My Weekly Rant!

It's been a while and I did begin to cover the post division series fall out before my coaching duties had begun to pull me away. I have added that and my most recent rants on this edition of...My Weekly Rant!

Let me start with the baseball post season as both the NLDS and ALDS series have concluded, and the race for the pennant really begins this weekend. The New York Yankees exercised there Jedi mind tricks once again against the Minnesota Twins in easily dispatching of Joe Maurer and company. With CC Sabbathia, Andy Pettitte and Phil Hughes pitching gems and Mariano Rivera continuing his post season dominance the Twins could not conger up any fight and were once again bounced by the Yankees in 5 games. Personally I thought the Twins would think outside the box and challenge the Bombers the way the Texas Rangers attacked the Tampa Bay Rays in their series. The Rangers changed up their game plan by running more and putting pressure on Tampa’s pitching staff. Couple that with timely hitting and a little Cliff Lee, the Rangers constantly kept the Rays of balance, and despite having to win a decisive game 5 to finish off the favored Rays, Texas never looked tight and played free. The Twins needed to treat their series with the Yankees in the same manner; instead they tried New York straight up and got handled.

The Philadelphia Phillies dispatched of the over hyped Cincinnati Reds led by a no-hitter in game 1 by Doc Halladay that set the tone for the series. Pitching was the theme in this one as Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt did their best to keep up with Hallady’s momentous performance. The Reds Joey Votto never really got going in the series and the rest of the Cincinnati line up followed suit. While the Phillies were out making quick work of the Reds, the San Francisco Giants ousted the Atlanta Braves and their future hall of fame manager Bobby Cox’s last run at a World Series in a 3-1 series victory. The Giants Tim Lincecum also provided proof along with Hallady, Sabathia and Lee that this season is indeed the year of the pitcher with his 14 strikeout, two hit shutout in game one. Intriguing match ups are now set to follow as the Giants and Phillies will match ace against ace in what could prove to be a low scoring pitchers dual between two of the best staffs in the National League. The Yankees won’t have to face their nemesis Cliff Lee until game three and could face him with the possibilities of being up 2-0 when they do.
My prediction, Yanks in 5 over the Rangers and the Giants in 6 over the Phillies. Book it Vegas!

Now on to the NFL where the biggest story isn’t what’s happening on the field of play, but what supposedly happened off it. Vikings signal caller Brett Favre is alleged to have sent pictures of his gentiles along with racy text messages to a former New York Jets female employee while Favre played for the Jets in 2008. Favre has neither confirmed nor denied the reports but the NFL is investigating in hopes of getting all the facts, and act swiftly in its response. I love the NFL, watch it every weekend and even ordered the Red Zone channel to see all the action, but to think that the poster child for what football stands for in effort, toughness and shear joy for the game possibly going down a path better suited for Ben Roethlisberger, is disturbing. If this proves to be true,(and I believe it is), Favre will go down to depths that only Tiger Woods could truly understand.

Well that was a quick summary of where my mind was a couple of weeks back, and needless to say my baseball picks went down the drain. The Texas Rangers meeting the San Francisco Giants in the World Series is a big reason why I stay away from Vegas and Atlantic City altogether. The Texas Rangers absolutely dominated my New York Yankees in six games and clinched the pennant for the first time in franchise history. There is no doubt that this season has been full of firsts for the Rangers. First they out smarted the Yankees in acquiring ace pitcher Cliff Lee. Then they win their first ever playoff series by knocking off the Tampa Bay Rays in the divisional round, and then use that momentum coupled with Lee’s pitching dominance to reach the fall classic. Speaking of firsts, the San Francisco Giants are looking to win their first World Series since moving from New York to the bay area. This isn’t the series that everyone was predicting, but I must say, my Yankees loosing aside, that this match up is intriguing. My heart wants the Rangers to loose so that Cliff Lee signs with the Yankees this offseason, however my mind tells me that Texas’s line up is far more intimidating than that of the Giants. I give top to bottom pitching edge to the Giants who will roll out two time Cy Young award winner Tim Lincecum, lefty Jonathan Sanchez, work horse Matt Cain, young gun Madison Bumgardner and eccentric closer Brain Wilson to tame the bats of the Rangers. But as I stated earlier, the offense is in abundance in Texas, with Josh Hamilton, Nelson Cruz, Vlad Guerrero, Ian Kinsler and Michael Young just name a few. But that is my intrigue, is the old adage, great pitching always beats great hitting. We will find out over the next 4 to 7 games.

Quick NFL hits on some of the more talked about topics currently being utilized for water cooler talk. I like the new rule being implemented for the safety of players. I do question the true motives though, as the NFL has been pursuing an 18 game regular season schedule. Could this be their way of selling the public and the players union on the increase of games? Or does the NFL care so much about their players that they drew up these new rules for their own betterment? If so NFL, why not start the balls rolling on increased benefits for retired players who need medical coverage and financial assistance? Those players in need are a big reason why your league is where it is today, entrenched as the most popular sport in North America.

The Brett Favre soap dish is still on going, although we have since learned that Favre has admitted to texting Jen Sterger but not sending lewd photos. Well that makes it all alright then doesn’t it Brett. I wonder if Mrs. Favre was present during you sexting session or did you just confuse Sterger digits with that of your wife’s? I hate to say that I was right, (Not really) but the New York Giants are a top the NFC east and the over hyped Dallas Cowboys are on the brink, as cellar dwellers. I have also been on point about the New England Patriots and their impressive 5-1 start. However, I am much more on the wrong than the right with regard to picks this season. The New Orleans Saints are reeling, The San Francisco 49ers is all but out of it and Mark Sanchez looking likes old reliable for the New York Jets. Listen folks, it’s not even mid season so cut me some slack will you!

Brock Lesnar, to the delight of my brother Ron, was whooped by Cain Velasquez in such a way that it was later confirmed by UFC president Dana White, that Brock could be heard squeamishly yelling “stop it”, “stop it” to referee Herb Dean as Cain pummeled him. You just can’t make that stuff up, when you got a guy 6’4 280 getting pounced on and beat in to a screaming inch of crying and telling his mommy. It was epic, but what wasn’t epic, was the UFC debut of Jake Shields. Shields has been scratching and clawing his way toward a UFC career for years and when finally presented with the stage, wait for it…waits for it…yes that is what it resembled. Holding your breath for the moment only to let out sighs of disappointment sums up Shields performance. Jake Shields looked weight drained, lethargic and uninspired, and any hopes of an immediate title shot against the Koschek/GSP winner sank along with all of sighs. Shields will have to adapt to welter weight much smoother in his next fight or face the possibility of trying to dethrone Anderson Silva at middle weight rather than GSP, happy hunting Jake.

As you've noticed I have not covered and NBA talk in this one. I'll get to it when the baseball post season has concluded. Well sports fans that is all I have, sorry for the short hiatus but both my sons are in the midst of playoff runs and have to stay close so when they make it big I can bag ten percent!

By Ephraim Vega
-Blog or Bust News-

Week 2 NFL Picks!

Below is the week 2 schedule for the NFL season, with times and home teams. To the right are my sure fire picks to go absolutely right! You be the judge;
SUN, SEP 19 TIME (ET)
Pittsburgh at Tennessee 1:00 PM Titans win at home, 20-10
Miami at Minnesota 1:00 PM Vikings bounce back with a 27-13 win
Arizona at Atlanta 1:00 PM Falcons ground the Cards 23-20
Baltimore at Cincinnati 1:00 PM Bengals take it to the Ravens 21-13
Kansas City at Cleveland 1:00 PM Chiefs 17-7 over the Browns
Chicago at Dallas 1:00 PM Cowboys tame the Bears 31-17
Philadelphia at Detroit 1:00 PM Vick leads Philly to a 24-10 win
Buffalo at Green Bay 1:00 PM Packers to much for Bills. 30-9
Tampa Bay at Carolina 1:00 PM Panthers beat the Bucs 14-10
Seattle at Denver 4:05 PM Broncos over the Hawks 17-13
St. Louis at Oakland 4:05 PM Raiders beat Bradford 23-14
Houston at Washington 4:15 PM Redskins over the Texans 20-17
New England at NY Jets 4:15 PM Pats over the Jets 27-17
Jacksonville at San Diego 4:15 PM Jax beat SD 20-13
NY Giants at Indianapolis 8:20 PM Giants over the Colts 24-21
MON, SEP 20 TIME (ET)
New Orleans at San Francisco 9:00 pm Saints 27-13 over the 49ers

There you have it folks. What do you think about my picks? Any sleepers in your round robin? Feel free to share and enjoy all of the games on Sunday!

By Ephraim Vega
Blog or Bust News

My....WEEKLY RANT!

Weekly Rant

The NFL season is off and running with week one officially in the books. There were some surprises and shockers, but all in all that is what makes the NFL so fun to watch. Before I get in to specific games and recaps, here is some notable injury news.

Green Bay Packers place running back Ryan Grant on injured reserve with torn ligament in knee.

New York Jets loose veteran defensive tackle Kris Jenkins for the season with ACL tear.

Detroit Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford out for 4 to 8 weeks with separated throwing shoulder.

Philadelphia Eagles quarterback (Concussion) could miss Sunday’s game if not cleared by doctors, and will not practice this week.

“I Love It When I am Right!”

Washington Redskins upset the Dallas Cowboys 13-7

The Dallas Cowboys took their traveling rodeo to Fed Ex Field, in a week one match up against the Washington Redskins. It was the first game for Redskin head coach Mike Shannahan and former Philadelphia Eagle quarterback Donovan McNabb. In what was suppose to be a walk through for the heavily hyped Cowboys turned in to an old school slug-fest between these two long time rivals. The story for Dallas continues to be the ineffectiveness of their offense and instability of their offensive line. The Cowboys managed just 7 points thanks in part to a bad punt by the Skins and ideal field position. While the Cowboys defense held serve, it would prove to be a Redskins opportunistic defense that made the play of night. With time winding down in the first half and instead of just taking a knee to make the end of the half official, Wade Phillips allowed Tony Romo to run one last play. Romo stepped up in the pocket to make what looked to be a Hail Mary pass, only to shovel pass the ball to Tashard Choice. The result would be a strip fumble and return touchdown courtesy of De Angelo Hall giving the Skins the lead for good. Hard to imagine things going any worse for Jerry Jones and company, but it would. With seconds left to play in regulation and Romo with the ball in his hands, the Cowboys had an apparent game winning touchdown negated by a holding penalty. The holding call was justified and with no timeouts and an automatic clock runoff, the Boys lose a heart breaker.

