Feeling a Draft??

The NBA Draft is set to go off tonight and it is not expected to go down without a few surprises and road bumps along the way (like any other Draft). Let's take a look at the prospects in the order I expect them to go:
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Greg Oden: The Ohio State center has been the projected first overall selection for over three years when he was still in high school. Unfortunately for him, the NBA set an age limit at 19 and passed a rule to keep kids from entering the NBA until they were at least one year removed from high school.

There are a lot of reasons to be scared of taking Oden first overall. He is still getting over a wrist injury that he sustained nearly a year ago, one of his legs are longer than the other which can cause back problems (which there were already reports that he has a bad back) and the fact that he looks old enough to be Bill Russell's father. His game also resembles Bill Russell's, which is why he will go number one to the Portland Trailblazers tonight.

As good as Kevin Durant will be, this is a league that has not seen wing players win championships since Michael Jordan retired. Swingmen like Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Allen Iverson sell tickets but big men like Shaq and Tim Duncan win championships. The thought of having Oden, an amazing presence on the defensive end, as the anchor in your line-up for at least the next ten years is too much to pass up.
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Kevin Durant: Nobody knew who this kid was when he went to Texas last fall. He almost came out of nowhere as the freshman started dominating ball games against everyone in the Big 12 and across college basketball. Not only did everyone not expect him to do what he has done in one season with the Longhorns, no one in the game ever did what he accomplished as a freshman. Leading the nation in scoring while still pulling down 11+ rebounds per game, Durant went on to become the first freshman to ever win the Naismith Award, awarded to the best player in college basketball.

He has an incredible shooting touch, amazing athleticism and is smart on the block. He has a wide arsenal of go-to moves that will probably show up on playgrounds and in video games for the next couple of years. The one knock on him throughout the year was that he wasn't a dominant defensive player but he showed flashes of greatness in the NCAA tournament by swiping a few steals and coming from the weakside to block and contest shots.

I, however, am concerned with his poor showing at the NBA scouting combine and lack of strength. At Texas, he was depended on throughout the entire game by coach Rick Barnes and seemed to wear down at the end of games down the stretch. Going through an 82-game schedule in the NBA is going to test his mental and physical endurance. As a world class athlete, he can adjust that in the offseasons and he will be a dominant scorer in the league almost immediately.
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Al Horford: Florida's back-to-back National Championships showcased the incredible talent of their four star players. The one man who seemed to grab scouts attention during their second run was power forward Al Horford. Number 42 for the Gators can probably step into the starting line-up for half of the teams in the NBA and contribute right away. An NBA-ready body, high basketball IQ and great shooting touch, he has the tools to be an All-star and, with his talents, can be someone to build your team around.

If there weren't two kids named Oden and Durant in the draft, he would be the consensus number one pick in the draft. But tonight he should be number three for Atlanta and, despite the Hawks need for a point guard, it'd be hard to pass him up.
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Mike Conley Jr.: Atlanta needs this kid badly. Many pro scouts compare his ability to that of Finals MVP Tony Parker because of his ability to drive past defenders. He also comes into the draft, like Parker, at a small stature and without a reliable jumpshot. Despite that flaw, he can jump start someone's offense with his speed and will be a dependable player no matter where he goes.
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Yi Jianlian: Something that bothers me about society is that we can never compare players of different races to each other. For instance, people compare Durant to Houston swingman Tracy McGrady when he is in the mold of a more athletic Dirk Nowitzski with his length and abilities in the post. This stereotype carries with "the next Yao Ming" proclamation being placed onto the young Yi, who is being compared to his fellow Chinamen. Yi is nothing like Yao as he is more of an athletic perimeter oriented player. You will hear comparisons to Dirk as well, but the player he resembles most is last year's number one pick, Toronto Raptor's forward/center Andrea Bargnani. Both players tend to roam the 3-point arc and play like a guard would.

I have concerns with Yi. He's paper thin and teams are still going to depend on him to do some of the dirty work in the paint. We heard the same hype about Nikoloz Tskitishvili, a foreign-born lottery pick for the Denver Nuggets, who was a lengthy perimeter player who was nothing more than a bust in the NBA. Plus we are not sure of Yi's real age and how he'll measure up after playing 82 games against NBA competition.
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Jeff Green: Green has been rising on many draft boards and people are enamored with the kid from Georgetown. Reporters and scouts see him as a smart small forward with a knack for the ball. What I read about Green describes him as a lengthy defender that is a great distributor but someone who is not confident with his shot or creating his own opportunities. His height gives you the idea that he could play the four, but he would never match up against any other bigs or be productive on the block.

