2008 Baseball Projections......

If you think knowing that Boston and Oakland are 1-1, Washington being 1 for 1, and Atlanta 0 for 1 is giving me an unfair competitive advantage, leave the room. Everyone else can read on.....

NL East
New York Mets 94-68: Johan Santana's individual season will conjure up memories of Pedro in 1999, Maddux in 1995, and Dr. K in 1985. That good. And I sound totally unbiased here, don't I?? Seriously, there are questions about the bullpen, corner OF's, and frailty, but the Mets are still the most well-rounded team in the Senior Circuit.
Atlanta Braves 88-74: That said, the Braves will provide a challenge for a while. Like the ATL's lineup better than the Phils, don't like the Glavine reunion tour, or any of the other back end pitchers.
Philadelphia Phillies 85-77: We know the infield can hit, watch for Burrell in a contract year. On the other end, watch Brett Myers remind everyone why he was sent to the bullpen, and watch Brad Lidge spend three different stints on the DL.
Washington Nationals 75-87: They won more games(73) than people thought last year, and as frightening as the pitching staff may be, the additions of Dukes and Milledge and the new park should get them a couple more wins.
Florida Marlins 66-96: Market Correction Yr 3 provides the worst results yet. Pitching is battered, I don't expect the bullpen to hold up as well, and expect a drop-off from the Willingham's and Jacobs and Hermida's with no Miguel Cabrera serving as protection.

NL Central
Chicago Cubs 87-75: Fukudome! Means another division title but the 1908 misery continues!
Milwaukee Brewers 85-77: Smart move sending Hall and Braun elsewhere in the field. And Gagne could be in the mix for Comeback Player of Year honors. Now, if they could only pluck some more starting pitching.
Cincinatti Reds 82-80: The sleeper team of 2008. Especially if Joey Votto and Jay Bruce get AB's. And I'm no Dusty Baker fan.
Houston Astros 75-87: Ed Wade essentially trades Lidge for Valverde, which will hike up their win total a bit. He also deals the entire farm system for Miguel Tejada, which will cause a GM vacancy in 2 years.
St Louis Cardinals 72-90: I think we have been waiting for the big Cards free-fall. Wait no more. The pitching staff will have more success batting in the 8 hole than recording outs.
Pittsburgh Pirates 69-93: I actually like their rotation a lot. But who is going to hit when they trade Jason Bay?

NL West
Arizona Diamondbacks 93-69: The one team that can take on the Metsies, especially with the addition of Haren, and the faith that some of the 07 dissapointments(Drew, Upton, Young) will pick it up.
Los Angeles Dodgers 90-72: A lot of faith in predicting a +8 upgrade, but I think Andru Jones becomes the best non-Santana acquisition, and the pitching staff can't be as decimated.
Colorado Rockies 85-77: Thought I would be alone in picking a non-playoff return to Earth for the Rocks, but Vegas has them at 83.5. The rotation got hot last year, it's still not very good.
San Diego Padres 84-78: Another division, and I wouldn't dream of the Pads filling in a 4th place finish. But biggest offensive addition, Jim Edmonds? Come on, Kevin Towers!
San Francisco Giants 61-101: Ladies and gentlemen, the worst team in baseball! And Barry Bonds will be laughing all the way to prison....

AL East
Boston Red Sox 98-64: Clay Bucholz will make people forget about Curt Schilling. That leaves a grand total of ZERO questions for the defending champs.
New York Yankees 91-71: I love Joe Girardi, and I love the lineup. But this is the weakest rotation the Yanks have compiled in years. Trust me, Joba won't be in the pen for the whole year.
Toronto Blue Jays 86-76: A good team with too many questions. Will B.J. Ryan be healthy? Will Vernon Wells perform like a superstar? Will Roy Halladay return to ace status?
Tampa Bay Rays 79-83: I understand the attraction of service time, but sending Evan Longoria down was a gutless move. Especially because TB could be better than 79 wins.
Baltimore Orioles 65-97: I like the direction the organization is going, finally. But they are taking it on the chin this year.

AL Central
Detroit Tigers 95-67: Could be the first team to score 1,000 runs in nearly a decade. And I'm not as concerned about the bullpen, Dombrowski will make a move.
Cleveland Indians 93-69: Can't put them above Detroit. But the concept of that pitching staff plus a resurgent year from Hafner isn't comforting to others.
Chicago White Sox 79-83: No clue what Kenny Williams is doing. Depleting the farm system, trading away the second best pitcher(Garland) and acquiring decent veterans that won't put this team over the top?
Minnesota Twins 75-87: Who's going to pitch with Liriano still not healthy?
Kansas City Royals 72-90: I don't think they are good, but why does KC get ripped for trying to improve the team(Meche, Guillen) and spending money, versus taking the Loria route?

AL West
Los Angeles of Anaheim of California of the U.S. of Planet Earth 88-74: With Escobar potentially out for the year, the Angels have gone from legit contenders to the default crappy division winners.
Oakland A's 82-80: They are a lot better than people think, even without Haren, Swisher and soon Blanton. Gio Gonzalez is a future stud, Daric Barton can hit. Moneyball Pt 17!
Seattle Mariners 81-81: The most overrated team in baseball. Not even close. The lineup is pedestrian at best. Bedard is a great addition, but Felix Hernandez is iffy, the rest of the rotation surprised last year, and the best set-up man is gone.
Texas Rangers 75-87: Allegedly the farm system has produced arms in waiting. I'll believe it when I see it.

