorade! You can't blame the guy, he's the best thing St. Louis has had Mark McGwire -- who wasn't in the pregame slideshow of Cardinal great (like he said, "I'm not here to talk about the past").

I expect to never hear anything positive about Nelson Cruz again.

In the past month, Pujols' legacy has skyrocketed. ESPN's Tim Kurkjian surveyed 10 current major leaguers and one former about the best batter-pitcher matchups, and every player picked Pujols. Then he became the first player to hit 30 homeruns in his first nine seasons. Kurkjian also wrote another article titled "The Perfect Player." Add in the All-Star Game being player in St. Louis, and Pujols has become the ultimate savior to the game of baseball. Poor A-Rod.

So I took a break from Arrested Development...

2009-06-29T21:42:00.007-05:00

Update: Timberwolves GM David Kahn will likely get off the hook. He'll end up trading Rubio for some good players and have a starting point guard to show from the draft. But could it be that Kahn is actually smart? So smart that he saw all this coming -- Rubio not signing, teams lining up for him -- and now knows he can get a good deal for Rubio? I doubt it, but who knows?

-- I'm not hear to whine about last year's Mark DeRosa trade. When Cubs GM Jim Hendry dealt the utility man last summer, it was to free up space for Milton Bradley. The deal has clearly not worked in the Cubs favor, but that's neither here nor there. I just find it funny that on the same weekend the Cardinals make a deal for DeRosa to add some sort of credibility to their lineup outside of "The Machine," the Cubs send Aaron Miles, who was supposed to be DeRosa's replacement, to the DL (which is code for "You're batting .203 and you suck"). Actually, this is what's code for "You Suck" -- when a google image search for your name, "Aaron Miles," first produces a picture of the former Kansas Jayhawks point guard.

-- Out of all the hoopla surrounding Michael Jackson's death, the one thing that sticks out to me is his legacy. For the past two decades, any mention of Jackson was almost always negative or was accompanied by a child molestation joke. But suddenly, every media outlet in the world praises him as a cultural icon, someone who changed the world of music and performance forever, etc, etc. All those things are mostly true, but it's like the past 20 years never happened.

-- Am I happy with who the Bulls drafted? It's another, "eh" draft. I don't hate either pick, but I don't like them. I don't get the feeling either player will make much of an impact in the league. Ideally, I didn't want the Bulls to draft anyone. It's just two more rookies that the Bulls will have to develop when they should be spending their energy trying to get further in the playoffs. The money used on those two contracts could have been spent this summer or next. And there had to be takers, I mean, the Timberwolves have spent the last week justifying their selection of two point guards, and it STILL makes no sense. Are James Johnson and Taj Gibson going to push the Bulls further in the playoffs? No. But Chris Bosh will.

-Pros

The fifth sport?

2009-06-28T20:13:00.004-05:00

Behind the NFL, the NBA, MLB and the NHL, soccer has comfortably taken a hold on US's fifth biggest sport. Haha, not yet.

Soccer will be out of the mainstream media by Tuesday. But for the time being, today's Confederations Cup Final between Brazil and USA is the talk of the town.

I'm usually not one for moral victories. As an athlete, that's the last thing you want. I hate using this saying, but Herm Edwards was right -- "You play to win the game." But this is different.

It's been waaaaay too long since US Soccer was as strong a force in the media as it is today. Although the attention will be gone in 24 hours, Team USA did accomplish something. Their performance won't change the way US Soccer is viewed or anything drastic like that, but casual soccer fans, like me, were glued to the TV today. Ashton Kutcher and Bill Simmons among others were tweeting their way through the match, and ESPN Radio and SportsCenter were all over the game. Soccer will be out of sight, out of mind soon enough, but people will remember this past week when the World Cup roles around next year.

I'd like to think my interest in soccer is that of most sports fans. I could care less about it unless it's a big match/tournament. This past week, Team USA showed up in two huge matches, and I was totally into it. My brother and I were playing NBA Live 2009 this morning, and we ALWAYS look at the stats afterwards. But today, we bypassed that normal step to watch the game. We freaked out when Clint Dempsey redirected the first goal. I probably won't watch another US soccer match until the World Cup, but when the team goes back to South Africa next year, I'll remember this weekend and watch again.

On another, more important note, at what point does a soccer player become "great." Kaka has become "The Great Kaka" according to today's announcers. How does Bill Gates become "The Great Bill Gates?" How has Bill Gates not earned that name yet? Ah, soccer is so confusing!

-Pros

Why Zen works

2009-06-17T19:47:00.008-05:00

Phil Jackson is dating Jeannie Buss, the 39-year old daughter of Lakers owner Jerry Buss.
He lives in Los Angeles.
He's coaching the second-best player in the NBA.
He's dating a 39-year old and he's, yes, 63. Somewhere Celine Dion is smiling and saying "I told you I wasn't weird!"

But Jackson is more than a stud, he's the greatest NBA coach -- ever. Those who disagree will say the late Red Auerbach, who coached the Boston Celtics to nine championships, was the best.

Red won eight titles in a row with Boston, a feat that will likely never be topped. (But let's not kid ourselves, Jackson would have won eight straight in Chicago had Jordan not gone and played that other sport.)

Jackson has 10 titles in the salary cap/free agent era, where players constantly jump ship for money. Red coached essentially the same core group for most of the championships, Russell, K.C. Jones, Sam Jones, John Havlicek and Bob Cousy. Jackson has won titles with four different groups: the 1991-93 Bulls, the 1996-98 Bulls, the 2000-02 Lakers and the 2009 Lakers. Nothing against Red, but winning 10 titles in this era is significantly harder than it was in the '60s.

Everyone wants to say Jackson had all the talent. He had Jordan, Pippen, Shaq and Kobe on his side. But no one brings up the fact that when the NBA announced the 50 Greatest Players in NBA History, FOUR were from Red's dynasty with the Celtics.

Red had Russell, who for all we know is pretty much the greatest teammate ever. Dealing with egos wasn't as difficult as it is nowadays, and when you have a guy like Russell on your team, it makes it that much easier. Look who Phil had to deal with. Jordan -- who wouldn't pass to his teammates at the end of a game (much like a certain #24 on the Lakers) until Phil got there. He somehow got Dennis Rodman to buy into his philosophy and help win three titles. He made sure Scottie Pippen, who would have put up far better numbers had he been the man (he set career highs in scoring and rebounding in 1994, when Jordan was playing baseball), never let the fact that he was Jordan's Robin effect the team. Then he somehow got Kobe and Shaq to coexist. Everyone knows the two didn't get along, but he got the two to play together.

Some believe that you can't argue which coach was better, I for one thought Phil was the best before this year. But now that he has 10, the fact remains that Phil has more titles than Red in a much harder environment.

Big gulps, eh?

2009-06-13T19:36:00.009-05:00

Without any true connection to either the Red Wings or Penguins, my mind was free to wander after Game 7 on Friday. It was neat to see Sidney Crosby accept the Stanley Cup as the youngest captain in NHL history and to see Mario Lemieux hoist it above his head. But the multiple awkward moments truly made it a memorable experience.

To begin with, we have to watch Marian Hossa shake hands with the Penguins, the team he played with for four months last season. Next, NBC microphones pick up Red Wings coach Mike Babcock telling Crosby, "that's great leadership." Crosby says thanks, but doesn't really look Babcock in the eye. You almost feel bad for him, like he was trying to be nice and Crosby just didn't reciprocate.

A few minutes later, Evgeni Malkin, who had the highest playoff point total since the L.A. Kings' Wayne Gretzky in 1993, was presented with the Conn Smythe Award. So....Crosby....yeah. He's kind of the posterboy of the NHL, so was he really happy for his teammate? NBC did a good job of showing his reaction, and he looked pretty happy for him. But still, fun to ponder.

