2011 MLB Preview, Part II

How are the playoffs going down? Like so.

American League Division Series

• Red Sox over Twins
• White Sox over Athletics

National League Division Series

• Phillies over Rockies
• Braves over Reds

American League Championship Series

• Red Sox over White Sox

National League Championship Series

• Braves over Phillies

2011 World Series Champion: Boston Red Sox

Before you go call me a homer, let me reiterate what I wrote way back in November: that this team won 89 games in 2010, while scoring the second most runs in baseball, despite having Kevin Youkilis, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Josh Beckett, and Victor Martinez all miss significant time with injuries. Granted Victor has taken his talents to Detroit, the other four are back and ready to rumble with the best of 'em. And as you all know by now, Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford joined the foray. So that 89-win total from a year ago? Absolutely no question in my mind it's surpassed this year; it's only a question of by how much.

Here's what else I think is going down in Major League Baseball this year:

1. The AL East has long been considered the toughest division in baseball, but you always still had one or two teams lagging behind the leaders (in most cases the Red Sox and Yankees). This year? There's not an easy out to be had. Now sure, the Rays have taken a step back. But don't think they're about to revert to the Devil Rays of yesteryear. Plenty of talent remains on that team. Baltimore's lineup is scary good. And Toronto never wins more than 87 games but never less than 82; it's like an unwritten rule at this point. Obviously with five strong teams something's gotta give and at least one will finish below .500, but I'm saying the worst record in the AL East will still be a respectable 76-86. So Toronto breaks their own rule this year.

2. Down in Tampa, sure, Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, Matt Garza, among others, have gone elsewhere. But Evan Longoria is still down on the (hot) corner, David Price is still in the rotation, and you may have heard of a couple of free agents they picked up: Johnny Damon and Manny Ramirez. Jeremy Hellickson and Wade Davis are about to be unleashed in the back end of the rotation, and as soon as Desmond Jennings gets called up, he'll do his best Carl Crawford impersonation. The bullpen may be a disaster, and their starting first baseman (Dan Johnson) hasn't played on a regular basis since 2007, but I say the Rays still finish above .500.

3. The Orioles have been bad for awhile. Like, really bad. You could almost call them the Pirates of the American League. They haven't had a winning record since 1997, and haven't even won 70 games since 2006. All of that is about to change. That rotation is still about as hideous as Britney Spears with a shaved head, but look at that lineup. Adding Mark Reynolds, Derrek Lee, and Vlad Guerrero to a lineup already consisting of Nick Markakis, Brian Roberts, Luke Scott, and Pacman Adam Jones? If Reynolds can raise his average above the Mendoza Line (easy), Matt Wieters lives up to his hype behind the plate (probable), and everyone else plays to their ability, that lineup should easily surpass 800 runs. Vlad had a great bounceback year in Texas last year, and was essential in leading the Rangers to their first World Series berth.

4. Notice how the Yankees aren't in the post-season picture? Behind CC Sabathia, who's hardly a lockdown ace himself, who is going to shutdown these AL East lineups? Phil Hughes isn't bad I suppose, but AJ Burnett is laughable at this point, Freddy Garcia hasn't been relevant since winning a World Series with Chicago, and I'm pretty sure Bartolo Colon has been dead since 2006. And no I'm not buying into Ivan Nova, sorry.

5. The White Sox have also constructed quite a nice lineup for themselves, bringing Adam Dunn into the mix to compliment Paul Konerko. Gordan Beckham is a star in the making at second, and get ready for Jake Peavy to burst back onto the scene in the rotation. Ozzie Guillen's squad is going back to October.

6. The Red Sox will finish with the best record in the American League and overall, going 100-62.

7. The Phillies will win finish with the best record in the National League, going 96-66.

8. The Mariners will finish with the worst record in the American League, 61-101.

9. The Pirates will finish with the worst record in the National League and overall, 57-105. Remember 1992?

10. I'm not buying into the Brewers. I definitely applaud them for trying, brining in Zack Greinke and Shaun Marcum, but please. Greinke is already on the DL, they project Yuniesky Betancourt and Mark Kotsay as everyday players, and they know Prince Fielder is leaving after the season. Even though the NL Central might be the most wide open division in baseball, it's been yet another winter of false hope in the Badger State.

11. The Giants return virtually their entire team in tact from the World Series-winning team of a year ago, but is that necessarily a good thing? There's still little to no offense to speak of, and it's unfair to expect all of their young pitchers to not experience some growing pains after throwing as many innings as they did in 2010. They'll contend well into September, but ultimately fall short of October.

12. Texas ain't going back to the promised land, either. That rotation just looks a little too scrappy sans Cliff Lee, and without Vlad the lineup will take a step or two back. 

13. In all, I have 4 new post-season teams (Red Sox, White Sox, Athletics, Rockies) and 4 returning (Twins, Phillies, Braves, Reds).

14. Go ahead, name more than two players on either the Pirates or Padres. Anonymous doesn't even begin to describe them.

15. Where will Albert Pujols ultimately land? The Cardinals definitely won't trade him, as they definitely have a shot at the NL Central crown, but should they fear losing him in free agency? My gut tells me he stays, but then again, I thought LeBron would stay too. So disregard me on this one. 

