St. Louis Gets DeRosa... Damn.

No Brewers Weekly post this week, I have been working quite a lot and havent been watching as much Brewers as I would like to. This week its much of the same so thats quite unfortunate but I do want to talk about the trade that went down over the weekend.

The Cleveland Indians who are looking worse than Major League in the beginning of the movie and it need of Rick Vaughan ASAP decided to deal Mark DeRosa, their prized pick-up of the off season to the Cardinals for Chris Perez and an unknown player. DeRosa has been tearing the cover off the ball this season with his numbers (.263 13 HR 60 RBIs) so far and has been known for destroying my Milwaukee Brewers. Also DeRosa will now come full circle to face the Chicago Cubs who getting rid of DeRosa was the single worst move of the off season.

Now saying all of this the Cardinals have lost the last three games since DeRosa has arrived and they have fallen two games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. Although in the long run, I think the Cardinals are looking stronger with DeRosa but here is my question for Cards fan... Is DeRosa a fourth hitter? Albert Pujols who hit 29 and 30 homers today but he recieves no protection behind him whatsoever. DeRosa is not the answer to protect him in the four hole, he will be better in the two hole if the Cards want success.

-Charlie.

Brandon Jennings: The Type of Swagger the Bucks Need

I firmly believe that I snuck into the head of Milwaukee Bucks' General Manager John Hammond and figured out the reason why the Bucks decided to take a chance on Brandon Jennings, the top High School player from two years ago and a guy who decided to play over in Europe.... He had the flamboyant, cocky swagger that the Bucks completely lack and they see what it has done for the Milwaukee Brewer fan base therefore they want the same to happen to their NBA team.

I think Jennings will be a good player and he was a guy I didnt have in my top 15 mock draft because I felt that most were down on him due to attitude issues. When I was alerted the Bucks drafted Jennings, I drew up this image in my head more so than anything else. Then I listened to his High School coach Steve Smith of the famed Oak Hill Academy and it really changed my mind about Jennings. Now I feel he is ready to be a starter right out of the gate and will make a big splash with the Bucks.

Some are saying that Jennings cannot shoot but his coach Smith said that is so wrong. He said that "Brandon made fourteen threes for me." Yes the three-point line is a little deeper but still it takes some skill to make that many in a game. I think Jennings can do everything at an above average level and if he just keeps his head on straight, I really feel it will be a great season for the Bucks.

In the Richard Jefferson article, I said that I wanted Ramon Sessions back and Charlie Villanueva wouldnt be bad either although now I wouldnt really be broken up if either guy comes back. Right now I would like the lineup being Jennings-Redd-Mbah Moute-Johnson/CV-Bogut. That would be a pretty solid starting five for the Bucks and if Luke Rindour is around, it wouldnt be a bad idea to spilt some time with Jennings.

-Charlie.

Here's to Replacing Hedo...

First off before I get started today, I would like to introduce to a new blog called the Persian Rundown done by friend and one of the first Chuck's Corner supporter Sepher. Check out his article on this very same topic.

When I heard the news that Vince Carter had been traded to the Orlando Magic for Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, and Tony Battie, I somewhat shake my head because in my personal opinion and I apologize to Sepi... Vince Carter isnt the same player from five years ago. I think this deal will blow up in Magic's General Manager Otis Smith's face.

I think Carter doesnt have the quickness to get to the lane like he did for a five-year stretch where he could be any player to the lane and now he just seems to enjoy living around the three-point line including his mid-range game. Somewhat thats probably why the Magic feel he can help the team with his three-point shooting and willingness to want the ball in the final two minutes.

I was a big VC fan through the Toronto but I always felt that Carter would try to do too much in addition I feel he still does that. When he gets going, Carter will attempt any shot that looks good to him and that would worry me if I was a Magic fan.

The other issue I have with this deal is Carter is only 6'6 where Hedo Turkologu who he is likely replacing is 6'9 therefore they dont have that intimidating size where all of them minus Dwight Howard could hit the three. I would guess they will go... Nelson-Pietrus-Carter-Lewis-Howard which isnt a bad starting lineup but you also have to remember that Carter has had his problems with injury.

The last thing I will say is I love what the Nets are doing here. They now have Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, Lee, and Terrence Williams which is a great young group that no one seems to be talking about. I wouldnt be surprised if they make some noise next year in the East.

-Charlie.

Thoughts on the NBA Draft

Well the NBA Draft has came and went... I have a few thoughts on what transpired and who I feel did the best in what will probably be considered one of the worst drafts in recent memory.

-I feel that not even the Los Angeles Clippers can eff up Blake Griffin. I think he will be a great player and like I used in the NBA Mock Draft that he would make an immediate impact. The Clips need to find a wing guy for Marcus Camby or Chris Kaman because they all dont fit together with Griffin whose a primary inside guy.

-Hasheem Thabeet will be a bust as well as Jrue Holiday. Thabeet will be thrown to the wolves right away by starting and he will rake up the fouls that only Greg Oden could imagine. Holiday needed at least another year at UCLA to learn the fundamentals and other things.

-Ricky Rubio will be a stud. I am excited to see what Rubio will do for the Minnesota Timberwolves or whoever he goes to (I doubt New York is able to pull off a deal for Rubio, they dont have enough pieces because no way will the T-Wolves want David Lee when they have Al Jefferson.)

-Going back to Minnesota why on earth would you take two point guards in the first ten picks?! Why wouldnt Jordan Hill be the answer with one of those picks? Or even go with Stephen Curry who could play some two instead of two pure point guards. My friend Shannon whose a big Syracuse Orange supporter was very distraught that Jonny Flynn went to Minnesota as well. No matter what a lawyer from Duke says, Minnesota you didnt win the draft.

