Twins Update: Not going according to plan

Well, the Twins just finished up a 3-game set at Detroit, and they got swept in an embarrasing manner, losing the games by a combined score of 33-1. 33-1. It's hard to fathom. I realize the Tigers are a lot better this year than in year's past, but this shouldn't happen. The Twins now stand at 9-15, 8 games out of first. When you are 3-12 on the road, this is what generally tends to happen.

It's easy to point at the pitching (especially Brad Radke, Carlos Silva, and Kyle Lohse) as the source of these problems. After all, the Twins 6.23 team ERA is by far the worst in the MLB at this point (I never thought I'd be saying that at the start of the year). Among qualifying pitchers, Radke and Silva are last in the AL in ERA. But if you only look at pitching you don't know that they are only scoring a shade over 4 runs a game. The .694 OPS they have as a team is second worst in the AL above only (sic) Kansas City. All around, things are very depressing right now.

Looking ahead, the Twins have a 2 game set (at home) with the Mariners today and tomorrow, a 2 game set (at home) with the Royals after that, and then 3 games at home against the Tigers. They better think about going 4-3 or 5-2, especially because these games are at home, or they may dig themselves a hole too big to crawl out of.

Bold Predictions from the NFL Draft

Just some lists and other stuff featuring my bold (and not so bold predictions)

QBs - Best Career
1. Jay Cutler
2. Matt Leinart
3. Kellen Clemens
4. Vince Young
5. Tarvaris Jackson

RB - Best Rookie Year
1. Reggie Bush
2. Joseph Addai
3. Laurence Maroney
4. LenDale White
5. DeAngelo Williams

Return Specialists - Best Career
1. Jeremy Bloom
2. Devin Hester
3. Willie Reid

Defense - Most Sacks as a Rookie
1. Kamerion Wimbley
2. Mario Williams
3. Ernie Sims
4. Manny Lawson

Most Receptions as a Rookie
1. Vernon Davis
2. Santonio Holmes
3. Chad Jackson
4. Greg Jennings

ESPN Personalities Most Likely to have their Head Explode
1. Mel Kiper Jr.
2. Michael Irvin
3. Merril Hoge
4. Chris Mortenson/Tom Jackson (sitting at a table with Irvin, Kiper, and Berman)

Guy who watched too much of the draft
1. Me

NFL Draft Day 1 Recap

It was a long grueling day, spent with a lot more NFL Draft watching than was necessary. It was up and down as a Vikings fan... thought there might have been a chance Cutler fell, then it looked like LenDale White would have a shot at falling in round 2, etc. Anyway, here's my best and worsts from the day presented with some seemingly random titles.

Vikings Draft Grade - B-. In the first round, I was hoping for Cutler, Sims, or Greenway. Cutler and Sims were gone, and the Vikings took Greenway, so I'm happy there. In round 2, when White started to slip, I was hoping the Vikings would move up to take him, but they didn't. I was sure they would take Kellen Clemens from Oregon at #48, which I was totally on board with. He's got a good arm, he's mobile, he's accurate, and I was getting legitimately excited about him. They passed on him to take Cedric Griffin, a guy they probably could have had at #51. Then Clemens was picked #49. At pick 51, I kinda didn't know what I was hoping for anymore, but I knew that it wasn't a Center from New Mexico who most were projecting as a 5th rounder, but that's what they got. I've since become more optimistic about it, since Cook can probably play G or T, but still, it was disappointing. Then they traded both of their 3rd rounders to move up and get Tavaris Jackson from Alabama St. I don't know a lot about him, but I like what I hear. He's got a big arm, his accuracy has been improving, and he's atheletic. Ron Jaworski (more on him later) was raving about him. Phil Simms had this to say:

But there was one quarterback I saw, albeit very briefly, who really caught my eye. I saw two throws made by Alabama State quarterback Tavaris Jackson, and I was really impressed. Then I saw a few more throws from him on NFL Network from his workout at the combine, and to say I was intrigued is an understatement. Wow!

It looked big-time. Not just okay or good. What little I saw looked big-time. Then I found out a little bit about him. He started out at Arkansas and transferred to Alabama State because he was going to sit behind Matt Jones and Arkansas wanted him to switch positions. So he was good enough to be recruited by a Division I-A school and he must be a good athlete if they were willing to move him to another position.

Jackson has good size, he's muscular, and has a fluid throwing motion, very fluid. He looked natural. We'll see what happens.

All in all, about worthy of a B-.

ESPN Guy I like the most - Ron Jaworski. I think he really knows his stuff, at least on the offensive players. He seems like he watches a lot of tape, knows the ins and outs of playing QB, and is easy to listen to. Of all the ESPN football experts, he's my favorite.

ESPN Guy I like the least - Merril Hoge. I swear, there is not one prospect Hoge likes. Listening to Hoge talk about Vince Young, I'm actually surprised the guy won any games in college. And that pink shirt, well, not so much Merril.

Team Whose Decisions I liked the least - Houston Texans. It's not that they didn't get good players, because they did. But I thought they could have done so much better. I already wrote my thoughts about passing on Bush. Then, in round 2, with a terrible OL that has basically been a sieve since the team came into existence, Winston Justice, considered by many the 2nd best OL in the draft, falls into their lap... and they pass on him to take Demeco Ryans. They partly rectified that with a nice pick of Eric Winston in round 3, but I'd take Bush and Justice over Williams and Ryan.

Best Day 1 - I think Philly, New England, and the Jets had the best day 1. Philly got Brodrick Bunkley, very possibly the best DT in the draft at pick 14, and then traded up to get Winston Justice, who they were considering in round 1, with the 39th pick. New England got Maroney, my #3 back, but a very talented back that should fit them well in round 1, and then traded up to get Chad Jackson, either the best or 2nd best WR in the draft. Very solid picks there. The Jets solidified their line by not succumbing to the more popular pick of Matt Leinart and going with D'Brickashaw Ferguson, the best sure thing in the draft, and then taking C Eric Mangold with their 2nd pick in round 1. In round 2, they traded up to get the 4th best QB in the draft in Kellen Clemens. In round 3 they got a LB Anthony Schelegel from Ohio St. that is another very solid football player. Got to like what Eric Mangini and Co. did with their first draft.

Best Trades - Denver moving up to get Jay Cutler and Pittsburgh moving up to get Santonio Holmes. I really like Cutler, and I think he's the 2nd best QB in this draft, with maybe the potential to be the best. Great pickup for the Broncos. As for the Steel Curtain, they moved up to get their man at WR to replace Randle El. I like Jackson a little more than Holmes, but Holmes should be a very good WR.

Biggest 1st Round Steal - RB Joseph Addai, Indy at #30. I really like Addai, he's quick, he has good vision, and he can catch the ball out of the backfield. I think Indy will be able to plug him in right away and he'll be able to replace most of what they lost from The Edge.

Biggest 1st Round Bust - QB Vince Young, Tennessee #3. Given time (read: a couple of years to sit on the bench) I think he'll be good. But I don't think he'll be given enough time, and he is nowhere near ready right now. He has bad mechanics, he has no experience in a pro-style offense, etc. The tools are there, he has a strong arm and he's super athletic, but I really didn't like this pick for the Titans. I thought they'd be much better off reuniting Norm Chow with Matt Leinart.

Note: I wanted to take John McCargo who was picked by the Bills, but that seemed a little too easy.

Biggest 2nd Round Steal - RB LenDale White, Tennessee #45. I really don't know how he fell this far. Did teams not watch him play? He's had some bad workouts, and his attitude may not be great, but he's still an extremely productive football player. I think he'll be a very good RB for the Titans, which is why I was really hoping the Vikings would trade up for him. Honorable mention goes to Kellen Clemens, who I think will be very good in this league.

Biggest 2nd Round Bust - CB Davin Hester, Chicago Bears #57. I know he's very explosive and can be a great return man, but he doesn't really have a position, and he wasn't good enough to start on his college team last year. He's elusive as anyone in the draft, but I don't think he'll ever be anymore than a return man, and I think they could have gotten something more in round 2.

Biggest 3rd Round Steal - WR Maurice Stovall, Tampa Bay Bucs #90. He's had some trouble with his hands, but he's very tall, has decent speed, and really has improved. He feel further than I thought he would, and I think eventually he'll be a productive #2 WR in the NFL. Nice value pick here.

Biggest 3rd Round Bust - QB Brodie Croyle, Kansas City Chiefs #85. Hard to call a 3rd round pick a bust, but I can't see Croyle developing into a starter in the NFL. He's small, he's a little inconsistent, and he's a little fragile. I was very glad the Vikings bypassed him, because I'm really not high on him at all. We'll see.