NLDS: Mets over Dodgers in 4, D-Backs over Cubs in 3
ALDS: Red Sox over Indians in 5, Tigers over Angels in 4
NLCS: Mets over D-Backs in an epic 7-gamer.....
ALCS: An exhausted Sox team loses to Detroit in 6

World Series: Can't bring myself to pick the Metsies......Tigers in 7

I Love the Final Four!

Thank your lucky stars Davidson didn't beat Kansas yesterday.

Thank your lucky stars that Chalk rules, and this is the inaugural final 4 featuring all No. 1 seeds.

No, I'm not the local curmudgeon that hates Disney underdog stories. What Davidson, excuse me, what Stephan Curry and 11 random names did was remarkable. And I was rooting for them, much of the way. I would have rooted for them had Georgetown not been in my final Four. And of course, I wanted to see Davidson take out boring, lethargic, nauseating Wisconsin in the Sweet 16...By the way, Bo Ryan, don't be afraid to record any big wins one of these days!

But it's a good thing the run stopped there. For the same reasons that the two prior double digit seeds to make the Final Four, LSU(1986) and George Mason(2006) both suffered double digit losses in the semi-finals. There's a major difference between Bill Self and KU having one day to prepare for a team they know very little about, and those Final Four coaches enjoying nearly a week. Give Roy Williams a week and we will all realize the talent disparity. Give Ben Howland a week, and he can probably frustrate Stef Curry more than anyone else.

What we have with North Carolina, Kansas, UCLA and Memphis as the final quartet is the most unpredictable Final Four that I can remember. Would it surprise anybody if any of these schools are cutting down the nets and lip-synching to One Shining Moment? I'll stick with my UCLA pick, because of their ability to defend and score in the post with Love, plus Darren Collison has finally escaped the Witness Protection Program. However, UNC earned the No. 1 overall seed and has done everything to validate that decision thus far. Kansas finally got over the hump, and has the deepest team of the field. And as for Memphis, they've been the best performers in the Tourney, plus they shot 78 percent from the line the last two games. So, you give me the expert analysis on who's going to win?

Different feeling with Davidson in the mix. Great story, but I'd rather have the slipper break than plan for a nap through one of the Final Four games.

The Big Cactus? Try the Big Gerber.....

It doesn't exactly enthrall me to have to open up the Shaq bashing column. After all, the Diesel helped trademark JMPizzle, and said I would be a hell of a rapper. Watch out, Eminem! While I never exactly had a speed dial relationship with Shaq, in my four months of knowing him, he was always friendly and cordial, more so than many of the other players.

That said, Shaq vs. the Heat, in my opinion, emanates from his introductory press conference in Phoenix. Some found it amusing. I thought it was a complete joke. I mean, no matter what happened behind closed doors between Shaq and Riley and the organization, the guy should have been KISSING THE GROUND Pat Riley was walking on, considering the organization got him out of L.A., turned him into a cultural icon, handed him a 100-million contract when O'Neal was way past his prime, built a new chapter to his legacy even when Dwyane Wade was clearly the man on the 2006 team, and then when Shaq was apparently "praying to leave," the Heat trade him to a CONTENDER!

And yet, what's O'Neal's response? Not acknowledging the Heat for 20 minutes, never mentioning Dwyane Wade by name, but going out of his way to heap praise on his former arch-nemesis in Tinseltown, and demeaning the 06 team by saying its not always the most talented, sometimes its the hottest. I mean, yeah thank you very little?

Then, came Shaq's attempts at starting World War III. I mean, these comments speak for themselves:
"We have professionals who know what to do. No one is asking me to play with Chris Quinn or Ricky Davis. I'm actually on a team again."
Wait a second. You are sitting there ripping CHRIS QUINN? CHRIS FREAKING QUINN? A guy who is only in the league because he's busting his ass, knows what to do when he gets his opportunity, never complains, and is the consummate professional. None of those traits, which resemble the Cactus guy out West, either.

Of course, there was the indirect shot at Riley, and even a dart thrown at the training staff, which is headed by Ron Culp, who will retire after his FORTIETH YEAR IN THE LEAGUE! The same guy who was a trainer for the "Dream Team," remember them?

I could continue to sling mud, but let me get to the two overall points you should deduce from this. First, no matter how vicious things may have gotten behind closed doors, its clear that Pat Riley and the Miami Heat have handled Shaq's lamenting in a total first-class manner. Riley publicly put his kahunas to the wall for Shaq, even ripping the media numerous times for suggesting that the Diesel was finished or anything close to that. He began the Shawn Marion press conference by thanking Shaq, one day after getting the cold shoulder from the Ungrateful One. And even yesterday, through defending his players and the coaching staff, Riles overall message: I wish Shaq the best. So all that's happening hear is Shaq further tarnishing his own legacy by making this a one-sided affair, and causing people like me to look at Penny, Kobe, Phil(a ka Benedict Arnold), and now the Heat, and asking hmmm what's the common denominator?

More importantly, here's the second point to keep in mind. Everyone in South Florida seems to be up in arms over Shaq hustling, and Shaq diving into the crowd for loose balls, and Shaq rebounding. Well of course he's going to do that for a while, he's trying to appease his new employer while flipping off his prior one. But just wait until the Suns lose in the first round of the playoffs this year. Wait until they underachieve. The real Shaquille O'Neal will come out. The one that is not Amare's big brother. The one that doesn't dive for loose balls and works hard. The one that instead will label Steve Nash as too old, and blame Mike D'Antoni for not feeding him the ball enough.