Baltimore Ravens eek out a win against the New York Jets 10-9

In a game that lived up to the physical hype and lack of offensive production, the Ravens edged the Jets 10-9. The Jets defense kept them in the game by forcing three turnovers, but also kept them out of it with penalties totaling 120 yards. Joe Flacco is head and shoulders better than Mark Sanchez in every facet of the quarterback position, yet he could never get things really going against the Jets defense. In truth, poor pass interference calls are all that kept drives alive for Flacco and the Ravens. Baltimore’s only touchdown came after a running in to the kicker penalty after a field goal attempt followed by a pass interference call on third and long set them up at the goal line. As for Sanchez and the Jets offense, they would never get that close. Sanchez threw for only 76 yards and looked more like a high school quarterback then a first round pick. The Jets should have blown out the Ravens with constant favorable field position and a huge turnover advantage. But as long as the Jets continue to coddle Mark Sanchez, there is little hope for a Super Bowl in NY.


“I Hate It When I am Wrong!”

Houston Texans run all over the Indianapolis Colts 34-24

OK, I was wrong. I predicted that the Houston Texans simply could not beat the Colts or the Titans, and I have been humbled. So were the Colts as they got manhandled up front and were run by Arian Foster to the tune of 231 yards and 3 scores. Peyton Manning was Peyton Manning for most of the game, but give the Texans defense credit for getting after him early and often. There is no immediate panic for Manning and the Colts, but with Bob Sanders hurt (again), you have to wonder if they are once again susceptible to the run. You also have to wonder were the running game for the Colts is to come from, as they were once again incredibly ineffective. This could make for a long and tough season for Indy if they can’t find answers, but for Houston however, they look ready to take off.

Seattle Seahawks dominate the San Francisco 49ers 31-6

This game was the biggest head scratcher of them all, as the Seahawks put an old fashioned butt whipping on the favorite 49ers and their vaunted defense. I was wrong on two fronts in this game. First I thought Patrick Willis had taken over the mantle as the best linebacker in the game from Ray Lewis, and clearly I was wrong. Ray Lewis would never allow his defense to get run that way and Willis looked as shell shocked and his 49er teammates. Secondly I would have bet the farm (if I had a farm) on the Niners easily beating Seattle and new coach Pete Carroll. Not only did the 49ers not win they were beat in every facet of the game. The Hawks played with the passion of Coach Carroll and even Matt Hasselbeck looked rejuvenated. Niners quarterback Alex Smith looked dazed and confused and was inaccurate and out of sink. If the 49ers are to compete and win the west, Smith has to be better than pedestrian. Missing wide open receivers is inexcusable and unforgivable in the NFL. If Smith continues to do so, he may find himself in the CFL sooner than later.

Other Games of Note;

-New York Giants down the Carolina Panthers despite three interceptions by Eli Manning by a score of 31-18.

-Miami Dolphins and Buffalo Bills put us all to sleep with their 15-10 affair.

-Chicago Bears and the referees defeat the Detroit Lions 19-14. For the record Calvin Johnson caught the ball and in the second act went to get up and lost control of the ball. The play was ruled incomplete which is how most fans feel about that rule.

-Tennessee Titans route the Oakland Raiders 38-13

-New England Patriots handle the Cincinnati Bengals 38-24. Although the Bengals are my preseason AFC champions, the Patriots are my runner ups. Should I flip the script?

-Pittsburgh Steelers edge the Atlanta Falcons 15-9 in OT.

-Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns gave us all a good nap in the Bucs 17-14 win. How bad is Jake Delhomme? Real bad!

-Jacksonville defeats the Denver Broncos 24-21.

-Arizona slips by St. Louis Rams 17-13

-Green Bay Packers hold off Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagle 27-20. Packers won the game but may have lost more in their season ending loss of Ryan Grant.

-Kansas City Chiefs shock the San Diego Charger with a goal line stand, 21-14.

Congratulations to worlds number one player Rafael Nadal for earning the career grand slam by defeating Novac Djokovic 6-4, 5-7, 6-4, 6-2 at the US Open Monday. Rafa joins six others including Roger Federer as the only players to win all major championships in Tennis. Better still was the fact that Nadal did it at 24 years of age, youngest ever to accomplish the feat. The career grand slam features a win in each major tournament on tour including the US Open, Wimbledon, the Australian Open and the French Open. "Hey Roger, you hear them footsteps? It's Rafa sneaking up on your career total of 16, with his ninth major win. Step it up or relinquish your claim as best ever"!

In the words of the great Bugs Bunny, "That's all folks!" Tune in next time for my week 2 can't miss picks. OK, well I may miss a couple. :)

By Ephraim Vega
Blog or Bust News

Predictions sure to go incredibly right!

The NFL season is officially underway as the defending Super Bowl champs edged their nemesis from a year ago, the Minnesota Vikings 14-9. With the rest of the week 1 games ready to take center stage, I am inclined to finally divulge the surest thing in regards to picks that you can ever lay a buck on. So without further ado, here are my 2010-2011 NFL division by division champions, playoff picks and my Super Bowl predictions!

Let us start in the American Football Conference.

AFC

Eastern Division

1-New England Patriots- The Pats have the most reliable player in this division at the most important position, quarterback. Tom Brady has some new weapons to play with and if you think Bill Belichek is going to allow mediocrity from his defense again this season, you have another thing coming. Book it, Patriots get to 11-5. How you like them apples?

2-New York Jets- They will play fierce defense and run the ball down the barrel of any defense with confidence and guile fit of a Rex Ryan coached squad. But Mark Sanchez is still to inconsistent and erratic for my liking and if he plays anything like he did in the preseason moving forward, look for another 9-7 finish.

3-Miami Dolphins- This could be a team to be reckoned with a year from now, but I see an offense revving up for an identity crisis. The Dolphins are built to run yet with the acquisition of receiver Brandon Marshall this off season, there is a feeling that they have big things planned for quarterback Chad Henne. Yea….I do not see it. I believe in Chad Henne as much as the Arizona Cardinals believed in Matt Leinart. 6-10, enough said.

4-Buffalo Bills- When CJ Spiller gets the ball this season, I will be mesmerized for sure. It is when Trent Edwards drops back to throw it that I cringe along with Bills fans alike. I give them 4 wins based on a pretty stout defense, but when Edwards drops back to throw it…I start cringing again.

Southern Division

1-Indianopolis Colts- Peyton Manning, Peyton Manning, Peyton Manning and did I mention Peyton Manning? They will drop off a bit due to an ever improving division but did I mention the Colts have Peyton Manning? 12-4 folks!

2-Tennesse Titans- VY is becoming the quarterback that everyone envisioned following his national championship victory over USC and the player the Titans envisioned when they drafted him. Vince Young can run, pass and create opportunities when defenses seem to have him boxed in. Combine that with Chris Johnson, an improving receiving core and a strong defensive unit and the Titans are right in the thick of things. At 10-6 they will be on the cusp of a playoff berth, but I will touch on that later.

3-Houston Texans- They cannot beat the Colts or the Titans, so what makes anyone believe they can truly challenge for the division? They won’t which is why I have them once again finishing at 8-8.

4-Jacksonville Jaguars- Maurice Jones-Drew is already banged up and as long as David Garrard is their quarterback, they will never truly compete for a championship. Too many wholes to fill which puts their finishing mark at 5-11.

Northern Division

1-Cincinnati Bengals- This Bengals team is the best defensive unit in the division and now own the best receiving core as well. If Carson Palmer can regain his true form from his early years, this team can compete for it all. The Bengals have a running game and some added youth to enhance their 2009 success, which is enough to repeat as AFC north champs with a 12-4 record.

2-Baltimore Ravens- The Ravens aura of defensive excellence is now just a distant memory. Ray Lewis is great, but not the man anymore. That distinction belongs to Patrick Willis of the 49ers. Ed Reed will miss half the season and their best defensive back outside off Reed, Dominique Foxworthy is on IR. Love Ray Rice and the addition of Anquan Boldin to the Ravens offense but Joe Flacco is no Joe cool. With opportunities to beat the Colts and Steelers last season he crumbled under the pressure. That is not to say that he will again, but this is a show me league right? I give them 11 wins based largely on the Steelers demise this season and the Browns futile attempt to be competitive.

3-Pitsburgh Steelers- With Big Ben out with a four game suspension and no running game to speak of, sets up for a rough season for the steel city. A big part of me is rooting for Dennis Dixon mostly to show Big Ben he’s not needed, but that’s just wishful thinking. The Steelers will fight and claw but in the end will be good for only 8 wins and miss the post season again.

4-Cleveland Browns- If Browns fans thought they could take Solis in the departed decision of Lebron James to Miami with high hopes for the up coming NFL season, well then their in for more disappointment. The Browns will turn to Jake Delhomme to lead an offense who’s best weapon is a returner in Josh Cribbs. This season is setting up to be really bad for Browns fans, and with a 3-13 record on the horizon, LBJ may not end up being the most hated man in Cleveland after all. OK well maybe he still will be.

Western Division

1-San Diego Chargers- By default. Even without Vincent Jackson, Marcus McNeil and an injured Shawn Merriman, what does that say about this division if the Chargers can win it with some of their best players…well not playing. The super Chargers will get to 9-7 and make the post season because someone has to go from this division.

2-Oakland Raiders- The addition of Jason Campbell has certainly raised expectations since the Jamarcus Russell experiment went to hell. The Raiders have nice pieces on defense and a decent enough rotation in the back field with Michael Bush and Darren Mcfadden, but the offensive line is still in limbo and would you trust Darius Hayward-Bay? Pencil in Raider nation for 7 wins and I am out of here before I get stabbed by an Oakland fan.

3-Denver Broncos- The Broncos schematically have a good defense and serviceable receivers in Eddie Royal, Jabar Gaffney and Brandon Stokley. As crazy as it may sound, the house cleaning of Jay Cutler did not look that bad after watching him throw nearly 30 interceptions last season. Now the Brandon Marshall and Tony Sheffler moves will have to wait and see how that works out but there is no question that Denver will struggle this season. With the Broncos staring at a 6-10 season, the Tim Tebow era maybe near!