Leinart's Folly? Knowing When to Say When

Had USC quarterback Matt Leinart declared for the 2005 NFL Draft, it is widely-presumed that he would have been the first overall selection, with the San Francisco 49ers taking him instead of Utah quarterback Alex Smith. In that alternative history, Leinart would have signed for at least what Smith received (6 years, $49.5 million, including a $24 million signing bonus, which is guaranteed money).

But instead, Leinart chose to stay for a fifth year at USC, which had just won a national championship. He reasoned his decision on how much he loved it at USC and the opportunity to win another Heisman Trophy. Many fans praised him for his loyalty. Plus, having grown up in the middle class Californian community of Santa Ana, Leinart may not have had the same immediate financial demands that many similarly-situated players have (although, other than location, I don't know of Leinart's particular upbringing).

Today, while watching the 2006 NFL Draft on ESPN, I watched an increasingly-dejected Matt Leinart sitting in the "Green Room," staring away in disgust as other players were selected ahead of him. ESPN might as well have called it the "Matt Leinart Cam," since it devoted more attention to his reaction than to reaction of those players selected ahead of him. Even worse, Chris Berman & friends had a field day commiserating over Leinart's plight, especially when the Tennessee Titans--whose offensive coordinator, Norm Chow, coached Leinart at USC--took Vince Young instead. And then there was Suzy Kolbern's awkward interview with Leinart's obviously-dispirited agent, Tom Condon, who repeatedly spoke of "getting it over with." The whole escapade may have made for compelling TV and good ratings, but it was done at the expense of a 22-year old and his family. And it lasted until Leinart was chosen 10th overall by the Arizona Cardinals, some 100 minutes after the draft began. But the humilation didn't end there: as ESPN's national audience watched, Leinart then had to answer Kolbern's uncomfortable, skeptical questions about why he may have dropped so far in the draft.

But more than embarrassment, Leinart lost a lot of money. Instead of signing at least a $50 million contract with a $24 million signing bonus, Leinart projects to earn slightly more than what the 10th pick from the 2005 Draft, Mike Williams, signed for ($13.5 million and a signing bonus of about $1.5 million). Plus, instead of playing in San Francisco, where his endorsement income might have been extraordinary, he now goes to a more obscure setting in Arizona. And instead of playing for the storied 49ers and following in the footsteps of Joe Montana and Steve Young, Leinart will instead play for the Cardinals, which have had one of the worst yearly attendance records in the NFL and do not enjoy an inspiring history from which to draw. One might also argue that Leinart's pro career will be one year shorter, although that is speculative for a number of reasons.

Now, I'm sure Matt Leinart enjoyed his last year at USC. He was the proverbial Big Man on Campus, and since he only took one class (ballroom dancing), he undoubtedly had a lot of time to enjoy that status. He also hung out with A-List celebrities and allegedly dated Alyssa Milano. Donald Trump even took a personal interest in him, and Nick Lachey wanted to be his roomate. So life was probably quite good, and he therefore did obtain "value" in a subjective sense by remaining in school.

But was it worth a $40 million difference in contract value, and perhaps $23 million in guaranteed signing bonus money? And was it worth his star falling so hard and so publicly in today's draft? And was it worth passing up an opportunity to play in San Francisco? I'm as much of a fan of Alyssa Milano as any guy, and I'm sure it would be cool to hang out with Jim Carey and Muhammad Ali, but . . . Matt Leinart gave up a lot today.

NBA Recap

What a night of basketball! This was college basketball style... we had two games going on at one time, what a novel concept! But the best thing was that all the games were tight and came to the wire... let's jump right in.

- The Cavs bounced back from their loss with a 97-96 win, although they had a little help, namely in the refs deciding to let LeBron take as many steps as he needed for the final play. But hey, I'm not complaining. It was still a great shot for "The King, which followed Arenas' hoop and the harm that put the Wiz up 1. On the ensuing possession, Arenas got a great look that just rimmed out. LeBron finished with 41 points, 5 boards, and 3 assists (although the assists were low because no one on Cleveland could make a shot). Arenas led Washington with 34, as Arenas and LeBron combined to score 31 of the 51 4th quarter points. A great game to watch.

We were also treated to an unbelievable pass from LeBron... got his man up in the air, stepped through, and then through a bullet to Zydrunas who finished with a layup.

The one other thing about this game, and it doesn't really relate to the game per se, is how solid Mike Tirico is in the booth along with "Snapper" Jones. Just really enjoyable to listen to. I really think Tirico will be excellent next year as the PBP for Monday Night Football.

One intriguing subplot here was how much Eddie Jordan resembled my depiction of a vampire. All black, hair slicked back, it was very creepy.

- In game 2, the Kings officially made it a series with a buzzer-beating win against San Antonio, 94-93. Ron Artest scored 22 points, grabbed 12 rebounds, hit big shots down the stretch, and held Manu Ginobili to 8 points and 7 turnovers. Uh yeah, good to have you back Ron. Tim Duncan was superb for the Spurs, with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and 6 blocks.

Play of the night goes to Kevin Martin, who's acrobatic finish over Tim Duncan as time expired kept this thing from going to 3-0. After the game, Jim Gray asked him how this game felt as compared to Game 2. That's journalism at its finest.

- The nightcap featured the balanced Lakers against the Suns, and the Lakers really controlled tempo throughout, although the Suns kept it close until the end. Lakers pulled it out 99-92. I'm really liking my Lakers pick more and more, although now I'm even starting to wonder if the Suns can extend it 7. Over the past two games, the Lakers have been the better defensive team, more efficient offensive team, and they look more composed and balanced out there then Phoenix. Lamar Odom (15 points, 17 rebounds) is playing like a man possessed, and they are getting great balance. All 5 starters scored in double figures, and Kobe was actually the last of them to reach it.

The Suns are just having lots of trouble stopping the big men down low, and as a result they are not able to get into their fast break that often, and as they are showing, they are not that good in the half-court game. Shawn Marion has just not been effective this series, and if Phoenix is going to win, he needs to play a lot better.

As a final side note, please ESPN, don't have Bill Walton commentate Luke Walton's games. I beg of you.

Texans reach agreement with Mario Williams

It appears that the Texans have reached a deal with 'Super Mario' (has that nickname jumped the shark already?) making him the #1 pick in the NFL Draft. This of course, means that Reggie Bush is still out there.

You can quote me on this: Houston is making a big mistake. Don't get me wrong, Williams is a heck of a player, and most years, he's worthy of the #1 pick. But not in a draft with Reggie Bush. I think Bush is too explosive to pass... he's great running, catching, or in special teams. Len Pasquerelli, who I like, agrees, calling it a "Texans Sized Mistake."

When you are as a team as bad as the Texans have been, you need to make solid football decisions, and eschewing a playmaker such as Bush, who will have an immediate impact on the league, in favor of a guy still in his gestation period is a dubious call at best.

I understand that the Texans want to build a great defense, but I just can't reason passing up Bush. Michael Irvin gets a lot of flack, but I thought he said something that made good sense. One way you can make a defense better is to keep them off the field. If you can build a great offense (with the Texans would have the making of with Carr-Bush-Johnson) it can force the other team to be 1-dimensional, or keep them off the field for longer periods of time.

Anyway, we'll see how this plays out obviously in the years to come. For now, count me in the crowd that thinks Houston is making a big mistake.

SPANISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE - ROUND 35 PREVIEW

Spanish Football´s National League returns in full forcethis weekend with it´s usual combinations of fantasticmatches. I could have picked any of the 000s of picturesavailable but I have picked these two. Why?1. I´m an Atletico de Madrid follower & it´s been awhile that I have´nt put a pic on the site.2. If Osasuna win Real Madrid they will overtake Real 3rdspot & further push them into crisis.3.