This part happens every year, but there are few things as uncomfortable to watch as when the Stanley Cup gets passed around. It starts with the captain, who usually passes it on to an elder teammate. Once the old guys have their chance, it starts to get interesting. The player looks at his group and thinks "Hmm...you weren't important, you were, you weren't, oh, ok, I'll give it to you."

When NBC's on-ice reporter interviewed Marc Andre Fleury it was like listening to Ozzy Osbourne during the seventh-inning stretch.

And who will ever forget poor old Gary Bettman. You knew he was the most disappointed person inside Joe Louis Arena when Pittsburgh won. He knew he'd get hear the boo birds, but presenting the Stanley Cup to the Penguins in Detroit? You know who else knew? The two guys who were smirking while carrying the Cup onto the ice..."Oh man, I can't wait to see that little guy behind the mic!" Bettman literally had to scream to be heard over the booing, and if that wasn't enough, his whole body shakes when he screams.

Love me some NHL.
-Pros

Anyone can jump out of a pool

2009-06-10T18:12:00.002-05:00

We all know the Jarron Gilbert can jump out of a pool. Just in case you've never seen it, here it is.

When this video came out, it was one of the most impressive things I had ever seen.

A few days ago, this video surfaced of Washington Redskin wide receiver Keith Eloi. Sorry Gilbert, but you got owned.

Second-best? Yup.

2009-06-08T21:49:00.003-05:00

Believe it or not people, but you're watching the second-greatest shooting guard to ever play in the NBA — J.J. Redick. Coach K just smacked his forehead. I mean Adam Morrison. His tailor just smacked his forehead.

The Black Mamba, ladies and gentlemen. He's here all week, or until he breaks his jaw from clenching it too hard.

Whether the Lakers win this series is irrelevant. Bryant's name is firmly etched in stone as the best shooting guard not named Michael Jordan. Jerry West is his toughest competition, but Bryant tops him.

West was a 14-time all-star, and one of the toughest and competitive players to play the game.
He also hit a 60-foot buzzer-beater to send Game 3 of the 1970 Finals against the Knicks into overtime, which only added to his legendary status as "Mr. Clutch." His numbers were staggering (27ppg, 5.8rpg, 6.7apg) and are better than Bryant's (25.1, 5.3, 4.6). But here's where Mr. West loses ground — he was 1-7 in the NBA Finals. If you want to play the But-wait-Kobe-had-Shaq-card, well, West had Elgin Baylor and Wilt Chamberlain, so explain that. Bryant is 3-2 right now, and that will likely improve to 4-2 in the next few days.

Figuring out the best at a certain position is hard. There are so many factors. Some people lean heavily on pure statistics while others label team success as the main barometer. It has to be a mix of both. West had better numbers, but played his whole career with two Hall of Famers. Bryant's best year, 2005-06, was with this team. Shivvers. Of course Bryant's numbers were inflated because of the inferior nature of his teammates, but it also says something that when Kobe was the man, he absolutely dominated. It's an unfair point because West never had that opportunity, but West also played with Baylor and Wilt and ended with just one title.

When I stop and think about it, labeling Bryant behind Jordan still seems ridiculous. It feels like only yesterday he was a cocky first-year guard who airballed like 3000 shots in a game one time. But then again, if Nike turns you into a puppet, you've got to be pretty good.

Maturity won't be the problem folks

2009-06-04T15:32:00.003-05:00

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I love this time of the year. Not only do you have the NBA Playoffs, NHL Playoffs, and division races in the MLB heating up, but the NFL is still taking up headlines as well!

Tony Dungy, former head coach of the Indianapolis Colts, has decided he will be joining NBC as a studio football analyst. Yesterday he came on "Waddle & Silvy," a morning sports talk show in Chicago and was asked about a variety of football topics. Being interviewed by a Chicago station, of course the talk steered towards the new quarterback in town, Mr. Jay Cutler:

"[The Bears] took a risk [trading for Cutler]. I think they took that risk specifically with beating the Green Bay Packers in mind," Dungy said. "I really think Chicago gave up a lot to get a quarterback who they believe is going to be the final piece of the puzzle. But I am not sure he has won enough to merit that yet."

When asked specifically about him having the maturity to lead the Bears, he had this to say:

"That remains to be seen. He is a very talented guy who can throw the ball very well. But quarterbacking is so much about leadership and so much about doing things under pressure. There is going to be a lot of pressure on him," Dungy said. "We'll see about his maturity level. That's what I would question. And some of the things that happened leading to him leaving Denver ... that would concern me as a head coach," Dungy added, according to the report. "He can make all of the throws, but quarterbacking is much more than just making throws."

Here is the link to the article on ESPN.com and radio bit.

Welcome back to the football world Coach Dungy, glad to see your back! People close to me know I have been supporting the trade that brought Cutler over from Denver, even after that messy divorce. They paid a high price but a price that will be worth it if Cutler continues to grow as a player the way he has his first several seasons in the league.

However, people have been on both sides of the fence when it comes to Cutler and how he handled the situation with new Denver Broncos head coach Josh McDaniels. Supposedly, after the last coach, Mike Shanahan, was fired, Cutler asked owner Pat Bowlen for assurance that no one else from the offensive staff would be let go. Bowlen said sure and soon after the staff was axed. McDaniels then comes on board, tells Cutler he is excited to work with him and develop him into an even better quarterback. Word comes out soon after that McDaniels had been actively trying to trade Cutler in hopes to bring Matt Cassel, the quarterback he worked with at his last stop, the New England, to the Broncos.

What followed was a he said this, he said that dialogue between Cutler, McDaniels, and Bowlen. Lot of bad talk, ignored phone calls and text messages, and essentially feelings hurt. It was quite the soap opera that had the NFL world hooked, seeing what would happen next and where Cutler would end up. The result was a Cutler trade to the Chicago.

Here's what I think of that situation: No one handled the situation perfectly, not even Jay Cutler. That said, if the information that came out is true, that Bowlen went back on his word about the offensive staff and that McDaniels came in thinking to himself that Cutler was not ideal for his offense and wanted to trade him from the start, then I got some real beef with that. New coaches who come in and make wholesale changes rarely have immediate and/or long-term success. I think how Mike Tomlin, the head coach of the defending world champion Pittsburgh Steelers, handled getting the job several years back. Tomlin was a defensive coordinator for the Minnesota Vikings and a strong supporter of the 4-3 defense. He did not come in saying they must switch from the 3-4, a staple in Pittsburgh throughout the years. He also had dinner with quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, outlining what he wants to do and hear what has been successful. He got on the same page with everyone right from the start.

McDaniels needs to do a lot to make up for running the franchise quarterback out of town. If McDaniels hadn't gotten hired, Cutler would still be there most likely. The fact remains that Cutler was extremely well liked by the fans and more importantly his teammates. He was getting better every year, already with a Pro Bowl appearance under his belt. The trade the Chicago Bears made for Cutler is a once in a lifetime kind of deal. You do not see 26 year old quarterbacks who aren't even in their prime yet go on the trade market. YOU JUST DON'T. Teams usually cater to these guys, these potential superstars, knowing they will be the face of the franchise for the next decade. They know these guys will make or break season ticket sales and fan support for the years ahead. Why do you think the Los Angeles Lakers picked Kobe Bryant over Phil Jackson and Shaquille O'Neal?

We clearly don't know everything that happened behind the scenes in Denver. Some of the media and some fans began to label Cutler as a "crybaby" or a "prima donna." Again, I say maybe he didn't handle the situation perfectly but he is afforded some respect and deserves some honesty. Denver made a commitment to him, both verbally and by rewarding him with a new deal, and then they hire a young guy to run the team and who wants to run him out of town. Something isn't right.

