All of that wonder will become reality on Saturday afternoon. The “circus environment” that head coach Bo Pelini doesn’t want to create will certainly create a fallout. How can you be a preseason favorite, yet be unsettled at the key position? Or appear to be?

It’s Taylor Martinez. That’s what I think. Would naming Zac Lee cause a stir? No, because he’s the conservative guy, who started 12 games last year. Sean Callahan, Huskers beat reporter, has said it’s Martinez since day one. He’s said to “believe the buzz.” I’ve been right there from what I hear. Play the guy with the most ability: fast, strong, big, young. He’s the playmaker. From an athletic standpoint, he can make what Lee can’t.

Last Friday, I talked with a players Dad who just got off the phone with son. At that time, the job was still “even” according to him. I never agreed with starting Cody Green in the middle of last year. There’s a learning curve that wasn’t established. If Martinez is put in now, he gets experience against the likes of Western Kentucky and South Dakota State. Right now, the question mark is still our offense. It could be all year.

So go trot him out there Bo. Because even though you won’t say he’s the starter, the feel is that he is.

Do I like the claim? Not necessarily. It’s because the White Sox are greedy. I don’t think they need him at his price. A perfect fit I thought was Tampa Bay. They tried but their record was too good. It’s not that the waiver system is built wrong, because it’s right. The worst team that sets a claim gets the player.

Now what does Manny do? Use that no-trade clause to go to the windy city or stay in LA? Because, Chicago is -3.5 games out in the AL central, and LA is -5 games out in the NL wildcard hunt. It comes down to preference. Be a designated hitter, which suits him. Or be a hitter and fielder. We all know Manny takes days off. So the DH route makes sense.

Either way, Ramirez is a big chunk of money, with $4.4 million left on his deal. I know the Dodgers would let that go in a heartbeat. He hasn’t brought the same vibe to “Mannywood” like he once did. Maybe a new home is the answer. It’s his preference. Or would he quit on the Sox too?

Strasburg is on an island. Aside from a few flamethrowers in the majors, nobody is like him. He’s premier and one of a kind.

Never before has he had a workload in a full season over 109 innings. So technically, that’s around 19 games a year. And in today’s game that’s not too much. Did they baby him? I don’t think so.

Workload, pitch counts, pitch selections all that are on high regard. The amount of torque on the arm adds up. That’s evident with Strasburg. Basically he was called up too soon in June. The hype got to him. Washington was battling .500 ball. He did live up, for his first four starts when he set a record for 41 strikeouts. That’s simply unreal. But what now?

My question is: can I rely on Strasburg? Will he continue to suffer? This is an issue. I had to say his name in the same breath as Mark Prior, but maybe it’s proof.

It’s a little strange seeing him in silver and black. But, for now, this might work out.

At his mercy is a lot less scrutiny is in Oakland. It’s not Washington, but it’s more than let’s say a Carolina. The big hound Al Davis is always right there, with his stern look. Sure, that’s intimidating. The fans are quite passionate and care. But quite frankly, after a lot of losing seasons since the 2000s, is Oakland begging for more than five wins in a year? Do they expect god at the helm?

That’s why I think Campbell is okay. He’s not flashy. But nor is that offense. Darren McFadden has been a ginormous bust, half the player we’d thought he’d be out of Arkansas. Let’s just say this, Campbell or Kyle Boller? Campbell or Bruce Gradkowski? It’s insurance for now.

He’s always been trying to figure out who and what type of QB he is in the NFL. This is nothing new, or any bigger of a step up.

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So when the reports came out on Tuesday that Favre was texting teammates saying “THIS IS IT,” what did that truly mean? That 2010 was his last run? Please.

Minnesota is better with Favre. And he knows that. He showed that a 40-year-old can still win an MVP award last year. If he wants to sit out training camp, I’m giving him no grief. Who’s to say something burst or pops in that body? Is training camp really all what it’s meant to be to get ready for the season?

Because I’m getting a sense that it’s not. Albert Haynesworth completing a shuttle run has nothing to do with whether he will play this year or not. I guarantee you the Broncos would have sat out Elvis Dumervil if they knew he’d pull a pectoral muscle, likely sitting him for the entire season. Same with the Ravens, losing Domonique Foxworth to an ACL just this week. The best teams don’t want to lose their best players.

Fact of the matter is, the Vikings will let Favre do what he wants. This is just Favre being Favre. Minnesota can’t afford to limp into 2010 like the Broncos and Ravens.

I think the Tide are sick. Don’t get me wrong. But in the year of the unusual, in the year of teams bouncing around for new conferences and such, why not throw out a game, featuring two teams where if one wins, they could very well go on to win the title? Is Virginia Tech or Boise State the precursor to Alabama?

It doesn’t get any bigger than their matchup week one, yes week one, at FedEx Field on September 5. Why this game is on a neutral site still boggles me. But it starts the season right, in the best fashion. If it’s at Lane Stadium, chalk up a win for the Hokies. If the Broncos win, and they certainly can, this is their year to finally make a run, once again in Arizona, but this time for all the marbles. The Boise State Broncos as your College Football Champions? Why not? Butler almost just took won March Madness.

Tyrod Taylor. Kellen Moore. Ryan Williams. Jeremy Avery. This game has “watch me” all over it. Is it crazy to say the winner of this could go on to win it all. I don’t think so.

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I love their offseason signings. I’m more convinced day after day that this is the team to beat this year. JuWan Howard was a great add, as was Mike Miller, Eddie House and others. But being in the East, one problem looms. That’s Dwight Howard, the 6′11″ stick for the Orlando Magic. One guy can change it all. How do the Heat balance their lineup card and contend when nobody on their current roster will be able to guard Howard?

The answer lies in Kwame Brown. Yes, the most-overrated No. 1 pick in NBA history. Maybe the best free agent left. Kwame, the one who has always, always been criticized for lackadaisical play. But he matches up, height and weight. The NBA is about matchups. He can push Howard around and actually make him work for his shots, or should I say dunks. Because Howard just makes it look to easy already. Kwame is athletic, just doesn’t seem like it.

We all know he won’t score. But as a defensive loan, he makes all the sense in the world. Who wouldn’t want to play with LeBron and Co.? Miami would get him maturity and a ring.

Oswalt is 32-years-old. In baseball terms, a lot of miles are on his arm. But the Oswalt I know from being a NL central follower is a stud. One who guarantees innings, a low scoring game and strikeouts. Some are already saying this is a bad move for the Phillies, who upgrade pitching but do nothing for the bullpen. I disagree 100%. Because whenever Oswalt is on the mound, he diminishes the bullpen needed. You don’t need a 7th inning guy, or an 8th inning guy for relief effort. He’s a top 15 pitcher in the league. Oswalt carries the load himself.

While his record may be 6-12, it’s because he played for woeful Houston. Line up his stats to anything since 2001 and everything is very similar: era, strikeouts and walks. Three weeks ago he threw a one-hitter. Come playoff time, when the Phillies reach it, he’s a perfect No. 2 guy. He’s already got World Series experience.

This move makes all the difference in the world. In the trade, Philly sacrificed an unproven pitcher in J.A. Happ, not even a top prospect. They won’t owe Oswalt much, $12 million for two years of work. And they’ve won seven straight. It’s full steam ahead now. Good luck putting the boots to Philly.

Johnson tore up the 2009 season in Tennessee, rushing for 2,006 yards. Anytime this guy catches the open field, he’s gone. He’s blazing fast. So when I said the futures NFL props thrown out last night, for MVP and others, I couldn’t believe Johnson’s odds. +2500.

I’m already telling you, the Titans record regardless, 8-8 for better or for worse, Johnson is my pick for 2010 MVP. Stats like 2,500 yards would pop off the stats sheet. He’d need at least 20 touchdowns as well. In the July 5th issue of Sporting News, he said he looks at himself in the mirror everyday and see’s the NFL’s best player. He says he’s better than Adrian Petersen and everyone else. Bold. By that he sounds like the MVP. He wants it.

Peyton Manning won the award last year, and it’s been a QB award since the new decade. Maybe voters from newspapers and magazines are tired of favoring the Tom Brady’s and Mannings. Because, the last running back to win it was in 2007 with LaDainian Tomlinson. I think the pendulum sways back this year and it’s a running backs type of year. For a $1 bet, you can win $25 on Johnson. Great odds.

There’s an old adage that if you can’t beat ‘em, buy ‘em. Kansas City is bad this year. So bad that they’re run differential is -98. But they’re actually not baseball’s worst. What would happen if they had a Mauer type? Quick answer, they’d most likely win. But good luck KC. It’s not happening. Mauer is locked in the Twin Cities until 2018.

Baseball Reference stats indicate that Mauer has a sick career playing in Kansas City. It’s his eighth favorite park to hit in, a .350 career average at Kauffman. He has the second most hits there of any stadium, outside of the now replaced Metrodome. Should I add: most RBI’s, most total bases, second most triples, fourth most runs and fifth most doubles. Kansas City is like his secret paradise.

I know the Royals would never get him, but it’s a fun hypothetical of how good he’d be there if it was his permanent baseball home. He would undoubtedly help put fans in the seats. He’s the type of star KC needs.

Some say that Mauer’s numbers have dropped considerably just by going to the new Target Field. And it does show by his stats. They wouldn’t dip at Kauffman though. Hey Minnesota: Is Alex Gordon + Zack Greinke + Kila Ka’aihue + Aaron Crow enough? ☺

Just the offseason of Donovan McNabb going to Washington, LaDainian Tomlinson going East Coast, Brett Favre still deciding, the Saints winning a Super Bowl, and many others makes for excitement. Last year, it wasn’t this big. It was still Favre, but it was smaller plots like Matt Cassel in Kansas City and Josh McDaniels in Denver. That was still fun. Anything football is fun.

This will be the second straight year where I truthfully think the NFL will have a “different” winner. The Saints, Colts and Patriots are definitely good. But I really, really like the New York Jets. They are loaded, offenseively and defensively. Antonio Cromartie is the most underrated offseason move.

I’m all signed up for fantasy football to start up as well. This will be the first year I compete for more than greed. I keep checking the ESPN fantasy home page time after time just waiting for draft day to get here.