2011 MLB Preview, Part I

Winter is over. I don't care if Belezos says it's snowing on Friday, it's baseball season no matter how you slice it down. Brick from Anchorman could probably provide a better forecast than him anywho.

And this past winter was about as crazy as it gets in Boston. I'm not talking about all those damned snowstorms. I'm talking about the death of the phrase "bridge year" for the foreseeable future. Why else would you go throw $142 mil at Carl Crawford? Or trade half your farm for Adrian Gonzalez? Even the bullpen moves the Sox brass made incline you to think they're going for it this year. Bobby Jenks could have been a closer on maybe half the other teams; instead, he's coming here to be the second set-up option to Jonathan Papelbon. 

Speaking of Papelbon, is this his final season in the 617 area code? Clearly, he's feeling the heat with Jenks and presumed closer-in-waiting Daniel Bard in the mix. How about David Ortiz? Does a long-term commitment to Gonzalez signal the end of his reign here? Will Josh Beckett figure it out? Is John Lackey the Sox version of AJ Burnett? At long last, on Friday in Arlington, many of those questions will begin to be answered.

The Red Sox aren't the only contender with big questions looming over them. In Philadelphia, there's widespread panic over the health of Chase Utley. Yankee fans are pinning their hopes on Freddy Garcia, Kevin Millwood, and Bartolo Colon, which would be fine in 2005, but it's 2011. The good people of St. Louis may have a LeBron situation on their hands, with Albert Pujols entering the final year of his deal. Has Justin Morneau fully recovered from his concussion? And the Mets? Eh, the only thing the Mets are contending for is the top pick in the 2012 MLB Draft.

Before I get to my division winners, award winners, and of course, World Series winner, I should warn anyone who is a fan of the Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Indians, Seattle Mariners, New York Mets, Pittsburgh Pirates, Houston Astros, Arizona Diamondbacks, or San Diego Padres: there is absolutely zero hope for any of your teams this year. Zip, zilch, nada, none. That's not to say progress won't be made this year; I'd be excited about 2013 or 2014 if I'm a Royals or Padres fan. But till then, what you see is what you get.

American League East

1. Red Sox
2. Yankees
3. Orioles
4. Rays
5. Blue Jays

American League Central

1. Twins
2. White Sox*
3. Tigers
4. Royals
5. Indians

American League West

1. Athletics
2. Rangers
3. Angels
4. Mariners

*-wild card

AL MVP: Adrian Gonzalez, Red Sox

Also considered: Robinson Cano, Yankees; Joe Mauer, Twins

AL Cy Young: Jon Lester, Red Sox

Also considered: Justin Verlander, Tigers; Felix Hernandez, Mariners; Clay Buchholz, Red Sox

AL Rookie of the Year: Desmond Jennings, Rays

Also considered: Jeremy Hellickson, Rays; Mike Moustakas, Royals

AL Manager of the Year: Buck Showalter, Orioles

Also considered: Terry Francona, Red Sox; Bob Geren, Athletics

AL Comeback Player of the Year: Justin Morneau, Twins

Also considered: Derek Jeter, Yankees; Mark Reynolds, Orioles

National League East

1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. Atlanta Braves*
3. Florida Marlins
4. Washington Nationals 
5. New York Mets

National League Central

1. Cincinnati Reds
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Houston Astros
6. Pittsburgh Pirates

National League West

1. Colorado Rockies
2. San Francisco Giants
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
5. San Diego Padres

*-wild card

NL MVP: Troy Tulowitzki, Rockies

Also considered: Jason Heyward, Braves; Albert Pujols, Cardinals; Ryan Howard, Phillies

NL Cy Young: Roy Halladay, Phillies

Also considered: Ubaldo Jimenez, Rockies; Matt Garza, Cubs

NL Rookie of the Year: Freddie Freeman, Braves

Also considered: Aroldis Chapman, Reds

NL Manager of the Year: Freddie Gonzalez, Braves

Also considered: Mike Quade, Cubs

NL Comeback Player of the Year: Chipper Jones, Braves

Also considered: Carlos Zambrano, Cubs

Phat Albert's decision could really make ESPN some money, with it airing on not only ESPN, but "ESPN Deportes" as well.

Adrian and the Green Monster. Bud Light and Lime. Charlie Sheen and rehab. Boylers and midgets. Some things were just meant to be together.

He's won a World Series. He's beaten cancer. He's thrown a no-hitter. All he's missing is a Cy Young. Remember when he was the "throw-in" of the A-Rod/Manny trade that never was?

It's easy to forget Chipper has been around since 1993; but you won't forget how good he is as he comes back from knee surgery.

Check back later for my post-season predictions, as well as other random thoughts on the 2011 MLB season  in Part II.

Cleveland Rocks!

Okay, so it's a far cry from contending for an NBA Championship in recent years, but I'm guessing the city of Cleveland will take it. On LeBron's return, Part II, a day in which Cavs security showed him that he's no more important than Brian Scalabrine entering an arena, the Cavaliers rocked the Heat, 102-90. LeBron even chirped earlier in the day he'd be honored if the Cavs retired his jersey.  The audacity, the nerve this punk continues to show. Don't matter what you did there for seven years, the manner in which you left town will never, ever, be forgotten there. Go worry about winning those championships you promised, failed, and ran away from bringing Cleveland. Roger Clemens has a better chance of getting his number hung up at Fenway, for crying out loud.