SPANISH FOOTBALL & SPORTS. WEEKEND PREVIEW & NEWS

Spanish Sports & sportsman are on a roll thisweekend in various catagories & we have quite abit here to preview. Lets begin with a FootballFlash.(as)Atletico de Madrid has surprised everyone by signingArgentine 17 yr old AGUERO ( Pictured) for 8 seasonsfrom Independiente. Villareal was on his trail, butAtletico managed to secure his signature. This adds toother signings:Rosicky( from Borrusia

SEVILLE FC - SCHALKE 04: SEVILLE MAKES HISTORY & REACHES THE UEFA CUP FINAL

Seville FC has added another chapter in Spanish FootballHistory by reaching the Final of the UEFA Cup afterdefeating 1-0 German side Schalke 04 in extra time. (VIDEO OF GOAL BELOW - end of this page)(AS)The match was a heart attack affair with action at bothends of the pitch. There was plenty of chances for bothteams & after 90mins of normal time the deadlock couldonly be broken with extra time ,

DePaul Sports Law Symposium

The 2006 Annual Sports Law Symposium will be be held tomorrow at DePaul University College of Law in Chicago. It will be hosted by the DePaul Journal of Sports Law and Contemporary Problems. I am happy to be speaking at the Syompsium, and here is the speakers' schedule:

• Morning Panel 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Legal Issues Surrounding Professional Sports Venues

MODERATOR

Robert Buch, Seyfarth & Shaw

Panelists:

G. Kevin Conwick, Holme Roberts & Owens

Adam Klein, Katten Muchin Rosenman

Frank Mayer III, Buchanan & Ingersoll

• Afternoon Panel 1:30 p.m. – 3:30 p.m.

An Examination of Recent Collective Bargaining Agreements in Professional Sports

MODERATOR

Lester Munson, Legal Analyst and Writer for Sports Illustrated

Panelists:

Dennis Cordell, Former Counsel for NFL Coaches Association and President of Coaches, Inc.

Michael McCann, Law Professor at Mississippi College School of Law, member of Maurice Clarett's Legal Team, contributor to the Sports Law Blog

Robert McCormick, Law Professor at Michigan State University, member of Maurice Clarett's Legal Team

Alan Milstein, Sherman Silverstein Kohl Rose & Podolsky, member of the Maurice Clarett Legal Team

Michael Wall, Chief Legal Officer for Delaware North Companies, Inc - Boston and Boston Bruins

• Breakout Sessions 12:45 p.m. – 1:15 p.m.

Anatomy of a Stadium Deal: Frank Mayer III

Breaking Into the Industry: G. Kevin Conwick, Dennis Cordell, Michael Wall

Hosting Public Golf Tournaments: Robert Markionni, Chicago District Golf Association

Thanks to Nick Wurth, Symposium Editor of the DePaul Journal of Sports Law and Contemporary Problems, for organizing this event.

2006 NFL Mock Draft

Sure, everyone and their mother has made a mock draft at this point. I've even seen another blogger do an NBA Mock Draft already (which was cool). But, well, I'm a sucker for conformity, and I've been writing a lot about the NBA lately, so it's time to mix it up. Feel free to make fun of me when somehow all of my picks are wrong.

1. Houstan Texas - RB Reggue Bush (USC)
Players like Mario Williams or D'Brickashaw Ferguson are probably better fits for their needs, but I don't see how they can pass on Reggie Bush. In my opinion, he's the best RB in the draft, the best pass-catcher in the draft, and the best punt returner in the draft. With a talent like this, there's no way the Texas can or should pass on Reggie Bush.

2. New Orleans Saints - DE Mario Williams (NC State)
After they signed Drew Brees, they don't really have a need for a QB, although Matt Leinart is still an option. I see them going with Mario Williams here, a guy that has been compared to the late, great Reggie White. While that's a bit lofty, he is extremely athletic and should be very good.

3. Tennessee Titans - QB Matt Leinart (USC)
There's been rumors that the Titans favor Vince Young, who is more in the mold of Steve "Air" McNair, but I think they'll reunite Norm Chow and Leinart. In my opinion, Leinart is the best and most polished QB prospect in the draft, and I think this should be a relatively easy decision for the Titans. We'll see.

4. New York Jets - OL D'Brickashaw Ferguson (Virginia)
Vince Young would obviously be a tempting pick here, but with the Jets already with Chad Pennington and Patrick Ramsey, D'Brickashaw is the safe pick. Their Line was not good at all this year, and by all accounts Ferguson is a beast of a man, and that's pretty good, I think.

5. Green Bay Packers - LB A.J. Hawk (Ohio St.)
The best LB in the draft, and really just a stud at that position. If Ferguson and Williams are already off the board (and it seems they will be), this should be a very easy pick for the Pack. He can make an immediate impact for Green Bay, and should be a very good player for a long time.

6. San Fransisco 49ers - TE Vernon Davis (Maryland)
They could go defense and go with Michael Huff, but they need some offensive weapons for young QB Alex Smith. While they do have Eric Johnson, a solid TE, Vernon Davis is a WR/TE hybrid, in the mold of a guy like Antonio Gates. Think better than Kellen Winslow, only without all the baggage (and presumably the bad driving habits)

7. Oakland Raiders - QB Vince Young (Texas)
Young is not a QB that fits Davis' normal preference for QBs, but I don't think Davis will pass him up. While last year's 3rd round pick Andrew Walter seemed to be the QB of the future, I think Davis will jump at the chance to get someone of Young's physical abilities, even if he's a little raw.

8. Buffalo Bills - DT Brodrick Bunkley (FSU)
It seems likely that if the Bills stay in this spot, they'll take a DT, and Bunkley, along with Haloti Ngata, is one of the top 2 DT on the board. While I've heard that Marv Levy likes Ngata better, I think we'll see Bunkley here, because he fits better in Buffalo's scheme than Ngata does.

(9. Detroit Lions - WR Chad Jackson (Florida)
No, I'm just kidding.)

9. Detroit Lions - DB Michael Huff (Texas)
Matt Millen is prone to do anything in these drafts, and while I'm in favor of him drafting a WR just to see the reaction of the people at ESPN, I think we'll see Michael Huff here. Cutler would be tempting, but I think McCown can be a viable long-term answer there with Martz as the Coordinator. I think logic will prevail here, and Huff will be the choice.

10. Arizona Cardinals - QB Jay Cutler (Vanderbilt)
While a LB like Ernie Sims or Chad Greenway, or an OL like Winston Justice would help them out more now, I think they'll look long-term and select Jay Cutler. After letting Josh McCown go, they've got Kurt Warner alone there, and while he can play when he has time to throw and has good WR (and he does), the chances are probably good that he won't be a long-term answer. Which is why I see Cutler as the pick here.

11. St. Louis Rams - LB Chad Greenway (Iowa)
This is where the draft gets a little tricky, because there are more options for the Rams. They could go for a LB like Greenway or Ernie Sims, or they could opt for help in the secondary with Clemson CB Tye Hill. In the end, I think they'll go with Greenway.

12. Cleveland Browns - DE/OLB Kamerion Wimbley (FSU)
The Browns are improved, but they could still use some help on the defensive side of the ball. Ngata would be an intriguing choice here for the Browns, but I think they'll go with the speed rusher in Wimbley.

13. Baltimore Ravens - DT Haloti Ngata (Oregon)
Ravens would be ecstatic if Ngata falls to them. He's a big DT in the mold of Sam Adams or Ted Washington, which is a good fit to take on bodies and allow Ray Lewis to do what he does best, which is roam around and find the ballcarriers. Ngata is the logical choice for the Ravens.

14. Philadelphia Eagles - OT Winston Justice (USC)
The second OL off the board after Ferguson. With Tra Thomas and Jon Runyan at the tackles, they could use a little youth, and Justice is very talented. Chad Jackson is also a possibility for the Eagles, but I think that if Justice is still on the board, he'll be in Eagle Green next year.

15. Denver Broncos - WR Chad Jackson (Florida)
With Rod Smith getting old and Ashley Lelie underachieving, it makes sense for the Broncos to look for a WR here, especially with none of them taken so far. Chad Jackson and Santonio Holmes are the top two WR, and I think the Broncos will go for the former Gator, who seems to me like the best WR in the draft.

16. Miami Dolphins - WR Santonio Holmes (Ohio St.)
With Daunte Culpepper, Ronnie Brown, Chris Chambers, & Co. already on board, they have the makings of a good offense. Adding another quality WR, which Holmes is, would go a long way to help continue to improve that offense even more.

17. Minnesota - LB Ernie Sims
If by some chance Cutler falls here I'll jump for joy, but I don't think that will happen. The more likely scenario is that either Chad Greenway or Ernie Sims falls here, and the Vikings take whoever is left. I think that will be Sims.

18. Dallas Cowboys - S Donte Whitner (Ohio St.)
The Cowboys could use a safety to play opposite of hard-hitting Roy Williams, so Whitner makes sense here. He's quick and can make plays. The Cowboys might also look at Manny Lawson or a CB here, but I think they'll go with Whitner.

19. San Diego Chargers - CB Tye Hill (Clemson)
With the Chargers looking for a CB, and the best one still up on the board, this should be an easy choice for the Bolts. He's a little small, but he's quick, athletic, and a good tackler. He should fit in quite nicely as the nickel back.

