2006 NBA Preview: Awards and Playoff Predictions

Hopefully you won't all hold it against me that the full preview is out a day after the start of the regular season! But that's a chance I had to take because things were busy. By the way, other good season previews are here or here over at WBRS if you're interested. In case you missed the division previews, here they are:

Atlantic Division
Central Division
Southeast Division
Northwest Division
Southwest Division
Pacific Division

So let's move on from there, to the Conference predictions. If I recall from what Pradamaster told me, the division winner is only guaranteed a top 4 seed, unlike the top 3 seed from last year, which is a big and welcome change. So without further ado, here's my top 8 in each conference.

EAST
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Detroit Pistons
3. Miami Heat
4. Boston Celtics
5. Chicago Bulls
6. Washington Wizards
7. New Jersey Nets
8. Orlando Magic
Next in Line: Milwaukee Bucks, Indiana Pacers

WEST
1. Dallas Mavericks
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Phoenix Suns
4. Denver Nuggets
5. Houston Rockets
6. LA Lakers
7. LA Clippers
8. Utah Jazz
Next in Line: NO/OK Hornets, Golden State Warriors

Before we get to the predictions, let's go through some awards, both real and fictional, because it's my blog and I can make up awards if I want to.

MVP
(5) Dwyane Wade - This isn't a slight to Dwyane Wade as much as its respect for everyone else above him. I think Wade could potentially wear down a bit as the regular season goes on, and that, combined with the overall greatness of the guys above him puts him at 5.
(4) Kobe Bryant - Much the same for Kobe as for Wade. If he won the MVP, it wouldn't be at all surprising. But he'll be out probably the first week with a knee injury, plus I think his game will be changed a lot from last year.
(3) Tim Duncan - He had a foot injury last year and was still unbelievable in leading the Spurs to the best regular-season record in the West. This year, all reports say that the foot is feeling great, and he should have a new focus after their early ousting in the postseason.
(2) Dirk Nowitski - He was great last year, and continues to improve and vary his game. He added an unstoppable post game from 15 feet last year, and just continues to improve his offensive game.
(1) LeBron James - I thought he was the best player in the NBA last year, and I think he will be again. We all know about his game... 30, 8, and 8 is not out of the question.

Rookie of the Year
(5 TIE) Jordan Farmar - I think that as the season goes on, he'll start to earn more and more playing time for Phil Jackson. Farmar's a tough PG who just knows the game well, and is a great leader on the court. I'm not big fans of Smush Parker (more on him later) or Sasha Vujacic, which is why I think minutes may be there for Farmar's taking.
(5 TIE) Rodney Carney - With the sad state of Philly, Carney should be starting before too long. He's solid defensively which is a rarity in Philly these days, and can knock down open shots. And Philly doesn't have a whole lot of other options.
(4) Tyrus Thomas - The most athletic player in the draft, I think he'll have an immediate impact defensively. He's a great shot-blocker off the weak side, and he'll get up and down the floor.
(3) Randy Foye - I think it'll take him a little while to adjust, but he's got great game. He can shoot from the outside, get to the basket, and play good defense. With defenses focusing their attention on KG Foye could thrive if he gets the minutes.
(2) Rudy Gay - Gay should get a decent amount of minutes, and with his enormous talent, that's all he needs to be effective. He can finish on the break, has a great pullup jumper, and should pull down rebounds. Passion & Pride likes him as their 6th Man of the Year... I'll settle for #2 on the Rookies list.
(1) Brandon Roy - I think he'll have the best opportunities of all the rookies to contribute, and he's one of the most NBA ready. Portland's got young talent, but they won't be contending, which is why Roy will get a lot of minutes at the 1 and 2 guard. He's got an NBA jumpshot, and he'll be able to get into the lane.

6th Man of the Year
Leandro Barbosa - I just love his game offensively. He can score off the dribble, get out on the break with his blinding speed, and hit the open shot from downtown. He excels in the 1/2 man off the bench in the role that the Suns use him, and he should average at least 10-15 points per game off the bench for the high-scoring Suns. I think that will be enough to edge out Andres Nocioni for the 6th Man of the Year Award.

Most Overrated Players
Peja Stojakovic - On a team with many very good players he thrives. This is what happened in Sacramento when they were winning all of those games... he can stay out of the way and just hit jump shots. Which is nice, but he's sure getting paid a lot to do it. He'll knock down open shots, but I'm skeptical about his ability to create for himself. Of course, with Chris Paul he may not have to.
Smush Parker - He's an average to slightly above average 3-point shooter. That's it. He doesn't create many shots for himself or others, he's not a great ballhandler, and he's not a great defender. He's solid as a guard off the bench, but as a starter, I think he's very overrated.
Ben Wallace - Before you bit my head off, I think he's a bigger offensive detriment than people realize. Last year in the playoffs it was a 4-on-5 offensively for Detroit every time they had the ball. He doesn't score, and he's terrible at the line. The defense is obviously great, and Chicago is certainly better off with him, but I really think the offensive ineptitude is understated.

Most Underrated Players
Gerald Wallace - He contributes in all areas of the game. He's a high percentage shooter and excellent rebounder at his position. But mostly he's excellent defensively. He steals (to the tune of 2.5 per game) and blocks shots (2.1 per game). And at only age 24, he should keep improving as long as the Bobcats don't try to push Adam Morrison ahead of him.
Andres Nocioni - He was my 2nd choice for 6th Man of the Year. He gets overshadowed a bit because Luol Deng plays his same position, but Nocioni is a weapon. He averaged 13 and 6 per game off the bench last year, and is a threat behind the arc. He'd be starting on a lot of teams.
Yao Ming - People obviously know about Yao, but I'm not sure that everyone realize how good he really is. He has become a veritable weapon down low for the Rockets, which makes them a real threat with a healthy T-Mac. After the All-Star break last year he averaged 25.7 PPG and over 11 RPG. He's certainly the top Center in the NBA and probably one of the top 10 players in the game right now.

Playoff Predictions
Cleveland over Orlando in 5
Detroit over New Jersey in 6
Miami over Washington in 6
Chicago over Boston in 4

Dallas over Utah in 5
San Antonio over LA Clippers in 6
Phoenix over LA Lakers in 7
Houston over Denver in 5

Cleveland over Chicago in 7
Miami over Detroit in 7

Dallas over Houston in 6
San Antonio over Phoenix in 7

Cleveland over Miami in 6
Dallas over San Antonio in 7

Dallas over Cleveland in 6



I was tempted to pick San Antonio or Phoenix in the West, but I just think Dallas it the most versatile team... more offensively potent than San Antonio, better defensively than Phoenix. That combo is enough for them to finish the job this time.

Well, how wrong am I?

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE. FC BARCELONA & VALENCIA CF DRAW WITH EACH DIFFERING FATES

Differing fates for the two Spanish teams who played tonight intheir respective Groups (A & D). FC BARCELONA drew 2-2against CHELSEA, who managed to score in the extra time &VALENCIA drew 2- 2 away in the Ukraine with a tough battle against SHAKTHAR.Some will say the referee influenced the result with a RED card thatwas forgiven to COLE, numerous incidents & extra time beyond thereasonable that

Jeffrey A. Williams, 1980 - 2006

Over the weekend of August 28th, our good friend and fellow sports law blogger Jeffrey A. Williams died suddenly of a subdural hematoma. He was only 26. A graduate of Columbia Law School and Columbia University, Jeff was a second-year attorney at the prestigious New York City law firm Milbank Tweed Hadley & McCloy, where he worked primarily on mergers, acquisitions, and other aspects of corporate governance. You may remember Jeff from his wonderful guest posts on Sports Law Blog, as they astutely examined the interaction of race, sports, and the law. For instance, he discussed the Duke lacrosse scandal (5/4/2006 & 5/7/2006), race and the NFL Draft (5/7/2006), liability of the fan who started the Pistons-Pacers fight in 2005 (5/7/2006), masculinity and boxing (5/4/2006), and World Cup politics (6/18/2006).

Jeff was also a prolific scholar, publishing three law review articles in the last year and a half. They were Flagrant Foul: Racism in 'The Ron Artest Fight,' 13 UCLA Entertainment Law Review 55 (2005), Re-orienting the Sex Discrimination Argument for Gay Rights after Lawrence V. Texas, 14 Columbia Journal of Gender and Law 131 (2005), and The Equal Application Defense, University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law (forthcoming, 2006). I strongly recommend that you download Jeff's Ron Artest law review article, as it is a great read and one that I use extensively in my teaching materials.