-Like: DeMar DeRozen, Terrence Williams, Eric Maynor, Earl Clark. Dislike: Tyler Hansbrough, Austin Daye, Darren Collison.

-Charlie.

Lets Try an NBA Mock Draft

Here is my feeble attempt at an NBA Mock Draft which I did for the NFL. I work Thursday night so I might DVR the draft and run somewhat of a live diary of what happens with all the bad suit choices not to forget the reaction of going to the Los Angeles Clippers, sorry Blake.

1. Los Angeles Clippers: Blake Griffen PF, Oklahoma- I hate how the draft in both the NFL/NBA has become so predictable with the first pick in the draft. Anyways I think Blake is an awesome player and will make an immediate impact for the Clippers. He needs to work on a mid-range shot but when that happens he will be even more of a force to reckon with.

2. Memphis Grizzlies: Hasheem Thabeet C, UConn- Some people have James Harden going here but I feel that if the Grizzles decide to stay here it will be all about Thabeet. Everyone is saying how much potential he has and will be great on defense right away. He does struggle outside of the post but I think if he puts on 15-20 lbs, he could be a nice player for Memphis although as Harry Doyle once said “I still think he’s a prick.”

3. Oklahoma City Thunder: Ricky Rubio PG, Spain- Now my friend Owen disagrees with me here thinking that Harden would be the perfect fit for the Thunder but I think Rubio would be awesome for OKC. That becomes the most exciting team in the NBA with Rubio-Durant-Westbrook-Green as a the building blocks for a great team. He would make Kevin Durant two times the better player by freeing up so many shots.

4. Sacramento Kings: Jonny Flynn PG Syracuse- I have no idea what the Kings are going to do at this spot but I will go with the polished player out the Cuse in Flynn. I love what he brings to the table night in and night out. I think he is floor general on the court and Flynn can make clutch shots when needed. The one thing he needs to work on is his three point shooting.

5. Minnesota Timberwolves: James Harden SG Arizona State- This is a guy my friend Owen loves but I myself am still undecided. I think he has great offensive tools where he can do it inside and out although he seems to lack some prowess on the defense end. He also has been know to make big shots when needed.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves: Tyreke Evans PG/SG Memphis- This spot could go to Stephen Curry as well because they are both tweener guards but the rumors have said that the T-Wolves love Evans. I dont think he is anything to write home about and has got caught up in legal drama before. I would much rather have Curry but I can see Minny taking Evans.

7. Golden State Warriors: Stephen Curry PG/SG Davidson- I think the Warriors would love to have Curry and that could be a reason why they are close to moving Jamal Crawford to the Hawks so they have room for whichever guard is around at seven. I think Curry will be an immediate impact player with his three point ability and will create havoc for many years to come.

8. New York Knicks: Jordan Hill PF Arizona- This is a guy I would love to see the Bucks get but at the same time, I think he will be long gone. He is a physical player that really took off during his junior year and I think will keep growing. The Knicks need more inside presence with the talks of David Lee being on the move and Eddy Curry isnt getting done if you are a good NBA team.

9. Toronto Raptors: Jrue Holiday PG/SG UCLA- This might be a selfish selection with the hope that the Bucks do not have the option of drafting this bust. He didnt even average 10 ppg in college last year and Holiday is getting drafted straight off potential. I can only hope the Raptors will not let John Hammond have the choice of drafting Holiday.

10. Milwaukee Bucks: DeMar DeRozen SG USC- Another guy that is straight potential but he did show signs of getting the college game down the stretch of the season. He has great size at 6'6 and could really contribute to the Bucks immediately being one of the first ones off the bench. His defense and three point shooting need some work although getting an energy guy leading to his development isnt bad at all.

11. New Jersey Nets: Terrance Williams SG Louisville- The Nets are in need of a guard with all of the size they have and the fact that Vince Carter is getting pretty old. I watched a ton of Williams this year and he is a strong player inside, tough defender but needs an outside game. He will hit the occasional three but never on a consistent basis. Brook Lopez and him become the oddest pair in sports by far as well.

12. Charlotte Bobcats: Gerald Henderson SG/SF Duke- 11/12 could be virtually flip-flopped but I think if Williams isnt on the board then Henderson becomes the next option. I think he is one of the smartest players on this draft board and will be a great energy guy. Although thats all he could be if he doesnt get an outside jumper.

13. Indiana Pacers: James Johnson SF Wake Forest- The Pacers dont really have one immediate need and I think with the size of Johnson they would like to have a guy that can play the wing plus stick him down in the post when needed.

14. Phoenix Suns: Earl Clark F Louisville- I think they could go with more physical big here but Clark would fit perfectly in the run and gun offense that the Suns like to run. I am not a huge fan of Clark due to his half-ass work ethic and is unwillingness on defense. He will be a great pro if he wants to be.

15. Detroit Pistons: B.J. Mullins C Ohio State- This seems to be the consensus pick here and I dont think that Mullins will be a good pro whatsoever. They will need to work with him over a couple years for Mullins to have a chance at being good. I think he was two years away from going pro and made the jump to early.


Alright well Part 1 is done and I do work two jobs tomorrow so if part two doesnt get finished I apologize but promise to review picks 16-30.

-Charlie.

Shaq Decides to Help LeBron Win a Title

I already wrote this article about two weeks ago and it was the same deal that we had heard about originally. I am going to try to take a new angle on this and write about other things that Shaquille O'Neal brings to the table that I havent already mentioned.