I think Green can be a nice player but, other than Yi, he scares me the most as a potential bust.
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Spencer Hawes: I take that back, Hawes scares me as a bust more than Green. Spencer Hawes is popular because of his height and remarkable abilities in the post. Great footwork and a nice touch around the basket, but Hawes is flawed as a defender and rebounder. He didn't lead his team in boards while grabbing under seven rebounds per game and does not possess the strength or quickness that he'll need to be an adequate defensive player in the association. Minnesota chooses seventh and whether they deal Garnett or not, they will need Hawes' size for the future.
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Corey Brewer: Another player from the back-to-back championship run with the Gators, Brewer is a favorite of mine after his great performance in the championship game against Ohio State. He reminds me of Cuttino Mobley of the Clippers because he has a great defensive mentality and a nice touch on his jump shot. He's also has a long wingspan, is a great athlete and, most importantly, a champion. His intangibles are enough for anyone to bring him into their organization. However, Charlotte may trade out of this pick.
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Joakim Noah: Adjectives you will hear about Noah: High-motor, energy, hustle, and the list goes on. Noah will not be a star but he will win you ball games. He's a guy that is all business, isn't afraid to go inside or dive on the floor and has the ability to cover most players to the point that if his man goes into the stands to get a hot dog, Noah will be there to grab the ketchup and mustard. The Bulls need a low post scorer but can worry about that in through free agency. Noah will give them everything they need at number nine.
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Brandon Wright: Wright is another player that has immense potential and was seen as a top-5 pick when he declared. His lack of strength and his decision to only workout individually has turned some teams off. He does have the ability to score and has a huge wingspan that will allow him to play at the four. He could still go as high as number four to Milwaukee but he won't get past Sacramento.
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Acie Law IV: Law is one of the best players in the draft when it comes to clutch plays. Law was incredible for Texas A&M as he seemed to show up on Sportscenter every night. Some question his ability to play the point but Law told Comcast Sportsnet's Dei Lynam that he did what his team needed him to do. He can come in right away and give a team a boost off the bench. Atlanta is reportedly interested in Georgia Tech point guard Javaris Crittenton, but there are also rumors that Atlanta is willing to trade this pick to Seattle for PG Luke Ridnour. Seattle, already with Durant and Ray Allen, would have an incredible line-up with Law in the mix. Acie Law will make an impression in the NBA next year, count on it.
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Al Thornton: The more and more I hear about Thornton, the more I fall in love with the idea of him wearing a Sixer uniform. He is an incredible athlete and people thought he was more of a track star than basketball star. His ability to score the ball is what is so dangerous about him. He can create his own shot, has range on his jumper and has a toughness about him. He shows the ability with his strength to play some four at 6'8 and the only knock I ever hear about him is his age. He'll be 24 in December, but I don't know why people are scared of someone at that age. There are reports that Yi Jianlian is not the the nineteen years old that he claims to be and is instead on the verge of turning 23 later this year, yet that doesn't scare people. So if Yi is 23 but still a question mark, how is he less than a risk over a proven scorer like Thornton?

Bill Simmons of ESPN.com is scared of the Sixers drafting Thornton, so that is enough for me.
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Nick Young: When everyone fell in love with Kevin Durant, we hated Nick Young when he and the Trojans knocked him out of the tournament. Young is one of the best shooters in the draft and has is taller than most of the shooting guards in this draft. He is probably the top shooting guard, despite reports that he'll be going so late.
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Javaris Crittenton: The Clippers selection here would be Crittenton if the Hawks pass him up (which I'm counting on with the proposed trade). A bigger guy to play the point, while Nick Young is supposed to be one of the best shooters in the draft, Crittenton is supposed to be the best shooter in the draft. With Sam Cassell getting older and the questions surrounding Shawn Livingston's horrible knee injury could scare the Clips into bringing in another guy to run the show in L.A.
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Rodney Stuckley: Many people like what Stuckley can do with the basketball. A 6'5 combo guard who can shoot the ball well, he'd fit well into the Pistons rotation and would help immediately if the Pistons cannot retain Chauncey Billups.
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Julian Wright: He has been a favorite of mine all year. At 12, the Sixers can either go with Thornton or pick up Wright and it hurts my head to choose between the two. Wright is an incredible player and I am not sure why he has slipped so much in recent weeks. He does not have a lot of range on his jumper but he has the ability to play 4-5 positions on the court. Great passer and great rebounder, he is another jaw-dropping athlete in this deep draft and plays extraordinary defense. He also played at an excellent Kansas program, which doesn't hurt.
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This is where I see the first 16 of 30 picks in the draft. It will most likely not go down this way but I'm sure we'll see plenty of surprises tonight.

Note: Some of the photos with players in NBA jerseys are photoshop pictures found on the message boards at Insidehoops.com.

Home Cooking

I promised I would discuss my thoughts for the Sixers three first-round picks. There are reports that General Manager GM Billy King is very keen on moving up. Doing so would cost him #12 and #21. King wants one of the following players: Yi Jianlian, Jeff Green, Spencer Hawes or Joakim Noah.

Hawes would not fit when we already have Samuel Dalembert and Steven Hunter. Yi is too much of a question as he was another prospect that chose to hold private individual workouts and will not solve their power forward needs. Jeff Green would fall into another clutter of small forwards with the Sixers. I only agree with grabbing Noah but not for both picks. There is too much talent in tonight's draft.