4-Kansas City Chiefs- I may get hunted down being that I am a KC resident, but before week 3 Chiefs fans will turn their attention to slaughter on Matt Cassel. How Cassel got 60 million to be the franchise quarterback is beyond my understanding but Brodie Croyle maybe the man to keep the boat afloat. KC looks like a 4-12 team to me but hopes for the Jake Locker sweepstakes may ease Chief fans pain.

National Football Conference

Eastern Division

1-New York Giants- The Giants are as good up front on defensive as any team in the league. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs anchor an in your face running attack and I trust Eli Manning more than I do Tony Romo of the Cowboys. Speaking of the Cowboys, they routinely get owned by New York and this season will be no different. Love the Keith Bullock pick up and those filled holes are enough to get the G-men to 11-5.

2-Dallas Cowboys- All I keep hearing is how talented the Boys are, yet every year they let everyone including yours truly down. I will not be party to their hype machine anymore. The offensive line is in shambles, their two best running backs are injury prone and their “star” quarterback must have hands wrapped around his neck because boy does he choke. Now that Dallas defense is pretty darn good, which is why I have them in second place with a 10-6 record.

3-Washington Redskins- If Kevin Kolb flops in Philly so will Andy Reid’s tenure as Eagle head coach. With the Eagles trading Donovan McNabb to the skins along with the arrival of Mike Shanahan as the man in charge, the immediate future of the Redskins is less bleak. With an array of quality, albeit aging running backs Clinton Portis and Larry Johnson to turn to, McNabb already has a running game he did not enjoy in Philly. The Skins have a talented defense as well which puts them over the top of the Eagles for now with an 8-8 finish.

4-Phiadelphia Eagles- Think the Eagles will be missing McNabb this season? You’re darn right they will, and Eagle fans will suffer all the indignities they placed on Donovan. The Eagles still have no running game and their defense is relatively small upfront and lacks the intensity it once had. The Eagles will be toting the line of mediocrity this season and win 5 games and finish 5-11.

Southern Division

1-New Orleans Saints- This is a team intact and now schooled on what it takes to win it all. Drew Brees is now the best in the game and has an unlimited amount of weaponry to choose from. The Saints also proved Thursday night against the Vikings that they can be physical on both sides of the ball. This year the Saints will blow teams out and grind out wins with their new found versatility. Who dat say that the Saints going to win 14 games? Well that would be me!

2-Atlanta Falcons- This division is pretty easy to dissect and the Falcons are just as predictable. They will run with Michael Turner and work off the play action with an improving Matt Ryan at quarterback. Ryan has plenty of targets to throw to and the defense has made some upgrades. The Falcons will be doing the dirty bird often this season to the tune of 11-5.

3-Carolina Panthers- There is no better running attack in football then the combination of Deangelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart. There is no better receiver in the league when he is right than Steve Smith. But a depleted defense and an unproven signal caller in Matt Moore does not bode well for the Panthers in this division. Jimmy Clausen is no savior at the moment and Steve Smith cannot be the passing game all by his lonesome so, give them 7 wins and let’s call it a season in Carolina.

4-Tampa Bay Buccaneers- They say you can never go home again, but the Bucs are back to futility so anything is possible. There just bad and uneventful to talk about so 2-14 and let us move on.

Northern Division

1-Green Bay Packers- I know you have all been waiting for it and wondering how it will end this season between the Pack and Favre. Aaron Rodgers is unconsciously good and his growth could spawn the NFC version of the Brady/Manning rivalry with Rodgers and Brees. The Packers running game isn’t scary but the receiving core that now will feature a lot more Jermichael Finley is nightmare quality. The Green Bay defense is good but not Viking good, which begs the question. Why did I choose the Packers over the Vikings? Simple arithmetic really, the Vikings started out hot last season and built a big lead over the Packers that allowed them to hold off their nemesis. This season with injuries looming for the Vikes, it will be the Pack off and running and the Vikings peaking late to make things interesting. With that being said, Packers clinch the North with a 12-4 record.

2-Minnesota Vikings- With Sidney Rice out till mid season, Brett Favre will have to get acquainted with a lot of new faces and get reacquainted with Percy Harvin. It is a tough opening stretch for Minnesota but once through the fire, the Vikings will finish hot and formidable. I of course love Adrian Peterson in the backfield which makes it easier for me to give this year’s version of the Favre Vikings 11 wins.

3-Detriot Lions- I know you’re probably chuckling as you’ve noticed my third place choice. I really like the Lions defense upfront and with Louis Delmas anchoring the secondary they will be a handful for any offense. Mathew Stafford has won me over and apparently Calvin Johnson as well. Johnson has made it known that Stafford is his guy and a happy Calvin Johnson is a dangerous Calvin Johnson. With the arrival of rookie running back Javid Best and receiving additions Nate Burleson and Tony Sheffler, Stafford has toys to play with and Coach Jim Schwartz is defensive minded enough to game plan to their strengths. The motor city has hope as the Lions pick up 6 wins. You can stop chuckling now.

4-Chicago Bears- Jay Cutler is the second coming of Jake Plummer in my opinion. Talented but missing the intangibles needed to succeed long term in the NFL. So Cutler has a strong arm, so does Jamarcus Russell. So his new offensive coordinator is Mike Martz. What has he really done since Kurt Warner? Julius Peppers didn’t care in Carolina why would he now all of a sudden? Matt Forte is good on some days but on others you don’t even know he is on the field. The Bears will be ready to implode at 5-11 and Bears fans will have no more love in their hearts for Lovie Smith when it’s all said and done.

Western Division

1-San Francisco 49ers- What a difference a year makes, imagine two under Mike Singletary. Before Singletary took over for Mike Nolan as head coach mid way through the 2007 season, they had a bust at quarterback, no discipline from its players and were in the midst of a downward spiral. Then the 49ers fired Nolan and appoint Singletary interim head coach. Vernon Davis gets first dibs on Mike’s example meter, the speech heard around the world follows and Patrick Willis evolves to prime Ray Lewis status. The Niners play great defense, bulked up their offense of line and the once bust at quarterback is playing for pride as this years 49ers look like a playoff team. If Alex Smith can be serviceable as the Niners signal caller, look for the golden boys to advance to 10-6 this season. Halle Ulla!

2-Arizona Cardinals- The Cardinals decided against Matt Leinart and will turn to Derek Anderson to replace Kurt Warner at quarterback. Beanie Wells and Tim Hightower will be the focal point of the offense as the Cards look to transition to power running and defense to be their calling card. The defense is what gets me though, as they have some talent upfront but am I the only one that witnessed Rogers-Cromartie get burned for eight quarters in the playoffs last season? The Cards can slow but not stop running attacks on weekly basis which gives the 49ers a huge advantage this season. I am going to have to deal the Cards an ugly hand and send them off with 7-9 as their finishing record.

3-Seattle Seahawks- If Matt Hasselbeck is still playing by week 4 it will be a miracle and a welcomed change for Seahawk fans. The injury prone quarterback has been an absentee leader on the field and with the Seahawks bolstering their roster with top tier draft picks, his presence is a must. I like Pete Carroll and some of the additions made to the Seahawk roster but they are either too young or too old at key positions. Not enough substance to compete with the Niners and Cards, so I have the Carroll lead Hawks finishing with a 5-11 record.

4-St Louis Rams- The Sam Bradford era begins for Ram faithful but not much else to get excited about. Bradford’s best target Donnie Avery is out with an injury and Steven Jackson can run it as well as anyone in the league but can’t platoon as a wide out as well. The Rams defense is non existent which will prevent them from stopping anyone including the three teams ahead of them in the west. Look for the Rams to build off of last seasons 1-15 record with a 3-13 finish.

So here is my playoff breakdown based on my division by division predictions. AFC division winners are the Patriots, Colts, Bengals and Chargers with my wild card picks being the Titans and Ravens. AFC title game will feature a week one rematch between the Patriots and Bengals. My AFC champions are…..the Cincinnati Bengals!

Now on to the NFC where the Giants, Packers, Saints and 49ers are my division picks while the Vikings and Falcons are the wild cards. NFC title game will feature the defending champion Saints taking on their week one foes, the Vikings. My NFC champions are….the New Orleans Saints!

Super Bowl match up featuring the New Orleans Saints and Cincinnati Bengals will be an epic battle to everyone’s surprise ending on a Drew Brees touchdown pass late giving the Saints the repeat and Brees his second SB MVP award. Enjoy the season everyone and feel free to comment and share your thoughts and picks. Until next time good luck to you and your teams and fantasy picks this season, lord knows I will need all the luck I can get!

By Ephraim Vega
Blog or Bust News

Big Shoes to fill.....

Occasionally in sports you have instances where someone replaces a legend, well in the State of Florida this year, this is happening in Tallahassee and Gainesville. Its always been said that it's hard to replace a legend, and who much easier it is for the guy, replacing the guy, who replaced the legend, and in these cases its no different.
In Gainesville John Brantley takes over at QB for the Florida Gators, this upcoming Saturday, replacing the Immortal Tim Tebow, who led the Gators to a National Championship, won a Heisman Trophy, and set numerous Conference Records and was a staple in the Gators locker room. Brantley, a 5 star QB out of high school will take his first meaningful snaps of his short Gators career. Can Brantley replace Tebow? No, he will not replace what Tebow brought to the table, but with Brantley being more of a pocket passer, the Gators will transition into more of a pro-style offense. With the weapons at his disposal, this will make things much easier on Brantley, but a 11-1 season is more than likely asking too much. With road games at Alabama, and at Tennessee to go along with LSU, Georgia, and a improving FSU team, 9-3 would probably be best case scenario for the Gators. A bit of advice for John Brantley, ignore the blog sites (except this one) and turn off the radio, because if things go bad during the regular season, he will experience a onslaught of negativity not seen in decade.

How do you replace 389 wins?? You cant, but this is the task Jimbo Fisher faces this year. There might not be a harder head coach to replace (no disrespect to Joe Paterno) than Bobby Bowden. From 1976 until 2009, Bobby Bowden led the Seminoles, week in and week out. He led them to a National Title, produced a couple of Heisman Trophy winners, and established the Seminoles as a mainstay in college football. But the writing was on the wall back in 2007, when Jimbo Fisher was named "coach in waiting", it was only a matter of time before Jimbo took full control. Now having full control, Jimbo takes over a team with lots of questions on Defensive. Jimbo will be on a short leash, and faces a very difficult schedule that includes Oklahoma, BYU, Miami, Boston College and Florida. Jimbo, a offensive wiz will bring back the ACC's best QB Christian Ponder this season to lead an explosive offense. Jimbo is also recruiting well as a Head Coach, but he will have to prove that he can coach that talent. FSU is not a place where you can learn on the job. Jimbo needs to win, and win fast, or he will have fans asking for a return of Bobby Bowden.