I have already said that Shaq now ruins LeBron's legacy because just like Kobe Byrant, and Dwayne Wade he needs a great big man to bail him out to try to win a title. I think that Shaq is the single greatest teammate for the last twenty years due to the double teams he draws and his inside presence. The other thing which is huge is the fact that the Cavs have a player now that can keep up with guys like Kevin Garnett and Dwight Howard. With Shaq that means that Cleveland doesnt have to be as concern with the bigs in the top of the Eastern Conference.

Ric Bucher had this on Twitter which I one hundred percent agree with "On Shaq deal: Hedo/Dwight P&R killed them. Shaq never has been good at P&R D. He'll relieve LeBron on O, but they still need 1 more piece." He is referring to pick/roll defense by the way. I think there needs to be another big piece but then you start to worry if the Cavs become to star-loaded. They need another role player not somebody who will demand the ball just a guy who can play defense and do the little things.

Thats why I would suggest Ron Artest. He would be great for Cleveland because of the things I originally mentioned plus there are enough good chemistry guys in this locker room to keep him in line. Now all signs are pointing him to stay with the Houston Rockets but if Danny Ferry pitched him the opportunity of playing with LBJ in addition winning a title I think Artest would want to go there. It seems like he would be the perfect fit.

If the Cleveland Cavaliers do not make the Finals this upcoming year, I can officially say that the city of Cleveland is completely cursed. This becomes their year and maybe their last shot at getting LeBron a title

RJ Era Short-Lived in Milwaukee

As you can see it was a busy Tuesday in the NBA and I am sure there is still more to come. The final deal involved your very own Milwaukee Bucks and the San Antonio Spurs. The Bucks sent Richard Jefferson to San Antonio for Bruce Bowen, Kurt Thomas, and Fabrico Oberto who was then dealt to the Detroit Pistons for Amir Johnson. This is a clear salary cap thrashing and I actually really like this deal for a variety of reasons.

First one is Richard Jefferson is not the same RJ that was a key part of the New Jersey Nets run to the NBA Finals where he would shoot the three and throw down ridiculous dunks. He became just a jump shooter for the Bucks last year and didn’t really do anything else for Milwaukee. He will help the Spurs though because they have enough tools around RJ where he can just hang out on the three-point line.

The next one is this free up a ton of money especially if the Bucks decide to let Thomas and Bowen walk. This could assist the Bucks in resigning Ramon Sessions and Charlie Villanueva although I think Sessions should be first priority. I like the work ethic of Sessions and I think if he leaves Milwaukee, he will be a steal of the off-season for whatever team picks him up. CV doesn’t know that work ethic means, he seems like he could care less out there sometimes and only is physical in the post when he wants to be. I think it all depends on who the Bucks take at number 10. My friend Owen and I were talking about this yesterday where we came to the conclusion that Jordan Hill from Arizona would be great for the Bucks giving them a strong 1-2 young inside punch with Andrew Bogut. Although Johnny Flynn, point guard from Syracuse would be another strong player for the Bucks but then they might let Sessions walk.

Bill Simmons via Twitter felt that the Bucks really are giving the big middle finger to their fans with this deal and I disagree. I think it sucks that we picked Yi Jianlian a couple years ago and got three expiring contracts out of it. BUT here is the difference: Larry Harris to John Hammond. The new general manager has made these deals to basically clean up the mess that Harris left him and was masterful in drafting Luc Richard Mbah Moute last year as well. I still don’t believe the Mo Williams deal was that bad either because Williams wouldn’t of had the season he did without LeBron James. Rumor has it Hammond isn’t done and is shopping Luke Rindour so it will be interesting to see what the Milwaukee Bucks do.

-Charlie.

T-Wolves Making Moves but Will They Be Worth It?

The Minnesota Timberwolves are used to picking in the top ten in the last couple years and now they are ready to mold their team into a budding franchise with having four picks in the first round including the fifth and sixth pick after sending Mike Miller and Randy Foye to Washington for the aforementioned pick, Oleksiy Pecherov, Etan Thomas, and Darius Songaila. Now the big question is what does Minnesota do?

The one thing that we do know about the T-Wolves for the past fifteen years is besides Kevin Garnett, they cannot draft to save their souls. I mean they deal Ray Allen to the Milwaukee Bucks for Stephon Marbury, yikes. Also they dealt Brandon Roy in 2006 which turned out for the worse as well. That was the biggest reason why Kevin McHale got the boot although they bring in a guy (David Kahn) according to Bill Simmons and Chad Ford who managed the Indiana Pacers from Portland, rut roh. So I don’t know if the Timberwolves are out of the dark with this guy either especially seeing they love Tyreke Evans. I cannot see Evans being a great player in the NBA because he is a scoring point guard and those never seems to pan out the way they are supposed to. The other big issue with having four first rounders this year is bragging about the Snorlax you took home on Saturday night. This draft is one of the worst we have seen in the last twenty years therefore who knows how good the players are going to be for Minnesota.

The Wizards despite Twitter complaints from DC area rapper Wale (if you don’t know who that is, download his stuff now) their team looks pretty strong for the 2009 season if they stay healthy. Miller has always been a better sixth man and none of the Wizards big three can ever consistently shoot the three. Also they have a guy in Foye who can play the 1 and 2 plus he is a great slasher to the post. I like this deal for the Wizards, they just need to get a front line guy in the draft to help their causes.

-Charlie.

Trouble in Beantown?

Sorry people who hate the city of Boston but I am writing another article about a Boston sports team although this one is about the Celtics who supposedly offered the Pistons, Rajon Rondo and Ray Allen and the Celts would get back Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince, and Rodney Stuckney which the Pistons deny right away. This led people in the sports media believing that Boston has problems with Rondo. Boston’s General Manager Danny Ainge vehemently denied that the Celts were interested in dealing Rondo and this was just an Internet rumor.