My main wishes are that they stay at 12 and grab Thornton. He can give you more scoring than either of the names I mentioned above and he can play the 3 and 4 positions on the court. If you go small, he can match up with other forwards and be a great player for point guard Andre Miller to find cutting to the basket or curling off a screen. I would like to see them grab both Thornton and Julian Wright (via trade), but then you would have a crowded roster with tweener 6'7 players with those two as well as Kyle Korver, Rodney Carney and Andre Iguodala.

If they stay where they are with those picks, I can see taking international players like Tiago Splitter or Rudy Fernandez at #21. Splitter has been playing in the best international league for the last four seasons and is an exceptional player. Tall at 7'0 and quick for his size, he can run the court and give you the size you need for the future. His problem is that he has a huge buyout with his team in Spain and will have to remain overseas until next season. However, this is not as big a deal because Billy King would not mind drafting a foreign player and keeping him across the Atlantic to save cap room and a roster space. Fernandez is going to be a great player where he can be an explosive shooting guard and has a ridiculous jump shot that belongs on a basketball court. Again, they can keep him overseas and bring him over next season.

At the end of the first round, scouts seem to like the idea of Big Baby Glen Davis playing in their frontcourt. His weight scares some off but he has shown that he can be very productive scoring the ball and grabbing rebounds. Think Robert "Tractor" Traylor or Rodney Rogers as Davis' potential.

The Sixers' main issue they need to solve is what kind of team they plan on building. A few seasons ago, Billy King brought in Jim O'Brien to coach the Sixers and he had a clear cut system. O'Brien ran an uptempo offense that spread the ball around and the Sixers were one of the top scoring teams in the NBA. King then brought in Mo Cheeks to establish a team built on a defensive philosophy, but did not surround that team with players to fit that system. They need to decide how they will run their offense, how they will build their defense and who the right players are to draft and build around the Sixers' core.

A Rumor isn't a Rumor if it doesn't Die

More KG talk this afternoon with the draft coming up. Minnesota is now dealing with Phoenix and they are trying to find a third party to facilitate the trade. Danny Ainge is done trying to help Kevin McHale and will keep the fifth pick for the Celtics. Atlanta was in the mix, but their ownership is all screwed up and they are not prepared to add salary (despite the salary they would get belongs to All-star Amare Stoudemire). Recently, Charlotte's name has come up and have the salary cap space to engage in conversations.

Kevin Garnett in Purple?

There was also talk about the Trailblazers sending Joel Przybilla to Milwaukee and the Sonics sending Ray Allen to Boston. Everything should sort itself out tonight.

Our 42 of the DayMy choice for next season's Rookie of the Year
#42 Al Horford

Is Something Cooking in the NBA? Hot Stove Rumors

With one of the most anticipated NBA Drafts coming up on Thursday, most teams are focused on getting a larger impression of the prospects before their team is on the clock. Other teams are trying to add pieces before Thursday night.

The juiciest rumor are the reports of the Minnesota Timberwolves finally throwing in the towel and attempting to trade disgruntled All-star forward Kevin Garnett. There was a deal set in place that would have seen Garnett fly to the east coast to play for the Boston Celtics in exchange for the #5 pick in Thursday's draft, younger players and an expiring contract or two. Garnett's agent got word to the media that his client would not entertain the idea of wearing Celtic green. Garnett may not have a no-trade clause but he does have the ability to opt out of his contract after next season, which will make most teams balk at the idea of losing him after one year.

Garnett still is thought to be on the move and reports of a 4-way trade surfaced last night in the L.A. Times and ESPN.com. The General Managers for the Celtics and Timberwolves, Danny Ainge and Kevin McHale, were former teammates and it seems that the two are trying extraordinarily hard to help one another out. The main components of the deal are:

Minnesota: Trades Kevin Garnett;
Receives Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff (expirer), #5 pick from Boston and #19 from L.A.
Boston: Trades Gerald Green, Theo Ratliff, #5 pick;
Receives Jermaine O'Neal
Indiana: Trades Jermaine O'Neal;
Receives Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum
L.A. Lakers: Trades Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, #19 pick;
Receives Kevin Garnett

More players would have to be added to help balance the salaries in the deal. For instance, using ESPN's Trade Machine, I messed around and had Troy Hudson (another disgruntled player for the Wolves who has demanded a trade) also going to the Lakers and Minnesota would receive Kwame Brown from L.A. and Sebastian Telfair from Boston. Both players have expiring deals, giving Minnesota three expiring deals that will be worth $21.7M off the cap next season, a young player in Green and three first round picks in the Draft, two of those being #5 and #7. With a bundle of young players to build with Randy Foye, Minnesota will also have gotten loose of Troy Hudson's deal and have bigger contracts off the cap in '08 as well (the contracts of Ricky Davis and Eddie Griffin are up and newly acquired forward Juwan Howard has a player option). That could be over $35M off the books for the next offseason, which figures to have the best free agent class the league has ever seen. Minnesota would be a major player in that spending spree.