I know Jeff had aspirations of one day becoming a fellow sports law professor, and he undoubtedly would have achieved them. The sports law community has lost a great guy, a great friend, and an extremely promising young scholar. May he live on through his outstanding published writings and may God bless his family at this most difficult time.

Harold Reynolds Sues ESPN for Wrongful Termination

Back in July, we discussed ESPN's decision to fire baseball analyst Harold Reynolds for allegedly sexually harassing a female employee. His firing in July occurred only four months after the 11-year employee had signed a six-year contract that would have paid him approximately $1 million annually. Be sure to check out the outstanding comments in response to that post. We debated the extent to which the workplace "situation" in which ESPN anchors find themselves--being famous ex-jocks or sports guys around young women in a college campus-style setting--might cause or encourage some of them to do really stupid things. In other words, we wondered whether ESPN has created a workplace environment akin to a male locker room, or whether this is really about the individual wrongdoers and not about their workplace.

Yesterday Reynolds struck back at ESPN, filing a wrongful termination lawsuit. His lawsuit seeks at least $5 million for the lost contract and unspecified amounts for "damages for lost future opportunities." Significantly, his employment contract included a clause that enabled ESPN to void the deal if Reynolds engaged in behavior that "would constitute an act of moral turpitude," but according to Reynolds, ESPN has never given him a "specific reason" for his firing.

Wrongful termination claims provide a wide-range of legal theories for discharged employees to recover. For instance, a successful wrongful termination can arise if the termination was the result of discrimination (race/gender/age/handicap/marital status etc.); violation of a statute; violation of an implied or oral contract; preventing an employee from receiving a benefit that is about to accrue; or a violation of public policy. If they have an employment contract--like Reynolds--they can also sue for breach of contract. In certain instances, although not apparently in Reynolds' instance, wrongfully discharged employees can also recover under tort law, including claims for defamation, invasion of privacy, and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

According to the media coverage of Reynolds' complaint, he will argue that his contract's moral turpitude class was overly-ambiguous and that ESPN fired him in a more rapid and less deliberative way than they have fired, or would have fired, other employees for similar allegations. Along those lines, Reynolds will contend that ESPN failed to properly investigate the allegations leading to his discharge, and that its workplace environment contributed to, and perhaps even rewarded, sexist behavior.

Should this case go to trial, it will be interesting to see what details emerge about the ESPN workplace. Reynolds v. ESPN might unintentionally update Michael Freeman's ESPN: The Uncensored History (2001).

Update: Will Li alerts me that The Smoking Gun has just posted Reynolds' complaint, which was drafted by Reynolds' attorney, Joseph Garrison of Garrison, Levin-Epstein, Chimes & Richardson, P.C. in New Haven, Connecticut. As usual, Will also has some great comments and thoughts:

A couple of interesting things:

"During negotiations for any contract, ESPN raised no specific concerns about any past conduct or performance." (#9 from Reynolds' complaint)

Weren't there allegations of previous problems between HR and female co-workers? That said, the language in this doesn't say that there were not past incidents, just that ESPN did not include them in contract negotiations or put language in writing recognizing any previous incidents.

Items 14 and 15 are interesting - apparently ESPN hasn't been compliant with either Harold Reynolds's lawyer or the Connecticut Dept of Labor in providing a personnel file on Reynolds. This seems a bit strange to me if it's true, especially the part about not allowing "an employee of the Connecticut Department of Labor onto its premises."

The possibility of bureaucratic stalling aside, when corporations (like ESPN and Google) have basically created microcosms for their employees, where living and working are all essentially taken care of by the corporation, does the corporation take on additional liability, both to its employees and to the state? I don't know if that question makes complete sense.

Also, the suit does allow that Harold did hug an intern, and the fact that she did not complain for three weeks doesn't really mean a whole lot, in my opinion. That said, ESPN has been extremely tolerant of bad behavior by its celebrities in the past, and while it obviously doesn't condone his actions, it does make his immediate firing suspect. It will be interesting to see how ESPN responds to this.

CHAMPIONS LEAGUE PREVIEW. FC BARCELONA MUST WIN & VALENCIA CF TO SECURE

Big night of EUROPEAN CUP clashes tonight with 2 Spanish teams in action.FC BARCELONA plays a do or die match at home against CHELSEA in their GROUP A match.Its a must win situation forBarça who lost 1-0 away to the English team.Speed will be the key here& players like Messi, Deco,Xavi & Ronaldinhowill be crucial.Spanish press give us thepossible line ups:FC BARCELONA:Valdes;Zambrotta;Puyol;

REAL MADRID. THE CASSANO INCIDENT & THE BECKHAM EXAMPLE

REAL MADRID substitutes have a bad time accepting thatthey are substitutes. Its here were we see the true professionalismof each player.Take the first of these players, ANTONIO CASSANO.He has been parted from the team & fined by the club afterinsulting his coach Fabio Capello for not putting him on.Can you believe the nerve, a football player who has´ntproved anything while in Spain & who has no

Can parents be liable for coach-bashing?

A pending case in the Utah Supreme Court will address the status of public high school coaches under defamation law. According to the Salt Lake Tribune,

The case pits Michael O'Connor, who coached the Lehi High School girls' basketball team for three years, against parents who alleged he was demoralizing team members by berating them and favoring one player over the others.

At the end of the 2003-04 season, tensions had risen so much that relatives of some of the players wrote letters outlining their concerns and a handful of them spoke at an Alpine School District Board meeting about their frustrations. A few months later, in September 2004, the Lehi High principal dismissed O'Connor as head coach of the team.

A lower court judged dismissed O'Connor's case on the grounds that he was a public official and therefore had to show actual malice to recover for defamation (which he failed to do). The parents' complaints about O'Connor

began piling up over alleged abusive comments, a suspected recruitment irregularity and possible mishandling of money raised by players. Particularly troublesome to many of the parents was O'Connor's perceived favoritism toward Michelle Harrison, a 6-foot-2 forward considered one of the top players in Utah. . . . [T]he parents were . . . upset by the way the coach yelled at their daughters and allegedly failed to give them their share of playing time.

Even if O'Connor wins his appeal and is found to not be a public official, his damages might be slight. He has not been terminated from his employment as teacher, nor as golf coach. HT to Ben Maller.

2006 NBA Preview: Pacific Division

And at last, the final division of these previews before I do my final preseason preview. I know you've all been waiting.

Golden State Warriors - With Nellie Ball in effect, they should at least be more interesting to watch. Everything about this team depends on Baron Davis staying healthy, which as you know is no guarantee. There is no decent backup to Baron. But if he can stay healthy, they might have a playoff chance with Nellie. Jason Richardson is very good on one wing, and Mickael Pietrus has shown flashes at the small forward spot. Mike Dunleavy will start at the 4, and that will cause matchup problems (both for Dunleavy and whoever he's guarding). If Baron can stay healthy and the young guys keep improving, they'll contend for the 8 seed.

LA Clippers - Coming off the playoff berth, expectations are high. Maybe a little too high. Cassell and Mobley are a year older, and I'm not sure Elton Brand can be quite that good again. Though things aren't all bad. Corey Maggette was hurt for a large portion of last year, and having him healthy is a huge help. Also a wildcard is the development of Shaun Livingston... as John Hollinger wrote, "As for Livingston, he's a wild card -- a 15-minute-a-night curiosity if he doesn't learn how to shoot; a frighteningly talented player if he does." All told, I expect a return trip to the playoffs for the Clips, but it won't be easy.

LA Lakers - They've got on guy who I've heard is pretty good named Kobe Bryant. But they also have a little more depth this year, with the additions of Vlad Radmanovic, Shammond Williams, Mo Evans, and Jordan Farmar. Tack on the improvements of guys like Kwame Brown and Andrew Bynum, and there's no reason why these guys can't be right back in the playoffs. As long as they have Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant, they have a chance.

Phoenix Suns - These guys are hands-down the most fun team in the NBA to watch, and if Amare Stoudemire comes back they could be the most talented as well. They're athetic, great shooters, and obviously they can get up and down the floor. With Kurt Thomas in there, they're also half-decent defensively, and even better if Amare can be healthy. They're title contenders regardless.

