Exclusive Start Caleb Hanie's NBA Predictions!

The Three Dipshits will win a ring this year

East:
1) Miami Heat
The Heat will come out this season with a chip on their shoulder and will dominate their competition all the way to an NBA title.
2) Chicago Bulls
The Bulls will be a good team in 2012 but they still are a shooting guard short of being a title team.  Rip Hamilton is an upgrade but he doesn't put you over the top.  It will be interesting to see how Carlos Boozer comes out after sucking last season.
3) New York Knicks
Tyson Chandler was a huge reason why the Mavericks won the NBA championship last year but how will he fit in D'Antoni's system?  The Knicks look very good this season but still lack the depth to win a championship.
4) Boston Celtics
Another year older and in a season where the schedule is condensed, this won't help the Celtics at all.  Wouldn't be surprised if they drop to the 5 spot.
5) Atlanta Hawks
Is Jeff Teague as good as he played in the playoffs last season?  The Hawks still have a good team but giving Joe Johnson that ridiculous contract ensures they will never get over the top.
6) Indiana Pacers
If David West can stay healthy, the Pacers could be a good team in 2012.  Remember, they could have easily upset the Bulls in the first round last playoffs.  Will they build off this success?
7) Philadelphia 76ers
Not a top-heavy team but a very good defensive team with a lot of depth.  Will Doug Collins lead the Sixers to another playoffs?
8) New Jersey Nets
If they get Dwight Howard at the trade deadline, they'll probably move up to the 5 or 6 seed and could be potential playoff spoilers.

West:
1) Dallas Mavericks
Lost Tyson Chandler but added Lamar Odom.  I don't think they're good enough to repeat but they have the best bench in the NBA.
2) Oklahoma City Thunder
I fully expect the Thunder to grow up and reach the Finals in a winnable West this season.
3) Los Angeles Lakers
Unless they get Dwight Howard before the trade deadline, the Lakers will fall short of the Finals again. Trading away Lamar Odom for nothing?  Yeah brilliant.
4) Los Angeles Clippers
Need to fire Vinny Del Negro but right now they're the most exciting team in the NBA.  Can't wait for their bandwagon to fill up.
5) Memphis Grizzlies
Last year's Cinderella team brings back Marc Gasol and Zach Randolph and has the size that can beat anyone in the West.  They'll be a dangerous team in the playoffs again.
6) San Antonio Spurs
Like the Celtics, they're too old for this condensed schedule so expect this to influence their seed.  Still a dangerous team in the playoffs despite age.
7) Portland Trail Blazers
Loved the addition of Gerald Wallace at the deadline in February but too many key injuries to climb the ladder in the West.
8) Golden State Warriors
Could see the Phoenix Suns in this spot as well but I think the Warriors have enough to get back in the playoffs.

Playoffs:
Eastern Conference Finals: Miami Heat defeat Chicago Bulls in 6
Western Conference Finals: Oklahoma City Thunder defeat Los Angeles Lakers in 5

NBA Finals:
Miami Heat defeat Oklahoma City Thunder in 6

Awards


MVP: 
Kevin Durant
The Derrick Rose hype is gone and he's expected to do good this season and will be good, Dwight Howard will probably be changing teams halfway through the year so I think this eliminates him, LeBron James is still sharing the load with Dwyane Wade and unless they have a historic season, this will eliminate him.  I think it's time for Kevin Durant to get this much-deserved award.

Rookie of the Year:
Derrick Williams
I see Kyrie Irving struggling in his first year in Cleveland while Derrick Williams is pretty much as NBA ready as they get.  I don't think Derrick Williams is that great but he's going to give you the exciting plays like Blake Griffin which will attract attention and quite frankly, this is a pretty weak rookie class compared to year's past.

Coach of the Year Candidates:
Lionel Hollins
Tom Thibodeau
Doug Collins
Mike D'Antoni

Hanie is better than Cutler?

Worst Quarterback in Football---Caleb Hanie

-First off, for those that thought Caleb Hanie was better than Jay Cutler after the NFC Championship game last January, I want you dead by the morning.  Oh and for those that called Cutler a pussy after that game, Matt Forte has the same injury (a grade 2 MCL sprain) that Cutler had.  Forte is expected to miss 2-to-4 week but just sit him out, the Bears are done.

-Caleb Hanie is the worst quarterback I've seen since Craig Krenzel.  I don't think there's a QB in the NFL right now worse than Hanie and as dumb as Hanie.  He has no pocket presence whatsoever and he doesn't seem to know the NFL rules.  I hate McNabb and don't want to sign him but he can't be any worse than Hanie is right now.  Enderle can't be any worse either.  Just take Hanie off the field.

-For those Bears fans that were rooting for the Packers today to help the Bears playoff chances, I hope you're happy when the Packers finish 19-0 (they're going to do it) and the Bears are sitting home after a first round exit (this will happen as well).

-Between the St. Louis Cardinals winning the World Series, the Miami Heat embarrassing the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Finals thanks to management's refusal to get a 2 guard something they needed to win a championship, and the Vancouver Canucks beating the Blackhawks in game 7 on a late overtime goal, this is the worst possible time to be a Chicago sports fan.  Oh and the Packers are going to finish 19-0 and win their second straight Super Bowl.  Oh and Jay Cutler and Matt Forte are hurt.

There is some good news (maybe):
- Baseball winter meetings are starting and the Cubs may make a big splash in Albert Pujols.  I've been against signing Albert but it sounds like the Cubs are going to offer him a shorter deal with more money per year.  I would love signing Albert for a 5 year deal but anything above 7, no thanks.  If the Cubs can sign Pujols and sign 1 or 2 solid starters, they could compete this year.  But Theo need to focus more on the starting pitching which is the biggest need right now.

-The Chicago Bulls are almost about to get underway and are going to add a shooting guard (wish they would have thought of this in February).  This is my list of shooting guards I want in order:
1) Aaron Afflalo
2) Caron Butler
3) Nick Young
4) Jason Richardson
5) Jamal Crawford
6) Josh Howard
7) Vince Carter
8) Tracy McGrady

NBA/NBAPA reaches tentative agreement

From ESPN:

NEW YORK -- NBA owners and players reached a tentative agreement early Saturday to end the 149-day lockout.
After a secret meeting earlier this week, the sides met for more than 15 hours Friday, working to try to save the season. This handshake deal, however, still must be ratified by both owners and players.
"We've reached a tentative understanding that is subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations, but we're optimistic that will all come to pass and that the NBA season will begin Dec. 25," Commissioner David Stern said.