I look at this “rumored” trade proposal and I wonder why the Pistons didn’t take this deal? Allen comes off the books next year giving them even more money for next year after they release eighteen million this year by getting rid of Allen Iverson. Rondo is going to be a top ten player in the next three years basically giving them a face of the Pistons franchise for the next ten years. I would assume this means that Rasheed Wallace is not coming back to the Pistons therefore General Manager Joe Dumars wanted to make sure that they had a core that could lead Detroit back to the playoffs.

I think there are some chemistry issues there because I think Rondo is a young player who probably is a bit immature and isnt ready to be the top dog in Boston although he can become one of the best players in the next decade. I think the chemistry stems from the fact that I dont believe that Rondo really enjoys getting pushed around by Kevin Garnett. I mean KG is an intense person just watching him on ESPN, I cannot even imagine what he is like as a teammate. When he went down last year, I think Rondo took over the leadership role because he plays point guard which is the quarterback of basketball. Now I am assuming that Ainge worries they will be a divide between the team.

I don’t think Boston is going to move Rondo unless they get a ‘Godfather’ offer where another superstar player is coming to Boston. I think Phoenix may be a possibility with Steve Nash whose rumored to be out in the Valley of the Sun. In addition, I doubt they keep Rondo in the Eastern Conference if they do deal him. I think Rondo will stay a Celtic because of Ray Allen’s contract really. When Allen contract runs out in 2010 that will open up the money to sign Rondo to a long-term deal and make him their face of the franchise. The only thing that would hold back the Celts signing Rondo is if we find out that Rondo was much more of a problem in the locker room with coaches and teammates. Then its inevitable to deal him.

-Charlie.

Greg Jennings: The New Number One in Green Bay

According to a variety of sources, the Green Bay Packers are close to giving an extension to wide receiver Greg Jennings to the sweet tune of ten million dollars. I love Greg Jennings because I knew about him from the start. I remember reading about him before the start of his senior year of college at Western Michigan and when the Packers got him in the second round of the draft, I knew it was a complete steal for Green Bay. As the number two reciever, he became a great player becoming a complete vertical threat making huge plays for the Packers down the stretch. Now it is pretty clear to all of us that Driver will not be a number one anymore and Jennings is reading to take over as the top dog.

The local media is worried about the fact that Jennings isnt a top ten receiver right now therefore he is not worth the money. I disagree while I dont think he isnt in the realm of TO, Randy Moss and Larry Fitzgerland; I still believe he will be a superstar in this league. Some are saying that a receiver is not worth the money but I think Jennings can be a top flite receiver come two years.

The one thing that people are forgetting is that Greg Jennings actually works hard and doesnt bitch about starting time basically he isnt a football diva like his other wide out associates. I dont think he will pull an Antonio Freeman where he just decides to mail in the rest of his time at Green Bay when he got his money. I think people are being very arrogant if they dont believe that Jennings is ready to be a number one starter. Yes he is going to draw brand-new double teams this year and better corner backs facing him so he might struggle drawing frustration if he signs this deal. But I go back to his work ethic where he will keep his ass in the video room until Jennings figures out how to become a better wide out.

-Charlie.

Is the Dice-K Era Over?

Remember when all of America is raving over this Japanese talent called Daisuke Matsuzaka better known as Dice-K and his unreal Gyroball that everyone was raving about at the beginning of all this hype. Now I think that Dice-K is spending his second stint on the disabled list with no timetable for when he is going to come back and it is over. Stop the hype about Dice-K and here is a couple reasons why...

1. Teams have figured out how to hit his Gyroball- My dad and I have discussed at great lenghts most of the baseball season that teams are getting so good at scouting and putting together a book for pitchers/batters. I think that has happened to Dice-K because he has not put together one decent outing all year and I have to believe that has nothing to do with his injuries. I think the bigger thing is the fact of the matter that most batters have learned how to hit the Gyroball. He has to figure out another pitch. Tim Wakefield, another Red Sox pitcher has a great knuckler although he also has a solid curveball that can get it done too.

2. Great Success in Japan Doesnt Translate in America- I know I have been asking a lot questions in this post but can we stop throwing an insane amount of money to unknown non-American player? Right now the last two big names (Dice-K and Chicago Cubs outfielder Kosuke Fukudome) out of Japan are failing to translate good success in the MLB and both of those players were supposed to be the next big thing out of the Far East. The only two guys that lived up to the hype was Hideki Matsui, outfielder for the New York Yankees and Ichiro Suzuki, outfielder for the Seattle Mariners. I really hope Yu Darvish doesnt get an insane amount of money either because we could be heading down the exact same road that Hideo Nomo, Hideki Irabu, and Chan Ho Park paved.

-Charlie.

Glover Takes the Soggy Open

The US Open was played this year at the dangerous Bethpage Black and the only thing that was dangerous was the weather that haunted this tournament consistently throughout the weekend. But when the rain settled, the 71st player in the world Lucus Glover took the Open with calm, easy play and it didnt seem like Glover cracked under pressure at all throughout the tournament.

What I guess bore me about the Open was the fact that Glover really showed no emotion about winning right away. I think its really cool when guys celebrate like it really is their biggest win of their career. Glover is just the kind of golfer I guess that some really enjoy because he acts like he has been there before although I just love the emotion.