Now regarding what Coach Dungy said, there is no doubt the Bears took a risk. Any time you give up your quarterback and two first round draft picks, you are taking a risk. In regards to his maturity level, time will tell. Again, this guy had teammates who loved him and the same with his coaching staff. I believe Bears general manager Jerry Angelo when he says they did their homework and believe this is an isolated situation. Like I said, it's not every day when a 26 year old Pro Bowl quarterback is available. Angelo knows what character issues can do to a team and I have faith that he won't bring a guy with maturity or leadership issues on board.

I'm more excited for this upcoming season than any one in recent memory. I've already seen a Cutler jersey on the streets of Chicago and they will begin to pop up everywhere. Bears fans should have faith in this guy and believe in him and the team. All too often we are too negative about this stuff and want to jump on an individual and/or an organization. I think the Bears got this one right. If Jay Cutler fails in Chicago, it won't be because of "maturity" issues.

Kobe has grown up, just like you and I!

2009-05-31T18:26:00.003-05:00

Apologies for those looking for a post yesterday. Gotta adjust to things on the fly in life, ya know?

I want to give a shout out to the "Mougars" team of City Year Chicago for putting on a beautiful service day. Everything from the volunteers to the murals to the grilling was fantastic, big props!

One of my favorite things to do is talk sports with casual sports fans; that is, people who might not watch sports on a regular basis and follow a particular team or sport closely. It's funny thinking that in high school and college, I was surrounded by people who I talked sports with 24/7. Whether it was with Pros, on the radio at DePauw, with my fraternity brothers, the arguments and debates never stopped and they got pretty heated at times, even down right nasty. Debates became personal and the facts became moot. Those were the days.

Working at City Year Chicago the past ten months, I've been around only a couple people who I share the same passion for sports with. My team would tell you that I talk sports more with the 3rd-5th graders we work with in our after school program than with anyone on the team. Pros can attribute to that as when he came to my school just several weeks back, he got into a great conversation with one of my favorite kids on how the Chicago Bulls would improve this off season . Mind you, this kid is in fourth grade but he was dropping names and strategies left and right. Pros, we need to get Kristopher on the blog soon, ok?

I bring up this point of "casual fans" because of all the talk about Kobe Bryant, the leader and superstar of the Los Angeles Lakers. The amount of Kobe haters out there is mind blowing, especially with the recent "holiness" of LeBron James. People love to hate Kobe and there are plenty of things that people point to:

- The rape charges and how he's a horrible human being and an awful family man.
- His past relationship with Shaquille O'Neal and the falling out they had after the 2003-2004 season, along with Lakers coach Phil Jackson, who left the team only to come back about a year later.
- His scoring numbers during the Lakers rebuilding years, people pointing to Kobe as a ball hog and a selfish teammate.

The people who make these statements forget how much they have grown themselves in their own lives. People make mistakes, people do bad, regrettable things, what not. The funny thing when it comes to Kobe is that people take the things from his past and apply it to his life and basketball career right now. It's even harder when Kobe is being compared to Michael Jordan, arguably the greatest athlete of all time. However, people fail to think about how Michael grew as a player and a human being (if you want to even argue that second part...). Michael filed for divorce several years back with his wife Juanita and there were enough rumors on what exactly prompted that. Couple that with his horrible gambling habits that carry their own juicy stories (year off anyone?) and the fact he too was routinely seen yelling at teammates and coaches, how is Michael any different of a person than Kobe?

Yes, I am a Kobe Bryant fan and I'll tell you why: because this guy has grown up and is the best basketball player I've ever watched, period. I barely remember watching Michael as I wasn't even a huge basketball fan back then. This is not about LeBron versus Kobe or what LeBron will do later in his career. I'm asking people to look at what Kobe has done, is doing, and what he might accomplish in a month's time.

We as fans all too often want to point to an athlete and bring him down as a human being. I find sadness in this as in many ways, they are no different than you and I. Kobe pumps his own gas, he goes to the grocery store, and he cries. Coach Mike Krzyzewski of Duke University and Team USA basketball came to my school earlier this year to talk with students about the importance of reading. He talked about following your dream as well and then talked about Kobe. Let us remember that this past summer was the first time the grizzled veteran Kobe Bryant got to wear the red, white, and blue for Team USA in the Olympics (he was injured in 2004). Coach K said that when the players were issued the jerseys, all the other players such as LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Chris Paul, threw on their jerseys and flashed big smiles, high fiving each other. Kobe did not put his jersey on, instead staring at it and began crying in front of all the guys. It took LeBron and Dwyane Wade to come over and calm him down because he realized he finally got to do something he hadn't done and that he would represent his country in the Olympics.

People need to take a step back when making judgements on people, especially when it comes to athletes and celebrities. It's amazing how quick we are to put a label on people and how those labels stick on certain individuals. It's also about crafting your own argument and not jumping on what others have to say. Weren't we taught at a young age to question what is said and what is around us daily? When it comes to the media and sport, we need to do that. Yes, Kobe is on the verge of accomplishing something special and is about to reach the top of the mountain after being there and being thrown off, some to his own fault. He has battled his way back and has learned how to be a true, all around basketball player, especially after winning the MVP last season for the first time in his career. He always talks about the journey and working hard to attain what he wants, something that few in the NBA do better than him. Let us examine those attributes and his growth and let us think about that while we watch the NBA Finals. If you're gonna say he doesn't pass the ball to his teammates, watch an entire game first. If you're gonna say he is a bad person, try to examine something he might be doing well instead of focusing on the faults. Then let's talk.

Morning Wrap-Up

2009-05-29T09:16:00.013-05:00

Why I love Danny Ainge: During day two of the NBA Predraft Camp this morning, Andy Katz interviewed Boston Celtics G.M. Danny Ainge. Katz spoke to Ainge about his health, after the former Celtic suffered a heart attack over a month ago. Then Katz asked Ainge what he thought of the new predraft format, which went away from the traditional 5-on-5 scrimmage to a NFL-like combine. Good thing to know we're on the same page:

"It's horrible. These next three house are a waste of time. I could be playing golf right now. "

Fantastic

New logo?: Last night Jerry West, whose silhouette is on the NBA's logo, told ESPN's Niel Everett he was open to a possible change to the logo. He said Michael Jordan should be on the new logo. How sick would this look on the NBA logo?

Colin Cowherd of "The Herd" on ESPN radio has a contest to see who can come up with the best MLB logo. It's currently this, but a combination of this, this , this and this would look pretty good.

And of course: LeBron was pretty good, yeah. But four of his teammates scored in double-figures, which is the only reason the Cavs won last night. Game 6 is Orlando's to lose. The pressure has shifted from solely being on Cleveland to being on both teams. Cleveland is expected to win the series, but only eight teams have blown a 3-1 series league in NBA playoff history.

-Pros

Anger in sports? Let's chill folks...

2009-05-28T12:14:00.003-05:00

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Sports, or should I say competition in general brings out the best and worst in people. People who've known me for a while remember how back in junior high gym, I was the person no one wanted on their team. I broke my fair share of badminton rackets and yelled for no reason really, arguing this call, saying this was bogus or that my teammate better get their act together or else. I even remember playing freshmen football and getting a 15 yard unsportsmanlike penalty for spiking the ball after what I thought was a bad call. Those were the days and people who know me now still might see that competitiveness every once in a while, but I'd like to say I've mellowed out.

If you didn't catch Cubs pitcher Carlos Zambrano's crazy tantrum yesterday, you must check it out now. This guy might be the most bonkers athlete out there right now and I'm so incredibly proud he is part of my beloved Cubbies...not. Seriously, who else is up there with this guy in terms of crazniess? Would you want to rile this guy up?