It’s a wait and see type of time. But let the football talk begin.

It was somewhat of a shock last week when Lee, the most attractive trade deadline piece, was shipped to Texas. We all saw New York as a destination, who were offering their best prospect in Jesus Montero to Seattle. But Texas matched the Yankees offer and Seattle couldn’t refuse. Think Lee cared where he went? I doubt it. He’s a guy who’s so easy come, easy go, that he will play for anybody. I love his demeanor and the way he carries himself.

Reports said the move to the Yankees was about done. Just thinking about Lee and CC Sabathia again in a rotation is scary. Absolutely. These two aces, very different in their style, pitched the Cleveland Indians to the ALCS in 2007 alone. They very rarely ever need to be bailed out by hitting.

When this does go down, and it will trust me, Lee will get a big contract. The Yankees may even be in the talks of a possible three-peat in 2011. Lee may not get 7-years at $161 like Sabathia, the biggest pitchers contract ever. My guess is in December when the Yankees will wrap up their own Christmas present. Money can buy anything.

Another win for the Cubs today has me looking up. Is this team done? To some extent no. But other ways, yes. An upcoming schedule of Cincinnati followed by San Francisco, St. Louis, San Diego and Atlanta is ridiculous. That might be the toughest 17 day stretch in all of baseball. Each of these teams are at or near first place contention.

But writing this as a Cubs fan, of course I admit to always, and I mean always, believing. It’s culture to us.

You can just tell that by how this team looks and how this team is playing since the All-Star break that something is clicking. Six wins out of ten. What if Aramis Ramirez was hitting in May instead of July? Would this team be 10 games back of first place? One player can usually make a team. Just look at St. Louis with Albert Pujols or Minnesota with Justin Morneau. Chicago can beat anybody just by the look of their lineup when healthy.

The Cubs can become sellers if they want since the trade deadline is in eight days, but the fans, and I, wouldn’t be happy to see a guy like Ryan Theriot or Sean Marshall go. Or they can stay put, stick with the current team and fight to end the year around .500 ball. It’s not whether this team will make the playoffs because they won’t. This team won’t see first place in the NL Central. But things can become interesting if they play like they should. This team is likable.

But to me, there’s one free agent still out that can still play. Wear and tear and all, I believe Tracy McGrady has some game left. Reports are that he’s been trying out for the LA Clippers and Chicago Bulls this week. With as slim as the market is, why not give T-Mac a one-year deal? Is there anyone more qualified for a roster spot? Now I don’t think McGrady is a die-hard wanting a championship ring every year like Kobe Bryant. He’s just addicted to basketball and wants to be on the court. He’s not obsolete like you think.

All the naysayers will persuade to say that McGrady is toast. But let me tell you one thing. Is age really that big a deal in the NBA? You’d be shocked to go down a list of guys, tell me their age and tell me their season production. Juwan Howard. Derek Fisher. Zydrunas Ilgauskas. Age is overrated in the NBA. In fact, and this would shock you, McGrady is the same age as Bryant. Both are 31.

Let’s go back a little bit and focus on Grant Hill. He parallels perfect with McGrady. Both have been mirrored by injury year after year. Everybody and I mean everybody said Hill was once done. Yet you have to give the guy credit for coming back, and for Phoenix last year he averaged 11.3 points along with playing 30 minutes a game, going to the Western Conference Finals. You’re crazy to think McGrady can’t match that.

T-Mac would be a perfect reserve guy, spotting 25 minutes a game, for any team. He has a ton of abilities that, don’t forget, won him the scoring titles in 2003-2004.

If you haven’t seen Inception yet, get off of this blog and go see it now. It’s the most mind numbing movie in awhile. It has a certain premise about it. See the thing about hollywood films these days is how unoriginal they are. Nothing is new. Doesn’t that bug you? The majority of the 2010 films are copies of other films. The Killers. The Bounty Hunter. She’s Out Of My League. Directors and producers aren’t thinking enough.

But Inception’s director did, meet Christopher Nolan who also directed The Dark Night. Rumor has it that when the actors and personnel of this film got together some time ago, security guards were hired to occupy the building. Nolan didn’t want this film script to leak out. So he had them guard the doors. He knew it would be a hit. Just since the release on Friday, it’s grossed 62.8 million.

Inception isn’t hard to follow. It’s hard to explain afterwards. You can understand what’s happening when it’s happening, but later on it’s hard to digress. I had to punt when I tried to clarify the plot to my Dad.

It’s a very good concept. Dreams relate to all of us. Some make us not want to wake up. DiCaprio is set out in this movie to plant a seed and make a twist in someones mind. DiCpario says a great quote: “Dreams feel real while we’re in them. It’s only when we wake up that we realize something was strange.”

In short, this movie got me to go out. Normally I wouldn’t. I’d rather sit at home and watch a baseball game on TV, check my fantasy teams or surf the internet. This movie was worth my time. Would I go again? It would help me understand it more.

Piniella came in to overhaul a team and bring light back to earth. And he did a good job in winning back-to-back NL Central Division titles in 2007 and 2008. Add a second place finish to last year. That’s not a bad run. Actually, a hell of a run. It just doesn’t seem like Piniella has done that well.

I thank him for getting us there, but the post season collapses hurt, a lot. And that’s all that matters. Arizona and Los Angeles put us to bed rest.

Thing is, the Cubs have stunk this year. Aside from just rolling off 8 of their last 13, this team has been stuck in the ground. You could blame the front office moves, out of reach for Piniella to fix. He needed depth, and didn’t get it. The worst thing to happen to Piniella was letting Mark DeRosa walk out, his most versatile player.

Many fans have lobbied for this team to be blown up. And I’m right there. What I really want to hear is this team admit it’s bad. Aramis Ramirez was meant for 2003-2005, not 2010, as is the rest of the team. Carlos Zambrano, Derrek Lee. This is a then team of years past.

So when the Cubs are 42-52 and 10.5 games out of the division, Piniella announcing his retirement is just a sign of the times. This puts hope into next year already.

Go ahead and speculate, but there’s three guys, and three guys only who should be considered for the Cubs managerial job next year.

1. Ryne Sandberg
2. Bob Brenly
3. Joe Girardi (the man for the job)

With the All-Star Game over, and teams back on the road for more series, I’m here to calculate some second half predictions. Because as we all know, it’s not how you start but how you finish. I’m feeling self-righteous. Will my perceptions turn into reality? Let’s get this underway:

1. The Boston Red Sox will finish with the third best record in baseball, but will miss the playoffs.
2. Ubaldo Jimenez will not win National League Cy Young for Colorado. Josh Johnson of Florida will.
3. The Cincinnati Reds will miss the playoffs, faltering on getting any decent pitcher during the trade deadline.
4. Adrian Gonzalez will be the biggest name dealt at the trade deadline as San Diego collapses in the National League West.
5. Josh Hamilton will win the triple crown, the most recent hitter in baseball to win since Carl Yastrzemski in 1967.
6. Stephen Strasburg will win National League Rookie of the Year, with 15 wins and 141 strikeouts.
7. The Houston Astros will finish as the worst team in baseball, five years removed from their 2005 World Series.
8. The Atlanta Braves will win the National League.
9. The New York Yankees will win 105 games, and be crowned back to back World Series Champions.
10. The Chicago Cubs will blow it up. Joe Girardi will walk away from the New York Yankees for the Cubbies after back to back rings.

But if there’s a bright spot or something looming, it came in front of all baseball fan’s eyes. Marlon Byrd, the Cubs representative, cut the tension in last nights 81st annual Mid-Summer Classic by one of the smartest, most exciting plays I’ve seen in a while on the diamond. It wasn’t a web gem. You wouldn’t oooh and ahhhh. It was what you call being “baseball smart,” which is sometimes overlooked in the game.

Bottom of the 9th, Toronto’s John Buck was up to bat with David Ortiz on first. He hits a lazy popup to right field, one you want to dive for and make that incredible catch if you’re the right fielder. Byrd was indecisive. Dive or play the hop? He knew Ortiz’s positioning, between first and second, and he was waiting for the balls result. Byrd let it drop, corralled it in his glove, and threw a seed into second base for a force out. At the time, I gave a quiet fist pump, like Byrd in the picture.

So while I thought Marmol deserved to be the Cubs representative, Byrd turned out being the true All-Star, especially in this game. I can’t forget his aggressive and bold base running on Brian McCann’s three-run double that was enough for the game. Byrd was all out. I’ve honestly never been impressed by him until now. He hustles and plays the game the way it should be played. And thanks to him, Chicago has a little life.

I know there were a lot of snubs. Joey Votto got in by last vote. For Andy Pettitte, it required someone else to be injured. But the tale to the halfway point of the 2010 season is pitching. It’s as if the pitchers have gotten their revenge on hitters from the steroid era. Will pitching be the story tonight? Yes.

On paper, both of these teams are insane. If this was a team of its own, book the World Series. But what stands out to me is the youth. Price and Jimenez are first timers. As is Clay Buchholz. You can tell the future of baseball is tonight on the center stage.

There’s just something about looking at the National League pitchers over the American League. The starteres are fantastic. It’s hard to argue with the two starters who are leading their leagues in wins. But by the time you add Josh Johnson, Roy Halladay, and Tim Lincecum, the NL gets the AL in depth. Lincecum just not starting the game and coming out in relief is scary enough. That speaks depth.

I foresee a low scoring game, something like 2-1. By that, it will feed to the emotions of the viewer. The late innings are always fun when it gets competitive. If the NL can pitch to the expectations and keep the AL off the bases with Carl Crawford, tally up a win.

We all know you just lost the biggest athlete in sports. For seven years, you had the best thing since sliced bread to be at your helm. He was a huge economic booster in himself. But now you’re nothing without him. Quit going on your tirades. And quit these laughable quotes:

I personally guarantee that the Cleveland Cavaliers will win a championship before the self-titled former ‘King’ wins one.

Where’s the professionalism? Owners aren’t the ones who call out their players. Yet, Gilbert wanted to resign this guy to the big bucks? You wanted to bring back James who you claimed quit on you? That doesn’t make sense. Hmmmm.