NBA free agency will open on December 9th and the Bulls will have a huge hole to fill at shooting guard.  A week ago, Stephen A. Smith said the Bulls would sign Tracy McGrady as soon as the lockout was lifted.  No thanks.

Ivan DeJesus out

Buried under the somber Jay Cutler stories is this article from Gordon Wittenmeyer.

Cubs manager Dale Sveum has made some of his first staff decisions, including retaining well-regarded hitting coach Rudy Jaramillo, one of the top-paid coaches in the game. He’s under contract through 2012.  The two other coaches under contract through next year — bullpen coach Lester Strode and bench coach Pat Listach — also are expected to be asked back. Sources said first-base coach Bob Dernier and third-base coach Ivan DeJesus were informed they won’t be back. Pitching coach Mark Riggins spoke with Sveum over the weekend, according to a source, and was expected to talk again soon.

First off, while Rudy Jaramillo is extremely overpaid, he's still one of the better hitting coaches in baseball. The one thing that he needs to do next season is to get the Cubs to be more patient at the plate something that they've struggled with since 2008.

But the best news coming out of this story is the fact that Ivan DeJesus will not be on the Cubs staff next year. DeJesus is the worst 3rd base coach the Cubs have had since Wavin Wendell Kim in 2004 and was probably the worst 3rd base coach in baseball last season. So many times last year the Cubs had horrible sends at 3rd base that costed them runs.

 The next move Sveum needs to make is to get rid of Mark Riggins who did an awful job in his 1st season as Cubs pitching coach last year. He should have never had the job anyways.

It's Hanie Time!

So Jay Cutler is going to be out for the rest of the regular season and we probably won't see him again until next season pending Caleb Hanie doing the unthinkable and leading the Bears to the playoffs and a wild card round win. If Jay Cutler is indeed out for 6 to 8 weeks, this is how the Bears schedule will end up:

@ Oakland
Raiders 30, Bears 9
This was a toss-up game before Jay Cutler got hurt but now Oakland should win this game rather easily and end the Bears five game losing streak. The Raiders currently have a playoff spot if the season ended today and are playing great football after the Carson Palmer trade even with Darren McFadden sidelined with an injury. McFadden might be back for this game but if he's not ready, Michael Bush has done a great job filling in for him. The Raiders best receiver Jacoby Ford also missed his last game with a foot injury. Playing in Oakland in front of the Black Hole is probably not the way you want to make your first start. Raiders win.
Bears: 7-4

VS Kansas City
Bears 17, Chiefs 10
Expect this one to be a low scoring game with the Chiefs losing both Jamaal Charles and Matt Cassell to injuries. The Chiefs are starting some dude named Tyler Palko at quarterback right now. Isn't that Keanu Reeves' character from "The Replacements"? This is going to be an ugly game but the Bears defense should lead them to victory.
Bears: 8-4

@ Denver
Bears 16, Broncos 13
The Broncos have been playing great under Tim Tebow but I really don't think this will continue against the Bears. I had this pegged as an automatic win before Cutler went out but now it might be a little closer but I still think the Bears find a way to win. The Bears have done a great job in the past in containing run-first quarterbacks that are better than Tebow and I don't expect this trend to stop. I hope Von Miller doesn't kill Hanie though.
Bears: 9-4

VS Seattle
Bears 17 Seahawks 10
Another close win for the Bears. Tavaris Jackson is another quarterback who like Michael Vick is run-first but obviously he doesn't have the speed or the arm like Michael Vick. Expect the Bears to win another low-scoring game.
Bears: 10-4

@ Green Bay
Packers 31, Bears 13
I didn't have the Bears winning this game before Jay Cutler got hurt although I thought the Bears could give the Packers a mini-scare. Maybe the Bears will get a let-down from the Packers but this is pretty much an automatic loss.
Bears: 10-5

@ Minnesota
Bears 24, Vikings 20
If 10 wins doesn't get you in the playoffs as a wild card, then the season could come down to this. There might be an outside chance that Cutler could return for this game if the Bears really need him I think but this should be Hanie's game assuming he's still starting. The Vikings are not a good team and have a terrible secondary but teams like the Vikings who have nothing to play for at the end of the season scare the shit out of me and playing on the road at the Metrodome is never an easy task especially for an inexperienced quarterback like Hanie. I have the Bears winning this game but it could really go either way.
Bears: 11-5

11 wins will get you into the playoffs in the NFC and the Bears would get either the Cowboys, Giants, or Saints on the road in the Wild Card playoff game. My money is on New Orleans being the 3rd seed. It'll be fun seeing Caleb Hanie potentially going into the Superdome for a playoff win. Thankfully the Bears have a pretty easy schedule to end the year. I had them tabbed at 12-4 if Cutler finished the year so 11-5 with Hanie isn't too big of a drop-off but losing Cutler for a potential playoff game basically guarantees a loss.

Hanie is not a bad quarterback but he's not a good quarterback either. People who still don't like Cutler are going to learn to appreciate him by the time this season is over. I guarantee it.

My Streak For The Cash Lock Of the Day 3/3/11

Yesterday, I continued my streak by taking the Tarheels over Florida State. Harrison Barnes became a lock of the day hero by sinking the game winner.

Today, take the St. John's Red Storm over the Seton Hall Pirates. I also like South Carolina to LOSE to Tennessee.

March Lock of the Day Record: 2-0
Lock of the Day Streak: W5
Overall Lock of the Day record: 20-7
February Final Record: 18-7

My Streak For The Cash Lock Of the Day 3/2/11

I got March off to a good start as the Dallas Mavericks beat the Philadelphia 76ers last night in Philly.

Let's continue the streak. My Lock of the Day is to take the North Carolina Tarheels on the road against Florida State. Another pick I like for tomorrow is to take the Connecticut Huskies on the road at West Virginia. I also like Kansas winning by double digits tomorrow against the Texas A&M Aggies.