I find it quite comical when athletes, coaches, managers, or anyone else associated with sports goes on one of these tirades. I really think to myself if it's all an act or not. Remember that guy who threw the bucket of baseballs on the field? Or any manager getting inches away from an umpire, saying just nonsense the majority of the time? Is this what sports is about? People slam sports figures for being role models but rarely do we point to these foolish behaviors that happen on the field of play.

The anger these guys have built up is insane. I consider myself quite a peaceful person and could never imagine going looney over a play in front of millions of people. Yes, I have acted in some stupid ways but again, I believe I've learned a thing or two over my lifetime and I'm 21 compared to Zambrano who is almost 28. It's one thing if you're Troy Polamalu and you're aggressive on the field playing a position in a sport that demands that aggressiveness. It's another thing if your Milton Bradley or Carlos Zambrano and you lose your head over a call here or there (by the way, that was a good call Z so shut it). I try to imagine myself in these athletes' shoes; knowing I'm being paid millions of dollars to perform and I need to be doing everything I can to be the very best. At the same time however, how does Big Z look at himself after watching how he acted yesterday? Does he say that's just how he is and we need to deal with it? That's how he expresses himself? Hogwash!

Going specifically to Zambrano, yesterday was a prime example why this guy will never be a true ace. I will never feel confident with this guy on the mound in a crucial game. "Mike & Mike" were talking about him this morning with Tim Kurkjian and they all said the same thing. Cubs fans, how can we feel good about this guy? It's people who are mentally unstable like this that make us the butt of jokes. We are lacking the kind of attitude you see of championship teams. Sure, you can point to championship teams littered across the ages and find crazies but those are the anomalies and I'll pass. I'll take a professional team that goes out and competes and that is honorable over a group of maniacs any day of the week.

It's annoying to watch this kind of behavior from a player on one of the teams I support. The public needs to get more on him. If he doesn't want to change his behavior, then I personally don't want him wearing the Cubbie blue. Call me crazy but please don't call me BIG Z crazy.

5/28 Morning Wrap-Up

2009-05-28T08:31:00.006-05:00

Lamar has risen Odom had 19 points and 14 rebounds during the Lakers' Game 5 win. Both numbers are highs in the series. Mike Greenberg said that Odom is the most important player among the final four teams, saying his play most dictates his team's success. In the Lakers' last five playoff loses, Odom hasn't topped 10 points.

Shocker The Memphis men's basketball team has been charged with major NCAA violations from the 2007-08 season under former coach John Calipari. Through the Freedom of Information Act, the Memphis Commercial Appeal obtained a letter detailing the allegations first reported the story Wednesday. The allegations include "knowing fraudulence or misconduct" on an SAT exam by a player on the 2007-08 team. The redacted player is Derick Rose, according to a source. Click here for more.

Mr. 300 After six inning, three hits and one earned run, San Francisco Giant pitcher randy Johnson notched his 299th career win. It's very likely that we will never see another 300-win pitcher. Here is a list of notable pitchers "nearing 300."

Randy Johnson -- 299
Mike Mussina -- 270 (still owned by 1.4% ESPN baseball fantasy users)
Jamie Moyer -- 249 (he'll reach 300 at age 51 if he wins 10 games per year)
Andy Pettite -- 219 (mucho mas HGH)
Pedro Martinez -- 214 (if he comes back and can repeat 1997-2000, then yes)
John Smoltz -- 210

Aside from Johnson, none of the above will make it. But the following have a chance.

C.C. Sabathia -- 121 (He's 31. I don't see his body holding up that long)
Johan Santana -- 116 (He's 30. If he keeps up his 15 wins per year average, he'll be 43).

After those two, the future rests on the young guns. SI's Tom Verducci wrote an article in April highlighting baseball's top young pitchers. Will any of these 10 reach 300? My money is on Lincecum. Dominant stuff, no injuries, but will have to get on a team that can give him run support.

-Pros

Lakers/Nuggets Game 5 — beyond the game

2009-05-27T21:01:00.044-05:00

I haven't missed a night of the NBA since I moved to Hartford for the summer. I usually just zone out in the third quarter, but for the rest of tonight's game (it's halftime), I'll share with you what's going on in my big head.

Final Lakers took care of business. Off to Denver. Thanks for reading!

1:02, Fourth Kobe's eighth assist was as pretty as they come. Surprised how he has played this quarter, but that was a great pass.

2:24, Fourth That was the most contact I've seen all playoffs without a foul being called. And guess what? That was a lot more enjoyable to watch. Got to love when the NBA cross-promotes with movies.

3:04, Fourth Gasol has a season-high five blocks. He has four blocks twice in the playoffs and never had more than three in the regular season. Classic Odom: pretty good game, misses two free throws.

4:02, Fourth The wheels on the bus are falling off, falling off, falling off. The wheels on the bus are falling off, blah blah blah blah blah. Kobe, where are you? There's Fisher, finally.

4:58, Fourth What's weirder? there's less than five minutes left in a must-win Game 5 and Kobe has 10 field goal attempts or that Shannon Brown is still in the game?

7:03, Fourth Who would have thought that two straight plays going into Gasol would result in a field goal and two free throws? Call me crazy. These LeBron/Kobe commercials are just hilarious.

Kobe: LeBron! Who is it?

LeBron: That was Mrs. Lewis from downstairs. She says you ain't got no defense!

Double negative?

8:54, Fourth Another example of NBA inconsistencies. Anthony destroys Kobe and no flagrant. Not that I think there should have been, but refs have been calling plays like that as flagrants. And yes, I know Jack is there, no need to show him after every play, especially since I can see him during every play because he sits right next to George Karl.

9:42, Fourth: OH MY. Hello Lamar Odom! The Birdman just got owned. Speaking of Andersen, if the Nuggets lose, it's his fault. He doesn't have the mohawk. Instead, he went back to the middle school/high school look of gelling up the front part of your hair. "The Hangover" looks fantastic. Any movie with Mike Tyson, the smart guy from National Treasure and Andy from The Office, plus a Tiger and a funny looking fat kid sounds good to me.

End of Third: J.R. Smith has matured before our very eyes. He has gone from solely shooting 3-pointers to being able to drive and dish. And instead of forcing a low-percentage shot from under the hoop a moment ago, he kicked it out. He's still inconsistent, but he's getting there. Alright, Kobe clearly took the "I'm going to defer to my teammates route" tonight (18 points on eight field goal attempts), but that will change soon. I know coaches hate the interviews in between quarters, but Phil Jackson hates them the most, no question.

Hugh Hefner: Did that really just happen on ESPN?

3:53, Third: That's the second time tonight the refs have made a poor offensive foul call. Earlier Billups was called for one on Ariza and Kobe was just called for one. Although Van Gundy said Smith was "clearly" there in time, he was leaning in. OK, this is getting weird. The Nuggets just committed their fourth straight turnover, and LeBron had eight last night. No one told me this was "Derrick Rose Impersonation Day." Sorry, I had to.

5:46, Third: Gasol says not to Jones and being denied by Andersen earlier. Lakers are down five, which means Kobe is going to start smelling blood shortly.

7:58, Third: Everyone from ESPN writers to the woman on the corner has been complaining about NBA referees. Well here's the solution: let the players ref themselves. Each team will appoint one, level-headed player to accomplish this. For example, Dahntay Jones would not be one of those player, but Billups would. For the Lakers, Kobe is too competitive to objectively call fouls, but Fisher would be perfect. The players know what is a foul and what isn't a foul better than the referees, so let them do it.