LeBron had to grow some balls to say no to you. The thing is, LeBron went the easy route. I respect his desire to be happy. And there’s nothing wrong with a change in life. I’m sorry Gilbert, but you’re way wrong in this whole situation. There’s no chance Cleveland is winning an NBA Championship before LeBron’s new Heat team. I’ll bet my life savings on it.

Not much. But we all buy into it. ESPN has no competition. I’m sold that LeBron is going to Miami. I don’t have my own sources. But it’s just believable.

I will say this though, turning your back on Cleveland requires thick skin. LeBron leaving his hometown might send suicide rates up, no pun intended. That’s how much he means. Would the city riot? Maybe.

So while this is certainly big news, bigger news will be when the NBA schedules get released and assuming this move to Miami is true, how big does it make LeBron’s return to Cleveland for his first game is a different uni? Huge. I’d hate to hear boo birds.

LeBron has kept his intentions quiet. They say to follow your heart in making decisions, and Miami appears to be the one grabbing him.

Of course going to Miami with Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh by his side will be the only way James can win his first title. Something clicked in his head after this week. Signing with Cleveland doesn’t improve his chances. New York with Amare Stoudemire is not the fit. New Jersey is just not an attractive destination. And Chicago with an aging Carlos Boozer is worse. Anywhere but Miami just gives Kobe a more likely shot at a “three peat.”

Thinking of these three playing together is unbelieveable. The typical NBA champion didn’t win a ring by himself. Just think, Jordan had Pippen, Kobe had Shaq, Wade had Shaq, Pierce had Garnett. LeBron has never had anyone. How can you pass up this oppurtunity in Miami? Go for it and have a chance at a title for the next five years.

This team won’t lose. I see 70 wins or more in a season. Just this morning, the Heats odds at winning the title was 6:1, and that’s without LeBron. Is it 2:1 with? I can’t see anyone standing in their way from winning championships.

But change the discussion strictly on hitting, and you’ll get a variety of answers. The Mets might pop up. The Cardinals. The Rays. Every team in baseball essentially has a good hitting lineup, based on their ballpark. But if you ask me halfway to the point of the 2010 season, the best hitting team is the Texas Rangers. By stats they’re in the mix, and by players too.

The Rangers have an extremely scary lineup when healthy. Their worst hitter may be their catcher. Elvis Andrus is a .300 hitter and a good base stealer. Michael Young hits every season no matter what. Ian Kinsler is an All-Star. Vladamir Guerrero is one of the best power hitters in the game. Josh Hamilton had an absurd June with 31 RBI’s and leads all of baseball with 21 homers. And Nelson Cruz lead the league in homers before getting hurt. Tell me how that lineup isn’t good?

Just the combination of them makes them the best power hitting lineup in the game. Nobody else has more muscle.

So while nobody gave this team a chance in the American League West, think again. Their pitching is middle of the pack, and may be their downfall. But this type of hitting can lift any pitcher, and that’s been the case in 2010. While the Rangers are 15 games over .500 ball the saying, “Don’t mess with Texas” stands true.

But when the All-Star game rosters were released the other day without Marmol listed, I about gagged. Clearly Joey Votto not making it for Cincinnati is a snub. But the ultimate prank is not enlisting Marmol as the Cubs representative. At least Votto still has a chance to get in.

Come on, the National League hasn’t won the All-Star game since 1997. They’re not going to win anytime soon by keeping their best players off. Marlon Byrd has had a decent year for the Cubs, but there are other outfielders to fill his spot. There’s not many relievers who can do what Marmol can. Get these stats: 39 innings, 72 strikeouts, 15 saves, 2.08 era, .148 batting average against. Sick.

It’s a travesty but there’s not much we can do but complain. Give me a break that Marmol didn’t make it. This game is reserved for the best players, and he’s been an “All-Star.”

Of course LeBron is the mega get for any team. But in truth, does the day mean much to him? I’ve been convincedall along that he’s had his mind set on where he’s going. Why would he wait until the last minute? It’s Chicago. Tomorrow at this time of day, is he there? Quite possibly.

Anyways, I’m tired of ESPN’s constant reporting of LeBron going here and going there. I actually posted a blog a month ago saying how fun this summer would be, asking the hypotheticals of LeBron going to play for X and X. But it’s over the top. Who cares anymore? We will when it hits. ESPN is just filling airtime with nonsense since June is a quiet month.

Here’s my projections below. These are the only guys that matter, truthfully. LeBron might even be the first domino to fall.

I’d rather watch this guy play than anybody else in baseball. It feels like I’ve followed the Nationals more than my Cubs this year. But it’s because of Strasburg. He’s an attention getter. He fills stands and gets huge ratings. He’s a product of our culture.

But tonight I have a feeling of a different Strasburg on the mound. In his first four starts, he faced dilly dally teams in Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Chicago and Kansas City. All of those teams were below or near .500 at the time. The Braves are a great team right now, and a good future team with guys like Jason Heyward and Martin Prado. This is the future of baseball tonight in some ways, pitcher vs. batter of the NL East.

There will be some bumps in the road for Strassy. It’s just human nature. We all face adversity. You can’t be perfect, even though he’s pretty much been. His 41 strikeouts to five walks ratio is absurd. And those five walks were in one game. The guy needs some run support to be in line tonight. The Nationals have had one run in his last two starts. Petty.

So enjoy the game on ESPN2 tonight, in primetime. This is the first time Strassy gets the national spotlight on cable TV, the biggest in ESPN.

My stat line for Strasburg: 5 2/3 innings, 7 hits, 1 walk, 8 strikeouts, 3 earned runs. No decision.

Clearly the best player in the draft is John Wall. He’s a superstar waiting to happen. His talent is off the charts. Evan Turner, a lock for the No. 2 pick is a high-character guy. Both of them are flat out winners, who I think will carry over to the pro’s well.

These guys are can’t miss and will be franchise changers. Here’s how I would go with the top five picks, by team needs and who I think is the best. After that, its a call your bet. These five guys aren’t risks, but as of right now, it can go either way from 1-5.

But now, Hamilton is no longer a struggle. No more bottles of Crown Royal a day. No more coke. He’s been clean. He’s made a 180 in his life.

If two summers ago was his best year as a pro, hold on just a second. This 2010 season has been all but better, and we’re not even to the midway point. Trust me, I know this well because he’s anchoring my fantasy baseball team.

As of today, he’s fourth in baseball with 91 hits. He’s hitting an absurd .337, 69 points higher from May 16. In the last month, he’s putting on a show, placing the ball everywhere for the 41-28 Texas Rangers.

Hamilton is proof you can be a train wreck and still make it back in life. Read this story and you’ll feel good.

But today, I got to thinking. I saw the Yankees and Mets playing on TV. How cool would it be to see a Subway Series again? We’re almost ten years removed from seeing it last. That was the year of the Mike Piazza and Roger Clemens ordeal. The drama. It was a fun year to be a baseball fan. Rivalries like that, especially in the World Series, extend a long ways and leave a mark.

I think it could definitely happen. The Mets, in the borough of Queens have won 9 of 11, peeking to the top in the NL East. Ever since Jose Reyes became healthy, they’ve been on a roll. And the Yankees from the Bronx have been the Yankees, steady all year. Could you any expect less? So don’t rule it out. I can’t be the only one who would love to see a clash of teams from the same city. It would be good to baseball, adding a little fuel to the fire.

I still don’t understand why Philadelphia traded him prior to the season. There has to be more to the story. Lee is a top pitcher in the game, if not the best when he’s on. His contract this year is around $6 million, a bargain for what he brings. Meaning, half of his contract is already paid. Whoever trades for him, owes him pennies to the dollar. Almost nothing.

There’s three teams who I know need Lee. The Mets, the Dodgers and the Reds. Pair him with Johan Santana and a 9-1 Mike Pelfrey, and the Mets are a sure playoff team. Anchor him at the top of the Dodgers rotation and he’s a perfect fit with Chad Billingsley and Clayton Kershaw, offsetting left and right arms. And the Reds don’t necessarily have a No. 1 starter, and Lee could be the guy, for now and the future.

I like Lee. Whether buying or selling, both teams that work a deal for him will get a good transaction. Lee will get a top prospect in return and give it his all down the stretch. He’s the best trade bait.

The game was extremely sloppy. I enjoyed the Lakers celebration and post-game conferences the most actually. Especially when Kobe Bryant talked at the podium. He was dead tired. He looked like he was running on fumes. Kobe acknowledged a lot to reporters in their questions. Stuff that we’ve wanted to hear as fans.

Especially this quote. So let’s put the comparison to rest.

“90% of what I’ve learned came from (Michael Jordan). It’s a genuine love that I have for him & what he’s done for me.”

Kobe is not MJ. Rings shouldn’t even be a comparison although Kobe is one short. We only want to compare them because of their similiar games. But finally from this, we know that Kobe envys Jordan. You can see it by just watching him. He runs like him. He plays like him. He talks like him. MJ’s legacy as the greatest is still intact. Kobe just wants to be like Mike.

But since this isn’t a reality for me, I often watch games on ESPN, WGN, TBS/TNT and FOX. In April and May, it’s hard to get in baseball mode. But come June, I’m geeked up. This year, a treat is the MLB Network, which opened air on January 1st. It’s heaven for baseball fans. ALL baseball. ALL day.

I don’t actually get the channel at home, where I’m on the Dish Network. Yeah it sucks to pay for programming that is not carried. But every time I go to my friends, I make sure their TV is on it. It makes ESPN and Baseball Tonight all water under the bridge. Great analysts. Great studios. The shows are in one word: perfection. You’d be in the minority if you said you didn’t like it. That’s wrong on every level.

I think lots of people sleep on this channel. It’s easy to see why a guy like Peter Gammons switched to the network. Did I mention Bob Costas calls games? Silly! I love this channel.

But now 62 games into 2010 where the Phillies post a 32-30 record, desperate times are calling for desperate measures. Of all people, today they’re knocking on the door of veteran 38-year-old Pedro Martinez, a guy who fell out of baseball after last year. A guy who has had a dead arm for the last five years, wrapping up the late stretch of his career. Is this desperation? Clearly. Granted he did pitch okay for Philadelphia last year, but a year can change a lot.