More importantly this gives the Celts some breathing room, as a Heat victory would have moved them into a tie with Boston for 2nd in the East. Not that the Heat scare me, but the ultimate goal still has to be winning home court in the Eastern Conference. As long a shot as that may be at this point.

Is Tim Thomas an MVP candidate?

Besides being a lock for the Vezina at this point, what's holding him back from picking up some more hardware? After tonight's 3-0 Bruins victory, a game in which the B's dominated from start to finish despite not scoring till midway through the second stanza, Thomas's goals against average will sink back below 2.00, a return to where it was in January. He notched his 9th shutout on the season, and with one more will become the first Bruins netminder with 10 in a single season since Lord Byron Dafoe in 1999. Not only that, but he will move past Gerry Cheevers on the Bruins all-time shutout list and have sole possession of 4th place.

Since an 0-2-2 stretch in the middle of March, Thomas has rebounded with a 4-0-0 mark in his past four starts with two shutouts and a 0.50 GAA. And those four starts weren't against the Edmonton Oilers of the world. Try the previously scorching New Jersey Devils, the Montreal Canadiens, the Eastern Conference-leading Philadelphia Flyers, and the defending Cup champs-Chicago Blackhawks. Throwing out February, Thomas hasn't had a single month with a GAA higher than 2.29 or a SV% lower than .929. Through it all, he continues to lead the NHL in both categories, while trailing only Henrik Lundqvist in shutouts.

So why Thomas for MVP over either Sedin bro?

Take Thomas away from the Bruins and replace him a league-average goaltender. Say, Tuukka Rask. Think the Bruins are in any position to win the Northeast Division? They're a fringe playoff team at best. Take a Sedin off of Vancouver and replace him with an average player, you still have the other Sedin and Ryan Kesler, not to mention Bobby Luongo between the pipes. The Bruins don't have anywhere near the elite scoring that the Canucks possess. Milan Lucic, who leads the B's with 58 points, would be just the fourth place man in Vancouver. Both Sedins could wind up with 100 points, and Kesler could clock in around 75. You can afford to take out one of those players and still be in great shape if you replace him with a league average player. This award should be given to the most valuable player. And I don't think there's any question Tim Thomas has been more valuable to the Bruins than any other player has been to their team in the entire NHL.

They Don't Play Back-to-Back in the Playoffs

Just remember that. Repeat it as many times as you can. Because that, and that reason alone, is why I refuse to enter Chicken Little-mode with the Celtics.

Tonight's latest setback puts the Celtics at 7-9 in the second game of a back-to-back, including a 1-6 mark over their past seven. The 107-100 loss saw the Celtics outscore the Pacers 69-51 in the 1st and 3rd quarters, but saw roles reversed with Indiana winning the 2nd and 4th quarters 56-31 combined. The 4th quarter in particular has been a cause of concern of the Celts, as they nearly blew a 20 point lead the night before in the Twin Cities.

Boston did manage to crack the 100-point barrier for the first time since March 9, a span covering 10 games. Wasn't one of the perks of the Perk trade supposed to be improvement from this team offensively? I've certainly failed to see that so far. And we knew defensively there could be some slippage, but Roy Hibbert looked like a young Shaq tonight against Nenad Kristic. And Hibbert's a nice player, but come on now. Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum have to be salivating at a chance to face the Celtics right now.

Again, there's no such thing as playing on consecutive nights in the post-season. The Celtics age won't be a factor in that respect. But it's getting a little old losing to teams like Indiana and Charlotte. It hasn't submerged yet, but this ship is sinking. Doc, time to start bailing it out.

If the Miami Heat turn out to be the iceberg....

State of the Celtics

I'll preface this by saying I didn't catch a second of the game last night. Besides the fact I was out and about, why would I bother tuning in to a Celtics-Bobcats game? Michael Jordan's squad is probably one of the most boring teams in the NBA, especially since they salary-dumped Gerald Wallace and essentially waved the proverbial white flag on the season. It's a game you just expect the Celtics to win, and it's not a matter of how, but by how much.

So apparently the Celts held 66-55 lead heading into the final quarter, stretched it out to  a 13-point lead early on in the 4th, and then allowed a 16-0 run and wound up losing 83-81. What's more inexcusable, scoring just 15 points in the 4th quarter, allowing a 16-0 run, or just 81 overall against the Charlotte Bobcats? 

The Celts are in a 4-6 funk since March 9, and have topped the century mark in points scored just once in the span. And that was in the first game. What's even more startling is that they've topped 90 points just twice. That's not a misprint. I know the Celtics already have the Atlantic Division wrapped up and what not, but they would be well advised to keep pushing for the no. 1 seed in the East. There's a big difference between playing Indiana in the first round over Philly or the Knicks. Not to mention the home-court advantage. We saw how that turned out last season. 