Sacramento Kings - I'm not very optimistic about the Kings chances of returning to the playoffs. When healthy, the starters are decent enough. But the bench? Not so much. Their top bench players are Kenny Thomas, John Salmons, and Francisco Garcia. These guys just simply aren't talented enough in the deep Western conference, and that's before even considering the seemingly inevitable Ron Artest blowup.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Phoenix Suns
2. LA Lakers
3. LA Clippers
4. Golden State Warriors
5. Sacramento Kings

New Baseball CBA Worse for Draftees and Minor Leaguers

Last week, MLB and the MLBPA agreed to a five-year labor contract that will allow play to continue uninterrupted through the 2011 season. While the players, team owners and fans are praising the new agreement and exclaiming that "it's such a great time in the game," the ones not applauding are all the minor leaguers and prospects for next year's draft. That's because the new CBA includes a revamped draft for amateur players, but nobody's talking about that. Here's a summary of some new provisions that substantially affect only drafted players and minor leaguers:

1. Clubs that fail to sign first or second round draft pick will receive the same pick in the subsequent draft as compensation. A club that fails to sign a third round pick will receive a sandwich pick between rounds three and four in the subsequent draft as compensation.

2. Signing deadline of August 15 for draft picks other than college seniors.

3. Period of time before a Player must be protected from the Rule 5 Draft is changed from three years (players who signed out of college) or four years (players who signed out of high school) to four or five years, respectively.

The changes to the draft described in Nos. 1 and 2 above substantially affect the negotiating leverage of drafted players. First, under the old rule, clubs had a huge incentive to sign their top picks because they wasted those draft picks if they didn't sign them. Now it's not a big deal if the clubs don't sign the player because they'll get that same pick again in the following year's draft (in addition to the pick they would otherwise have that year). Second, under the old rule, the clubs lost the rights to the drafted player when the player entered classes in the fall. While the new rule merely shortens the negotiation window by a few weeks, it will affect the ability of players to "hold out" during the negotiation process. Finally, under the old rule, clubs were forced to put minor league prospects on 40-man rosters a year sooner than they will be forced to do under the new rule. The Rule 5 draft is somewhat complicated, but essentially, if a club does not protect the player on the 40-man roster, then another team can draft that player and the drafting team is required to put the player on its 40-man roster.

I wonder if anybody within the union got any input from the draft prospects and minor league players before they agreed to the new provisions? So when Don Fehr says to the union player representatives, "are we willing to sacrifice the rights of prospective members of the union in exchange for something beneficial to the existing members," do you think anybody objected? Oh well, five years from now Mr. Fehr might be asking his player reps. a different question: Should we cut the farm system in half, reduce the number of draft rounds and impose a college draft age rule in return for increased benefits to major league players? Can anybody guess what their answer will be?

New Sports Law Scholarship

New this week:

Joel Bulleigh, Note, The slippery slope of ski tort reform: will the judiciary uphold legislative intent?, 59 OKLAHOMA LAW REVIEW 155 (2006)

Nathaniel Grow, Note, There’s no “I” in “League”: professional sports leagues and the single entity defense, 105 MICHIGAN LAW REVIEW 183 (2006)

I give up trying to understand the NFL

If you'll check my picks for the games, you can verify I'm not smart. Consider:

Last week the Jaguars lost by 20 points to the Houston Texans. This week, they played without their starting QB and ran the ball all over the Philadelphia Eagles and shut down Donovan McNabb for the most part, who's an MVP candidate at this point in a 13-6 win. The Texans are 2-5 (and lost to Tennessee) while the Eagles drop to 4-4.

A few weeks ago it took the Chicago Bears three (3) non-offensive TDs and a late missed FG to eek out a 24-23 win over the Arizona Cardinals. Since then, the Cardinals have lost to the previously winless Oakland Raiders and then were handily beat by the 3-4 Green Bay Packers. The Chicago Bears led their game 41-0 at the half.

Speaking of the Raiders, a couple weeks they looked like they might have a shot at going 16-0... now they stand at 2-5... the same record as the defending Super Bowl Champion Pittsburgh Steelers.

Mike Vick has thrown 7 TD passes in 2 games.

The NFL. I don't understand it. I just watch it.

2006 NBA Preview: Southwest Division

And now on to the division that had, at least for my money, at least 2 of the 3 best teams in the NBA last season. And that's not even counting the team that employs Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming.

Dallas Mavericks - Where to start. They have one of the best coaches in the NBA, one of the top 3 or 4 players in the NBA, and a great cast of guys who all know their roles. They can play smallball, pound it inside, play a perimter and uptempo game, or beat you with strong defense. They have the most versatile roster in the NBA, which is why they made it to the Championship last year and have a shot to repeat that this year. Another good thing is that Josh Howard keeps getting better and better. What a joy to watch.

Houston Rockets - I know I have mentioned this once before... but think about how the Heat won the NBA Title last year... they had a playmaking off guard that could score at will when he was on his game, a solid Center down low to keep defenses honest, a couple of guys that could hit down open shots, and role players that didn't command the ball. What do the Rockets have? An off guard that can score at will when he's hot (and healthy), a great Center that's gotten better every year, and they now have capable role players with guys like Shane Battier and Bonzi Wells. I'm not saying they're the Heat and that they'll win the Title... but if McGrady stays healthy, they're very dangerous.

Memphis Grizzlies - Their starting guards are Damon Stoudamire and Eddie Jones. I think both were in their prime about 5-10 years ago. Sadly, it doesn't get much better. Pau Gasol is out to start the season. Jake Tsakalidis is their starting center. Shane Battier, Lorenzen Wright, and Bobby Jackson are all gone. They've got some nice rookies with Rudy Gay and Kyle Lowry, but this will be a long year for the Grizz, especially considering that they were in the playoffs last year.

New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets - The team that made the biggest splash in the offseason, and seems to be the sleeper pick of many people. However, I think they played over their heads last year and may have overinflated some expecations... but there is definitely lots of reasons for optimism. It starts with Chris Paul, and I do really like him a lot. Simply put, he's second only to Steve Nash as a playmaking PG in year 2 of his NBA career. The assist total should only go up, with Tyson Chandler being able to outlet the ball and start the break, and Peja Stojakovic in town to drain the 3. David West is efficient and very good on the low block. And through the draft and a couple of other minor additions, they'll have more depth. If nothing else, Chris Paul makes them one of the most exciting teams in the League to watch.

San Antonio Spurs - The old reliables are all back in town for San Antonio. With mainstays Gregg Popovich, Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili, we know they'll always be in contention. But they also made some other nice moves. They signed Jackie Butler, a guy you may not have heard of but according to John Hollinger, "...he's been working out all summer in San Antonio and I expect him to be a revelation this season as the Spurs' starting center." So that's nice. They also signed role players like Matt Bonner, Jacque Vaughn, etc. The core is the same, but they should be better able to compete with teams like the Mavs or Suns when they play small.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Dallas Mavericks
2. San Antonio Spurs
3. Houston Rockets
4. NO/OC Hornets
5. Memphis Grizzlies

SPANISH FOOTBALL. ROUND 8 "LA LIGA" RESULTS & VIDEO

The rest of Round 8 games of the SPANISH LEAGUE - "LA LIGA"have given some surprising & revealing results, as GETAFE´s winwhich has Schuster´s (coach) team on a winning roll. SEVILLE FC put a stop to CELTA & its winning ways, MALLORCA put deeperin trouble BETIS , VILLAREAL held a poor REAL SOCIEDAD &ATLETICO DE MADRID continues it´s downhill trend.DE MORAL of GETAFE celebrates the 1º goalNACHO

JORGE LORENZO 250cc GPMOTO WORLD CHAMPION 2006

Another Spaniard is WORLD CHAMPION this year in GPMOTO.Following in the steps of Alvaro Bautista in 125cc,JORGE LORENZO secured the WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPby finishing 4th in the VALENCIAN GP (Spain) , & importantly,ahead of A.Dovizioso, in the 250cc catagory.Its been a great seson for Lorenzo with 8 Gp wins & a clearsign of maturity. Congratulations.Good news in the 125cc catagory for Spanish

Canadian sport newspapers

Written in english and french, the majority of daily newspapers in Canada are not national, and contain regional information. Sport newspapers in Canada write mainly about sports like: hockey, basketball, american football, baseball, and sustain canadian teams in competition with U.S.A. teams.