Now I say desperate because Martinez hasn’t pitched in six months. He was a sure win ten years ago, but not now. Did I mention he’s almost 40? That’s peaking in baseball years. The Phillies have better young arms than him. This is all about filling a void.

Sometimes the truth hurts. The Phillies should be better than 32-30, but Martinez isn’t the answer for now.

I’m not shocked that he’s considering retirement. In baseball, reaction time is huge. With age it diminishes. He’s getting up there at 38-years-old. But an underlying factor that I think is contributing to this possible retirement is the absence of manager Bobby Cox next year. Jones has played under one manager his entire year. So certainly he’s favored. It would be like learning a new game for someone else.

Chipper was in the prime of his career during the 90s, seeing the ball well and hitting it well. He was one of the better players during the steroid era that you appreciated because he was five-tool and all around. He’s done it all in his career, winning a World Series in 1995 and an MVP in 1999. I’ve always respected him, while hating the Braves. He didn’t have the eye-gauging numbers like Mark McGwire or Sammy Sosa. And his body has barely changed. He just played the game in a different fashion, more respectable.

He’ll go down to me as a guy that was always clean in a sketchy time period. Injuries just got the best of him. He was a pure player.

I got into an argument the other day with a friend about the Super Bowl and the World Cup. The argument went a little like this: “the World Cup is the biggest sporting event in the United States.” I said woah, wait a second. Above the Super Bowl? Nonsense. The Super Bowl will always be No. 1 in my book. You can’t assume anything without proof.

Unlike around the world, where soccer is certainly big, I don’t get a huge feel for it here in the US. Football is our game. ESPN says it drew a 12.9 million viewer rating for the game this weekend. But let’s compare that to the Colts and Saints Super Bowl from February. That was only the most watched program in TV history with 106.5 million viewers. Sure, it’s available to every household over antenna while ESPN isn’t. But that’s like comparing day and night. It could have been the 49ers and Bengals and it would still draw a strong 12.9.

There’s no question about it. I’ll watch some World Cup, but I’ve got to pull myself just to have the slightest interest in it.

I’m not much of the video game guy I once was. I’ll maybe find time to slip an hour a week at a max. If that. This game could change that. It’s the storyline keeping me interested with great voice acting and dialogue. It’s the little things like hunting out in the wilderness for deer and buffalo, or shooting birds. The graphics don’t disappoint. It plays quite a bit like GTA, where you travel from map location to map location, finding side jobs in-between and meeting new characters.

It’s worth spending cash on, renting or buying. This is the best game I’ve played in some time. It’s original. It’s brilliant. Pick it up and enjoy something on the side. Grade: 9 /10 Adam’s.

The Big Red isn’t Darth Vader in this circumstance. We aren’t the bad guy. Any other school with an offer on their table would have entertained the thought. The perception of Nebraska nationwide seems to be that we are breaking college football up piece by piece, realigning it. But not so fast. We are just the first to figure out the future. More money. More sharing between teams. Not a one-sided conference.

While Nebraska may have accelerated this process by joining the Big Ten, there’s a saying of “don’t chew what you can’t swallow.” Nebraska is leaving a lot behind, tradition, rivalries and such. This is bold.

This will have an amazing ripple effect within the coming weeks or months. The Big East will have a new landscape, as with the Mountain West.

I bring up Tebow because he’s a story in this week’s June 14th Sports Illustrated. It hits on the new offense he’s taking up in the Mile-High City under Josh McDaniels. The new terminology. The new players. The whole shabang. You get a vibe from this story that the NFL isn’t as easy as it appears. It’s really a job to learn, from sunrise to sun set. Winning and getting better takes alot.

He can work his ass off this season for Denver and yet may not even work out. A lot of things factor in to him. Learning a new playbook. Changing his mechanics. Getting things down. Nobody is saying he can’t play. But the transition is huge. Denver is not more likely to win with him.

The bar is set high for him and he hasn’t even played a down. The kid will have to grow. For a 22-year-old, the learning curve will be difficult.

You can’t really dispute why this doesn’t work. Competition wise, it’s a great fit. Nebraska is geographically centered in the Midwest, that’s a bonus. And best of all, there’s top of the line athletics. Football is enough in itself to sell the Big Red.

Nebraska fans are concerned of losing tradition and losing rivalries. But what rivalry is there? The Oklahoma series went down the drain years ago. Kansas is pud. Maybe that leaves Colorado, if that. And that’s only because it’s the same day every year the game is played, the Friday following Thanksgiving. If you ask me, playing Iowa every year would mean much more than what Nebraska already has on their belt. It would be the battle for the corn.

The only question I have is how does having “mega conferences” work for bowl season? Is there even a bowl season? Or does this setup for a playoff formation?

Simply put, the Big Ten is head and shoulders above the Big 12. They just have better schools, athletically and academically. It’s a spotlight league. Not a shadow league. This is pretty straight forward.

So when I heard the big rumors floating around Chicago last week that the Cubs want to ship Derrek Lee out West to the Angels, I felt a little skeptic. Is this team tossing 2010 away? I’m a huge D.Lee fan. When Sammy Sosa departed, I became a Lee guy. He played the position I played as I grew up. You can relate to how good the same position guys are. But this year he’s been dogging it. I’m not used to seeing a former batting champ hit .235 with barely any stats.

It’s not that I can’t see a possible trade, because I can. He’s in a contract year. The Angels need help. It’s the fact that Lee is the face of the Cubs. It’s like stabbing us in the heart.

If history is any guide, Lee will heat up in late July when the Cubs are in the mix of division contention (hopefully). He usually does. I’m not going to write off a piece of a guy that I know is good. A dam is bound to break. When it does, Lee will flood through with hits, homers and runs.

Even the casual baseball fan will be curious for his performance. The big question is how Strasburg will pitch tonight? The Nationals timed this night perfectly for the Pittsburgh Pirates, arguably one of the worst hitting lineups in baseball. They’re dreadful. So I expect good from Strasburg. He’s the guy the Nationals put all their marbles in a bag for, hoping he was the one to get them out of the gutter.

The media’s hype into Strasburg will help revitalize Washington, who gets no attention despite playing in the nation’s capital. Strasburg’s going to be good, there’s no doubt. Just let him pitch and do his thing. Tonight is the opportunity for him to prove himself and show how good he really, truly is. Wish the guy luck on the big stage, where I wish I could be tonight. It’s sold out, standing room only.

My stat line for Strasburg: 6 innings, 4 hits, 2 walks, 9 strikeouts. Win? Yes.

I did some google searches on him today, just for fun. Deep down, this guy was something nobody might ever come close to. Known as “Woodenisms,” he lended his words in many ways. He was a motivational speaker. I came across a lot of quotes, and these two struck me the most:

“Be quick, but don’t hurry.”

“If you don’t have time to do it right, when will you have time to do it over?”

Inspirational, huh? I’m thinking if a picture is worth a thousand words, what is Wooden’s words worth?

His death this last weekend was shocking at 99. He’s one of those persons you didn’t want to die, because he was such a legend. I never was a UCLA fan, I can’t help but respect what he accomplished for them. Truly a great role model.

For the Big Red, we’re 89 days away from kicking off against Western Kentucky on September 4. Athlon Sports recently released their preseason Top 25 rankings, and to much surprise, Nebraska tabbed as high as No. 7. If you ask me, that’s eye-popping. In a lot of ways, it’s not good. It means high expectations and a big load to carry, in everyones eyes, fans in Nebraska and nationwide. You are expected to live up to the hype.

Not that Nebraska doesn’t deserve it, because they certainly do after almost shaking up college football last year, but I almost want to say I’d rather be a middle of the pack team. It’s too early to be “back.”

So, if the ship is set to sail this year, it rests on Rex Burkhead. It’s rumored he added 15 pounds to his frame in this offseason. He’s a true downhill runner, who always falls forward on tackles, getting that extra yard. While Roy Helu Jr. is by far the lead starting running back, don’t sleep on Burkhead to get as much carries or more a game, probably around 15. He’s the forefront in the “wild-corn” formation, a highlight in the Bowl Game win. He’s just that tough, gritty player.

You can talk Cody Green, Prince Amukamara, Jared Crick and others who will certainly be key, but Burkhead is where it rests if this team wants to live up to that preseason ranking. The running game is our best friend. Football season is coming up, and Nebraska fans are wishing, waiting, and wanting it already.

If I asked you 55 games through baseballs 2010 season to hand out awards, you might trip. You might stumble on a surface that doesn’t necessarily have solidified names, especially for the Cy Young.

I’m here to make a case for the 24-year-old Tampa Bay Rays phenom David Price. Maybe playing on the best team in baseball aids him, as the Rays are 36-19. But just watching him, you can tell he’s special. He has a groove about his game. He’s 8-2 in 12 outings, with a league low 2.29 era. In the American League, can you tell me a better pitcher at the moment? The only other true bet is Clay Buchholz for Boston, also with eight wins. It’s a league with slim candidates.

And compared to the National League? It’s like comparing chaos and order. Chaos is the National League, with a variety of guys that can win Cy Young if baseball ended today, from Ubaldo Jimenez, Roy Halladay, Tim Lincecum and to Adam Wainwright. So maybe pitching in the NL is easier like the experts say. It sure appears that way. Just think about both leagues for a minute and give me better candidates. The AL is tough huh?

So while we wait for the prodigy Steven Strasburg to throw his first big league appearance next week, don’t forget about the other young pitchers like Price who have established their resume in the bigs. It’s the provens that matter. He’s not even getting any limelight. Price as AL Cy Young today is easy to chew and easy to swallow.

In baseball, the thing to do is the use of walkup music to grab the attention of the fans. To associate a song with you.

Back when I played Legion Baseball for Kearney on “Five-Points,” it was a treat to get to have a walkup song when we were up to bat. My team started using songs, and before you knew, so were the other Kearney teams. Considering all the music out there, it was a harder decision to make than you may think. I settled on “Moment of Clarity” by Jay-Z simply because of the opening lyric: “Turn the music up, turn the lights down, I’m in my zone.” It doesn’t get any better than that. It got me pumped. Almost gave the chills. For then it worked, but I wouldn’t use it again. I’m not that Hip-Hop/Rap guy anymore.