Facial Hair: Everyone knows of Chris Andersen's hair, but there seems to be a trend of Jafar-esque looks. ESPN is interviewing Rashard Lewis right now, and he's getting there, but no one comes close to the Celtics' Kendrik Perkins. Gross. Speaking of Perkins, I cannot recall one smile from the Celtics/Bulls series. He has jumped into my "Top 5 People I Don't Want to Meet in an Alley."

Hockey Update: Hawks just lost. I don't know what to feel. Do I care? Yes? Hmmmm....still trying to figure this sport out.

Halftime: I'm going to be really disappointed if Kobe can't pull through in this series. Not only do I want to see LeBron and Kobe in the Finals, I want more puppets. Mike Breen said Derek Fisher had "10 good points" in the first half. I wonder what "10 bad points: looks like. Regardless, Fisher hit double-digits for the first time since Game 1. Vujacic hit a big three to end the half. The only way the Lakers win tonight is if they get production outside of Kobe. 27 from Fisher, Byrun and Odom is a good start, but this brings me to the biggest question of the series: Paul Gasol. How does the best big man on the court have four field goal attempts at the half? Coming into the game, Kobe had 98, Gasol had 40. Gasol had 55 in the first four games of the Houston series.

I'm really curious to try Domino's bread bowl pastas. They can't be that bad? Right? Eh.

Earlier, Mark Jackson proved his worth once again. After Chauncey Billups started the game with a 3-pointer and a good dish to his teammate, Jackson commented that is starting strong because his team is facing the pressure, which makes him a great leader. No doubt Billups is a great leader (Chauncey + watching Kobe over the summer = Carmelo Anthony's development), but explain to me how the Nuggets have all the pressure? A) They're on the road, B) They are the lower seed, C) They aren't favored to win, D) They haven't been to the NBA Finals since 1976, E) THEY'RE THE NUGGETS.

Stop complaining, let's watch greatness be defined!

2009-05-27T20:43:00.005-05:00

Follow me on Twitter.

I wish someone knocked some sense into me in high school regarding my sleeping habits. While I now have a job that requires me to wake up at 5:30am, I've begun to fall into bad habits sleeping wise. I've been incredibly disciplined the majority of the year but the NBA Playoffs are bringing out the lazy part of me. However, last night, after going out to dinner with my girlfriend and her beautiful family, I told myself I'd go straight to the sack and pass out. And that's exactly what I did, in bed proudly at 10pm on the dot. Thank you.

I then wake up at 5:30am to a text message from one of my friends saying exactly this:

"LeBron is still on a holy mission, the rest of the team isn't. All great players need a Scottie Pippen. Mo Williams ain't no Scottie Pippen."

Laughs and eyebrow raises courtesy of @Soysaucer1, follow him for some funny stuff.

So yeah, I missed the game and I quickly read up on it and watched the highlights on my computer this morning. I haven't missed a game or an ending this playoffs but forgive me, my health was the prevailing need last night. And yes, I felt greatttt this morning. It's amazing how one can put sports on the backburner of things in life, right? The day has come, thank you again!

The result of the game last night is one I was not surprised by. Orlando has played fantastic this series and the mismatches they have in their favor compared to Cleveland are ridiculous, I've been saying that all along since watching how they came out hard in game one.

I heard Colin Cohwerd say yesterday the Lakers aren't as good of a "team" as we all want them to be but I don't buy that, yet at least. I do however wonder why people haven't said this about LeBron's crew. LeBron is doing what Kobe did several years back, shouldering the load of scoring in a "holy" way if you will. Kobe might be doing that a little out west and yes, that might be the reason they are deadlocked at 2-2, but the Lakers have showed why people think they are the favorites to win. The talent they have dwarfs any team in the NBA really. Oh yeah, let's feed Gasol the ball a bit more.

It's funny reading what people are writing online about Kobe versus LeBron, seeing all these commercials through Nike and Vitamin Water, and seeing a special that ESPN made on "The Dream Season: 23 & 24." I kept telling people this media blitz would get amped up beyond belief if we got that matchup but what are we thinking now with Orlando up 3-1? Will Adidas and Nike team up to make new puppet commercials with Dwight and Kobe? Ha, that would be something. I want a new puppet commercial with Kobe showing a new mixtape of LeBron's teammates being "unholy."

Some people are saying it's a poor decision for ESPN and Nike to be doing all this showcasing of LeBron and Kobe, especially since enough people believe the NBA "fixes" their games for better viewership (check out this interesting read by Sam Smith). While officiating is always questionable, I don't buy it. We wouldn't have seen Golden State beat Dallas several years back and the Clippers wouldn't have won the draft lottery. Let it go people. The question marks people have on this stuff and the anger that comes with them takes up more of the arguments than deciding who is truly the better team or who the better player is. It's a waste of time, let it go. Just do a quick search on Twitter and you'll be quickly laughing. Watch the games as what they are: entertainment. To say the games aren't entertaining is anyone's prerogative, that's cool. To get overly caught up in the officiating or the "fixing" aspect is dumb in my humble opinion. Let us watch greatness be defined people and then let's have some friendly debates.

Yes, we're back....

2009-05-27T09:10:00.004-05:00

Thanks to everyone who is still subscribed. Please tell people they can subscribe via email or via RSS reader, both on the right. We will also be setting up a Twitter account so if you aren't TWEETING, get an account. Right now, I'm @guptafour and Pros is @Peeeeeeeej. Alwayssss a pleasure!

Morning Wrap-Up

2009-05-27T08:35:00.005-05:00

Cavs/Magic -- If Todd from SNL's Superfans was a Magic fan, his heart attack count would be at 14 after LBJ missed a 35-footer to give Orlando a commanding 3-1 series lead. LeBron has scored 40+ in each of Cleveland's three loses, so the man is frustrated. He committed eight turnovers, something he did just once during the regular season, with the majority coming in the fourth quarter and overtime. Translation? LeBron's frustration with his teammates is drawing parallels to Kareem's in "Airplane!" He's the best player on the planet and he's on the verge of bowing out before the NBA Finals with a better team than when he made the finals in 2007.

Greinke -- Juan Marichal can't be too happy right now. Kansas City star Zack Greinke is the first pitcher to sport a sub-1.00 ERA after 10 starts since Marichal did it for the San Francisco Giants in 1966. Greinke is now 8-1 with an .84 ERA. He threw his fifth complete game of the season last night in the Royals' 6-1 win over the Tigers.

Watch that foot -- Nuggets guard Dahntay Jones was given a flagrant foul1 by league officials after his intentional trip of Kobe Bryant in Game 4 on Monday night. But the story here is that the flagrant fives Jones three flagrant-foul points, and if a player exceeds three flagrant-foul points, he receives an automatic one-game ban. Jones has played just 65 minutes in the series, but his energy and aggressiveness has helped feed the Nuggets' success. Although Denver hasn't won games because of Jones, he's not someone the Nuggets want to lose.

Quote of the Night -- LeBron James: "The ball is in my hand a lot and I may have a few turnovers, but I have to figure out how to not have eight. Eight is unacceptable for me. Fatigue has nothing to do with it."

The GP Show is BACK!

2009-05-27T08:12:00.002-05:00

After a nine-month hiatus, Goop n' Pros have returned. Goop has spent the last year working at City Year, while Pros is spending the summer at ESPN in Bristol.

We'll bring you a variety of posts this summer, so make sure you check the site!

Green Bay's Circus

2008-08-05T09:59:00.004-05:00

After doing my daily dose of reading ESPN and listening to the radio, I get the feeling No. 4 isn't going to be in Green Bay much longer. Favre and head coach Mike McCarthy met last last for multiple hours discussing Favre's future and what the flight from Mississippi was like. Mike Greenberg made a great point today. Favre doesn't want to be a distraction and Green Bay doesn't want one. Favre wants to go to Minnesota but Green Bay doesn't want to trade him there. So who gives first? How long will Favre hold a clipboard before he breaks and becomes an even bigger distraction and how long until Green Bay cracks?