There are several snags holding up the deal. Indiana seems to be the only team satisfied here by getting the versatile Odom and the young big man in Bynum. Minnesota, who already were ready to snag the Celtics Al Jefferson before Garnett ruined the first deal, seem to be holding out for the young star-in-the-making. Jermaine O'Neal has joined a contingent of players not interested in going to Beantown and the Celtics are trying to avoid moving Jefferson. And selfish star Kobe Bryant, who has voiced his disgust and displeasure with the Laker organization in recent weeks, seems to be adamant about his trade request out of Hollywood no matter who the L.A. front office brings in.

If Bryant continues his whining, this would be an opportunity for the Lakers to explore and try to build a deep team around Garnett instead. They could call Chicago and try to pull off a deal by getting Ben Gordon, Luol Deng and P.J. Brown (sign-and-trade) along with a draft pick in exchange for Bryant. Unfortunately, Chicago GM John Paxson put a wrench in my pipe dream by texting Kobe the other day and told him that he should forget the idea of w a Bulls jersey. New York would still like to get a deal done for Bryant, so that remains a possibility for Mitch Kupchak to explore. It seems that the front offices of the Lakers and Timberwolves have started talking about a deal that would just involve the two of them with KG in mind.

Here are some other deals out there being discussed:

• Phoenix moving either Shawn Marion or Amare Stoudemire and either receiving Garnett in the process or a top-10 pick in Thursday's draft. Several sources including Insidehoops.com and various newspaper reporters have the Suns convincing top prospects like Joakim Noah, Yi Jianlian and Jeff Green to come in for workouts even though Phoenix currently does not hold a pick in range for any of those prospects. Garnett's agent has stated that if his client is dealt, that his first choice is to play in the desert with the Suns. Boston is reportedly interested in Marion, although Marion is not interested in them (surprise surprise).

(Big Question for me here with the Suns wanting to move Marion. This is strictly a money issue and, unless their name is Oden or Durant, whoever they draft will not replace Marion's production on either end of the floor.

• Also, with the Trailblazers owning the #1 pick in the draft and primed to take Ohio State center Greg Oden, they seem ready to move talented yet troublesome power forward Zack Randolph and the New Jersey Nets are interested. Richard Jefferson could be the bait to get this done and would make the potential young line-up in Portland a potent one.
  

• Pau Gasol's name came up in trade rumors before and ESPN.com's Chad Ford is reporting chatter between Memphis and other lottery teams who are interested in taking on the Spaniard. Atlanta and Boston seem to be chatting back.
  

• Massive, massive draft talk with teams trying to move up, move down and get somewhere in the first round of this draft. You'll have to read on Thursday, when I tell you about the prospects and how I see things breaking down.
  

My Resume as GM

Just messing around on ESPN and here are some deals I messed with while taking into consideration what we have heard through the media with these teams. Draft picks are not represented on the trade machine, so keep that thought in mind.

Garnett 4-way Deal - The initial deal with the added players to balance the salaries.
Mega Garnett 4-way deal - This deal helps unload more salary from Minnesota and reunites Mark Blount with Coach Jim O'Brien who he flourished under when the two were in Boston.
Garnett and L.A. - The two-way deal with the Wolves and Lakers.
Kobe to New York - A perfect compliment of young players and salaries to pry Kobe from Hollywood.
Garnett and New York I - The first ploy for a KG-Stephon Marbury reunion in the Big Apple
Garnett and New York II - This idea gets KG to New York and allows the Wolves to get rid of Troy Hudson's contract as well

I'll keep my cell phone on in case any teams decide to call.

Hometown Cooking

My opinion with the Sixers' draft position . . . stay still!! This is one of the deepest drafts in recent history and there are going to be some nice young players coming out of the college ranks and from overseas that can help you for the future. There is talk about Sixers GM Billy King ready to pull the trigger to move into the top 10. He will probably have to use #12 and #21 in order to move up and there is too much talent to pass up for one player.

Tune in on Thursday and I'll tell you what I believe the Sixers should do with the picks.

QUICK Phillies note: The Phillies have confirmed that some of the media and online outlets are wrong with the number of losses that remain before 10,000. It appears we were all one loss off the mark. After taking two out of three against the St. Louis Cardinals this weekend, the magic number is still nine.

Our 42 of the DayJuan Pablo Montoya became only
the third foreign-born driver to win a Cup event
with his win Sunday

And The Countdown Has Begun

To all of you out there that thought you could never put a number on mediocrity, the fans of the hometown baseball team here in Philadelphia are laughing at you now . . .

Or crying. It could go either way with this group.

The storied franchise is marching toward a legendary number of misery that will cement our place as the losingest (dictionary.com says that is in fact a word) franchise in the history of pro sports. In less than a few weeks, the Phillies will reach loss number 10,000!!! Now that is something legends are made out of . . . sad ones at least.