Another big storyline is the fact that Phil Mickelson is once again the bridesmaid of the US Open. He finished tied for second and its his fifth runner-up to the US Open, a tournament which he has never won. The crowd wanted him to win so bad and was trying their best to make sure he won this tournament with their "Lets Go Phil" chants and such. It wasnt enough, as Phil missed two key putts on the 15th and 17th leading to bogeys. I have never been a fan of Phil but I wouldn't have been disappointed if he had won for his wife Amy battling breast cancer. I think Phil needs to let the US Open come to him and not talk about how much he wants it. It almost seems like he loses it down the stretch thinking about how important this tournament is to him.


Maybe I should stop taking Tiger as my number one pick although its hard not to every time you are predicting who will win. If he putts well, he runs away with the US Open and we are talking about the first golfer since Curtis Strange to win back-to-back US Open. He was the only guy who had three rounds in the 60s but the one that wasnt in the 60s was a fat 74 in the first round that plague him the rest of the tournament.

Not to take anything away from Glover's win but does he win the US Open if the weather doesnt get delayed in the first round? I think that hurt so many players to start their round then get interrupted by heavy rains where they have to start on Friday morning. I highly doubt Glover takes home the crown if the weather is half-way decent.

-Charlie.

Brewers Weekly: Taking the Good With the Bad

I already wrote an article about the starting pitching but I will say this... this has become do or die time for the Brewers with the next fifteen of nineteen being at the friendly confines of Miller Park. They need a couple wins against the Minnesota Twins this week but if you are wondering how concern I am about the Crew? About a 7, it seems like we have no bench and no one can pitch right now, plus add the fact we are facing good teams in those nineteen games... its fair to say that I am bit worried.

Monday: The Crew led off the week with a series against the Cleveland Indians who easily have the worst bullpen in the majors. I almost wrote an article about this game after the Brewers had an impossible comeback after Dave Bush gave up eight runs in a little over three innings. Prince Fielder who had an awesome week hit his first grand slam to give the Brewers the win.

Tuesday: It seemed like this was the day that JJ Hardy would get hot after he had three RBIs in a good win and go on one of his absolute tears where he couldnt be stopped for a month (didnt happen he went 0-11 or so agaisnt the Detroit Tigers). Yovani Gallardo was average at best but it didnt matter as the Brewers lit up the scoreboard.

Wednesday: I couldnt believe that Bill Hall gave us the lead in the 7th inning which led to his personal quota of one homer per month. Also he looked at a homer that barely made it over the wall. Seth "Big Red Nasty" McClung had two great innings then put Trevor Hoffman in a bad position in the 9th leading to his first blown save. The Crew showed resiliently by taking it in the 11th inning.

Friday: It looked like we were going to have an awesome start in Motown as Prince went deep in the first for a 3-0 led then Corey Hart hit a triple with one out where the Brewers couldnt drive him. Braden Looper couldnt keep the ball in the yard leading to a 10-4 rain shortened defeat.

Saturday: The Brewers who always struggle with guys making their big league debut like Armando Figuro was on Saturday against Dave Bush. They actually did good against Figuro but once again Bush gave up a great deal of gophers balls.

Sunday: A great pitchers duel between Yo and Justin Verlander but Yovani missed with one pitch to Brandon Inge leading to a three-run homer. That was all the Tigers needed to complete the three game sweep against the Crew.

Big Game on Tuesday, Lets Go Brewers.

-Charlie.

A Warrior Becomes a Trojan.

On Saturday, the USC Trojans mens basketball team made a decision on who would be their next coach and they decided the best guy for the job was the former Marquette Warrior head coach Kevin O'Neill. I personally am unsure about this hire but I do wish the best success for Coach O'Neill.

The one thing that USC likes about this hire is that he has always been known for his discipline. That is something that the Trojan basketball team has lacked for a long time with that they hope that USC can stay on course of being a successful basketball team. The one problem I could see O'Neill having is dealing with players who had Tim Floyd's loose style and now converting to a disciplinarian. Usually that leads to a couple players leaving the school. The other thing that O'Neill brings to the table is he is a great coach on the defensive end. That has seem to be a new theme in the Pac-10 with scoring being down from years past and UCLA their big rival recently has always had a top ten tenacious defense.

The big question that will be raised will the NCAA take away scholarships or even worse ban them from postseason tournament? I think scholarships will the worst that could happen because it wasnt something that would led to a tournament ban. I know giving a guy a grand so one player could play a year isnt good although when you look at what Clem Haskins did at Minnesota (ended up with a postseason ban), it doesnt seem that bad.

-Charlie.

Screw You Pedro

The big news out of the Brewers camp is the miscommunication involving the Brewer scouts and free agent pitcher Pedro Martinez. Two scouts were supposed to watch Martinez on two occasions this week and both times the three-time Cy Young winner decided that he wasnt going to show up. Sweet move Pedro.

Everyone is assuming that a big market team came in and they have an offer on the table for Martinez although that still doesnt excuse Pedro for choosing not to pitch for the Brewers. Despite my want for Martinez at the beginning of the season, I knew that he wasnt to keen on coming to Milwaukee after saying how much he hates the Brew City during his stint with the New York Mets. In addition, he hasnt been in a small market since his time in Montreal at the beginning of his career giving him no reason to want to live in a place like Milwaukee which I understand although it gives him no reason not to show up then tell the Brewers no thanks.

I really hope that Martinez signs with the Chicago Cubs therefore I can boo the living shit out of him and watch him burn in Wrigley over the summer. I think it would become very interesting if he became a New York Yankee because of how beloved he still is in the city of Boston. If he dons the pinstripes it would be comparable and likely worse than if Favre goes to Minnesota.

-Charlie.

Dear Brewers...