Hockey News: http://www.thehockeynews.com/en/home/home.asp

Globe and Mail: http://www.globesports.com/

National Post: http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/news/sports/index.html

Edmonton Journal: http://www.canada.com/edmontonjournal/news/sports/index.html

Leader-Post: http://www.canada.com/reginaleaderpost/news/sports/index.html

La Revue: http://www.larevue.qc.ca/fr/liste_nouvelles.asp?ID=7

Le Soleil: http://www.cyberpresse.ca/section/CPSPORTS

The Gazette: http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/sports/index.html

The Province: http://www.canada.com/theprovince/news/sports/index.html

The Star Phoenix: http://www.canada.com/saskatoonstarphoenix/news/sports/index.html

The Vancouver Sun: http://www.canada.com/vancouversun/news/sports/index.html

Windsorstar: http://www.canada.com/windsorstar/index.html

A Sports Law Retrospective of the late Red Auerbach

Boston Celtics' chairman and president Arnold "Red" Auerbach passed away tonight at the age of 89. Auerbach was well-known for his coaching and player personnel accomplishments with the Celtics over the last 56 years. He was tied with Phil Jackson for the most NBA championship rings as a coach with nine, and pulled off a number of great draft picks and trades, including drafting Larry Bird and Kevin McHale and trading for Robert Parrish and Dennis Johnson, among many other accomplishments.

Auerbach's career also affected developments related to sports and the law. For instance, and as the Boston Globe's Peter May details in his Auerbach obituary tonight, Auerbach helped to break racial barriers in the NBA. Most notably, he drafted the league's first African-American player in 1950 in Chuck Cooper, hired pro sports' first African-American head coach in 1966 in Bill Russell, and started five African-Americans on the Celtics, an NBA first. Particularly when juxtaposed with the less racially-tolerant practices of the Boston Red Sox during that time, Auerbach's decisions seemed ahead of not only other NBA personnel, but sports actors and perhaps even people in general.

The low point for Auerbach in his career also influenced sports and the law. It occurred right after the Celtics, courtesy of an earlier trade engineered by Auerbach, drafted University of Maryland superstar Len Bias with the second overall pick in the 1986 draft. If any of you have seen ESPN Classic footage of Lenny Bias, you'll know exactly why he was drafted so highly--the guy was simply amazing, almost like a more gifted and rugged version of Elton Brand. But two days after the 1986 draft, Bias died of cardiac arrhythmia, most likely related to a cocaine overdose. His death would motivate NBA teams to conduct far more extensive background checks of prospective draft picks. The untimely death of Celtics' guard Reggie Lewis' in 1993 also led to reconsiderations of monitoring players with heart conditions (a topic I discuss in my recent publication in the University of Pennsylvania Journal of Labor and Employment Law). While Auerbach was no longer as actively involved with the Celtics by that point, he did draft Lewis back in 1987.

But all in all, Auerbach should be remembered far more for the good times than the bad times. He was probably the most influential coach and general manager in NBA history.

SPANISH FOOTBALL - "LA LIGA". 3 GAMES PLAYED OF ROUND 8

Three games have been played of "LA LIGA" Round 8. The surprisewas the loss of VALENCIA , while FC BARCELONA played well &won & REAL MADRID also grabbed the 3 points after a tough match.RONALDINHO steered his team to victory &scored twice XAVI HERNANDEZplayed well & scoredVALENCIA CF lost awayto RACING DE SANTANDERwith a goal from MunitisGIMNASTIC DE TARRAGONA took the lead from a penalty.Real

2006 NBA Preview: Northwest Division

Now that I've previewed the East, it's time to move on to the stronger, deeper Western conference. Because that's just the natural progression of things.

Denver Nuggets - A lot of things will revolve around Carmelo, the great talent that he is, again, but a lot of how the Nuggets do will be determined by the health of the bigs. Marcus Camby is very, very good on both ends of the floor if he's healthy, K-Mart can be a solid contributor, and Nene is a solid big off the bench. Andre Miller's a rock at PG, I really do like JR Smith at SG... if the bigs stay healthy, I see another division title in their future.

Minnesota Timberwolves - KG at least has a little more help with the additions of Mike James and Randy Foye, but that doesn't mean the TWolves are anywhere near where they were a few years ago. Trenton Hassell is not a very good starter, and I'm not a big Ricky Davis fan. At center, Mark Blount just isn't very good at all. I'm sorry, but these guys will not be headed to the playoffs in the West, even with a top 5 player in KG. There's just not enough talent around him.

Portland Trailblazers - I like what the Blazers have done, getting rid of some of the bad seeds and bringing in a lot of young talent and hoping it develops. They're at least a year off from being a decent team, but at least they're going in the right direction. They've got young talent everywhere in Brandon Roy, LaMarcus Aldridge, Martell Webster, Jarrett Jack, Sergio Rodriguez, etc. At the very least, they should be entertaining at times to watch (until the inevitable Zach Randolph incident).

Seattle Supersonics - With Ray Allen and Rashard Lewis, the Sonics should be raining 3s and scoring lots and lots of points... on the other side of the equation, however, they can't stop anyone. They've got a lot of first-round big men, but so far that hasn't translated into much production down low. This should probably look a lot like last year... lots of offense, no defense, and no playoff berth.

Utah Jazz - Like Denver, a lot of Utah's success will be determined by the health of the big guys. Andrei Kirilenko, Carlos Boozer, and Mehmet Okur has not got to play a lot with each other because of injuries, but if they all stay healthy it's a potentially excellent, excellent combo. Plus, the depth up front leaves something to be desired, making good health even more imperative. In the backcourt, they have a very solid Deron Williams, who should improve a lot on year 2. They've got a whole host of other guys to play the 1-2-3 spots, including Gordan Giricek, Ronnie Brewer, Matt Harpring, and Derek Fisher. It all depends on the frontcourt.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Denver Nuggets
2. Utah Jazz
3. Seattle Supersonics
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
5. Portland Trailblazers

NFL Picks Against the Spread: Week 8

Back with the fun game we all like and enjoy, my picks for the NFL games. I've been marred in a large 2 week slump, which has seen me drop all the way down to .500 for the season. Hopefully that changes this week.

Bengals (-3.5) over Falcons
Michael Vick finally was good at passing for one week. On the road against Cincy, I'm not sure he'll duplicate that success in the air. We've been fooled too many times before. I'll take Cincy and the points.

Bucs (+9) over Giants
Giants have been real impressive over the past few weeks, now looking like the best team in the East. But the Bucs have shown they're not quite as bad as they showed in the first 4 weeks. Bruce Gradkowksi has got the offense going a little bit, and the D is starting to play well. I'll take the Bucs to cover the spread, though the Giants to win the game.

49ers (+15.5) over Bears
The last game the Bears played the offense produced absolutely nothing against Arizona. I'm sorry, but I'm not taking them to cover this huge spread, even with how good they looked in the first 5 weeks. Bears are still a great team, but not quite the invincible one they were 2 weeks ago.

Eagles (-7.5) over Jaguars
Two straight heartbreaking losses for the Eagles, as well as seeing their record drop to 4-3 has to be good motivation. Meanwhile, everyone was crowning the Jags as one of the best teams in the NFL after their defense destroyed Pittsburgh on MNF, but they've since struggled. They got pummeled by Houston last week, and now Leftwich won't be playing this week. They're better than they've been playing, but I'll take the Eagles to cover.

Seahawks (+4) over Chiefs
Seneca Wallace didn't look all that good last week, but with a full week of practice he should better. But the better news for Seattle is that Damon Huard is hurt and might not play... it'll be a game-time decision. If he doesn't start, Brodie Croyle will. Last year at this time, Croyle was a decent QB at Alabama. I don't see that ending well.

Texans (+3) over Titans
The Titans have been playing better under the resurgent Travis Henry, but the Texans are starting to get things figured out offensively as well. Wali Lundy ran the ball well last week, and David Carr to Andre Johnson is better than what the Titans can put out there right now. This won't be a real pretty game, but I'll take Houston.

Saints (-1.5) over Ravens
Sorry, still not buying this Steve McNair thing. He just has not been very good so far this year. The Saints, on the other hand, have been playing great offensively. They use the Reggie Bush/Deuce McAllister combo perfectly, Drew Brees is playing excellently, and the receivers are solid. There might not be a more fun offense in the league to watch. At home they've been really, really tough this year.

Packers (-4) over Cardinals
Two mediocre teams. I'll take the home team in this one.