In baseball today, a handful of players around the league are notorious for their own song. Trevor Hoffman has “Hells Bells” by AC/DC as he enters a game to close it out. Mariano Rivera has “Enter Sandman” by Metallica. These guys are symbolically known just for that. The veterans, the rookies, everyone gets them. Even the 20-year-old rookie Jason Heyward strode out to “What You Know” by T.I. the other night.

Maybe we take them for granted, but it adds to the atmosphere of a stadium.

If I could do it all over and play again, here’s what I’d chose:

Hitter: “Swing, Swing” by All-American Rejects
Closer: “Closing Time” by Semisonic

To get an idea of what a entrance song can do to add to stadium pulse, watch this. Look how excited the fans are. Look how they wait for Hoffman’s every step. Great example.

Game one of the NBA Finals kicks off tonight. It should be a fun one. It’s one of those series that you want to tell yourself to not forget history, as the Celtics own the Lakers come championship times. I expect this year to be different. Both are these teams are battle tested.

The storyline to this series is the match up between Paul Pierce and Ron Artest. Two years ago, the Celtics relied on Pierce time and time again. The Lakers couldn’t defend him, now they can. Then, LA was focused solely on Kobe Bryant. Now they can beat you with many weapons. Boston will have trouble guarding a team with more than one productive player. The Lakers were a team on the rise figuring things out. Now they’ve got it down.

For Boston to have a chance, they need to bang the Lakers up. They are the more physical team, especially in the paint. Kevin Garnett will push around Pau Gasol. He’s far more superior.

I could see this series going either way but if I was to pick I would say Lakers in six or possibly seven. If it went six games two years ago, clearly it will go that again. Here is my thinking:

1. Kobe is determined to win again.
2. Home court advantage.
3. Age is key. Lakers are younger.
4. Been there done that (time and time again): Phil Jackson.

There has been a very intriguing topic discussed on 106.7 The Fan – DC this week that’s got basketball fans thinking. Mike Wise wrote a column about it in the Washington Post. With the Lakers back in the NBA Finals for the third straight year, and the fact that Kobe Bryant can build on his legacy already with four rings, is it time to consider him the greatest of all-time? Greater than Michael Jordan? A year ago no. But now or in two weeks?

Now this is a fine argument. Better than the: “Who would you rather have on your team right now: Kobe or LeBron James?” It’s Journalism at it’s best.

I’m only 20. I’ve grown up watching Kobe. I was very young when Jordan was in his heyday of the ’90s. As much as I can do to remember him is to research Youtube videos. The one time I recall watching Jordan and the Bulls was against the Utah Jazz in the ‘97 Finals. It was his last shot, the “push-off” of Bryan Russell. I’ll never forget it, it was such a pretty shot. Then Jordan holding up six fingers. Classic.

I was a Bulls fan then. Who wasn’t? The reason I will call Jordan the greatest is because he won. He never lost. Never. He willed his team to victory. Kobe has lost. In the Finals two years ago. Jordan was a perfect six for six in Title games, almost by himself without bonafide help. Kobe is four for five, three with Shaquille O’Neal. One for two without him.

Their leadership is certainly different. Jordan made players around him better. Scottie Pippen was great. Luc Longley is a nobody without him. I wouldn’t say Kobe does that. Pau Gasol is a fine player without Bryant.

Personally, I’ve always got a different vibe off of Kobe. I almost hate the guy, but I enjoy watching him. He’s incredible at what he does. But it’s Kobe’s faces. His attitude. His whiny grins at the refs or his flailing arms. I didn’t hate Jordan, the few times I saw him. He just had a better image on and off the court. I won’t deny that both are cocky, but Kobe almost appears more.

For that sake, it’s an eye ball test.

While I maybe can’t defend this argument since my age, I can tell you I liked Jordan more. I still like him. If you’re a basketball fan, you think of him when you watch the game. Both of their stats are great, you can certaintly compare that. I just think Jordan played in a tougher era. The game is different now than then. How many true Hall of Famer’s currently still play? I can legitimately give you three: Bryant, O’Neal and Tim Duncan. But in Jordan’s day, almost every team had one. So the competition is key.

I’ll rest it right there. Jordan will never be dethroned. Kobe is great. But not the “greatest.” Agree?

He’s one of those guys that if I said his name, you might reply with “who?” That’s how unknown Jiménez is, but don’t sleep on his game. Already through 41 games, he’s won eight, as the Rockies are 20-21. That’s nearly half of the teams. He’s on pace to win 24 games, and that’s real good considering baseball these days, supposedly in a “post-steroid” era.

But I wanted to hit on how devastating his pitches are. He was clocking a few ticks below 100 mph last night on his fastball. That’s impressive. Over time that will drop, but for now, that’s unhittable. But more impressive is his splitter, which tops at 90 mph. If you’ve played baseball before, and pitched like I have, this is one hard grip to throw. And in the 90s? Wow. He can ride a career of that pitch alone if he stays healthy.

So just saying that, baseball has a new spotlight on a pitcher. He’s only 26, meaning there’s plenty of more years for him to blossom. Some experts are already calling him the best, and hardest throwing pitcher in baseball. I’m tired of hearing the Roy Halladay’s and the Andy Pettitte’s ruling the baseball world anyways.

The NBA Draft Lottery kicks off in less than an hour. It feels weird to get giddy over a little event like this. But at heart, I’m a basketball guy first. It’s the sport I can look at players the most and know who’s the top talent. It’s easy for me to see.

Surely John Wall and Evan Turner are the top two picks in June’s Draft, no matter who the teams are. But a lot of talk is after that. Some other prospects are DeMarcus Cousins and Derrick Favors, two super-freshman who had dynamic years in college this year. In all honesty though, I would pass on them at the No. 3 pick. I think they’re scrappy. You have to hit with this high of a pick.

Give me Wesley Johnson of Syracuse. He’s a hot button topic. You know who he reminds me of? A young Carmelo Anthony. He’s got all the tools, inside and outside. Certainly he’s skinny, but so was Anthony. So is Kevin Durant. That doesn’t take away much. 6′7″ and 205 lbs is perfect in the NBA.

As an Orange in 2009-10, he averaged 16.5 ppg and 8.5 rpg. Let’s remember, he played against the best of the best, from Devin Ebanks of West Virginia to Greg Monroe of Georgetown. Syracuse was a No. 1 seed in the tournament from.

I think Wesley Johnson is a steal if he falls any further than three. If he stayed in college another year, he might have been the top pick next year. That’s how good he is. I’ll wait to see who gets the No. 3 pick tonight, but no matter who has it, I’d pounce on Johnson.

For sports talk, this might be the best summer yet. All the hypotheticals of LeBron James going to Chicago, New York, Miami or staying in Cleveland will keep me up. Nothing will lose me or derail my train. These next 44 days will be fun.

As much as I want to say he’s going to Chicago, and I would love it don’t get me wrong, it most likely won’t happen. Why play in the arena where a big 23 jersey hangs in the rafters for the greatest of all-time? LeBron would face the ultimate expectations. Hell, Bulls fans would expect six championship rings in the next ten years. Therefore, only New York and Cleveland DO make sense, to me.

New York, it’s just a better franchise than Cleveland. It’s got more history to it. Sure, LeBron should create his own image in Cleveland, or just keep building it. But the small city feel just doesn’t cut it for athletes. Let’s face it, Cleveland is a black hole for sports. What will only keep him there is the fact it’s his hometown. Los Angeles, New York, Boston and Miami is where it’s at. That alone aways the pendulum.

How many superstars literally get to pick who and where they want to play for? Not many. In recent years, I can think of Alex Rodriguez only. If LeBron knocked on the door of the Milwaukee Bucks, they would chase him. That’s why this signing is huge. It’s that interesting.

New York makes sense in terms of the city feel. LeBron wears the Yankees hat. He insinuated to New Yorkers that July 1st would be a “very, very fun day.” Their salary cap is next to none, so LeBron can politic anybody to play with him there.

So right now, my thinking is shifted towards Cleveland and New York only. But that’s why this is fun. My opinion is different than yours. I will post more later on this topic.

One thing in the past that’s a non-entity at least right now is pre-draft signings with the 1st selection. Jake Long, Jamarcus Russell and others from the past made the pick uneventful. It’s so up in the air whether St. Louis wants to stumble on Ndamukong Suh or Sam Bradford right now that it’s fun debating it. Do you take what your team needs, or take the consensus best all-around player? You certainly can’t miss and pull a Ryan Leaf selection. With the No. 1 pick, you need to make a home run. I think you do with Suh. Low risk, high reward.

Here’s how I would go with the Top Five picks. Suh is the only exception, where the Rams need a quarterback instead. I’m just not sold on Bradford, and see him slipping a few picks. That, or the Rams draft him and trade him, or simply just trade the No. 1 pick. Anyways, enjoy the draft tonight … on a Thursday! Should be fun.

It’s not far fetched, but how about the Oklahoma City Thunder sneaking up on the Los Angeles Lakers. There’s an odd adage: “It’s not how you start, it’s how you finish.” Winners of five of their last eight, the Thunder have been hot. They could just have the league MVP with Kevin Durant, and if it’s not this year, then it’s next year. They play in the Western Conference which isn’t easy. As the 8-Seed, OKC finished 49-32, 17 games over .500. In the East, the 8-Seed Chicago Bulls is 39-41 … a non-winning record. How about that?

It’s always hard to go against the defending champs in the Lakers, but they have loopholes. This isn’t last years Lakers. Trevor Ariza was certainly a big loss, in my mind just to quality minutes. Ron Artest is the old Ron Artest, being very selfish. His stats have taken a toll, from 20 points a game two years ago to 11 points this year. And once again, Andrew Bynum is hurt. Shocker. This shorts them on the bench and in size. Sure Kobe is Kobe. But he’s getting older. The NBA is a long season.

OKC is the fun, up and coming team. Durant has to put this team on his back, like he has all year. He’s held to a different standard. Don’t kid yourself when I say he could be the MVP. And don’t be surprised if this series goes to six or seven games. Being the 8-Seed means absolutely nothing.