I am doing an article before Brewers weekly because I feel this needs to be addressed and maybe with my writing, I will "Self-Jinx" the pitching staff of the Milwaukee Brewers. Right now our pitching staff looks like a mix of the Bad News Bears and the beginning of Major League.

Everyone including myself felt that it was only Manny Parra that was the problem with no command and no ability to throw his fastball in the right spots. All of us thought that Parra was a complete headcase and he just needed the minors to get his shit straight. But as fans we cannot sit back and hope that Parra will come back with a vengeance.

My friend Eric has ripped on Dave Bush mercifully as I mentioned last week and maybe now the time is right to become frustrated with Bush. He said yesterday that he is tired and in my opinion, his pitching elbow is alot worse than he is leading on (Bush was hit with a ball on June 4th against the Marlins). If he is mentally tried then Seth McClung, Chris Naverson, or Chris Smith should start in his place on Thursday against the Minnesota Twins.

The final concern with the pitching staff is Braden Looper after a fast start has now came down to earth somewhat surrendering long balls left and right plus not being able to get out his final inning. Looper has shown some promise but it seems that he loses focus when he gets two outs due to his problems getting the final out. He needs to focus in if he wants to be successful.

The Brewers need to pray to Bob Uecker that Jeff Suppan and Yovani Gallardo keep staying consistent with a bunch of good starts with a bad one here and there. If they both go to shit, it could really start to get ugly.

-Charlie.

US Open Predicitions

My personal favorite major the US Open returns tomorrow with four grueling rounds at the monstrous Bethpage Black in New York where Tiger Woods looks to be the first repeat champion in twenty years. Here are my personal top five guys to win.

1. Tiger Woods- I feel wrong not taking that Tiger to win a major but this course has proven its made for a few players in the world, one being Mr. Woods. The main reason I got Woods this weekend is because he hit 87.5 percent of his fairways in the Memorial tournament he won two weeks ago. That is a fourteen percent improvement from the first six tournaments. If I am anyone else that is a big worry spot for me. When Tiger's driver is on point, it seems that the rest of his game follows. I will take Tiger by three strokes.

2. Zach Johnson- Even though he isnt a guy to drive the ball a ton, I think Johnson could give Tiger and the rest of the field a run for the money all weekend. He has seemed to be on target the entire year and has a great shot game unlike most we see in today's game. The other thing Johnson seems to always be good with is his putter. Look for him to be hovering around the leader board.

3. Geoff Ogilvy- This is everyone pick whose not named Tiger and I think its good one. I have always been a fan of Oglivy and he has already proven to have all the tools to win a US Open. The one thing that I like about Oglivy right now is the consistency he has played with all year.

4. Steve Stricker- Maybe this is just my bias from Wisconsin checking in but Stricker could really win this thing if he putts well. He is one of the best from the green and if he makes his presence felt there, he could be breathing down the leader's neck. Or possibly leading the tournament. Stricker needs to make sure that he keeps the ball on the fairway leaving him with birdie putts.

5. An Unknown- I was telling my dad today that its very hard to win your first major at the US Open but it always seem that there is one player who no one really knows that ends up in the last two groups on Sunday. In my opinion, thats the best part of the US Open and I hope you will all sit down to watch an hour or so.

-Charlie.

Slammin' Sammy on the Juice, Shocking...

I think everyone one knew this one was coming just like everyone knew that American Idol Adam Lambert was gay; Sammy Sosa, outfielder for the Chicago Cubs tested positive for steroids in 2004. The same test that Alex Rodriguez turned out positive for. Unlike A-Rod, Sosa is in a heap of trouble and I really find no way out of this tunnel.

When the Home Run Chase between Mark McGwire of the St. Louis Cardinals and Sosa everyone had some inclination that they were both juicing. Even when Andro, a drug like steroids was found in McGwire's locker everyone turned a blind eye. The fact that Sammy Sosa went from being a .200 hitter with eight homers to a guy who then hit around twenty five-thirty then ended up with back-to-back sixty homer seasons is absolutly mind-boggling that someone didnt point out that Sammy was juicing.

The reason why is because nobody gave a shit about baseball after the strike. When the strike happened, people didnt care anymore about the players, the coaches, or the game itself. Not until the 1998 home run chase and that is when baseball began to turn the corner. Fans were checking box scores everyday to see if McGwire or Sosa hit homers that night. In addition if either team was in town that was a must-see series you had to go to. People didnt care that players were using an unfair advantage to get ahead because they felt like baseball was a game again.

Sosa is in bigger trouble since he lied to Congress in 2005 about steroids. He forgot to speak English at the hearing and everybody that day felt Sosa looked guilty compared to others that were attending. He deserves to be punished somehow for lying in a Federal Office. He wanted to be the clean-cut, fun loving good guy but that time has run out on Sosa therefore he needs to do something to reshape an already tarnished image.

I try not to write to much on the steroid topic because it seems to never have a good answer and it just seems like I am repeating myself. The only reason I am writing about this is Sosa captured most of the fans heart in 98' and was a beloved player in the city of Chicago. Everybody had an idea that Sosa was on something but the overall hope was that it would never be leaked. Well its here now and I have said before that it was an era that no one wants to remember although some had great careers without the juice. I dont think Sosa fits in that category but guys like Manny Ramirez, A-Rod totally do.

-Charlie.

Only 30 Days for Killing a Person?

I must say I was shocked to see that Cleveland Browns wide receiver Donte Stallworth only got thirty days in jail for his DUI manslaughter charge where he killed a guy in a hit/run incident this past January. Granted, he did get ten years of probation, drug/alchoal testing, and possible life time license suspension. Still I dont feel thats enough punishment for the crime.