Again, this is not a gleeful post on my part. But its official, we have a new nickname to add to Shaq's collection: The Big Gerber. After all, Big Baby is already taken by Glen Davis. And it won't be too long before Glen Davis becomes a better player than Shaquille O'Neal.

American Idol Final 10 Recap

Ok, I had to sprinkle in the baseball notes to keep the man card active on the blogs. It's starting to bend into three different pieces, but the card is still intact. BARELY. It will probably disintegrate at the conclusion of this post.

Since, I'm already going to you know where, lets proceed how the final 10 of Idol will be reduced to nine.

Two overall points before the individual breakdown:
1. Songs from the year you were born doesn't scream out must see or originality, but thank you for moving off the Beatles. And I love the Fab Four. Problem is the contestants didn't.
2. There is a new Idol to beat. It's not even close. Read below.

Ramiele: Heart "Alone"
Thoughts: I thought the night began with a big stinkbomb. Ok, yes Ramiele has decent vocals which are more noticible as the heel size shrinks. But, when you do a song that produced Carrie Underwood's win in Season 4, and pale in comparison, it's a bad move. This song totally ate Ramiele up.
Standing: Ramiele's escaped Bottom 3 treatment despite two lackluster performances thus far. I'll be shocked if she's not in the Bottom 3 this week. And considering Amanda recieved the Kiss of Death by going first, an elimination could be in order.

Jason: Sting "Fragile"
Thoughts: I like the Police, but had never heard this song before tonight. I came off thinking the song needs immediate I-Pod treatment. Notice I said song and not Jason's performance.
Standing: He's moving into Amanda territory for me. Has an original quality to him, but not very remarkable overall. And you saw where that got the Rock N Roll Nurse last week.

Syesha: Stephanie Mills "If I Were Your Woman"
Thoughts: Syesha is definately the diva remaining in the field. Unfortunately, while her voice is good, it's not Jordan Sparks good. Tonight was a perfect example. Probably the best vocal performance Syesha is capabale of, but still fell short of greatness.
Standing: The judges lauded it and said Syesha is now a dark horse. I suspect she's safe this week, but I don't see her as someone to beat.

Chikeze: Luther Vandross "If Only For One Night"
Thoughts: It was a little too old fashioned and corny for my taste. What's ridiculous though is Chikeze got ripped for being too "ecletic" last week, and when he goes back to his roots, it earns a panning. That would make sense if this were Sanjiya, but Chikeze has talent.
Standing: Like most of the other early entries, a less than stellar effort early on is a recipe for a disaster. I don't think the water under Chikeze is boiling as much as it is for a couple others though.

Brooke: The Police "Every Breath You Take"
Thoughts: Could not agree with Randy and Simon more. The first half, featuring only Brooke and the piano was excellent. Once the band came in, it became totally ordinary.
Standing: Still, unless I'm underestimating the Syesha fan club, she's the most popular chick in the bunch. But its looking more and more like a guy is winning it this year.

Michael: Queen "We Will Rock You/We Are the Champions"
Thoughts: It's about freaking time!! And I don't think Mr. Johns has been as bad as the judges. But here was a performance that while total intimation, showed off the powerful voice, and Michael's personality.
Standing: He'll be back next week, and in better standing. The question is, can Michael knock a non-Queen song out of the park?

Carly: Bonnie Tyler "Total Eclipse of the Heart"
Thoughts: I have no clue what Randy and Simon were listening to. I thought Carly was not only dead-on with a very difficult song to sing, but she outdid the original at the end. As good as her "Come Together" from Week one.
Standing: Carly should be the one to beat amongst the ladies. Amazingly, she's coming off bottom 3 honors. However, I chalk that up to an awful song choice. She's fine this week.

David A: John Farnam "You're the Voice"
Thoughts: Ok, it's clear to me that the major thing David has going for him is the teenage girl vote. This was a grossly miscalculated song choice, compounded by the fact that David has virtually zero personality on stage, and while his voice can be great, lacks the range of at least 2-3 other contestants.
Standing: He's not getting voted off yet. But when we have already seen Carly land in the Bottom 3, I would not be shocked at all to see David Archuletta there tomorrow.

Kristy Lee: Lee Greenwood "God Bless the USA"
Thoughts: I can tell the bloggers are already throwing up amongst themselves. But considering that Kristy Lee is squeaking by-obviously due to the country vote-this was a pretty smart move, no matter how lame the performance was.
Standing: And it was certainly not the worst of the night. That along with her second to last standing in the song order could actually translate into a non-Bottom 3 finish.

David Cook: Michael Jackson "Billie Jean"
Thoughts: And I use David's full name here. Why? Because in less than three months, David Cook will be the next American Idol. WOW! Don't mean to go crazy with the superlatives, but that was one of the best performances in Idol history. And as far as creatives, it actually outdid Blake Lewis's beatboxing "You Give Love a Bad Name," which single-handedly got him a runner-up finish.
Standing: In all seriousness, even if you don't want to hand D.C. the crown, how can you not tag him the one to beat?

Conclusion: David Cook has taken the reigns from little David. And Michael Johns, and according to some people(not me) Syesha have submitted themselves as dark horses. As for the bottom 3, I've got Ramiele and Jason making their debuts there. And I'm gonna show some major guts, and predict that Archuletta's fan club is not as big as we think, and he will be a big surprise in the Bottom 3.
That said, David won't be voted off this week. And I suspect Ramiele has enough of a following to survive another week. Which means, adios Jason.