March Lock of the Day Record: 1-0
Lock of the Day Streak: W4
Overall Lock of the Day record: 19-7
February Final Record: 18-7

Album Review: Lupe Fiasco's Lasers

One of the most anticipated albums of 2011 in the rap world was Lupe Fiasco's latest studio album "Lasers". This album was supposed to be released months ago but kept getting delayed by his music label Atlantic.

Over the past few months, I've really gotten into Lupe Fiasco and love his style and was anxiously awaiting this album like everyone else. Last night, I finally got my hands on every song and I came away very disappointed as did a lot of Lupe's fanbase. This is an album the casual rap fan is going to love but fans of Lupe Fiasco will come away unhappy with the end result and a lot of it might have to do with his record label who must have really pushed to make this a mainstream album something Lupe Fiasco is not. I've seen comparisons to Kanye West's bust of an album "808's and Heartbreaks" and that might be a perfect comparison to this album. I love "The Cool" and "Food and Liquor" but this album really doesn't even come close to comparing to those two albums.

Here's my quick thoughts on all the songs and what I would rate them out of 5. This is just my 2nd listen to each song so my thoughts might chance after a week or so. I actually thought the bonus songs were better than the songs on the actual album:

Letting Go (Ft. Sarah Green)---Not too bad of a song. Really like the chorus and the instrumental. Not Lupe's best lyrical work though. 3/5

Words I Never Said (Ft. Skylar Grey)---After the first listen to this song when Lupe released it online a few weeks ago, I was digging this song. Now? Not so much. Think Lupe is too preachy in this song and I'm really growing tired of the course. Not to mention I don't agree a lot with Lupe has to say in the song such as the fact that 9/11 was an inside job. Hate people who think this. 2/5

Till I Get There---If only his whole album was like this song. Really digging the instrumental in this song. Not the best lyrics but one of the better songs on this album. 4/5

I Don't Wanna Care Right Now (Ft. MDMA)---Kind of reminds me of Common's Universal Mind Control in a way. Just not a very good song at all. This is one of those songs the casual rap fan will enjoy. 2/5

Out Of My Head (Ft. Trey Songz)---Another song the casual rap fan will enjoy. Again, don't think this is the best song and is very forgettable. 2/5

The Show Goes On---This is the radio song on this album and it actually isn't that bad. Sampled from Modest Mouse's Float On. A lot of Lupe fans aren't fans of this song but I find it okay. 3/5

Beautiful Lasers (Ft. MDMA)---I think this one is just okay. Basically solid everywhere around (chorus, instrumental, lyrics, flow). 3/5

Coming Up (Ft. MDMA)---Another song that reminds me of Food and Liquor and The Cool. 4/5

State Run Radio (Ft. Matt Mahffey)---This is challenging for worst song on the album. Kind of rap and rock mixed together and doesn't work very well to go with a terrible chorus. 1/5

Break The Chain (Ft. Eric Turner & Sway)---Another song probably challenging for worst song of the album. Not a fan of the instrumental and chorus and the flow is pretty weak. 1/5

All Black Everything---Another preachy song and this was actually Lupe's favorite song on the album. Personally, I like this more than Words I Never Said. 3/5

Never Forget You (Ft. John Legend)---Favorite song on the album and if there's a song to take away from Lasers, this is it. John Legend as expected has an amazing hook and I love the instrumental as well as Lupe's lyrics and flow. 5/5

Bonus Songs:
I'm Beaming---If this was on the album as a regular track, it would challenge Never Forget You for my favorite song. The lyrics are very meaningful and it has a good beat. 5/5

Shining Down (ft. Matthew Santos)---Wish we could have a song with these two on the album because they're really a great duo. Have had this song on repeat since I downloaded a few months ago. 4/5

Go To Sleep---Probably my least favorite of the bonus songs but still a very solid song. 3/5

Overall:
Overall, I'd probably give this album a 2/5. Maybe it's just because I anticipated a better album out of Lupe as this really disappointed. There's a few good songs but most of it is pure crap. Hopefully Lupe drops Atlantic and gets back to making his music.

Lasers comes out on March 8th.

My Streak For The Cash Lock Of the Day 3/1/11

Let the new month begin! I finished February with a win by picking the Boston Celtics over the Utah Jazz. It's time to keep that streak going and get a long lock streak for the month of March.

My lock of the day for today is to take the Dallas Mavericks over the Philadelphia 76ers tonight in Philly. Philadelphia has been playing great lately but Dallas has been just as good and has been the hottest team in the NBA. Other picks I like for tonight include taking San Antonio over Memphis (Be aware, Spurs are missing Tony Parker) and taking Missouri over Nebraska.

March Lock of the Day Record: 0-0

Lock of the Day Streak: W3

Overall Lock of the Day record: 18-7

February Final Record: 18-7

My NBA Power Rankings for Week of 2/28/11 and Bulls Power Rankings

Everyone ready for this week's rankings? Well too bad. Here we go.

1. San Antonio Spurs---Just lost Tony Parker for two to four weeks with a calf injury but the Spurs should still hang tough because George Hill is one of the better back-up point guards in the NBA. Only problem? They have the Miami Heat twice during this span.

2. Dallas Mavericks---Hottest team in the NBA right now (has gone 16-1 in their last 17 games). Still not convinced that this team is good enough to win the West this year and make it to the finals and I think they're peaking too early but there's no denying how hot they've been especially with Caron Butler out.

3. Chicago Bulls---The Bulls stumbled out of the gates after the All Star Break with a loss to the Toronto Raptors with Joakim Noah making his return but the Bulls followed that loss off with wins against the Miami Heat and Milwaukee Bucks. The Bulls are looking like a legit championship contender but if they want to go far this year, they need to start winning games on the road. They did a nice job winning in Milwaukee (although there was probably more Bulls fans than Bucks fans there) but they need to keep it going. This week should be a good test for them with Atlanta, Miami, and Orlando coming up for them. I think they'll go 1-2 over this stretch with losses in Miami and Orlando.

4. Boston Celtics---The NBA world is still wondering why the hell the Boston Celtics dealt Kendrick Perkins to the Oklahoma City Thunder. I still don't get it. The Celtics are 6-4 in their last 10 and was in a dogfight with the Clippers last night. I do think the Celtics will eventually get it together and win the East but trading Perkins really opened the door up for the Heat and Bulls to take their crown.