By Rashad Reed
-Blog or Bust News-

My Early NFL Preseason stories and predictions

So what have we all learned from the NFL preseason thus far? In the past, aside from catastrophic injuries that changed the courses of a team’s season usually not much. Take the Indianapolis Colts for instance. Historically during Peyton Manning’s tenure as quarterback, the colts have lost a great majority of their preseason games. Yet, once the regular season is in full swing, few teams if any have equaled the Colts success. Then you could reference the reverse effect. The Detroit Lions a couple of years back went undefeated in the preseason, only to loose every game during the regular season and finish 0-16. Such is the unpredictability of exhibition football, until however now. If you’re wondering, yes, I am going out on a limb and am ready to claim that this year’s preseason does matter. And here are my early preseason predictions;

-Aaron Rodgers will breakout to the upper echelon of the leagues elite quarterbacks and lead the Packers to the postseason. OK, so it is not like I am alone on the Rodgers bandwagon, but as good as he looked a year ago he maybe even better this season. Aaron Rodgers is accurate, athletic and skilled to the point that the Green Bay Packers saw his star shining so brightly, they broke ties with future hall of famer Brett Favre. Rodgers should be in the MVP discussion by seasons end, and the only question remaining with no.12 is his ability to win come playoff time.

-And speaking of Favre, it would be hard to imagine the soon to be 41 year old having as good a season as he did a year ago. Now with the Minnesota Vikings battling some early adversity with Sidney Rice undergoing hip surgery and Percy Harvin batting migraines, I do not expect the Vikings to start out the season hot. To the contrary, I see the Vikings starting slow then finishing strong and making a hard push in to the post season. Adrian Peterson will be the key to keeping the Vikings heads above water, but ultimately it will be Favre and the passing game that will push them over the top. We could all be looking at a Saints/Vikings rematch for the NFC title game with all things considered, which would make for even better TV than it did a year ago.

-Tom Brady is fully recovered from his 2008 knee injury and is ready to be the leagues MVP this season. The New England Patriots are not the dynasty they once were, but they still have Tom Brady and more weapons than he has ever possessed at one time. With Wes Welker seemingly back and healthy, Randy Moss stretching defenses, Julian Edelmen doing his best Welker impersonations and the additions of tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, Tom Brady is in for a monster season. The vaunted Patriots defense is still a question mark which is all the more reason to believe the offense will feel the need to pick up the slack. The Pats passing game should be well protected with interchangeable running backs Sammy Morris, Fred Taylor, Laurence Maroney and the ever reliable Kevin Faulk.

-Mark Sanchez still a question mark with his erratic play and this on the heels of a productive off season that has added star power such as defensive back Antonio Cromartie, former Miami Dolphin Jason Taylor, receiver Santonio Holmes and running back Ladanian Tomlinson to the AFC championship runner up New York Jets. This year’s hard knocks version of the Jets is deeper and more talented than last years on paper, but how far they go will depend on the growth and development of Sanchez. If teams can stay in the box and focus on the run with no fear of being beat by the Jets quarterback, the offense will be stagnant. The Jets defense even without corner back Darrell Revis is the best in football, but that unit simply cannot win it all alone. There is much hype in New York, full of expectations for Jets football to return to prominence, but perhaps not enough substance when it comes to the bottom line. That bottom line: Mark Sanchez.

-Now that I have covered my most intriguing quarterback stories this preseason thus far, let me dive in to teams to watch; The New Orleans Saints are the defending Super Bowl champions and are getting zero respect. That could ultimately serve as motivation to a team that is still as hungry as they were a year ago in winning it all. The Saints are returning 20 of 22 starters from a year ago and last time I checked they still have a guy named Drew Brees. Brees is phenomenal to watch and is equaled in stature among the best at his position by only Peyton Manning and Tom Brady. Combine that with arguably the best play calling head coach in football Sean Payton, and you have all the ingredients you need offensively to repeat. The Saints defense a year ago were at the top of the heap when it came to forcing turn over’s and converting them in to points. Darren Sharper and Super Bowl hero Tracy Porter anchor the secondary while others like defensive end Will Smith and line backer Jonathon Vilma helped lead the Saints to those takeaway opportunities. That is not a learned behavior, rather a product of the type of talent that has been meshed together. For those reasons alone, I am picking the “who dat” nation to be partying it up again in February 2011.

-The Dallas Cowboys are a franchise full of talent, but in my opinion are more on the side of full of baloney. Defensively there is no question they are stout, but the Cowboy offensive line is average at best. Tony Romo has the most intense case of happy feet since Chad Ochocinco on dancing with the stars. Let’s be honest here, Marion Barber and Felix Jones are injury prone and Roy E. Williams and Miles Austin do not scare the elite defensive teams in the NFC. Dez Bryant is good but is a rookie. The boys will flop this year and Wade Philips will be out as head coach as well.

-Cincinnati Bengals front office had a busy off season with regard to there wide receiver search and eventual signings of Antonio Bryant and Terrell Owens. Those two talents join Chad Ochocinco, rookies Jermaine Gresham and Jordan Shipley on the edges, and with Cedric Benson in the backfield the Bengals are now the best offensive team in the AFC north. Quarterback Carson Palmer now has an array of weapons to unleash against the rest of the NFL and combine that with a very talented defensive unit, the Bengals could be the last team standing come the AFC postseason. Palmer’s ability to get the ball down field is still a question mark, but he can no longer blame it on lack of talent. The Bengals have set themselves up for success, but will only go as far as Palmer can throw it, literally.

With that being said and a week plus still remaining in the preseason, I will continue to look for more headlines and stories heading in to opening kickoff of the regular season. Look for my division by division predictions all the way to my Super Bowl picks and much more. As always thanks for reading and hope you enjoyed!

By Ephraim Vega
Blog or Bust News

CFB; How about the little guys?????

You know, we have come to be spoiled over the last 50 some odd years of the teams we expect to compete year in and year out for a National Championship. You have your schools dripping in tradition, Notre Dame, Michigan, Texas, Miami, Oklahoma, Alabama, Florida and so on and so forth. But I'm here to tell you that this upcoming season will be about the little guys. Now, I'm sure your thinking to yourself, what is this guy talking about? But judge (readers), I plan to lay out my case for why this is the year either Boise St or TCU win the BCS National Championship.
TCU-
Fresh off a Fiesta Bowl appearance last year the Horned Frogs look primed this year to take the next step and contend for a BCS Title. Last years offense, that finished 5Th in the nation, returns 9 starters, including Mountain West Conference Player of the Year QB Andy Dalton. Last season Dalton threw 22 touchdowns and ran for another 5. All skill players return as well. On the Defensive side there's a little more work to be done. After losing All-Americans Jerry Hughes and Darryl Washington to the NFL draft the Horned Frogs might see the Number 1 Defense from last season take a step back, but I'm here to say it wont matter. This is why; Look at the Horned Frogs schedule this upcoming season. After an opening game against PAC-10 Oregon St the schedule lightens up. Throw in a Baylor here and a road game against Utah there, and those are the only potential speed bumps that stand in TCU's way. Air Force and BYU both have to play TCU on the road, so the schedule sets up nice for the Horned Frogs to make history.

Boise St.-
These guys shouldn't be called little, but playing in a Non-BCS Conference leaves them with this distinction. The team commonly known as the school with the blue field, which in fact is blue magic with an impressive 63-2 record since 2000. Boise St returns 23 out of 24 possible starters to a team that finished last season undefeated with a win over TCU in the Fiesta Bowl. Heisman Candidate Kellen Moore returns to lead the high powered Broncos. Moore is one of the best in college football with precision passing. His 39 touchdowns to 3 interceptions last season was the best ratio in the country. He also never gets touched, as the Broncos offensive line allowed a nation low 5 sacks. The Defensive returns everyone except CB Kyle Wilson. The Broncos play 12 games this season, but it really boils down to just one game, the season opener. The Broncos play another top 10 opponent in Virginia Tech. The Hokies are a very good team and this will be a playoff game for Boise State. Win this game, and there isn't anyone on the schedule that will come closer than 14 points this season. Lose this game, and this could hurt Non-BCS schools for many years to come. But I'm on record as saying, that Boise St will beat Virgina Tech to open the season and end the season in the National Championship game.

So there you have it your honor. Ive presented my case, and in what I feel will be a down year for Florida and Alabama, opens the door for the little guys..In the words of Scarface " Say Hello, to my little friends!!!"

By Rashad Reed
-Blog or Bust News-

Weekly Rant!

Hello sports fans! It has been an interesting week in sports to say the least, so with that being said, here is my weekly rant!

The Brett Favre watch is officially over! The 40 year old QB arrived in style, accompanied by Minnesota Viking teammates Steve Hutchinson, Jared Allen and Ryan Longwell. According to sources close to the team, head coach Brad Childress sent the three emissaries to Mississippi in hopes of getting a definitive answer from Favre on his playing future. A day later all four players arrived at Vikings camp together, ending all the speculation that has engulfed the off season more than any other story, save for Darrelle Revis's holdout with the New York Jets. With Favre back in the fold, QB's Travaris Jackson and Sage Rosenfels slide down the depth chart even as rumors now swirl about Rosenfels possibly being traded before the end of the preseason. Las Vegas is feeling the effects of Brett Favre mania as the Vikings went from 10-1 odds to 6-1 odds on their betting chances at a Super Bowl title. Talk about Favre as a diva all you want, your reading about it, and I am writing about it, so he matters. Sorry Mr. Reed.

Speaking of the New York Jets and their on going contract impasse with corner back Darrelle Revis, just finished watching the second episode of Hard knocks, and I must say...very enjoyable. Not much mention of Revis on this episode, but some talk about former NFL coach Tony Dungy and his distaste on Rex Ryan's choice of profanity on episode one. Personally, I am a christian boy which means I, like all other religious followers of any kind am a hypocrite. I try to live a wholesome life but do let the proverbial "F" bomb getaway from me from time to time and do not think it is any one's place to judge others. Look Tony Dungy is a great guy and all, but you just can't call out a peer about the way he speaks or how he does his business. That is not professional. If Dungy has a gripe with Rex's choice of words, call him or visit him at Jets camp and talk to him man to man. All Dungy is doing is allowing more and more of liberal America to be turned off by another goody two shoes christian, who is forcing his beliefs on others. Hearts in the right place Tony but your methods are no better than Rex Ryan's "F" bombs.

