Who Can You Trust?

The NFL's list of off the field incidents just keeps on growing. In the last few days, there have been three negative incidents involving NFL players. Let's start with the most recent incident. This morning, Steelers 1st round draft pick Rashard Mendenhall was robbed. Mendenhall was an excellent runner at Illinois last year and I am really looking foward to seeing him play in the NFL, but that's beside the point. He was walking along Pittsburgh's lakefront when two men, dressed in black hoodies and ski masks, approached Mendenhall and took his wallet and phone. The poor guy is looking at his new home city with an unspecified companion, and he gets robbed. In your new home, who can you trust?

Chicago Bears running back Cedric Benson was arrested for resisting arrest, after being charged with boating while intoxicated. Haha. Boating while intoxicated, that's a new one. Isn't that one of the best parts about going out on a boat? To have a few drinks? Well, whatever. Benson had to be sprayed with mace, after he refused to go back onto land with the police. Benson told his account of the story. He said that he passed all the sobriety tests that the police gave to him, but they insisted he still go back to land with them. He resisted, and was sprayed. Benson also said he wasn't drunk, although there was alcohol on the boat. Benson has a lot to prove in the NFL, so this isn't the best way to do it. Between Benson and the cops, who can you trust?

Marvin Harrison...Wow. Marvin is one of the best receivers ever. He is known for being quiet all the time, unlike other showboating receivers in the league. Marvin just goes out and plays his game every Sunday. So why is Marvin involved in a shooting outside of his bar, called Playmakers? There was a dispute with Harrison and someone in the bar. The story is still not clear, but it seems that Harrison followed the man outside. The man was later shot and wounded in the hand. Tests show that the bullets shot were from a custom Belgian weapon, a weapon that Harrison owns.

The weird thing is that Harrison's camp claims that Marvin isn't even involved in the shooting. The cops don't have any suspects yet. If it happens to be Marvin who shot the gun...I don't know... I really do not know. Marvin Harrison is one of the most respected players in sports. Period. He is the textbook definition of a football player. He puts his body on the line every Sunday and doesn't have to be a loud mouth. So how can Marvin be involved in such a horrible situation? I would think you could trust Marvin Harrison, of all people. But, who can you trust?

It's Only the First Round!

What a first round of basketball! Tonight, we face three game 6 series. First at 7 o'clock, the dramatic series of Wizards and Cavs. I can't wait to see Lebron lose this game for one big reason. He doesn't deserve it! All this guy does is cry and complain and cry and complain. But yet, he gets free throws everytime he drives to the basket. I'm not going to continue bashing Lebron cause I already did enough of it. But, just to bring it to your attention, Darius Songaila was suspended a game for fouling Lebron. Yes, Songaila hit Lebron in the face. But, it sucks that the referees didn't see the 2-4 times a game when Lebron elbows someone as he is driving to the basket. Or when Lebron gets up to fight when he gets fouled cleanly. He's Lebron James though, he's allowed to do that.

Celtics and Hawks play a game 6 tonight also. I said the Celtics would win easily, but I have to think again. The Hawks were down 2-0, and then won 2 in a row. The series is currently at 3-2, in favor of the Celtics. The Hawks would be a great underdog story for anyone, but you have to think the Celtics will still put it out, right? It should be a great game 6 tonight.

The last game 6 tonight is Jazz and Rockets. Jazz were up 3-0 in this series, but the Rockets hung tough and won two in a row. You have to feel bad for Tracy McGrady. He is one of those guys who goes out and plays hard everyday, probably one of the reasons he is always getting hurt. Yet, T-Mac has never been out of the first round in the playoffs. He had a couple of chances with the Magic, but he was the whole team with them. Now, with the Rockets, he's got a great team. But, in the middle of the season, they lost Yao Ming, causing concern. But after Ming's injury, the Rockets won 22 games in a row, the 2nd longest streak in NBA history.