I'm not saying I'm worried about the Celtics. They've still been leaps and bounds better this regular season than the last, where they turned on cruise control after Christmas and played .500 ball until the playoffs. But the East is far more dangerous this season. Chicago and Miami are better than any team the Celtics had to knock off last season (and despite the fact the Heat will win fewer games than last seasons Cavs, let's be real here). Aside from whoever winds up "winning" the 8-seed, there will be 7 well-deserving playoff teams in the Eastern Conference. We've seen how Atlanta has played these Celtics over the past several years. Though the Knicks have been brutal of late, you can't completely write them off yet. Philly is going to be a tough out. And I haven't even mentioned Orlando yet, with no Kendrick Perkins to cover Dwight Howard. 

This is still a championship-caliber team. Whether the Celtics play up to that billing, it's all on them now. We know what they're capable of, but are they up for the challenge?

Is Lawrence Taylor the Charlie Sheen of the NFL?

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/nfl/news/story?id=6249691&campaign=rss&source=NFLHeadlines


One dynamite quote after another. Just remember, this underage prostitute issue isn't the first time the real LT's name has been in the news in a negative light. Notice how I said "The Real LT". Just making it clear. 


"It's the world of prostitution. You never know what you're gonna get. Is it gonna be a pretty girl, an ugly girl or whatever it's gonna be."


"And I didn't go pick her up on no playground. She wasn't hiding behind the school bus or getting off a school 
bus. This is a working girl that came to my room."


But by far the best line, "I don't card them". He later added "I don't ask for no gift certificate".


It's good to know probably the best linebacker of all-time is certifiably insane. Anyone who thinks you aren't  damaging your head by playing football, case and point right here. And they want to add two more games a year?

LT on Dancing With the Stars

Charlie Sheen knows a thing or two about prostitutes as well. 

It's Nights Like These....

....Where you forget the Bruins were just 2-2-3 since the 7-game winning streak. And this wasn't just another win. This wasn't just another 7-0. The Bruins just embarrassed the MONTREAL CANADIENS in their biggest statement game of the year to date. Not only did they grab stranglehold of the division like Tiger Woods grabbing one of his hoes, the damage they did to Montreal goes far beyond the final score. The Habs have allowed 8 and 7 goals respectively in their past two trips to the TD Garden. They're supposed to have any chance of competing here in a potential playoff series in which the Bruins will certainly have home-ice advantage? Carey Price getting pulled in a rink that's been a house of horrors for him only adds to the fun.

Far too many heroes to count tonight. Tim Thomas notching his 8th shutout of the season? Greg Campbell, two goals and a fight? Remember he was the "throw-in" in the Nathan Horton-Dennis Wideman swap. Tomas Kaberle recorded his first goal as a member of the black and gold, while Milan Lucic added 3 assists.

Bottom line moving forward? We can officially diagnose the 2-2-3 malaise as just a blip on the radar, and the Bruins are still as big and bad as ever. They're definitely still on the short list of teams who have a realistic shot at hoisting Lord Stanley's Cup at some point in June.

That being said, there's no room for the B's to allow for a letdown coming up. Saturday against fellow Original 6 squad New York Rangers, followed by a back-to-back set with last year's Stanley Cup participants (Philly and the 'Hawks). All teams are headed for the tournament, so it won't be a cakewalk, but if the Bruins are who we think they are, then they won't be letting teams off the hook.

Ramblin' Man: 3/22/11

-Thought the Heat's 9-8 start to the LeBron era was a disaster? That was child's play compared to the Knicks 7-9 opening statement with Carmelo Anthony on board. Is it as satisfying as seeing the Heat struggle early on (as well as a bit lately)? Of course not. But it's hilarious nonetheless that the Nuggets, Carmelo's old team, are enjoying life at 9-4 since the mega-deal and still have an outside shot at a top-4 seed in the Western Conference.

-Speaking of the Knicks, thanks to their 4th quarter no-show last night, the Celtics have already matched last season's win total (50) with 13 games to play. 60 wins, but more importantly the top seed in the East, are very much in play.

-Total points for Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire in the 4th quarter last night? Zero.

-I'd hesitate to say the C's are firing on all cylinders at the moment, but at the very least they've proven they can play from behind, with two consecutive second half comebacks.

-Matt Cooke, otherwise known as the man who effectively ended Marc Savard's career, finally got what was coming to him and has been suspended for the remainder of the regular season plus the 1st round of the playoffs. It still befuddles me he wasn't suspended for the Savard hit last year. "I realize and understand, more so now than ever, that I need to change," said Cooke of his suspension. Yeah, and Kim Jong-Il needs to change North Korea's foreign policy. Doesn't mean it's going to happen.

-If there is football in the fall, it's going to be a lot less exciting. Pussy NFL owners decided to move the kickoff line up from the 30 to the 35, and this could have a profound effect on return games. Kicking the ball out of the back of the end zone is now a viable option for kickers. Aren't kickoff returns the most exciting part of the most exciting game in America? Just another reason why it's hard not to side with the players in this whole debacle.

