The Top Ten Sports Stories of 2006

by Josh Bertaccini

1) December. With an NFL single season record of 31 touchdowns (and counting, with two games left), San Diego Chargers’ RB LaDainian Tomlinson has had a phenomenal individual season. But it is his selfless personality and speak-with-action leadership that have really lifted the Chargers to a 12-2 record and legitimate shot at the Super Bowl. Watching LT week-to-week is like watching a caged cheetah: you just know he’s going to break free eventually, and when it happens, you’ll never be able to catch him. Tomlinson has been very public with his respect for the many great running backs that came before him; it is clear now that he has emerged as one of the great running backs of all-time himself. LT is the sports story and personality of the year.

2) January. In a legendary performance in one of the greatest college football games ever played, Texas QB Vince Young rushes for 200 yards and throws for 267, leading his underdog Texas Longhorns to a come-from-behind 41-38 win over USC in the Rose Bowl for the National Championship. Young scrambles for the game-winning 12 yard touchdown on 4th down with under twenty seconds left. Texas finishes the year at 13-0, preventing USC from a repeat championship. The game is all the more remarkable for the amount of NFL talent on hand, with the likes of Reggie Bush, Matt Leinart and Michael Huff among the many big names who would shortly thereafter become first round NFL picks.

3) February. It was made for Hollywood, except it was real. Rochester, NY, high school senior Jason McElwain gets in a varsity game and goes bananas, hitting six straight three-pointers en route to a total of 20 points in three minutes. McElwain suffers from autism, and was the team’s manager for several years. His coach, Jim Johnson, added him to the roster before the team’s final home game so he could be given a jersey and sit on the bench with his team. Little did Johnson know McElwain would become a national sensation with his performance. Sometimes sports really do get through to the heart better than anything else. The movie is already in the works.

4) October. The Saint Louis Cardinals win their 10th World Series title, and first since 1982. With 83 wins, the lowest ever total for a postseason team, the Cardinals hold on to the NL Central division title in the last weekend of the season, then get red-hot in the playoffs. Cards’ skipper Tony LaRussa revamps his bullpen on the fly to impressive results, with dominating performances by his relievers throughout the post-season, and Saint Louis rolls through the Padres in the first round, the Mets in an epic seven game NLCS, and finally the Tigers in a five game World Series romp. David Eckstein is named World Series MVP.

5) February. The Pittsburgh Steelers become the only sixth-seeded wild card team ever to win the Super Bowl, defeating the Seattle Seahawks, 21-10 in Super Bowl XL. At 23 years of age, Ben Roethlisberger becomes the youngest signal-caller ever to win a Super Bowl Trophy, while wide receiver Hines Ward wins the game MVP award, with a five catch, one touchdown, 123 yard performance. It is the Steelers’ first Super Bowl title since 1980, fifth all-time, and first under head coach Bill Cowher. It will prove to be one of the easier moments for Roethlisberger in what will become a physically difficult year for him personally.

6) July. Floyd Landis “cheats” to win the Tour De France. The doping problem in the world of sport continues to plague competition, fans and the athletes themselves. In cycling, the target of media scrutiny had been American Lance Armstrong for the better part of the last half-decade. But Lance retired last year after his seventh consecutive Tour De France victory. This opened the door for someone else to grab the crown, and American Floyd Landis was the man to do it. The 30-year-old Landis came from nowhere to win the most famous title in his sport, only to see it all called into question less than two weeks after the race, when two of his urine tests came up positive for high amounts of testosterone, a cycling no-no. Landis maintained his innocence, and still awaits an arbitration hearing to determine the fate of his crown, but public opinion is surely not on his side.

7) December. Tiger is named PGA Tour Player of the Year after dominating the golf world in limited action; in the ’06 season, he won multiple majors in the same year for the fourth time and ended up with more tournament wins than anyone else. Still, the story of the year for the greatest golfer on Earth was one of grief and mourning. Tiger disappeared from the public golf scene for more than two months after his father Earl’s death on May 3rd. When he returned, Woods was better than ever, dominating the field for victories in all six of his final PGA events of the year. Tigers’ career major victory total is now at eleven; Jack Nicklaus’ career record mark is 18.

8) March. George Mason’s improbable Final Four run. Although Florida claimed its first national championship, the majority of college basketball fans will remember 2006 for George Mason’s improbable trip to the Final Four. The Patriots upset two of the previous year’s Final Four teams---including an exciting back-and-forth overtime win versus UConn---to become the first mid-major to make the national semifinals since Indiana State and Pennsylvania both did it in 1979. Led by seniors Tony Skinn, Lamar Butler and Jai Lewis, George Mason showed what true team chemistry could allow a team to achieve in the greatest-ever NCAA Cinderella run.

9) June. The Miami Heat win the NBA title. What do you get when you put together an all-time great coach, a Hall of Fame center, a veteran supporting cast and an emerging superstar who can drive to the basket better than anyone on the planet? The answer: an NBA Championship. Overcoming a two games to none hole at the start of the series, the Miami Heat win their first-ever franchise title with a six game Finals triumph over the Dallas Mavericks. Pat Riley and Shaquille O’Neal were the big names on the Miami team, but Dwyane Wade was the story. With a freakish package of speed, agility and fearlessness, Wade immediately put himself on the short list of best players on the planet.

10) May. Barbaro shatters his front right leg at the Preakness. Equestrian athletes are some of the most extraordinary physical specimens in all of sport; unfortunately, the same gifts that make them so breathtaking also make them highly fragile. Few people, however, expected to witness the scene that transpired at Baltimore’s famed Pimlico racetrack in this year’s Preakness Stakes. Kentucky Derby champion Barbaro was a heavy favorite to win the race and perhaps the Triple Crown as well. But something was clearly awry when Barbaro bounded from his gate too early. After a restart, Barbaro pulled up lame early in the race itself, with a broken front leg. Most horses with such injuries never recover, and usually they are put to sleep. But Barbaro’s owners couldn’t accept those facts, and put the horse through an extensive surgery and subsequent rehabilitation. The lengthy recovery continues, but as of now, Barbaro is alive, improving and continuing to overcome the odds.


HONORABLE MENTION:

-2006 Winter Olympics in Turin
-Carolina Hurricanes
-Florida Gators win first-ever NCAA men’s hoops title
-TO’s ongoing soap opera
-Endy Chavez catch
-Maurice Clarett sentenced to jail
-Italy defeats France for the World Cup crown
-Roger Federer dominates the men’s tennis world
-Andre Agassi retires
-Dicekay Matsuzaka
-Knicks/Nuggets' brawl

-Allen Iverson traded
-Lamar Hunt’s passing

Razorbacks Finish Special Football Season

Two heartbreaking losses to close out the year have a lot of Razorback fans feeling a bit glum these days. That's bound to happen when your team goes toe-to-toe with two of the best teams in the country (LSU and Florida) and comes up on the short end both times. I can hear the diehards bemoaning their team's predicament even now: "We were just a couple of plays away! If it weren't for the special teams mistakes, we'd be in the national title game! If only we could have passed the ball a little better!"

All the crying does is make you feel a little bit better about how it all went down. But it does nothing to change the three losses that 10-3 Arkansas will carry into its Capitol One Bowl matchup with Wisconsin. That game---slated for Orlando, Florida, at 1 o'clock on New Year's Day--- is a tough consolation prize for a fanbase that had visions of Arizona and New Orleans just weeks ago. Still, a "prize" it is for a team that barely missed its first-ever BCS appearance this year. In effect, Arkansas ended up with a pretty good deal out of it: the best non-BCS game there is and a very formidable opponent. One can make the argument that Wisconsin is a better team than Notre Dame, the school Arkansas would have been paired with had it made it to the Sugar Bowl in the Big Easy.

It's important for Arkansas fans to remember as well what this season was ultimately about. Sure, the fanciful talk of a national title appearance seemed great at the time, but there's a very slim margin of error in that regard for a team that wasn't even in the Top 25 polls at the start of the season. No, this year wasn't about that. Not yet, at least. This season the Arkansas Razorbacks went out and earned their way back into national relevancy. For the first time in a long time the Razorbacks were as good as any team in the country, and the national media respected them as such. The Hawgs were televised no less than eight times this year, which is a huge measuring stick for a program that was an afterthought for many college football pundits over the past five years. And Arkansas not only bashed heads with the best in the country this year, the Razorbacks beat a bunch of them too. You throw in Darren McFadden's amazing season (which will see him as a runner-up finalist to Troy Smith this weekend) and it's hard not to see Arkansas being back on a similar stage next year, with Darren McFadden as the early season Heisman favorite.

This was a truly great season for Arkansas football. The pills of defeat against LSU and Florida are tough ones to swallow, for sure, but they are better digestible when your brain wraps itself around the bright future that Razorback pigskin has in front of it.


-JAB

BCS Picture Hazy as Season Wraps

It will be nothing short of fascinating to watch watch the BCS picture fully unfold over the next two weeks. Does Michigan---with its season already finished---somehow stay at #2 in the rankings and make it to an Ohio State rematch and all-Big Ten national title game? Does USC win its last two games over Notre Dame and UCLA to grab a spot in its third straight championship game? Or does the SEC Champion---be it Arkansas or Florida---get a needed stumble from the Trojans and close out with enough momentum to slip into the second spot for Glendale? Can Notre Dame upset USC and ride historic sentiment all the way up the BCS ladder? So much left to be decided in a short amount of time, it's no wonder so many heads are spinning . . .

This much I already know for sure: Ohio State and Michigan should not rematch for the national championship. Plain and simple. The Wolverines had their shot at the Buckeyes and came up short. Say what you want about the final score being just a three point spread---anyone who actually watched the game knows the outcome was never in doubt. Ohio State controlled the flow of the contest pretty much from halfway through the first quarter on, allowing a meaningless touchdown to Michigan with a little over a minute left. To give the Maize and Blue another shot at the Buckeyes would be a supreme disservice to every other one-loss BCS contender in the country. Big Ten football is good, for sure, but it's in no way the best conference in the nation, let alone being that much better than every other league.

If life isn't fair (and we all learn early that it's most definitely not), then college football's BCS system is downright unjust. Surely, it's better than the way it was before 1998, when not having a ranking system that guaranteed a #1 vs. #2 matchup made the end of the season an absolute joke very year. But the joke is only slightly less funny now. The future of college football is bright, but to really take it to the next level of the American sports consciousness, an end of the year playoff system is required.