5. Los Angeles Lakers---I think that loss to Cleveland before the All Star Break was a real wake-up call for the Lakers because they've been playing terrific basketball since then. They've won 4 in a row and are quietly gaining momentum.

6. Miami Heat
7. Orlando Magic
8. Oklahoma City Thunder
9. Memphis Grizzlies
10. Portland Trail Blazers
11. Atlanta Hawks
12. Philadelphia 76ers
13. Denver Nuggets
14. New York Knicks
15. New Orleans Hornets
16. Phoenix Suns
17. Houston Rockets
18. Utah Jazz
19. Indiana Pacers
20. Golden State Warriors
21. Charlotte Bobcats
22. Milwaukee Bucks
23. New Jersey Nets
24. Detroit Pistons
25. Los Angeles Clippers
26. Toronto Raptors
27. Sacramento Kings
28. Minnesota Timberwolves
29. Washington Wizards
30. Cleveland Cavaliers

Bulls Power Rankings
John Schuhmann of NBA.com:
1. Spurs
2. Mavericks
3. Bulls

The Bulls opened their post-break schedule with one of their worst defensive games of the season (losing their No. 1 ranking in the process) in Toronto, but responded with their second win over the Heat, thanks to a huge shot from Luol Deng. Joakim Noah grabbed 41 rebounds in his first three games back.

4. Celtics
5. Lakers

Marc Stein of ESPN.com:
1. Spurs
2. Mavericks
3. Bulls

Some reward we get for vaulting the Bulls above Boston to No. 3 last Monday. Hard to focus on Chicago's 8-5 record against the rest of the top six when it gives up 118, in Noah's first game back, to (yikes) Toronto.

4. Celtics
5. Lakers

Dave Del Grande from CBS Sports:
1. Spurs
2. Heat
3. Lakers
4. Celtics
5. Mavericks
6. Bulls

Impact of trade deadline: Negative. They added a future low first-round pick, but the wish list of buyout prospects doesn't change the pecking order in the East: Heat, Celtics, then the rest.

Zac Jackson of Fox Sports:
1. Spurs
2. Bulls

Celebrated their No. 1 ranking last week by welcoming Joakim Noah back to action ... and promptly losing to the Raptors. And blowing up the comment section of these rankings, but that's beside the point. They have lots of pieces, didn't feel they needed to make a trade and beat the Heat last week. They'll be near the top for a while.

3. Celtics
4. Mavericks
5. Heat

John Hollinger's Stupid Computer:
1. Spurs
2. Heat
3. Lakers
4. Bulls
5. Lakers

PAST POWER RANKINGS
2/21/11
2/14/11

My Streak For The Cash Lock Of the Day 2/28/11

Last night, I correctly picked the Purdue Boilermakers beating the Michigan State Spartans on the road on the 2nd to last lock of the day for February.

For my last pick of the month, I'm taking the Boston Celtics on the road at Utah. The Celtics have been struggling recently but so have the Jazz and the Celtics are the better team so pick them. Check back for more picks in the month of March!

Lock of the Day Streak: W2
Lock of the Day record: 17-7

Rasual Butler set to sign with the Bulls

From Ric Bucher:

The Los Angeles Clippers have bought out Rasual Butler, and he plans to sign with the Chicago Bulls, a league source told ESPN The Magazine's Ric Bucher.

Butler must clear waivers before he can sign with the Bulls.

Butler had the best scoring season of his career in 2009-10, averaging 11.9 points and 2.9 rebounds. This season he's averaged 5.0 points and 1.9 rebounds.

Butler is making $2.4 million in the last year of his contract.

Good lord Keith Bogans is better than him. Whatever, better than nothing I guess. Or not?

My Bulls Roster Breakdown

We're 57 games into the regular season with 25 games left to play and the Bulls are already one win away from tying their season total in wins the last two years (finished 41-41 in Rose's first two seasons). While I still think the Bulls needed an upgrade at the deadline at the shooting guard position, they are still in good shape to make a run in April and May. Here is my roster breakdown:


Derrick Rose: What can you say about Derrick Rose this season? He's been spectacular. All the MVP hype that he is getting is well-deserved because he is a huge reason why this team is where they are right now. I actually think Rose's jump shot has declined from last season (obviously he really improved his 3 point shooting from last season but I think his mid-range game is a little worse) yet he's still putting up monster numbers night in and night out. One of the big things Derrick has improved on from last year is his defense. No longer do you see a point guard like Devin Harris in his rookie year lighting the Bulls up. For more on Rose's defense this season, I recommend you take a peek at this blog because it nails what an improvement Rose has made on his defense this season. One of the things I'd like to see work on for the rest of the season is cutting down on the number of turnovers he has. I feel like Derrick has been a little more careless with the ball this season compared to last year but maybe this has to do with adjusting to a new system. Whatever the case, the hype is real folks.


Keith Bogans: First off, I don't hate Keith Bogans as a person. I'm sure Keith is a wonderful man and a model citizen. It's not his fault that Tom Thibodeau is putting him a position to fail. Keith should not be starting as he is not a very good basketball player. His defense is rather overrated and aside from a nice recent stretch, he has shown the inability to knock down the open jumper. I know why Tom is starting Keith though. He likes Ronnie Brewer coming off the bench (as do I) and while Keith isn't that great of a basketball player, the Bulls are 40-17 with him starting. John Paxson and Gar Forman really need to make a move this offseason to bring in a real shooting guard to start. The Bulls are a good starting shooting guard away from being championship favorites in my opinion.


Luol Deng: I've never been a big Luol Deng fan at all but in the last two months, Luol Deng has turned into the 3rd most important players on this team in my opinion ahead of Carlos Boozer and behind Derrick Rose and Joakim Noah. One gripe I had with Luol Deng in the past is he wasn't consistent enough and he'd have one good game and follow it up with a few clunkers. The past two months, Deng has had more good games than bad games. Deng now has a great 3-point game as well as a solid mid-range game and he brings the great defense he's always brought to the table. Only thing I worry about when it comes to Luol Deng is his health. He's played the 3rd most minutes per game in the NBA so far this season and Deng has a history of injury problems. So far this season, Deng has not missed any games and hopefully it continues.