I want to see the Wizards beat Lebron. Lebron may be the greatest talent ever, as everyone seems to label him. But, I can't stand this guy. Maybe if he showed some passion for the game and actually played hard, I would respect him. But how can you respect a guy who can't deal with being hit and not called for a foul? A guy who wants a foul called everytime, and he almost gets it. A guy who people want to label as the next 'Jordan.' Lebron James isn't even close to Michael Jordan, nor will he ever be. Michael Jordan put his life on the line every single game he played. He won 6 NBA Championships and even if you hated the Bulls, you couldn't help but respect Jordan for his greatness.

I have to say the Celtics will win this series, although I'd like to see the Hawks win. The Hawks have two great young talents in Josh Smith and Joe Johnson. They both looked clutch at times in the series and I can see the Hawks as a serious threat in the East next year. Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce, and Ray Allen. How can you go wrong? The Celtics have to win this series, or else they can't be taken seriously next season. As for the Jazz and Rockets...I don't know... I'd like to see T-Mac win, along with his skip to my lou sidekick, Rafer Alston. For those of you who don't know, Alston was a great streetball player who was referred to as Skip to My Lou, because he is an amazing ball-handler. But that's neither here nor there. The Rockets offense can probably pull through, but the trouble lies with stopping Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer.

The Wizards may be a better team without Gilbert Arenas. The Celtics may be overrated. And the Tracy McGrady may have been cursed a long time ago. I think we will get some answers tonight, but hey, IT'S ONLY THE FIRST ROUND!

Sticking with the Young Guns

Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy were talked about all off-season, regarding a trade for Johan Santana. The Yankees decided to stick with their young guns and they have paid the price for it, so far. I say so far because we are only a month into the season. But, how much time do you give these guys before you give up?

Not only did the Yankees lose Jorge Posada to a shoulder injury, which could sideline him for quite a while, but their young guns cannot pitch a quality game. Let's start with Ian Kennedy. He is 0-4 this season, allowing 22 runs in 23.7 innings. Kennedy just hasn't looked like the top prospect the Yankees said he was. He loses the strike zone easily and when he finds the strike zone, his pitches are flat and very hittable. Phil Hughes has also allowed 22 runs like Kennedy, ironically, but he was pitched 22 innings. Hughes has a great curve and a great fastball, giving him the tools to be a top starter. But, like Kennedy, Hughes hasn't found the strike zone, with 20 walks in 22 innings. Hughes is currently on the DL with a strained right oblique. The Yankees have said he will be shut down for 4 weeks, and then he will be re-evaluated.

So what do the Yankees do? I'll tell you what they do. They do what they should have done in the off-season. Trade! The Yanks could have gotten Johan Santana for these young "phenoms." But as of now, these guys are worth just about as much as Vito Ingrassia. If you're wondering who Vito Ingrassia is, you aren't alone. He is a friend of mine who can throw a fastball, but can't throw a strike. Right now, Kennedy and Hughes are worthless! But who am I to say this? I'm only an 18 year old sports fan. It's not like I'm Hank Steinbrenner or anything...

Draft Preview

(2007 Texans #1 pick Mario Williams)

It seems like football just ended, right? It was only about two and a half months ago when the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots in one of the greatest Super Bowls ever. But, the first part of next season starts today with the 2008 NFL Draft. If your a football fan, you usually watched the first round or two, like myself, because it's impossible to sit there for eleven hours watching the draft. Last year's draft had a first round which stretched six hours and eight minutes. That's why the NFL changed a few things to shorten the draft.

The time a team had for their first pick used to be fifteen minutes, but this year they will have ten minutes. The second round went from ten minutes to seven minutes. The time of the draft was also changed from 12 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday will only be the first two rounds of the draft, giving Sunday to the third-seventh rounds. This was a great move by the NFL because the draft was definitely way too long...I don't think you could find something more boring to do on a Saturday afternoon. The first round is usually very good, with all the big name players going to their new teams. But, after that, it just gets plain exhausting. Now let's get into the top players in the draft.