20. Kansas City Chiefs - CB Jimmy Williams (Virginia Tech)
He has fallen off a lot since the end of the year, as he was once considered a top 10 pick. He has the talent, but the questions about his attitude have made him drop this far. However, he has the most potential of any CB in this draft, and that's too enticing to pass up at #20.

21. New England Patriots - RB DeAngelo Williams (Memphis)
This pick shows just how deep this draft is. Williams is the 2nd best RB in the draft, and in a lot of years would be a top 10 pick. I think he'll be a fine RB for a long time, and if the Patriots grab him at 21, I think this could wind up being one of the best picks of the first round.

22. San Fransisco 49ers - CB Johnathan Joseph (South Carolina)
The 49ers went offense in their first pick with Vernon Davis, so I think they'll look to upgrade the defense now. Joseph is the best CB left on the board, and should push for playing time immediately. Manny Lawson is another possibilty here.

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - CB Antonio Cromartie (FSU)
An intruiging prospect because he was hurt all of last year, he's a big talent who's stock seems to be going up. The Bucs could opt for an OL in this spot, but if Cromartie is still available, I think they'll take him here.

24. Cincinnati Bengals - TE Mercedes Lewis (UCLA)
The Bengals could use help defensively, but after the run on DB before them, I think they'll opt for TE, and the best one left on the board is Mercedes Lewis from UCLA. He has good hands and decent speed, and should be a solid player in the NFL.

25. New York Giants - LB Bobby Carpenter (Ohio St.)
Carpenter is coming off an injury late in his college career, and the Giants did sign Lavar Arrington, but I still like Carpenter here. He's a smart player, who is still pretty athletic, and while he doesn't have the potential of a lot of the earlier LB, he is a safe pick here.

26. Chicago Bears - DB Jason Allen (Tennessee)
With Mike Green gone, and the top 2 TE off the board, I think the Bears will look for secondary help here, and Allen is a nice prospect. He could wind up playing either S or CB, but I think he'll wind up as a solid safety for da Bears. Ashton Youbody is another possibility.

27. Carolina Panthers - LB DeMeco Ryans - Alabama
With the best safeties off the board, the Panthers could look at a RB, but I think they already have some depth there. I think they'll go for a young LB, and Ryans is the best one of those left.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars - DE/OLB Manny Lawson (NC State)
The Jags get a break as Lawson falls all the way down to 28. A tweener, he's a good pass rusher and should immediately provide depth and push for playing time in a solid Jacksonville defense.

29. New York Jets - RB LenDale White (USC)
White seems to be falling all over the place, but he is still a quality RB. He's been hampered by injuries which has caused him to have some bad workouts, but with the Jets needing help for aging Curtis Martin, RB looks like the pick here, and LenDale White fits them best.

30. Indianapolis Colts - RB Laurence Maroney (Minnesota)
Now that Edgerrin James is in the desert, the Colts need a RB. Maroney is extremely talented - he's fast, can find the holes, and has decent hands. The Colts should be able to just plug him in and not really miss a beat offensively.

31. Seattle Seahawks - CB Ashton Youboty (Ohio St.)
One more Buckeye off the board. The defending NFC Champs are still a little thin in the secondary, and Youboty makes sense here. He has decent size, and has the skills to compete for a starting spot right away.

32. Pittsburgh Steelers - WR Sinorice Moss (Miami)
If LenDale White is still on the board, I think they'll go with him here. Nick Mangold from Ohio St. is another possibility. However, I think if White is gone they'll go with the undersized by playmaking WR Sinorice Moss to replace Antwaan Randle El. Moss is explosive after the catch, and can help replace Randle El's production as a punt returner. He could be a nice complement to Hines Ward in time, and for now, he can settle in as the slot receiver and special teams player.

Reason #42 why you're not an NBA Coach/Phil Jackson is really good

After game 1, lots and lots of people were in a huff about the Lakers seemingly changing their gameplan from the regular season, from having Kobe carry the load to spreading the ball out and having a more balanced attack. ESPN even asked their experts 8 questions that were basically different ways of asking if they agreed with the Lakers Game 1 gameplan. The answers were like a Seinfeld episode: "Why would they do that? They can't change the gameplan in the playoffs? What are they thinking?" They even asked whether Kobe was just trying to prove a point or if he was actually trying to win the game. As if Kobe will just throw the game to prove a point.

One game later, all of that seems to be erased. Kobe still wasn't his usual gunning self in Game 2, but he played an excellent game, and once again the Lakers had a great gameplan, as they defeated the Suns 99-93.

Early on, they pounded the ball inside and then got back and played defense. Kwame Brown only had 12 points, but he was very effective in the first quarter. Lamar Odom was big again, scoring 21. Devean George was solid off the bench. The Lakers did a great job at contesting the 3-ball, and it showed in the boxscore. The Lakers were 9/16 from beyond the stripe, the Suns were 9-27.

The biggest thing I think through 2 games is how much Lamar Odom has really dominated Shawn Marion. In game 2, Odom scored 21 points, grabbed 7 rebounds, and had 5 assists. Marion scored 13 points and had 9 rebounds, but he had no assists and he shot 5/15 from the field. This was huge.

I think LA would be wise to let Nash do his thing scoring wise and try to keep everyone else out of it. Nash had 29 last night, but because the other guys weren't getting a lot of looks, they didn't have good balance. The highest scoring team in the NBA had 42 at the half, and only 93 at the end of the game. As Free Darko said, it's times to realize that these Lakers aren't just a one-trick pony, but they're really solid all around. And I think a lot of credit for this has to go to the Zen Master, who is using his magic once again.

UEFA CUP 2º LEG SEMI FINAL. SEVILLE - SCHALKE 04

Spanish Football & Seville FC have another datewith Football History tonight as they play Germanside Schalke 04 in the 2º leg of their semi finalqualifier for the UEFA Cup final.The 1º leg finished in a 0-0 draw & Seville wishesto win tonight in this arena below - Ramón SanchezPizjuan - in Seville & make history by getting intothe final for the 1st time in it´s 101 years as a club.Schalke 04 will

REAL MADRID. RESIGNATIONS & CRISIS

(Oscar Ribot/AS)The news broke as Barça qualifiedfor the Final of the European Cup.Recently appointed President ofReal Madrid - Fernando Martin -was forced to resign & call electionsfor the 2º of July. The sum of 15directives voted ( against 1) forhim to get out, & appointed inturnPresident Luis Gomez Montejano -oldest member.This highlights the real story behind the scenes - pls read myearlier

And your 2006 NBA MVP is... Steve Nash?

According to "reports" (I've never understood exactly what these reports were), Steve Nash is the NBA MVP for the second straight season.

If you have read my MVP rankings, you'll know that I had Nash at #5 behind LeBron, Kobe, Dirk, and Wade respectively. 17 out of 20 ESPN "experts" agree. That makes Nash 2 for 2 on undeserving NBA Awards.

Don't get me wrong, Nash had a very good year, he played better this year than last year, and he's the best PG in the NBA. But let's call a spade a spade, for all of his offensive skills, he's a bad defensive player and he gets outplayed far too often. If Nash is this valuable, why did his old team get better after he left?

I just can't see how Nash can deserve this over LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, or Dirk Nowitski. Dirk's team is better, LeBron's team is about as good only he doesn't have as good of a supporting cast, and while Kobe's team is a little worse, he doesn't have the supporting cast Nash does. Looking at the numbers, Nash isn't in these guys' leagues.

You're probably getting the impression that I don't like Nash, but that's not true at all. I love watching him play, and I love watching the Suns play. But Nash is not the MVP. It's hard to fathom how Nash can have 2 MVPs and John Stockton, who was far better, has none, which I know doesn't really have to do with this, but it's still kinda amusing. It's deja vu all over again in the MVP voting.

BARCELONA - MILAN. THE AWAY GOAL WAS ENOUGH

(AS www.as.com)Barcelona has qualified for the Final of the ChampionsLeague aka European Cup in Paris, were it will meetEnglish side Arsenal. It is 12 years last since Barcelonaplayed a European Cup Final were they beat ItalianClub Sampdoria at Wembley with a goal from Koeman.It was becoming an inhouse obsession for them &tonight the dream has repeated itself thanks to thevaluable away goal

BARCELONA - MILAN: FROM HERE TO PARIS

Tonight Barcelona & Milan play the 2º leg of the last 1/2Final of the Euro Champions League.Barcelona have the away goal advantage & the homeadvantage with 100.000 local fans pushing them on.What more can I say that 000s of journos & fellowbloggers have not said? It´s going to be a greatmatch? Tough? Barcelona are favourites? Milanmust score early? Barça must not allow the Italians toscore?