Chargers (-9.5) over Rams
The Chargers should be the best team in the NFL, they have that kind of talent, but they've just been maddeningly inconsistent. Though at home they've been real good... I'll take them to cover against St. Louis in San Diego (anyone know the origin of the name, by the way?)

Colts (+3) over Broncos
I know how good the Broncos defense has been this year. And I know how good their running game is. But I refuse to take a Jake Plummer led team over a Peyton Manning led team, especially when the Jake Plummer led team is favored. Not going to happen.

Jets (+1.5) over Cleveland
I like Romeo Crennel, I like Charlie Frye, but I just don't like the Browns right now. 1-5, and they're averaging 14.7 PPG this year. Now that it appears the Jets have some type of a running game with Leon Washington, I'll take them to win this game.

Steelers (-9) over Raiders
The Raiders are looking like an actual NFL team finally, but the Steelers have to be getting desparate... sitting at 2-4, a win is imperative here. I don't think they'll disappoint.

Cowboys (+6) over Panthers
Everything points to the Panthers here... Romo looked bad last week, Panthers have been playing great since Steve Smith returned, and it's in Carolina. I just have a feeling this will be a close game.

Patriots (-2) over Vikings
I hate picking these Vikings games... I think this will be a real tight and competitive game with either team having a shot to win it. Two very good defenses, two good running games. I'll take New England just because if they win I'll at least have some positive from the game. If the Vikings win, well, I'll be happy to have been proven wrong.

Last Week: 4-8-1

Season: 47-47-6

SPANISH FOOTBALL.NEWS & "LA LIGA" - ROUND 8 FIXTURE

Latest: Real Sociedad has sacked itscoach JOSE MARI BAKERO afterits disasterous start to the seasonwere it is currently at the bottomof the ladder.Spanish press coment that new coachwill be Miguel Angel Lotina, ex-coachOsasuna, ex-coach of Espanyol.Another weekend of great Football & games in "La Liga"Round 8 Fixture:Celta - SevilleGetafe - DeportivoBetis - MallorcaR.Sociedad - VillarealLevante -

The Ultimate Bill Walton Quote Library

For more posts involving Bill Walton, look here.

Let me start with some background. At one time, I really liked Bill Walton. As I listened to him more and more, I began to dislike him very strongly as an announcer. However, my perspective has slowly begun to change again.

It all started when I was searching and came across a post from last year's playoffs where I mentioned Bill Walton:

While we're on the subject of announcers, I must admit I'm not a big fan of Bill Walton if he's in a 2-man team. However, the trio of Mike Tirico, Bill Walton, and Steve "Snapper" Jones is very enjoyable. Tirico is one of the best in the business at play-by-play, Walton throws in his great exaggerations, which are actually rather amusing ("Elton Brand represents everything that is right with the NBA. And with the world."), and Jones makes fun of Bill every chance he gets. They're very enjoyable.

Things started to hit me... yes, he's exaggerating. No, he doesn't really seem to bring great basketball insight. But yes, he's entertaining.

Then I came across a post from last March at Detroit Bad Boys that really just kinda summed up my feelings, without me even knowing it at the time. Here's part of the article:

For a long time, I was in the camp of the Bill Walton haters. I seethed every time I heard him laud praise upon Kazaam or fall at the feet of Kobe Bryant…I mean, Mamba. I chose to watch games on mute rather than hear his man-love for Coach Wooden seep into whichever game he was talking over. The incessant stammering coupled with the goofy, Deadhead persona made him unbearable. It seemed even his play-by-play partners were beside themselves at his stupidity.

But something happened along the way that caused me to reconsider my disdain for Big Red; I actually turned the volume up and listened to one of his games. And in doing so, I realized quickly that the joke was on me, that my naivete and/or blind-hate had kept me from appreciating Walton for what he is: a willing punchline. His hyperbole, his non-sequitors, his uncomfortable hetero-crushes–Walton is just playing along, throwing humorous tidbits against the wall to see which ones stick. Why else would someone say the following:

"You look at Vladimir Radmanovic, this guy is cut from stone. As if Michelangelo was reading and a lightning bolt flashed before him."

I mean, this just describes things absolutely perfectly. If you take him seriously, you won't like him. If you take him for what he is... a guy trying to lighten the mood and be entertaining, well, he's just that. Teamed with Steve "Snapper" Jones, and it's quite a treat.

Then I came across some other sites with Bill Walton Quotes... a brief sampling:

“Tracy McGrady is doing things we’ve never seen from anybody – from any planet!”

"Mick Jagger is in better shape than far too many NBA players. It's up in the air whether the same can be said of Keith Richards."

“John Stockton is one of the true marvels, not just of basketball, or in America, but in the history of Western Civilization!”

“Yao Ming is the best thing to happen to the NBA in a long time. He is just a beautiful person inside and out. The vision, the creativity, the gentleness of spirit … he has it all.”

"Show some respect to this living legend, this hall of famer...Arvydas Sabonis."

"Its a critical game, the battle for 10th place!"

I mean, this stuff is funny. Shame on me for not appreciating it sooner.

So that gave me an idea... there's not enough Bill Walton quotes out there on the internet. So I'm asking for your help... whenever you see an outrageous Bill Walton exaggeration, here's what you should do:

1) Post it here in the comments (I'll put a link to this post in the sidebars)
2) Email me the quote at uclabruins24 AT hotmail.com
3) Just post it in the comments of the most recent post... Bill Walton takes precedence.

And hey, if you post a quote, I'll give you some recognition and thanks... doesn't get better than that! So join me, in this, the Year of Bill Walton, as I hope to build the Ultimate Bill Walton Quote Library.

For more posts involving Bill Walton, look here.

2006 NBA Preview: Southeast Division

While not as deep as the Central division, this division includes the defending champs, and a couple of young and improving teams.

Atlanta Hawks - The young talent is accumulating in Atlanta. Josh Smith improved each of his first 2 years, and looks posied to be an Andrei Kirilenko type player. Marvin Williams may not have been the right choice over Chris Paul in the draft, but that doesn't mean he's not immensely talented (though injured at the moment). And we all saw what Joe Johnson can do when he played great at PG last year. They're still not anywhere near a playoff spot, but they've got some good, young pieces.

Charlotte Bobcats - The Bobcats cupboard is not bare either. Thanks to starting off going just for youth, along with some solid drafting and FA signing, the Bobcats are a talented, young team. In April, PG Raymond Felton averaged over 17 points and 9 assists per game. I don't know that his numbers will be that good this year, but throw in a scorer in Adam Morrison, and that helps. Gerald Wallace is very possibly the most underrated player in the NBA. He takes high percentage shots, rebounds well, and is great defensively. Inside, they've got depth, with guys like Emeka Okafor, Primoz Brecez, Sean May, Melvin Ely, etc. They're probably a year away, but if things go right, a playoff trip is not out of the realm of possibility.

Miami Heat - If you thought Dwyane Wade carried a big load last year, well, he'll have to do it again. Basically the whole team is back, which is good because they won the title, and bad because they were already old, and now they're just a year older. And with Jason Williams out to start the year, backcourt depth will be very thin. Regardless, they should be able to basically coast through the season and get to the playoffs, where they'll look to regain the magic of last year. As long as they got DWade, they got a chance.

Orlando Magic - Like the Hawks and Bobcats in the division, this is a very young team that will probably be better next year than they are this year. Unlike the Hawks and Bobcats, they're a pretty solid team now as well. It all starts inside with Dwight Howard, a big-time force. He's already perhaps the best rebounder in the NBA, and continues to improve his offensive game. Something like 18 and 14 per game this year is not out of the question at all. Also down low is Darko Milicic. He's another guy I like, and I think Detroit would be a lot better of they had kept him. Darko is immensely talented, and should be a force for the Magic in the future. The backcourt is anchored by Jameer Nelson, who's also young and continues to improve. If Grant Hill can give them at least half a season, they've got a very solid chance to make it to postseason play.

Washington Wizards - The Big 3 returns, and they will once again have to carry the load for the Wizards. Gilbert Arenas is one of the top players in the NBA, Caron Butler averaged 19 and 7 after the All-Star Break, and Antawn Jamison can score from anywhere. But can everyone else chip in? The bench is extremely weak, so they need to stay healthy. Darius Songaila provides some nice front court depth (even if they did overpay), and Antonio Daniels is a very solid 6th Man. If they can stay healthy again, I like them to finish about where they did last year... 4th or 5th seed.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Miami Heat
2. Washington Wizards
3. Orlando Magic
4. Charlotte Bobcats
5. Atlanta Hawks

College Football Picks: Week 9

I'll be honest, there really are not any great games this weekend... some decent ones, but that's it. Anyway, since I'm in the middle of NBA previews, I'll just give my quick predictions without the analysis.