The way I see it, the BCS ranking system can still be used to help decide who makes it into the tournament. Whether it's four teams or eight (and I prefer eight), adding an extra game or two at the end of the year is in no way a major detriment to the student-athletes participating in the games. They're in winter break at Bowl Season every year anyway! The "missing class" argument went out the window a long time ago. And if the added time and effort for an extra game is such a big deal, then why not limit regular season slates to no more than 11 games? Some may urge caution before proceeding, and argue that the lesser bowls still have their place; I absolutely agree with that point as well. We all know the bowl system has survived as long as it has because of all the money in play. So I think you keep those money bowls for teams that don't qualify for the bigger payday BCS playoffs at the end.

Try looking at it like this: if an eight team playoff system were in place right now, Michigan's national title hopes would be not finished. Based on their strong overall season, the Wolverines would be no less than the #4 seed in an eight team tournament for the title. But as it currently stands in this deeply cruel world of NCAA Division I football, Michigan is got beaten by a better team in Columbus and is now headed to Pasadena for an at-large BCS date in the Rose Bowl.

As for now, the debate continues over who will play Ohio State in Glendale, Arizona, on January 8th, but clearly the conversation has been diverted from the more important issue of why college football still doesn't have a playoff system in place.

You know, the more I think about it, a playoff system will probably never happen. It just makes too much sense.

-JAB

Gameday in Fayetteville Another Sign Hogs are Back

I'm not big into hype. I realize I work in the media, folks, but that doesn't mean I buy into the constant publicity that frequently fills the content of our television and radio talk shows in this country. Not to get all Shakespearean on you this morning, but more often than not, sports hype is much ado about nothing. However, sometimes there is a reason for hype---to a certain extent, at least---and with ESPN's College Gameday program, it's always "all about" the school that is hosting the show for that particular week.

Unquestionably, College Gameday has emerged as the preeminent college football on television. Every Saturday morning during the football season, Chris Fowler (as good as any studio host working today) and analysts Lee Corso and Kirk Herbstreit hold court on the big college football stories and games of the day on location at a designated "school of the week." Frequently the chosen campus is home to a powerhouse amongst college football's giants, be it USC, Ohio State, Notre Dame, Texas, Florida, etc. But every once in a while, a darkhorse school emerges from the misty fog of the "lower" reaches of college football to host the program, and this week, for the first time ever, it's the University of Arkansas.

Bolstered mightily by all-world sophomore running back Darren McFadden, the Razorbacks are 8-1 overall, and an unblemished 5-0 in the SEC, hands-down college football's toughest conference. Arkansas is on an eight game winning streak since a season-opening loss to USC, this despite starting true freshman Mitch Mustain at quarterback for most of the season. However, that will change on Saturday against Tennessee when sophomore Casey Dick makes his first start of the year under center for Arkansas. Dick came off the bench for a struggling Mustain early on against South Carolina last weekend to lift his team to victory. The stat line was good for Dick---11 of 19 completions, 228 yards, 1 TD---with the end result (a road win in Columbia, SC) being even better. So it will be Dick again at Razorback Stadium on Saturday.

Arkansas has been clamoring for national respect all season long. Now the Hogs finally get some. Even though it's just a television show, ESPN hosting College Gameday at your school is a pretty big acknowledgement of the season you're having given the current landscape of college football. It's fun for the fans, it's great for recruiting and it adds just a little more fuel to Arkansas' fire in the great big hype machine that is today's sports media.

Given Tennessee's injuries problems at quarterback with Erik Ainge and running back with LaMarcus Coker, this is a game Arkansas should win. I realize the Hogs are 2-12 all-time against Tennessee, but this is the first time ever when Arkansas is actually the favorite going into the contest. And for good reason: Arkansas is the best team in the SEC right now. With a great offensive line, two tremendous tailbacks in McFadden and Felix Jones, an elite wide receiver in Marcus Monk, and a defense that's gotten better every week, I'll take it one step further and say that the Hogs are as hot as any team in the nation. . . .

Now just make sure, Razorbacks, when all the hype settle downs around 6 PM and the opening kickoff sails high into the air in Fayetteville, just make sure you win the game itself. That's the only way to capitalize on the accolades everyone's going to be waving in your collective faces all day long. It's one thing to start the day with people singing your praises, it's another thing entirely to end the evening with a stumble against the Vols and a complete about-face to your season.

Prediction:

Woo Pig Sooie! Arkansas gets out on Tennessee early and doesn't let the Vols breathe much after that.

Razorbacks 31 - Volunteers 17


-JAB

Josh's Official 2006-2007 NBA Predictions

y=division champ
x=playoff berth
(predicted conference ranking in parentheses)

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Atlantic Division

(y) 1-New Jersey Nets (2)
(x) 2-Boston Celtics (6)
3-Toronto Raptors (9)
4-Philadelphia 76ers (10)
5-New York Knicks (14)

Central Division

(y) 1-Detroit Pistons (3)
(x) 2-Chicago Bulls (4)
(x) 3-Cleveland Cavaliers (5)
4-Milwaukee Bucks (11)
5-Indiana Pacers (13)

Southeast Division

(y) 1-Miami Heat (1)
(x) 2-Washington Wizards (7)
(x) 3-Orlando Magic (8)
4-Charlotte Bobcats (12)
5-Atlanta Hawks (15)

Conference Finals: New Jersey over Chicago
NBA Finals: Phoenix over New Jersey

Best Player in East: (tie) Dwaye Wade, Miami, and Lebron James, Cleveland
Best Coach in East: Pat Riley, Miami
Best Rookie in East: Marcus Williams, New Jersey


WESTERN CONFERENCE

Northwest Division

(y) 1-Denver Nuggets (3)
(x) 2-Utah Jazz (6)
(x) 3-Seattle Supersonics (8)
4-Minnesota Timberwolves (12)
5-Portland Trailblazers (15)

Southwest Division

(y) 1-San Antonio Spurs (1)
(x) 2-Dallas Mavericks (4)
(x) 3-Houston Rockets (7)
4-Oklahoma City Hornets (11)
5-Memphis Grizzlies (14)

Pacific Division

(y) 1-Phoenix Suns (2)
(x) 2-Los Angeles Clippers (5)
3-Los Angeles Lakers (9)
4-Sacramento Kings (10)
5-Golden State Warriors (13)

Conference Finals: Phoenix over Dallas
NBA Finals: Phoenix over New Jersey

Best Player in West: (tie) Steve Nash, Phoenix, and Dirk Nowitzki, Dallas
Best Coach in West: (tie) Mike D'Antoni, Phoenix, and Greg Popovich, San Antonio
Best Rookie in West: Randy Foye, Minnesota

-JAB

All-Time Great Catch Fails to Lift Mets Past Cards

The Catch


Endy Chavez leaps high over the fence at Shea to make a snow cone grab, robbing Scott Rolen of a potential two-run go-ahead home run for the Cardinals with the score tied at one in the top of the sixth inning of Game 7 in the 2006 Mets-Cards NLCS.

Put it in the context of the other great ones and you see how rare a feat it was . . . Few defensive plays in any sport carry near the weight of history that baseball's elite postseason defensive gems do. Perhaps it's because of the sheer drama and intensity of baseball's always special October. Or maybe it's just the do-or-do nature of the players who play them, and the way we who love baseball can't help but watch, entranced again, to see how it will all unfold.

Remember them now . . . .

In the top of the eighth inning of Game 1 of the '54 World Series, scored tied at two between the New York Giants and the Cleveland Indieans, with his back 180 degrees to home plate, Willie Mays runs full steam into the vast open space of centerfield at the Polo Grounds---desperately stretching his glove out and nabbing Vic Werz' deep smash . . . On top of that Mays gets the ball back into the infield for an inning-ending double play. Mays' play sends the Giants on to a four game sweep of the Tribe . . . .

Just a year later, also in the top of an eighth inning, this time in Game 7 of the World Series between the Brooklyn Dodgers and the New York Yankees, Brooklyn's Sandy Amoros laying out down the left field line, parallel to the ground below, snaring Yogi Berra's drive and spurring the Dodgers past the Yankees for a series victory . . . Amoros was also able to turn his catch into a double play.

And then in the third inning of Game 6 of the 1991 Fall Classic between the Twins and the Braves (in maybe the best World Series ever played), with the score tied at two, Hall of Fame centerfielder Kirby Puckett skies at the fence, going up and over the plexiglass with his glove and stealing a home run from Ron Gant, and the Twins rallied past the Braves to win the Series in seven games at home . . . Puckett would also win Game 6 with a home run in the bottom of the eleventh inning. Amazing.

And then the play we began with here, just last night in the sixth inning of tie game between the Mets and Cardinals, not in a World Series but in a league championship series Game 7 nonetheless, Endy Chavez up and over the fence and perfectly timing a snowcone grab of Scott Rolen's scorcher off of Oliver Perez. Unfortunately for Chavez, a 3-1 loss by his Mets to the Cardinals in the game will probably always render his catch the least signifcant of the four postseason moments in the grander context of future baseball discussions.


World Series Matchup


So it will be the Cardinals and the Tigers in a rematch of the 1968 World Series that went seven games. Detroit rallied from 3-1 down to win that best of seven set, and it's hard to discount the Tigers as the favorite to take it all again this time around. Bolstered mightily by its starting pitching all year long, Detroit has gotten great efforts up and down the rotation so far in the playoffs. What it's even scarier is the timely, clutch hitting that Magglio Ordonez has provided. We really haven't seen this much power from Mags since he left the ChiSox two years ago. If his hot streak continues, and Pudge, Monroe and Guillen are able to support him in the lineup, Saint Louis is in trouble.

But don't discount the Cardinals' overall grittiness. Saint Louis has overcome major injuries that have permanently or partially hindered almost every big name in the lineup---Mark Mulder, Jason Isringhausen, Scott Rolen, David Eckstein, and even Big Albert himself all on the list.

If Saint Louis is to pull off one last stunner, it's going to be largely on the shoulders of a suddenly dominant bullpen. With Wainwright, Kinney and Flores all getting big outs, the goal for the Cards' is to make it a seven inning game. The key will be how good a job Pujols and his supporting cast do of putting enough marks in the scoring column before then.


The Guys Behind the Final Two


The best battle of all will probably be watching the managers in the confrontation between Tony LaRussa and Jim Leyland. These guys are both Hall of Famers, and both have pushed all the right buttons in getting their teams to where they are. Leyland won the World Series with the young Florida Marlins in 2003, while LaRussa's single ring came at the helm of the Oakland Athletics in 1988. Both of these guys have tremendous regular season records with the likes of the Pittsburgh Pirates and Saint Louis Cardinals, but neither has won the big one "enough" times for the always-vocal naysayers out there. The naysaying should stop right now though. Regardless of who win's this year's title, they've both done phenomenal jobs just to get their teams to this unexpected point.


