2009 Free Agents - Who Will Sign Them?

The NBA free agent period started at midnight tonight. Plenty of teams will be trying to find the pieces to put them over and make a run at the championship. Carlos Boozer, Mehmet Okur, and Kobe Bryant decided to stay with their teams and did not opt out of their contracts. The economy was the deciding factor with Boozer and Okur, but Bryant decided to stay because his team could end up in the NBA Finals again next season.

Here are some of the free agents that hit the market tonight at midnight.

Charlie Villanueva - He was a stud at UConn, but didn’t seem to fit in during his stays in Toronto and Milwaukee. Villanueva loves his Twitter and it could have been a reason why Scott Skiles and the Bucks decided to not offer him a contract. He will be a prized free agent for a team that need a scorer and can deal with his lack of defense. Potential Team – Cleveland Cavaliers

Rasheed Wallace - Wallace is a headcase, but he has proven that he can play, if his team is a contender. He could end up signing a one-year deal, but with his advancing age, he will be looking for security with at least a two-year deal. Potential Team - Chicago Bulls

Trevor Ariza - No one outside of UCLA alumni knew who Trevor Ariza was before the NBA Playoffs. He was acquired by the Lakers in a trade with Orlando for Brian Cook and a case of Bud Ice. Ariza can make key steals and is a much-needed motor that doesn’t stop. Potential Team – Los Angeles Lakers

Marcin Gortat - “The Polish Hammer” was another player that benefited from quality play in this year’s playoffs. Gortat replaced a suspended Dwight Howard in the Philadelphia/Magic series. He did much better than expected and many teams looking for a big man will be calling him at 12:01 AM. Potential Team – Houston Rockets

Glen Davis - A key reserve on the 2007-08 NBA Championship team, Davis continued strong play last season. When Kevin Garnett went down with an injury, Davis filled in and helped lead the team into the playoffs. He is still under-sized with a questionable jumper. Potential Team – Boston Celtics

Jason Kidd - Kidd is clearly on his last legs and will be a surefire Hall of Famer when he retires. He could help a team trying to leap from the Lottery into the playoffs. He can still run an offense effectively, but don’t expect the Jason Kidd of years past. Potential Team – New York Knicks

Grant Hill - Hill was a superstar at Duke and had an amazing first couple years in the NBA. Injuries have cost Hill a lot of playing time, but last season with Phoenix, he was an iron man. Hill can still be a factor and can help a young team with his veteran leadership. Potential Team – Portland Trail Blazers

Chris Anderson - Anderson didn’t let his colored past get in the way of his game last season. He helped the Nuggets get to the Western Conference Finals. He can do a lot of things on the floor and has qualities that every team in the NBA need. Potential Team – Denver Nuggets

Nate Robinson - He is an under-sized guard with crazy leaping ability. He is a proven scorer and can light up defenses with his quickness. A team who signs Robinson should have an established point guard, since he is not a natural point guard. He is a restricted free agent, so a team may not want to overpay for Robinson. Potential Team – New York Knicks

David Lee - Lee has the potential to be a great player in the NBA. He is a great rebounder and can score points in the paint. He plays hard and doesn’t have any other gear other than overdrive. He is also a restricted free agent, but many teams covet his skills. Potential Team – Indiana Pacers (What!? He’s a white boy who can rake. Bird loves those guys!)

Paul Millsap - The Jazz has a surplus of power forward talent on their team. He is a restricted free agent, but with Boozer and Okur staying and Andrei Kirilenko still with the Jazz, Millsap could be the odd man out. He had a break-out season last year and can be a starter on any team that signs him. Potential Team – Oklahoma City Thunder

Hedo Turkoglu - Turkoglu was the reason that the Magic made the NBA Finals. His play against Cleveland pushed the Magic into the next level. He has had struggles fitting in during his tenure with the Kings and Spurs and really seems to like playing in Orlando. Potential Team – Orlando Magic

Linas Kleiza - Kleiza was a piece of the Allen Iverson trade that sent “AI” to Denver from Philadelphia. Kleiza was considered a “throw-in” at the time, but he has improved his play and could be a contributor on nearly any team in the NBA. He could be had fairly cheap and could benefit from playing in an up-tempo offense. Potential Team – Detroit Pistons

Raymond Felton - The Bobcats have stuck by Felton, even after they pick D.J. Augustin in the draft. Felton has had a better-than-expected career in Charlotte and is a proven scorer. He was improving at point guard and could be a starter on a young team, but probably not a contender. Michael Jordan loves Felton, so it would take a large offer for Felton to blot. Potential Team – Chartlotte Bobcats

Josh Childress - Childress wasn’t pleased with the offers that he received from teams last season and didn’t want to go back to Atlanta. He spent last season in Europe and could sign with an NBA team this year. He is still a young player and he could be a star in this league. Potential Team – Boston Celtics

Ramon Sessions - Sessions went from D-League All-Star to potential future NBA star in a matter of months. When Michael Redd went down last season, the Bucks were in need of points and Sessions delivered. He is young, 23 years old, and could be had with a mid-level exemption. Potential Team – Memphis Grizzlies

Re-Do - 2006 NBA Draft

You can't really grade a draft in any league until 3 years later. I did a "re-do" post a year ago with the 2005 NBA Draft, you can see that HERE.

The NBA just had their draft last week and it will take a few seasons to see if they work out. The 2006 NBA Draft has had only one all-star so far, but a few stars are starting to emerge. The teams didn't seem to know who they wanted during the draft, 5 out of top 10 picks were traded. Toronto had the first pick in that draft, would they still pick Andrea Bargnani? Here is what the 2006 NBA Draft Lottery would look like if it were held today.

1. Brandon Roy – Toronto Raptors - The Raptors would be a much improved team with Roy in the backcourt. Andrea Bargnani has been good player, but has not been worth the #1 pick in the draft. Roy is the only all-star in this draft, so far. He has been great for the Trail Blazers and would do well in Toronto’s up-tempo offense. (Roy went #6 to Minnesota)

2. Rajon Rondo – Chicago Bulls – Chicago ended up picking LaMarcus Alrdridge with this pick and sending it to Portland for then #4 pick. Rajon Rondo has proven that he is a star in this league. This year, in the post-season, he was a walking triple-double. He would be a star on any team that drafted him. (Rondo went #21 to Phoenix)

3. LaMarcus Aldridge – Charlotte Bobcats - Don’t you think that the Bobcats would have liked to end up with Aldridge over Adam Morrison? Of course, it’s a no brainer. I believe Morrison could end up being a key reserve on a team, but he never got started in Charlotte. Aldridge has been a complete player in Portland and will be an All-Star very soon. (Aldridge went #2 to Chicago)

4. Rudy Gay – Portland Trail Blazers – Portland picked Tyrus Thomas and traded him to Chicago for LaMarcus Aldridge during the draft. Rudy Gay has been a success in the NBA and if he was on a better team, maybe we would hear more about him. He has the potential to be an NBA scoring champion and should average 20+ points per game over the next few seasons.(Gay went #8 to Houston)

5. Andrea Bargnani – Atlanta Hawks - I have viewed a few “Biggest NBA Busts” posts over the past week and Atlanta’s pick of Sheldon Williams at #5 was on many of the lists. Atlanta would have liked to have Bargnani, they have Al Horford now, but they didn’t have him back in 2006. The Hawks would look much different with Bargnani in the paint, he’s not that physical, but he can get rebounds and much-needed points.(Bargnani went #1 to Toronto)

6. Randy Foye –Minnesota Timberwolves - The T-Wolves picked Brandon Roy here, but traded him Portland . Foye actually ended up playing for Minnesota for a couple seasons, but he was recently traded to Washington Wizards. Foye is a scorer and can score without the ball. He can be in the starting-five on plenty of teams in the NBA. (Foye was picked #7 by Boston)

7. Ronnie Brewer – Boston Celtics -Randy Foye was picked here in 2006, but was traded to Minnesota via Portland. Ronnie Brewer has been a under-the-radar young talent for the Utah Jazz. He would have been a good fit in Boston or wherever he would have ended up in the trade.(Brewer went #14 to Utah)