-Barry Bonds trial underway out in San Francisco. Bonds has only been retired for a little more than three years now but boy does it seem longer than that. The man fell off the face of the Earth seemingly. And that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

-I come home for Spring Break in Hingham, which is as exciting as it sounds, and try to find Seinfeld on FOX25 at 7. Nope. TMZ has taken it's place. This has to be a freaking joke right? Isn't there already a whole channel dedicated to celebrity gossip, "E!" ? Furthermore, does anyone actually care about that shit anyways? I'm yet to meet a single person who watches TMZ or Access Hollywood or any of that garbage. The whole Charlie Sheen saga has been pretty entertaining, I'll spot that, but even that is getting old.  Just another reason why Fox is the worst network on television. Their Sunday's consist of "Bob's Burgers" and "Cleveland Show" airing in prime time, "Glee" is considered one of their top shows, and they employ Joe Buck and Tim McCarver for sports broadcasts. And that's before dissecting FOX News. Enough said.

UPN is definitely WINNING by picking up Seinfeld, weeknights at 7 and 11.

-Looney Tunes airing on Cartoon Network again midday. I'm pumped.

-Thought I was going to make it all the way through here without mentioning the Bruins? I thought about it. I really did. They've done nothing blog-worthy of late short of giving me ulcers and panic attacks. I coulda sworn I saw Andrew Raycroft, Hal Gill, and Alex Zhamnov taking the ice for the B's last week. They'd better beat New Jersey tonight or else we've got some major issues on our hands, if we don't already.

-I guess I should mourn my bracket while we're here too. Sure, my eventual champ UConn is still alive, so the odd year/even year dynamic is still alive. So I have that going for me. Which is nice. But of my Sweet 16 teams, only 6 are still dancing. And that includes complete obliteration in the Southeast region, where I have no teams remaining. Damn Mormons and Butler. Always fun to blame Butler for something isn't it?

Forget Detroit, Hingham is Hockeytown USA

That's right. How can you slice it down any other way? Hingham is unlike any other public high school in New England and possibly the entire country when it comes to the puck. Three championships in four years now for the town, two for the girls (2008, 2011) and one for the bros (2010). We don't need to go out and recruit players from across the state like CM or St. John's Prep or St. Mary's. Just 100% pure Hingham's very finest.

The boys have missed the Super 8 just once since moving up to the elite ranks of D-1A in 2002 (which was one year after they won the Division 1 crown) , with the highlight being that 2010 Championship.

The girls similarly moved up a level after winning their championship in 2008, and it took them just three years to climb to the top of the higher ground.

Despite the fact that CM finished the year below .500, Harry Potter and his team still got written about on ESPNBoston.com. Bogus. But hey, Hingham will always get the respect they deserve on the Experience. Congrats Harborwomen on another State title.

The 2011 Bracket

It's an odd-numbered year. You know what that means? I'm supposed to nail the winner of this thing.

Seriously, since 2005, every odd year I've gotten the champion correct.

2005-UNC
2006-Duke
2007-Florida
2008-UCLA
2009-UNC
2010-Georgetown
2011-??

And aside from the Georgetown pick last year, all of my winners advanced to at least the Sweet 16. So how do I keep the trend going this year?

http://games.espn.go.com/tcmen/en/entry?entryID=1225341

Here's the summary:

Elite 8

Ohio State over West Virginia
UConn over Duke
Purdue over Kansas
Kansas State over St. John's

Final 4


UConn over Ohio State
Purdue over Kansas State

National Champion


UConn over Purdue
---------------------

What can I say, I'm riding Team Kemba all the way. Other than that, just gotta follow your gut in these things. Can't really go by what anyone else says, that's how you get into trouble. But just remember: It's that odd-numbered year. I'm gonna be right.

That's right, the Huskies will win their first championship since Emeka Okafor and co. lead them there in 2004.

First Triple-Double In School History

Okay, so this isn't exactly Duke or Kansas. The only notable NBA alums we have are Cuttino Mobely and Lamar Odom. But how is it that Delroy James just recorded the first ever triple-double in Rhode Island Rams history? Props nonetheless for the senior stud, whose 22 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists propelled Rhody to a 76-59 win over Miami of Ohio in the first round of the College Basketball Invitational (as I mentioned earlier in the week, the NIT for pussies. Not sloppy seconds, but sloppy thirds of March Madness).

URI improves to 20-13, giving us four consecutive 20-win seasons. Over the past four years, the Rams have won 90 games, which makes this senior class the winningest in school history. And Delroy has been the leader of the pack through it all. Whatever the future holds for Delroy, perhaps one day he can be mentioned in the same question "only URI players to play in the NBA" as Mobely and Odom.

Zombie Sonics, Part II

http://sports.espn.go.com/los-angeles/nba/news/story?id=6225619

Lawyers for Sacramento Kings owners Joe and Gavin Maloof have filed to register "Anaheim Royals" and "Anaheim Royals of Southern California" as federal trademarks, according to a Sacramento Bee report. 

The reported move is the latest in a series of developments that could potentially see the Kings relocate to Anaheim as early as the 2011-12 season. 

On Feb. 24, the Kings requested permission from the NBA to extend the March 1 deadline they were facing to formally file for a move to Anaheim, Calif., in time for next season. 

The extension allows the franchise to review its options with the NBA's Board of Governors at its April 14-15 meeting in New York. 

Sacramento mayor Kevin Johnson, who starred for 12 seasons in the NBA, has been fighting to keep the team in Sacramento. 