For all the kids following along, The Phightin' Phils 10-6 loss to the Cleveland Indians last night ended their interleague play for the year and began the count into single digits. According to Countdownto10000.com and Baseball-Reference.com, last night's defeat leaves us nine away from the historic numeral of our consistent inconsistency.

To be fair to the Phillies, when you have been playing baseball for over 120 years, you are bound to pile up in the loss column. But this has been an abysmal team for its entire history with the exception of an eight-year stretch from 1976 to 1983 when the Phillies stayed above .500 and made six postseason appearances, two appearances in the Fall Classic and one World Series parade. The Phillies have only made the playoffs NINE times in total and their last time playing baseball in October (aside from your extended regular season schedule) was back in 1993 when they captured the city's spirits on their ride to the World Series and then ultimately saw Gary Carter crush every Philly fan's hearts, as well as the pitch from then-closer Mitch Williams, with a dramatic series-ending, championship-clinching, heart attack-inducing home run. I have heard that the Phillies last chance for a legit championship-run went down the drain when baseball went on strike in 1994.

Since the strike, baseball has not been kind to people wearing red pinstripes and the once-faithful fans that followed them. So what happened to our team? Why are we still a dreadful team to follow after a fourteen year absence from the postseason?

Most people point to the management of the team from members of the front office. Some point to the pocket pinching collection of owners that have remained anonymous to fans and the media. More fingers point to the players and coaching staff. My answer?

EVERYONE!

You do not come this close to 10,000 defeats and you have one person to take the blame. This organization has been designating scape goats for the last several years and it makes for one sad ending and then the Phillies paint us a picture that they hope convince us of change when they are really taking the same old tired dog, give him a hair cut, paint over his fur and try to sell us a new puppy. Years ago, the one move that made sense was ousting manager Terry Francona, who was such a pushover for all the players and never produced a Phillies team with 80 wins despite all-star talent on the roster (Sure, Terry went on to win the Series with the Sox and end the curse, but the talent on that roster was incredible and the Yankees gift wrapped them a 3-0 comeback. Just look at the Phillies roster in 2000 and ask me how they could lose 97 games).

The Phillies replaced Terry with Larry Bowa, one of the best shortstops to ever play in his era and someone whose glove belongs in the Hall of Fame. Bowa immediately took a less talented line-up then the year before and a questionable pitching staff into a pennant race into the final week of the season. Philadelphia finally had a baseball team to be proud of. A few years later, the Phillies signed first baseman Jim Thome to a major free agent deal and helped bring the kind of excitement to the Vet that hasn't been seen since 1993.

This is where the top-to-bottom effect had taken place within the organization. The Phillies owners made a commitment to spend a lot of money for a winner, General Manager Ed Wade went out, traded for stars and brought the free agents in and the players played to the Manager's liking. Unfortunately, injuries bit the Phillies in a few seasons or they were desperate for what fans called "the additional piece" to this championship puzzle. Ownership never allowed for additional salary added to the payroll, the General Manager never touched the telephone during the deadline unless he was in a selling position and the Phillies faded down the stretch.

Scape goats were then thrown to the fire. Curt Schilling and Scott Rolen were sacrificed to the media and traded off in years before (The two players have three championship rings between them since their exit). The ill-tempered Bowa was let go two games before the end of his contract and the Phillies brought in player-friendly manager Charlie Manuel. Fans created the popular website FireEdWade.com and their dreams came true when the organization dropped the blade on Wade's neck and brought in the successful and well-known baseball executive Pat Gillick. Meanwhile, the Phillies are still stuck in their inconsistent and mediocre ways.

Allow me to show you how the top-to-bottom effect has delivered us another mediocre team despite all-star talent.

Ownership: The dark cloaks that disguise our owners as they walk the streets have helped them save face because . . . we don't know what they look like. Ownership again has decided against paying top dollar for cream-of-the-crop free agents, eating salary to move a bad contract and adding salary mid-season. They are the reason Ed Wade's hands were always tied as they sat on and later sacrificed their farm system's best talent.

Random Note: Years ago, when everyone was excited about the upcoming Phillies season after some significant moves in the offseason, Larry Bowa mentioned shortstop Anderson Machado, who was among the top of baseball's minor league prospects, and how he could even be better than current all-star shortstop Jimmy Rollins. In the end, Wade sat on him and the Phillies shipped him away in a minor deal to Cincinnati. He has been out of baseball since 2005.

Front Office: Pat Gillick's arrival was a celebrated one for a short period. Then fans realized his nickname was "Stand Pat" and realized we brought in another Ed Wade with a better resume. Gillick last year started a fire sale and proclaimed the team was two years from contention. The players, whether they took it personal or not, went on a tear and battled for the wild card before coming up empty. This offseason, the owners gave Gillick some money to make several moves in the offseason. They could not keep up with the bidding war on Alfonso Soriano and went after little known players like Wes Helms and Rod Barajas.