Prediction: Tigers in six


-JAB

Upset of Auburn Launches Hogs Into New Stratosphere

The tingly feeling Arkansas' road upset of #2 Auburn gave to its fans on Saturday will last through the month of October. With three utterly winnable games lined up against the likes of Southeast Missouri State, Ole Miss and Louisana-Monroe, it's hard to imagine the Hogs being anything less than 7-1 headed into the month of October. Already up by two full games in the SEC West race, the Razorbacks have seen a season of uncertainty rapidly develop into one of unbridled optimism.

And yet, there's one major side effect that accompanies Arkansas' new piece of real estate (#17 in the AP, #23 in the Coaches) in the Top 25 polls: raised expectations. A loss on the road against South Carolina in early November is no longer acceptable. A loss to Tennessee at home on the 11th of November may not be either. This is what happens when you win big games . . . People just expect more out of you.

Even with the weight of increased expectations in play, there are clearly many things to be excited about in terms of this year's young Razorback football team. With Darren McFadden emerging as the most dominant tailback in the SEC, with Felix Jones proving to be a phenomenal change of pace runner, with an offensive line that just dominated the second-ranked Tigers, with a talented young receiving corps starting to find its way, with a true feshman quarterback who's learning on the job what it takes to pilot the ship of a winning SEC team, with a Gus Malzahn playbook that's only just beginning to open up---there's no doubt that this team has barely scratched the surface offensively. And that bodes awfully scary for the remaining opponents on Arkansas' schedule.

Houston Nutt survived all of the September negativity and very well may prove to have the last laugh with this team. In addition to the improving offense, the defense has come a long way in a short amount of time, with the front four of Keith Jackson, Marcus Harrison, Jamaal Anderson and Antwain Robinson finally gelling as a unit and getting consistent pressure on opposing backfields. The linebacking corps is thin, for sure, but it's filled with steady tacklers in Sam Olajubutu, Weston Dacus and converted safety Matt Hewitt. And the secondary has plenty of speed, though it'd be nice to see the cover guys turn their heads to see the football on a few more plays.

What does it all boil down to? Arkansas is in a commanding position, solely in the driver's seat of the SEC West. Sweep the highly sweepable slate in October, take three of four from South Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi State and LSU in November (plausible at the least) and you'll get the chance to take your best shot at Florida in the SEC Championship game first week of December in Atlanta.

Win that one and you will be playing in a BCS game. Some would call it unrealistic dreaming, I call it a now distinct possibility. Arkansas just might end up the best team in the 2006 Southeastern Conference when all is said and done.

How would you feel about those apples, Razorback nation?

-JAB

Sports Week in Review: News, Notes and Nuggets

TO Tops Himself Once Again

Terrell Owens needs more attention than a three-day-old puppy. He's proven it time and again, with the latest chapter being this week's supposed "suicide attempt." Did TO mix his painkillers and supplements with the intent to kill himself? Probably not. But you can bet he didn't mind all of the media coverage the loopy cocktail garnered him.

There he was, smiling away at the camera yesterday afternoon, like the whole thing was some big joke. Like it was actually funny, for crying out loud! Clearly, Owens is imbalanced. He's just not all there in the brains department, never has been. Hence, the need for a publicist and entourage to explain and spin his every move. Although TO did a poor job in picking the publicist. Kim Etheridge, or whatever the overmatched lady's name is, not only placed the 911 call that triggered the whole police report, she also showed a complete lack of vocabulary and perspective in her speech to the media. A few of the highlights from Etheridge's ramble:

Statement #1: "A man of TO's statue would never do something like that."

My take: The word you were looking for was "stature." With an 'r'. A statue being an inanimate object, stature being a level of prestige and achievement.

Statement #2: "This whole is being overblown. Nothing happened, and that's the bottom line."

My take: If nothing happened, then why'd you call 911 in hysterics, then tell the police that TO was "swallowing a lot of pills" despite your telling him to stop? Because it was nothing? Ah, now I understand . . . except not.

Statement #3: "Terrell Owens has 25 million reasons not to kill himself."

My take: So money is the source of all happiness then, right? And rich people never get depressed or try to hurt themselves? Uh, yeah. Okay, Ms. Etheridge. The fact of the matter is that you are the most incompetent publicist in the history of publicists. Every thing you said at TO's press conference should be put on DVD and played back in public relations classrooms across the country for aspiring students as an example of everything you don't want to do.

But I digress. This whole story boils down to the fact that nothing Terrell Owens says or does should surprise anyone ever again. He is the poster child for the phrase "cuckoo for cocoa puffs." And the Dallas Cowboys knew this ahead of time and signed him anyway. Have fun reaping what you sow, Big 'D'.


Bye Week for the Hogs

Still basking in the afterglow of Leigh Tiffin's kicking meltdown, the Razorbacks enjoy a much needed bye this weekend. A 24-23 double overtime win over Alabama has Arkansas at 3-1 overall and 2-0 in the SEC for the first time since 1998. Call it luck if you want, but it doesn't change the fact that Arkansas is now on course for a really good season.

There are concerns about this year's team, for sure, but none are overwhelming: Highly touted freshman quarterback Mitch Mustain needs to be way better than his three interception performance against the Tide, but he will be . . . It's just going to take more SEC game experience for him to adjust to the speed of the games.

Tailback Darren McFadden continues his active recovery from a broken left toe. He's not 100% yet, but still leads the SEC in rushing with over 400 yards. As he gets healthier, the offense will undoubtedly improve its time of possession.

Defensively, it'd be nice to see all three units on the same page. Week in, week out, it seems like the defensive line, linebacking corps and secondary are improving, but one group still finds its way to a struggle. Last week it was the secondary (outside of Randy Kelly) and that was against a lackluster passing attack in Alabama. It would be nice to see the defense play with more cohesion against Auburn.

A bye week give the Hogs a great chance to rest up and get well. Auburn looms a week from Saturday and we'll have to wait until then to see just how much better Arkansas has gotten.


Cardinals Gunning for Historic Collapse

No team in baseball history has ever blown a lead of seven games or more with less than two weeks to go in the season. This year's Saint Louis Cardinals may be the first to do just that.

Up by 8 1/2 games over Houston with 12 left to play, the Cardinals' lead had shrunk to a whole 1 1/2 games by this morning. Surely, Albert Pujols' game-winning eighth-inning home run versus the Padres last night was a shot in the arm, but the fact remains that the Cardinals have been fading for the past two months. Whether or not they make the playoffs doesn't change the fact that this year's team is poorly constructed. Mark Mulder's terrible season has exposed Chris Carpenter as the only arm you count on in the starting rotation, and even Carpenter's been unreliable of late. Jason Isringhausen is hurt and likely done for the balance of the year, leaving the bullpen in shambles. And Albert Pujols has next to no help in the Cards' lineup. Chris Duncan is a promising young hitter, but Scott Rolen and Jim Edmonds are battling injuries on the wrong side of the age slope.

Clearly, GM Walt Jockety needs to retool his club after the season, or at least change his approach to free agency. We'll know by the end of this weekend whether or not it's a playoff team he's overhauling. My guess is it won't be. The Astros are coming on like a torpedo and I think they'll win out.

Fasten your seat belts, Redbird fans, this weekend's action will have you gnawing your fingernails right till the final out on Sunday.


-JAB

Razorbacks Aim to Turn Tide Against 'Bama

In a span of just two weeks, the Arkansas Razorbacks have gone from a team with a stagnant offense to that of an improving, potent unit. Unfortunately, the club's defense has made an opposite transition, going from solid and energetic to slow and porous. It truly is amazing how much change and evolution this year's Arkansas football team has gone through in just three games. Let's not forget, even with all of the shuffling within the depth charts, the Razorbacks are still 2-1, regardless of what the Houston Nutt naysayers are hollering.

This weekend brings a challenge and a rival to Fayetteville when the Hogs host Alabama. The Crimson Tide were 10-2 a year ago for Mike Shula, winning the Cotton Bowl against Texas Tech. Of course, that was a a Tide team lead by NFLers Brodie Croyle and Demeco Ryans. Thus far though, Alabama has adjusted nicely to the lost of some key players, even with just 14 starters returning: at 3-0 overall, 1-0 in the conference, a lot of folks still like the Tide to be the surprise of the SEC this year.

I'm not buying it. Alabama hasn't really played anybody yet, with victories over the likes of Hawaii (25-17 at home), Vanderbilt (13-10 at home) and hapless Louisiana-Monroe. Senior running back Kenneth Darby is off to a slow start, averaging just 3.3 yards per carry. Sophomore QB John Parker Wilson has been steady, if unspectacular, but he's no Croyle. And the defense, the heart and soul of last year's Tide team, is vulnerable up the middle. Alabama will make a bowl game this year, for sure, but in my mind there's no way Shula matches last year's win total.

Arkansas should win this game at home. A five game losing streak in Fayetteville came to an end against Utah State, albeit in rather unspectacular fashion. But that doesn't cancel the fact that Arkansas hasn't beaten a good team at Razorback Stadium in over a year. For that to change, the Razorbacks need to use last week's offensive recipe against Vandy as a base. Give Darren McFadden 20 carries, give Felix Jones 10, give Michael Smith 5, and add the passing ingredients from there. Mitch Mustain is getting better in front of our eyes, folks, and make no mistake with a solid ground attack in place behind him, the Golden Child of Springdale is already a forced to be reckoned with when it comes to vertical passing. Expect Mustain to look deep for Marcus Monk, Damian Williams and London Crawford early against the Tide.

If Arkansas can continue to find balance offensively, it's going to be up to the defense to seal the deal on Saturday. After a strong start to the season, the front four of Keith Jackson, Marcus Harrison, Jamaal Anderson and Antowain Robinson has failed to generate much pressure on opposing backfields during the past two weeks. You couple that with a depleted linebacking corps that's already at a lack for speed, and it's no mystery as to why the Razorback defense is struggling so much against the run and in creating turnovers. (A startling stat: as of this weekend, Arkansas is the only Division I defense in the country without a turnover in its favor.) To counter the lack of speed, Houston Nutt and defensive coordinator Reggie Herring need to agree on some sort of a rhythmic blitzing scheme for this weekend. If Arkansas continues to sit back on 'D' and not send a defensive back every now and then to plug some holes up front, Darby will have a huge game for Alabama and the Razorbacks' run of poor performances at Razorback Stadium will continue with a loss against a rival.