Kings co-owner Joe Maloof has acknowledged that "many cities" besides Anaheim have expressed interest in serving as the Kings' new home. But sources close to the situation say that, with no NBA-ready arena for the Kings to move into in the Maloofs' home base of Las Vegas, Anaheim holds the greatest appeal to the Kings.

But you know what makes this even worse than the Seattle fiasco in 2007-08? These aren't even out of town guys coming in and hijacking the Kings from Sacramento. The Maloofs have owned the Kings since their heyday in the earlier part of this millennium. They were there when Tim Donaghy and Robert Horry robbed the city of a trip to the NBA Finals in 2002. They put together the legendary squad of Chris Webber, Mike Bibby, Peja Stojakovic, Vlade Divac, Doug Christie, Bobby Jackson, and Hedo Turkoglu. They were there when Arco Arena was one of the toughest home courts in the NBA. At the very least Clay Bennett was from Oklahoma City, and contrary to what he may say bought the Sonics with the sole purpose of taking their talents to the Sooner State. 

And say what you will about Sacramento being a small market, but these same owners proved you can build a highly competitive team no matter the market size. 

Back when the Celtics were irrelevant, it was hard not to root for Sacramento against the Lakers. What a squad right there. 

All of this to move to Anaheim? As great a name as the Anaheim Royals may be, the Los Angeles area already has two basketball teams. Pretty sure they aren't winning over any Laker fans. And with Blake Griffin doing his thing, it might even be difficult to sway any Clipper fans, even if there are only 12 or so of them. Can they really make more money there than they can in Sacramento?

Let's just say this goes ahead and the Kings do wind up in SoCal. The Maloofs have made no secret about their desire to one day own a team in Las Vegas. Again, the LA area already has two other teams. Sounds like just another pit stop to me. Did you know the Kings are the most traveled franchise in all of professional sports? From their beginnings as the Rochester (NY) Royals, to Cincinnati, to the Kansas City-Omaha (and later just KC) Kings, and most recently Sactown. So now Anaheim and inevitably Vegas will be added to the list. 

David Stern has done a lot of wonderful things for this league, but his recent record of relocations is a tad disturbing. Pulling the plug on Vancouver after just six seasons (for freakin' Memphis), and the aforementioned Seattle/OKC saga are certain black eyes for his tenure. Does he want to allow another questionable one? Stop this madness and keep the Kings in Sacramento. Either that or at the very least right the Seattle wrong.

Randy Return?

http://sports.espn.go.com/boston/nfl/news/story?id=6224277

Randy Moss wants back in. 

The vagabond wide receiver left the New England Patriots amid less-than-desirable circumstances last season, but seems to have discovered he never had it better. 

"If you're asking me where my heart and where I'm happy is, I love playing with Tom Brady. I love being coached by Bill Belichick," Moss said Wednesday on KFAN 1130-AM in Minneapolis.

Well I'll be. What a shocker. I mean we already knew he regretted leaving New England, that it was in many ways career suicide, but it's really reaffirming to the "Patriot Way" when someone comes out and says this in the midst of a lockout. 

Like Deion Branch before him, could Moss be the next wide receiver who flounders away from Foxboro only to undergo a Renaissance upon returning? I'd take Randy back. In a heartbeat. Would it be fair to expect the 2007 Randy Moss? Of course not. But tell me there's a deeper receiving corps than Moss, Branch, and Wes Welker, and that's before getting into the Hernandez/Gronkowski tag-team. 

No other coach in the NFL has been able to handle Moss better than Belichick. No QB has developed better chemistry with him than Brady. He knows that this is his absolute last chance to prove himself in the National Football League. He's also less than 100 catches away from 1,000 for his career, which would put him in an exclusive club only seven other receivers can lay claim to (Jerry Rice, Marvin Harrison, Cris Carter, Tim Brown, Isaac Bruce, Tony Gonzalez, and Terrell Owens). Not bad company, right? Who knows, maybe Moss would even enter the Hall of Fame as a Patriot if this second stint goes down. So sign me up for Randy Moss, the sequel. 

Weekend Ramblin' Man

I haven't written a 'Ramblin' Man' piece since January. My apologies. Let's go:

-The Celtics may had lost two in a row heading into yesterday's game vs. Milwaukee, but it's safe to say any fears of a prolonged slump were put aside as they allowed a franchise-best 56 points to the Bucks. 56! I'm pretty sure I was on some Barker teams that scored more than that. In fact I'm positive. Moving on.

-Is it time to press the panic button with the Bruins? I still say no, but how on Earth do you blow a 3rd period lead to the Islanders? Come on now, this doesn't happen to Stanley Cup contenders in March. It was the first time all season that the Bruins had lost in regulation while leading after two periods.

-It's been one whole year, today, since Hingham's stunning upset of Catholic Memorial in the 2010 Super 8 Final. I'd be lying if I said heading into the Garden that day I expected Hingham to skate away with their first State Championship since moving up to the Division 1A ranks in 2002. But that's why you play the games. One of my biggest regrets is not coming back to call the game, instead just watching from the stands. But that was euphoria at it's finest. Had I called the game, I'm pretty sure I would've broken into an Al Michaels "Do you believe in miracles?" routine.

USA 4, USSR 3. Hingham 1, CM 0.