Quick Baseball Hits.....

I'll post the expansive preview later this week, but a couple of notes leading up to it....

-The Marlins are probably going to be really, really bad this year. Like worse than 71 wins bad. If you don't believe me, then consider the fact that Mark Hendrickson is the Fish's counter to Johan Santana. Yes, that Mark Hendrickson that used to defend Michael Jordan, but has a career 43-55 record with an ERA above 5. Yikes!

-It's way premature to draw finite conclusions to Jose Canseco's possible revelation via a fifth party that Alex Rodriguez may have been introduced to a PED supplier(although the court of public opinion has probably sentenced A-Rod to lethal injection!) That being said, would anyone be FLOORED if I told you that A-Rod juiced? Remember, this is the STEROID ERA, not the HANDFUL OF PLAYERS JUICED ERA.

Quick Panthers Hit....

As I get ready for the Hurricanes likely one and done in the NCAA Tournament(hate the matchup....)

I'm surprised with the overall hostility regarding the Florida Panthers this morning(and yes, I'm blogging on the Panthers). Dave Hyde called the "Cats" a tease in his Sun-Sentinel column following yesterday's 2-1 shootout loss with Carolina. One radio host drew the comparison of his first shall we say sexual partner.
Look, I think this organization has done a very spotty job over the last several years. That includes the deplorable trade of Luongo, the brain dead decision to re-hire Mike Keenan, and constantly getting outbid for free agents they desperately need, plus choosing to let the Olli Jokinen situation linger on forever.
But let's put last night in perspective, the Panthers played even hockey for 65 minutes against a better team, and lost in a shootout. I mean, yeah a Southeast Division title is a pipe dream, but that wasn't gonna happen anyway. But the Panthers pick up a point, and with 14 games left, being three points South of No. 8 is not a terrible place to be. And with all the vitriol spit out today, you would think that number stayed at four.

American Idol-Final 11 Recap

Two observations before I get to the individual notes....
1. I may be playing the result, but back to back Beatles weeks was a BIG mistake. Every contestant was born well after the Beatles broke up, and it's clear most of them weren't big fans/not familiar. So in a show in which all the judges talk about smart song choices and finding your niche, it's a Catch-22.
2. I'm on board with Simon 90 percent of the time, but every year he has one episode where he's a real ass......this fit the profile. And Paula as always, on queludes.

-Oh yeah, and in honor of Chikeze apparently not having a last name, I will now use just first names, or in the case of David's, have nicknames attached. Too bad Stripper David is finito already!

Amanda- "Back in the USSR"
Thoughts: What a shock, another manic, bluesy, half decent, half karaoke performance from Amanda. Actually this one was 100 percent karaoke, unlike last week where she at least infused her own spin on the Beatles. I've never been a huge Amanda proponent, but she needs to seriously branch out.
Standing: Safe as far as being eliminated this week(the on-deck hitter took care of that). However, her going first may lead to a foray into the Bottom 3. Either way, as I stated before, her time is running short unless she can show range, which I don't think she has.

Kristi Lee- "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away"
Thoughts: Ok, before I begin the slicing and dicing, it already should lead to a bottom 3 when you admit you've never heard of a popular Beatles Song. I mean, we're not talking about Octopus Garden or anything. That said, I actually thought this was WORSE than last week. Last week was horrendous because of the overblown country arrangement and the idea of butchering "Eight Days a Week", but at least she had fun. This week, Kristi Lee looked like a sick child in need of healing at some church. Wow, that was wrong!
Standing: She's been second to last what, 19 weeks in a row? Misery over. She's done. Finished! Finito! Out!

Now we know everyone is safe, but here we go....

Heartthrob David-"Long and Winding Road"
Thoughts: He's baaaaaack! And yet, is anyone surprised?? I'm not willing to annoit him the surefire winner again after last week's meltdown, but I think we all knew he would come back and, like John Goodman says in Big Lebowski, be in his element. Wouldn't concur with Simon calling it a master class, but it was probably the best performance of the night.
Standing: He's back to No. 1, altho there is a very slim margin between him and Carly. Still, I think David will need to show his youth in order to win.

Michael-"A Day in the Life"
Thoughts: The greatest Beatles song ever......and completely unperformable on Idol for so many reasons. I've thought Michael in weeks past was better than the judges, but he crapped all over himself this week.
Standing: He's gone from being in the middle of the pack with star potential to probably the next guy to go.

Brooke- "Here Comes the Sun"
Thoughts: I've been a huge Brooke fan-to the point of anointing her the favorite last week. But god, did she annoy me this week. The yellow dress, the dancing, the woo, the sunshine, and then the self-deprecating comments while Simon was ripping her....Yep, it's her first misstep.
Standing: That said, I don't think this really hurts her in the long run. She and Carly are the 2 best females, and number one will be decided in subsequent weeks.

Rocker David-"Day Tripper"
Thoughts: It's fair to say he's getting a bit predictable, but it was still a hell of a performance once again. And the talking guitar was awesome! I don't think it's fair to expect someone to totally change every single week, and David has shown with the Lionel Richie song that he can do other genre's and make them unique work.
Standing: Maybe Seacrest will grow some balls and use the talking guitar to say, "you're safe."

Carly-"Blackbird"
Thoughts: It's not the most challenging or best song choice, but Carly still did a hell of a job. And when Brooke stumbled, she certainly rose to the occasion.
Standing: In the long run, I think Carly is starting to acquire personality and likability points, which she will ABSOLUTELY need in order to have a shot at winning.