-JAB

2006 NFL Predictions, Part Two: The NFC

National Football Conference

NFC East

y-Philadelphia Eagles 12-4
x-Washington Redskins 10-6
New York Giants 9-7
Dallas Cowboys 8-8

NFC North

y-Chicago Bears 10-6
Minnesota Vikings 7-9
Green Bay Packers 5-11
Detroit Lions 4-12

NFC South

y-Carolina Panthers 11-5
x-Atlanta Falcons 10-6
Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-9
New Orleans Saints 5-11

NFC West

y-Seattle Seahawks 12-4
Arizona Cardinals 7-9
Saint Louis Rams 5-11
San Francisco 49ers 3-13

z=best league record
y=division champ
x=playoff berth

NFC Championship: Carolina over Philadelphia
Super Bowl: Indianapolis over Carolina
League and Super Bowl MVP: Peyton Manning

Best NFC Offensive Player: Steve Smith, Panthers
Best NFC Defensive Player: Brian Urlacher, Bears
Best NFC Offensive Rookie: Vernon Davis, 49ers
Best NFC Defensive Rookie: Broderick Bunkley, Eagles
Best NFC Head Coach: Andy Reid, Eagles

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NFC East Notes: Philadelphia finally rids itself of the cancer that is Terrell Owens . . . The Eagles then fill that void by trading for Dante Stallworth in a savvy move . . . If Donovan McNabb can find his old form, and tailback Bryan Westbrook can find a way to stay healthy, the Eagles’ offense should be good . . . The defense was already strong and added free agent Darren Howard and draft pick Broderick Bunkley to the front four . . . Andy Reid is headed back to the playoffs.

Washington came on strong at the end of last season and had chances to win at Seattle in the playoffs . . . Joe Gibbs has proven he’s still an elite NFL coach, the question now is whether Mark Brunell can still do the job at quarterback . . . If he gets hurt, it’s former first round pick Jason Campbell to the rescue . . . With elite talents Clinton Portis and Santana Moss, and now TJ Duckett and Antwan Randle-El in the mix, it’s hard to imagine the Skins struggling to score points . . . The defense is already tough . . . If healthy, Washington will be a very tough out in the playoffs again.

New York Giants coach Tom Coughlin has himself a lot of expectations in the Big Apple this year . . . Free agents Lavar Arrington and Sam Madison bolster an already talented defensive unit . . . Offensively, it all boils down to Eli Manning . . . We’ll find out a lot about Eli this year: either he’s the real deal and an elite franchise quarterback or just an overrated sibling . . . He’s shown flashes of both ends of the spectrum . . . For Tiki Barber, Jeremy Shockey and Plaxico Burress to score points, Eli needs to be a field general . . . New York will be good, but maybe not good enough to make the playoffs in the most brutal division in football.

Same goes for Dallas . . . The Cowboys have an up and coming defense and a veteran coach in the Tuna, but offensively, it looks like the same old story with Drew Bledsoe . . . He hasn’t taken a team to the playoffs in a decade, and even with a strong backfield in Julius Jones and Marion Barber, along with a number of receiving weapons---Terrell Owens, Terry Glenn, Jason Witten---I don’t see it changing . . . Owens will be completely in the Bill Parcells' doghouse by Week 5 . . . Bottom line: Dallas needs to find a new quarterback, and maybe a new coach after what will be a competitive, but disappointing season for Big ‘D’ in '06.

NFC North Notes: Chicago repeats as champion in maybe the worst division in football . . . The Bears' defense is outstanding, anchored by all-world middle linebacker Brian Urlacher . . . Head coach Lovie Smith did a phenomenal job getting as much as he did out of a non-existent offense last year . . . This time around, it should be better, that is, if Rex Grossman can stay on the field . . . If veteran Muhsin Muhammad and youngster Cedric Benson are able to make maximum contributions, the schedule is reasonable enough that the Bears win ten again without trouble.

Minnesota was a hot sleeper pick by the so-called experts after a strong offseason . . . But then, the Vikes hit some hard times: #1 draft pick Chad Greenway, a much needed outside linebacker, tore his knee in camp and is done for the year . . . More troubling was the DUI arrest and subsequent release of top wideout Koren Robinson . . . He was Minnesota’s best big play threat last year . . . With the addition of free agent guard Steve Hutchinson, Minnesota’s lines look great on both sides of the ball . . . But Brad Johnson as the only quarterback? And Chester Taylor as the featured running back? First year coach Brad Childress has his work cut out for him.

It gets worse from there in the North . . . Green Bay added Charles Woodson and AJ Hawk, but the front seven is still suspect . . . And the offense lacks any real big play threats now that Javon Walker is in Denver and Ahman Green is older and slower . . . This will not be a pretty last year for Brett Favre in Cheesehead country . . . Aaron Rodgers, anyone?

The Detroit Lions are a terribly run organization and it stems from the top, where team president Matt Millen somehow still has a job . . . Atrocious drafting has left the cupboard bare at many positions, particularly on the defensive side of the ball . . . New coach Rod Marinelli is expected to resurrect the team with Jon Kitna at quarterback . . . He's a genius if he can get it done . . . Hey, at least it’s not Joey Harrington under center anymore.

NFC South Notes: This should be the year Carolina returns to the Super Bowl . . . John Fox has all the pieces on defense, led by the mighty Julius Peppers, while offensively the team has filled some slots nicely . . . Keyshawn Johnson will alleviate the double team pressure on Steve Smith by giving Jake Delhomme a legitimate second option . . . And Memphis running back DeAngelo Williams was a steal at the end of the first round . . . He could be starting in place of DeShaun Foster halfway through the year . . . If they get hot late---and the schedule shows it very well may happen---watch out for the Panthers in January.

Atlanta is a weird team . . . The Falcons’ unprototypical quarterback is a big reason for that... When he’s on his game, Michael Vick is the most unstoppable weapon in the league . . . When he’s off and missing receivers, you wonder why he’s even playing QB in the first place---he actually looks that out of position of times . . . Regardless, Vick says this is the year when his team finally puts it all together . . . If that’s the case, Warrick Dunn and Ashley Lelie better have monster years offensively and Jim Mora, Jr., needs to coach his guts out . . . Former Jet DE John Abraham was a key pick-up on defense; he should greatly enhance the Falcons' pass rush . . . But a deep playoff run still doesn’t strike me as all that likely for this team.

Tampa Bay overachieved for Jon Gruden last year, largely thanks to the play of rookie horse Cadillac Williams in the backfield . . . The Cadillac should have another strong year, but Chris Simms is far from a proven commodity under center . . . With the lefty Simms at quarterback, the offense may struggle to score touchdowns, but Derrick Brooks and the defense are still strong and will keep the Bucs in most games . . . They’ll be close to .500.

New Orleans will be the most exciting last place team in the league this year. Reggie Bush is the big reason why: he is the most electric tailback I’ve seen since Barry Sanders . . . Free agent pick-up Drew Brees is going to have to earn his big bucks with a limited receiving corps beyond Joe Horn . . . I wonder whether the Saints’ line can even keep Brees healthy . . . The defense still needs a lot of work, but new head coach Shaun Payton will help generate some long-needed optimism for the future of professional football in Louisiana.

NFC West Notes: History says the team that loses the previous year’s Super Bowl rarely makes it back to the playoffs . . . History will change with this year’s Seahawks. . . Sure they lost All-Pro Steve Hutchinson on the 'O' line, and there’s no way Alexander repeats last year’s 28 TD performance, but this club is still real good . . . Matt Hasselbeck is the best quarterback nobody talks about, while the defense added stud linebacker Julian Petersen . . . The late season schedule is pretty soft as well . . . Can Mike Holmgren win it all one year after getting jobbed by the officials in the Super Bowl? Maybe.

Arizona is a hot sleeper pick as well, but probably a year too early . . . The defense is average, but Dennis Green has great offensive weapons in place with Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin at the wideouts and now Edgerrin James in the backfield . . . Still, the offensive line is a little suspect and Kurt Warner likely won’t stay healthy for long . . . Matt Leinart better get his chin strip on real quick . . . It’ll be a trial by fire for the Cards’ rookie QB out of USC before long . . .

Saint Louis is in a transitional period after finally ridding itself of the egomaniacal Mike Martz . . . Scott Linehan replaces him as coach, and inherits talented offensive players in Torry Holt, Steven Jackson and Marc Bulger . . . But the defense reeks of ineptitude . . . It's very hard to envision Saint Louis being cohesive either side of the ball given its current corps . . . Give Linehan some time to create the team in his mold.

Time continues to wane on in San Francisco . . . Mike Nolan’s team did add a great weapon in tight end Vernon Davis out of Maryland, but he’s really the only big target QB Alex Smith has . . . Frank Gore will be counted on for the bulk of carries out of the backfield, but he has durability questions himself . . . The 49ers are still wallowing in the darkest period in franchise history . . . It's not going to end just yet.

-JAB

2006 NFL Predictions, Part One: The AFC

American Football Conference

AFC East

y-New England Patriots 12-4
New York Jets 7-9
Miami Dolphins 6-10
Buffalo Bills 5-11

AFC North

y-Pittsburgh Steelers 11-5
x-Cincinnati Bengals 10-6
Baltimore Ravens 8-8
Cleveland Browns 6-10

AFC South

z-Indianapolis Colts 13-3
Jacksonville Jaguars 9-7
Tennessee Titans 5-11
Houston Texans 2-14

AFC West

y-Denver Broncos 11-5
x-San Diego Chargers 10-6
Kansas City Chiefs 9-7
Oakland Raiders 6-10

z=best league record
y=division champ
x=playoff berth

AFC Championship: Indianapolis over New England
Super Bowl: Indianapolis over Carolina
League and Super Bowl MVP: Peyton Manning

Best AFC Offensive Player: LaDainian Tomlinson, Chargers
Best AFC Defensive Player: Dwight Freeney, Colts
Best AFC Offensive Rookie: Joseph Addai, Colts
Best AFC Defensive Rookie: Haloti Ngata, Ravens
Best AFC Head Coach: Bill Belichik, Patriots

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AFC East Notes: New England loses David Givens, Deion Branch, Willie McGinest, Eric Mangini, and perhaps most importantly, Adam Vinatieri . . . But Bill Belichik and Tom Brady are the best in the league at what they do, which is win football games . . . First round pick Laurence Maroney will help Corey Dillon greatly at the tailback position . . . The schedule is kind of soft as well, with games against the NFC North out of conference . . . These Pats will undoubtedly roll through an easy division with their balance on both sides of the ball . . . In all honesty, the rest of the AFC East stinks this year . . . Yet if this team is going to be a legitimate Super Bowl threat, some of the unknown wide receivers will need to step up quickly.