8. Paul Millsap – Houston Rockets - The Rockets ended up picking Rudy Gay with this pick, but once again, traded the pick to Memphis. Millsap was coined as the “Next Karl Malone,” since he also came from Louisiana Tech. He came into his own in the 2008-09 seasons when Andrei Kirilenko went down with an injury. Millsap would have done very well in Houston. A Yao/Millsap tandem down low would be very productive.(Millsap was chosen #47 by Utah)

9. Tyrus Thomas - Golden State Warriors - The Warriors took a chance on Patrick O’Bryant with this pick. Thomas would have been a much better fit for the Warriors and work well in the up-tempo offense. Thomas has improved each season in the NBA and big things are still expected from this high-flyer. (Thomas was picked #4 by Portland)

10. Jordan Farmar – Seattle Supersonics - This pick would now be owned by the Oklahoma City Thunder. Seattle didn’t do much with this pick in 2006, they picked Mouhamed Sene from Senegal. The talent from 2006 falls off about this point in the draft. Jordan Farmar would be a starting point guard on most teams in the NBA. He started most of the games in 2007-08, but with the signing of Derek Fisher this season, Farmar was a key reserve off the bench for the Lakers. (Farmer was picked #26 by Los Angeles Lakers)

11. Rodney Carney – Orlando Magic - The Orlando Magic picked J.J. Redick with this pick, but at the time they needed a shooter. Rodney Carney was a good college player at Memphis and has had a decent NBA career so far with Philadelphia. He would have fit well in Orlando, because he can shoot and defend. (Carney was picked #16 by Chicago)

12. Leon Powe – New Orleans Hornets - Powe would have been an upgrade over Hilton Armstrong, who was picked #12 in 2006. Leon Powe didn’t break-out until the 2007-08 season. He was a key contributor during the Boston Celtics championship run. Powe could start on many teams and would be a James Posey-type player, who the Hornets currently have on their roster. (Powe was picked #49 by Denver)

13. Thabo Sefolosha – Philadelphia 76ers - Thabo Sefolosha was actually picked here by the 76ers, but was traded to Chicago for Rodney Carney. Sefolosha is a role player that can play solid defense. He is currently a reserve for Oklahoma City, but Philadelphia could definitely use a player like Sefolosha. (Sefolosha was picked #13 by Philadelphia)

14. J.J. Redick – Utah Jazz - Utah picked Ronnie Brewer here, but wouldn’t J.J. Redick be better in Utah than in Orlando? Utah just asks their players to do what they are good at.I have a feeling that Deron Williams could get Redick nice open shots. He would ever have to handle the ball, so he would just have to sit back and drain open 3-pointers. (Redick was picked #11 by Orlando)

MLB Pepper!: Holliday, Reds, Gonzalez

I don't have any news on Jenn Sterger, but I think I need some more eye candy on this site. She's a Cubs fan, which I like, plus she is a blog icon. She is in the Sports Blog Hall of Fame with Erin Andrews, Allison Stoke, Jenny Finch, and Maria Sharapova. Anyways, I am going to a rundown of some of the latest news and rumors concerning some teams in Major League Baseball.

Will the Cincinnati Reds be buyers at the trading deadline? They should be in the market for a bat, since Jay Bruce has power, but no average. They like to trade with the Washington Nationals, but at this point, would you trade with a team as bad as they are? Josh Willingham is a rumor that could happen, he's a cheaper option than Matt Holliday. They would have to give up their top prospects to get Holliday in Cincinnati. The Reds are deep with minor-league pitching prospects and could part with last year's 1st round pick, first baseman, Yonder Alonso. Joey Votto should be the franchise's 1st baseman for a long time, so Alonso could be a trade chip to get a major-league ready bat.

Will the San Diego Padres sell off everybody this year? Jake Peavy was already shopped around with no team able to take on his salary. The Padres ownership aren't shying away from trade talks, but their two best trading chips at this point, Adrian Gonzalez and Heath Bell, may not be moved. The owners would never hear the end if they ship off their best two players, flirt with trading Peavy all off-season, and letting Trevor Hoffman leave in the same calendar year. The Padres are a long way from being a contender and that ballpark is scaring any big-time hitter from playing there.

Will the Cubs trade Josh Vitters? The injury to Aramis Ramirez might have put a scare in the upper management of the Chicago Cubs. When they were in pursuit of Jake Peavy, Vitters was a big piece of the deal. Vitters was the first round pick of the Chicago Cubs in 2008, but with Ramirez scheduled to be at that position in the future, he could be moved to get back help at other positions. The Cubs aren't have a great season, but they feel that once they get Ramirez back, they could make a run. After the All-Star break, if the Cubs slip deeper into the NL Central, look for them to keep Vitters.

Does any team want Vernon Wells or Alex Rios? Toronto would love to get rid of the contracts of Wells and Rios, but what teams could take on the extra payroll. The short answer is none, but wait a few weeks. If a team is desperate enough to make a move, maybe it could happen. If a division, let's say the NL East, is very active making trades, a team that is in contention may try to make a splash and keep up with the rest of the division. Rios will be easier to move than Wells, since he's cheaper and seems to have better 2nd halves of seasons in his career.

Will Lastings Milledge ever live up to his potential? Yahoo! is reporting that the Washington Nationals are offering Lastings Milledge straight-up for the Pittsburgh's Nyjer Morgan. The Pirates are looking for a second player in return for Morgan, but I could see them pulling the trigger on this deal. Milledge is 24 and has the potential to hit for power and average, but he's currently in the minor-leagues due to some behavior problems and ineffectiveness in the pros. Morgan is 29 and is clearly at his peak, you know what you have with Morgan, but not with Milledge. The unknown with Milledge could be great or a complete bust. The Nationals need a defensive outfielder and more character guys, Morgan fits the bill. An outfield with Andrew McCutcheon and Lastings Milledge could be too enticing for Pittsburgh's GM, Neal Huntington, to pass up.

Post-Draft Rumors: Shaq To Portland?

The Draft is the unofficial start to the off-season for the NBA. After the dust settles and the draft day trades get finalized, you start to hear rumors of players opting out, trades that didn't happen, and rumors of players on the move. The post-draft activities is no different from past years, all of the above is happening.

After Shaquille O'Neal was traded to Cleveland, he mentioned that there could have been a trade that sent him to Portland. He told Steve Kerr that he didn't want to play in Portland, so all the talk stopped there. The deal was proposed back in February, before the trading deadline last season. How would that trade work? Cleveland made the trade work with expiring contracts that totaled near the total of Shaq's salary. Portland didn't have cap space then, but had the expiring contract of Raef LaFrentz is now off the books. If the same trade would have been proposed a couple of weeks ago, it would have been difficult for Portland to make it. Martell Webster and Joel Pryzbilla could have been sent, but it's all clearly speculation and not sure if the final numbers would have worked out.

Hedo Turkoglu finally sent word to the Orlando Magic that he will definitely opt out of his contract. He would be the prize of this year's free agency class, but he could try and see if they can settle on a long-term deal to stay in Orlando. The trade for Vince Carter could have sealed Turkoglu's fate, there may not be enough money to sign their post-season stud.

Is he or isn't he? The rumors have been swirling about where Amare Stoudemire will end up. Rumors were circulating that Stephon Curry was going to be part of a deal that sent Stoudemire to Golden State, but Don Nelson has been vocal that Curry is staying in Oakland. We should know more this week about the fate of Amare Stoudemire.

Is Ricky Rubio staying in Spain or will he face the cold in Minnesota? A decision should be made in the next few weeks. The New York Knicks are rumored to be working on a proposal to land the talented point guard. If Rubio ends up in New York, you could possibly put an end to the rumor that Steve Nash will sign with the Knicks when he becomes a free agent.

America's White Boy's official NBA team, the Indiana Pacers, are saying that they will be very active this off-season. They drafted Tyler Hansbrough and A.J. Price, but those picks didn't fill any pressing needs for the team. They are shopping T.J. Ford around in hopes of finding another point guard. They have plenty of expiring contracts, but with the state of the economy, don't look for them to be buyers and taking on extra payroll. They are setting up for a run at a few free agents in a year. They need another young scorer to match up with Danny Granger.