Jason-"Michelle"
Thoughts: I'll just turn it over to the sound effects machine...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Standing: I may have to rescind the Michael Johns will be the next guy offed here. Both are in trouble, after Kristi Lee goes.

Syesha-"Yesterday"
Thoughts: I thought she had the biggest week, going from Bottom 3 to now someone that could make Paris Bennett like waves and last a while. Her voice is outstanding, and if she can cross over from Diva material like she did here, watch out.
Standing: That said, Syesha's performance only guaranteed a one-week reprieve. There's not much wiggle room if she struggles again, or is mediocre like Week 1.

Chikeze-"I've Just Seen a Face"
Thoughts: I didn't really care for the performance, but in Mr. No Last Name's defense, it's not his fault the performance was gimmicky. Do any of the esteemed musical experts know the original song? It starts out slow, goes fast all of a sudden, and features a harmonica.
Standing: Either way, I actually think Chikeze is picking up more fans with this performance and unseating Amanda in the fun, original category.

Ramiele- "I Should Have Known Better"
Thoughts: Didn't notice the performance as much as her heels. Did you see those pumps?? My god, they make stilettos look like sandals. Maybe she was going for the hooker look. The song was so-so, better than last week, didn't pay off being the finale.
Standing: She was my pick to go last week, and stayed above the Bottom 3, so its obvious the Miramar Girl has a fan base. Therefore, she should be OK.

NCAA Tourney Overview.....

First off, sorry for the week long hiatus. Captain Pneumonia(as opposed to Captain Planet) is to blame. Cant tell you how fun hot tea, soup, crackers, and sleep interrupted every 30 min is! I should be back on the air Friday, for those of you curious.

Now, to the more relevant issue for the masses. I'm mustering enough stretch to sneak in the Big Dance preview and Idol recap before the expiration date hits. We'll start with college hoops, or as Chris "Mad Dog" Russo says, college pumpkins. I don't want to turn in my man card yet with back to back Idol entries.

Here's a disclaimer before we get started. Because of the Heat schedule, I've watched maybe 10 college basketball games in their entirety. I lied. It's part due to the Heat, and part because college basketball, outside of the purity, has become a lousy sport to watch. I can dedicate an entire entry to this another time, but its become a three-point shootout with less and less coaching. You would think Craig Hodges is the president of the NCAA's....Point is as I hop off the soapbox, much of the prognostication is guesswork, which is what happens when the cleaning lady or soccer mom wins every year.

1st Round Upsets: Winthrop over Wash State, Temple over Mich State as the obligatory 5-12, San Diego over UCONN
Big Seeds that Could Go Down Early: Duke(2nd round), Wisconsin(2nd round), Kansas will be the first No. 1 seed ousted.
Dangerous Teams: Clemson, USC, Xavier, West Virginia
Final Four: UNC, UCLA, Stanford, Georgetown

Championship: There's no Florida to kick em out this time. This time, UCLA won't be denied. 69-65 they beat North Carolina to win the title and there's Love in the Air!
-I just wrote Jim Nantz's final call.......

American Idol Recap- Final 12

While this blog is mostly sports related, I am taking a hiatus to post about something I'm comfortable enough with my sexuality to admit---American Idol is appointment viewing in this corner!

With this shaping up to be one of the better final 12's, this season should be very interesting. And while I'm not promising a weekly recap(I may need to refrain a couple weeks to retain my man card), I'll try to review as much as possible.

Here are my thoughts on yesterday's Beatles episode........

Syesha Mercado "Got To Get You into My Life"

Thoughts: It was the typical first performance by a mediocre performer. Nice vocals, she has a strong voice, but still was forgettable and karaoke-ish

Her Standing: She could be in trouble tonight, but there were a couple of performances much worse. Still, I'd be surprised if she's not one of the first three or four knocked off.

Chikeze "She's A Woman"

Thoughts: Everyone seems to be labeling this "his arrival", but I thought the wanna be Ruben Studdard has been strong every week except the first. Showed some versatility rocking out.

His Standing: Apparently, Chikeze was the odds on favorite for dismissal leading up to the show, so he'll last longer than the initial prognosis. I think he's probably in the middle of the pack.

Ramiele Malubay "In My Life"

Thoughts: ZZZZZZZ....Her free passes from Week 1 have officially worn off.

Her Standing: This was more boring versus Kristi Lee who was flat out abhorrent, but I think country chick has more of a fan base. Therefore, I think it's sayonarra for Miramar's finest(maybe not singing, but in another department:)

Jason Castro "If I Fell"

Thoughts: The vocals were good, the guitar added to the performance, but he's still known as the Jamiroquai looking guy more than Jason Castro.

His Standing: He'll last the first few rounds when the subpar performers get eliminated. After that, he's in trouble.

Carly Smithson "Come Together"

Thoughts: Awesome! Simon was not off-base comparing her to Kelly Clarkson. The best performance of the night.

Her Standing: For all intents and purposes, I think Carly is the best singer. However, like Katherine McPhee, she's gonna have to overcome others being more likable. She's still at least in the final 4 though, barring a disaster.

David Cook "Elenor Rigby"

Thoughts: A very Chris Daughtry-esque rock performance. Which means he knocked it out of the park.

His Standing: From the beggining, DC has been my dark horse pick. Depending on whether Archuletta isn't who we thought he was(Denny Green style), David may be the guy to beat.