If I or any of you that are reading this article would be in jail for a long time for killing somebody while drinking. I remember hearing a guy speak who did do this and he got ten years in jail. Why doesnt Stallworth get the same amount for the crime or at least the same as quarterback Michael Vick. I mean Vick abuses dogs not humans and he got twenty-three months in jail. Commissioner Roger Goodell needs to suspend Stallworth for at least half of the season or even the entire 2009 NFL season. Most people would get in trouble for DUI manslaughter would lose their job and I dont really understand why the NFL is different.

I guess it probably has to do with how much money they make and the ability to get the top-notch lawyers to help people like Stallworth/Marshall/Burress/Vick all out of some sort of situations that could have been a lot worse.

-Charlie.

Brandon Marshall is a Crybaby

The oft-trouble maker Brandon Marshall, wider receiver for the Denver Broncos now seeks a trade and has become very unhappy. He is unhappy about his contract and he doesnt really want the Broncos taking care of his surgically-repaired hip.

I personally cannot stand Marshall for his antics off the field where he has multiple times been arrested for allegedly assaulting his girlfriend and has seemed to walk away with a clean slate. He is a hell of a player dont get me wrong and has really never created any riffs with the Denver front office until now when it comes to him. The off-field stuff I think would drive teams away from wanting to have Marshall on their roster then again it is the NFL and there were teams who gave PacMan Jones a second chance after nearly killing a guy. In addition Swiss Plaxico Burress will get a job sometime in the near future and he is more than likely heading to jail (more on this in a later post about Donte Stallworth).

I think the Dallas Cowboys would take a chance on Marshall even with Roy Williams being there. I would also throw the New York Giants in that mix despite their continued headaches with Burress. The Giants were a different team when Burress didnt play and it made them just a middle of the road ball club. The Titans who havent really done anything with their receiver situation would be another nice fit for Marshall. Also the Vikings have always been open for taking guys who are headcases.

In my opinion, the Broncos will deal Marshall because I firmly believe that the Bronco franchise wants to start over completely. They got rid of Mike Shanahan, Jay Cutler, and now Marshall may be the final piece. If they realize that they will not have a great two years and then improve with draft picks/free agent signings.

-Charlie.

Kobe Bryant: Best Player of the Decade

Of course this argument was going to come up but that other than Shaquille O'Neal no one can agrue that Kobe Bryant isnt the best player of the last decade. He has done things that have seemed to amaze us time in and time out again. Now people would deny that he is the best because of the adultery that Bryant committed on his wife although his actions off the court shouldnt be taken away from what he does on the court.

Only in the 2003-04 season, Kobe didnt average over twenty-five points a game where he missed seventeen games with injury and when his team needed to be carried by only Bryant he was averaging over thirty points a game. To think that Kobe made the playoffs with his top five scorers in 2005-06 being Smush Parker and Chris Mihm is simply phenomenal. I compare Kobe to when the Packers had Brett Favre in the 90s. Favre didnt always have the best players to work with but somehow they made their way into the playoffs. I would agrue that Favre accomplishments were much better because only six teams get into the playoffs in a given year. Many people have do not see him as a leader but I personally think he is your typical hard-ass captain that doesnt take anyone's crap expecting the most out of everyone even if your name is Slava Medvadenko. He takes care of the all little things that his teammates fail to see.

To throw out some more stats that would give Kobe the title as the best in the past decade would be his stellar free-throw shooting that never went under eighty percent. The three point shooting went under 30% only once in (2001-02). People make a big deal about how Kobe never passes the ball but the stats would show that he only has slipped below five per game in two seasons being this year and 2005-06. In addition even though he was down this year, only in game five Kobe didnt have eight assists in the NBA Finals.

The final big thing about Kobe is his big-game clutch moments. I wish when the fourth quarter began, Enter Sandman by Metalica would come on because Kobe reminds me of a closer in MLB ready to shut down any team he is playing. Carry on the Favre comparison when the fourt quarter happens that was when we had our vintage Favre highlights and I think we get that with Kobe Bryant as well. No one in the game is better in the fourth quarter than Kobe.

I know there are alot you reading this who cannot stand Kobe and wished he would go away for a long time. I just hope that you all respect what he has done in the past ten years and has made the NBA much stronger by his play in the regular/post season.

-Charlie.

Lakers Take Home #15

When we started this playoff journey, everyone argue mercifully whether it would be the Los Angeles Lakers or the Cleveland Cavaliers. The Cavs ended up folding more than origami in the Eastern Conference Finals and the Lakers seemed like a team who wanted to turn it on every once in awhile during the first two playoff series. Then when game five rolled around against the Denver Nuggets, it seemed like the Lakers were destined to win this NBA Finals.

We are devoting another article to Kobe Bryant so we will not mention much on Bryant in this one although his performance was awesome. The one thing that everyone said needed to happen was the presence of Lamar Odom. He played great starting with that pivotal game five I mentioned already. He was doing everything for the Lakers with strong offensive rebounds and creates mismatches for every team. The Magic looked absolutely lost trying to guard Odom.

The other guy that deserves a ton of credit, Trevor Ariza. To think that the Magic traded Ariza for Brian Cook and Maurice Evans. It seems like he is going to be a player that is ready to take off only being twenty-three years old who can play defense better than most players in the NBA. In addition, he can shoot the three and take it to rim which is something that not all can do.

Now the big question is who do the Lakers resign with both Ariza and Odom being free agents... Some people feel that Kobe will opt-out of his contract to take lesser money therefore Ariza and Odom can both sign for the money that they deserve. If they had to go with one player it should be Ariza because he only twenty-three years old ready to have a blow up season. Even though Odom is only twenty-nine years old, he will probably want six years leading to by the last year of his deal Odom is the ripe age of thirty-five. I think its a complete no-brainer but if they have the opportunity to keep both, they should.