(5) Texas over Texas Tech

(9) Florida over Georgia

(23) Missouri over (19) Oklahoma

(21) Georgia Tech over Miami

South Carolina over (8) Tennessee (UPSET SPECIAL!)

Last Week: 2-3

Season: 28-12

LSU Has Assistant Coach Arrested

LSU assistant strength coach, Travelle Gaines, was arrested and jailed this week for.... illegal steroid distribution? No... For assault and battery? No... For gambling, stealing, possession of narcotics? No, no, and no. Gaines has been accused of violating Louisiana state agent regulations by inviting student-athletes to his home to meet a sports agent and suggesting the agent should represent the athletes. University police also arrested sports agent Charles Taplin earlier this month for attempting to contact student athletes. According to LSU, notes and a cellphone gathered during Taplin's arrest, combined with interviews with several student-athletes, pointed to Gaines as assisting Taplin.

Louisiana, like most states, requires agents to be certified and prohibits all sorts of behavior by agents. Section 4:424 of Louisiana's statute regulating agents prohibits an athlete agent or an attorney from:

(1) entering into "any agreement, written or oral, by which the athlete agent offers anything of value, including the rendition of free or reduced-price legal services, to any employee of an institution of higher education located in [Louisiana] in return for the referral of any clients by that employee, and

(2) directly or indirectly contacting "an athlete who is participating in a team sport at an institution of higher learning located in [Louisiana] to discuss the athlete agent's representation of the athlete in the marketing of the athlete's athletic ability or reputation."

The statute provides that an athlete agent commits an offense if the agent knowingly or intentionally violates the provisions of Section 4:424, and that conviction of an offense is a misdemeanor and punishable by a fine of not more than ten thousand dollars, or by imprisonment of not more than one year, or both.

The statute regulates the conduct of agents and defines "athlete agent" as "a person who, directly or indirectly, recruits or solicits an athlete to enter into an agent contract or professional sport services contract with that person, or who for a fee procures, offers, promises, or attempts to obtain employment for an athlete with a professional sports team."

Unless there is more to the story, Gaines was put in jail for introducing some players to an agent. NCAA bylaw 11.1.4.1 even permits head coaches to contact agents to assist the athlete in selecting an agent and determining his market value. LSU might be justified in firing him, but is it justifiable for LSU to have this guy arrested?

Dutch sport newspapers

With a press tradition over 100 years, the Dutch newsappers have influenced the economic and cultural development of the country. Sport newspaers in Netherlands cover both sport events and gossip about sport stars. The best represented sport in the dutch sport newspapers is football, and the best known football teams are: AFC Ajax Amsterdam, Feyenoord Rotterdam and PSV Eindhoven.

Voetbal international: www.vi.nl

Sport Week: http://www.sportweek.nl/

Telesport: http://www.telesport.nl/

De Volkskrant: http://www.volkskrant.nl/sport/

NRC Handelsblad: http://www.nrc.nl/sport/

Blik Nieuws: http://www.blikopnieuws.nl/sport

Parool: http://www.parool.nl/sport/

NU: http://www.nu.nl/rubriek/149/40

Friesch Dagblad: http://www.frieschdagblad.nl/index.asp?pagina=sport

2006 NBA Preview: Central Division

After looking at the worst division in basketball yesterday, now comes what may be the best division in basketball, with all 5 teams having a shot at the playoffs.

Chicago Bulls - The Bulls made perhaps the biggest move in this NBA Offseason by signing Ben Wallace, who was surprisingly not that good in the playoffs last year, but will provide much needed rebounding and defensive toughness inside for the Bulls, while deferring offensively to the scoring guards and wing players. The addition of Wallace and Tyrus Thomas in the draft will make a good defense even better, which is good because they will struggle to score. I like Kirk Hinrich a lot, but he can't carry the scoring load. Ben Gordon is hit-or-miss at times. Luol Deng is another solid player but not one that will carry the scoring load. We know they'll play defense, but where will the points come from?

Cleveland Cavaliers - First off, they have one thing that makes them really good no matter who else is on the team... LeBron James. In my mind he was the best player in the NBA last year, and should only be better with another year under his belt. He's not a great defender at this point, but he's the most athletic player in the NBA, a great passer, and the best at finishing at the basket. So they have that going for them, which is nice. Elsewhere, a lot of things are the same, but I think they have some decent depth. Eric Snow and Damon Jones are not very good at the Point, so it would be a good thing if rookie Shannon Brown could push them for minutes. Larry Hughes wasn't that good last year, but if he's healthy that's a massive upgrade over the junk they put out there in his place. Donyell Marshall and Anderson Verejao provide solid front-court depth. And with LeBron, anything is possible.

Detroit Pistons - They are obviously due for a little bit of struggling losing Wallace and replacing him with Nazr Mohammed, but they'll still be a solid ballclub. The other four starters return, all of them above average. Depth, though, is an issue. Up front, there's the mainstay Antonio McDyess, but after that is it undersized Jason Maxiell? Dale Davis? In the backcourt, Carlos Delfino and Flip Murray are ok, but nothing to really depend on. The Pistons have remained extraordinarily healthy in the past couple years, and they really need that trend to continue, or they're in trouble.

Indiana Pacers - The Pacers are deep, but don't have great star power. Jermaine O'Neal is the cloest thing they have to a star, but he's had trouble staying healthy for the past couple of seasons. Al Harrington was a very nice pickup however, and will be very solid for them. The they've got guys like Stephen Jackson, Danny Granger, and Marquis Daniels on the wing... all solid players, but nothing to write home about. And that pretty much describes Indiana. Solid, but not able to compete realistically for the division or conference title.

Milwaukee Bucks - They've got a lot of young talent on the roster, but they'll be battling for the last playoff spot once again. Charlie Villanueva is a very good looking (not literally, haha!!) young forward, and immediately boosts the front line. Andrew Bogut looked solid as a rookie, though he'll be out for a while to start the season. And we all know how dangerous Michael Redd is. A lot of the season rests on the PG Maurice Williams, who is the starter now that TJ Ford has left the building. If he can improve even more from last year, Milwaukee will be right back in the playoffs. If not, they might just miss out on the fun.

Predicted Order of Finish
1. Cleveland Cavaliers
2. Detroit Pistons
3. Chicago Bulls
4. Indiana Pacers
5. Milwaukee Bucks

THE REST OF SPANISH CUP RESULTS. TOUGH 3º ROUND.

The beauty of the SPANISH CUP is that big meet small & its alwaysfull of surprises. The bigger clubs save their better players & thesmaller clubs go out with a "nothing to lose attitude", its a realtough affair, as Atletico last night felt with its 0-1 loss - see belowpost for yesterdays scores.Tonight the rest of the games were played & you can seethe scores & scorers below.Fc BARCELONA faced a

Cool Papa Bell's Daughter in Suit Against Topps

The WSJ Law Blog picks up on a New York Sun story regarding a lawsuit filed by the daughter of James "Cool Papa" Bell against baseball card giant Topps. The Law Blog explains:

Bell’s daughter, Connie Brooks, sued Topps over its description of Bell on the back of a 2001 baseball card. The squib said Cool Papa “earned his nickname after falling asleep right before a game.” In court papers, his daughter calls this a “bogus painful lie.” It belittles the hard lives of Negro League players and suggests her dad was an alcoholic or drug addict, she says, adding, “[t]hey take a Negro Leaguer and think it’s okay to make him a little buffoonish, a little clownish, and suggest that he’s nodding off.”

Although Topps has offered the plaintiff a $35,000 settlement, which she rejected, commentators do not expect her to have much success in court, according to the WSJ blog:

Legal beagles say the suit looks dead on arrival. The deceased cannot be defamed under New York libel law, says Peter Harvey, a partner at Patterson Belknap. Harvey passes on some free legal advice to the daughter via the Sun, suggesting a better argument would be that Topps can’t use Bell’s likeness without the permission of his estate.

For more on the dispute, see here and here.

Deputy Shaquille O'Neal Part of Botched Police Raid?