-So there's officially an NFL lockout. I still say there's football next year. Always been a glass-half-full kind of guy. Plus if there's no football, there's no fantasy football. And that's just a frightening thought.

-Quietly, the Miami Heat have won 2 in a row over Western playoff teams in the Lake Show and Grizz. Another huge test awaits tonight against the league-best Spurs. I'm willing to bet Tim Duncan won't cry if they lose.

-URI qualified for the CBI, which is basically the NIT for pussies. Whatever extends the Delroy James era, I guess. It's gonna be a brave new world next year without this Kevin Garnett-look alike.

Here's hoping the NBA is in no. 21's future.

-I'll be posting my bracket within the next few days, but how confusing is this "First Round" being just the 4 play-in games, and the "Second Round" now being what's usually been the "First Round"? Very confusing for people like myself. Stick to the old "Opening Round" that was used for the singular play-in game in year's past. 

The Fab Five

Great, great documentary last night on Michigan's "Fab Five" from the early 1990's. One of the best 30 for 30's to date. Personally I'd rank it in my top 4 along with the Marcus Dupree one, "The U", and, of course, the 2004 Red Sox.

Last night's was perfect in that it examined not only the sporting aspect, but also delved deep into the off-the-court drama they all went through. Just well done all around.

Some thoughts on last night:

-I lost a lot of respect for Chris Webber (aka C-Webb, if you saw those court documents near the end). Disappointing he didn't partake in the making of the film, first of all, but his press conference from September 2002 in regards to the Ed Martin booster scandal was especially troubling. To throw Martin under the bus like that, to say that he "preyed" on the Michigan stars, seemed like a way for Webber to save face amidst the legal troubles. Whether what Martin did was right or wrong, Webber was just plain wrong.

-On the other hand, Jalen Rose went way up in my book. I've always been lukewarm on Rose as an analyst, but to say he was the most well-spoken and up front of everyone interviewed is an understatement. Very interesting to see the changes in his relationship with Webber in the aftermath of the perjury trial. Apparently they didn't speak to each other for several years.

-Rose also made a great point at the end, that while the Fab Five never actually won a championship, how many people can name the Fab Five lineup, and then how many can name North Carolina's starting 5 from the 1993 Championship Game? The only player I'd ever heard of was George Lynch, whom for whatever reason I remember for being on the 18-64 New Orleans Hornets in 2004-2005. Blame NBA Live.

-Mitch Albom also offered great perspective on Webber. I've long been a fan of Albom's work on ESPN, namely from his performances on The Sports Reporters. And for Hingham people, if that name sounds familiar, you might remember this summer reading book from way back when.

-Total NBA Championships won by the Fab Five: 0. Only Jalen Rose appeared in a Finals, with the Pacers in 2000, where he was their leading scorer, but Indiana was trounced by the first Shaq/Kobe Championship Lakers squad.

-How the heck is Juwan Howard still playing in the NBA?

-Gotta feel for Jimmy King, being the only one of them to never make it to the Association. But hey, at least he won the CBA rookie of the year honors in 1995-96.

-The coach of the 2-seed San Diego State Aztecs in this edition of March Madness? Steve Fisher, who coached up the Fab Five back in the day. Who knew.

Brad Boyes

Back in a big way, haunting his former team. I unfortunately couldn't find the video, but does anyone else remember that "Brad Boyes Brad Boyes, watcha gonna do?" commercial from way back when? Rob Simpson was in that video. What a guy. Why exactly did we have Naoko Funayama replace him? I mean at least the Red Sox had the foresight to replace Tina Cervasio with Heidi Watney. Did you know we traded Brad Boyes for Dennis Wideman back at the deadline in '07? Yikes.

If you can't sit through 9 innings of baseball, look at it as sitting through 3 hours of Heidi Watney.

But make no mistake about it, I'm not pressing the panic button with this team. So they've lost 3 in a row, coming off a 7-game winning streak. Of course they were bound for a letdown. Two of the losses have come in overtime, and all against playoff teams. It happens. Besides, they're a much better team on the road than at home for whatever reason, and that's exactly where they're headed for these next 4 games. At the Islanders, Blue Jackets, Predators, and Maple Leafs. Four teams bound for the lottery. It's going to be tough to duplicate their perfect road trip of February, but anything less than 6 points will be disgraceful. And really, they should be thinking all 8.

By the way, I'm really more upset at the Heat winning last night than the Bruins losing. And they were playing the Lakers. The Lakers! I mean it was tough rooting for the Soviets against the Nazis but it had to be done, right? C'mon Kobe 0-2 against Miami on the season now? Really? Whatever. You won't see them again.

Wanted: Zdeno Chara

http://sports.espn.go.com/nhl/news/story?id=6201094

QUEBEC CITY -- Montreal police started a criminal investigation Thursday into the on-ice hit by Boston's Zdeno Chara that left the Canadiens' Max Pacioretty with a severe concussion and cracked verterbra. Police said they are acting on a request by Quebec's director of criminal and penal prosecutions, Louis Dionne. Police added that after evidence is collected it will then be determined if there are grounds for prosecution.