The New York Jets ended the Herm Edwards’ era after last year’s 4-12 disaster and start over with Eric Mangini, a Belichik protege . . . There are no big play offensive threats on this team for quarterback Chad Pennington, and now RB Curtis Martin’s Hall of Fame career is likely over . . . The offensive line will be better, but Gang Green starts two rookies up front in D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold . . . Can Pennington stay healthy for a full year? He hasn’t done it yet . . . Stud rusher John Abraham is gone on the 'D' side, which hurts the team's transition to the 3-4 alignment . . . Eric Mangini will make this team more competitive right away, but how much so remains to be seen . . . The Jets are rebuilding.

Miami figures to be improved via the ground game with Ronnie Brown’s added experience and the departure of the disinterested Ricky Williams . . . Is Dante Culpepper an upper echelon quarterback? Nick Saban thinks so, we’ll find out . . . I can’t shake the visions of Culpepper’s turnover plagued start without Randy Moss for Minnesota last year . . . Miami’s defense loses Sam Madison but still has immense talents in Jason Taylor and Zack Thomas . . . Bottom line: I am not a big believer in Dante.

Buffalo could be really bad . . . New head coach Dick Jauron really doesn’t have much to work with . . . JP Losman as your quarterback? Gimme a break . . . That was a questionable pick two years ago and it smells worse now . . . RB Willis McGahee is decent, but can the line open up some holes for him please? . . . LB Takeo Spikes coming back helps the defense immeasurably . . . #7 overall pick Donte Whitner has a lot of work to do to justify his high selection slot on draft day . . . Sometimes, the fans tell you everything: the overall vibe from Upstate New York is that this team will be brutal again.

AFC North Notes: Pittsburgh tries to repeat as champion without Jerome Bettis or Antwan Randle-El . . . No Big Ben for the first game or two either as he recovers from an appendectomy (unrelated to his near-fatal motorcycle accident in June) . . . But you have to figure Roethlisberger will be tough as always when he returns . . . Running back Willie Parker should make additional strides and stud receiver Hines Ward is a horse for this team . . . The ‘D’ will be very good again as well, with elite safety Troy Polamalu’s flappy hair leading the way . . . Bill Cowher is a great coach and the schedule is favorable late . . . The Steelers have a real shot at a repeat.

Cincinnati hinges almost entirely on the strength Carson Palmer’s left knee . . . Can he really be fully healthy just seven months after an ACL tear? It’s unprecedented in sports history . . . If not, it’s Anthony Wright to the rescue . . . Yuck . . . But if Palmer can get it done, the offense will be ferocious again with Chad Johnson, TJ Houshmanzadeh and Rudi Johnson leading the way... The emerging best trio of linebackers in the league---Odell Thurman, Brian Simmons, David Pollack---should make Marvin Lewis’ defense tough again as well . . . The schedule is rough, but the Bengals have the swagger to get back to the playoffs.

Baltimore gets a little more stability at QB with Steve McNair, but he’s more than getting up there in years . . . How long will he stay healthy? Probably not long, and then it falls on the up-and-down Kyle Boller . . . Will Jamaal Lewis be better? He can’t possibly be worse than he was last year . . . The defense is still strong and scary with Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs and Chris McAlister . . . First round pick Haloti Ngata helps at the nose tackle as well, but it’s going to take a lot of pixie dust for Brian Billick to conjure up 2000’s since-dormant magic.

Cleveland will be competitive again under Romeo Crennel . . . He clearly knows how to motivate, but is Charlie Frye an NFL quarterback? I’m not sure anyone can honestly answer that question just yet . . . Braylon Edwards looked great late last year before tearing his ACL: can he still be a gamebreaker so soon after the injury? The defense gains the ageless Willie McGinest but needs more pieces . . . The Browns just aren’t there yet.

AFC South Notes: Indianapolis should have won it all last year, but folded up in its first playoff game against the Steelers . . . Clearly, the extended undefeated string to start the year meant nothing: it’s all about getting hot late in the season like the Steelers . . . This year the Colts have an average-looking strength of schedule . . . The big loss in free agency was obviously Edgerrin James, but to me, that’s not a huge hole . . . James is great, for sure, but he’s getting up there in mileage . . . LSU RB Joseph Addai was a steal at the end of the first round . . . I believe he and Dominic Rhodes can carry the load left by the departed Edge . . . And really, with the Colts, doesn’t it always boil down to Peyton Manning? He still has tremendous wide receiver targets in Marvin Harrison, Reggie Wayne and Brandon Stokley . . . Meanwhile Dwight Freeney, Corey Simon and a great secondary are the heart of a solid and improving ‘D’ for Tony Dungy . . . If Peyton doesn’t break through and win it all this year, I just don’t think it’s ever going to happen for him.

Jacksonville won a lot of close games last year, so logically that should flip on them this year . . . Make no doubt, this team is young and talented in a number of key spots, but nobody survives week in, week out tight games for long . . . Can the RBs---Fred Taylor in particular---stay healthy? Based on the past, probably not . . . Can Matt Jones be a number one wideout with the retirement of Jimmy Smith? We will see . . . Byron Leftwich is a warrior and the defense will be good, but a playoff spot may be just out of reach this time around for Jack Del Rio’s crew.

Tennessee is at least a year away, but the fun in Titans land will be watching how Texas QB Vince Young adapts to the NFL . . . Head coach Jeff Fisher says he plans to play Young at least a little in every game . . . Drew Bennett and Tyrone Calico are a good tandem at wide receiver, but will they mesh with veteran QBs Kerry Collins or Billy Volek at all? The running game---with Chris Brown and Travis Henry---could be a pleasant surprise . . . The defense has speedy young talents in LB Keith Bulluck and CB Pac-Man Jones . . . But putting it all together for a winning season is nowhere near in the cards . . . Jeff Fisher’s run could be nearing an end.

Houston is just horrible . . . The 'O' line still stinks, David Carr has next to nothing to work with, and now they’ve lost versatile RB Domanick Davis for the year with a knee injury . . . Hmmm, Houston sure could use a running back right about now . . . Like Reggie Bush . . . Wouldn’t the Texans love the chance to draft him? Oh that’s right, they had it and they passed . . . Not that Mario Williams won’t be a good DE in time, but I feel no sympathy for this inept franchise whatsoever . . . That booing sound you hear is the Texans’ crowd directing its venom towards owner Bob McNair at every home game this year.

AFC West Notes: Mike Shanahan and the Broncos had a great season last year . . . QB Jake Plummer finally took care of the football, the defense was outstanding and the Broncos cruised to the AFC title game with home field advantage . . . A year later, question marks arise around Mike Bell as the starting tailback and Javon Walker, the big offseason addition at wide receiver . . . Walker’s coming off a bad knee injury while Bell has no NFL experience and wasn’t even highly touted at the draft, falling to the sixth round . . . Denver will be good again, but a slight step back from last year is to be expected . . . Just wait till rookie quarterback Jay Cutler gets a chance to play, Bronco fans . . . The future looks exciting in the Mile High city.

San Diego just has to be better . . . The Chargers were one of the most frustrating teams in the league last year, losing a lot of close games early and never recovering . . . RB LaDainian Tomlinson and TE Antonio Gates are monsters, but QB Drew Brees is gone . . . We’ll finally find out if Philip Rivers is the real deal, and I think he is, even without a bevy of good wideouts . . . The defense’s 3-4 scheme is heaped in talent in the front seven with the likes of Shawn Merriman, Jamaal Williams and Luis Castillo . . . If Marty Schottenheimer doesn’t get the Bolts back to the playoffs this year, he’ll be shown the door.

Kansas City will struggle in Herm Edwards’s first year . . . Expect 1,500 yards from Larry Johnson, but the rest of the Chiefs’ offense is only getting older . . . Hall of Fame Tackle Willie Roaf retired . . . And the rest of the vets: Trent Green? Eddie Kennison? Tony Gonzalez? These guys are clearly on the wrong side of the slope . . . With Herm in place of Dick Vermeil, Kansas City will be better defensively for sure, but playoff bound, I think not.

Oakland brings back former coach Art Shell, which once again shows you that Al Davis is senile and has no idea what he’s doing . . . The Raiders really haven’t been relevant in three years and I don’t see that changing this season . . . Aaron Brooks is a slight improvement over Kerry Collins, but can he help Randy Moss be freaknasty again? Consistency will be the key for Lamont Jordan and the rest of an offense coming off a disappointing year . . . The defense still isn’t very good and they lost CB Charles Woodson to the Packers . . . Silver and Black in last again.

-JAB

(Tomorrow, "Part Two: The NFC")

Arkansas Hopes for Another Upset of USC

It's an out of conference game, but to Arkansas Razorback fans, it means a whole lot more than that. The USC Trojans come to Fayetteville on Saturday for what should be a fantastic college football atmosphere all day long. It's the first game of the year and the first meeting between the schools since last year's 70-17 debacle at the Coliseum. That utter embarrassment needs to be avenged for everyone associated with the Arkansas football program and yet the only way to fully do it is to beat the vaunted Trojans in front of 80,000 rabid fans at Razorback Stadium. Is it likely? No. Possible? You better believe it.

As is often the case, the homefield advantage will be huge in this one. I usually give the home team a seven to ten point edge; for this game it could be even greater. It's the end of an offseason filled with hype and hope and anticipation for the resurrection of a once mighty Razorback program. The fans will undoubtedly play a key role in this game.

Another big storyline to follow revolves around star tailback Darren McFadden and his broken left big toe. D-Mac is one of the elite running backs in the country for sure, but he was supposed to miss at least the first two weeks of the season while recovering from a fit of foot rage at a Little Rock nightclub. If he plays---and I think he will---even in a limited role, it will be a major boost emotionally for his teammates.

Then there's the quarterback situation. A lot of folks in Arkansas wanted Mitch Mustain to play right out of the gates, but the coaching staff realized that wasn't the smartest of moves. Instead, the beleaguered Robert Johnson gets a chance to rectify his poor play of a year ago. If Johnson can use his athleticism to make some plays and get key first downs, the Razorbacks very much have a chance to be in this game.

The defense was significantly improved even by the end of last year and there's no reason to think it won't pick up where it left off with so many returning starters. The big thing Arkansas needs from its defense is the shutting down of the big play. Don't let receivers Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith beat you deep. Obviously USC is without Leinart and Bush and White this time around, but you still can't take the talented newcomer Trojans lightly. Seventy points won't happen again (it better not for the coaches' sakes), but that doesn't mean giving up forty would be a whole lot better. Be physical, bring the energy and make the Trojans slug it out with you.