Back in May, Geoff blogged about Miami Heat star Shaquille O'Neal "assisting" Florida law enforcement in busting those who sell or possess child pornography. At the time, O'Neal said that he only arrived at the defendant's house after the arrest, so it wasn't entirely clearly what services he provided, other than, I suppose, the novelty of having a 7'1, 220+ pound future hall of famer suddenly appearing in a police uniform at the bad guy's house. I imagine that might disorient the defendant and maybe make him more likely to talk to Shaq than other uniformed officers--I'm not sure. Regardless, O'Neal said that his reasons for tagging along were not entirely voyeuristic, as he plans to pursue a career in law enforcement after his NBA career ends.

But Shaq's post NBA law enforcement career might be in jeopardy before it starts. Last month, while working in Bedford County, Virginia as a uniformed reserve sheriff's deputy, O'Neal allegedly took part in a botched child porno raid at the Gretna, Virginia home of A.J. Nuckols, a married man with kids. The police raided Nuckols' home, believing that they had the correct IP address for someone selling child porn, but unfortunately for both the police and Mr. Nuckols, they had the wrong IP address--and thus the wrong home and the wrong guy.

Although O'Neal denies that he was at Nuckols' home, the Bedford County Sheriff's Office confirms that he was there. And what happened at Mr. Nuckols' house wasn't too pretty:

Nuckols described being "held at gunpoint, taunted and led into the house," and said the home was ransacked by a "paramilitary search-and-seizure team" that took computers, cameras, DVDs and VHS tapes.

"Men ran at me, dropped into shooting position, double-handed semiautomatic pistols pointed at me, and made me put my hands against my truck."

The raid at Nuckols' Gretna, Va., home "scared beyond description" him and his family.

When asked why they brought Shaq onto its staff, the Bedford Sheriff's Office said that they enlisted him "to be the spokesman and public face of its anti-child pornography and child predator campaign" and because of that, they deputized him last year. So Shaq apparently does offer something to the Sherff's Office, at least in terms of public relations. And, in his defense, it doesn't appear that he was in any way at fault for what happened to Mr. Nuckols and his family (and his home). But should Shaq even be on these missions? Setting aside the potential of him getting hurt, what about him hurting other police officers or innocent victims? Really, what is he doing? Can anyone with a lot of money and fame go on active police duty and raid people's homes?

NBA Preview: Atlantic Division

In the midst of the football season being in full swing, and the World Series winding down, it came as a mini-surprise to me that the first NBA regular season game is less than a week away, with opening night being on Halloween. So it's time for some quick previews, starting with the Atlantic Division.

Boston Celtics - Once again, the C's will be very, very young, but also talented. As with any young bunch, consistency is key. The Celtics need to take better care of the ball and rebound better. These two areas will be determined a lot by who eventually starts at PG, and if Al Jefferson can get back to looking like the budding star he was 2 years ago. At PG, I'm not really crazy about Sebastian Telfair or Rajon Rondo... frankly, I don't think either of them can shoot a lick from outside right now... but if one of them can get established and take care of the ball, the PG spot will be ok, and the Celtics will have a very real shot at .500 and maybe, just maybe a shot at the division title.

New Jersey Nets - I don't really like this team much. The big 3 is there, but getting older. Vince Carter doesn't give much effort defensively or going to the basket, Richard Jefferson is not that effective in a halfcourt set, and Jason Kidd is not what he used to be as an outside shooter or defender. After that, things look bleak. The bench, in a word, sucks. Their 6th man is either Eddie House or Cliff Robinson, and that is really, really bad. They have Marcus Williams, who as I've said I like a ton, but the 2nd unit is just bad. If they have any injury problems (and they had hardly any last year), they'll be in trouble.

New York Knicks - Ah yes, the abomination that is the New York Knicks under Isiah Thomas. The team should be better just by pure luck and the fact that the young guys will play a little more, but not by much. Their big FA signing of the offseason was Jared Jeffries, a bad offensive player who they overpaid for. Shocking. This is still a team filled with shoot-first PGs and poor offensive 2/3 men... and that's not a good combo. One bright spot should be Channing Frye, who will get more time this year, and should thrive if the Knicks push the ball a little more. Frye is a guy I really like as well as a fantasy sleeper!

Philadelphia 76ers - I love the Sixers, but the whole offseason was much ado about nothing. They tried their best to trade Allen Iverson, but at the end of the day he's back in Philly. The big FA signing was Alan Henderson (though Rodney Carney should immediately get playing time as a rookie and be a solid player). As a result, I see a lot of the same things happening as last year... great offensively in transition, awful defensively. Andre Iguodala is very solid defensively, and Samuel Dalembert has the potential to be solid defensively, but there's not much else in that category for the starters. Allen Iverson will take a lot of chances and get a lot of steals, but he also gambles and loses a lot. Chris Webber is playing basically on one leg. Kyle Korver is a situational shooter moonlighting as a starter. It could get really ugly defensively.

Toronto Raptors - This is one of the teams I'm most looking forward to seeing how they do under new man Bryan Colangelo. They should play at a fast pace, be a little better defensively, and be relatively competitive as they begin the slow climb to respectability. Chris Bosh is the star, and he's a darn good play at the 4 or 5 spot. After that, Mo Pete is a solid player, the rookie Andrea Bargnani is intriguing, and it will be interesting to see how TJ Ford fits in the offense. If nothing else, they're deeper and will have loads of cap space next year... it will be an interesting year North of the Border.

Predicted Order of Finish:
1. Boston Celtics
2. New Jersey Nets
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. New York Knicks
5. Toronto Raptors

SPANISH CUP RESULTS -TWO GAMES PLAYED TONIGHT

Two games were played tonight in Round 3 of the SPANISHCUP.The 1º leg saw the inclusion of the 1º Division teams & we seethe 1º surprise.ATLETICO DE MADRID has lost 0 - 1 to LEVANTEwith a late goal by Nino - pictured below - in the 87min.This gives Levante the away goal advantage for the returnleg. Atletico has´nt been able to recover from the injury blowof 3 important players: Maxi, Petrov &

REAL MADRID. 7 REASONS FOR ITS MARKED IMPROVEMENT

The victory ofREAL MADRIDover FC BARCELONA last Sunday isseen as thebeginning of theimprovement &back to form thateveryone expectsfrom a team with the players & tradition that Real has in its possesion.Spanish daily "AS" has given its 7 reasons for the improvements withthe opinions of local sporting journalists. Here ar the 7:1. Guti is the creative player & Emerson attempts to find & feed himas

SPANISH CUP. THE BIG TEAMS BEGIN THEIR ROAD TO THE FINAL

SPANISH CUP rounds today & tomorrow with the introductionof the 1º Division teams beginning their long road towards thefinal. Here is the list of games that will be played:Tuesday:Alavés - Celta 20.45Atlético Madrid - Levante 21.00Wednesday:Ecija - Real Madrid 20.00Peña Sport - Osasuna 20.30Portuense - Valencia 19.00Badalona - Barcelona 22.00Segoviana - Sevilla 20.30Rayo Vallecano -

My College Football Top 10

There's so many rankings... AP Poll, BCS Rankings, etc. Well, I figured I'd toss my name in the hat with my top 10. This is just the order of what I think are the top 10 teams in the country.