The New York Mets have placed closer Francisco Rodriguez on the disqualified list with contract as non-guaranteed, and will not pay him while he is unable to perform. This all stemming from an incident that occurred at Citi Field, after a Mets home game in which Rodriguez lay ed a WWE style smack down on his girlfriends father outside of the family lounge. No word yet from Mets officials if K-Rod used the peoples elbow or stone cold stunner on his commonwealth father in law but whatever methods he did utilize landed the 53 year old Carlos Pena in the emergency room. The MLB players union has filed a grievance against the Mets, but no word if they will settle the issue in a steel cage or a court room rumble. This story is so pathetic in nature, I guess you can all see I am covering it as such. Moving right along....

The American League east is heating up as the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays are locked in to a fist place tie. The Boston Red Sox sit just 5 games back and welcomed All Star Dustin Pedroia back this week in hopes of a final stand down the stretch run. The Red Sox have six games remaining against the Rays and with some 40 plus left on the schedule, still have plenty of life. The Yankees look to be the favorites in repeating as divisions champions, especially with the no hit prone Rays capable of going cold on any night and the Sox facing a relative deficit in the standings. One thing is for sure, two out of the three teams in the east will make the postseason as division champions or as a wild card team, making this race the best in baseball.

That is all the time I have sports maniacs, but tune in for some college football coverage courtesy of Rashad Reed coming soon and a "heckler" special, as Pops Kehoe brings us his first blog article! Good reads and times ahead folks. Enjoy!

By Ephraim Vega
Blog or Bust News

My Q & A With a ''Heckler''

My recent run in with a heckler, inspired me to put together a special Q & A with the man himself. Pops Kehoe is our guest and he promises to give us a totally different perspective on the happenings in Major League Baseball and the National Football League. Pops, welcome to Vega sports and without further delay...let's get right to it!

EV- Buck Showalter was recently named the manager of the lowly Baltimore Orioles. Is Buck the man to right the ship?

Pops- As you know, the A.L. East is without a doubt the toughest division in all of baseball. However, you couldn't have picked a better man for the job! Not only did Buck have the Yankees on the front porch & knocking on the door, before impatient Yanks front office let him go. He was hired by the Diamondbacks 2 years before their first game ever & in their second year of existence were crowned division Champs! I predict that within 3 fulls season, the Birds will be threatening for a possible playoff spot!

EV- 3 seasons Pops? Now that is a bold prediction. With the trading deadline now officially past, who were the winners and losers among contending teams?

Pops- Well in my mind that would have to be the Texas Rangers. Not only did they get this years prized gem in Cliff Lee, they also acquired some nice extra veteran pieces Cristin Guzman & Jorge Cantu. Now for the losers, that award goes to the NY Mets FANS! With their team still within striking distance, Omar Minaya chose to sit back & watch the Phillies & Braves get stronger. I realize that not everyone has the wallet or farm system to go for the high profile type hired gun, but there were a lot of minor pieces out there to be had. Sorry Mets fans,, but I wouldn't ask Omar to assemble a team for a softball beer league!

EV- Very true Pops, unless...you drunk a ton of beer before the interview right? Lol. The New York Yankees made some headlines recently with their acquisition of Lance Berkman. Smart or dumb for the Yanks to go with a bat over pitching help?

Pops- Although Brian Cashman has made some very good deals in the past, he left me standing there scratching my head this year. Lance Berkman??? Did we really need another DH type of hitter that struggles against LEFTIES? The man has had a decent career, but this is a case of, "wrong place & wrong time." Kerry Wood on the other hand could prove to be a stable force as the setup man, however they still need a lefty in the pen. I could be proven wrong but I feel Austin Kearns is probably the best pickup!

EV- Indeed! Maybe the Yanks have a chance of aquiring Brian Fuentes off waivers IF the Angels fall out of the post season picture. Moving on to the gridiron, as NFL camps have opened and already some notable injuries. Should the Preseason be cut short or are injuries just inevitable?

Pops - Well ... simply by the nature of the game, there will always be injuries. However, as a fan I'd like to see the exhibition season cut in half & play an 18 game schedule. If a player is going to get hurt, I'd rather see it happen in a meaningful game. It would also give season ticket holders a break since they must buy tickets to those games. However, I'm not sure how this will sit with the players & the union. My only hope is that they at least address this issue & possibly work something out next year when the Collective Bargaining Agreement runs out.

EV- It does look like commissioner Roger Goodell is pushing for an 18 game season, so we may see that happen as part of the new CBA negotiations. Many NFL teams are choosing to go with dual runners to bolster their running attacks. Go back in time and tell us who was your most enjoyable running back to watch and why?

Pops- Ah the good old days! Well since you did mention "tandems", it brings me to what is no doubt my #2 pick, Larry Csonka! This man ran exclusively between the tackles & when teamed up with the slashing style of Mercury Morris carried the Miami Dolphins to a couple of Super Bowls, including the leagues only undefeated season. This tandem was also the first to have both backs over a 1,000 yards each! But my #1 most favorite back to watch was Earl Campbell! This man was amazing & if you ever get a chance to see footage of this guy, DO IT! Since he was a power back, his career was only roughly 7/8yrs. Teams would put 8 and 9 man fronts up trying to stop him! I mean this guy could have a safety on his shoulders, a linebacker around his waist, with a D-lineman at his legs & he would still square up the pads against anybody still left out there! So to answer your question, ...I like a good POWER running game! SMOKE BREAK!!!!! :)

EV- OK Pops. (Waiting intently)....ah..he is back! Pops, Earl Campbell was an absolute beast! I have always been partial to Jim Brown as my favorite, but you can't go wrong with either of those two all-time greats. Who are the true beasts from the east going in to 2010, AFC of NFC?

Pops- A couple of years ago this would have been a no-brainer! However my friend, the times they are a changing! Let's start in the NFC home to my beloved Giants. It kills me to say it but the Dallas Cowboys are at the head of the class in this division. The Boys are strong on both of the ball & are anxious to snap their playoff woes. That leaves my Giants & all the questions they bring, will they find the power running game? Will they be able to regain that killer "Defense?" Further down I-95 we stop in Philly where they play good defense but have a HUGE question in "was getting rid of Donovan McNabb a mistake?" Most people feel that Kevin Kolb is a lock to replace Donovan at the QB spot, but what if he starts slow & Michael Vick has a good training camp? Now we go down to DC and we have a proven winner in new head coach Shanahan. Even with a good roster, it usually takes at a least one season to work in a new system. Now you look at the AFC East and even with the lowly Bills, the rest of this division is scary! They're starting to show some age on defense but never bet against a Bill Belichick coached team! Throw in the emergence of Sexy Rexy Ryan lead Jets & the much improved Dolphin team and this division will no doubt be the Beasts of the East this year!

EV- That AFC east certainly looks like a must watch division this up coming season without a doubt. Is Washington Redskins head coach Mike Shanahan's treatment of Albert Haynesworth, in making the All Pro DT take tough conditioning tests, foul or fair?

Pops- This is an interesting question. While it may have started out as something of a slap on the wrist, is now turning real ugly! We have two very successful egos going toe to toe & somebody needs to step in and let cooler heads prevail. Now this test was recently done by Mike Golic (co-host of Mike & Mike on ESPN) who happens to be 47 years old and is 16 years removed from the NFL & missed the required time by less than 2 seconds! So to answer the question, I say fair!

EV- All valid and informative points, and I must say you handled the pressure of each question like a true ''Heckler.'' Well that is all the time we have for now sports fans, but I would like to thank Pops Kehoe for joining me and taking the time out to answer some questions and for joining the blogging world. Thanks again Pops!

Pops- I'd like to thank you & your faithful followers for letting me be a part of your blog, and at this time I'd like to wish you Good Luck on your writing career & anywhere else life's path may send you!

EE- Thank you Pops, and on behalf of the followers...it was our pleasure!

Favre’s place amongst the greats?

When comparing some of the greatest signal callers to ever play the game, I am much more conventional than most. I do not use formulas based on statistics or equations that would rival a calculus professors wildest dreams. I use something far less complicated and much more selection 101. Simply stated, I utilize the eye test. Based on film study that I have broken down over the years to real time game action, I have compiled my all-time quarterback list. Although much of my personal opinion on the subject can be debated, and placement in ranking can be rearranged by preference, I am sticking to my story on this one gentleman.



10) Dan Marino- Great pure passer with excellent foot work in the pocket. Could not win the big one, but could sure make every throw imaginable. Quickest release I have ever seen, and can beat a blitz as well as anyone.



9) Steve Young- Best combo runner/passer ever. Getting a Super Bowl ring solidified his place on this list. Sitting behind Joe Montana cost him some of his playing years, but once he took over, he more than made up for lost time. 2-time MVP and Super Bowl MVP add to his resume.



8) Brett Favre- Strongest arm I have ever seen. Longevity and toughness were his biggest assets. Would not trust him in a huge spot though. Does have one Super Bowl ring thanks to Desmond Howard, but his 3 MVP awards more than secures his spot on this list.



7) Troy Aikman- Had all the tools and intangibles to boot. Career ended a little premature or would have made it higher on the list. 3 Super Bowl rings and a Super Bowl MVP add to his greatness. As accurate a passer as I have ever seen, and came up big when it mattered most.



6) Peyton Manning- One of the smartest if not the smartest to play the position. Unfortunately tends to out think himself in big moments. Has full command of the offense he runs and can dissect a defense as well as any on this list. 4 MVP awards, Super Bowl ring and MVP honors to go along with that title. Threw the game changing interception that cost his team a second Super Bowl title, and made some questionable audibles during that game that may have changed the complexion of the outcome. Borderline top 5 QB.



5) Bart Starr- The orchestrator for the greatest dynasty in NFL history. Clutch, called his own plays and made all the throws. 5 NFL titles and 2 Super Bowl rings. Often overlooked because of the depth of talent the Green Bay Packers possessed. The man was a winner and played at that level in every big game. Starr was the undisputed leader of the Packers and helped in lending to Green Bay the moniker of ‘’Title town.’’