The Miami Dolphins already made their first overall pick, by signing Jake Long to a five-year, $57.75 million deal. Long was the top offensive lineman in college, where he played at Michigan. Nice safe pick. They say the safest first round pick is a lineman, but I just don't get that. With a play-maker like Darren McFadden, or a future star quarterback in Matt Ryan, why would you waste your first pick on a lineman? But I guess you need to build a team safely, by choosing a guy who you know can protect your quarterback and block for your runner.

I think Darren McFadden of Arkansas is going to be the best player out of this draft, a 6'2 runner with speed and power. It looks like the Raiders might take him, although the Jets have been trying to trade up or land McFadden at the sixth overall pick. Other than the top few picks, there are a few guys to look out for. Felix Jones was the back-up behind McFadden at Arkansas, and I can see him going late in the first round to the Cowboys. But, there's a quarterback who I would look out for. Joe Flacco. Quarterback from Delaware. At an incredible 6'7, Flacco is one of the most talented quarterbacks I've seen in a while. I wouldn't be surprised to see him slip to the early to middle of the second round.

3 p.m. today, NFL Draft. Whether your an NFL fan wanting to see who your team gets, or a college football fan wanting to see where these players go, the draft can be interesting for a little bit. But don't watch it for too long, you might waste your day.

Not So Fast, Hank

As you have probably heard, Hank Steinbrenner made some comments this week that suggested making Joba Chamberlain a starter, rather than keeping him in his setup role. Joba is such a dominant pitcher, with his 100-mph fastball. And as Hank put it, you would be "an idiot" to keep him as a one-inning pitcher. Joba appeared in 19 games last year and didn't lose once. His ERA was an amazing 0.38 and he had 10 more strikeouts than innings pitched.

Joba is off to a good start this year, appearing in 7 games and striking out 9 batters in 8 innings. Tonight, Joba pitched the 8th and 9th innings against the White Sox. With the score tied 6-6 in the bottom of the 9th, Joba hung a curveball to Joe Crede. Crede laced a base hit to centerfield, scoring Carlos Quentin from second base. Okay, rewind. There was one out in the inning and a runner on second base. Joe Crede has been as hot as anyone on the White Sox, with 6 hits and 2 homers in his last 5 games. If I could ask Joe Girardi one question, I would ask...WHY WOULD YOU PITCH TO CREDE?!?

I understand Joba is dominant and all, which he is. But, when you could walk Crede to put yourself in a position for an inning ending double-play, why would you pitch to him? Joba hung a curve against Crede and Crede did what he has been doing- went with the pitch and hammered a liner to centerfield.

Joba is an awesome pitcher and he will be for years to come. But, I think this was a good thing for the Yankees. It shows that Joba is human. Joba suffered his first career loss as a professional. If and when Joba becomes a starter, he isn't going to win every game and dominate every game the way he does as a setup man. People need to understand this. If Joba starts a game and goes 6+ innings, he isn't going to have the same 100-mph fastball and the same 86-mph ankle-breaking slider. Not so fast, Hank. Let things unfold as they should. If Joba is needed as a starter in the near future, it will happen.

First Time for Everything

I believe someone once said, "There is a first time for everything." I don't know who said it, but it is true. In Danica Patrick's case, there is definitely a first time for everything.

From 2005-2008, Danica has been in 50 IndyCar races. I don't know much about NASCAR, but the IndyCar Series is a popular American racing league. On April 20 of this year, Patrick won her first race...ever. She won at the Twin Rig Motegi in the Indy Japan 300. She is now the first woman to ever win an IndyCar race, after finishing 5.8594 seconds ahead of Brazilian driver Helio Castroneves.

In Danica's first year in the league, she won the 2005 IndyCar Rookie of the Year. From 2005-2007, she won the IndyCar Most Popular Driver. That's unbelievable! She didn't win a race until 4 days ago, but she has been the most popular driver for the last three years. You would think that Danica's attractiveness made her popular, and it did. Just like Anna Kournikova, Danica became famous for her good looks. But, Danica has the potential to be more than a good looking driver. It's a man's game, indeed, but if Danica can race the way she has been racing, I think we may be witnessing the start of a great career.