A rumor that is starting to gain steam is Ben Wallace will be traded from Phoenix to New Orleans for Tyson Chandler. The Hornets need to get rid of Chandler's multi-year deal and Wallace is in the last year of his deal. He has even said that he may retire, if that is true, the Hornets could buyout his contract and save some money.

With free agency starting on Wednesday, Glen "Big Baby" Davis could be looking for a starting job. He said that he is in a position to make more money and maybe even a starting gig. Davis was crucial in the Celtics run last year and with Garnett's status still up in the air, they should try and work out a deal.

Wondering where Baylor's Curtis Jerrells may end up? It looks like he will be playing for Dallas on their summer league team. He could end up with a spot on the Mavericks or more likely, this is a gig to showcase his skills and possibly land on an NBDL squad.

Other undrafted free agent landing spots...Temple's Dionte Christmas accepted a spot on the 76ers summer league team. BC's Tyrese Rice will be playing for Washington, UConn's Jeff Adrien will be playing for Memphis, and Gonzaga's Josh Heytvelt will suit up for Golden State on their summer league team. Gonzaga's Jeremy Pargo could end up on Portland's summer league, but no official word as of today.

Bill Simmons: NBA GM?

I recently wrote an article over at Gunaxin.com about Bill Simmons, "The Sports Guy," possibly becoming an NBA GM. It's more of a "What could happen if he ever landed his supreme gig." It deals with some of his "theories" and his obsession with things like "The Real World" and "Teen Wolf."

If you're interested in reading it, Clck Here for "Bill Simmons: NBA GM?

Mark Derosa Goes To The Dark Side

Mark DeRosa was a marginal baseball player with the Atlanta Braves and Texas Rangers. The Cubs GM, Jim Hendry, saw something in him that he liked and signed him to a 3-year/$13 million dollar contract. The signing was panned as a "bad signing" by many sports writers. They thought that the Cubs were just throwing around money to any player that they owned a glove. DeRosa soon changed the mind of many writers by have two solid seasons for the Cubs. In 2008, you could argue that he was the team's most-valuable player. He was so versatile and could play six positions, plus hit for average and power. The Cubs needed to shed salary, so unfortunately DeRosa was the victim. They traded him to the Cleveland Indians for three minor-league pitchers. The Cubs have missed his versatility all season with injuries to both corner infield positions have cost them games.

The Indians were trying to build to win this season, but with injuries to Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner and a bullpen collapse, the Indians have been near the bottom of the Central Division all season. DeRosa has been great this season and with the Indians out of the race, nearly every contending team called about trading for him. The Indians needed bullpen help and with the St. Louis Cardinals having a surplus of relievers, the Cardinals and Indians pulled a deal that will send DeRosa to St. Louis. The Indians will receive reliever Chris Perez and the infamous "player to be named later."

As you all know, I'm a huge Cubs fan. It's common with Cubs fans to hate the St. Louis Cardinals, so I'm not alone. I have to be somewhat cautious with my hate these days, since my girlfriend is from St. Louis, but I have to scream from the rooftops on this one. The Cubs should have stuck with DeRosa's salary and used him as trade bait in the middle of the season. I know if the Cubs were in the playoff hunt, the fanbase wouldn't have accepted a DeRosa trade, but it could have helped land a cheap, young starting pitcher. I think it was a huge mistake to trade DeRosa for three mid-level, mid-ceiling, minor-league pitchers. I know their farm system is a joke and they need prospects, but they got squat in return.

I like Mark DeRosa, but I am going to have a hard time seeing him in a Cardinals jersey. I went to a Cleveland Indians game a couple weeks ago and I clapped for him when he went to bat. It's a respect thing, but when you play for the "dark side," the St. Louis Cardinals, you're going to get booed from now and until you have another jersey on.

I'm sorry Mr. DeRosa, it may not be your call to go to St. Louis, but I know somewhere down the line this year, you are going to kill the Cubs. I would even boo Mrs. DeRosa, aka Heidi Miller, if I saw her on the street.I'm sorry Mrs. DeRosa, but it has to be done.

2009 NBA Draft - Best Undrafted Players

Not everyone can be drafted in the NBA Draft. Many players go on to become undrafted free-agents and sign on with teams. Most of these players will either sign with an NBA team, play in the NBDL, or go onto Europe and play. I was surprised that my boy, Ben Woodside, didn't garner a late 2nd-round pick. He is small and played at North Dakota State, but the kid is a scoring machine. Jeremy Pargo and Josh Shipp were two others that surprised me, since they both come from good programs and were stars. Here is a list of the best players who didn't hear their name called last night.

Josh Heytvelt - Gonzaga
Paul Harris - Syracuse
Dionte Christmas - Temple
Jerel McNeal - Marquette
Chris Johnson - LSU
Courtney Fells - NC State
Tyrese Rice - Boston College
Leo Lyons - Missouri
Jeff Adrien - Connecticut
Curtis Jerrells - Baylor
Eric Devendorf - Syracuse
Shawn Taggart - Memphis
Jeremy Pargo - Gonzaga
Ben Woodside - North Dakota State
A.J. Abrams - Texas
Josh Shipp - UCLA
Alex Ruoff - West Virginia
Andrew Lovedale - Davidson

2009 NBA Draft - Team Grades

You can't judge a draft in any league for about three years, but everyone has a knee-jerk reaction to a team's draft picks. The NBA Draft makes or breaks General Manager's careers. If you miss on a guy, you're screwed. If you pass up on a guy, you're screwed. If you have a high pick, but draft for need, and a guy who is drafted after your pick turns into a superstar, you're screwed. The draft has about a 75% failure rate and is the reason why you never see a GM without some gray hair. Here are my draft grades for the 2009 NBA Draft.

Boston Celtics - They only had one pick in the draft and it was a late one. They ended up picking Lester Hudson from Central Florida. He is a scorer and will probably be a NBDL all-star, but doubtful to make the team the next two seasons. Draft Grade: D

New Jersey Nets - The Nets also only had one pick, but their pick was in the Lottery. Terrence Williams will be a good player in this league, he's eccentric and fun. He isn't that mature and scouts say he loses focus, but he dominated in the Big East last season. Draft Grade: B-

New York Knicks - The Knicks need young talent, since after this season, they will have about $50 bucks on their payroll. They picked Jordan Hill and traded for Toney Douglas, good solid picks. This draft makes me miss the Isiah Thomas-led drafts. Where was the random Renaldo Balkman kind of pick? Draft Grade: B

Philadelphia 76ers - Jrue Holiday was their lone pick in this draft. I'm not a fan of Holiday, but he did upstage Darren Collison at times. He is a few years away, by the time he's ready, Elton Brand will be ancient. Draft Grade: C-

Toronto Raptors - You can blame Tim Floyd for my low draft grade for the Raptors. DeMar DeRozan came into USC has a game-changing stud, but his numbers never took off. Toronto was reaching a little by picking him #9. Draft Grade: D+

Chicago Bulls - The Bulls made a good showing in the NBA Playoffs last season. They are still relatively young and need to build around Derrick Rose. Taj Gibson and James Johnson are two good pieces, only if Johnson grows up and learns to get along with his teammates. Draft Grade: B

Cleveland Cavaliers - The Cavs knew that they were not able to improve their team this year with this draft. They pick Christian Evenga and Danny Green, two guys that will not make the team this year. Evenga will probably stay in Europe and Green can help their NBDL affliate. Draft Grade: D

Detroit Pistons - Detroit had a typical Pistons draft. They got guys who showed defense ability and the ability to play team basketball. Austin Daye and DaJuan Summers will be Pistons and will contribute. Jonas Jerebko could be a decent bench player for a team that doesn't need to add any expensive free agents. Draft Grade: B+

Indiana Pacers - Indiana shocked the world when they picked Tyler Hansbrough. Everyone thought that they were picking a point guard, but they waited until the 2nd round and got A.J. Price from UConn. It was a weird draft for them and took some risks. Draft Grade: C-

Milwaukee Bucks - The Bucks traded away Richard Jefferson and needed to add some offense. Brandon Jennings will not help you offensively, but could turn into a nice point guard. Jodie Meeks could step in and score points immediately. He could turn into a Ben Gordon-type player coming off the bench. Draft Grade: B+

Atlanta Hawks - The Hawks are re-building their backcourt and by drafting Jeff Teague, they have themselves a possible future star. He's a combo guard and can run the point if Bibby leaves. Draft Grade: B-

Charlotte Bobcats - I don't like the strategy the Bobcats use by only drafting UNC and Duke players in the first round. Gerald Henderson may have already reaching his ceiling and Charlotte should have went in another direction. The Derrick Brown and Robert Vaden picks could bolster their bench, but unfortunately Larry Brown and rookies go together as well as hot sauce and a guy with IBS. Draft Grade: D-

Miami Heat - The Heat needed some size in the paint, but drafted a guy who is small for his position. Robert Dozier is not great fit for the Heat, but with no first round pick, they had to pick from what was left. Draft Grade: F

Orlando Magic - The Magic didn't have any picks in the draft this year.