4) John Elway- Played virtually his entire career with no supporting cast, yet willed them to 3 Super Bowl appearances, all loses. Could beat you with his rocket arm or sturdy feet and led some of the most memorable comebacks in NFL history. If the game was close and he had a chance to win it, Elway almost always won those games. When he was reaching the end of his career and was finally surrounded with talent, Elway would make two more Super Bowl appearances, this time he won both times. 2 Super Bowl rings and a Super Bowl MVP highlight one of the great careers of any QB in history.



3) Johnny Unitas- The original signal caller, won NFL titles, added a Super Bowl ring and was a multi recipient of the MVP award well before Manning started stock piling his collection. Known for his ability to lead comebacks as well as calling his own plays, Unitas changed the way the position was played. The first NFL quarterback record breaker, when Unitas retired, he owned nearly every passing record.



2) Tom Brady- If I needed to win one game, and Joe Montana was out of town on vacation, this is my guy. 3 Super Bowl rings and should have had a fourth if not for the vaunted Patriots defense not wrapping up Peyton’s little brother just before he hail married a pass to stickum Tyree. Had the greatest season of any quarterback ever and has the much debatable clutch gene. MVP award winner and 2 Super Bowl MVP awards. Also is the only player to throw 50 touchdowns in a season, and the only QB to lead his team to an undefeated record in a 16 game season.



1) Joe Montana- Every sport has one. That transcended player that sets the bar so high, everyone compares the flavor of the month to him. 4 Super Bowl rings, 2 MVP awards, 3 Super Bowl MVP awards and the nerviest man with a football that I ever saw. If the game is on the line, Montana was winning it. And in the biggest games, he was always its biggest star. Known for his ‘’Joe cool’’ persona and the ice water that always seemed to run through his veins, Montana was and is clearly the greatest ever.

Brett Favre to retire?

Sources are reporting that Minnesota Vikings Quarterback Brett Favre is retiring through text messages sent to several teammates that simply said, ‘’I am done.’’ This after a much talked about offseason that saw the Vikings not pursue Donovan McNabb in possible trades and not select an incumbent in this years NFL draft to possibly replace Favre. Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress shared with the media earlier during a presser, that he had not heard anything directly from the Viking QB, and would prefer to hear it from the ‘’horses’’ mouth. If indeed Brett Favre decides to call it a career, he will leave as a 3-time MVP and as the games all-time leader in career yardage, touchdowns, wins, consecutive starts and unfortunately for number 4, in interceptions thrown. Tavaris Jackson and Sage Rosnefels are the two remaining QB’s left on the roster with in game experience who could potentially replace the future hall of famer, but many believe their chances at a Super Bowl would be gone along with Favre. Too early to tell if this 3rd attempt at retirement will stick, but if it is indeed the end for Brett Favre, he would have left the game as he entered it. A gunslingin’ country boy with a heart of a champion, and a propensity for the dramatic, especially when it came to deciding his football future.

My Run In...With ''The Heckler''

Growing up in the biggest city in the world, it was almost a right of passage to attend sporting events and align yourself with a rival team, sometimes influenced by your dad or your older brothers, uncles and even cousins. For me it was the New York Yankees in baseball, the New York Knicks in basketball and oddly enough the San Francisco 49ers in football. I did develop an affinity for the New York Jets since I was pushed in to sides and just wasn't a New York Giant fan, probably due to the inter conference rivalry they had with my Niners. I can remember often going to games and letting the opposing team have it, I mean the things I would say would have earned me a soap sandwich, in my mouth courtesy of my mother had she been present. I learned a lot of these traits from my brothers and friends and followed along as if to keep a tradition alive. But I must admit that listening to fans just spew at players that were of the visiting team, or even at times a player of our own would get me riled up. That is New York. They love you today and would bury you in a heart beat the next if you went 0 for 4 or threw 4 interceptions or went 1 for 12 from the field. You got heckled. Plain and simple. And I remember thinking that it must suck to get badgered by fans day in and day out. Little did I know at that time, years ago, that a heckler would make his way in to my life one day.

A buddy of mine that broke in to the wrestling business before me, but was there with me as I came up the ranks and I have remained friends to this day. Pablo Rodriguez, also known as the ''Mad Whipper Whip'' and I trained together, traveled together and even worked (Wrestled) each other on a couple of occasions. Now Pablo has a radio show that centers around hip hop and is a great listen I may add, http://www.BlogTalkRadio.com/DaBodega, (Now that's a plug for you), and also has a face book page (like almost everyone nowadays has), and we at times write each other updates about our kids and sometimes even sports. It was during one of these updates or posts, that I encountered a man known to few or many as ''the heckler.'' The post centered around Lebron James and his move to the Miami Heat, and the backlash it was receiving from fans, media and even former players. I have been critical of the move for one but an individual by the name of Pops Kehoe challenged mine and every one's stance on the subject. I was quick to engage this stranger with my text book knowledge and flare for the dramatic only to be engaged in to a war of words. Who was this ''Pops'' that dared to challenge a man with a pencil, and a propensity of shutting down hecklers?

The more I engaged this heckler, the more he chose to heckle. He even went as far as to attack my five followers, who receive updates on my blogs and those that chime in every week to get the latest on what I am ranting on. I knew I had to respond. I one upped this ''Heckler'' with my basketball knowledge and proved that the Chicago Bulls had been through two separate three-peat's, including one before the signing of Dennis Rodman. This Pops Kehoe would even the score by calling out my Roy Oswalt article and the discrepancy in the contract that I miss handled and did not source correctly. Then the Terrell Owens sweepstakes became our latest spat, and triggered yet another challenge as to whom would sign him first. I sided that the Cincinnati Bengals would, while ''the heckler'' was sure it would be the St. Louis Rams. Although I had won that debate, something strange began to happen. Not only was I engaging this heckler named Pops Kehoe, but I realized that I was, because I found he indeed knows more about sports than your average Joe. He has passion for baseball and football, listens to talk radio, and even took some shots at my articles for being sports ''fluff.''

Although I disagree about the ''fluff'', I do recognize a heckler when I write to one. Since our last engagements of conversations via Pablo's wall on face book, I have shared with him my affinity for Grey's papaya hot dogs and New York pizza, while Pops has convinced me to take a chance and indulge the possibilities of mustard on a pretzel. It's not a match made in heaven but it's worth the ink this article is written on to say, I have been heckled, and it ain't have bad. We all need some constructive criticism, even if at first we don't necessarily like it, you never know if you'll turn to fluff or blow up back like a grenade. Just like all those star athletes I heckled when I was a kid that kept their cool and performed like the pros that they were, Pops Kehoe and I will have our own story to tell...with no ending in site.

By Ephraim Vega
-Blog or Bust News-

The 10 Spot!

I got together with our resident and ''professional'' couch potato Rashad Reed in this installment of the 10 spot. 10 questions, 10 answers given by the man who pulls no punches and tells it like it is. Enjoy this hilarious and shrewd Q and A that this week focuses on MJ and Magics responses to LBJ going to South Beach, Brett Favre, Stephen Strasburg and much much more. Rashad holds back nothing this week and lets some of sports biggest names have it!


EV- Alright Rashad, let us dive right in. What are your thoughts on Micheal Jordan's reaction to Lebron James joining the Miami Heat?

RR- I look at it two ways. One, when the legends speak, you listen, and the other, guys are just looking to get on the news with their opinion. I'm a Heat fan, so of course I like seeing the "Three Kings" together, but as a person who follows sports I'll say this. Kevin Garnett, one of the better NBA players during his career spent more than a decade in Minnesota, getting eliminated year after year in the first round. He showed loyalty by staying, and what did that get him?? Nothing!! He had to go to Boston before getting a ring, but did it at such a young age, to where now hes on his last legs. I don't fault Lebron, but Jordan has to understand, the game is different now, guys don't hate each other anymore, their best friends. Jordan needs to realize the NBA is different now and not question the younger players. We all could question his GM skills, but......Well that's another argument..

EV- Whoa killer, that indeed is talk for another day. And to Magic Johnson's?

RR- Magic Johnson????? LOL!! Didn't this guy have his own talk show back in the day that lasted 3 weeks?? You, sir have no credibility to talk about anyone. I mean yea you didn't play with (cough, cough) Kareem, Worthy, Scott, Cooper to win titles. Hey Magic, why not go sign up for Hooked on Phonics, so we don't have to hear you butcher the English language anymore during the Finals!!

EV- Now that's just wrong Double R! Now moving on to another great point guard, Chris Paul recently divulged his desire to be apart of a contender, and now he wants out of New Orleans. Your thoughts?

RR- CP3 wanting to head to a contender?? All I can say is WOW!! Ive always loved his game and think He and Amare could be a force. I mean he made Tyson Chandler look good and get him a huge contract, what do you think he and Amare would do?? Or even Dwight Howard for that matter... But it goes back to my first point. Guys don't care about loyalty, they want to win, and win now. I cant fault him for that. Go get your ring CP3!


EV- I have to say I would enjoy watching CP3 in NY with Amare as well. Now to boxing, Will Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao ever fight and what do you think is halting talks?

RR- I go both ways on this. Part of me says that Pac-man is dirty, but the other side says that Mayweather is making up an excuse to get out of the fight. I'm gonna go with my gut and say Mayweather knows that he cant beat Pac-man. I mean 68 year old Sugar Shane Mosley almost knocked him down, so I know Pac-Man could knock him out. I don't think we will ever see this fight, which is sad, because it could possibly be the match that makes boxing relevant again.


EV- OK, OK. I am on the fence with that last one, but here is someone who just needs a job. Will Terrell Owens have a team before the start of camp?

RR- Question... How did an unemployed football player get a reality show?? Seems like T.O. is more worried about acting to me right now. Seriously though, I do think its his past that is killing him right now. No one wants that cancer in their locker room. But I bet someone (DA RAIDERS) will take a fly er on him during training camp. AT least they have a QB now, and got rid of Mr PURPLE DRANK!!!

EV- LOL! Speaking of QB's, Brett Favre watch is back in full effect. Excited?

RR- Brett Favre!! If anyone knows me, they know I cannot stand this guy. Ive never seen such a selfish athlete in my life. He knows full well hes going to play this year, but yet we go through this every year. He's the biggest baby in pro sports. 10x worse than T.O. How can anyone on that team take him seriously. While they bust their butts in training camp, hes playing "catch" with high schoolers. Please!! Give me a break. Brad Childress has lost all credibility to me. He should demote himself to assistant head coach, and turn things over to Coach Favre and let him do whatever he pleases. Maybe that will get him into camp earlier. Coach Favre with whistle in hand, having guys run stadium steps or giving him extra push ups. This guy needs to go away forever. The worst teammate ever, and such a Media Whore.