Gillick was ready to sign reliever Joe Borowski but terminated the deal when Borowski failed his physical. Gillick then caused some excitement when he acquired work horse pitcher Freddy Garcia in a trade, even forgoing the necessary physical in order to bring him over from the Chi-Sox. The significance of these two? Borowski signed with the Indians and is second in the American League with 20 saves while Garcia won one start and is currently on the DL with shoulder problems. Gillick now has his own fan-made website.

Manager: It has been publicized that the players love playing for Charlie Manuel. Easy-going Uncle Charlie is such a break from the bat-out-of-hell Bowa. However, Manuel has not familiarized himself with how to manage a team in the National League since his arrival for the 2005 season. Manuel has easily screwed up sending the best line-up out there, juggling his pitching staff and understanding how to handle the double switch (a mainstay in the NL). Aside from Milt Thompson, the rest of the coaching staff hasn't reached the players and third base coach Steve Smith has made us miss the late Jon Vucovich even more.

A good manager is said to help you win 5-10 games a year. A bad manager will lose you the same amount.

Manuel has probably cost the Phils more games this season than fingers he can count on.

Players: This season, we had the best line-up and deepest rotation in the National League East. The players got us off to a rocky start in the beginning of the year. All-stars Chase Utley and Ryan Howard produced very little, the starting rotation couldn't go deep into games and thus exposed the undermanned bullpen. The Phillies' problem has been fundamentals all year, not playing small ball and relying on their small ballpark and big hitters to get the jump on the opposition.

It is not one thing troubling the Phils. It is everything! They are not making smart baseball moves when the owners decline adding salary with a team selling out a beautiful ball park every night. They are not making smart baseball decisions when the GM gets a certain amount of funds and pays the wrong players. And they are not playing smart baseball when they have another dreadful April and have to make leaps and bounds in order to get back into the pennant race. I have heard on 610 WIP about how the Phillies are building an American League roster, bringing American League players, with an American League Manager, an American League GM and playing in an American League stadium while trying to win the National League East.

Regardless, this is still my hometown team and I root for them every night. The Phillies are only two games back of the first place Mets and if they make the improbable run and secure a bid for the postseason, I will gladly place my foot directly down my throat. But this is the same thing that the Philadelphia Phillies have done in years past. They fill a roster full of promise and potential, see it stumble out of the gates, have an uphill climb and cause some excitement as September creeps up and they sweep other contenders. Then, without you realizing you are standing on a rug that is soon to be pulled, they lose to basement dweller teams like the Washington Nationals and Florida Marlins and find themselves on the outside looking in.

Perhaps when they reach 10,000 . . . we'll get the parade we've been asking for.

QUICK NOTE

Congratulation to Sammy Sosa for becoming the fifth member of the 600-Home-Run Club. Many people accuse Sosa of steroid use and shaming baseball's integrity. I have a funny thing about life where I try to have faith in people. I choose to believe that Sosa is clean of any performance enhancing drug use and I was happy to see him come back this year and hope he sticks around after this season is done.

Sammy Sosa and Mark McGuire helped save baseball and pump up the game's popularity since the strike of '94. The home run chase was exciting and caught the interest of people who had slim-to-no interest in baseball. McGuire wasn't a media darling and, as fate would have it, hit number 62 against Sammy's Chicago Cubs. Sammy being there made it a more memorable moment and gave it the story book ending that you can't get anywhere else except the world of sports.So congrats to Sosa for hitting 600 and I hope you keep your word and hit another hundred.

NBA FINALS UPDATE (a week late)

My last update was last Tuesday when the Cavaliers were preparing for game 3 against the Spurs. They completely deactivated guard Larry Hughes and used spark-plug point guard Daniel Gibson in his place. Unfortunately, Gibson lost his shooting stroke but the Cavs kept it close.

How did they do this you ask? By following my instructions with playing Eric Snow in better situations. Snow came in and controlled the tempo in the fourth quarter and easily kept the Cavs in range to take game 3. Unfortunately, Anderson Varejao took an ill-advised spinning hook against Tim Duncan and the refs failed to call Bruce Bowen for a foul on a 3-point shot that would have sent LeBron James to the free throw line for three free throws and the ability to tie the game.
Game 4 wasn't even close. So congratulations to the San Antonio Spurs for ring number four in the last nine years. Now we have a French Finals MVP in Tony Parker who is having the best year anyone can ask for after making the all-star team for the first time and is ready to marry Desperate Housewives star Eva Longeria.

Must feel good to be on top . . .

Our 42 of the DayLast Sunday was Father's Day and I hope
everyone enjoyed their day with Dad

To the Friends of Man's Best Friend

Over the last month or so, we have been hearing more and more information coming to light concerning the investigation of dogfighting allegations in a Virginia home owned by Atlanta Falcons' Quarterback Michael Vick and any involvement he may or may not have.