THE RETIREMENT OF ZINEDINE ZIDANE. GOODBYE MAESTRO

Zinedine Zidane has announced he will retirefrom professional Football after the World Cupin Germany.I believe best to pay tribute via 3 images & avideo, as words fail to capture the essenceof what is & has been a remarkable & specialfootball player.The best of Zidane on video:THANKYOU ZINEDINE. FOOTBALL WILL MISSYOU. GOOD LUCK IN THE WORLD CUP .

Favre to Return in '06

Finally, a resolution to the Brett Favre story today, as "sources" say that Favre has informed the Packers that he will indeed play next season.

If you'll recall, Favre was waiting because he wanted to see if the Packers would be competitive next year, because he did not want to go through another 4-12 season like he did this year. Resolution obviously must have come when the Packers signed big-name free agents Ryan Pickett and Marquand Manuel, who obviously will put the Packers over the hump next year. (yes, that's sarcasm)

Anyway, I'm just glad that we finally have a resolution to this story, because I was really getting sick of it, and now we won't have to go through the Draft with everyone speculating over whether he will be back or not. Now if only he can do something about those interceptions.

Cavs/Wizards Game 2

What a difference a couple of days make.

In Game 1, LeBron dominated the flow of the game on the way to a Cavs victory. In Game 2, well, not so much, as the Wizards took it by a 89-84 score.

For the Cavs, LeBron led them in scoring with 24 points, but that's a little misleading, in that he shot 7/25 from the floor including 1/6 from downtown. He did pull down 9 rebounds, but he only had 2 assists to go along with 10 turnovers. All night long, he made stupid turnovers and tried to make impossible passes, missed a wide open dunk, and misfired on a lot of close shots. Jared Jeffries, who guarded him for much of the game, sagged way off and basically dared LeBron to shoot jumpers, and LeBron wasn't overly eager to comply.

The real star of the game for the Cavs was forward Drew Gooden (who's working for a new contract), who finished 24 points on 11/12 shooting, and pulled down 16 rebounds. He was seemingly everywhere, and really kept Cleveland in the game.

On the Wizards side, we got our first real look at the Big 3, as all of them scored over 20 points for the Wizards. Gilbert Arenas led them with 30, while Butler and Jamison each had 21, including some big 3s down the stretch from Jamison. They all had at least 6 rebounds as well.

Remember the hype surrounding Caron Butler out of the draft, and all of the comparisons to Paul Pierce after he slipped to #10? Well, he's really living up to them now. He's an excellent shooter, both from the mid-range, from downtown, and from the FT stripe. He's a solid rebounder, and he's a good defender.

In the end, too many turnovers for LeBron, too much offense from the Big 3, and we're headed to Washington with the series tied at 1. Game 3 is Friday night.

Ballpeace: Doug Mientkiewicz and Red Sox Reach Agreement on Baseball

The year-and-a-half long legal battle between the Boston Red Sox and former first baseman Doug Mientkiewicz over the ball from the final out of the 2004 World Series is over. Mientkiewicz and the Sox have agreed that the ball will go to the Baseball Hall of Fame, where it will remain, forever.

Last November, the Sox filed a lawsuit against Mientkiewicz, claiming that the team owned the ball. The Sox dropped the lawsuit after Mientkiewicz agreed to an independent mediation of the dispute.

The New York Times' Murray Chass (a Yankees fan) believes that Mientkiewicz had the strongest claim to the ball, while the Red Sox had the weakest:

The [Sox] claim of ownership was highly questionable. The commissioner's office supplied it, and the game was not played at Fenway Park. It was in St. Louis. Selig did not want the used ball back, and the Cardinals certainly did not want it as a reminder of their ignominious sweep by the Red Sox. Based on precedent, Mientkiewicz had every right to the ball.

My take: the ball was supplied by Major League Baseball for purposes of a particular game or games, and it, presumably, was under the control of both the home team, the Cardinals, which served a function akin to an implied or possibly express licensee, and the umpiring crew. In between games, the ball either goes back to Major League Baseball or remains under the control of the home team. It is never "given" to anyone. Nor does it go with the visiting team when they leave.

Moreover, Mientkiewicz worked for the Red Sox, and typically employees' works belong to the employer. So even if Mientkiewicz believed that by capably handling the throw from Keith Foulke to record the final out he somehow obtained creative ownership in the ball, that ownership claim would presumably rise to his employer, the Red Sox.

Now, one might argue that Mientkiewicz was like a fan catching a home run ball or a foul ball, and the fan gets to keep the ball. But the difference here seems to be in the abandonment of the ball. A baseball is designed for play within the confines of the playing field and when it leaves the confines--such as when it goes into the crowd--it may be considered abandoned. The ball Mientkiewicz took was never abandoned, as I assume that the either the umpires or the Cardinals' grounds crew collect the balls at the end of every game at Busch Stadium.

So here's my list for ownership claims, from strongest to weakest:

1. Major League Baseball
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Boston Red Sox
4. Doug Mientkiewicz

Update: Ariel Reck in the comments mentions a recent and relevant law review article by Brian E. Tierney: A Fielder's Choice: How Agency Law Decides the True Owner of the 2004 Red Sox Final-Out Baseball, 3 Willamette Sports Law Journal 1 (2006). Tierney's conclusion:

Through baseball custom, Doug Mientkiewicz should be allowed to keep the 2004 World Series final-out baseball. Although the gift may have arisen out of his employment relationship with the Red Sox, the baseball industry’s long-standing tradition of allowing players to keep final-out baseballs would effectively negate the Sox’s claim of ownership. This unique situation of a team requesting a sentimental ball back has given notice to MLB that some guidelines must be established. The potential outcome of this controversy may seem disappointing to many fans who believe that the ball represents an entire team’s effort over a 176 game season.

I haven't yet had a chance to read the article, but it seems like a good read.

VILLAREAL - ARSENAL : THE SINKING OF THE YELLOW SUBMARINE

It´s a cliche I know; the Gunners sink the YellowSubmarine:but the truth is Villareal sank themselves.THE IRON LAW OF FOOTBALL: if you don´t take yourchances you LOSE! That´s what happened tonight inthe 2º leg of the 1/2 Finals of the Champions League.The result 0-0, Arsenal winning 1-0 overall & gettingit´s ticket directly into the Paris FinalThe match was competitive & intense, the midfield

VILLAREAL - ARSENAL : FROM HERE TO THE FINAL

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FOOTBALL : 2º LEG OF THE1/2 FINALS - VILLAREAL vs ARSENAL .(Efe)Tonight we will know who will be the first team to reachthe Final of the European Cup in Paris. English PremiereLeague team ARSENAL has travelled to play VILLAREALin the 2º leg match.Arsenal have a gol advantage, & Villareal must assure thatthey don´t score ( an away goal is worth double), while theSpaniards must

Links

Since it's late, and I just got done writing a 3-page essay, I'll just hand out some links of some things that I liked, and hopefully you'll like them too, otherwise this is all for not. The good thing is that I am confident that you will enjoy them, or I would be posting them. Anyway enough of my nonsense.

Hey, I'm Keith Hernandez.

Sweaty Men Endeavors has got to be pretty happy right now. The Tigers are playing well in the Central, the Pistons should have no trouble beating Milwaukee in round 1, and I think the Red Wings are playing well (what, you think I follow hockey?)

Sometimes, it's ok to steal.

What did we learn in all of the game one's in the NBA playoffs? Quite a lot, actually.

From the Steph Surfing page, I found a link to a lot of Charles Barkley quotes, and quite frankly, the more Barkley quotes we have, the better.

This is not at all sports-related, but I chuckled when I saw it.

Anyway, LeBron is back in action tonight, so that should be a good time. Clips dominated, and the Heat are up 2-0 against the Bulls heading back to Chicago. But you probably knew that already.

SPANISH FOOTBALL: MARK GONZALEZ

(Amaia Zabalo)Dear readers, blogger has beendown all day, so as an updateI thought I would bring to yourattention a player that iscatching some eyes:MARK GONZALEZ.Mark Dennis Gonzalez HoffmanChile10/07/1984174 cmU.Catolica 2002-04Albacete 2004-06 Liverpool 06- on loan toR.Sociedad 2006 (thx Lucas!)This "attacking winger/striker"has almost single-handedtaken R.Sociedad away fromthe dangerous

Suns/Lakers Game 1

A highly entertaining game, but not quite what I expected. This figured to be a close series, and if game 1 was any indication, it will be, as the Suns won 107-102, but it was the way that it was so close that was so surprising. The Lakers being in this game had less to do with Kobe Bryant and more to do with the balance of everyone on the team. Here's the numbers for the five starters from LA.