EV- Wow! Tell us how you really feel. On to baseball where Houston Astros pitcher Roy Oswalt wants the 16 Million dollar option on his contract for 2012 to be honored by any team trading for him before he agrees to a move. Smart or dumb?

RR- Roy Oswalt isn't worth 16 million to me....Heck he isn't worth 8 million. When I think of the best starting pitchers in the National League right now, his name doesn't even ring a bell. I think teams trading for him will be making a HUGE mistake. Hes been injury prone over the past 2 seasons, and he doesn't dominate anymore. And you wanna know how I know this??? I had him on my fantasy baseball team last year, and he sucked!!!

EV- I hear that. So with that being said and for argument sake we will leave him out of this question. Stephen Strasburg continues to pitch well. Ubaldo Jimenez continues to struggle. With Josh Johnson, Tim Lincecum, Zack Grienke and the above mentioned all on the table in your fantasy draft, who you taking to start a franchise today?

RR- Strasburg is the real deal, at first I didn't want to believe it, but he is. Guys like John Kruk need to relax though, listening to Kruk you"ll think its a injustice that he isn't in the Hall of Fame yet. I digress.. If I were building a team today, I'd have to go with Josh Johnson. The guy is a stud and has a ERA under 1.70..Are you kidding me under 1.70?? Were going into August and that's his ERA?? I have the pleasure of watching him every 5 days and let me tell you, hes one of the best young pitchers in the game today.

EV- That is an amazing stat. Sticking with baseball, Lou Pinella announced he would retire at seasons end. What is his legacy and have any Lou moments that standout?

RR- Sweet Lou.. When I think of Lou, I think of his blowups, and ejections..Years ago while still the Devil Rays I watched their games, just to see him lose it on the bench, or come charging at an umpire. With him and Bobby Cox retiring we need Ozzie Guillen to step up and fill the shoes of these 2 legends!!

EV- Ozzie always seems to make an appearence when there is talk of blow ups and ejections. Here is a case of rejection though. Reggie Bush is being singled out by USC in their removal of his 2005 Heisman trophy display in response to the universities recent sanctions. Is Bush being treated fairly in all this?

RR- I told Reggie Bush I would make his life a living hell if he dated my ex Kim Kardashian..lol...Seriously, I do think a bit of it is unfair. We all know he wasn't the only one. Everybody, from Lendale White, Matt Leinart, and others enjoyed free items. These guys were at the Playboy Mansion, can you honestly tell me that these guys really went to class at all? They were movie stars in college, and now they wanna lay all blame on Reggie. I'm not siding with Bush, but I think more of the truth needs to come out. And Pete Carroll should be held accountable for what went on. He gets a free pass since he took his "dream job" with the Seahawks...I mean who wants to Coach the Seahawks??? They haven't done anything since making the Super Bowl back in 2005.

There you have it folks! Thanks go out to Rashad Reed for taking the time to answer our 10 hot button questions of the week. Thanks to those that contributed with their inquiries. And as always, thanks to all of our followers for reading, and look out for the next segment of the ''10 SPOT!''

By Ephraim Vega
-Blog or Bust News-

Weekly Rant!

Hey sports fans, been a bit but I am ready to rant on what's hot in sports and recap the week that was!

Lebron James has officially put the Brett Favre watch on ice for the first time.... well ever! King James and ESPN put together a one hour special entitled, ''The Decision'', in which James would finally address is pending free agency, and his next stop on a journey he hopes will end with an NBA title. ''It's tough man, but I am taking my talent to South Beach''. And with those words uttered by LBJ, the Miami Heat landed the biggest free agent acquisition in any sport since Reggie Jackson joined the New York Yankees courtesy of George Steinbrenner. Before I use that last line as bridge in to my next topic, predictions for the Heats future with the new big three of Dwayne Wade, Chris Bosh and Lebron James? A lot of growing pains, but eventually there will be a happy ending.

New York Yankees owner George Steinbrenner passed away Tuesday night at the age of 80 of a massive heart attack. Personally as a big Yankee fan I am saddened beyond belief due to the intense nature of ''The Boss'' and his desire to always field a winner. Not only did Steinbrenner revive a struggling franchise, but he brought controversy, scandal, headlines that defined his era and most importantly pride back to the greatest franchise in all of sports. From his quick trigger finger in firing employees (most notable for managerial changes)to his two suspensions from baseball, George was the face and pulse of Yankee baseball for the last 38 years. Often regarded as a tyrant from outsiders of the Yankee family, seldom is spoken of his giving nature and financial contributions allotted to so many he came in to contact with. Love him or hate him, you would take him as your owner in a heart beat because he cared, he wanted to win and absolutely did nothing but win during his tenure as Yankee owner. Hank and Hal Steinbrenner have HUGE shoes to fill, and if the success enjoyed just a year ago are any indication....good times are ahead!

The Open championship is under way in ST. ANDREWS, Scotland and Tiger Woods seems to be playing better than he has in recent tournaments. Heck even John Daly shot a (66) despite missing some birdies along the way. But the story thus far has been the play of 21 year Rory McIlroy, who entered the record books with a 9-under 63 that gave him a 2-shot lead. Still early in to the weekend but with Woods, Daly and McIlroy setting the tone, Phil Mickleson may have his work cut out as he attempts to win the Open for the first time in his career. This one could go down to the wire.

Finally, I must put my two cents in as Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather camps are ironing out the final stages of a contract that could see the top two fighters in the world face off in the fall. However sources are reporting that if a deal is not struck by the end of this week both parties are moving on to other prospects. Really? What other alternatives are there? It's time fellas. 50/50 split, Olympic drug testing in effect and let's get ready to rumble. This is the fight that could signal the return of boxing to it's rightful place at the top of the fight game. Move on to other things and your insulting fight fans everywhere. Step you game up and get this done.

That is all for this week folks, enjoy the weekend in sports and I will be there next week to give you all...My Weekly Rant!

By Ephraim Vega
-Blog or Bust News-

The 10 Spot!

I got together with our resident and ''professional'' couch potato Rashad Reed in this installment of the 10 spot. 10 questions, 10 answers given by the man who pulls no punches and tells it like it is. Enjoy this hilarious and shrewd Q and A that touches on NBA free agency, the World Cup and much, much more. Enjoy!

EV- The MLB All-Star votes are in and rosters are all but final. Who are your All-Star snubs?

RR- Well, before talking about snubs, I gotta get this off my chest. Can we please take the fan vote out of the equation?? I mean seriously, Yadier Molina voted in as the starting catcher?? Hes batting .229 with 3 home runs..Are you serious?? Look at Jayson Hayward, great story, but the kid is batting .251, there are many outfielders having a better season. JOEY VOTTO....Reached base 41 straight games, .313 ave, 19 HR, 57 RBI, 51 Runs 7 SB, gold glove caliber D......LEADING A FIRST PLACE TEAM!!!!! Biggest snub ever!! Omar Infante???? Omar Infante??? How does he make the all-star team? He must have blackmail photos of Phillies manager Charlie Manuel to pull this off!!

EV- The World Cup final is set, and it pits Spain vs The Netherlands. In the words of Money Mayweather...''Who you picking?''

RR- This is the first World Cup Ive watched, and I must admit, I'm hooked. I'd like to see the Netherlands win on Sunday. Hopefully one day we will see the USA make it to a World Cup final.

EV- OK, OK, OK....So your boy Dwayne Wade swayed arguably this free agents class biggest sidekick. Are the Heat destined to follow in the Boston Celtics shoes and win it all next season?

RR- Hmm....Waiting to see what Le-Diva decides to do. As of right now Wade-Bosh are not enough to win the East. Maybe 4Th best in the East, depending on what guys pat Riley can surround them with. Now I have to say this, I'm a fan of Le-Diva, but seriously?? A hour long special to announce where your going to play?? Jordan never did this. He just said "I'm back". Hes acting like hes the greatest player ever, yet he still hasn't won a NBA Finals game.

EV- Now that Wade and Bosh are secured in Miami, does Pat Riley land the mother load and get Lebron James as well?


RR- OK, let me continue my rant on Le-Diva. If hes serious about winning he will go to Miami, if he wants to continue to feed his ego he will go back to Cleveland. I mean, there is nothing in Cleveland. Are you going to win a title with the disappearing Mo Williams??, or the non-clutch average player Antwan Jamison? But i will say, he should go to the Knicks, that would make the NBA happy, and old school fans happy, the Knicks would be relevant again and you would have the Celtics, Magic, Heat, Bulls, and Knicks all competing for the Eastern Conference.

EV- Kevin Durant wasted no time in signing a contract extension this past week worth a reported $86 Million over 5 years. Based on the hype this free agent off season has incurred, was Durant smart or dumb to sign and not test the market sooner than later?

RR- I love it! Durant showed that he wants to be a part of the monster they're building in OKC. Hes loyal, he wants to win, and he re-signed without any fan fare. One of my top 5 players in the league.

EV- Carlos Boozer has agreed to terms with the Chicago Bulls and join a very talented group of young players. Is that enough to land Lebron James?

RR- LOL!! Carlos Boozer...Ive never liked this guys game. Yea, he puts up 20 points, but he isn't my typical power forward. I like their team with Noah, Rose, and Deng, but I don't think Lebron wants to follow in MJ's footsteps. Oh and did you hear the report of Boozer calling Le-Diva last night?? How'd that convo go..."Hey Le-Diva, I know I promised I'd come back to Cleveland after your rookie season, then turned my back and bounced to Utah, but give me another chance. If i was Le-Diva I would have hit the ignore button when I saw that call coming through.

EV- A'mare Stoudemire is apparently texting and calling Lebron James in the hope to recruit him to the New York Knicks. Good fit for the King?


RR- How do these guys all have each others phone numbers??? I kid, I kid..I think it would be a great fit. James & Amare would be a dynamic duo. I bet David Stern hopes this happens. I want Heat-Knicks again, just like the old days!!!

EV- According to Virginia prosecutors, Micheal Vick was in some sort of confrontation prior to the shooting that occurred at a birthday party held for Vick. Is Vick's future in the NFL quickly coming to an end?

RR- What is wrong with this guy?? I really tried giving him a chance, but why in the hell do you put yourself in a situation like this??You have no margin for error and your going to do something stupid, like inviting the general public to your party?? His younger brother Marcus Vick, got arrested many times while in college and during a brief pro career. Its obvious the Vick boys aren't very smart. Its sad too, very talented players but were given too much while they were younger.