My guess is that Favre isn't wearing a Green Bay uniform for much longer. At some point McCarthy and the rest of the management has to come to a sound decision and either get rid of Favre or open up the quarterback competition for real (which would go back on everything they have said since Favre first scratched his itch and be more hypocritical than when Bobby Knight joined ESPN.

I think Favre will be donning another jersey by the end of this week/start of next week. Many disagree and say he'll eventually cave in and go back to Mississippi where he has mastered the art of throwing passes to high school wideouts. But the circus usually only lasts about a week, and we are officially in Day Two of Favre in Green Bay.

Complete world domination by TEAM USA, let's go!

2008-08-05T09:48:00.004-05:00

Where to begin?

- Only a couple of days away from "The REDEEM Team," Team USA Basketball, beginning their quest for complete domination of the entire planet Earth (seriously). I hope other basketball fans are as jacked as I am. Sunday nightwill be a beautiful sight as we get to see the host nation China go down as the first official loser by Team USA Basketball in the 2008 Summer Olympics. Wake up after a afternoon nap, fire up a pot of coffee, and enjoy some biscuits and gravy for this one because it will be morning in China. Oh yeah, George W. is making an appearance, cool. Is Mike Greenberg of "Mike & Mike in the Morning" that far off saying that Kobe Bryant will outscore an entire nation during the gold medal run? Don't be surprised, really. The amazing combination of Bryant, LeBron, Wade, and Melo might outscore the whole tourney field. Maybe. Anyone wanna buy me a KOBE Team USA jersey? With the glossy back and all, no exceptions. Next to Michael Phelps being a super-freak, this is the story of the Olympics for me. Not too late to jump on the bandwagon, realize the importance of this for basketball sports fans.

- NBA commissioner David Stern must be loving this idea of "globalization." With Josh Childress leaving for Greece, more news from Europe is percolating. Word is that the same team that signed Childress for a $20 million deal is contemplating a run at KING LeBron James in 2010, when he becomes a free agent. Since there is no salary cap in European basketball, the billionaire group that backs Greece based basketball team Olympiacos can throw any amount of money at James, say $40 million? That's about $20 million than any NBA team can offer given a max contract situation (which James warrants, right?). Why stop at $40 million? Throw a billion and let LeBron's quest to a billionaire athlete come to a quick stop. The dude had dinner with Bill Gates the other night. Are you serious? Most NBA fans might think it's nuts even imagining LeBron playing in Europe. Let's dissect this a little more though. All these European contracts include opt-outs after each season, meaning LeBron could leave whenever he wants to. He will only be 25 in 2010, meaning he could play for one year in Europe, increase his global marketing (which is clearly one of his goals), and then come back in time for the Brooklyn Nets' new stadium, poppin' the campaign with his boy Jay-Z. The competition would be nothing for LeBron overseas, he could dominate and it'd be less physically demanding. He'd come back to the NBA in a huge market and be right where he left off. This one's not over folks, stay tuned...

- Glad to see the football talk really heating up the last week or so. Thursday night marks the first Chicago Bears pre-season game and the start of the watch for the first offensive touchdown of the season. What's the over/under for that, two weeks? One month? Don't hold your breath. To think the NFL continues to charge fans FULL PRICE for exhibition games is something I will never completely grasp. Then again, there are many things like that in our world and specifically in the world of sports. I digress. I've been back and forth on the Bears QB blunder all off-season but I'm here to say I have subscribed to the Kyle "Get me some Jack" Orton fan club. The guy might not light it up in practice but when game day comes, he instills confidence in me, unlike the Sex Cannon Rex Grossman. As a fan who stuck with Rexy from the get-go, I am letting go finally, deep into the ocean Titanic style. Something has been missing between the ears and while I believe he can still be a quality backup, current starting quarterback in the NFL is clearly off his resume. The offense doesn't have to do THAT much considering Hester will put them around the 50 yard line every time. Come on boys, expectations are low and that means you can SURPRISE people. Isn't that a chip on a shoulder?

- Lastly, a shout-out to the White Sox brethren out there. It must be FANTASTIC to watch your team just put the division title on a plate, sprinkle some garlic on it, and just HAND IT OVER. It ain't over till it's over, but boy is that alarm ringing loud. At the same time, this is the beauty of baseball once again. A little more than a week ago, every voice listened to on Chicago sports radio was saying how the Cubs have peaked and the Brewers are doing what is expected. Fast-forward to last night when Prince Fielder nearly ate Manny Parra, well, the Cubbies are five games in front for the division lead. Do we dare forget the tragedy of the 2007 New York Mets? Baseball is the most up and down sport. Not sure how sports commentators can go through an entire summer of one extreme to the next. Us fans take it to another level. Let's take a deep breath and make some popcorn. These division races are gonna be interesting. I want it closer than most people. I like the competition and believe in the idea of momentum. Some disagree, but this is one man's opinion. I for one am rooting for the White Sox for the sole reason that I don't have to listen White Sox fans' BS all post-season if and when the Cubs make it to the post-season. It's the truth, live it.

A moment to laugh at other people: Next time someone messes up your SANDWICH order, instead of just walking around in circles, yelling, and complaining like my mother, do with this dude did and dial 911. OKAY.

LIVE Trade Deadline Updates

2008-07-31T09:50:00.034-05:00

With the trade deadline fast approaching (3 p.m.CST), stay tuned to thegpshow.com for your up-to-the-minute updates. Share your feelings about the deadline deals by leaving a comment below.

3:58: FINALLY. ESPN.com and SI.com are reporting that Manny is gone and off to the L.A. Dodgers. The aforementioned Jason Bay deal was false, as Bay is going to Boston in this deal. The Pirates will get third baseman Andy LaRoche and pitcher Bryan Morris from L.A., while Red Sox outfielder Brandon Moss and pitcher Craig Hansen also go to Pittsburgh. The final two years of $20 million club options were dropped and the Red Sox will pick up the remaining $7 million salary. Ramirez can now become a free agent this winter.

3:00: That's all folks. Manny wasn't dealt, very surprising. Red Sox keep one of the best hitters in the game but unless they can deal with the angry hitter, it could get ugly in the future. The most noticeable move of the day is clearly the Griffey trade and it's unclear at this point whether the Bay deal is in fact true. Stay tuned for an update on that. Thanks for checking in!

2:55: ESPN reports that left-handed setup man and former Cub Will Ohman is staying put in Atlanta, and the same can be said for Raul Ibanez in Seattle. Rhodes looks to be the only bullpen arm dealt today.

2:39: Cbssportsline.com is reporting that Tampa Bay has acquired Pittsburgh Pirate Jason Bay for Reid Brignac and Jeff Niemann. Tampa Bay has not confirmed this report yet. The latter two are prospects but Bay adds lots of power to the Rays' lineup.

2:29: SI.com is reporting that the Boston/Florida/Pittsburgh deal has lost steam and the Dodgers are making a run at Ramirez, after initially showing interest late last night. It reports: "Boston is believed to prefer ultra-talented outfielder Matt Kemp in exchange for Ramirez, but, according to people familiar with the talks, the Dodgers have offered young outfielder Andrew Ethier, but one source is saying the Dodgers may now prefer to keep Ethier and offer prospects instead." Either way, whoever wants Manny better hurry up.