I guess all that praise I laid on Canada yesterday as the home of hockey was for naught, huh? What a freaking joke this is. Typical Canadiens. I'm not writing this from a Bruins fan's perspective, I'm writing this from a hockey fan's perspective. There was no ill-intent on Chara's part. Shit happens. Any other area of the ice, away from the bench, and none of this is even an issue. It was an interference penalty and nothing more. Sure, I'm glad Pacioretty is okay, but enough of this already.

What are they gonna do, toss Chara in jail? Do we have an extradition treaty with Canada? I don't remember the Boston Police launching a probe into the Matt Cooke incident last year, or the Randy Jones' hit on Patrice Bergeron back in 2007. Hockey's a physical game. Deal with it. So any previous stereotype you had against Canadiens fans, this just further establishes them. In the words of Frank Ryan, "God I hate those French Europeans".

Just Get Back to Winnipeg Already

http://www.fannation.com/truth_and_rumors/view/271830-nhl-losing-grip-on-coyotes?eref=sihp

Gary Bettman and Bill Daly addressed the press Tuesday at Jobing.com Arena. The commissioner acknowledges there is nothing he can do to thaw the bond market, that there is no plan B, no alternate strategy. If Goldwater Institute simply holds its ground and stays the course -- maybe for days, maybe for weeks, at most for a couple of months -- it can kill the deal without even filing a lawsuit. ... Bettman looked like someone who was playing his last card, trying to save face, trying to set up a future speech in which he can claim he did everything he could to keep the Coyotes right where they were.

-Globe and Mail

Generally speaking I could care less about the business aspect of sports, which is why you haven't seen me write anything about the (impending) NFL Lockout or things of that nature. But this whole Phoenix Coyotes fiasco irks me more as a hockey fan than just as a sports fan in general.

Gary Bettman's plight as commissioner has been well documented over the years, with the majority stemming from the fallout of the hockey's own lockout in 2004-2005. But another aspect of Bettman that bugs the hell out of me has been his unwillingness to accept any Canadian city as a suitable destination for a moribund Sun Belt team.

Hello? Where did they invent hockey? CANADA fer chrissake! Phoenix has ranked 22nd, 23rd, 24th, 28th, 30th, and 29th respectively in each year post-lockout. While the product on the ice surely has by-and-large been sub-par, they did manage to record 107 points last year while placing dead last in attendance. Bettman, can't you see the freaking writing on the wall already? Nobody cares about hockey in Phoenix! It doesn't matter if a new ownership group is in place; Arizona simply isn't meant to play host to hockey. It's okay to admit you were wrong. The Coyotes never should have left Winnipeg in the first place, and it's about damn time reparations are made and they "Jet" on back there.

Back in the day, Bettman was real quick to look for U.S. investors to ship the Jets and the Quebec Nordiques off to brighter pastures. He's held the Coyotes in limbo for a solid three or four years now, trying best to save face for a mistake he made 15 years ago, and in the process has severely restricted their ability to acquire star players. The Yotes currently sit 6th in the tight Western Conference, very much in contention to make a postseason run, but one severe disadvantage they have compared to their competition? Fans, or a lack thereof.  There's been no effort whatsoever on the part of Coyotes fans to mobilize and launch rallies to prove their support of the team. This isn't like the situation in Seattle three years ago with the SuperSonics, and we saw how that turned out.

If Bettman winds up keeping the Coyotes in Phoenix as lameducks once again next season, he should honestly lose his job. It's unfair to the players, who for the past two seasons at least have gone out and played some half-decent hockey. Give these guys a permanent home north of the border. Break out the "Homecoming", Kanye West. The Jets are going home again.

(By the way, we'll probably be having this same discussion next year about the Atlanta Thrashers heading up to Quebec City).

South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week Again: Matt Henriksen

For the second time this season (in just four weeks), Matt Henriksen, pride of Hingham, has earned South Atlantic Conference Player of the Week honors.

Henriksen hasn't slowed down a bit since storming out of the gates, leading the conference with a .431 batting average to go along with 4 home runs, 18 runs batted in, and a 1.250 OPS. He's also one of just two players on the Tusculum College squad to start all 19 games on the season for the 15-4 Pioneers. Hendu has also vastly improved his defense from a year ago, going errorless over the past week.

And believe it or not, the kid is still single. Ladies, I'm warning you. By the next time he wins Player of the Week honors, there's no chance he'll still be on the market. So make Hendu yours while you still can.

Ladies, say no to this face. You can't.

Panic on South Beach

How was the rest of your weekend, LeBron?

Two Peas in a Pod

http://sports.espn.go.com/new-york/mlb/columns/story?columnist=oconnor_ian&id=6182780

Well there you go. Two of the most arrogant, narcissistic figures in sports today. A-Rod dishing out advice on what it means to be great and ringless. I'd say not even LeBron should sink to A-Rod's level and take any advice from him. I mean A-Rod is a known cheater. Say what you will about LeBron but at the very least he's never been linked to any performance-enhancing drugs. Not exactly sure what sort of effect they'd have on you in basketball but it's gotta count for something. 

Just the whole concept of Rodriguez acting like he's an expert on the subject makes me wanna youk my brains out. Spare us the agony and go spoon with the over-the-hill Cameron Diaz. Which is really fitting because A-Rod just might be over the hill in baseball terms, just like his fraud team in the Bronx.