In the end, I see it being a close game in the fourth quarter. The fans, the atmosphere, the vengeance factor---it's all on Arkansas' side. Still, USC is USC, plain and simple. A win over the Trojans would be historic, regardless of the time of year for the victory. Let's not forget, 32 years ago Arkansas avenged a road loss from the previous season by beating USC at home. Sometimes history has a funny way of repeating itself.

Prediction:

Arkansas 31 - USC 28


-JAB

Headed for October: Tigers, Mets on Cruise Control

As August moves through its final two weeks, the Major League Baseball season slides into the closing forty game stretch of the year. While most teams are clawing and jockeying for a chance at the postseason, two clubs continue to coast their respective ways toward October. In the American Leauge it's the Detroit Tigers, while on the Senior Circuit it's the New York Mets. Neither of these teams has been a familiar presence in postseason discussions in recent years (the Tigers haven't even made the playoffs since the Eighties), but each is the only sure-thing lock in either league to make it to October this year. Here's a look at the down-the-stretch chances for two teams that have played from the front of the pack for most of the season:


The Detroit Tigers

Jim Leyland already has his name etched on this year's A.L. Manager of the Year Award. The veteran skipper instilled a winner's mentality in Motown as soon he got his feet within the city limits. Let's not forget that the Tigers have been a laughingstock for the better part of two consecutive decades now. And all Leyland did was erase that mentality by absolutely not allowing the losing to continue. (In retrospect, Leyland's late April public outburst after a lackluster Tigers' performance was probably the spark that lit the team's season-long fire.)

Undoubtedly it has been the pitching that has carried this Tigers team in the win/loss column though. Young hurlers like Jeremy Bonderman, Justin Verlander and Zach Miner have matured in a hurry, while the volatile Kenny Rogers continues to be an ageless wonder: he's not dominant by any stretch, but he keeps his team in games and eats up plenty of innings. Overall, the starting staff has had tremendous game-to-game consistency this year, while the bullpen has been nothing short of brilliant. To me, it's no surprise that the Tigers have the best bullpen and the best record in baseball. That's just how it usually seems to work in the bigs, isn't it folks? For the Tigers, relievers like Fernando Rodney, Joel Zumaya and Todd Jones have been absolutely fantastic.

With Pudge behind the plate and Guillen at short, the defense has been stellar in Detroit, as you might expect with those elite gloves in the mix. The offense is a bit of a concern, though. While Magglio Ordonez and the aformentioned veterans Ivan Rodriguez and Carlos Guillen are putting up solid numbers, no one on the team has been anywhere near spectacular with the bat and there's not a lot of help coming from the rest of the roster. Chris Shelton fizzled so badly after a hot start that he was demoted to the minor leagues, forcing Detroit to trade for first baseman Sean Casey. Craig Monroe and Marcus Thames have put up solid power totals this year, but both are experiencing outages of late.

Prognosis: The Tigers are good, legitimately. Their best record in all of baseball is far from a one-time fluke, but instead the result of great all-around pitching, timely offense and a phenomenal manager. Even with the White Sox and Twins applying pressure in the A.L. Central, it's hard to envision Detroit not staving them off in the final forty games. Still, a run deep into October is far from a given. Pitching wins games, surely, but you need to have enough offensive punch and power to buoy it as well, especially in the playoffs when runs are even harder to come by. Look for the Tigers to capitalize on their tremendous regular season by winning their best-of-five first round set before falling in the American League Championship Series.


The New York Mets

Who said you can't buy your way into the playoffs? Taking a page from George Steinbrenner's book across town in the Bronx, the Mets have made Queens a hot baseball spot once again with a bevy of free agent talent. General Manager Omar Minaya (with owner Fred Wilpon's once-unlikely financial blessing) has been aggressive and savvy in the past couple offseasons and the results are evident on the field.

One-hundred million-dollar centerfielder Carlos Beltran has bounced back supremely from a lousy and greatly disappointing first season in New York. His thirty-five plus home runs, clutch road hitting and standout defense have anchored the Mets all year long. Additionally, Carlos Delgado's thirty plus home run total has justified New York's acquisition of the first baseman's forty-million-dollar salary; he's been a perfect fit as the clean-up hitter. Catcher Paul Loduca has returned to his New York roots with a fine .300 plus average and strong defense as well, but it's the left side of the infield and youngsters David Wright and Jose Reyes---two of the only homegrown Mets on the active roster---who continue to make significant strides. Wright has clearly cooled off since the All-Star break, but his average is still over .300, his power numbers are about to reach career highs and his defense at the hot corner has been very strong. Similarly, shortstop Jose Reyes has displayed even more of his wealth of physical tools this year. Leading the majors in stolen bases with fifty and counting, Reyes is hitting right near .300 with an impressive new power stroke. He's already hit a career high in home runs and actually hit three in a single game last week. Already one of the best defensive infielders in baseball, Reyes is now one of the best all-around infielders in the game, period.

On the mound, big money free agent pitchers Pedro Martinez, Tom Glavine and Billy Wagner (who cost a combined $140 million between them) have turned in solid years to lead the way. Martinez looks to be cruising toward the postseason with a bit of disinterest in recent regular season starts, but as long as he's healthy, the Mets have themselves as good a big game ace as there is. Glavine has faltered after a phenomenal start, but he'll be the second starter, while the battle for third is anyone's guess: the resurrected El Duque Hernandez? Out-of-nowhere John Maine? Steve Trachsel? At the least, the Mets bullpen has been sturdy all year long, with setup men Pedro Feliciano, Roberto Hernandez and Aaron Heilman feeding the closer Wagner nicely. Although Wagner has shown some signs of wear and tear this year, he appears to be reaching maximum velocity more and more of late.

Prognosis: Willie Randolph will need to make some tough decisions about his pitching rotation over the next month. How he sets it up in October could decide just how long the Mets are playing there. Clearly New York has as good an offensive and defensive team as anyone in baseball, but is there enough starting pitching there to seal the deal? Maybe. The Mets are going to win the National League simply because no one else in the league can play with them this year. The Cardinals? The Dodgers? Gimme a break. If Pedro Martinez and Tom Glavine can keep on drinking those mouthfuls from the fountain of youth for two more months, the Mets will topple the American League's best and win the whole thing right now in 2006.


-JAB

Pennington Giving It All One More Time

As a Jets fan, it's hard not to root for Chad Pennington. Maybe part of my sports brain is stuck in 2002, when Pennington broke onto the scene and emerged as the NFL leader in quarterback efficiency rating, or maybe it's stuck in 2004, when the Marshall grad fought through a fraying right shoulder to lead the Jets within a field goal of the AFC championship game. Whatever the case, I like Chad, and probably always will. He's one of those players who doesn't blow you away with his physical tools so much as he just gets it done with his aptitude for the game, his decision-making, his precision soft touch and, most of all, his leadership. Additionally, he's always handled himself with class in front of the fans and (almost always) in dealing with the media.

Alas, the injury bug has never been kind to Chad. It started with the broken left wrist suffered in a 2003 preseason game against the Giants, got worse when he tore his right rotator cuff in a mid-season game against the Bills in 2004, then got plain ridiculous when he tore the same right shoulder in week three against the Jaguars in 2005. Here's the sad, plain truth: Chad Pennington, the face of the Jets franchise for the past four years, has never played an entire sixteen game schedule. And this past offseason it looked like Pennington wouldn't have another chance to get it done with the Jets: his eleven million dollar salary cap hit had to be restructured for New York to fit it in. The only way to get that done was for Chad to agree to take a pay cut in 2006, something most professional athletes wouldn't even consider. Yet, sure enough, Pennington took an eight million dollar pay cut to come back to the Jets.

You see, Chad Pennington wants to be the starting quarterback for the Jets. He wants to live up to the "face of the franchise" billing he's gotten since bursting onto the scene in 2002. He continues to talk about bringing the Big Apple another professional football championship and returning the Jets' franchise to the top of the heap. Despite all of the injuries and all of the doubters, Chad Pennington continues to believe. And as a diehard fan of Gang Green, you should already know that I continue to believe as well.

Will the Jets make the playoffs this year? No. Will they finish with a winning record? Probably not. But if Chad Pennington can stay healthy for a full year---a humongous if given his history---if he can stay on the field and serve as a leader under center for Eric Mangini's in-progress club, the Jets will be able to call 2006 a success. In all truth, with Patrick Ramsey as the only other ready-to-go starting quarterback option on the roster, the Jets have no choice but to hope for a gutsy bounce-back from Pennington.

I'm pulling for him too. Emotionally, it's not like I really even have a choice anymore. That #10 jersey is still hanging in the closet, a little faded from all the dust and all the time off, but still in there somewhere towards the front. Now please, Chad, please just stay healthy. . . .


-JAB

Loss of Paul Eells a Sudden Blow

I never met the man. I had spoken with him on and off the air during an interview on "Morning Rush" just four days before his passing, but I'd never met Paul Eells in person. Still, speaking with him Thursday morning, I got the feeling like he was as humble and ego-free a sports broadcasting superstar as there was in the business, and make no doubt, Paul Eels was definitely a superstar.

You don't serve for 28 seasons as the play-by-play football voice for a school and a team with as rabid a fanbase as that of the Arkansas Razorbacks and not become a legend and a star. The natural delivery and smoothness of his broadcasts on air, the famous "Touchdown, Arkansas . . . Oh, My!", the steady warmth and enthusiasm coming through---just listen to a few minutes from any of his gamecalls and you're surely to find heaps of it there. The man was great at what he did, without question. But that's only part of the tale.

Eells spoke with me off the air on Thursday morning. He told me he'd heard good things about my talk show already, this after just a few days in the area on ESPN 96.3. He spoke of his desire to be a part of the program, to "come on whenever" we wanted him. He wished me the best of luck and sounded utterly genuine when we said goodbye. "I really look forward to meeting you soon," he said. "Keep up the hard work, get to know the state's history, get to know the fans, and I have no doubt you'll love living and working in Arkansas . . . This is a really great place."

On the air that morning, he spoke of how "blessed" he was to have had the "honor and the privilege of being behind the microphone for the Razorbacks for nearly three decades." He described the story of how he came to be the voice of Arkansas football back in 1978, relating how close he came to not taking the job:

"I had been the play-by-play announcer for Vanderbilt football for eleven years, and I was happy with my position and I liked the life I had there. I really didn't think I'd be leaving it anytime soon. But then the Arkansas job became a real possibility, and I went to go see the school and meet everyone there and, you know, it really just worked out---I can honestly say something about it suddenly felt so right . . . I knew right then that it really was for me, and here I am at seventy years old getting ready for my 29th year with the team."