1:56: According to ESPN.com, Colorado is going to hold onto lefty Brian Fuentes, someone the Cubs were eyeing. If the Cubs don't make any moves, it means they are confident enough that Kerry Wood, who pitched a simulated game today, is going to make a return sooner than later. But you also have to look at the recent success of pitcher Jeff Samardzija as another reason GM Jim Hendry may feel content at this point.

1:37: The Marlins acquired Seattle relief pitcher Arthur Rhodes for pitching prospect Gaby Hernandez. He goes from the worst team in baseball to a pennant race, not a bad deal. With less than an hour-and-a-half before the deadline, there hasn't been much going on. Hopefully we aren't disappointed and another trade deadline passes with no major moves, but it's hard to believe Boston doesn't deal Manny before 3 p.m.

12:27: Thoughts on Griffey. Griffey is a "Big" name but this isn't a "Big" signing by any means of the imagination. After listening to ESPN Radio 1000 and reading Mike Downey's article, people are blinded by his history and believe that just because he's a first ballot Hall of Famer and has over 608 homeruns that the Sox are getting the old Ken Griffey Jr. But Sox fans, you're not. He's a mediocre power hitter and average outfielder right now, at best. This deal will only be deemed a success if he can produce for the remaining two months of the season before he heads elsewhere.

12:18: Nothing major to report, but I've heard from a few different outlets that the Cubs are eying All-Star Milton Bradley. Chicago would have to give up some good talent to get Bradley, but he would bring a big left-handed bat to the team and a crazy head. There was also talk that the A's were looking to unload Huston Street from their bullpen, but that seems to be dead.

10:34: The man who is behind the greatest video game all-time is coming to Chicago. Griffey has agreed to the trade and will suit up for the White Sox pending league approval, which shouldn't be a problem. The Sox will send infielder Danny Richar and pitcher Nick Masset to the Reds, according to cbssportsline.com.

10:20: As I write this, Hall of Fame outfielder Ken Griffey Jr. is deciding whether to accept a trade that brings him to the Chicago White Sox. Griffey, who is on a 12-game hitting streak, has never played in a World Series and approving this trade gives the 38-year old a legitimate chance to reach the holy land of baseball and gives the White Sox an extra left-handed bat. Griffey won't play centerfield everyday as his knees can't support such a move from right, but he will likely get the nod against righties. This move will likely take away at-bats from struggling team captain Paul Konerko and add to a logjam in the outfield, which could do more bad than good internally for the White Sox. But in the end, a left-handed power bat is always an important piece for any team, let alone one striving for a pennant, and Kenny Williams once proves he isn't afraid to make a move right before the trading deadline.

ESPN's Peter Gammons and Jayson Stark both believe Manny Ramirez is likely to be traded, mainly because, according to Manny, the Red Sox "don't deserve me." Whatever. It looks like Florida and Pittsburgh will help to complete this deal, but Florida may be reluctant to give up top prospect Mike Stanton. Many believe trading Ramirez is the wrong thing to do, but if the Red Sox can add Jason Bay in exchange for a disgruntled outfielder, I wouldn't be too angry (remember that the Red Sox won the 2004 WS after trading away Nomar at the deadline).

The Rays and Reds are expected to continue talks this morning regarding a deal that would send Reds' slugger Adam Dunn to Tampa Bay. But that seems to be their backup plan, as the Rays are eyeing Pittsburgh's Jason Bay as their primary target.

It doesn't look like Seattle Mariner Jarrod Washburn will be a Yankee anytime soon.

Talks about Greg Maddux to the Dodgers also looked to be stalled. The Hall of Famer told the Padres that he only wants to be traded to a West Coast team (who can blame him, the NL West is soooo good).

Deng Deal Done

2008-07-30T19:56:00.008-05:00

With a deal in place, Luol Deng should officially be a Chicago Bull through the 2014 season. The six-year, $71 million deal "includes incentives that could increase the total value to $80 million," according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The Bulls had to finalize the deal before Monday when Deng leaves for the European Championships as part of the British team.

That all happened this morning, so now comes the fun part. Is this deal ultimately good for the Bulls?

Prior to the 2007-08 season, Chicago offered the small forward a five-year, $57.5 million deal and his numbers declined this season as he played just 63 games. Critics will say that they overpaid and succumbed to Deng's willingness to sign a one-year tender and become an unrestricted free agent after the season, which would result in Deng likely not wearing a Bulls uniform in 2009. But I think the money was well spent. The first reason is that no one on the Bulls had a good year last year. The team severely underachieved (if there has ever been an understatement, that's it) and went through a bad situation with former head coach Scott Skiles. The second is that since 2004, Deng has been the team's most consistent player. He's proven to be an efficient scorer, rebounder, tough defender and shoots a fairly good percentage from the field. The third is that he no doubt has the potential to be an All-Star and I was confident that last year would be his breakout year. But with all the above distractions, including an unknown future, I'm optimistic that Deng has had his worst season.

Deng's deal also affects the one of Ben Gordon. His agent, Raymond Brothers, believes his client should be the highest paid player on the team since he scores the most. Unfortunately, Mr. Brothers, you fail to recognize that Gordon lacks a certain necessary skill: defense. Anytime the Bulls played a team with two legitimate starting guards, his inability to play any sort of on-the-ball defense immediately put the Bulls behind the eight ball. Sure he can score with the best of them and is one of the best streak shooters in the league. But that's it. He cannot handle the ball, he turns it over far too often, and once again, he doesn't play defense. The Bulls should either sign Gordon to a one-year qualifying offer after which he would be an unrestricted free agent or they should sign and trade the guard. I like the latter better, which Gordon would have to approve.

You may be wondering why the Bulls just don't offer Gordon a deal that would make him the team's highest paid player. Well, that would force the Bulls to pay Gordon $13 million per season and put the Bulls near the luxury-tax threshold. And if you know anything about owner Jerry Reinsdorf, he wants nothing to do with going over the salary crap, one reason why the Bulls turn the highest profit of all NBA teams, but also the reason why they are reluctant to offer big-time contracts to multiple players. And as much grief as Paxson will take for this contract to Deng, paying Gordon more would create utter chaos, and give me a heart attack.

I have said from the beginning that I wanted the Bulls to keep Deng and ship Gordon away. They accomplished part one with what the Bulls hope can be a cornerstone of their franchise and someone they can count on for 20/7/3 for the next six years. But will they go through with part two? Stay tuned.

Cubs vs. Brewers, Game 2

2008-07-30T11:55:00.004-05:00

Monday it was the seventh inning and Tuesday it was the sixth that proved to be the difference maker at Miller Park. The Cubs rallied off six straight hits and scored five runs in the inning, on their way to a 7-1 victory. Chicago secured a split in the four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers and easily took down Brewer ace Ben Sheets. Aramis Ramirez went 4-for-5 with three doubles and Cub ace Carlos Zambrano pitched a gem: 8 IP, 0 ER and 9 SO. Kosuke Fududome broke the game open with a two-run triple in the sixth, and seemed to look relieved after arriving at third. His triple was just his fifth extra-base hit of the month and first since July 20.

It would be easy for the Cubs to sit back, have an emotional letdown and lose the next two games since they just topped the Brewers' two aces. But the Cubs have to get greedy and at least take one of the next two. The psychological gain of defeating two of the game's best pitches would be all but wiped away if the Cubs can't get a win from either Dempster or Harden. No one predicted a sweep, but if the Cubs take care of business tonight and tomorrow afternoon, the Cubs will have a five-game lead over Milwaukee.