Washington Wizards - The Wizards traded their lone draft pick to Houston.

Dallas Mavericks - The Mavericks are getting long-in-the-tooth and need youth to help re-build their team. Dallas acquired Rodrique Beaubois, who will likely stay overseas, and drafted Ahmad Nivins from St. Joseph's. This draft was a wash and didn't accomplish a whole lot. Draft Grade: D-

Houston Rockets - Houston didn't have any picks in this draft, but they were active in acquiring players for future considerations and picks. Jermaine Taylor, Chase Budinger and Sergio Llull were gained in the draft process. I don't know how their odds of making the team this year, but Budinger had a lot of upside. Draft Grade: C+

Memphis Grizzlies - Not only did Memphis get rid of Darko Milicic, but they had a pretty good draft. Hasheem Thabeet, DaMarre Carroll, and Sam Young are all big guys that should help them defensively. They were one of the worst defensive teams in the league and needed size. Draft Grade: A-

New Orleans Hornets - Chris Paul is a great point guard, but he is small. They needed a back-up for Paul, but they picked Darren Collison, who is just as small. Is this a swing and a miss? Draft Grade: F

San Antonio Spurs - The Spurs are known to always do their homework on European players and make the most of their 2nd round picks. They didn't have a first round pick this year, but got DeJuan Blair, a first round talent, in the second round. He is missing both ACLs, but in San Antonio, he doesn't need to play a lot of minutes. Jack McClinton was another great 2nd round pick, but his maturity is in question. Draft Grade: A

Golden State Warriors - The Knicks thought that they had Stephen Curry, but the Warriors stole him. The rumor is that they may send this pick to the Suns in the Amare Stoudemire deal. If Curry stays in Oakland, he will put up monster numbers in Don Nelson's offense. Draft Grade: B+

Los Angeles Clippers - It isn't hard to do well in a draft if you're picking #1 in a one player draft. The Clippers will have to try really hard to mess this kid up. Draft Grade: A+

Los Angles Lakers - The Lakers came into the draft with three picks, but left with only one. The only player they kept was Chinemelu Elonu, who was picked in the late 2nd round. He will probably end up in the NBDL, but he could end up joining a team as a defensive replacement. Draft Grade: D-

Phoenix Suns - Steve Kerr has had a rough time as the Suns GM. The Shaq deal didn't work out and he's taking a lot of heat. He needed a great draft to distract from his rough start. Unfortunately for Mr. Kerr, he whiffed on another draft. The Earl Clark pick was a reach and someone should tell him that he wanted "Blake Griffin," not "Taylor Griffin." Draft Grade: D

Sacramento Kings - The Kings came into this draft needing impact players. They traded away a lot at the trading deadline last year and basically only have Spencer Hawes and Jason Thompson as cornerstones. Tyreke Evans and Omri Casspi will help them immediately and I really love the Evans pick. They traded for Jon Brockman, so they will have an all-Huskies frontcourt in Sacramento. Draft Grade: A+

Denver Nuggets - Denver didn't have much to do in this draft, but they did get a player that they coveted. George Karl is a UNC alum and he loved Ty Lawson. He can spell Chauncey Billups and will benefit from learning under him. Draft Grade:B-

Minnesota Timberwolves - The T-Wolves set themselves up for an extremely busy day. They traded Washington for their first round pick and ended up with a total of six picks for the day. They chose two point-guards with the #5 and #6 picks. It was a little confusing, but from what I hear, Ricky Rubio does not want to play in Minnesota. They could package a deal and receive instant talent and maybe a future #1. Jonny Flynn will be a good player in the NBA and I liked that pick a lot. Wayne Ellington and Nick Calathes was also picked by Minnesota, both fell down the draft to them and they clearly picked them as the "best player available." Draft Grade: A+

Portland Trail Blazers - Jeff Pendergraph adds to the young talent in Portland. The late pick of Patrick Mills will only add to the excitement about the Blazers. Draft Grade: B

Oklahoma City Thunder - The Thunder are looking for the future. They have picked smart and the future is looking bright. James Harden will make their offense even more scary. B.J. Mullens is a nice addition, but needs a few years to mature.Draft Grade: B

Utah Jazz - The Jazz are smart and take players who have good fundamentals. Eric Maynor will be a great back-up for Deron Williams. Maynor may end up developing into something better than they expect. Draft Grade: B

The 2009 NBA Draft Live Blog

I am running a live blog update during the 2009 NBA Draft. Click on the title of this post to view the up-to-date information and analysis on the NBA Draft. What are the odds that both the Jazz and Pacers pick white boys? I'm not a betting man (at least that's what I tell my mother), I would bet the house.

7:27 - Why does Dick Vitale is wearing a shirt that matches his skin color...orange.

CLICK ON THE TITLE FOR THE REST....

7:37 - I'm suprised that the Clippers really waited this long to announce their pick. Donald Sterling was probably with a few of his "asian friends" and forgot what time it was.

The Los Angeles Clippers pick Blake Griffin

7:43 - I wonder if Griffin grew out his hair, would he look like Delonte West?

7:45 - Stu Scott is interviewing Mike Dunleavy. Everytime Dunleavy is on ESPN, Bill Simmons sheds a tear

The Memphis Grizzlies pick Hasheem Thabeet

7:46 - Can a tailor actually make suits that fit these guys? There is just too much fabric on suits for guys over 7 feet. They look like they are wearing stilts.

7:50 - Thabeet just explained the difference between soccer and basketball. I'm glad that I watched this or I would have never known.

The Oklahoma City Thunder pick James Harden

7:52 - Ricky Rubio was just shown clapping as if someone just stole his girlfriend.

7:53 - Is there enough points to go around in OKC? Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, Jeff Green, and James Harden will put up some nice offensive numbers.

7:55 - Harden is the early leader for the worst suit of the night. His bowtie screams Joakim Noah and his shirt/vest combo screams Hakeem Olajuwon.

The Sacramento Kings pick Tyreke Evans

7:57 - Evans and Griffin appear to be wearing the same suit. I like this pick, he's tall and can get into the paint. The Kings really don't have anyone else on their team, they are probably 3-4 years away from being competitive.

8:01 - ESPN is showing the resume of David Kahn, the new GM for the Minnesota Timberwolves. I have seen high school graduates with better credentials to be a GM.

The Minnesota Timberwolves pick Ricky Rubio

8:04 - Rubio's suit was probably made by some European designer and cost a lot of money, but he looks like he's either going to a funeral or re-fill my drink.

8:06 - This is either a Ricky Rubio interview or a promo for the movie "Bruno."

8:07 - They are comparing Rubio to 'Pistol' Pete Maravich and Steve Nash. Are they setting this kid up for disaster?

The Minnesota Timberwolves pick Jonny Flynn

8:10 - If Jonny Flynn drops a "passion bucket" in his interview here, the Minnesota Timberwolves will be the official team of the Dan Patrick Show. Is the NBA going to have two balls on the court now? I don't quite understand going point guard/point guard here. Is there going to be a trade coming up?

8:14 - Ouch! No "passion bucket" reference, but he did say "overflowing passion"...close enough.