Brooke White "Let It Be"

Thoughts: I agree with a synopsis I saw elsewhere online. This is the type of song where if you screw up one note, then you are done. She didn't screw up once.

Her Standing: She has the looks, the vulnerability(the one Paula says that makes sense-everything else she looks like she's on Queludes), the range, and the voice. I don't want to overreact about the great closing chokejob(see below), but I think she's the favorite.

David Hernandez "I Saw Her Standing There"

Thoughts: His voice is good enough to make big missteps in song choice seem tolerable at least. But this was a pretty bad misstep.

Will He Be Standing There: If a guy is in the bottom 3, it will be him. I think he survives this week, but unless he pulls another "Papa Was a Rolling Stone" out of his ass, it's back to the male strip club soon Mr. Hernandez!

Amanda Overmyer "You Can't Do That"

Thoughts: I don't get her at all. Yes, she's the male counterpart to Taylor Hicks in terms of looks. Yes, she's different than most contestants. But every song sounds the same: Manic, Unintelligable in parts, and not very good.

Her Standing: Of course most of America, and the judges seem to disagree. So mark her in the Scott Savol, Anthony Federov, Bucky Covington, and of course Sanjaya category as those who don't win, but go much farther than they should.

Michael Johns "Across the Universe"

Thoughts: I agree with Simon that Johns has the capability to knock a song out of the park and hasn't, but this was a much better performance than the mediocre reviews. Showed some range.

His Standing: Here's how much better this year's field is then last year. If this were Season 6, Michael Johns replaces Blake Lewis in the final 2. However, I think he's the fourth best guy behind Archuletta, Cook, and Chikeze.

Kristy Lee Cook "Eight Days a Week"

Thoughts: The ultimate mute performance. She's amazing to look at. This sounded like nails on a chalkboard. Honestly, one of the worst regular Idol performances ever.

Her Standing: A vast majority are predicting her to go home, and she should. But, she was bland throughout the first three weeks, when there were other hot singers getting eliminated. So she's developed enough of a fan base. Her fan base will vote in drones to try and save her. I think she lasts another week, but that's it.

David Archuletta "We Can Work it Out"

Thoughts: Some have suggested this was one of Idol's worst performances in a long time. That's being ridiculous. But talk about vomiting all over yourself with a chance to sew up the title this week!

His Standing: I'm counting on him rebounding big next week and retaining his spot as one of the favorites. But is he the one to beat still?? My money is on Brooke because I could see David faltering again down the road.

The Rams Did WHAT???

The NFL ward of dysfunctionality has quite a few patients.

Of course, the hospital is drenched in silver and black, with Al Davis the de facto Nurse Rachette. Then there are the Lions and Cardinals, who are close to being on the Raiders level, but have shown enough progress to being possibly ticketed for an exit.

Then there are the Dolphins and Bills, which while they are far from the most competently run franchises, seem victimized more by bad luck. And finally its a credit to Daniel Snyder that the Redskins make this list in spite of being a playoff team more often than not.

Well, after today's signing of Trent Green, I'm ready to place the St Louis Rams on the list. Georgia Frontiere, god rest her soul, was messed up. The front office had interior squabbles. Mike Martz was, well Mike Martz. And Scott Linehan somehow gets retained in spite of fighting with virtually every offensive skill position player. So the Rams were moving in the crazy team direction.

But signing Ol Man Trent to a 3-YEAR deal vaults them over the top. 3 YEARS!! And 9 million dollars, 3 mil of it guaranteed(including 900K if he makes the roster). Granted, Green is probably earning a pink slip after this year, but what the hell makes anyone think Trent Green can still play?? The fact that no doctor cleared him for months? The fact that a sneeze could produce concussion number 3? The fact that he's been a turnover machine in the limited time he's played over the last two years, thanks to his arm being shot? The fact that Brett Favre has donated some of his gray hair to Green?

Oh, and by the way, the Rams starter is Mark Bulger, who's missed chunks of two of the last three seasons. So, don't be buying the we only brought Trent in for leadership vows.

St Louis Rams, welcome to Suckville! You are one less team Mercury Morris has to worry about.

This Week on the Radio.....

Ok, now that we've been active for over a week, time to dip into whoredom a little bit.

Here is where you can catch me this week....

Tues 3/11-Calling UM-Penn State baseball on ACCSelect.com w Jim Grieshaber 7 PM
Wed 3/12-Pre/Half/Post Heat-Knicks on NewsRadio 610 WIOD and the Heat Basketball Network 7 PM
Thur 3/13- Heat Magazine on NewsRadio 610 WIOD 8 PM
Fri 3/14- Pre/Half/Post Heat-Magic on NewsRadio 610 WIOD and the Heat Basketball Network 7 PM
Sun 3/16- Sunday Sports Page w Steve Politziner ESPN Radio 760 10 AM
Sun 3/16-Pre/Half/Post Heat-Mavericks on NewsRadio 610 WIOD, Heat Basketball Network 5:30 PM

-I'm also trying to figure out a way to post audio highlights/interviews...should have that up soon!

NBA=No Balls Association

Utah Jazz guard Kyle Korver....I love this game!

Heat Notes

A couple of issues circulating around the Miami Heat as we get ready for the homestretch of their most disappointing season ever....