The light in his voice was a beautiful thing to hear. I mean this was a man who worked hard---Eells was also the Sports Director for Channel 7 television in Little Rock---yet there he was sounding deeply excited and energetic about doing something he'd been doing for a long time. No one could have known then that he would be killed in a car crash on Interstate 40 just four days later, this in a terrible two car accident that left another woman dead and a state full of Razorback fans in mourning. It wasn't supposed to be like this, it wasn't supposed to happen so sudden, so soon . . . This was Eells' team, too, after all! He was looking forward with great anticipation like all Razorback fans to see just how good the team could be this year, to see just how good the running backs would be, to see just how good golden child Mitch Mustain would be---to see it all, and decribe it all, as he'd done every autumn for the past thirty years. How could he now be gone, just like that?

Harry King, longtime Arkansas newspaper columnist for Stephens Media, was a close personal friend of Eels'. King made an appearance on "Morning Rush" Tuesday when word of the accident was coming out. The talk show quickly evolved into a rumination on the profound loss of the broadcast legend. King revealed, "Paul was probably in the last year or two of doing play-by-play for the Razorbacks as it already was . . . I don't think he was going to be doing it that much longer, but it doesn't change the fact that everyone who knew Paul, everyone he came into contact with and everyone who loved him---we are all feeling the deep loss of someone special today."

And from what I can tell, that's really what it boiled down to with Paul Eells. He was a special talent at what he did: he had the skill, the passion and the excitement for it, and he was a tremendously selfless people person on top of that. He made just about everyone he came into contact with on an everyday basis feel like they mattered, from co-workers to fans to the guy at the gas station . . . And I think that's clearly evident from the outpouring of grief and emotion from people all over the state and all over the country this week. People who'd met Eells many times, just once, or, like me, never at all---we felt like we already knew him. He was that nice and that sincere.

Arkansas football will go on, as it should. That's just what you do in life when you lose something forever. You keep on going. And surely that's how Paul Eells would want it. He'd want the next voice of the Razorbacks to be welcomed in with open arms, just as he was. But surely that's not going to be possible. No one can replace shoes that large. No one should even try. I just hope the person who gets to put on the next pair is half as gracious and half as kind as the last guy.


-JAB

Razorback Fans Highly Optimistic for '06

The Razorbacks are a religion in Arkansas. Spend a few days here, talk to some locals and you'll quickly find out that as far as sports discussions go, it's pretty much Arkansas football, a little more Arkansas football and then everything else. There are no professional sports teams in the Natural State, so you have to drive about four hours to Dallas or five to Kansas City just to get a taste of that level of play. Not like it matters all that much though: with all of the history, tradition and local connections for the University of Arkansas, even if there was a pro sports club in Little Rock or Fort Smith or wherever, its following would absolutely still pale in comparison to that of the Hogs.

This year, the excitement and anticipation for the Arkansas football season is as high as its been in about seven or eight years, really since Houston Nutt first took over as head coach. With 19 of 22 starters returning, with eight out of twelve games at home, with skill players like Darren McFadden, Marcus Monk and Peyton Hillis and a big, strong line on offense, with a new vertically-oriented offensive coordinator in Gus Malzahn, with standout performers like tackle Keith Jackson, linebacker Sam Olajubutu and safety Materral Richardson on defense---the Hogs (or Haw-gs, as it's pronounced by the natives) look locked, loaded and ready for significant improvement.

And yet it all hinges on the single most important position on the field: the quarterback. Who's it going to be? Casey Dick? The sophomore has a decent arm but isn't known for making the best in-game decisions. . . . Robert Johnson? The junior has great feet, but struggles mightily with his accuracy. Which leaves in-state rock star Mitch Mustain, a true freshman, as the most talented and likely best choice of the bunch. One of the top three ranked high school quarterbacks in the country last year by most analysts, Mustain spurned a chance to play for Charlie Weis and Notre Dame to stay home and become a Razorback.

Sure he's inexperienced and making a big jump from Arkansas high school football to the SEC. But he ran the Malzahn offense to perfection the last couple of years at Springdale High School and one would think his familiarity with the system would translate well regardless of his competition. Are there going to be bumps on the road that will be his learning curve? Of course. Just wait till the first time Mustain takes a real big hit from an SEC linebacker. That'll be a nice wake-up call. It's his rare combination of mental tools and physical ability though that leads me to believe he can make the adjustment in a hurry. Will he start in game number one on September 2nd against USC? Probably not. Will he see the field by the end of that game? Strong chance.

If so, and if Mitch Mustain is all he's cracked up to be, the rabid Razorback fans should be in for not only an exciting 2006 season, but a tremendous future as well. Surely a team as talented on paper as this Arkansas club would take off if it had a playmaking quarterback leading it down the field and to the next level. At the least, with Mustain in tow and expectations spiraling ever higher, football services at the "church" that's known as Reynolds Stadium in Fayetteville will be held at a very high pitch for the foreseeable future.

Break out the pigskin, folks . . . Arkansas football is cool again.


-JAB

"Lost Episodes" Last Hurrah for Chappelle's Show

It's hard to imagine walking away from a fifty million dollar paycheck for what you do naturally, but that's just what comedian Dave Chappelle did in May of 2005. With the funniest and most successful comedic show on television already with two years to its credit, Chappelle signed a two year deal with Comedy Central worth the aforementioned fifty million beans to produce seasons three and four of his hit series. And then, just like that, in the middle of production, he walked away. No one was able to pin Dave down on the exact reasons for his departure, but it seemed to go a little something like this: success led to money and fame, money and fame led to more responsibility and more pressure. The weight of the show and the direction/perception of its racially charged content became too much for him to deal with, so he jetted off to South Africa to collect himself. Rumors of mental illness and/or drug abuse ensued and were met with strong denials. Whatever the cause for the departure, the bottom line was that his fans were utterly crushed.

Over a year later, it's pretty clear that Chappelle has no intentions of his resuming his television series whatsoever. So Comedy Central did the right thing, in my opinion, and decided to piece together the remaining three episodes' worth of finished sketches into the "Lost Episodes" of the Chappelle Show, which are airing this month on the cable network.

The first two episodes underscore that the show was on course for more big laughs and social satire in season three. Skit topics revolve around Howard Dean's public outburst and meltdown (just hilarious), the bizarre timeliness of Tupac Shakur's rap lyrics (dead-on), the consequences of newfound mega-wealth for Dave (scary) and a racially stereotypical pixie (not nearly as controversial as Chappelle apparently believed). Though the humor is once again on point in most of these skits, you can practically see Dave struggling with himself in front of your eyes over the creative future of his show.

Former co-stars Charlie Murphy and Donnell Rawlings sub for Dave in the on-set intros to the skits, but neither is a match for Chappelle's natural timing and flair. To their credit though, the two cast members do their best to pay homage to the work and skills of their absentee colleague. Ultimately I do think it leaves a better taste in most people's mouths having two people split the fill-in duties rather than just leaving one person to do it. (Again, no public comment from Chappelle or his representatives on any of this.)

In the end, the "Lost Episodes" are a final glimpse of 21st century comedic gold before the reserves ran out. They're must-watches for diehard fans and probably nothing more than mildly interesting to anyone else. But you have to give Comedy Central credit for trying to give the hardcore fans a going away present. Chappelle has resumed his stand-up career with an on-again/off-again tour of the country, and it's great to know that one of the smartest and funniest talents of our time is still putting his global views out there, but now it's on a much smaller and lower key scale than it was before. Maybe that's just the way Dave wants it, but the fact remains that it's hard not to feel cheated of something truly special and great by the show's early demise.

My grade for Chappelle's Show: The Lost Episodes: B-



-JAB

Making the Move for a New Job

Moving isn't the easiest experience in life, but sometimes it's completely necessary. The past few weeks have been a bit of a blur as I relocated from Valley City, North Dakota, to Fort Smith, Arkansas.

North Dakota was great to me; I could never have asked for a better audience on my sports talk show or for a nicer, more comfortable area to live in (winters not included). Yet I couldn't pass up the opportunity to go and help build something from the ground up, which is what I'll now be doing at ESPN 96.3 as a Program Director and Morning Talk Show Host.

The people I'm working with here in Arkansas are incredibly friendly and strike me as deeply motivated to create something special. They are in love with their Razorbacks on a year-round basis, as you might expect . . . And there's nothing like diehard sports fans to push all the right buttons for me! It really does seem like a great fit both ways and I'm grateful for the opportunity to show the folks here what I can do.

Again, my apologies for the recent slowdown on the blog entries and website updates of late. Please excuse the slight delay while moving. Things should be getting back up to speed in the next week or so. . . .

Thanks to everyone concerned for your support and patience in all respects!


-JAB

These Twins Aren't So Bad After All

Roger Clemens made his return to the bigs against the Twins on Thursday, but the story of the game was the other starting pitcher. Twins' 22-year-old phenom hurler Francisco Liriano scattered four hits over eight innings and improved to 7-1 on the year with an ERA that's plummeting towards 2.50. Liriano dazzles you with his change of speeds and put-away slider: he's got a killer instinct that few veterans possess. Now, with his emergence alongside Johan Santana at the top of the rotation, Minnesota has itself a couple of key building blocks firmly cemented in the pitching core for years to come. If Boof Bonser can stabilize on the right side of the hill, Minnesota's young pitching could get scary good in a hurry.

The Twins' young offense is showing some real consistent pop for the first time as well. Catcher Joe Mauer has clearly turned the corner with an average over .380 . . . The timing and patience at the plate really starting to sink in for the former #1 overrall pick: he's been hitting at nearly a .500 clip for a month now . . . That's .500, folks, and this isn't city league softball! Also impressive, Justin Morneau's power is on to the tune of 19 HRs with an improving .270 average to boot. Could he be the first Twin to hit 30 HRs in a season since Kent Hrbek in 1987? I think so. Throw in the emerging Jason Kubel's bat and Torii Hunter's expected second half surge and all of a sudden the Twins' offense doesn't look so bad anymore.

So what does it all mean in Minnesota? Depends on whether you're a glass half empty or glass half full kinda person. Me, I usually try to be the latter. Sure, the Twins are still 11.5 games behind the Tigers for the AL Central lead and 11 games in back of the Chisox for the wild card . . . But on the flip, at least they're two over .500 for the first time all year. And look, it could be way worse: they could be the Indians!