Carlos Boozer: I have a love/hate relationship with Carlos Boozer. Sometimes I love him while others I hate him to death. Carlos Boozer has always been regarded as a lazy defender by fans of the NBA and he sure does show that at some points. But while he isn't the greatest defender in the world, Carlos brings a low post offensive presence that the Bulls have been lacking for years now. One thing that is encouraging when it comes to Boozer is he always seems to step his game up in the playoffs so hopefully this continues this year.


Joakim Noah: Noah has been awesome this season. The only time I had a problem with Noah this season, we later found out that he was playing with a serious injury. Stacey King calls Noah a modern-day Dennis Rodman with an offensive game and while I don't totally agree with this comparison, it's kind of spot on. Noah brings stingy defense and great rebounding and these past two seasons, he's developed a nice offensive game. In his three games back, he hasn't been that great on the offensive end but he'll get back in the groove again. It's really nice to have him back there's no doubt about that.


Ronnie Brewer: My favorite Bull not named Joakim Noah and Derrick Rose. He obviously doesn't have the best offensive game but his defense is so noticeable out there. One of the best steals I've ever seen. It almost feels like Ronnie Brewer does the hard things better than he does the easy things like lay-ups and finishing dunks. There was a report on Friday from KC Johnson of the Chicago Tribune that the Bulls offered him and draft picks to the Grizzlies for OJ Mayo. First off, I don't believe this report for one second because I see it as damage control. All reports say the Bulls rejected a deal involving Taj Gibson and picks to Memphis for OJ Mayo. And the Bulls are stupid if they offered Brewer in the first place because he's so valuable to this team.


Taj Gibson: Taj did a wonderful job starting and filling in for Carlos Boozer when he was out for punching a wal....er tripping over a bag. But ever since he suffered a concussion against the Clippers in December, he's been rather terrible. Taj's jumpshot was solid earlier in the season and throughout his rookie season but since the concussion, he can't make a shot to save his life. Taj still brings stingy defense to the table but it would be nice if he could get an offensive game going again.


Kyle Korver: Kyle Korver was one of my favorite players in the NBA before he signed with the Bulls and I originally loved the signing but Korver has been a little underwhelming here. Korver isn't having as good of a season shooting as he has in past years and he still brings terrible defense to the table. When Korver isn't shooting well, he's worthless out there. But maybe he just needs to take time to adjust to being on a new team and shooting in a new building night in and night out. When Kyle Korver is on, there's no better jumpshooter in the NBA other than Ray Allen.


Omer Asik: Omer Asik has been awesome this season. It's hard to believe the guy is a rookie because he's adjusted to the NBA well. He obviously isn't the best offensive threat out there yet but he's already a great defender and he has seriously impacted games this year. Just take the Miami game on Thursday for example. He didn't take a shot yet finished with a +16 and while the +/- stat isn't always the best way to determine how well a player played on that night in the NBA, the star correctly reflects how well Asik played in that game. He's going to make for a great back-up for Noah for years to come.


CJ Watson: CJ Watson is a very streaky shooter and I feel like when Watson's shot is not on, he's hurting our team out there because he's more of a shooting guard than a point guard. He really doesn't do a good job at running the team. He did have one amazing game earlier in the season when Derrick missed a game in Denver where he went for 33 points out of nowhere.


Kurt Thomas: Kurt Thomas didn't play much at all before Joakim Noah went out with the thumb injury but Kurt filled in for him nicely. Kurt is a great pick and pop player for Rose to dump it off to and while Thomas is the 2nd oldest player in the NBA behind Shaq, he still plays very good defense. With the rise of Omer Asik though and Noah out, Thomas hasn't seen much time if any in the last two games and assuming no more injuries come up, it'll probably stay like this.


Brian Scalabrine: Hard to believe this guy was a rotation player for the first few games of the season because he isn't a good basketball player at all. But he's still a fun guy to have on the team. That's about all I could say about him.


Tom Thibodeau: I was critical of Tom early in the year because he made a few big in-game decisions like keeping Rose out of the New York game in the 4th quarter in November when the Bulls were making a comeback and putting Jon Lucas on the floor in that Denver game in which they lost by 1. Lucas just flew in from Texas earlier in the day after being signed and went on to miss two key free throws. Still hate Lucas to this day because of that. But Tom has really done an amazing job getting this team to play defense despite having bad defenders like Boozer and Korver playing substantial minutes. Tom also did a nice job implanting a system that fit Derrick Rose well unlike Vinny Del Dumbass did in his first two years here. The Bulls are lucky to have a coach like Thibodeau for years to come.

My Streak For the Cash Lock of the Day 2/27/11

Back on the winning track as I took the Bulls over the Bucks last night. Let's finish the month off strong.

My lock of the day for today is to take Purdue over Michigan State. Purdue has plenty of big wins this season and tomorrow should be no different. Another pick I like is to take Xavier over Dayton.

Lock of the Day Streak: W1
Lock of the Day record: 16-7

My Streak For the Cash Lock of the Day 2/26/11

After yesterday's loss by picking Durant points over Howard points, my pick today is take the Chicago Bulls over the Milwaukee Bucks. The Bulls are going to want to get a win on the road after losing to the lowly Raptors the other day so I think this will get us a win.

Lock of the Day Streak: L2
Lock of the Day record: 15-7

My Streak For the Cash Lock of the Day 2/25/11

Yesterday, both of my picks in the NBA lost. The Chicago Bulls beat the Miami Heat and my lock of the day pick the Boston Celtics lost to the Denver Nuggets. Guess I should have waited until after Kendrick Perkins was shipped out to Oklahoma City before making that pick.

Not really a fan of any of the props tonight but I do like taking the "who will score more points" prop between Dwight Howard and Kevin Durant. Take Kevin Durant tonight. You can take that to the bank.

Lock of the Day Streak: L1
Lock of the Day record: 15-6

My Streak for the Cash Lock of the Day 2/24/11

Another win last night for me as the Kansas State Wildcats defeated the Nebraska Cornhuskers tonight extending my streak to 3.

For my lock of the day today, I like the Boston Celtics on the road against the Denver Nuggets. The Celtics are the 2nd best team in the NBA and they are going against a Denver Nuggets team who just lost their superstar a few days ago. This should be an easy win. Another pick I like is the Miami Heat of the Chicago Bulls. The Bulls are coming off a back-to-back and LeBron James who missed the last meeting in Chicago will get the hate in Chicago. LeBron thrives off hate so expect him to have a huge night. I think the Heat will win this by at least 20.