While we are on the subject, I'll let you know about another female who is dominating the sports world- Lorena Ochoa. Lorena left college in her sophomore year to become a professional golfer. She won 3 of 10 events at the 2002 Futures Tour, and topped the money list which launched her into the LPGA Tour the following year. Five years later, Ochoa beat out Annika Sorenstam as the number one woman golfer in the world. So far this year, Ochoa has won 5 of 6 events, including The Kraft Nabisco Championship and the Corona Championship...in back-to-back weeks! She is already qualified for the World Golf Hall of Fame, but can't be inducted until 2012. Ochoa will be hosting her own event called the Lorena Ochoa Invitational in November of this year.

Danica and Lorena are just about the 2 most popular women in sports right now. Heck, they might be 2 of the most famous athletes, man or woman, at the moment. I'm not usually interested in women's sports, but Lorena Ochoa's domination and Danica Patrick's first win have intrigued me and caught the eye of a lot of people. I never thought I would be so intrigued by a female racecar driver, and I never thought I would be captivated by a dominant female golfer. But hey, I guess there's a first time for everything, right?

A Truly Devine Player

I don't know how many of you have heard of West Virginia football sensation Noel Devine, but pretty soon everyone will have heard of him. Noel Devine will be a sophomore in this upcoming college season at 20 years old. Devine was a back-up runner, behind Steve Slaton, last year when he averaged 8.6 yards a carry. Devine is listed as 5'8 and 170 pounds, and that is really pushing it. He has a few videos on YouTube which show his amazing runs as a senior in Fort Myers High School in Florida. His incredible blend of speed and breaking tackles can only be comparable to Barry Sanders.

The story behind Noel Devine is more complex than a little guy with skills that could make him an amazing NFL runner. Devine was 3 months old when his father died of AIDS, and just 11 years old when his mother died of AIDS. Devine lived with his aunt to his grandmother to other relatives from time to time, along with his eight brothers and one sister. Noel had been living with the Harlow family before college, but was involved in a custody battle. This battles was between the Harlow family and Deion Sanders. Yep, Prime Time. Deion wanted to adopt Devine, after taking him under his wing. This never happened, but Noel and Deion remain good friends. Devine brings a lot of emotion to his story, so what better way to translate this emotion than to bring it to the football field?

Off the field trouble is another troublesome issue with Noel Devine. In high school, Devine was suspended five games for cursing out his coach after a loss. Some can look at this as wanting to win and being a team player, but it isn't necessary to yell at a coach. Devine has also been the father of two children, since he was 18. He went a while before getting in trouble again. During this off-season, Devine learned that Steve Slaton was going into the NFL Draft and skipping his senior season. This would mean that Devine would be the starting running back for West Virginia (even though, I think, Devine would have won the starting job over Slaton if Slaton had stayed at school). On February 16, Devine was involved with an altercation at a bar in Morgantown, WV, along with teammate Jock Sanders. There was a fight and both Devine and Sanders were arrested for assault. However, they both pleaded no contest and were sentenced to 24 hours in jail. They can serve 24 hours community service to avoid the jail time.

Noel Devine made it out of the fire and can now concentrate on football. I hope that's what he does because he has the talent that could make him the most exciting player to walk on a football field. You have to see his videos on YouTube to believe me. The kid is just unbelievable. Anytime he gets the ball, he is a threat to run down the whole field for a touchdown. The West Virginia Mountaineers had their first scrimmage game this year last Sunday. The Gold-Blue spring game (the team is seperated into gold and blue jerseys) held the second-largest crowd in West Virginia spring game history. Noel Devine only got the ball 6 times, but he gained 39 yards out of it. Oh yeah, Devine had a 21 yard run where he displayed his tremendous speed by jetting past the defense. NCAA Football should be interesting in the upcoming season, especially with the next Barry Sanders running for West Virginia.