Nike is portraying his Dad, Earl, to be asking Tiger if he learned anything from the last few months. Clearly he is not meant to be asking this. He died four years ago! I doubt he knew anything when he was alive, as it was all swept under the rug pretty good. Nike twisted the real meaning of this voice message, or documentary tape. It scolds Tiger. Why would Tiger let this commercial go on? Simply put, my bet is that he was forced to as a PR move. Nike owns him. He can’t afford to lose them. Tiger is Nike.

Was it brilliant? I don’t think so. It’s directed at the wrong audience and the wrong subject. I love the black and white, it creates sort of a different eye appeal. But it bugs me to hear this commercial limited to just the scandals. It’s trying to say that Sex + Money = Big Problem.

At the beginning of every year, I like to make AL and NL Division predictions, as well as a World Series Champ. Here are my favorites this year. We will see how close I become in October. I like to think I’m baseball smart.

By the way, how can I not pick the Yankees to win the World Series? Seems like the obvious choice. Enjoy.

Johnson is one apple that fell way off the tree, but in a good way. Personally, I like broadcasters who call the game as they see it. And there’s nobody better. Jim Nantz, Verne Lundquist, they’re all great but they’re old breeds. Sometimes classic is nice. Johnson is the up and coming future of sports broadcasting. Just listenin to him go nuts and you’ll understand what I mean.

He’s a growing trend that keeps you dialed in. Last night, he popped into the fasting growing trend on twitter. Everyone was talking about him. I think within a few years, he’ll be calling the bigger games, and maybe just the National Championship game. I’m amazed by how creative he is.

I’ve settled on Kentucky in my bracket. All year long I’ve liked them, they have a certain knack to their team. It’s what John Wall brings. It’s the consistent play of Patrick Patterson. It’s the talent all around. I just like their team.

You can’t argue the fact that the Wildcats are the most talented team in America. I said the other day in a post that I was scared of their youth. But it all came down to their draw in the bracket, and I think the blue bloods in Kentucky have to like the potential here to make an inside run to the Final Four. In the East region, West Virginia is their only worry, that’s if they can get past a good team in Missouri and possibly Marquette first.

There you have it. One year removed from the NIT Tournament, Kentucky is my pick to cut down the nets in Indianapolis. Wall+Patterson+DeMarcus Cousins+Eric Bledsoe=Too much. Go Kentucky. What’s college basketball without them anyways? Not much.

This 2010 NFL free-agent class is weak. There’s almost zero buzz surrounding anyone. You can’t tell me that a guy like Terrell Owens gets you excited, and it got me to thinking. Is it worth it to sign a player with a track record or build on the future?

Football is appearing to be the new baseball. Just like the Minor Leagues, young is better. Building a foundation is the way to go. Do you want a washed up, banged up, no good 36-year-old Owens, or a fresh out of college 21-year-old Dez Bryant? The answer is clear.

Although Owens is a household name, he’s not putting up the numbers like in years past. Maybe Jerry Jones wasn’t dumb after all when he blindsided and cut Owens last March. His writing is on the wall. We saw that in Buffalo this year when he caught the ball 55 times for 829 yards, his lowest ever in a full season since his rookie year.

To me, I go young. I want to snowball a fresh, young player for excitement in the future.

This is going to be one odd year when March Madness brackets come out Sunday without seeing teams like Connecticut, North Carolina and UCLA in the field of 65. I’m not even going to go research the last time this occurred. Has it ever?

All year, we’ve been waiting for these teams to peak, especially the Tar Heels. The talent is certainly there on each team, and the coaching is the best you can get. In the preseason polls, North Carolina was ranked No. 6, and their final record was 16-15. You want to talk about hitting rock bottom, for a team that was the Defending National Champions?

I don’t think there’s any need to panic if you’re a fan of these teams. History tells us they’ll be fine. Hell, last year Kentucky missed the tournament, and now they’re a potential No. 1 seed and National Title contender just a year later. So as abysmal of a year it’s been for these teams, there’s no need to give up. One year is one year. We all hit bumps in the road.

I ask you: Is it still madness without the likes of UConn, UNC and UCLA? Of course it is. Maybe it’s about time we see the pendulum sway in college hoops towards other teams.

I didn’t see a whole lot of movies in 2009, but the one I did see was well worth it. Don’t sleep on “The Blind Side.” It’s one of those movies that brings you up and down, but in positive ways. It goes down on my list as favorite movies ever.

Last night, I was excited to hear Sandra Bullock win the Best Actress in 2009 at the Oscars. Her performance in The Blind Side was a home run. She played the one Mom that everyone wants: very accommodating, not annoying, classy, smart and hot. Michael Oher got a special treat with her. We all want the parents that will spoil you for your good deeds. That’s what she did. The cast and setting in The Blind Side was superb. Yeah, the actually football was a bit cheesy. But there;s no denying the acting, besides a woman coaching a football team (he he). Now that I’ve seen Bullock play a role in a sports movie, I know she has it in her for the future. Bullock seems to still be in her prime although it seems like she’s been around forever! She also played a great role in my other 2009 favorite, “The Proposal.” She can change it up.

I remember telling myself that the movie was so good that I would go see it a 2nd time. I didn’t end up doing so, but that’s okay. As crazy as it sounds, the movie is still playing at the Hilltop Mall in Kearney. Maybe I will see it a 2nd time after-all. This movie inspired me. I got teary eyed at times, especially the restaurant scene where Oher saw his brother. I think I enjoyed it so much because it was sports related.

Right now, the big talk is on the No. 1 seeds. We should all be able to agree that Syracuse is the Top Overall seed. After that, Kansas and Kentucky are in good position to snag one as well. But the fourth No. 1 seed is where it gets interesting. And I’m signaling Duke. Coach K, Kyle Singler, and Jon Scheyer is enough to explain why.

On a side note, with these four, I feel that Kentucky is the most vulnerable to lose first. Sometimes youth gets exposed in the tournament, and they’re very young with John Wall and DeMarcus Cousins. If the tournament is all about matchups like people say, then it’s to the Wildcats strength. But I tend to think of maturity first and that’s their pitfall.

Not to take anything away from basketball season right now, but my eyes are on the upcoming baseball season. This is that time of year again when we get excited for some classic baseball. Living in Nebraska, you’d be surprised at all the baseball fans you will find. Different people love their different teams. I know guys that have a huge passion for the Yankees, Mets, Rockies, Cubs, Cardinals and Dodgers. There’s a ton of variety to say the least. But that’s the joy of baseball. We’re all so widespread. We love our teams.

I’ll come back and post a Division and World Series projection this month. But I just want to hit on this quick, and that’s the Yankees. Is their any team better than them in baseball? Simply put: no. So as we begin March and get into April with Opening Day, all this talk on the Bronx Bombers is going to get a little overboard. Defending champions earn their respect. Yeah, they piss us off. They tend to make you want to throw a rock at your plasma TV. But they’re just that good this year. So as we sit here 7 months away from October, I’m calling the Yankees already for back-to-back champs. It’s certainly early, but this is just how I feel.

Baseball today isn’t about power hitters like it was in the Summer of 1998. Bay can surely slug for the fences, but he won’t in Citi Field. It destroyed David Wright and now I expect it to take a toll on Bay. It’s not a hitters park, it’s a pitchers park. It’s just a gigantic field. Wright goes from 33 homers in 2008 to 10 homers in 2009. That’s a big drop. Bay’s going to have to become a better hitter now, and become more relaxed and play the ball where he can. If he hit .267 in 2009, I expect that to get worse in 2010. It’s an interesting move considering Bay is only 31 and in the prime of his career.

Sports in the United States come down to two cities, New York and Los Angeles. If you reside here, we’ll you’re part of the craziness. I think I’ve heard more this year on Mark Sanchez’s up and down’s and his bum knee injury than I have on Drew Brees’s magical numbers. Bottom line is, these media outlets are bottom feeders. They’re the hamster on the wheel that never stops. They’re pipe out any story they can just to be a story.

Week after week two years back, the Patriots we’re undefeated and getting the glory. I count them in Boston, which is another huge city. So that explains their attention. Being undefeated is a big deal. Imagine if they win out and meet up in the Super Bowl. Biggest game EVER?

I don’t think either of these two teams win out, and maybe the Colts lose tonight against Jacksonville. But let’s give some attention to them. Winning isn’t supposed to be easy in the NFL, every game is to be tough. This is unheard of play.

What a year it’s been for the big fella. Does he win it tomorrow night? Probably not. I personally think that if he blocks the last-second field goal in the Big XII Championship game, then he does. You need a Heisman moment, and that would have been his. I won’t be disappointed if he doesn’t. It’s the fact that he made it there, on center stage, as a defensive player. That’s just unheard of.

He’s undoubtedly the best interior lineman I’ve seen play at Nebraska. He runs through people.

Since Heisman’s are a beauty contest, Mark Ingram of Alabama will win. He had his moments on the best defense in the country with Florida last Saturday. Suh will get second followed by Toby Garhart, Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow.

Adam opens up on the Saints-Patriots Monday Night Football game. Then it was a preview of the Big XII Championship game this Saturday. To wrap up, Adam talks on Charlie Weis, the Tennessee Titans and gives an under the radar NFL MVP mention.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=1085 0 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1081 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1081#comments Mon, 23 Nov 2009 19:50:04 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1081
If you asked me whether Mark Mangino was safe at Kansas, I’d say no. We’ve seen it in the past, any coach that answers questions about their future sees the writing on the wall. It happened here to Frank Solich. It happened to Bill Callahan. It’s been talked about for awhile now between Bobby Bowden, Charlie Weis and just this weekend with Mangino. You’re just not safe, and if Mangino thinks he can defend himself and his football program by going on radio stations and in newspapers, he’s wrong. The damage is done.

I credit Mangino for what he’s done since going to Kansas in 2002. He’s taken them from being down under. But six straight losses, anger management problems, and soon no bowl game will account to being fired. It would be scary to be a week-to-week coach. But winning is what cures. They’re not winning now, and won’t win anytime soon once recruits jump ship and a guy like Dezmon Briscoe declares early for the NFL Draft.