Lock of the Day Streak: W3
Lock of the Day record: 15-5

The Night Before the NBA Trade Deadline

T'was the night before the National Basketball League trade deadline and all through the league, not a creature was stirring, not even David Khan.

This NBA trade deadline is probably going to be more predictable than most years because the major deals seem to have been done already. Monday, Carmelo Anthony was traded to the Knicks and today, Deron Williams was dealt to the New Jersey Nets in an unexpected move.

In terms of the Bulls, they made a minor move yesterday sending James Johnson to the Toronto Raptors for Miami's 1st round pick this year. James Johnson then went on to lead the Raptors to an upset win over the Bulls today. Great timing there. The Bulls are said to be in talks with the Rockets and Grizzlies for OJ Mayo and Courtney Lee. I personally wouldn't go wrong with either player. Think Courtney Lee is a better fit but OJ Mayo has more upside. I think the Bulls do need to make a move though at this point especially since they got that extra pick in the James Johnson trade. Look for a post later tonight as I will be blogging all day about the rumors and trades as they happen from the Bulls and the NBA.

Merry NBA Trade Deadline Day to you all.

My Streak for the Cash Lock of the Day 2/23/11

The Louisville Cardinals beat the Rutgers Scarlet Knights to bring my win streak to 2.

My lock of the day for today is to take the Kansas State Wildcats on the road at the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Not really a fan of any of the props for today but I'm confident a Frank Martin-led team can go into Nebraska and pick up a much-needed win so I'm taking them.

Lock of the Day Streak: W2
Lock of the Day record: 14-5

Bulls Trade James Johnson to the Raptors for Miami 1st Rounder

***Update: According to multiple sources, the Bulls are getting Miami's 2011 1st rounder (acquired in the Bosh sign and trade) from the Raptors***


The Bulls made a blockbuster deal just a few moments ago sending James Johnson to the Toronto Raptors for a 2nd round pick (not what pick exactly, have heard future).

Not a fan of the deal unless this opens up another deal like trading for Houston's Courtney Lee. As far as I understand, this deal opens up enough room where the Bulls can trade picks to the Rockets for Lee and still stay under the cap. Same goes for Anthony Parker who I'm going to punch a wall if we trade for him.

I really do want Courtney Lee though. Think he'd be a perfect fit for this team. Not only does he bring very solid defense but he can hit the open 3 which is something we need. He proved this when he was in Orlando and teams were collapsing on Dwight. He hit open 3 after open 3 and was a huge reason why that Magic team got to the finals. With D Rose and Boozer making defenses collapse on them, this will give Lee the same luxury here.

My MLB Playoffs Prediction

So back on February 13th, I gave you my rousing National League predictions for this season. A week before, I gave you my American League predictions. Today, it's time to tell you who is going to win it all. Yes, that's right. We're not using a computer like PECOTA (who picked the Red Sox to finish 3rd in the AL East this year and the Rays to win 90+ games. I mean what the fuck?). Here we go:

National League:
1. Phillies vs. 3. Cardinals---Phillies win 3-1
2. Rockies vs. 4. Braves---Rockies win 3-2

1. Phillies vs. 2. Rockies---Phillies win 4-1

American League:
1. Red Sox vs. 3. White Sox---Red Sox win 3-1
2. Rangers vs. 4. Yankees---Yankees win 3-2

1. Red Sox vs. 4. Yankees---Red Sox win 4-1

World Series:
Red Sox vs. Phillies---Phillies win 4-2

Congratulations to Philadelphia Phillies fans for not winning the World Series this year because I predicted them to win. Expect the Kansas City Royals to win it this year.

My NBA Power Rankings for the Week of 2/21/11

These rankings are sure to be better than John Hollinger's computer. We hope.

Last Week's Power Rankings

1. San Antonio Spurs---Still the class of the NBA at the All Star Break even with the tough loss to the Bulls in the game going into the break. The Spurs are just a dominant team at home this year holding the best home record in the NBA with a 25-2 mark. Only question I have is if they can stay healthy. If they can, they have to be the favorites in the West to go to the finals even over the Lakers.

2. Boston Celtics---This team just has way too much depth and they have the size that Miami just can't compete with which is going to kill any chance of going to the finals this year for the Miami Heat. Boston has to be heavy favorites to reach the finals again this year and it wouldn't surprise me at all if they got there.

3. Miami Heat---Just can't see this team getting to the finals because of their lack of depth and size. LeBron James and Dwyane Wade are legit MVP contenders but Chris Bosh is going to kill them in the playoffs with his soft play. Their depth is taking a hit too now with Mike Miller leaving a game last week in a wheelchair due to a concussion.

4. Chicago Bulls---The Bulls had two tests in the next two weeks to prove how for real this team actually is. They aced their first test with an impressive win at home over the Spurs in pretty easy fashion with Derrick Rose having the game of his life. Now the Bulls get Joakim Noah back Wednesday for the Toronto game which leads up to their 2nd meeting with the Miami Heat. If the Bulls win this one and D-Wade plays, expect to see them move up to 3rd next week.

5. Dallas Mavericks---Dallas has been on fire these past few weeks and some will argue that they should be ahead of the Bulls right now but I can't do that because the Bulls (with Boozer and Noah missing in each respective game) are 2-0 against Dallas. Dallas is a team some are saying can make it to the finals but I just can't see this happening. I think Dallas has a great team but they aren't good enough to reach the finals this year.

6. Los Angeles Lakers
7. Oklahoma City Thunder
8. Orlando Magic
9. Atlanta Hawks
10. Portland Trail Blazers
11. Memphis Grizzlies
12. Utah Jazz
13. New Orleans Hornets
14. New York Knicks (Carmelo)
15. Denver Nuggets (Carmelo-less)
16. Phoenix Suns
17. Philadelphia 76ers
18. Golden State Warriors
19. Indiana Pacers
20. Houston Rockets
21. Charlotte Bobcats
22. Los Angeles Clippers
23. Milwaukee Bucks
24. Detroit Pistons
25. New Jersey Nets
26. Washington Wizards
27. Toronto Raptors
28. Sacramento Kings
29. Minnesota Timberwolves
30. Cleveland Cavaliers

My Streak For the Cash Lock of the Day 2/22/11

The Iowa State Women's Cyclones beat the Lady Longhorns last night to get me back on the winning track in a day where I didn't really see any good picks.