Kobe Bryant - 22 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists
Lamar Odom - 21 points, 14 rebounds, 3 assists
Luke Walton - 19 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists
Smush Parker - 15 points, 6 rebounds, 1 assist
Kwame Brown - 14 points, 6 rebounds

Through 3 quarters the Lakers were playing a great game... they had slowed down Phoenix's fast break game (the Suns scored 36 points and hit no 3-pointers in the 2nd and 3rd quarters combined), they were getting the ball inside, and everybody was contributing. Then in the 4th, the Suns were able to get up and down again, Tim Thomas hit some big shots, Leandro Barbosa played well, and while the role players for the Lakers still played well, Kobe never got it going from the outside. He finished up 7/21 from the field, and only 1/6 from beyond the arc.

For the Suns, Tim Thomas shined qith 22 points and 15 rebounds. Barbosa was big off the bench with 15. Steve Nash was himself, scoring 20 points and dishing out 10 assists. Guys like Boris Diaw and Raja Bell struggled a little bit, but the aforementioned players made up for it.

The most entertaining matchup of the game was Lamar Odom vs. Shawn Marion on the low block. Both players put up good numbers (Odom has 21 and 14, Marion had 19 and 6), but they made each other work all day for everything they got. These guys are overshadowed in this series by the perceived stars, Kobe Bryant and Steve Nash, but these two may have just as big of a hand in this series as those two. This is going to be a fun battle to watch throughout, and if game 1 is any indication, a very fun series to watch.

SPANISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE RESULTS - ROUND 34

Another exciting round of Spanish Football with 3protagonists:2 Human & 1 Mother Nature.The bottom end of the ladder is getting tough forsome clubs on the verge of saying goodbye to 1ºDivision & the battle continues at at the Top for theEuro places.(Efe)Valencia & Spanish International striker David Villa (pictured)was one of this weeks protagonists as he scored a HAT TRICKto lead his side to a 3

TENNIS: RAFAEL NADAL THE KING OF CLAY

(AFP/El Mundo)Rafael Nadal regained the Monte Carlo Masters title defeating World Nº1& Top seed Roger Federer in the Final in 4 sets : 6-2 6-7 6-3 7-6 ,in an epic 3 hours & 49 min match between the two best players in theworld at this moment. Nadal is proving to be a thorn in Federer side asthe new kid in the block threatens his reign at the top of world tennis.Its the 42 straight win on clay for

FERNANDO ALONSO 2º AT IMOLA : FORMULA ONE

(Efe/Zennaro)Fernando Alonso finished 2º at the Imola GranPrix.Michael Schumacher dominanted & kept outan attacking Alonso during the last 20 laps.I am imagining Ferrari President saying .."boys Idon´t mind losing all the rest of the races, butif you lose this one on home turf , you´ll all befired"...It explains the excellent team result;without taking anything away from the "Kaiser"who´s a great

The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend: Hunters and Environmentalists

Christina Larson of Washington Monthly has an engaging piece on the growing political alliance between hunters and environmentalists, and how that alliance may affect the sport of hunting (Larson, "The Emerging Environmental Majority," Wash. Monthly, May 2006). Traditionally, these two groups have gravitated towards very different political channels. Hunters have usually been associated with the Republican Party, which tends to favorably advance the interests of the National Rifle Association, while environmentalists have often leaned on the Democratic Party for a more welcoming audience.

And on the surface, hunters and environmentalists would seem to embrace very different philosophies about Earth management. Hunters like to kill animals; environmentalists like to save them. But as Larson writes, both groups lose out when mining, oil, and gas companies gain access to public lands and begin extracting resources. Environmentalists get upset because the animals die; hunters get upset because they didn't get to kill them.

Larson reports that these two groups have now found a common enemy:

Over the past five years, Bush administration policies in the west—accelerating drilling on public lands and waiving protections on water quality and wildlife—have given this odd couple a common enemy. "The White House's pillaging of public lands has driven hunters and ranchers into the trenches with environmentalists," says David Alberswerth of the Wilderness Society. "There's absolutely no question about what's brought us closer together," agrees Oregon hunter and prominent outdoor columnist Pat Wray. "It's the Bush administration."

With their target set (no pun intended), hunters and environmentalists are now co-sponsoring "save the land" letters sent to Congresspersons, and they are beginning to adopt each others' viewpoints. For instance, according to a 2005 National Wildlife Federation poll, 75 percent of hunters agreed with the statement "the U.S. should reduce its emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide that contribute to global warming and threaten fish and wildlife habitat." Larson's terrific article offers other anecdotes suggesting that the sport of hunting should no longer be viewed as a "Republican sport."

And a union of hunters and environmentalists would seem to offer an incredibly powerful lobbying group, and one, interestingly enough, that would represent the more harmonized environmental/hunting views of President Theodore Roosevelt from almost a century ago. On that note, consider that the polar-opposites characterization I posited above concerning hunters and environmentalists is misleading: a hunter is an environmentalist, because he relies on a continued existence of animals found in the wild.

But even with this burgeoning relationship and understanding, will hunting continue as a viable sport? In January, we discussed another article by Larson, and it explored the contraction of available hunting land and how the percentage of American hunters has dropped steadily in recent years. Hunters have traditionally relied on Republicans to protect their gun rights, but are those same Republicans now rendering their guns useless? And will hunters--who obviously can't match the massive GOP fundraising contributions of big corporations who want their land--be able to fend off a shrinking terrain?

First Day of the NBA Playoffs

A triple-double, a high-scoring and close game, and a missed shot that could have sent a game to OT... not a bad way to start the playoffs.

The star of the day, of course, was my MVP LeBron James. In his first career playoff game he notched a triple-double, scoring 32 points, dishing out 11 assists, and grabbing 11 rebounds just for good measure. But even beyond the boxscore, I was just impressed with the way he controlled the game... he played at the pace he and the Cavs wanted to play at, he hit some outside jumpers, and absolutely blew by his man nearly at will. He didn't really force things either. He did take 27 shots, but I can't really remember "bad" shots, he was getting doubled on every possession and he was patient when it came.

Cleveland basically played a very good game, Washington played very poorly, and that's mostly what there is to it. Donyell Marshall played well off the bench with 19 and 7 in 23 minutes, but he was set up more than once by LeBron. For Washington, the big 2 really struggled, shooting a combined 15/47 for 48 points. However, this shoudln't really be too disconcerting for the Wizards, because Arenas, Jamison, and Butler will play better. The biggest thing they should be worried about is that they don't really have any way to stop LeBron. Heck, I saw former Dakota Wizard Billy Thomas on LeBron at times today, and well, if that happens often, they're in big trouble.

I was not able to watch San Antonio/Sacramento today, and this turned out to be a lucky break, because the Spurs dominated 122-88. What the heck happened here?

By the same token, I didn't catch anything but highlights from the Miami/Chicago game (the weather was just great, and well, tennis was a good time), but it looks like this was a fine game, as the Heat won 111-106. Looking at it, the thing that stands out is Shaq scoring 27 points, grabbing 16 rebounds, and swatting 5 shots. He's basically been resting since the end of last year's playoffs (if you've followed the Heat at all, I'm sure you know this), so he should have a lot left in his tank. Be afraid Eastern Conference, because if "The Diesel" can summon up some of his play from the days of old, then Kazaam, the Heat are back to being a very, very legitimate threat to hang with Detroit.

I did catch the 2nd half of the Clips/Nuggets game, and even though it was close, I can't really say it was all that exciting. The Clips led by 10 heading into the fourth, but had to hold on for a 89-87 win. Carmelo had 25 points in this one, but he only shot 9-26, and that had a lot to do with the fine defense of Quentin Ross and Cuttino Mobley. One thing I have to say is that aside from Carmelo and maybe K-Mart, the Nuggets are really, really boring to watch, mainly because they can't hit an outside shot. (they were 1/6 from downtown last night). Another underrated factor in this series is the strong alien/non-alien ratio for the Clips. I don't care what you say, there is no way that Sam Cassell and Chris Kaman are from Planet Earth. And you're not going to convince me otherwise.

LeBron at the half

19 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists.

This is fun.