I opened up talking on the Sporting News College Football Bowl Projections. I then talked about Allen Iverson and where he might land. I gave my thoughts on the Atlanta Hawks and wrapped up on Jon Gruden staying with the Monday Night Football crew.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=1078 0 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1071 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1071#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 19:46:21 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1071
When LeBron James came out last week and said he’s giving up No. 23 after this year and wearing No. 6 for the remainder of the season, I quickly sided with him. It’s not his number and we all know that. “If I’m not going to wear No. 23, then nobody else should be able to wear it,” James said. Maybe he’s showing some admiration for Michael Jordan. Maybe it’s genuine respect for MJ. But it brings up a good question: How come the NBA hasn’t retired Jordan’s number yet? The NBA surely owes him some respect.

As for LeBron, he should have been his own guy in the first place. We all knew of the God he was going to be coming out of high school. But the moment he stepped into the NBA, he should have worn his own number and been himself. Dwyane Wade wears No. 3 and Carmelo Anthony wears No. 15. Those are unique to them. Problem for LeBron is, he was the poster child to Mike. He was almost forced to wear No. 23. He was the guy to rejuvenate basketball and he surely has since. But without MJ, is there even a King James?

So good move LeBron, it doesn’t seem arrogant to me. You’re a class act. Nobody has the merit to wear No. 23, and it’s crazy enough that 13 players wear it. Is this LeBron’s foreshadowing move towards New York next year? Or is he just saying he will never surpass the standard of Jordan?

This week, I gave my two cents on Oregon reinstating LeGarrette Blount and Kansas City releasing Larry Johnson. To wrap up, I reacted to the Nebraska win over Oklahoma, previewed the Kansas game and gave my NFC and AFC breakdowns.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=1065 0 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1058 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1058#comments Mon, 09 Nov 2009 18:43:11 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1058

I got an ESPN text alert this morning that Kansas City released running back Larry Johnson. Was I surprised? No, not at all. This was a move that was a long time coming. Now, I’m bugged at the fact that the Chiefs didn’t try to get anything for him. Immediately some team out there will pounce on him, and who knows, maybe Oakland (ha ha). A long shot may be Washington since Clinton Portis went down this weekend.

Point is- anyone that attacks their head coach or front offices should be unemployed. When Johnson went after Todd Haley and called him slurs, that should have been the end there. You don’t criticize your head coach.

The question just now turns to, well what’s the answer in K.C.? After nine weeks, it’s clearly not Matt Cassell. How do you figure anymore? They’re still a horrible team. I don’t mind this move, maybe it stirs things up. The Chiefs need a break, and this will clearly help.

It’s hard to believe DeSean fell to No. 49 in the 2008 NFL Draft, or the fact that only two years in the league. He’s already proven. Better yet, he’s only 22 years old. People forget he almost won the Heisman in college if it wasn’t for getting hurt in 2008. He’ll be the glue to the Eagles the rest of the year. He’s a rising star, who gives fits to defenses. Tell me any other guy who’s more fun to watch in the open field. You can’t.

I know, I know. Enough Brett Favre, right? But he’s been a stud this year, and I opened talking on his monster game Sunday. How classless was the eye gouging move by Brandon Spikes of Florida? I then hyped up Vince Young in Tennessee and wrapped up with some Nebraska football talk and the Big XII conference.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=1045 0 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1038 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1038#comments Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:23:43 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1038 We’re a few days into the NBA season and I’m absolutely loving it. Nothing better than late nights with a basketball game on TV. But since it’s early in the season, I thought it would be appropriate for me to give some preseason picks.

Sleeper Team: Portland Trailblazers
Rookie of the Year: Stephen Curry
Most Valuable Player: Paul Pierce
NBA Champions: Boston Celtics

By the way, is there any doubting Boston this year? Way too good from the 1 through 5 positions and I love the move adding Rasheed Wallace. Best move in the offseason.

I opened talking on the NBA’s tip-off to the season tonight. How does Nebraska’s future shape as they play Baylor this Saturday? Then it was to the odd hiring with Mark McGwire as hitting coach in St. Louis in a move that makes me wonder. To wrap up, it was the firing of Steve Philips and I gave my World Series prediction.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=1031 0 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1026 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1026#comments Mon, 26 Oct 2009 19:05:22 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1026 Let’s face it, Nebraska is just not that good of a football team. Growing up in the 90’s, it was so easy to takes win for granted. But anymore, they’re hard to come by, and you can credit better recruiting by teams and overall just more parody in the game today as a result. But when I start to look at the 2009 season for the Big Red, two things are sticking out to me and telling me why this team is nowhere near the Florida’s and USC’s. Being 4-3 might be a false positive.

• 4th and Goal results in a Punt against Virginia Tech
• More turnovers than points against Iowa State

It’s Week 8 as Nebraska plays Baylor this week. And even without a Robert Griffin, the Huskers have their hands full. In the 90’s, Texas Tech and Baylor used to be a laughing stock. Until now. How is a -12 point favorite is beyond me, when we can’t score 7 against a middle of the pack Cyclones team. Take it as you want it, but remember those two bullets above and if you’re thinking like me, this team is almost going downhill rather fast.

As much as I’d love to believe we have this one in the bags, we don’t. Texas Tech is not your 2008 styled team with Michael Crabtree and Graham Harrell. But this won’t stop them from putting up at least 25 or more on us tomorrow afternoon. We’re the 2nd best scoring defense in the nation, but spread offenses tend to give us trouble. And they run arguably the best one out there. They are a not a program that rebuilds, they reload.

So how do we win tomorrow? Here’s my keys:

• Contain Tech QB, Steven Sheffield. He’s faster than previous “system” QB’s.
• Score quick. We’ll have to match Tech point for point.
• Leadership. Somebody other than Ndamukong Suh has to step up.
• Combat Tech’s quick release game. Don’t let them control tempo.
• Win field position. Special teams could come in handy.
• Stay classy. Continue to not turn the ball overall. Zac Lee = 2 turnovers all year.
• Be consistent. We have to play for 4 quarters, not 1 like Missouri.

In the end, I like Nebraska 35 – Texas Tech 30. But get geared up, this game could very well come down to who has the ball last.

I opened the show talking on how wide open the AFC East is after last nights MNF game. I then talked Nebraska’s win over Missouri from last week. To wrap up, I don’t quite agree with the NCAA’s ruling on Dez Bryant and how good the Denver Broncos looked Sunday.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=1010 0 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1003 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1003#comments Mon, 12 Oct 2009 20:20:06 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=1003

I don’t think it’s crazy to still say Zac Robinson for Heisman. He was my dark horse going into the year. I told various people who all thought I was crazy. After six weeks, I still think the trophy is up for grabs with no clear cut front-runner.

Now three guys we originally thought at the beginning of the year, Sam Bradford, Colt McCoy and Tim Tebow haven’t necessarily played all sparkingly yet. The very unforeseen and untoward can still truly happen. As we get into conference play, things start to heat. With Oklahoma State only at one-loss, I believe Zac has an outside chance with even another loss on their record. Through five games, OSU is 4-1. Robinson ranks in the Top 15 of National QB ratings with 158.1. Eight touchdowns and three interceptions is not shabby, but he’ll have to build on that quite fast. Bradford won the award with 36 touchdowns in 2008.

Let’s keep an eye on Zac. I think he’s that special. Losing Dez Bryant will definitely hurt, but for Zac, this is his time to shine and prove to people that he can play without an All-American wideout.

I gave my key to the game for the Huskers and Mizzouri showdown on Thursday. Is Oregon right to reinstete LaGarrette Blount? And Bobby Bowden, I’m not convinced he’s done yet. Florida State is jumping the gun.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=998 0 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=986 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=986#comments Mon, 05 Oct 2009 21:20:20 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=986

I don’t understand some things. I’m not the smartest of guys. And I don’t quite know what to think of the Denver Broncos yet. Unexpectedly, a 17-10 win over Dallas last night has them second guessing a lot of people. Is Denver a Fluke or For Real? Trust me, a ton of Broncos fans are currently saying “Eh, maybe this Josh McDaniels thing isn’t so bad.”

Remember the Preseason? The Broncos we’re brutally bad, winning one of four games. I understand you don’t gain much from those games whether win or loss, but they’ve had quite the turn around since. Something is clicking, because they’re one of five 4-0 NFL teams.

Just imagine how good this offense would be with Jay Cutler. No offense to Kyle Orton, but he’s not going to ever win a Super Bowl in today’s age. I think we all agree that Jay Cutler will someday. But the thing is, Denver’s offense isn’t the spectacular part. It’s their shutdown defense, that had numerous peaks and valleys in 2008. They go from being the 3rd worst defense in 2008, to the best in 2009. Huh? Things usually add up, this doesn’t.

We’ll learn a lot more this week when Mile High hosts New England and the Pats. Give me New England to this day, as I still think they’re the best NFL team. But if Denver wins this, we know they’re competitive. These next four games (NE, @SD, @BAL, PIT) portray their season. It’s all or nothing. Denver has to have the toughest NFL schedule. Week 12 = NY Giants. Week 14 = @ Indianapolis. Week 16 @ Philadelphia. Yikes.

So if Denver comes out unscathed from the majority of these games, we know they’re legit. They’ve had a couple cupcake wins with Cleveland and Oakland. But the point is: they’re winning games. I harp on Orton a lot, yet he was a 21-12 QB in Chicago.

Football never seems to disappoint. This week, I talked on how bad Jake Delhomme is playing. I rolled into some BCS talk with Boise State and Houston. I talked some baseball as we wind down the final week with teams like Atlanta and Minnesota surging.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=973 0 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=967 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=967#comments Mon, 28 Sep 2009 21:50:36 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=967 Lots and lots of teams have flipped flopped places this year in the College Football ranks. Mostly has this occurred in the Top 10. I’m really only convinced of one team out there, and that’s Alabama. In some cases, they should be No. 1 and ahead of Florida, between competition. Man can I not wait for that SEC Championship game again, where we can already book down the Tide and Gators. Below get a glimpse of my Top 5, contrary to what the USA Today and AP Polls say. These are arguably the best teams out there, without a question.