Zambrano must be considered a serious pick for the NL Cy Young. Brandon Webb (14-4, 3.14 ERA) is likely leading the charge now, but he is pitching in quite possibly the worst division in MLB history. Early possibilities Tim Limcecum (11-3, 2.78) and Edinson Volquez (12-4, 2.77) have had sub-par months of July and don't play for contenders. There's also the possibility that CC (Charleston Chew, as I like to call him) Sabathia could make a run if he continues his already dominant stint in the NL (4-1, 8 ER in five starts, three CG). Zambrano has given up seven ER in the month of July and is 4-1 in his last five starts. Barring injury, he will likely pitch 10-12 more times, and if he continues to pitch at this level, reaching the 20-win plateau is not unlikely.

Ryan Dempster goes up against Manny Parra tonight as Dempster goes for his second-straight road win. Gametime is 7 p.m. on ESPN - hope for Erin Andrews.

Cubs vs. Brewers, Game 1

2008-07-29T09:49:00.005-05:00

Last night was as close to a playoff atmosphere a team can get without playing in October. With at least 40 percent of the fans cheering for the Cubs, Chicago was able to break CC Sabathia's three-game complete game streak and take game one of the series. Ted Lilly pitched had retired nine-in-a-row before he felt it was necessary to float a curveball right down the middle to the "Hammerin' Hebrew," Ryan Braun in the sixth. Braun's homerun was the second of five consecutive Brewer hits and shifted the momentum to Milwaukee. But with the bases loaded and one out in the top of the seventh, Derrick Lee, who has been called "DP" recently, hit a groundball to short and it looked like the Cubs would strand three. But a hard slide into second by Reed Johnson forced Ricky Weeks to commit a throwing error and the Cubs scored two. After a homerun by Russell Branyan in the bottom half of the inning, Lee came up in the top of the ninth with runners on first and second. Despite his recent struggles, Lee doubled to deep right and scored Soriano from second. An infield single by DeRosa scored Fontenot later in the inning. I don't think i've ever felt so unsafe with a 6-4 lead. Wood is on the DL and that means Marmol gets the chance to close out the game. I was convinced he was going to find a way to blow this one, but he faced just four batters and struck out two. Hooray!

Besides Soriano's big night (2-4, HR) and Lee's possible resurrection (3-5, 3 RBI), there were two plays that really stuck out to me. The first was Johnson's slide in the seventh. It's a play that won't show up on the scorecard but it's a perfect example of why he has been so valuable to this team. He doesn't hit for power and hits around. 280, but he plays all out and is the type of role player team's need come September. The second was even less obvious. In the bottom of the third Weeks was on first when Ted Lilly tried to pick him off at first. Weeks took off for second and Ronny Cedeno missed Lee's throw and the ball rolled into the outfield. One would think Weeks would make an immediate jump for third base, but Theriot acted like he had the ball and stuck out his glove towards Weeks. Theriot's play kept Weeks at second with Hardy and Braun due up next. His intelligence on the diamond is a reason why he is arguably the team's most valuable player.

Tonight's game features Ben Sheets and Carlos Zambrano and should be awesome. Both pitched well against the other team this season, and you can count of Big Z doing something emotionally questionably tonight, seeing as there will be 40,000 + on the road in a big series. Maybe a few hits to the chest, a la Kevin Garnett? Game time set for 7:05, be there.

Notes: Have you seen a worse head shot? If so, include it in the comments section below.
Baltimore Orioles CF Adam Jones - very photogenic.

Detroit Officially Re-Named "Brawl City"

2008-07-23T09:39:00.016-05:00

Words cannot describe this, just watch:

What were you thinking?
1) Candace Parker is awesome
2) Detroit Shock coach Bill Laimbeer has a nice comb over
3) The WNBA just boosted it's number of season ticket holders ten-fold
4) Cheryl Ford can join the "Milton Bradley Club for People Who Get Hurt During Times of Madness," (see Bradley's torn ACL while arguing with umpire)
5) Shock assistant and former Piston Rick Mahorn either pushed or restrained L.A. Spark Lisa Leslie which caused her to fall. If it's the former and Leslie goes to the media angry, uh oh...
6) David Stern is behind this.

Either way, that was awesome.
In other news...

The Cubs have now lost four of five games since the All-Star break, while hitting just .206 accompanied by 13 runs, nine walks and 35 strikeouts. It's no coincidence that these games have taken place on the road. Despite having the third-best overall record in the majors, the Cubs are just 21-30 on the road, second-worst among division leaders. Thankfully I have the solution to the Cubs offensive road woes. On Mac, Jurko and Harry yesterday, Jurko spoke of a time he got wasted before a practice while trying to make the Miami Dolphins team. He was worried that he wouldn't make it through practice, but an experienced teammate told him to just focus on the fundamentals and he'll have the best practice of his life. And by golly that's exactly what happened. Problem solved.

Josh Childress is jumping from the NBA to Europe, not the other way around. If teammate Josh Smith signs elsewhere, Childress would have had a good chance to start next season, but he is taking a 3-year guaranteed contract worth over the $20 million originally expected to play with the Olympiakos of Greece. This comes as a shock to most, but you can't blame the guy. He'll be the best player on his team, earn more money than in the states and he gets to live in Greece for a few years. Despite the language barrier which will likely be troublesome, Smith will become an immediate celebrity. This begs the question, is the NBA entering a dangerous time? With the Euro's worth heavily outweighing that of the dollar, players who cannot get the big-time contracts may start heading to Europe, but it's nothing the NBA needs to be worried about, yet. When players like guard Juan Carlos Navarro and forward Bostjan Nachbar leave for Europe, it's really no big deal. When Childress leaves, it becomes a bigger issue because he's an impact player for an up-and-coming team. In reality, since this is their job, these players value money over competition and Stern can't fix the American economy. But not until an All-Star caliber players leave for Europe does the NBA really need to start fretting. Fortunately for David Stern, the one man who would be crazy enough to do such a thing just signed a six-year $111 million deal to stay in America, Gilbert Arenas.

Finally, I'd like to share my frustration with you on a yesterday's column by Jay Mariotti. Although he's annoying and has a similar case of the "screams" as Steven A. Smith, I have always thought Mariotti to be a great writer with a strong, rational opinion. Although he and Brian Urlacher publicly feuded before, this is just dumb:

"He isn't Butkus. He isn't Singletary. Which means he isn't a legend -- nor will he ever be. Brian Urlacher is a joystick attacker and tireless maker of TV ads at a time when fast and sleek sells, all the more convenient when he's the star of middle linebacker theater in Chicago. But to suggest he's an all-time great is to ignore his performance dips and off-field warts."

Clearly there is something personal behind Mariotti's opening paragraph, but this is simply inaccurate. In eight seasons Urlacher has been to six Pro Bowls and is a four-time First Team All-Pro. In 12 seasons Singletary was selected to ten Pro Bowls and was a seven-time First Team All-Pro. Optimistically, Urlacher can still reach those numbers. In terms of "performance dips," Urlacher has been the cornerstone of the Bears defense since 2000, playing in every game except the seven he missed in 2004. That year aside, he has accumulated over 115 tackles in every season and has eight (eight!) interceptions over the past two seasons. He also had 10 tackles in Super Bowl XLI, by the way. I guess I missed the boat when making commercials was a bad thing and counted against ones legacy. And in terms of "off-field warts," he definitely hasn't had the best showing, but he's never been arrested or sent to jail like other recent Bears. And since when did a players off-the-field image matter when determining onces greatness? MJ? Kobe? A-Rod?!?! Both have had their fair share of nasty events, but in the end, MJ is still the greatest player of all-time, Kobe is currently the best player in the league and once A-Rod hits his 800th homerun, no one will care if there really is a sex-tape or not. The fact is Urlacher is the face of this franchise, has been a top middle linebacker since he entered the league and when you ask a Bears fan to name the best middle linebackers in Bears' history, it's "Butkus, Singletary and Urlacher."