TODAYS SPANISH FOOTBALL & SPORTS UPDATES

Thought I give everyone a short snapshot run downof Spanish Football & how our Spanish Sportsman havefaired today Saturday. Thanks to Spanish daily AS forthe pics, you can link from here or go straight viahttp://www.as.comThree games played today.R.Sociedad beatVillareal 2-0 ( goals Mikel Alonso & Mark Gonzalez );Alaves lost to At.Madrid 0-1 (goal by Antonio Lopez)thus keeping the Atletico UEFA

Professional Hockey Player Sues for Workers' Comp

In the interest of full disclosure, an article about this post appeared this week on the pages of Massachusetts Lawyers Weekly (humbly written by one of your bloggers). The case involves an interesting workers’ compensation claim brought by a professional hockey player against his team.

Daniel Focht was a forward for the Springfield Falcons of the American Hockey League, a minor league team affiliated with the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. He later went on to play a few years in the NHL. In December 1999 and September 2000, he was injured during games and sustained facial disfigurement while playing for the Falcons. He was paid $15,000, the maximum amount available under Mass. law.

During two different games in the 2001-2002 playing season, he then sustained additional facial scarring and sought additional workers’ comp payment. At a hearing before an administrative judge, the insurance carrier contended that Focht had already reached the $15,000 cap based on the prior payments and was not entitled to additional money. The administrative judge sided with the player and awarded him the benefits claimed.

The decision was appealed and a Massachusetts court ruled that Focht was entitled to a separate workers' compensation payout for each facial scarring injury that he received during the four separate games — even if the total payout exceeded the workers' comp cap of $15,000.

The insurance carrier’s lawyer, who represents the insurance company that insures most of the teams in professional hockey argued that by the time the most recent set of facial injuries had occurred, the player had already been awarded $15,000, which is the maximum amount allowable under the statute governing recovery under workers' compensation for facial scars.

But in upholding the decision in Focht’s favor, the court wrote that to the extent that different injuries caused different bodily disfigurements, the court considered that each one was subject to its own $15,000-per-injury maximum. "We see no legislative intent that the employee be subject to an omnibus disfigurement accounting between various insurers covering various injuries," the judge said.

She added that the statute makes clear that the Legislature contemplated specific compensation for an injury and contained no language that attempted to cap the amount an individual player could obtain. The statute provides compensation to any employee "[f]or bodily disfigurement, an amount, which … is a proper and equitable compensation, not to exceed fifteen thousand dollars."

"If the [L]egislature in 1991 intended to change the application of the [statute's] cap from injury to employee, by virtue of its change in the method of calculating the maximum entitlement, it easily could have said so," the judge stated, adding that the review board was not inclined to infer such an intention.

For those having difficulty accessing the link, the full decsion be found at http://www.mass.gov/dia/PUBS/REVIEWS/06B/DanielFocht.pdf.

Hefty Fine (but no suspension) for Penn State Coach

We would like to thank Michael and Greg for once again including us on the esteemed guest blogger roster. As a matter of background, we do not yet have the good fortune to practice or study legal issues in the world of sports on a full-time basis. Our current involvement in this growing area is limited to our weekly radio talk show. Sadly, during the rest of the week, our legal “acumen” focuses on other topics – although occasionally we are able to include some sports topics in our during-the-week jobs. Generally, in preparing for our show, we will find cases or stories of interest to us, raise appropriate questions, and then reach out to guests who can further educate our audience. With this background in mind, we hope this weekend to raise some questions about current cases and news items. Finally, an apology to our esteemed bloggers for being tardy with our posts as those pesky during-the-week jobs demanded a significant amount of time. Enough background, on to the substance. . .

Tuesday, Penn State University disciplined its women’s basketball coach. A former Penn State player had accused coach Rene Portland of discriminating against her on the basis of race and sexual orientation. The curious note to the story is the punishment handed down by University President Graham Spanier. Rather than suspend or even dismiss the coach, the school levied a substantial fine ($10,000) for her actions. President Spanier noted the need for a remedy that would have a more immediate impact than a suspension for next season. Did the university look to the courts for such a remedy? We are not aware of many cases (although perhaps the readers are) where an employer has fined an employee for an employment related discretion. Governmental agencies often fine companies and individuals for various actions. In the sports arena, we frequently observe a league fine its teams, coaches, and players. We have seen teams fine players for reporting late to training camp or refusing to play. However, these team fines generally appear to be limited to players who are not meeting the requirement to practice or play with the team. It does not seem common for teams to fine players or coaches for an act of commission. So, the next time that one of us is in violation of company policy (for example, reading Sports Law Blog during business hours), should we be concerned that a bill from our employer might arrive in the mail?

ZINEDINE ZIDANE MAY ANNOUNCE RETIREMENT NEXT WEDNESDAY

(Jesus Aguilera/AS)The French "magician" ZinedineZidane may announce hisretirement from professionalfootball next Wednesday, coinciding with the important Directives meeting of President & his board.His won:3 FIFA Best World Player1 Gold Ball (Balon de Oro)1 World Cup ( for now!)1 European Nations Cup1 European Cup1 InterContinental1 Italian League1 Spanish League....etc. Sure I have leftone more

ADRIANO & INTER MILAN. HOW TO LEAVE A CLUB OR AT LEAST ATTEMPT IT.

The ongoing rumours & storiesconcerning Inter´s Adrianoare growing daily. Will he leaveInter? Go to Real Madrid?This is reminding me ofRonaldo when he was playerof Inter & Real Madrid wasplaying the sirens of paradise.Some tactics , some story &some clubs.My coach does´nt love me,the fans don´t cheer me,my teammates don´t talkto me...Why am I blamedfor the bad results, I feelunhappy, unloved...

Larry Bird and Legends Wine: Exceeding the Limits of Plausible Endorsement Deals?

Dan Shaughnessy of the Boston Globe scripts a humorous column today on Larry Bird endorsing an $80 bottle of wine called "Legends." (Shaughnessy, "It's Vintage Bird," Boston Globe, 4/21/2006). Shaughnessy finds it ridiculous that Bird would claim any expertise in wine, and particularly wine from Napa Valley:

I removed the bottle of red (Meritage) from the box, looked at the label (2003 Napa Valley), and started to giggle. Napa Valley? Please. The closest Larry ever got to Napa Valley was when the Celtics played the Warriors at the old Oakland Coliseum. It's truly impossible to imagine him doing the ''Sideways" thing, twirling wine in his mouth, then announcing, ''Quaffable, but not transcendent."

This is a guy who would not know oakey from Charles Oakley. It's simply more proof that our pal Larry will do anything for money (which, by the way, makes him OK in my book). Who can forget the day back in the 1980s when Larry was spotted wearing a hideous short-sleeve shirt -- a shirt your mother might have bought you for the first day of first grade -- and acknowledged, ''I'll wear anything if it's free."

And now the all-time beer guy has put his name on a bottle of wine. Can't fool us. We know better. Colleague Bob Ryan, Bird's official biographer, said, ''I never saw him drink anything but beer." Larry and beer were always the best of friends. Like Ryan, I know this firsthand. Back in his MVP years in the mid-1980s, he caught me drinking a Molson one night and said, ''I never drink beer that comes in a green bottle. It all goes back to a party one night in college. I picked up the wrong bottle, a green one, and started chugging and didn't know what was happening until that third cigarette butt went down my throat. That was it for me and green bottles."

Eighty bucks per bottle. That killed me. I mean, we're talking about Larry Bird here. This is the man who refused to leave a tip when he went out to eat in New York his rookie year. He just couldn't believe the price of lunch in Manhattan in 1979. In 1992, when he was in Monte Carlo with the Olympic Dream Team, he walked out of a lounge when the barkeep told him he owed 7 bucks for his bottle of beer.

Shaughnessy's column brings to mind how becoming a product endorser does not require any credible expertise or even interest in the product. Along those lines, you might ask, is George Foreman really an expert on grills, or might his endorsement be more motivated by a $137 million contract? Does Maria Sharapova drive Ford Land Rovers on a regular basis, or have any idea how they compare to similar cars? Lance Armstrong clearly knows a lot about bicycles, but should we assume the same to be true about jets?

That's not to say that all athlete endorsements are suspect. Michael Jordan and Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps probably do drink Gatorade, and the idea of Kevin Garnett drinking Red Bull seems believable. I also find it believable that David Ortiz and Shaquille O'Neal would regularly play baseball and basketball video games, and to bolster that point, they appear to be intricately involved in the making of those games. Many athletes also endorse shoe companies, and Lebron James, Allen Iverson, and Venus Williams obviously know a thing or two about sneakers.