Pat Riley hinted towards a likely couple-game reprieve from the Heat. Not to send a grandiose message. Not to undergo more surgeries. But to view select conference tournaments(me thinking the Big 12, Big 10 and maybe a little Conference USA). With the Heat hopefully destined for the No. 1 pick(and that doesn't mean by way of worst record), Riles wants to scout the Beasley's, Rose's, and Gordon's for himself.

That said, because it's spontaneous, unpredictable Pat Riley, this has sounded the alarms off on the conspiracy theorists. Is this a prelude towards Pat Riley's exit? Does he want to give Eric Spoelstra a trial run? Is handling both the coach and team president jobs finally too much?

I don't think it's any of those. I think you have to take Riles at his word.

First off, there's no point in disguising any desire to leave the seat, if that's what Riley wanted to do. Many people around basketball think there's a strong chance he's relocating upstairs after this year anyways, so who would be caught off-guard? And as much as he may feel responsible to reconstruct the franchise, he's already delivered a championship and doesn't owe the fans a shred more. So, if he wanted to take the rest of the year off, or let Spoelstra or someone else handle the reigns with Big Brother watching, he would do it. The fact that he's not stepping away means it's not related.

Besides, much like the Dolphins couldn't give a fair and balanced assessment to John Beck(now I sound like Fox News) considering the stench that permeated the Fins roster, how could you realistically assess a coaching performance with 24 games left and your team winning under the Mendoza Line? At least when Stan Van Gundy took over, he had a whole season and zero expectations.

Most importantly, though, Pat's premise makes sense. Yes, it's unusual for a coach to skip out for a few games to scout college players, but most coaches don't hold dual roles anymore. And most teams aren't on pace for 16-win seasons with a player of the caliber of Dwyane Wade. Speaking of which, Riley's only other time with a high lottery pick in his career was 2003, which landed him the Flash. It's even more important that they hit the bulls eye with this pick.

I'm not saying this proves Pat Riley is in it for the long haul, or even a certainty to rule the bench in 2008-2009. I'm just saying don't think one event is related to another.

And then, there's the Dwyane Wade shut it down question, which is just getting beyond annoying. I know the season is about ping pong balls now, and I know that DWade is not 100 percent. But those who suggest that Pat Riley should shut Wade down are missing one important factor.

Pat Riley won't be making the final decision here. Neither will Micky Arison. And neither will trainer Ron Culp. It's Dwyane's decision! Just like DWade made the call to when he would come back in the first place. Just like DWade made the call to put off surgery last year. Just like DWade will make the call whether to play in the Olympics.

Trust me on this one folks, it's my job to cover this team. The Heat are trying to appease Wade, as they should, to make it a slam dunk to resign him after 2010. So if numero tres wants to keep logging minutes, that's what's going to happen. And Wade's made it abundantly clear that he's not about pulling the plug right now. For the same reasons Kobe doesn't want to go under the knife. Their teams may be in different places, but their competitive drives are on the same wavelength.

And besides, I'm not a doctor, and I didn't stay at a Holiday Inn Express, so I don't know what the healthier option is. I can tell you though, that Wade's numbers are significantly better with 0-1 days rest this year(27.8 pts) than with 2 or more days of rest(17.2). And I had an orthopedic surgeon on my show last year that said athletes shouldn't always go for procedures because the risks are extremely high. So it's not as clear cut as it seems.

Bottom line is, whether you think Wade should be playing or lounging, calling for Pat Riley to shut him down is a plea falling on deaf ears. You are gonna have to tell the subject to shut himself down.

Favre Thoughts......

My take on the "Announcement of the Century," Brett Favre hanging them up......

-Fox Sports' Jay Glazer reports that Favre told recently re-signed Pats wideout Randy Moss that he'd be willing play MULTIPLE years if Moss came to the Packers. Then less than 24 hours after the ink dries on Moss's new pact with New England, Favre calls it quits. Coincidence? Me think not!

-On that topic, Favre gives full illustration why athletes in most circumstances should not mess with the player personnel side(You hear, Isiah?) Yes, Randy Moss is the most supremely gifted athlete after to reel in passes, but we are talking about a Green Bay receiving corps that led the NFL in yards after catch. According to the Minneapolis-Star Tribune, Pack wideouts accumulated 2,294 yards after the catch. League average? 1,596. Translation: While Favre compiled a mind-boggling season for a 38-year old QB(just compare him to Trent Green), guys like Donald Driver, Greg Jennings, James Jones and Donald Lee boosted his performance level from good to near-MVP like.

So why would the Green Bay Packers, a team in the middle of the NFL in cap room, waste most of their resources on Randy Moss? It would be one thing if the only draw at Lambeau was the ageless wonder. But GM Ted Thompson, who could inexplicably be on the hot seat due to the collective Favre man-crush of the Cheese State, knows that the defense and skill players around Favre had as much to do, if not more, with Green Bay going 13-3.

-Terrell Owens demerits: Calling out his quarterback, being a threat to split up locker rooms, asking for a trade, and doing push-ups in front of TV cameras.

-Brett Favre demerits: Calling out his receiver, being a threat to split up the GB locker room, reportedly asking for a trade before this year, and holding the annual "Gee Golly ESPN, I just don't know whether I want to play" fest.

Are their resumes really that different?

-OK, enough tearing into the annoyances of Favre. He's still No. 5 on my list of the greatest quarterbacks ever, trailing Montana, Brady, Elway, and Peyton. I can't unequivocally say that the Unitas's of the world shouldn't be on this list, although I'm skeptical how they would perform against today's monsters.