Big Daddy Graham, a comedian and host of his own night owl show on 610 WIP Sportstalk radio, sums it up best when describing the nonchalant-like attitude of Mike Vick, his supporters and people involved with the case. The most important reason that this investigation has picked up steam from people across America is because we all love dogs! Plain and simple. Man's best friend and best friend for a reason. There are not a lot of people that don't love dogs and the reason why anybody wouldn't like a dog is because they are scared of them, giving more weight to the issue at hand.

My own love for dogs is evident by those who know me. My family owns two papillons, Sammy and Boomer, and have had these dogs for years. If you are unsure of what a papillion is, watch the movie Gremlins and look at little Gizmo's face (or check out the pictures with today's article). Large ears, colorful fur and easy to fall in love with. We have had Sammy and Boomer for almost nine years and it really feels like we just welcomed them yesterday.

Unfortunately, Sammy and Boomer were not our first dogs. I say unfortunately just because of the story I am going to tell you. I warn you, it isn't the easiest of tales to tell and gets very, very, very bad toward the end. Even though it happened so long ago, I still get caught up when we reminisce about it.

Years and years and years ago (seriously, it was a while ago), my Mom took me and my brother to the pound to pick up a dog. The dog belonged some friends of hers and their son went into the hospital and could no longer care for it. We never had a dog before, but Mom was willing to do so to help out her friends. Her name was Trixie and she was an old Cairn Terrier and apparently on her last limbs, so to speak. We were told at the time that she probably wouldn't live any longer than a few months and they preferred that they just put her down then and now. My mom wasn't having it and we brought Trixie home with us.

Trixie wasn't playful for obvious reasons but she was a great companion. Everyone found her to be a pretty little dog, similar looking to Toto in the Wizard of Oz but a little bigger and not as loud. Trixie never barked a day in her life until she was outside in our yard. She usually just ran around the property and exploring the world before her and the first time she barked, she actually scared herself and jumped back a bit. Odd to say, but Trixie was fearless. The one lasting memory that everyone loves to bring up is the time when Dad was cutting her hair and actually cut her face with the scissors. And Trixie never flinched or cried or anything. She was fine though but Dad felt so bad afterward (and he probably hasn't been allowed near scissors since).

Then one day in April, Mom, my brother Bryan and I all found ourselves at the Neshaminy Mall shopping for God knows what. We ended up in this pet store called Kritters and just wanted to look at the new kittens and puppies. There was one dog going crazy for our attention, so the staff asked us if we wanted to take him into a little play room. This dog went crazy, playing with toys and crowding all around us for our affection. We all fell in love but we couldn't stick around so we left him behind. The car ride home was anything but civil. We all were gushing about about how adorable he was and Bryan already named him Max. Mom doubted Dad would go for the idea of another dog. After long discussion, the idea of another puppy coming into the house for the kids wasn't such a bad one especially considering we weren't sure how much longer we would have Trixie. My Mom went back to Kritters and was immediately discouraged when hearing that the price for the dog was $500. She told the woman there that "her husband would kill her if she spent $500 on a dog." The lady explained that after a few weeks, they have to send the puppies to the local SPCA to make room for more and, without hesitation, said she'd cut the price in half. Mom responded: "His name is Max and he's coming home with me!"


Trixie was getting old though. We were told she'd only live six months but she was in our family for several years. She started losing her sight after a while and running into things. She developed a bad limp and was often sick toward the end. We weren't sure how the young pup and the old dog would get along. As if it were out of some Disney movie, the two became fast friends. They slept together at night, barked together at the nothingness beyond our gate and Max took care of Trixie when she was slowly dying. When Dad put food out for them, Trixie just lay underneath the dining room table perhaps saving her strength or just unable to get up. Max would grab a mouthful of food and carry it back from the kitchen and to where Trixie was and helped feed her. Eventually, we all had to come to the understanding that Trixie was blind, def and having trouble walking and going to the bathroom. We had to do right by Trixie by making the hardest decision any pet owner has to make. We kids said our goodbyes to Trixie and then my Dad carried her out of the house and that was the last we seen of her.

But my Mom's plan to help ease the pain with the new puppy worked like a charm. Max was still a playful puppy who loved running full speed from the kitchen and jumping onto someone's lap in the living room. Our favorite memories of Max-Man, a nickname my Mom easily formed after only moments of goofing with him, were when we had these rope bones that he would drag around and chew on. Max would grab one end of the rope while we had the other and we would wrestle around with him in our own tug of war. One day, Max wised up and while he and my Dad were battling for the rope, Max waited 'til Pop was putting extra effort into the fight and then Max let go of his end and watched it fly and smack Dad right on his head. Max then grabbed the other end and ran off while Dad recovered.