I opened up giving more reactions to the Huskers loss Saturday. And is it crazy to say Jacory Harris for Heisman already? How about that Monday Night game between the Colts and Dolphins last night. I talked lots on the NFL and with early season surprises.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=970 0 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=953 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=953#comments Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:05:09 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=953

Heart break city. That’s where I was Saturday following the Huskers meltdown against Virginia Tech. The whole state of Nebraska was down. That was an incredible game to only come down to that last play. But it’s still early. There’s time to rebound. To drag our heads and think our season is all downhill from here is nonsense. This team has a lot of room to grow.

I’m finding it hard to blame that loss solely on safety Matt O’Hanlon. Why we we’re sitting in a cover 2 defense still makes me wonder. Essentially it almost would have been better for O’Hanlon not to catch up, let them score, and give our offense a shot with over a minute to go. But that wasn’t just it. How many crucial penalties cost us in the second half? How many dropped passes could our WR’s not haul in? We didn’t play timely football.

That very last play still bothers me. The fact that we let Tyrod Taylor scramble all the way around and still find a way to make a play was unbelieveable. We were standing and waiting. It was almost as if we acted there was a whistle blown.

But it’s time to move on. One loss can’t shape us. We learned that our defense can play to their best against solid teams. And that’s beneficial to the rest of the year. Many tough games lie ahead, with Missouri in two weeks and to have this wishy-washy game stand in our way, it’s only going to be a strike against us. I would trade this loss for any loss from the past five years. Because for a change, I see promise. I don’t see a train wreck.

Sure hands. That’s an intangible wide receivers like to have in football. Rarely do receivers have to fight around defenders to catch a ball. And hugging a guy to catch one? This snag from Virginia Tech’s Dyrell Roberts last weekend was something!

It feels great to have football back, and what a weekend it was. Tom Brady was vintage Tom Brady leading the Patriots last night. The Jay Cutler era begins wrong on Sunday night. And how about those Michigan Wolverines led by Tate Forcier? I also gave my prediction of Nebraska and Virginia Tech this Saturday on ABC.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=928 1 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=922 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=922#comments Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:54:59 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=922
Tomorrow I’ll be hitting the airwaves of Kearney on UNK’s campus radio, 91.3 KLPR. As part of my Mass Media major, I’m required to take a semester of Radio Workshop, and serve three hours each week on the radio. Last week I picked my time slot during the drive time hours.

I will be hosting “The Sports Junkies” every Tuesday and Thursday from 1:00-3:00 p.m. on the FM dial with Garrett Ritonya. We’re not restricted on what to talk about, and I’m bringing more sports talk to the Kearney listening area. Sure I’m a novice, but you’ve got to start somewhere. I think we lack good sports talk in this community, and I may not fit a great mold, but something is better than nothing. You can get a good toast of me if you’ve listened to my podcasts since March.

Tomorrow I’ll open up talking on lots of weekend football, more importantly the Patriots/Bills game from tonight, and also Jay Cutler’s dismal start. Listeners can call in at (308) 865-8217. It will be different adjusting to callers hitting the phone lines, as I can’t do that for podcasts. But it adds a new level to talk shows and gives different perspectives. Tune in tomorrow and get a glimpse on 91.3 KLPR.

Week one of the College Football season taught us a lot. Most importantly though is that once again, the traditional non-BCS schools have the stocking power to beat the big branded schools. An away, a home and neutral field games proved this last week. Colorado State beat Colorado. Boise State beat Oregon. And Nevada shocked Oklahoma. Can we get a playoff system yet?

Carry that over to this week. If there’s any game that sticks out to me it’s Toledo hosting Colorado. Why specifically the Buffaloes would go on the road to play at a Mac School is beyond me. But the Rockets win in so many ways from this match up, whether they pull it out or not. Think of the money that comes. Think of the hype that goes in. Count this game as a sellout tonight.

My upset alert surrounds this game. Vegasinsider.com currently shows Colorado as -4.0 point favorites. That’s almost a laughing matter for a team that can’t defend. Toledo totaled 493 yards on offense last week.

I don’t see Colorado even moving the ball tonight. Four days between this weeks game and last weeks is not enough time to prepare. In college, home field matters. I read that Toledo is 27-13 in their last 40 home games. So don’t sleep here. Take Toledo. Mark my word. And take the spread as well.

The Big Red convincingly took down Florida Atlantic this weekend, and I opened talking on that win. How fun was it to watch that Miami – Florida State game from last night? To me, it appears Miami could be back. To wrap up, I gave my sleeper player of the 2009-10 NFL Season and gave my conclusion of the unjust Preseason.

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AudioAdam.com is anchored by Heartland Hosting. From web design to e-commerce, Heartland Hosting has what it takes for your business. ]]> http://www.audioadam.com/?feed=rss2&p=905 1 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=892 http://www.audioadam.com/?p=892#comments Fri, 04 Sep 2009 17:43:39 +0000 Adam http://www.audioadam.com/?p=892 Updated @ 05:55 PM ET: Rightfully so, Oregon just suspended Blount for the rest of the entire year. I still think he should be in jail, but I’ll take the fact that he’s suspended. Don’t forget, this game was on national TV. Lots of people saw it.
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The punch LaGarette Blount threw at Bryon Hout last night following Oregon’s loss to Boise State was so out of line, it’s hard not to put it in the context of a blog post. I was very disappointed. Honestly, I hope the law stands in the way here, and the Boise Police come after Blount for assault.

It’s funny because when you put a person in a situation that they are used to being in, they will do things their way. Should I really believe Blount’s post-game quote when he says: “I should have handled that situation a lot better than I did. I shouldn’t have said anything. I shouldn’t have done anything.” Absolutely not. Nine times out of ten, he would have punched anybody who taunted him. It’s always the guy who backfires and retaliates that gets in trouble. Notice how many time he said “should” and “shouldn’t” there.

Blount showed us sportsmanship means absolutely nothing to him. Notice how he kept acting like he wanted more, dancing around ala Muhammad Ali after he threw the jab. Bob Davie and Mark Jones couldn’t have broad casted the instance any better in the heat of a moment situation. I can’t get over how many guys had to restrain Blount from going back for more.

If I’m Oregon, I kick him off my team. That Ducks that I know of recent years are classy, not a bunch of thugs. If I’m the NCAA, I step in on this matter and control it myself. This is not a great way to start the season, after a decent game. Oregon’s getting all the headlines after Boise won fair handedly.

*Props to former Husker Scott Frost for saving a night from going to hell in Boise by holding back Blount. Classic Nebraska individual.

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You’re not alone. Just mentioning it gives me the “zZzZzZZZ’s.” But check out Sports Illustrated’s issue from last week and the image on the cover. Apparently they’ve had it up to here too with Brett Favre too. Enough is enough right?

It’s funny that they do this to a guy who’s graced 13 of their all-time covers. If you look at it one way, the magazine did give mention to him even though they said they wouldn’t. Sort of. Right?

I always thought athletes like Favre and Michael Jordan ruined their reputation by retiring, unretiring and playing for unfamiliar teams. What’s that tell the younger generations who have role models in today’s sports world? It will be interesting in 10 years to see what we think of Favre then. And he’s a guy who apparently doesn’t care what people think of him returning to the gridiron year after year. Take this for granted, but I found it slightly comical. Any pun intended?

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I talked briefly last week in Episode 024 about a classification of Cubs fans that I thought was absolutely perfect. David Kaplan of WGN 720 in Chicago called us “bipolar.” By definition it means everyone has feelings of happiness and sadness once in a while and feeling high and feeling low are part of life.

Remember when Alfonso Soriano hit four home runs in the first six games to start the year? We thought he was the best player in the game. Randy Wells has won nine games to lead the team and we already think he’s the Rookie of the Year. Ryan Theriot hit two home runs against San Diego. We thought he was god. Aramis Ramirez was hitting .364, he just couldn’t stop. We reeled off four straight against Washington, and we thought we we’re amazing. And Derrick Lee has been a monster, leading the majors in RBI’s since July. We tend to think we’re the best team when our players succeed. It’s a temporary thing.

How about when Carlos Zambrano beat himself up after five innings in Chicago and we called for his head cut off? Or all those times when Soriano swings at stuff that bounces before the plate? We want to hang the guy. Milton Bradley has been a bust, and we boo him no matter what. We changed Geovany Soto’s named to Geovany “Pot-o” because he has better priorities. Can I go without mentioning Kevin Gregg who doesn’t seem to give a flying flip if he gives up a home run or a strikeout? Aaron Miles was the worst investment ever, and so was Kosuke Fukudome. This team has no chemistry together, and when we lose, we love to rant and pick our players apart.

I’ll continue to talk some more on the Cubs tonight in Episode 025 of “The Weekly Catch.” But I couldn’t resist the complimentary term to Cubs fans, being bipolar.

The University of Memphis today got the news that their entire 2007-08 basketball season, where they won 38 total games, is all going down the drain. For the second time in his coaching career, John Calipari got caught red handed. I like the guy a lot as a coach, but from everything I’ve always heard, his underground terms are sketchy. Maybe all those winning years at Memphis we’re a little fishy. Think Kentucky wants to take back their hiring of him?

The terms of this appeal ride on the fact that the Tigers point guard Derrick Rose cheated on his ACT in high school to get into Memphis, and had his brother paid for on every basketball trip. Now Rose was a stud. I remember watching high school tapes of him and just knowing he was NBA bound very quickly. Cheating is cheating though even though I enjoy his game. And somewhere he should have known he was not doing the right thing. Blame him or the NCAA clearing houses, but this shouldn’t have happened.

Then there’s the media. I’m questioning as to why they’re not blowing this up out of the ordinary like usual. Take away a shot from Kansas’ Mario Chalmers with under five seconds to go, and Memphis is your 07-08 National Champions. If Memphis calls a timeout previous to that play, it just doesn’t go down. The parallels between the NCAA wiping away a potential National Championship and Memphis cheating become scary. As much as I know, never has one been scratched away. Only Final Four trips have been, like the one in 1996 when Calipari had infractions when he took UMass to the big dance despite Marcus Camby getting gifts up the ying-yang. So take it from that standpoint, but I see this a HUGE deal. 38 wins is a lot of victories to discredit.