1. Michigan
I've said before I consider them the best team in the country, and they did nothing to change my mind Saturday. The offense wasn't as explosive with Mario Manningham out again, but the defense was dominant in the 20-6 win over Iowa. Drew Tate didn't get anything going in the passing game, and the Hawkeyes had 41 yards rushing.
2. Ohio St.
The Buckeyes are more like 1A then 2 for me, as they continue to impress on both sides of the ball in a 44-3 drubbing of Indiana. Troy Smith is the best college QB in the nation right now,and they have the playmakers. With games against Minnesota, Illinois, and Northwestern coming up, they'll cruise undefeated into the game with Michigan.
3. West Virginia
What a running game. I know Pat White isn't a very good passer, but he doesn't have to be in this offense. I know that West Virginia hasn't really played anyone, but their closest margin of victory this year was 17 points. That's good. I think the combo of White and Slaton (#2 in the Heisman running now) is enough to put them above USC as they head into Louisville in 2 weeks.
4. USC
How impressive does that season-opening thrashing of Arkansas look now, with the Razorbacks running through the SEC? The talent is there for the Trojans, they just need consistency from the young guys. They should have two relatively easy games as they head down the home stretch, which includes games against Oregon, Cal, and Notre Dame.
5. Florida
Theoretically, Auburn should be above Florida because they beat them, but I still think Florida is the better team and would win on a neutral field, which is why they're at #5. With a game against a suddenly anemic Georgia team this week, Gators look let to cruise to the SEC East Title, barring upset. And that season-ending date with the Seminoles is always a good one too.
6. Texas
Let's make one thing clear, Nebraska is a very solid team, especially playing at home. Texas got the break with the Huskers fumble late, but they still played a good ballgame. Colt McCoy continues to look extremely impressive... making plays throwing and running the ball, and not making big mistakes. And I think Limas Sweed is starting to put his name in there as one of the best WR in the nation.
7. Auburn
I don't think anyone would mind seeing a Florida/Auburn rematch in the SEC Title Game, but Arkansas might have a little something to say about that. Auburn has to win out to have a shot, and with their conference games remaining being against Ole Miss, Georgia, and Alabama, they have a great shot at that.
8. Louisville
Louisville is not nearly as explosive without Michael Bush in the lineup, but they're still very dangerous. Brian Brohm is excellent, the receivers are dangerous, and Kolby Smith and George Stripling are doing a good job filling in for Bush. With the offensive firepower of Louisville and of West Virginia, that game in 2 weeks could be the best game of the year.
9. Clemson
Clemson gave one of the most impressive performances I've seen all year on Saturday night. Defensively, they shut down Calvin Johnson, and harrassed Reggie Ball all night. Offensively, well, look at the numbers for the RBs. James Davis ran for 216 yards, CJ Spiller ran for 116 yards and a score, and also caught a 50 yard pass. On that 50-yard TD catch, the moves he put on were ridiculous. He made a couple of GT defenders look foolish trying to tackle him. Huge Thursday night game at Va. Tech this week... after that their last 3 are at home.
10. California
They had a hard time getting by Washington, but it was through no fault of Marshawn Lynch. Lynch ran for 150 yards and 2 scores, including the game-winner in OT. Still, it would worry me some if I were Jeff Tedford in that Washington turned the ball over 5 times (compared to 0 for Cal) and it still took overtime to win the game.

Just missed: Tennessee, Arkansas, Notre Dame

REAL MADRID 2 - FC BARCELONA 0 . THE VIDEO

See the goals of yesterdays "el clasico" betweenReal Madrid & Fc Barcelona.Enjoy!

New Sports Law Scholarship

Thanks to the publication of a Case Western Law Review symposium, there's a bunch of new stuff this week:

Daniel A. Applegate, Comment, The NBA gets a college education: an antitrust and labor analysis of the NBA’s minimum age limit, 56 CASE WESTERN RESERVE LAW REVIEW 825 (2006)

Giovanna D’Orazio, Comment, Taking private property to build an urban sports arena: a valid exercise of eminent do-main powers?, 69 ALBANY LAW REVIEW 1135 (2006)

Christopher A. Callanan, Advice for the next Jeremy Bloom: an elite athlete’s guide to NCAA amateur regulations, 56 CASE WESTERN RESERVE LAW REVIEW 687 (2006)

Peter A. Carfagna, John Farrell and Mike Hazen, The business of minor league baseball: amateur eligibility rules, 56 CASE WESTERN RESERVE LAW REVIEW 695 (2006)

Lisa K. Levine, Jeremy Bloom v. National Collegiate Athletic Association and the University of Colorado: all sports are created equal; some are just more equal than others, 56 CASE WESTERN RESERVE LAW REVIEW 721 (2006)

Joseph McBurney, Note, To regulate or to prohibit: an analysis of the Internet gambling industry and the need for a decision on the industry’s future in the United States, 21 CONNECTICUT JOURNAL OF INTERNATIONAL LAW 337 (2006)

Michael A. McCann & Joseph S. Rosen, Legality of age restrictions in the NBA and the NFL, 56 CASE WESTERN RESERVE LAW REVIEW 731 (2006)

NFL Week 7 Recap

A wild, wacky day of NFL action. Let's go right to it.

Chiefs 30, Chargers 27 - A doubly bad day for the Chargers... first they lose, and now they found out that Shawne Merriman will be suspended for 4 games. Although on the bright side, LaDainian Tomlinson continued his great passing... by my count, he's not 6/9 with 5 TD passes in his career. Meanwhile, Larry Johnson... he good.

Texans 27, Jaguars 7 - Just when I think I have things kinda figured out, this happens. The Texans stomp the Jaguars. Early in the year the Jags D was hailed as one of the tops in the NFL... and David Carr was great against it, Wali Lundy averaged nearly 5 yards a carry, and the Texans scored 27 points. I can't figure the NFL out.

Bengals 17, Panthers 14 - Two really good teams playing in a tight ballgame. Not really much more to say about it. Another big day for Steve Smith... this guy is just ridiculous.

Patriots 28, Bills 6 - Yeah, the Patriots are real good again. Brady is looking more comfortable every week... Ben Watson was solid at TE, Doug Gabriel continues to be their best WR, and the rookie Chad Jackson had a 35 yard TD grab. With that rapidly improving passing game, the two-headed monster at RB, and Bill Belichek game planning defensively, these guys are definitely going to be a threat in January once again.

Falcons 41, Steelers 38 OT - Just a great game here. Back and forth all day, big play after big play, and Michael Vick even making plays with his arm. One little thing that irritated me about this game, and about announcers in general... with the score 38-38, the Falcons ran a play that was stopped for not that many yards. The announcers reaction was something like this, "You can run that play successfully against a lot of teams, but not against a defense like the Steelers." Really? A great defense that gave up 38 points (at that point in the game)? Not against a defense that allowed Michael Vick (!) to tear them up in the passing game, or allowed Jerrious Norwood to get 8 yards per carry? Yeah, Steelers defense was awesome today. I hate announcers.

Bucs 23, Eagles 21 - Was that the best kick ever? I mean, when Elam kicked his, that wasn't to win the game, if I recall. 62 yarder, outdoors, to win the game. Unbelievable.

One more pet peeve, and this goes for everyone's logic and thinking skills. That was NOT the 2nd longest kick in NFL history, as I heard on lots of the NFL shows after the game. Two players made kicks that were 63 yards, which makes Bryant's the 3rd longest kick in history. Now, looking up the story, the AP does have it right, but all the TV shows I heard them say it was the 2nd longest kick in history, which is wrong.

But regardless, incredible, incredible kick.

Jets 31, Lions 24 - If I recall, Leon Washington mostly split carries at Florida St. with Lorenzo Booker... well, he's sure playing well as the starter for New York, with 129 yards and 2 TD on the day. Don't look now, but the Jets are 4-3 and have a date with the Browns next week.

Packers 34, Dolphins 24 - Last year, I thought the Dolphins were one of the better coached teams in the NFL. This year, not so much. How else do you explain Joey Harrington throwing 62 passes, and Ronnie Brown only getting 15 carries. 62 PASSES!! Have the Dolphins lost their mind? I mean, if you have a guy like Peyton Manning, I can understand throwing a lot of passes, even though 62 is way too many. But Joey Harrington? Throwing 62 passes in a game? Is this some kind of bizarro world?!?

Broncos 17, Browns 7 - Jake Plummer sucks a lot, the Broncos defense is really good, the Broncos running game is really good. Wash, rinse, repeat.

Vikings 31, Seahawks 13 - Dear Shaun, We need you back. I need you back. We're not the same without you. I mean, just between you and me, Maurice Morris isn't very good. Like at all. With Matt in there, we could just go 4 wide and throw all the time, which was kinda effective, but now he got hurt, and who knows if he'll be back. Please Shaun, Hutch is already gone, Matt might be gone, we need you back. Sincerely, Mike H.

Raiders 22, Cardinals 9 - So the Cardinals nearly beat a team that is arguably the best in football (Bears) one week, then get smoked by the team that is arguably the worst in football (Raiders) the next week? Matt Leinart looks like a seasoned veteran against the best defense in the NFL, and looks like he should still be buried deep in the depth chart against the Raiders? Football is a funny game.

Colts 36, Redskins 22 - Joseph Addai is putting up better numbers than Edgerrin James right now. I mean, I know their situations are very, very different right now, but do you think that Indy regrets letting Edge go? Like at all? Me neither.

Monday nighter is a good matchup... Giants/Cowboys. Hopefully I'll get to watch it and won't have to be writing a speech the whole time! Such is life.