EV- What are your thoughts post UFC 116, and the performance of both Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin?


RR- Wow!!!! What a fight!! I will admit I was a little shocked that the ref didn't stop the fight in the first round while Carwin was dominating Brock. I'm glad he didn't though. And then the comeback by Brock in the 2ND round!! He's evolving into a real good MMA fighter. He made Carwin tap out!! This guy was just as big as him and he hung in there and won. I have nothing but respect for that.

EV- Perhaps flying under the radar this free agent off season is the Celtics resigning of both Paul Pierce and most recently Ray Allen. Are the C's still a force in the east?

RR- The "old" men have kept most of the team together, but I still think they need to find someone to replace Perkins, who might be out til January or February. Ive heard the Shaq might end up in Boston. If that happens, then yes, they are still favorites in the East. But we all know I will always root against a team led by Paul Pierce..lol


By Ephraim Vega
-Blog or Bust News-

The Weekly Rant!

Just like all of you sports fans out there, I have been waiting with great anticipation during one of the most memorable free agent off seasons that I can remember. Perhaps ever. A'mare Stoudemire took the plunge first of all the quote, unquote, ''superstars'' hitting the market this off season. The New York Knicks, have at the very least assured themselves of not getting shutout during the current free agent frenzy, while other teams such as the Chicago Bulls, New Jersey Nets, Cleveland Cavaliers and Miami Heat are making last ditch efforts to not be left out. In Stoudemire, the Knicks get a proven scorer and rebounder that on any given night can explode for huge numbers and dominate a game. But is it enough to get the Knicks back in to post season play? Probably not. But if New York fails to land Dwayne Wade or Lebron James to join A'mare in the garden, they maybe a year away from really making a splash. Think Carmelo Anthony. However that could just be wishful thinking on my and all Knicks fans part.

So now that A'mare Stoudemire is locked up in New York, the attention now turns to the big three. No not Boston's big three of Pierce, Allen and Garnett, rather the two most sought after ''Batmen'' in Dwayne Wade and Lebron James and one of the latte rs ''Robin'' to be in this equation, Chris Bosh. The consensus is that Bosh will follow James or Wade to Chicago or Wade to Miami. While both options seem the most likely scenario, Bosh to Cleveland does not. Chris Bosh has, according to sources, no interest in playing in Cleveland. And with that minor setback perhaps throwing a wrench in King Jame's plan to stay home, it may help the Knicks land their man. King James to the garden?

So who is going to get shut out of this years free agent frenzy? The Knicks landed A'mare so their good for now but still have work to do. The Bulls seem likely to land Wade or James, hoping to pair either man with Bosh, so they are still in the hunt. Miami cannot seem to get the Toronto Raptors to cooperate on a sign trade for Chris Bosh, ensuring the soon to be former Raptor star a sixth year and an extra 30 Million on a max contract to play in Miami. The Heat seem stalled and at a impasse without that bargaining chip in their favor. The Cavs however have what Toronto wants in trade value, thus opening the door for a sign and trade that could send Chis Bosh to the Cavs. One small problem, Bosh wants no part of Cleveland. So unless Lebron is OK with the way the current roster is holding in Cleveland, the Bulls, Heat and Knicks are all still players in the Wade/James sweepstakes. So with that being said, the losers are....sorry Jay Z, but your New Jersey Nets. No one in this star studded free agent class has any interest in joining a team that still has to wait to relocate to Brooklyn, the teams biggest selling point. But hey they can still land David Lee right!

And finally on something not basketball related, the World Cup. Saw Uruguay and the Netherlands lock horns in the World Cup semi's, and I must say I was really impressed. Very exciting back and forth action with very physical play that turned on a dime once Holland's Stars Wesley Sneijder and Robben scored three minutes apart in the second half as the Netherlands advanced to its first title match since losing in 1978 to Argentina. Tomorrow we will find out who will join the Dutch in the World Cup finals as Spain and Germany square off in the tournament's other semifinal game. Look for the German's hot play of late to continue as they give the Spaniards all they can handle, in what should be the best game of the World Cup so far. With all the around the clock coverage on free agency and the Major League baseball season nearing it's mid-point, the World Cup may provide the lasting drama we all have been craving for since the NBA finals ended. Enjoy and thanks for reading.

By Ephraim Vega
-Blog or Bust News-

The forgotten Hero

Today started out as any other in terms of my daily routine. I woke up to sports center, had my breakfast of champions and headed off to the gym. An intense workout which included a full shoulder work over, some abs and an hour of cardiovascular with my ear phones tuned into...well sports center of course! I am always looking for THE story, and you never know when and where it will all unfold. So I get my day heading in the right direction as I prepare to meet up with my old buddy Rashad Reed, in town for a wedding and always game for a sports showdown meeting of the minds. So Rashad and I drive over to the local boys and girls club and pick up my 11 year old son Jordan and take the 70 west in to Kansas City, toward 18TH and Vine. There we reach our destination, a hallowed hall if there ever was one, the Negro Leagues Museum. The Negro Leagues was started as an alternative competitive baseball league for blacks not allowed to compete in the Major Leagues due to their skin color and ethnicity. What we stumbled upon once there, was one of the most moving and seldom mentioned stories in the history of the color barrier being broken in American sports.

In 1947, Jackie Robinson was that barrier breaker, spearheading change when racism was very prevalent in society at the time. Although the racial barrier being broken was that of playing baseball, it proved how powerful sports plays it's role in American culture. Quietly however as time has passed and the dust continues to settle over some lost history, I stood all amazed at a forgotten hero. Lawrence Eugene "Larry" Doby. Larry Doby as he was known, was the second black player to play in the modern major leagues and the first to do so in the American League. Doby started his career as a second baseman for the Newark Eagles of the Negro Leagues. After helping to break the color barrier, Doby was signed by the Cleveland Indians were he played center field and was voted to seven all-star games. Among Doby's many accomplishments include helping the Cleveland Indians to their 1948 World Series championship over the Boston Braves. In game four of that fall classic, Larry Doby became the first black player to hit a home run in a World Series. In 1954 Doby finished second in the American League MVP voting, while helping the Indians to win 111 games and the American League pennant.

For all of Doby's accomplishments and contributions, little is written about the discrimination he faced, just as Jackie Robinson was suffering through the same. As a matter of fact, the abuse Doby experienced cannot be comprehended by mere words or understood by the masses save for Robinson himself. Coincidentally, Larry Doby also became the second black manager in the major leagues after Frank Robinson, another seldom documented leap for the black athlete courtesy of Doby himself. Larry Doby would served two years in the Navy during his stint in the Negro Leagues, making for more misplacement of judgment by society of the day. A black man could serve his country in war, but not play baseball with the white man once back home. Still through it all, Larry Doby maintained his humility and was as honorable a man that has ever represented his people. Even in 1997 when major league baseball honored Jackie Robinson by retiring his number 42 throughout the league, Larry Doby was virtually ignored. Sports Illustrated noted that Doby had to suffer through all the same indignities Robinson endured, and with nowhere near the media attention and implicit support.

Larry Doby was inducted in to the baseball hall of fame in 1998, and was recognized for the great player that he was, but not necessarily for the great man that he had to be for change to take place. Doby passed away June 18, 2003 at the age of 79. Now gone and often forgotten, let us all in death, pay homage to a man that was cheated in life of his rightful due. Larry Doby was a trailblazer and a hero and on this day I am proud to say I knew of him, and like many who came before me, I am a better man for it.

By Ephraim vega
-Blog or Bust News-

Weekly Rant/ Part Duex!

Tuesday night all eyes will be on the Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics as they write another chapter to their storied rivalry. Game 6 could provide all the drama that has made this rivalry great over the years. The Celtics own a 3-2 lead heading in to the Staples Center in LA and need just one more win to capture championship number 18 in franchise history. I know one thing...Kobe won't go quietly.

All the hype surrounding the Big 12, PAC 10 and thoughts of a super conference turned out to be just a waste of water cooler talk. Their going...their staying...their going...their staying. Really? That is the reason I have always and will always prefer pro sports over collegiate athletics. Empty talk and media leverage all in the name of making more money for the university, while the athlete's continue to play for free. And I thought the BCS system was bad!

The New Yankees and Philadelphia Phillies will square off in inter-league play this week. Last time these two power houses met was the 2009 World Series won in 6 games by the lovable Yanks. Talk about two teams heading in opposite directions. The Yankees are playing great baseball despite enduring injuries all season long including their most recent loss of Alex Rodriguez. The Phillies are just hoping to score some runs with an offense that is in complete disarray. Despite the disparity in their current play, this series should provide some fireworks. After all CC Sabbathia and Roy Halladay take the mound opposite each other in game 1. Now that is star power.

OK back to basketball for a second. Can we all stop trying to compare Kobe Bryant to Micheal Jordan now. Even if Kobe leads his team to wins in game 6 and 7 and title number 17, his legacy has already been cemented. Kobe has already lost two finals series. MJ was 6-0 in finals play. Kobe has quit and given up in games and series in the past. Think Phoenix Suns several years back and as recent as 2008 against the Boston Celtics. Jordan never showed a quit or die attitude...ever. Jordan willed himself and anyone who played with him to win. Kobe has been shut down in huge spots before. Against the Detroit Pistons in the finals years back and against the Boston Celtics in 2008 and even in game 2 of this years series. You simply could not even slow 23. Stop it. It is not fair to Kobe and it is not equally fair to Lebron James. Asking for any of these guys to be as great as Jordan is like asking someone in baseball to be better than Babe Ruth. Not Happening.

And finally to the NFL and specifically to Tennessee Titans quarterback Vince Young, who became the latest athlete to get in trouble with the law. Did he not learn from the Ben Roethlisbereger debacle? Your a freaking starting QB for an NFL franchise. First off you don't go to clubs. Secondly, you don't get in to physical altercations in clubs you shouldn't be in to begin with. And finally, you don't loose your head over verbal taunts and get in to physical altercations in clubs you shouldn't be in to begin with. Clear enough for you? If you cannot handle the heckling you get in public, how do you expect to handle the pressure of becoming a top tier player in a league where on field taunts are the norm? Get it together and use better judgment or you will find yourself on the wrong end of an ESPN 30 for 30 film about how you lost it all because you could not practice self control.

By Ephraim Vega
-Blog or Bust News-