The Twins probably won't make the playoffs this year, but with just one more piece or two, they could be playing October ball again in a year. With a new stadium now in the cards for 2010, Minnesota's major league baseball future looks pretty bright on and off the field for the first time in a long while.


-JAB

It's the World's Game, Just Not Ours

I remember playing soccer growing up as a kid and enjoying it immensely. It wasn't just me: lots of my friends in New Jersey were in leagues or on traveling teams when we were young. We played because we were encouraged to do so for a while and, more importantly, because it was fun. Yet somewhere along the way, for most of us, soccer became uncool. Gradually, football, basketball and baseball took up more of our time and focus because they were the "real" American sports, or so were told . . . They were the true tests of athletic prowess. I believe it is this athletic discrimination syndrome, if you will, that has continually kept our nation from competing at a high level with the other top soccer powers on the international stage of the World Cup.

Think about it: the United States of America has a diverse population of over 300 million people, way more than the combined populations of countries like England, Italy, Germany, Portugal and Argentina, yet it is those nations who regularly dominate us in the sport of soccer, er, football (whatever). We lost to the Czech Republic, 3-0, for crying out loud! I realize our country handled itself well in the 2002 World Cup, getting all the way to the quarterfinal round, but everybody gets a little bit lucky once in a while. Don't think that was anything more than a fluke. We'll be out of this World Cup by the end of the opening round next week.

To me, it's not all that embarrassing though. Most of us in this country are brought up viewing soccer as nothing more than a kids' game, a fun social get together for the soccer moms and dads. When we get old enough and our physicalities start to develop, we're steered towards the other sports. And so our nation's greatest athletes become hoopsters and hurlers, receivers and runners, instead of strikers and goalkeepers . . . There are execeptions to this, of course, but unlike in most of the rest of the world, where all the good athletes play soccer, the bulk of our best do not. This trend being clearly reflected in the whoopings our national team has routinely taken on soccer's biggest of stages over the years.

Will it ever change? Probably not. As long as football, baseball, basketball and golf continue to dominate the collective American sports conciousness, soccer will keep on laying in the bin on the side with the rest of the not-so-much games, like hockey and tennis and swimming and skiing. We just have too many options here in the States, which isn't a bad thing really, except when it comes to fielding a killer national soccer club. So don't take it personally when we get ripped by Italy this weekend and Ghana next week. Soccer just isn't in our blood.

-------------------------------

Final Four World Cup Soccer Picks:

Brazil, England, Italy and Argentina

-------------------------------


-JAB

Bad News for Big Ben

Terrible news today out of Pittsburgh . . . Steelers' franchise QB Ben Roethlisberger was involved in a motorcycle accident in downtown Pittsburgh that left him in serious but stable condition. First reports indicated that Roethlisberger had suffered extensive facial and jaw damage with injuries to his knees as well. It's way too early to say whether or not the accident will cost Big Ben any playing time in the fall, but based on previous athlete-with-motorcycle accidents, you'd have to think it's going to be a lengthy road back to 100% health.

Apparently Roethlisberger wasn't wearing a helmet, and while that's just plain stupid, it's far from the first time we've seen a big bucks professional athlete make such a decision. Just look at NBAer Jay Williams and NFLer Kellen Winslow, Jr., in recent years. These guys could not resist the temptation of the motorcycle, whether it was the open road, the daredevil nature or just the plain old thrill of it. Williams saw his bright hoops career ruined, while Winslow still has yet to make his presence felt at the pro level. Roethlisberger's case is a little different: here's a guy who'd already become the youngest quarterback in NFL history to win a Super Bowl, a guy who was amongst the short listers for the league's clean cut image award, a guy from a small college who was really difficult not to root for, even if he was a Pittsburgh Steeler.

And for all that, what difference did it make? Big Ben loved riding his motorcycle, said he was "safe" as could be in doing so, and ignored warnings from head coach Bill Cowher and a host of others about the dangers of riding without wearing a helmet. I guess it just didn't register with him like it should have. Once again we are struck with the picture of an athlete believing the hype, believing himself to be above the laws of chance and suffering terrible consequences.

Not a fun day for anyone. Especially Ben Roethlisberger.


-JAB

NBA Finals Should See Points A-Plenty

Miami and Dallas will both be making their first-ever appearances in the NBA Finals this year. Two clubs with offensive mentalities get together for what should be a nice change of pace from a year ago in the final series of the season. No, this isn't Detroit and San Antonio playing defensive-oriented ball; this year's championship set should be an up and down the floor frenzy with the last team standing being the one with the most bullets in the proverbial gun.

This year's Mavericks have a lot of weapons and have consistently displayed a new found grit in their run to the final round. Dirk Nowitzki has emerged as a superstar on both ends of the floor for the first time. He actually seems to enjoy playing defense now. Josh Howard is showing that he's not just a quality NBA player, but likely a soon-to-be All-Star as well. And guard Devin Harris is finally playing like the #5 pick from last year's draft. His emergence in the backcourt alongside Jason Terry is a huge reason why the Mavericks were able to overcome the strong guard play of both the Spurs and Suns. Still, the key to it all coming together, this year's real life Lone Star version of the super glue has to be Avery Johnson. The animated sideline stalker has proven to be a tremendous influence for his team.

And yet it's the Heat, I believe, who will emerge from this final showdown victorious. Veterans Antoine Walker, Gary Payton and Alonzo Mourning have given Shaq's crew a depth and poise that wasn't there in recent years. Pat Riley's intensity and focus on the bench has certainly added to that poise as well. But the fact remains that Miami is still indeed Shaquille O'Neal's team. Big Daddy looks healthy and eager to add a fourth ring to his collection. His play has been increasingly strong as the playoffs have gone on . . . you're going to tell me that Erick Dampier and Desagana Diop are going to contain him? I don't think so. They couldn't contain Boris Diaw at all in the last round. Shaq's a little bigger and badder than Diaw.

Ultimately, though, this series will be decided by the most exciting young guard on the planet. Dwyane Wade has been on a jet-propelled path to superstardom ever since leaving Marquette three years ago. Wade is so strong and crafty at getting to the basket, drawing contact and finishing, I just don't see anyone on the Mavericks who can stop him. He scores, dishes, rebounds and makes a whole bunch of key defensive plays as well. Outside of the three-point shot, he's truly as well-rounded a player as there is in the league today. It is Wade who will emerge on this biggest of NBA stages as the best of them all. Heat in six. Wade M-V-P.


-JAB

Some Musical Options for the Holiday Drive

There've been a number of noteworthy album releases by some big name artists of late and it's time to give them each their respective reviews. Hopefully you can find a choice that suits you amongst the four albums below. No better time to check out some new tuneage than when you're headed out on the roadways for holiday travel, right? Make sure and drive safe.


Bruce Springsteen: The Seeger Sessions

The Boss is maybe my favorite musical artist of all time, yet his last two albums have left me a little hungry for the ol' E Street Band. Last year's Devils and Dust saw Jersey's hero acoustic and low key as he ruminated on political themes like the war in Iraq and illegal immigration. There wasn't a lot to get excited about it on that release. This time around Bruce has decided to release his first covers album, with not a single new tune on The Seeger Sessions disc. Instead, Springsteen shows his love and affinity for old school folk artist Pete Seeger by rocking out with what sounds like a full country band (not an E Streeter among them). "Ol' Dan Tucker" and "Pay Me Money Down" are kinda fun on the first listen or two (and Bruce sure sounds like he's having a blast) but this isn't going to keep the average rock fan coming back for more. "Buffalo Gals" won't ya come out tonight? Are you serious, Bruce? I'm glad you're enjoying yourself these days, but at some point soon, please give your diehards something to really take to heart. Here's hoping the eagerly awaited E Street finale disc is coming up next....

(2.5 stars outta 5)


Paul Simon: Surprise

It's been five years since Simon dropped the elegant and underrated You're the One. In the interim, he toured with Bob Dylan and teamed up with Brian Eno in the studio. This album is the result, as Simon's smooth voice and poetic lyrics get a cool musical lift from the electronica wizard. As always, Simon's lyrics are filled with irony, as in the openly questioning lead track "How Can You Live in the Northeast?" and "Another Galaxy". The former tackling terrorism phobias with the second focusing on destiny and fate. Alas, the themes remain basically the same for Simon---love, fear, purpose, personal identity---but there's nothing wrong with that. Eno's quirky beats lift Simon's lyrics into a different realm, and it's more than worthwhile hearing the results. Not Graceland or Hearts and Bones by any stretch of the imagination, you have to respect the decision to try something new by one of pop music's all-time greats. This is a quality release by another Jersey native.

(3.5 stars outta 5)


Pearl Jam: Pearl Jam

The Seattle grunge rockers keep it rolling with an eponymous release that's as pure rock 'n roll as anything they've put out in their career. Eddie Vedder's lyrics remain sharp and pointed as he goes after war mongers in cuts like "Worldwide Suicide" and "Marker in the Sand". Mike McCready's guitar expands the group's sonic base once again, as he rises to the challenge and drives it home on tracks about the difficulties facing today's youth like "Life Wasted" and "Comatose". In all honesty, Pearl Jam hasn't sounded this relevant in over a decade. You have to give these rocksters kudos for refinding their swagger after a pretty long hiatus. (The last album of theirs that really mattered was probably 1994's Vitalogy.) Of course, despite its early demise, Nirvana remains the most famous and popular of the Grungester groups, but Pearl Jam has proven to have the best survival skills and just might be the one that matters the most.

(3.5 stars outta 5)

Red Hot Chili Peppers: Stadium Arcadium

The Peppers continue their smooth transition from hip-hop funksters to mellow guitar rockers with this release. Stadium Arcadium makes three straight albums of strong tuneage and great melody from the California crew. 1999's Californication and 2002's By the Way were high quality releases in their own rights, but this album shows Anthony Kiedis and Flea taking their band to new levels of output---the double disc clocks in at 28 tracks. Guitarist John Frusciante continues to lead the group's new sound with his virtuoso guitar playing front and center. Undoubtedly it's Frusciante's sobriety that has clarified the group's sound during the last eight years and it continues in full effect hear. Standout cuts "Dani California" (with its impressive geographical name checks), "Hey" ( a beautiful sequel to "Under the Bridge") and "C'mon Girl" hang in your head long after the two hours' worth of music has run out. The album has a silly title, no question about that, but the real point here is that the Chili Peppers have solidified their place as one of the most important surviving bands of the past two decades.

(4 stars outta 5)


-JAB