My lock of the day for today is to take the Louisville Cardinals on the road at Rutgers. Other games I like is Houston over Detroit, Michigan State over Minnesota, and Real Madrid win over Lyon loss or draw.

Lock of the Day Streak: W1
Lock of the Day record: 13-5

Why the Kings should not move to Anaheim

First and foremost, I'm not against the Sacramento Kings moving. While I know the reason why they aren't drawing big crowds is because they've been the joke of the NBA since their playoff days, another reason for this is because Arco Arena is a dump and they need to build a new stadium in Sacramento if they want to stay there. I'm totally against moving the team because of lack of fan support though because Sacramento has been very bad these past seven years and any fanbase would turn on their team and not show up if they have the ownership the KIngs do right now.

I DO NOT want to see the Kings move to Anaheim though. One reason is, why does the Los Angeles area (Anaheim is about 40 minutes from downtown LA) get three teams? Until Blake Griffin landed on the Clippers, nobody paid attention to that team and even with him, Los Angeles is still 85% or more Laker fans. I do have a list of places I'd like to see the Kings move to if they can't build a new stadium.


Seattle---If Seattle gets the green light to build a brand new arena, this needs to be the place that the Kings move to. The NBA not being in Seattle is just a joke because of the history the Sonics had and the passionate fans in the Seattle area. Only question is, would Seattle fans come back and support their team after watching their last team get ripped up and taken away from them?

Las Vegas---Vegas is definitely a tourist destination but the Vegas area is also one of the fastest growing cities in the United States and I definitely think they'd be able to support an NBA team especially with this being their only major Pro team.

St. Louis---St. Louis loves their sports and it's a crime that they don't have a professional NBA team. They have the Scottrade Center there where the Blues play which opened 14 years ago and they have fans that support their sports teams well for a city that isn't as big as some others.

Pittsburgh---Pittsburgh will always be a football town but they just built a new arena for the Pittsburgh Penguins (Consol Energy Center) so they already have this in place. I think Pittsburgh sports fans would take this team in.

Kansas CIty---They have the arena already built (Sprint Center) and they've been trying to lure an NBA team for years now. Kansas City doesn't have a hockey team so this would be the only team playing in this city once the Chiefs' season is over.

My Streak For the Cash Lock of the Day 2/21/11

Last time I pick an All Star Game in Streak for the Cash. The Eastern Conference made a late run last night but the West held on to win giving me yet another loss in the lock of the day.

Today, I'm not a big fan of any of the picks. I guess I'm going to go with Iowa State at home in Women's College Basketball over Texas. Hopefully this gets me back on track.

Lock of the Day Streak: L1
Lock of the Day record: 12-5

My Streak For the Cash Lock of the Day 2/20/11

Yesterday, Blake Griffin won the dunk contest giving me yet another streak. Knew he'd win all along because the NBA wasn't about to let him go in the 1st round and Blake has so many fans, he wouldn't lose in the finals whether deserving or not.

Today, my lock of the day is to take the Eastern Conference All Stars. I normally wouldn't bet on this game but I think the East has such a distinct advantage that I don't see them losing. I also like UCLA on the road at Cal.

Lock of the Day Streak: W1
Lock of the Day record: 12-4

My Streak For the Cash Lock of the Day 2/19/11

Last night, the St. Louis Blues beat the Buffalo Sabres causing me to lose my 2nd lock of the day in 3 days.

Tonight, we're getting back on track. With rumors that he's going to dunk over a car tonight and being a fan vote, take Blake Griffin tonight.

Lock of the Day Streak: L1
Lock of the Day record: 11-4

My Streak For the Cash Lock of the Day 2/18/11

The Dallas Mavericks beat the Phoenix Suns last night getting me back on the winning track.

With no NBA games tonight (other than the Rookie/Sophomore challenge), it makes it a tough day. My lock of the day for today is going to be to take the Buffalo Sabres at home against the St. Louis Blues. Not a fan of taking hockey picks but I think the Sabres should take this and never bet against hockey teams that have a better record at home.

Lock of the Day Streak: W1
Lock of the Day record: 11-3

Album Review: A-1 After School Special

I think I'm going to start reviewing music albums for this blog because I get tired of talking about sports after awhile and music has really become my second passion after sports.

The first album (actually a mixtape) I want to review is A-1's After School Special. I'm sure you're asking yourself "Who is A-1?". Someone tipped me off about this mixtape last week and I gave it a listen and thought it was very interesting. A-1 is a rapper from the Bay Area and while he isn't the best rapper in the world, he makes up for it with one creative album that I wish I would have thought of at least producing before he did.

The whole premise of the mixtape is basically staying home from school because he's "sick" and turns on the television. Every song in this mixtape has an instrumental featuring a TV show from the 90's and it's like a walk down memory lane for me. There's even commercials from the 90's including Light Brites in one of the songs.

One of the reasons why I probably like this mixtape is the great instrumentals and flows that A-1 includes. Again, A-1 isn't the best rapper but he makes up for it with creative ideas. Definitely one of the more creative mixtapes I've ever listened to.

Songs:
The Price is Right---4/5. Really digging this song and the Price is Right theme song actually makes a very good instrumental. Basically the song is about being in the audience during a taping of "The Price is Right" and getting your name called and what it means to him to get to play the game.


Charizard---2/5. This song features the theme song from "Pokemon" and while it's a pretty good instrumental and he has a good flow in this song, the lyrics don't really agree with me. He focuses way more on himself than he does Pokemon which pretty much loses the whole point of the song.


All That!---4/5. Obviously the theme song from the Nickelodeon show "All That!" is featured here and once again, it's another excellent instrumental. Big fan of this song. A-1 basically looks back to the 90's and talks about how it was a much better time back then.


Family Matters---4/5. Features the theme song from "Family Matters". Again, another good instrumental. The lyrics are good as well. Basically a story about how a guy sells weed and drugs and gets caught but in the end, family matters.