One day in December of '97, Max seemed to be getting sick because he wasn't his playful self. He'd lie around and often had coughing fits. We thought that Max maybe swallowed something that got caught in his throat. It was Christmas time, so perhaps a decoration hook or something. He also enjoyed those Tostito tortilla chips and they do have an odd shape that might get caught. Our neighbor Jimmy was a veterinarian and advised us that we'd get him to a animal hospital because even he had no clue what wrong with Max. Mom and Dad took Max to the University of Pennsylvania Animal Hospital, the best place in the city to take your pet. They ignored our description of what we've seen at home and advised us that he would be fine and whatever he may have swallowed would eventually pass. My Mom felt like there was something more to his symptoms and requested they X-ray him. The doctors adamantly denied our requests several times because they thought it'd be too much money for us to spend. Despite the cost, Mom wanted it done but "U of P" never allowed it. Later that night, Max got worse, coughing up blood periodically and Mom really got worried and called the doctors back. Again, they said it was natural and said an X-ray was completely unnecessary. We all went to bed hoping Max would be okay in the morning.

Warning:

What you are about to read is both sad and graphic.

I still remember that morning waking up and seeing Dad meet Mom at the top of the steps. It felt like a dream . . . it still does in a way. Dad just said to her "he's gone." Whether I was ignorant or perhaps just denying what I was hearing, my mind refused to comprehend what was really going on. My parents had to break it to us that Max had died over night. Despite what you believe right now, this is not the most tragic aspect of the story.

For some reason, our parents did not shield us from the horror that was lying before us. Max had bled out over night. Our puppy, barely two years old, was laying right in front of our kitchen gate in a pool of his own blood. The images you only see in movies and the beginning of every Law and Order were now burned in the minds of two 13-year old boys and the rest of the family that just had our hearts crushed instantaneously.

My Mom sued the University of Pennsylvania for malpractice and wrongful death. Kritters also had a policy on their animals that if they passed away within two years, they would replace the animal. That is how we have Sammy and Boomer today (Boomer was actually rescued from an abusive home). We also got to know the breeder that we purchased Sammy from and when he was closing his business, we helped find a home for Sammy's mom, Suzie. Suzie is an older dog with a young heart and my sister Karyn and her husband Chris take care of her now.

The saddest memory about Max is just the few words my Dad said about his passing. I never seen my Dad cry before that day as he said goodbye to Max. When I finally got the courage to ask him what made him cry, he said: "all he could think about is that he was all alone. He must've been so scared and no one was there with him. He died all alone." I still get choked up on those words even as I write them right now.

Rest in Peace Max

Back to my original thoughts, this investigation is a much more serious matter now. The Federal Government has taken over the case from Virginia prosecutors and executing search warrants throughout Michael Vick's property. Profootballtalk.com, a website that features clips from various news sectors and extensive commentary on the NFL, has dedicated a page for the continuous updates of the investigation and even made a funny yet insightful Goodfellas comparison to video of the federal investigators digging up areas on the property.

While listening to comments that Virginia prosecutor Gerald Poindexter made to the media about the Feds getting involved, I was confused because it sounded like maybe I was listening to Mike Vick's defense attorney. Poindexter wondered about race being an issue, Vick's celebrity status and why the Federal Government was involved at all, saying that it is foreign to him about "the federal government getting into a dog-fighting case..."

Would you want this for your furry loved one?

I am not a judge, jury or a powerful figure in the media (despite my wishful thinking) that can convict Vick of these allegations. As a NFL fan, I hope that Vick is not involved and that he cooperates with investigators to put an end to this ugly situation. The only guilt that is on Vick is through public opinion and the media. He is innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. But the fact that some involved in this case are not showing the seriousness that this deserves is disturbing enough.

To everyone reading, think about visiting a local SPCA or pet store and bringing home a dog. Young or old, big or small, you'll never regret it. I promise you.

NBA FINALS UPDATE

Larry Hughes is killing Cleveland's chances to be competitive in this series. His numbers: 21+ minutes per game, 1 point per game, 2+ rebounds per game, 1 assist per game and is shooting 1-10 combined in both games. He isn't committing many personal fouls, which if its a hard foul could be useful to at least give speedy point guard Tony Parker something to think about when he tries to go to the paint.

Pardon me if I boost Eric Snow's ego up, but playing only 11 minutes in game 2, and only because LeBron was in foul trouble early in the first quarter, is not enough for this team. The minutes are right, but not the situation. Snow is someone who can control the tempo and manage the offense for LeBron. His lack of a jump shot is troubling for the Cavs but his ability on the defensive side of the ball would give them an asset they need to stop Tony Parker.

The thing that the Cavs must do is not to play Eric Snow in Larry Hughes place, but to use a point guard by committee approach with Daniel Gibson's shooting touch and the fearless approach he has had throughout the entire playoffs. Snow can give you the balance on the defensive side of the ball the Cavs need with James and the long Pavlovic (who has really improved his shooting in the series but most make better decisions with the ball). The threat of Damon Jones long range shooting stroke has been an empty one until he hit two big shots in the Cav's near fourth quarter comeback Sunday night.

Hughes is not getting rebounds, playing quality defense or doing anything on the offensive end except being incredibly offensive. If the Cavs hope to turn things around, their big men have to play bigger and LeBron has to play smart and not allow this team to dig another hole to big for them to get out of in the fourth.

Our 42 of the Day

My Godson, Lil' Seanny, wearing the 4-2