The Golden State Warriors pick Stephen Curry

8:16 - The Knicks fans boo, but I think Curry will fit well in Oakland. Doesn't the Knicks have enough tweener guards? Trust me Knicks fan, you need more than Curry.

8:19 - I bet Curry gets carded everywhere he goes. The kid looks 15 years old and he was just picked in the NBA Draft.

The New York Knicks pick Jordan Hill

8:21 - Get used to the boos Mr. Hill, you're going to be hearing them every night.

8:23 - Hmmm, a PF/C chosen by the Knicks #8 from Arizona...Channing Frye? How did that turn out for you guys? Oh, ouch!

The Toronto Raptors pick DeMar DeRozan

8:27 - The ESPN crew is going to have a hard time trying to talk up DeRozan. He had a bad year at USC for a guy expected to be a stud.

8:29 - DeRozan has a family with healthy issues AND he had to play under Tim Floyd. I don't know which one to feel more sorry for him about.

The Milwaukee Bucks pick Brandon Jennings

8:33 - I love "Young Money"'s flat-top. I am crossing my fingers that that hair-style will come back soon. By the way, it was rumored that he was going to drop in the 20s, I guess they were wrong. He sounds like he could be the next T.J. Ford, since he doesn't have much of an offensive game.

8:36 - A player who struggled in Italy and did bad on his SATs...sounds like it could end horribly.

The New Jersey Nets pick Terrence Williams

8:38 - This kid could be my new favorite player. He looks like his suit is made out of satin. I heard this kid wears Spongebob socks and a Barbie backpack. I may need to get this guy's jersey.

8:41 - The first awkward moment of the night. Williams kept talking as they cut to a shot of the crew.

The Charlotte Bobcats pick Gerald Henderson

8:45 - The Bobcats continue their solid "when all else fails, pick a guy from UNC or Duke, it could help attendance" plan.

8:46 - I can't say this enough, but I hate the term "Basketball I.Q." What the hell doesn't that even mean?

The Indiana Pacers pick Tyler Hansbrough

8:50 - If you read the beginning of this post, I won. The team photo for the Pacers now looks like the 1940 Fort Wayne Pistons. The Indiana Pacers are still official team of "America's White Boy."

8:53 - All kidding aside, I think the Pacers needed a point guard, but Hansbrough will be a good player for the Pacers. Indiana could get a point guard in the early second round. This draft is deep at that position.

The Phoenix Suns pick Earl Clark

8:56 - Haha! Bradon Jennings randomly shows up. That was weird, it completely threw off the entire ESPN crew.

8:57 - Clark was #10 on the "Best Players Available" by Jay Bilas. I don't like this pick here, they need to get a point guard to take Steve Nash's spot when he leaves.

8:59 - The Pistons are picking next, can they just forfeit this pick? I doubt they really need to add more payroll at this point.

The Detroit Pistons pick Austin Daye

9:02 - The Pistons just drafted a Tayshaun Prince clone, but unfortunately he isn't as talented.

9:04 - Jay Bilas said that Daye needs to get tougher. Maybe the Pistons need to send him to Jay Glazer for some MMA training, ala Matt Leinert.

9:06 - Dick Vitale loves the Tyler Hansbrough and Stephen Curry picks? I'm shocked! He just predicted that Curry would win Rookie of the Year. Every time he complains about players who leave college early and get picked on potential, he sound like a mean, old man that was just served cold soup.

The Chicago Bulls pick James Johnson

9:09 - Yikes, I don't like this pick. Wake Forest had a stacked team and many blame Johnson for the team not living up to their potential. Apparently the kid didn't get along with his teammates.

9:12 - I was going to say something about how Steve Kerr looks weird, but then my power went out. There is a bad storm oustide here in Columbus,OH.

My power went out for 5 hours....I guess that concludes the live portion of my "live coverage"....maybe next year. I am going to list the rest of the NBA Draft picks and some analysis.

The Philadelphia 76ers pick Jrue Holiday

Holiday is a few years away from being an impact player. The Sixers have a young team, they might be able to wait on him.

The Minnesota Timberwolves pick Ty Lawson *trades pick to Denver

Great, a "future considerations" trade for a mid-1st round pick? That proves how weak this draft is.

The Atlanta Hawks pick Jeff Teague

Teague is a combo guard that can score. I thought the Pacers was trying to move up to take him, but Atlanta is re-building their backcourt with him and trading for Jamal Crawford.

The Utah Jazz pick Eric Maynor

I like this pick. The Jazz are content with Deron Williams at point, but Maynor will be a key reserve off the bench.

The New Orleans Hornets pick Darren Collison

This is a bad pick by New Orleans, they already have a small point (Chris Paul), they would have been better suited to get more size at that position.

The Portland Trail Blazers pick Victor Claver

The Blazers missed out on Ricky Rubio, but picked up his countryman. The passed up DeJuan Blair here, good idea, the kid doesn't have any ACLs.

The Sacramento Kings pick Omri Casspi

He was the other buzz-word European in this draft, other than Rubio. His name has been floating around for a few years. He has a great motor and doesn't quit.

The Dallas Mavericks pick B.J. Mullens * traded to Oklahoma City

The Thunder are loading up on talent, but Mullens will take a few years to see what he can do.

The Oklahoma City Thunder pick Rodrique Beaubois *traded to Dallas

This kid has had upside, length, explosiveness, all the token adjectives to describe a draft pick.

The Chicago Bulls pick Taj Gibson

I like this pick, Gibson will replace Ben Gordon, it's doubtful that he will re-sign.

The Memphis Grizzlies pick DeMarre Carroll

He had a good month last season and it translated into a 1st round. Mizzou came out of nowhere this year and a lot of it is because of this kid.

The Minnesota Timberwolves pick Wayne Ellington

This draft is the T-Wolves draft. If Ellington would have came out last year, he would have been a lottery pick.

The Los Angeles Lakers pick Toney Douglas *trade to New York

Douglas would have been a good fit for the Lakers, but even better for the Knicks.

The Cleveland Cavaliers pick Christian Evenga

Danny Ferry is trying to duplicate what he learned at San Antonio. Evenga will probably stay overseas and be ready in a couple seasons. He was a teammate of Ricky Rubio, he better thank him for helping out his game.

Vince Carter to Orlando

ESPN reported that the New Jersey Nets will trade Vince Carter along with Ryan Anderson to Orlando for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie, and Courtney Lee. Orlando was looking to move Alston, since he was more of a short-term fix when Jameer Nelson went down mid-season. New Jersey have been trying to trade Vince Carter for over a year and they look to have finally succeeded. Carter will helped Orlando put points on the board, but he doesn't have to carry the team.

The Nets didn't need Rafer Alston since they have Devin Harris running the team. Alston doesn't do well coming off the bench, but to make the contracts match up, Alston had to go. Courtney Lee is interested on the Nets, he proved that he belongs in the league last season. He could end up becoming a star with Harris and Brook Lopez, but they are still a couple pieces away from really doing damage in the East.

Orlando had to make a big move to keep up with Cleveland and San Antonio. The Magic are looking to keep competitive and be perennial title contenders for years to come. I don't like trading Lee, but they needed a veteran on the team.

We'll see how this trade helps the team in 2009-10, but I think it will help both teams. It's unusual to see a trade these days that isn't just a salary dump.

NBA Draft Coverage

I will have live coverage and commentary during the 2009 NBA Draft. This is one of my favorite non-physical sporting events. I love that even the Thunder and Grizzlies fans can feel good about their team for at least one day a year. My favorite part is the horrible draft day suits. I want to leave you with two of my favorites to quench your thirst until tonight.

I love this picture. Hakeem Olajuwon looks like he's either going to a prom or parking cars outside the event. I also like how David Stern looks like he's a stand-in from Accounts Payable for the real commissioner.

Joakim Noah's look is kind of a newer version of Olajuwon's attire. He adds some extra flare with the unkept fro and jumbo bowtie.

Why "Shaq To Cavs" Could Be Bad For Lebron

The rumor mill is busy tonight with a pending Shaquille O'Neal trade to the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs will send Sasha Pavlovic and Ben Wallace to Phoenix for basically two expiring contracts. Shaq resurrected his career last season and wants to win another championship before he retires. He got into great physical shape, thanks for the Phoenix Suns trainers. This trade is great for Cleveland, but is it good for Lebron James?

Cleveland is Lebron's team from the first day he grabbed a wine-colored jersey. He has been hyped as the "next great player" and a championship would be a given. He has flourished with the talent around him, but never seemed to have enough talent to get him a ring. Lebron has never had a true big man, even though Big Z is a good player, he isn't much of a physical presence in the paint. Shaq will help Cleveland and probably land Cleveland a championship.

Do you remember the talk about Kobe Bryant won a championship with Shaq and didn't win one without Shaq until this past season? All the talk on sports radio and with fans never really recognized that Kobe even won any championships, since they were just with Shaq. Will the same argument be made if Lebron wins a championship with Shaq and then struggles the next couple seasons?

The Cavs do need a big man, it's a no-brainer. The way that Dwight Howard man-handled them and scored at will, even with the offensive post-moves of a toddler. The Cavs need a tall-wing player more than a big man. Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkoglu hurt the Cavs more than Dwight Howard, it's not even close. The backcourt in Cleveland are short and fast, but not physical. If the Cavs made a trade for Vince Carter or maybe even sign Trevor Ariza. A tall wingman isn't available in this year's draft. If Lebron James is Michael Jordan, he needs a Scottie Pippen. It's going to be hard when you 2nd best guard is Mo Williams, a guy who seems to disappear in big games.

If things go rough the first month of the season, expect Shaq to throw out a couple of Tweets that will bash Lebron or Mike Brown. Shaq is a fun-loving guy, but when he's on a contender, he tends to be not so light-hearted. You are always gambling when signing Shaq, I'm not saying that he's like Terrell Owens, but you have to worry a little. The Phoenix Suns training staff is the best in a league and works miracles on guys. If Shaq and Grant Hill play more than 90% of games in a season, you know that they are doing some special. When Shaq leaves the training staff, is he still going to be motivated enough and stay healthy for a full season?

Can a season with Shaq, turn Lebron into a bitter Kobe-like player? If Cleveland wins next season, will Lebron leave and try to win in another city without Shaq? There are so many question marks with this trade. The Cavs are smart and realize that they may only have one season to make a run with Lebron, but I'm wondering if the cons outweigh the pros for Lebron James.

13 Other Guys Named "Ed"

Ed McMahon passed away last night at the age of 86. He is most commonly known as Johnny Carson's sidekick on "The Tonight Show. He also had gig as the host of "Star Search" and handing out huge checks for the Publisher's Clearinghouse. He lived a full life, a life that Carson famously made jokes about. It isn't exactly politically-correct these days to make fun of someone's alcoholism, but good ole' Johnny was able to make it funny. He had some debt troubles here the last few years, but he will always be remembered for his hearty laugh and infectious smile. In honor of Ed McMahon, here are 13 other Famous "Ed"s.

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Ed "Too Tall" Jones - Jones played for the Cowboys for many years, before taking to the boxing ring. He was listed at 6'9, he would be a very tall guy in the NFL, but probably not too tall.
Ed Norton - This famous "Ed" has starred in blockbuster movies like "Hulk" and "Primal Fear" and epic classics like "American History X" and "Fight Club." He is known to be a very meticulous actor. He picks great roles and makes other Eds very happy that he's in the club.
Eddie Gaedel - He was the shortest player to every play Major League Baseball. He stood 3'7 and weighed only 65 lbs. He walked in his only plate appearance and was replaced by a pinch-runner. The St. Louis Browns' owner denied using Gaedel as a publicity stunt, but I doubt there could be any other reason.
Edward R. Murrow - He was the most famous news broadcaster of his generation. His reports during World War II were heard and seen by millions of viewers. His journalistic broadcast skills were so great that they named an award after him. His story about Sen. Joseph McCarthy was made into the movie "Good Night, and Good Luck."
Eddie Guerreo - Guerrero was a worldwide superstar in both WCW and WWE. He used the moniker of "Lie, Cheat, and Steal" to gain victories in the ring. He was a multiple belt champion until his untimely death. "Latino Heat" was a great performer and left everything in the ring each night.
Ed Asner - He played one of the most famous characters of the 70's, Lou Grant on "The Mary Tyler Moore Show." He went on to star in other sitcoms in the 80's and 90's. He might be more famous now for his large amount of back hair, allegedly.
Mr. Ed - This talking horse had his own sitcom in the early 60's. The theory of using peanut-butter to make him talk was later rebutted by the horse's trainer. They inserted a thin piece of nylon, almost like a retainer, during filming. The horse would move his mouth in order to try and remove it.
Ed Gein - Probably one of the craziest people in recorded history. He was a serial killer who saved parts of his victims. Reports say that his house could be smelled from miles away. Gein was a loner and didn't have any friends. The villians in "Psycho," "Texas Chainsaw Massacre," and Jame Gumb from "Silence Of The Lambs" were all loosely based on him.
Eddie Murphy - Eddie Murphy was one of the funniest guys in the 80's. He starred in blockbuster movies like the "Beverly Hills Cop" franchise and "48 Hours" to name a few. He had a few good movies in the 90's, but since then, he has been leaving fans feeling disappointed. His last few movies were all bombs, but he will be "The Riddler" in the next Batman movie. Could this be a ANOTHER comeback for Eddie?
Ed Whitson - He is the least-known of all the Eds listed in this post, but his mustache is the best. Whitson was a journeyman pitcher who played 15 seasons in the majors. He might be best known for breaking Billy Martin's arm in a bar brawl. He is now a baseball coach in Dublin, OH. I live a few miles away, maybe I will go to a game with some friends and wear fake mustaches in his honor.
Ed Sullivan - Ed Sullivan was a host of a variety show in the 50's and 60's. His most famous show was when The Beatles had their first American television broadcast. If it wasn't for the appearance of The Beatles his variety show clips wouldn't be more famous than Steve Allen, another variety show of the time.
Ed Pinckney - He helped lead the Villanova Wildcats to an NCAA Championship in 1985. The Wildcats played a perfect game in beating the overwhelming favorites, the Georgetown Hoyas with Patrick Ewing. Pinckney went on to be drafted by the Phoenix Suns and played in the NBA until 1997.
Eddie Vedder - Finally, this famous Eddie is the lead-singer of Pearl Jam. They are one of the last fossils from the "Grunge Era" of music. They are still relevant today and still sell tons of records and play in front of sold-out arenas year-round.

Do you have a favorite Ed that wasn't listed here? Leave a comment.

RIP Ed McMahon

The White Boy's 2009 NBA Mock Draft

The most exciting part of the NBA season is this week, the NBA Draft. Don't get me wrong, I love the playoffs and think it's great, but the NBA Draft is a time where every fan can feel great about their upcoming season, unless your a Knicks fan. This year's draft is perceived to be a very weak draft, but it is very deep at point guard. As many as 8 PGs could be taken in the first round. I would expect a lot of trade this year, since many of the teams at the top of the draft are hurting for money and would rather invest that money in a proven talent, rather than wait three seasons for the prospect to mature.

Here is my mock draft for the 2009 NBA Draft.

1. Los Angeles Clippers - Blake Griffin (Oklahoma) - This is a no-brainer. Giffin is the best prospect in the draft and most think that he's a lock. If the Clippers pick Griffin, they will find some way to turn him into Michael Olowakandi.

2. Memphis Grizzlies - Ricky Rubio (Spain) - The Grizzlies would much rather pick Hasheem Thabeet here, but he cancelled his workout. If Memphis picks Rubio, expect a trade of Mike Conley Jr. or even Rubio. They will be loaded at PG and that is not what their need is.

3. OKC Thunder - Hasheen Thabeet (UCONN) - Thabeet makes Dwight Howard post moves look great. In OKC's offense, he wouldn't need to put in many points. He isn't a strong rebounder, but the Thunder needs some defense in the paint. The Thunder would be a great fit for Thabeet.

4. Sacramento Kings - James Harden (Arizona State - The Kings need a scorer and Harden can put a basket in about anywhere on the court. They are re-building and need a star, something that Harden could turn into rather quickly.

5. Washington Wizards - Brandon Jennings (Italy) - The Wizards need a lot to re-gain their form, but Jennings will help them deliver the ball. He didn't do well in Europe, but his ceiling is higher than most. I'm hoping that he is still sporting his Kid N Play flat-top; I would buy his jersey.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves - Jonny Flynn (Syracuse) - Flynn came out of nowhere during the last month of the season. He had a great Big East tourney and went on to have a great NCAA tourney as well. He has pure point-guard skills and would be an improvement over Sebastian Telfair.

7. Golden State Warriors - Stephen Curry (Davidson) - Don Nelson's days are numbered in Oakland, but Curry fits the mold of his type of player. He can score from all over the place and his point guard skills have tripled in just one season. Curry will be a great fit at Golden State, but look for a possible trade here.

8. New York Knicks - Tyreke Evans (Memphis) - If Curry is not on the board, Evans makes sense for the Knicks. He could either be an All-Star or become a very steady bench player in the NBA. He is young and can't really put my finger on if he is going to be great. Evans had flashes of greatness at Memphis, but most of the season he played against sub-par talent.

9. Toronto Raptors - Jordan Hill (Arizona) - Hill has been climbing up draft boards over the last few weeks. Toronto needs to come to grips that Chris Bosh is heading out of town after this year. They need to rebuild their front-court and Hill would be a great start.

10. Milwaukee Bucks - Demar DeRozan (USC) - The Bucks are a few pieces away from being a playoff team. DeRozan is tall (6'7) and is a physical guard. He struggled at times at USC, but Tim Floyd was his coach, that could have been the reason.

11. New Jersey Nets - Terrance Williams (Louisville) - Williams was great for the Cardinals last year. He led them through the Big East and is a great indicator of how he will do in the NBA. The Nets would love to get Williams at #11, they are hoping that no other team will take him earlier.

12. Charlotte Bobcats - Gerald Henderson (Duke) - Henderson had a great workout and he fits the need for the Bobcats. Charlotte needs fans in the seats, by taking a local Dukie, it may help with attendance.

13. Indiana Pacers - Eric Maynor (VCU) - With Jrue Holiday and Ty Lawson still on the board, it would be ballsy for the Pacers to pick Maynor. Maynor is more of a pure point-guard than Lawson and Holiday at this point. VCU isn't the best place to play, but Maynor made the most of his opportunities when facing top talent. His performance against Duke, a few seasons ago, helped cement his status of a future Lottery pick.

The Colorado Rockies won again today, 5-4 over Pittsburgh, giving the Denver-based franchise 16 wins in its last 17 games (game-by-game log). The spurt started about a week after Colorado fired manager Clint Hurdle and replaced him with Jim Tracy. As a managerial firing would suggest, the Rockies got off to a terrible start this season. From April 11-25, the team dropped 10 out of 12. As a further indication of how poorly the Rockies started the season, even with all their recent success they still trail the first-place L.A. Dodgers in the National League West by 9.5 games!

2009 Un-All-Star Team

Last year, I did my 2008 Un-All-Star Team post in early May. A lot of my team ended up turning things around and a few of them actually ended up with career numbers. I wanted to do this year's post a little deeper into the season. They are currently about 70 games in right now and some great players are looking like they need some extended spring training to regain their usually consistent form. About this time of year you can throw out the term "slow-starter" and begin using "bad year."

Some of these players do have some power numbers, but I'm looking at average mostly. If you are still floating around the Mendoza Line and it's almost July, you are having troubles. A few of these players have been trying to play through injuries (Alfonso Soriano), but his season isn't living up to expectations.

Here is my list of the 2009 Un-All-Star Team sorted by position. The number next to the position players is their batting average as of today and the number next to the pitchers are their ERA.

Catchers
Kelly Shoppach .194
Dioner Navarro .218
Geovany Soto .222

First Base
Conor Jackson .182
Carlos Guillen .200
Chris Davis .200
Jason Giambi .212
Lance Berkman .241

Second Base
Alexi Casilla .180
Dan Uggla .216
Howie Kendrick .231
Kelly Johnson .227

Third Base
Garrett Atkins .205
Alex Rodriguez .212

Shortstop
Mike Aviles .183
Khalil Greene .213
Jimmy Rollins .223
Orlando Cabrera .235

Outfield
Ken Griffey Jr. .220
Grady Sizemore .223
Alfonso Soriano .229
B.J. Upton .229
Ryan Ludwick .234
Pat Burrell .236

Starting Pitchers
Chien-Ming Wang 12.30
Oliver Perez 9.97
Scott Kazmir 7.69
Fausto Carmona 7.42
Ricky Nolasco 7.15
Andy Sonnanstine 6.60
John Lackey 6.10
Francisco Lirano 5.91

Bullpen
Brad Lidge 7.27
Troy Percival 6.35
B.J. Ryan 5.71
Manny Corpas 5.40
J.J. Putz 5.22

If anyone has any recommendations for the 2009 Un-All-Star Team let me know.

I'm sorry if you found this post in hopes of trying to find shirtless photos of Grady Sizemore of any other of our players. It's kind of a running joke on this blog, since it seems like I get a lot of hit from google from people trying to find shirtless photos from players from Grady Sizemore and Ryan Braun to the confusing duo of C.C. Sabathia and Prince Fielder.

Designated Hitter
David Ortiz .207

My Girlfriend Has A Blog!

After dating me for a year, my addiction to writing has finally infected someone else. She signed up for her blog a few months ago, but she really got motivated today and she write her first post. I am happy for her and would like for some people to go check it out.

She is in grad school at Ohio State studying pharmacy, she also has done biological studies at the University of Missori and University of Illinois. She's a smart girl who knows her stuff. There are a lot of novelty items that are sold in pharmacies and she finds them intriguing. She will be writing about homeopathic remedies and high-calorie foods. It will be a good read for people who may think homeopathic medicines like "HeadOn" actually work...as well as a possibly what a 12-egg omelet challenge at a local greasy spoon would do to a person's body.

Her blog is Phat Pharmacy check it out!

A Cubs Fan's Perspective: Sammy Sosa

I have been a Cubs fan for as long as I've been alive. I am 28 years old and some of the earliest memories involved my dad and I watching afternoon games on WGN. I remember Jody Davis, Leon Durham, Rick Sutcliffe, and Lee Smith all fighting the Chicago summer heat. The times were special and moments that I wouldn't change at all. The teams were bad and most of the crowd didn't care, and I didn't care too much either. I was a little kid who idolized the players with dreams of one day playing professional baseball too. Those dreams never came true, but I am still a Cubs fan, although I am a little confused of how happy I am about that today.

I was in middle school when the Cubs traded George Bell to the White Sox for a young outfielder, Sammy Sosa. I liked Bell for the few seasons that he was with the Cubs, but I kind of understood that they needed to get younger. I didn't know much about Sosa, other than owning a few of his rookie cards. My lone opinion was that he looked extremely happy. Almost immediately, the trade for Sosa started to pay off. He was stealing bases and hitting more homers than I expected. The first season, I thought that he may be a better version of Shawon Dunston, since he didn't strike out as much, which didn't say much.

The Cubs didn't win many games the first few seasons that Sosa was around. I can still hear Harry Caray yell out Sosa's name after he jacked a 400+ foot home-run. Those moments gave me joy, about as much as an actual Cubs victory. Sosa's home-run total kept creeping up, but the whispers of the ball being juiced calmed my fears of anything fishy going on. It wasn't until the summer of '98 that the homers were getting out of hand. I have to admit, I still didn't care. Mark McGwire was hitting just as many homers as Sosa and he looked noticeably huge. I didn't suspect much about steroid use, the only thing that was written was something new to me called "Andro." I read about it and saw that it wasn't illegal. I didn't think anything was wrong, but I wanted Sosa to beat him. I think most people wanted Sosa to beat McGwire, if not for the fact that he was more likeable.