Black Ranger---1/5. My least favorite track on the mixtape mainly because I don't like the "Power Rangers" song as an instrumental.


Golden Girls---5/5. Favorite song on the mixtape and completely unexpected that it would include the theme song from "Golden Girls". The theme song of the show actually makes an excellent instrumental for a rap song and I love the lyrics in this as well. Basically it's about going to a party and finding out that everyone there is elderly ladies so not only is it a solid song but there's comedy involved as well.


Reading Rainbow---4/5. Didn't like this song at first but now I'm hooked on this one. Yet another good instrumental and flow from A-1.


Goosebumps---1/5. Not a fan of this one as well mainly because I hate Satan's voice in this and I don't think the "Goosebumps" theme song makes the best instrumental.


Doug (Funnie Bitch)---3/5. Another very good instrumental and love the inclusion of "banging on the trashcan" from one of the Doug episodes. Brought back great memories. Lyrics aren't that great though in this one.


Album Rating: 7/10

Because it's a mixtape, it's free. Download it here. Give this one a shot, I recommend it.

Check back in the next week because I think the next album review will be J. Cole's latest mixtape "Friday Night Lights".

Note to Readers

Hi everyone. Don't think this will be a probably but who knows. Two of my articles that I wrote these past two weeks (NBA Power Rankings and Top 30 Point Guard starters) I wrote for a newsletter in my journalism class. Just want to let this be known. Thanks everyone.

My Streak For The Cash Lock of the Day 2/17/11

My 5 game streak for the cash lock of the day win streak came to a scratching halt as the Bearcats beat the Cardinals last night.

My lock of the day for today to get back on the winning track is to take the Dallas Mavericks on the road at Phoenix. I think Dallas is by far the better team and they should pick up a win. Other games I like tonight include taking Clemson on the road at North Carolina State, Chicago at home against San Antonio, and UCLA on the road at Stanford.

Lock of the Day Streak: L1
Lock of the Day record: 10-3

Coach Q Hospitalized

Wasn't going to post this because this is news from this morning but Yahoo picked it up and put it on their front page (must be a slow news day).

Joel presented severe discomfort late last night at his home in suburban Chicago. He went to the emergency room and was admitted early this morning.
He is currently in stable condition and is being treated for an undisclosed health concern today, not of cardiac nature. Further testing is ongoing and we will provide an update when possible.

Assistant coach Mike Haviland will coach the Hawks tonight. Hopefully this is the spark the Blackhawks need to make a big run into the playoffs. There's no better time to get hot then now and have that momentum carry over into the playoffs. The Blackhawks are a team no higher seed wants to see if they do make it to the playoffs. And get well soon Q.

Cubs hire Keith Moreland to succeed Ron Santo in WGN Radio booth

One of the few things the Cubs have gotten right over the past few years. Today, the Cubs announced that former-Cub and current Texas Longhorn baseball radio analyst Keith Moreland will succeed Ron Santo as the Cubs analyst at WGN Radio.

Moreland has filled in for Bob Brenly on occasion when he is watching his son Michael and I thought he did a great job during those occasions and really loved his knowledge of the game of baseball. He was my favorite out of all the candidates going into this search and I surely didn't want Dave Otto to get the job. Nothing against Dave Otto because he has a great knowledge of the game of baseball but I just find him boring.

My Streak for the Cash Lock Of the Day 2/16/11

Let the good time roll! We have a new longest lock of the day streak as Ohio State won by 10 last night (barely eeked it out!) as our streak is now 5. I'm 10-2 overall for my lock of the day as well. If only my picks other than the lock of the day would work out.

My lock of the day for Wednesday is to take the Louisville Cardinals on the road at Cincinnati. There are a few other picks I like for tomorrow and those include taking Vanderbilt on the road at Georgia, taking Nebraska on the road at Oklahoma, and taking the Blackhawks over the Wild.

Lock of the Day Streak: W5
Lock of the Day record: 10-2

Ozzie Guillen's speech last night

Thought I'd post this. From the Comcast SportsNet Awards last night:

My Streak For The Cash Lock of the Day 2/15/11

I just continue to roll on as the Hawks beat the Pistons in Detroit last night to improve my Lock of the Day record to 9-2 and give me another 4 game win streak.

I feel there aren't very many good props for Tuesday but my Lock of the Day is going to be Ohio State win by double digits. The reason I like this pick is Ohio State is coming off their first loss of the season and they'll be hungry for a big victory. They're also at home and Michigan State hasn't been that great of a team this year. I am usually against going for these "win by single digits/win by double digits" props because they can always go either way but I'm confident in this pick. Another pick I like is New Orleans over Golden State. Golden State has been a real Streak for the Cash killer those these past few weeks so that's why I'm not taking them for my lock of the day.

Current Streak: W1
Lock of the Day Streak: W4
Lock of the Day record: 9-2

Rumor: Cubs will offer Pujols "the A-Rod deal"

According to Jon Heyman's Twitter feed:

one competing baseball exec told me he believes #cubs will offer pujols the a-rod deal ($10 mil, $27.5 mil/yr).....sorry, that should have said 10 yrs, $27.5 mil a yr that cubs will bid on albert, one competing baseball exec predicted

Okay first off, I'll take Albert Pujols. Not going to bitch about offering him that sum of money because he deserves it and if we want to win a World Series, Pujols is a guy you want to build around. One concern I have. Is Albert Pujols really 31 like he claims? I'm worried that like some Dominican players, Pujols has lied about his age to make him seem younger. Definitely a concern for giving this guy a 10 year deal.

Cubs sign Carlos Marmol to a 3-year, $20 Million Extension

From Chicago Breaking Sports:

MESA, Ariz.- The Cubs and closer Carlos Marmol agreed to a three-year deal on Monday, avoiding salary arbitration.

Marmol, 28, was 38 for 43 in save opportunities last year and broke Bruce Sutter's franchise record for relief strikeouts with 138. The deal is for $20 million, including $3.2 million in 2011, $7 million in '12 and $9.8 million in '13.

Good signing. Really like Marmol and when he's throwing strikes, he's one of the best relievers in the game. Just concerned with the type of deal because Jim Hendry handed out another backloaded, no trade clause deal. When will Hendry learn?

And now a montage of Carlos Marmol fistpumping: