Super 7

Posted by Mike Giardi May 10, 2008 at 8:03 pm

Time for another edition as I wait on this 8:18 Celts/Cavs start.

1) Is there any way LeBron doesn’t go crazy tonight? I kept waiting for it in Game 1. Then again in Game 2. And I’ll be sitting here in sports row tonight wondering when…I repeat…”when” it will happen. I have that much confidence in that guy, even if he’s done less than nothing in this series.

2) How do Red Sox fans feel about Julio Lugo? Check out Sonsofsamhorn.com. When word filtered out that he would miss tonight’s game with a mild concussion, the jokes started flying. I laughed out loud…repeatedly. Check it out, on game threads.

3) Orlando just gakked away a shot at evening their series with Detroit. Up 15 points in the third quarter, the Magic fell apart. No way should Dwight Howard be that quiet. He should be unguardable. That’s not always the case. Maybe its just being a kid. Or maybe he’s got David Robinson disease ( I know. I know. He’s a Hall of Famer, but he wouldn’t have won jack squat without Tim Duncan). But it shouldn’t be happening.  Magic coach Stan Van Gundy is ready to strangle him. Please, no P.J. Carlesimo/Latrell Sprewell jokes.

4) Kevin Youkilis is absolutely on fire. He is now tied for the A.L. lead in home runs (as of early this evening). Who’s running alongside Youk? Hint: a prison, a Husky and an Italian town (answer below).

5) Who’s more frustrating to watch? Dice-K or Lester? I can’t decide, although I’d probably lean to Matsuzaka. He has the stuff - at times - to be great. But most hitters will tell you its not there from AB to AB, let alone game to game.

6) Paps may have blown two straight saves, but the Sox are so settled at that spot. Look at the disasters across baseball this season. Eric Gagne (we knew that was coming), Jason Isringhausen, Huston Street, Trevor Hoffman, Manny Corpas. On and on the list goes. Having that money performer in the pen is the difference between playoffs and no playoffs. Simple as that.

7) Did anyone catch the Sports Illustrated article on Matt Ryan a couple of weeks ago? Peter King penned the piece, and there are some suspect quotes from Ryan’s new teammates in Atlanta. Makes me wonder if its gonna work there. If I’m part of that new brass for the Falcons, I’m purging my team of every Mike Vick supporter. Heck, the guy ruined your season, and screwed up your franchise. Standing by him now only makes you look stupid, not disloyal.

Answer to the A.L. HR Leaders: Carlos Quentin, Carlos Pena and Mike Napoli. What a trio that is!

Super 7

Posted by Mike Giardi April 29, 2008 at 2:25 pm

Just getting ready to head off to Celtics practice. This should be interesting. To the “Super 7.”

1) All this talk about possible suspensions, and I neglected to mention two things that I found annoying and concerning about the Green team. Both revolve around Paul Pierce. Didn’t he learn his lesson from that Indiana playoff meltdown a few seasons ago? He went over the top in Game’s 3 loss. I won’t speculate on the nature of his gesture. Only Paul really knows what he was doing there. But bottom line is, he let his emotion get the best of him, and it didn’t help matters.

As for the other Pierce related issue, the man’s back is bothering him. He rarely attacked the basket, and that is a sure sign. That certainly complicates matters as we head into tomorrow’s Game 5.

2) Who knows how well Jerod Maro and Shawn Crable adapt to pro ball and to the complicated Bill Belichick defensive system, but the one thing that really stands out to me, is that both were incredibly productive collegiate players at elite schools. I hate combine warriors, so I think these two get a moderate thumbs up. I can’t give ‘em any better than that in April.

3) I wonder if we’re seeing the end of Mike Timlin. His numbers are frightening at this point, but then again, didn’t we feel that way last year? And the year before? If history has taught us anything with this guy, is that he is awfully resilient. Can he still be that way at 42? If he can’t, Craig Hansen will get another crack, and probably sooner than later.

4) Imagine how the San Francisco Giants feel right now? Barry Zito and his 126-million dollar deal to the bullpen. That signing was dicey at the time, and now it looks like it could be one of the worst in baseball history, rivaling Mike Hampton, Kevin Brown, Darren Dreifort and Denny Neagle.

5) I would appreciate Doc Rivers giving James Posey a chance to guard Joe Johnson.

6)  I think Matt Ryan can have success in Atlanta, but only if the franchise has hired the right coach. If Mike Smith is a mistake, then Ryan will have to start from scratch. That’s the QB killer. Ryan also goes into a situation where his receivers aren’t even average, and cut their best target, tight end Alge Crumpler. Actually, Matty Ice is used to that. He played with a suspect group at BC.

7) Mike Jordan hiring the ancient Larry Brown to coach his Bobcats. Jordan was a great player. Maybe the best of all-time. But he’s been no more of a success in his next career as Isiah Thomas has, and Ike gets killed for it.

Your Lying Eyes

Posted by Mike Giardi April 25, 2008 at 9:21 am

If anyone sits here today and tells you they know who the Patriots will pick in tomorrow’s NFL draft, they’re either a) lying or b) guessing. I mean, how often have we decided that the Pats need linebacker and secondary help in the last few years? And how many times have the Pats ignored what “we” think and done their own thing? That’s pretty much the way business gets taken care of down in Foxboro, and its why the Pats have not only been a power for this entire decade, but one of the best franchises at the crapshoot that takes place in New York this weekend.

Maybe guards and tight ends and defensive tackles aren’t sexy picks, capable of stealing headlines and making the pundits gush, but that’s what’s allowed the Pats to build a consistent program. If the rest of the NFL would take notice, maybe the Pats wouldn’t go 16-0 as they did a season ago, or win 3 Super Bowls in 4 years

We’re already hearing numerous scenarios where some brain-dead organization is trying to trade up into the Top-5 or Top-10 for a Glenn Dorsey or Matt Ryan. All I can say to those GMs is you’d better be right, or you’ll set the franchise back 5 years and cost the Coaching Staff their jobs, and cost you yours as well.

For instance, on the Dorsey front, here’s a player that has been removed from some teams draft boards because of concerns about his lower leg injury. Doesn’t that seem absurd, then, to trade up and pay 25/30 million guaranteed for a physical question mark? Oh yeah, if he becomes a Pro Bowler for a half-dozen years, the GM’s that passed on Dorsey will forever have that as a blackmark against their name, but if he fails…build the man/men a statue.

The Pats go in with the 7th pick, but want out. I am certain they’ll get out for 80% of the value of that selection, just to save money and accumulate more choices. That allows for greater flexibility, and perhaps the chance to find those hidden gems, guys like Koppen and Samuel, mid-rounders who have given you first-round value.

What will they pick later in the opening round? Time to put my best guess on it. There’s a fair amount of corners in this draft who share similar overall grades, and there’s also a couple of “O” linemen who could push Kazcur and Neal and - who knows - maybe even Light. Its not the primary area of need - despite what happened in the Super Bowl - but its where the foundation can be laid for future success. That’s something no team has done better than the Pats. I don’t expect that to change now.

Mock Draft 3.0

Posted by Randolph Charlotin April 24, 2008 at 12:05 am

If you’re scratching your head, asking, “3.0? What about a first edition?” I can understand. My previous two mocks were posted on my personal blog (I’ll leave a link behind if you’re curious).

I’ll keep it simple for now. Picks 1-31 are listed below with a short explanation:

1. Miami Dolphins – OT Jake Long, Michigan
The ‘Fins opt for an O-line anchor for the next decade

2. St. Louis Rams – DE Chris Long, Virginia
This pick doesn’t change because 33-year-old DE Leonard Little started seven games and had just one of the team’s 31 sacks

3. Atlanta Falcons – DT Glenn Dorsey, LSU
Don’t like Matt Ryan this early. Will draft a QB later

4. Oakland Raiders – DE Vernon Gholston, Ohio State
Sacks look cooler than stopping the run

5. Kansas City Chiefs– QB Matt Ryan, Boston College
KC takes the best player available, unless the right trade offer comes along

6. New York Jets – RB Darren McFadden, Arkansas
Incumbent RB Thomas Jones hits the magical age of 30 in August. Time to get his replacement

7. New England Patriots – LB Keith Rivers, USC
He can play inside or outside and the Patriots love versatile players

8. Baltimore Ravens – CB Mike Jenkins, South Florida
He’s a notch below the top rated corner, but has the size the Ravens prefer

9. Cincinnati Bengals – DT Sedrick Ellis, USC
If the Bengals do convert to a 3-4, Ellis should be able to handle playing DE

10. New Orleans Saints – CB Leodis McKelvin, Troy State
The secondary really needs reinforcements.

11. Buffalo Bills – WR Devin Thomas, Michigan State
The Bills love one-year wonders. Remember QB Rob Johnson?

12. Denver Broncos – OT Ryan Clady, Boise State
The retirement of Matt Lepsis means Denver needs an eventual starter for the O-line

13. Carolina Panthers – DE Derrick Harvey, Florida
23 sacks as a team last year and Mike Rucker just hung up his cleats

14. Chicago Bears – RB Rashard Mendenhall, Illinois
They made a mistake with RB Cedric Benson. Hopefully this would fix the error

15. Detroit Lions – OG Branden Alberts, Virginia
A running back would be nice, but one won’t go far without holes to run through

16. Arizona Cardinals – CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, Tennessee State
He would be the third young corner added to a budding secondary

17. Kansas City Chiefs – DE Calais Campbell, Miami
So basically KC trades a guy who averaged almost eleven sacks a season for an unknown commodity. They better be right

18. Houston Texans – DE Phillip Merling, Clemson
Could be the final piece of a young and hungry defensive line

19. Philadelphia Eagles – OT Jeff Otah, Pittsburgh
Bookend tackles Jon Runyan and William Thomas are wearing out

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – WR Malcom Kelly, Oklahoma
There will be a two-to-one receiver-to-QB ratio during training camp

21. Washington Redskins – WR Limas Sweed, Texas
Using this pick to trade for a productive receiver hasn’t worked so they draft one

22. Dallas Cowboys – RB Felix Jones, Arkansas
If CB Adam Jones is reinstated, it clears the path to draft a different Jones

23. Pittsburgh Steelers – LB Jerod Mayo, Tennessee
12-year veteran ILB James Farrior gets an understudy to mold into his replacement

24. Tennessee Titans – DE Lawrence Jackson, USC
There would be no pass rush unless they add players that can get to the QB

25. Seattle Seahawks – WR James Hardy, Indiana
He’s a big target that can be groomed by 13-year vet Bobby Engram, who’s time is running out

26. Jacksonville Jaguars – RB Jonathan Stewart, Oregon
The Jags get an early jump to find Fred Taylor’s successor

27. San Diego Chargers –CB Aquib Talib, Kansas
The combined wingspan on this secondary would cover the field

28. Dallas Cowboys – S Kenny Phillips, Miami
He won’t be a liability in pass coverage like Roy Williams

29. San Francisco 49ers – LB Quentin Groves, Auburn
Minor heart surgery won’t deter the Niners from nabbing the fast pass rusher

30. Green Bay Packers – CB Brandon Flowers, Virginia Tech
Both Charles Woodson and Al Harris are getting up in age

31. New York Giants – LB Curtis Lofton, Oklahoma
The Mathias Kiwanuka as a LB experiment comes to an end

http://www.newenglandpatriotsnews.com/randolphc/weblog/1284.html

Masterson to start tomorrow

Posted by Extra Bases April 23, 2008 at 11:38 pm

Justin Masterson will be brought up from Double A Portland to start tomorrow's game, since Jon Lester made tonight's emergency start.

Celtics beat Hawks 96-77 to go up 2-0 in series

Posted by Boston.com -- Boston Celtics news April 23, 2008 at 11:00 pm Kevin Garnett had 19 points and 10 rebounds, and Rajon Rondo added 12 points, eight assists and six rebounds to lead Boston to a 96-77 victory over Atlanta on Wednesday night and a 2-0 lead in the first-round series.