But as we see with Larry Bird and "Legends" wine, sometimes the product endorsement seems completely unrelated to the endorser, and those kinds of endorsements almost invite a plug for Consumer Reports Magazine. Of course, that magazine won't help us when athletes endorse politicians, but it's probably a good start.

SPANISH SPORTSMEN DOING WELL WORLDWIDE

Looks like our Spanish sportsman are doing wellin their respective areas, & seeing this blog isabout Spanish Football & Sports they deservea mention:.Barcelona, Seville & relatively speakingVillareal in Euro Football..Barcelona in Euro Cup Basketball.Pau Gasol in NBA Basketball - Memphis Grizzlies(USA)& these 2 blokes below:Fernando Alonso in Formula1Rafael Nadal in Tennis.They are currently in

PREVIEW OF THIS WEEKEND SPANISH FOOTBALL LEAGUE - ROUND 34

We are coming into the final finishto this seasons "LIGA" with 4 more roundsleft to play. Have picked these 3 team logos:Valencia, Real Madrid & Osasuna - becausethere is a real battle to secure the converted2º Euro Cup place - Barcelona has securedthe 1º spot - & few points separate these 3 teams. Added to the tension between the abovementioned teams, if any rest on their laurels,they may lose

NBA Playoff Predictions

I should probably be studying for a Calculus test, but well, this is more fun.

1ST ROUND

1) Detroit Pistons vs. 8) Milwaukee Bucks
I do like the Bucks, and I think they have some weapons that can make this series a little interesting... Redd can shoot, they've got two solid PG, Simmons is a nice wing man, and Bogut & Magloire are skilled down low. But there's no way they can stick with the Pistons in a 7-game series. I think they might be able to steal one, but that's it. PISTONS IN 5.

2) Miami Heat vs. 7) Chicago Bulls
I really like the future for the Bulls. They have a young core, and should be getting some great picks in the draft the next couple years as a result of the Eddy Curry trade. Unfortunately, I don't like them as much for the present. I think Gordon and Hinrich are good enough to get them one game, but there will be too much DWade all the time. HEAT IN 5.

3) New Jersey Nets vs. 6) Indiana Pacers
I don't really like the matchup for the Nets, because the Pacers have some guys that can be physical with Vince Carter (Stephen Jackson, Danny Granger), and that really takes them out of their game. Plus, the Nets don't have anyone that can really match up well with Jermaine O'Neal in the post. However, the biggest reason why the Nets have the advantage is that Jason Kidd is still their point guard, while the Pacers have Jamaal Tinsley/Anthony Johnson. I think we'll see a very good series for Kidd, as the Nets prevail in a tight one. NETS IN 7.

4) Cleveland Cavaliers vs. 5) Washington Wizards
Both these teams are talented and athletic, which is why I think this will be the best playoff series in the East. Cleveland obviously has LeBron James, but Larry Hughes is coming back from injury, Gooden and Ilgauskas are solid in the post, and Flip Murray has brought energy since his arrival. On the other side of the coin, Arenas is a great offensive player, Jamison is a nice all-around player, and Caron Butler is becoming the stud that everyone thought he would be. There should be a lot of points scored here. In the end, I think we'll see a monster series from LeBron (provided the ankle is not a problem), and a tight win for the Cavs. CAVS IN 7.


2ND ROUND

1) Detroit Pistons vs. 4) Cleveland Cavaliers
I've made my love for LeBron known here, but the Cavs don't have the weapons to overcome the Pistons. They are too good defensively, and their offense is too efficient. LeBron's first trip to the playoffs will be a relatively short stay. PISTONS IN 5.

2) Miami Heat vs. 3) New Jersey Nets
The key matchup here is Vince Carter vs. whoever guards him, probably Dwyane Wade. If I were the heat, I wouldn't be too optimistic about this, simply because the best way to stop Vince is to be physical with him, and that would wear down Wade, who needs to be huge for the Heat. Plus, there's the size advantage Vince would have. I think the Nets have the advantage out on the wings with the big 3, but while Collins is solid defensively in the post, he can't stop Shaq and Zo. With home-court advantage, I think Wade brings just enough to oust the Nets. HEAT IN 7.


CONFERENCE FINALS

1) Detroit Pistons vs. 2) Miami Heat
This is boring because I have things going according to seeds, but that's how I see it. This is a rematch of last year's conference finals, but while Miami is a more talented group this year, I don't think they match up any better. Shaq's a year older, and Haslem still won't provide a lot of offense. The key is if Walker and Posey can outplay Tayshaun at the SF spot, then I think the Heat have a very solid shot at this game. But right now, I think Detroit is too good, and their offense is improved from last year. Miami should have won last year's conference final, but I don't think Detroit will need the help of an injury to Wade. PISTONS IN 6.


1ST ROUND

1) San Antonio Spurs vs. 8) Sacramento Kings
Despite the seeds, the Spurs can't take this for granted, because the Kings are playing very well. Ron Artest is the best defender in the NBA and Mike Bibby is very consistent and has a good playoff track record. That being said, these are the Spurs, and I expect them to be focused as they always are at this time of the year. Spurs in 5.

2) Phoenix Suns vs. 7) LA Lakers
I think the Suns are the most entertaining team in the NBA to watch, but if I was a Suns fan I'd be worried here. For one thing, Phoenix still is not that good defensively. They give up over 102 PPG, which is a bit misleading because of the style they play, but they allow their opponents to shoot over 45% from the field, which is the worst among Western Conference playoff teams. Secondly, the Lakers are playing very well lately. Lamar Odom is playing great basketball, the role players are doing their job, and Kwame Brown is starting to somewhat live up to the hype. Third, and most important, Kobe Bryant plays to the Lakers. I think he's the one guy that can single-handedly lead his team to a series victory. He averaged over 40 points a game in the 4 meetings between these two teams. I can see Kobe averaging about 45 a game over the series, and this being the most entertaining series of the first round. Excuse me while I take a drink of the Kobe Kool-Aid. LAKERS IN 7.

3) Denver Nuggets vs. LA Clippers
I'm finding it hard to get a read on this series. I think this will come down to the health of the Nuggets big men (K-Mart and Camby), and I think they're relatively healthy. I like what Cassell brings, and I like Brand and Maggette offensively, but I think a lot of this series will come down to Corey Maggette or Quinton Ross on Carmelo Anthony, and with that matchup, I'll take Carmelo. NUGGETS IN 6.

4) Dallas Mavericks vs. 5) Memphis Grizzlies
Congratulations Memphis Grizzlies! You finished with the 4th best record in the Western Conference. Your reward? You get to travel to Dallas to play the team with the 3rd best record in the NBA. I really like the Grizz, and I like how Jerry West has slowly but surely improved them each year, and if they had lost their last game and were playing the Nuggets, I'd pick them. But they don't have the firepower to beat the Mavs in a 7-game series. MAVERICKS IN 6.


2ND ROUND

1) San Antonio Spurs vs. 4) Dallas Mavericks
Obviously, the Mavs have had a fantastic season, and they are capable of winning this series. Dirk is a bona fide star, and they are solid at all spots and have good depth. That said, I don't think they are good enough yet to stick with the Spurs. Too experienced and too talented. SPURS IN 6.

7) LA Lakers vs. 3) Denver Nuggets
Here's me drinking some more of the Kobe Kool-Aid. I think we'll see a lot of Kobe guarding Carmelo, and Kobe's defense is overlooked more than any other part of his game. The Lakers have a decent amount of big bodies they can throw down low on Denver's big men, and all they'll be asked to do is play defense and rebound, which is what Kwame can do. I look for another big series from Kobe, and more great effort from the Lakers role players. LAKERS IN 6.


CONFERENCE FINALS

1) San Antonio Spurs vs. 7) LA Lakers
This is where I step off the Kobe bandwagon. I think he'll be able to dominate games earlier, but against Bruce Bowen and Manu Ginobili on the wing and then great help defense down low, I'm not so optimistic. For the Spurs, round 2 is the conference finals, because it's smooth sailing to the championship after that. SPURS IN 5.


NBA FINALS

Eastern Winner: Detroit Pistons vs. Western Winner: San Antonio Spurs
It may be the boring pick, but I really think that all roads lead to an NBA Finals rematch (and to Rome). In my mind, I have a hard time envisioning these guys losing before this point, provided they can remain healthy. This year, I think things may be tilted in Detroit's favor. They've basically been resting for a while now, having locked up the East a while, they have home-court advantage, and their bench is better than it's given credit for. And not to sound like a broken record, but their offense is better under Flip. Another thing is, I don't think Rasheed Wallace will be leaving Big Shot Rob open for anymore late shots. PISTONS IN 7.