Every time that Sosa took the field in the first inning, he would run out into right field like a perfectly choreographed play. Everything Sosa did was more of a show for the fans. After 9/11, he hit a homer and ran around the bases with a little American flag.

Sosa's numbers stayed the same as McGwire began to breakdown. Sosa's average took a hit, since he looked like he was wanting to knock it out of the park with every swing. Finally, his behavior the last year with the Cubs was too much for the club to handle. They dealt him to Baltimore for a few young players. Sosa's career was never the same, mainly because the cloud of suspicion was too great. To this day he denies all claims of using PEDs, but the revelation of a failed test in 2003 makes it all clear. Sosa apparently cheated, it doesn't surprise many, but I'm just confused.

I believe that a large number of players used some sort of performance-enhancing drug during the same period of Sosa's career. I believe he wanted an edge and once he had a taste of success, he couldn't leave it alone. If he didn't do it for himself, he did it for the fans. As I said before, my first opinion of Sosa was his smile. He didn't lose his smile until the end of his career. He didn't have his smile when he was testifying in front of Congress. If Sosa's number isn't retired and he doesn't make the Hall of Fame, Sosa may never smile again. A decision to forgive and forget has to be made at some point. Some purists still have a big problem with "Shoeless" Joe Jackson and the Black Sox. I say that we still need to decide on what kind of punishment would suit the crime.

My opinion is for the Baseball Writers of America to have a conference. Everyone should take sides and maybe come to a conclusion. I would like to see all the alleged steroid users, that have Hall of Fame numbers, be inducted in the same class. You would be able to put that on Pay-Per-View and it would have a high buyrate. I don't think it's right that they used PEDs, but enough is enough. I want to move past this. It may take the player's union to allow blood testing, it would be a step in the right direction.

A Possible New Home For Sweetbob

I just wanted to inform my readers that I have been offered a deal with a sports-blogging network to write for them. I would be covering the Indiana Pacers and Columbus Blue Jackets. I just wanted to let everyone know in advance. Though it will not change this blog at all, I will still keep it active. There will be two more ways of reading my material in the near future.

I will keep everyone up-to-date on the news once it become official.

The Re-casting of "Major League"

Joe Sports Fan needed more questions for his podcast a few weeks ago and I thought that it would be fun to re-cast the movie "Major League" with current Major League baseball players. He thought it was a good idea and may touch on it in a future podcast. I started brainstorming ideas about who would play each character and thought it deserved its own post. Here is the player-by-player re-casting of the movie "Major League." (I had to thrown in other sports figures for the female characters).

Jake Taylor - This character needs to be played by a catcher who is on his last legs, but is enjoying a nice season. I choose Jason Varitek since he seemed washed-up last year and it playing great this season. He is also the captain, which Taylor certainly was in "Major League."

Rick Vaughn - I know what you're thinking, he should be John Rocker. That would have been the answer about 7-8 years ago, but we need a current baseball player to play "Wild Thing." I think Joba Chamberlain is a great fit to play Rick Vaughn. He was arrested for a DUI, so he has the sketchy criminal past. He is pretty wild on occassion, especially his celebratory fist pumps.

Roger Dorn - Dorn's character has to be a guy who has made a lot of money during his career and is just out there for endorsements and maybe some road-tail. He has to play 3rd base, so I'm going with Alex Rodriguez, although A-Rod would probably be the one that would try and sleep with a player's wife, not the other way around.

Willie "Mays" Hayes - My early vote would have gone to Torii Hunter, since Mays had a great glove and made a few nice catches in center. I couldn't do it, 'cause Hunter is a 5-tool player and Hayes couldn't hit well and possibly floated around in the minors awahile. I have to go with Joey Gathright since Mays would probably put up YouTube videos of himself jumping over things too. Gathright isn't known for his bat, but if he hits grounders, I'm sure he could leg out a few infield singles.

Eddie Harris - Harris was the old-timer that used Vagisil, among other foreign substances, to get movement on the ball. He probably threw a 75mph fastball. This pick was easy, Jamie Moyer is the unanimous choice. He is in his later 40's and hasn't see 90 on the radar gun since he married Digger Phelps' daughter.

Pedro Cerrano - Cerrano prayed to the voodoo gods to help him hit a curveball. He had crazy power, but he was a little crazy. Milton Bradley is the perfect player, although the voodoo religion ties are unfounded. I could see Bradley using bat-warmers and lighting gunpower to awake his bat.

Coach Lou Brown - Brown was a lifer coaching in the minors and came up to coach the Indians. I think he is a smarter coach than he portrayed in the movie. I assume that he was one of the first coaches to use VORP and BBIP to revise his daily line-up of characters. I'm going to throw a curveball here and say that Trey Hillman, the coach of the Kansas City Royals. Hillman coached all over before he was given the shot at the Royals. He is known as a smart guy and a little of a hardass.

Rachel Phelps - She was the ex-showgirl that received the Indians when the owner died. He wanted the team to tank so she could move the team to Miami. I thought long and hard about this and think that Monica Seles would fit the role of Phelps. Seles has been dating the owner of the Buffalo Sabres for awhile and think that she may be in it for the long haul. If he kicks the bucket, Seles could be in line to own a small-market sports franchise.

Lynn Wells - Wells was the character that ended up with Jake Taylor at the end. She clearly has a thing for baseball players, possibly a fetish. I would like Alyssa Milano to play the role of Lynn Wells. Milano has dated many players and she is a huge fan. This could also help the eye-candy factor for the movie.

Harry Doyle - Doyle was the play-by-play announcer for the Cleveland Indians. He was played by Bob Uecker and he did a fantastic job. I would like to see Uecker reprise his role, since he was still the play-by-play guy for the Milwaukee Brewers.

That was my re-casting of the movie "Major League." It was the 20th anniversary of the movie's release on Monday. The Cleveland Indians gaveaway a Rick Vaughn bobblehead and had Bob Uecker throw out the first pitch. The pitch was "just a bit outside."

Hedo Turkoglu: Prized Free-Agent?

Why is Hedo Turkoglu smiling? Well, he played his way into a possible new, huge contract. "The Jordan of Turkey" didn't take very long to opt out of his contract and test free agency. Trevor Ariza and Turkoglu could be the two best free agents out there this year. They weren't considered in the top 10 possible free-agents before the beginning of the year, Ariza wasn't even in the top 30.

Turkoglu started out very slow this year, but turned it on in both the Boston series and in Cleveland. He could very well re-sign with Orlando for a major contract, a very smart choice, or could a pretender turn into a playoff team with the signing of Turkoglu? Here are some teams that could turn their fortunes around.

Indiana Pacers - This would be my personal choice, but I don't think that the Pacers have a shot. Turkoglu's old running mate, Peja Stojakovic did very poorly in Indiana and doesn't have many pleasant memories of his time there. He does fit Larry Bird's mold. He's tall, can shoot the 3, and he's white. I don't think Lary Legend has a penchant for the European players, but he would look good next to Danny Granger.

Phoenix Suns - If the Suns trade Shaq for Ben Wallace and Pavlovic, they should offer Wallace a buyout, let him retire, and sign Turkoglu. He is a better shooter than Pavlovic and can spread the floor. I would love him in Phoenix.

Chicago Bulls - The Bulls will lose Ben Gordan and probably Hinrich soon. They need another shooter and Turkoglu can do everything those guys can, but he can start and play 40 minutes a game.

Oklahoma City Thunder - The Thunder could have a huge turnaround if they get Rubio in the draft. Turkoglu to go along with Durant and Westbrook would look like a possible playoff team in maybe two seasons. Would Turkoglu want to wait? OKC definitely has the cap room to afford a nice free agent.

New York Knicks - I don't think the Knicks have the cap space to pull this off, but D'Antoni would like to add an experienced playoff veteran to his team. He would do well in the fast-paced system and he loves to shoot the ball. He could be the piece the Knicks need to make the playoffs.

Hedo Turkoglu should re-sign with the Magic. After his stint with Sacramento, he was a free agent and signed with San Antonio. He didn't do very well there and got lost in the rotation. He needs to choose his next team wisely and not go after money, but try to find the team where he would fit in the best. On the right team, he could be the piece to put a team over and make a playoff run.