I can say though, as a Dolphin fan, that Brett Favre has the edge on Dan Marino everyplace. Favre has the numbers(yards, attempts, completions, TD's), has a Super Bowl ring, fewer weapons(this year aside, the only near-great receiver he played with was Sterling Sharpe), played better in his elder years, and battled worse weather conditions. You tell me where Marino has a leg to stand on?

-There are still two dramatic events yet to unfold: The teary Favre press conference, which I'm 75 percent sure will happen, and the ensuing press conference that Fav-rah will join another team, which I'm 40-50 percent sure will happen.

Keep this in Mind While Watching Idol.....

If you haven't seen it yet, here's the TMZ article on Idol wanna-be David Hernandez, part of the final 16 on this year's American Idol. Only he may not be strutting his stuff for just the ladies. Read below....

Every "American Idol" seems to have a skin scandal, and this year's involves pretty guy David Hernandez, a gay strip club, and a big trove of half-nude pics of David tending bar.

Hernandez worked as a bartender at a gay club and the saucy snaps of that gig have landed on VoteForTheWorst.com. And today, the manager of a strip club called Dick's Cabaret in Phoenix. tells the AP that Hernandez performed fully nude and did lap dances for the mostly male clientele at Dick's -- and "made good money" to boot.

No word if he'll face the fate of Season Three's Frenchie Davis. FOX tells TMZ, "We don't comment on the personal lives of the show participants."

Editors Note: The two best things that can happen tonight are David celebrating 80's night by crooning out to a little George Michael. And Simon Cowell reviewing the performance as "something someone would hear at a male strip club!"

Kapono Stat....

I'll have more on the two sides of Brett Fav-rah later today....

Meanwhile, great job by Dave Feschuk of the Toronto Star pointing this out. Since winning the three-point shootout, former Heat guard and Toronto Raptor Jason Kapono has nailed....ready for this.....ONE three-pointer. In 3 attempts. And if he doesn't hit one tonight, Kapono will have gone a dozen games without a three.

In total, Kapono has 50 treys this season, 27 less than the much maligned Ricky Davis, and 18 less than the equally as maligned Jason Williams.

It's clear that while the Miami Heat made some misteps this past offseason, failing to match Toronto's 4 yr, 24 mil deal for Kapono was not one of them.

Baseball Injuries.....

Just curious: What would you rather tell your entourage?

You are A.J. Burnett, and you tore your fingernail slamming it on a car door.

Or you are Felix Pie, and your range in the outfield is affected by your twisted testicles.

Jason Taylor Idea......

As is the case with much of the content that will be featured on this blog, I have absorbed as much Jason Taylor vs. Bill Parcells vs. Irresponsible Journalists(of which there are some, Jason Cole NOT being one of them) to put my head on a swivel. And to pluck out the facet of the Will they or Won't they Say Adios to JT that hasn't been covered.

Before I get into that, for the record, I'm on Jason Cole's side on this story. Considering he broke the Parcells and the Fins have mutual interest in each other story, his sources are obviously RELIABLE. Plus, we've seen enough lying in South Florida to not give high and mighty figures the benefit of the doubt. Now, that's not to say every time there's smoke, there's fire. But for every Stan Van Gundy that's telling the truth, or Joe Girardi that's getting screwed, there are 12 Nick Saban "I'm not going to be the Alabama coach." And considering Parcells seems to have banished GM Jeff Ireland from public speaking for being too truthful to the media following the "We're Open for Business exclamation," you know who's sandbox the Big Tuna plays in. And it wasn't created by George Washington or Abe Lincoln. Or A.C. Green.

Now, to the less obvious. As a Dolphins fan, I'm an advocate of fully rebuilding, which means dealing your aging veterans that carry value. Which means, thanks JT for 11 years of being the greatest Dolphin defender ever(dont start crying Nick Buoniconti), and watching him wear another uni in 2008. Except the ladies who will watch him on Dancing with the Stars first. I'm also a fan of exploring ridding yourself of a No. 1 pick, and thus acquiring more picks.

Which means I'm a really big fan of packaging Jason Taylor and a No. 1 pick in a trade and seeing what you can get.

Think about it. If Parcells is inclined to get certain younger, cornerstone players(Ocho Cinco comes to mind), plus more picks, this would be the ticket. Or if the Fins want to pull off the closest thing to a Hershel Walker/Ricky Williams raid in an era where the Draft is extremely valued, this is the ticket. And if you are going to sever ties with J.T., and if you're not appeased enough by the Long boys earning 30 mil dollars, then why not maximize your value.

Below are a few teams that could be interested in talking deals. Let me know what you think of these.....

Bengals-Besides Chad being a desirable commodity, the Bungles are starving for D-Line help after Justin Smith leaves and Shawn Rodgers nixes them. Last check, JT didn't punch any cops either.

Browns-They don't have picks till the 4th round this year, so this would be stockpiling for 2009 picks. However, for those Fins fans who still want Brady Quinn........

Titans-Albert Haynesworth was franchised this year...Does Parcells favor 26-year old space eaters over 34-year old elite rushers?

Cowboys-DE or 3-4 linebacker is not necessarily a need. But they are the lone team with 2 first rounders, and the Fins may or may not have had conversations about Marion Barber and those picks. JT and Zach together would be a feel-good story.

Eagles-Need to upgrade front four after Samuel signing. And Donovan McNabb is in his final year.

Vikings-Maybe in need of ends more than anyone in football. Fins would have to land a load of picks, but keep in mind Rick Speilman is on the other line.