On to America's heart breakers Orlando Magic, I think that we all agree that a sweet combination of Stan Van Gundy and Dwight Howard's inability to play offense that cost the Magic getting at least two games. SVG got off to a horrible start by destroying chemistry by deciding to play Jameer Nelson and sending Rafer Alston in a complete tailspin for the rest of the series possibly next year figuring how much of a headcase Alston is. Also playing JJ Redick twenty-seven minutes and only play Courtney Lee twelve minutes makes no sense at all when Redick has been lost the entire NBA Playoffs.

Now on to Superman, Howard proved to the world why he still isnt there on the offense end all throughout the series. Andrew Bynum/Pau Gasol babied Howard throughout these Finals. This was proven by Howard utter frustration by having five plus turnovers during most of the Finals. He needs a jump-hook or a turn-around jumper something that will make a difference on the offense end. My buddy Seth feels that Patrick Ewing as a coach for the Magic will help out Howard although I am starting wonder if Ewing is that good of a coach. It has proven many times that a great player doesnt make a good coach.

The final word congratulations to Phil Jackson who won his 10th title where yes he has had great players but still he created one of the best offense creations in the triangle. Congrats Phil.

-Charlie.

Brewers Weekly: Manny=Headcase

Brewer fans have found a new pitcher to hate... Manny Parra. Although while I thought Dave Bush's hatred was completely unwarranted last year and it still is (talking to you Eric, "If I had one bullet, it would be for Dave Bush"-Eric Nohelty). Now the Parra backlash is totally worth it because the guy has utterly lost his mind on the mound with a 3-8 record with a 7.25 ERA earning him a trip to Nashville to figure his shit out. I still believe that Parra can be a good pitcher in the big leagues because he has a great curveball, solid change, and a very good fastball. My other suggestion would be to have Mike Rivera catch Parra to give Manny a change of pace and hope that he may feel comfortable with Rivera. I am hoping the complete best for Manny and that he comes back with his head on straight. Now on to the disappointing 1-5 home stand although we are still in first place somehow.

Tuesday: I didnt like playing the Rockies this week as they were comin' in hot on a five game winning streak and the Brewers got off to a nice start with back-to-back runs in the 1st/2nd. Braden Looper needs to work on getting past the last inning he supposed to and if that doesnt happen, the Brewers are in big trouble. Todd Coffey is also at fault for not holding the game although he is due a poor performance.

Wednesday: There is no f'in reason why the Brewers should have lost to Jorge de la Rosa, a left-hander who struggled with Milwaukee and now he basically has his best outing of the year against the Crew. It was just another ugly game and the bats continue to fall asleep.

Thursday: Recently, Yovani Gallardo has been awesome for the Brewers but he struggled mightily giving up a bunch of walks although I cant really be mad at the guy. It was disappointing to see Carlos Villaneuva have more problems when Ryan Braun hit a homer in the 9th (shouldnt have struck out with the bases jacked in the first place).

Friday: A nice win where no home runs were involved and another solid start from Jeff Suppan who has been great as of late. Corey Hart started off with a huge three RBI day and continue a strong hot streak throughout the weekend.

Saturday: Just an awful performance by Manny Parra and we just got dominated by Jose Contreas which shouldnt have happened. In addition this was on national television which made it more embarrassing.

Sunday: If Corey Hart isnt batting second tomorrow, Macha's last name might be Yost. He hit two homers and kept the Crew in the game. Looper shouldnt have gave up a homer to Mark Buerhle who doesnt hit at all during the year. Also the Journal Sentinel is to blame with their continuous Sunday jinx with Trevor Hoffman on the cover.

Here is hoping for a better week.

-Charlie.

Brian Bruney Doesnt Like to Party

I really dont know if this is true or not although Bruney, a relief pitcher for the New York Yankees is acting like he has a huge stick up his ass. His quote thanks to the Newsday....

"Couldn't have happened to a better guy on the mound, either," Bruney told the Hunterdon County Democrat. "He's got a tired act. He gets what he deserves, man. I just don't like watching the guy pitch. I think it's embarrassing."

Bruney is referring to Friday night's game where Luis Castillo, the second basemen of the New York Mets dropped a pop up costing the Mets the ball game. In addition, Bruney is talking about his joyous celebrations after he closes out the game. Right now in Major League Baseball I am so sick and tired of hearing about people sick of celebrating in baseball. K-Rod and Bruney had to be separated by teammates when they saw it each other on Sunday during batting practice which was the complete wrong way to handle it if you were K-Rod.

First people still have a huge problem with the Brewers Ryan Braun looking at his home runs which I dont think he does that bad unless its a big time moment. Why wouldnt you celebrate like Braun? You just tied up the game late, or you won the game... your trying to tell me that you wouldnt get excited? Cmon. If K-Rod wants to rejoice after he struck out the side in the 9th go ahead, I have no problem. I dont get what Bruney's big deal is anyways? He barely plays against K-Rod now that he is in that National League and Bruney is a damn good pitcher himself when he is healthy. Although maybe the guy likes to bitch; I mean he blames replay for hurting his elbow as Tim Opsal and I have said "Bullshit junior."

The whole part of "keeping baseball classy" is insane. No sport has much class anymore and no one has seemed to make a big deal about it. NFL has guys like Chad Ocho Cinco putting on a gold jacket, NBA has guys popping their jerseys left and right, and NHL has Alexander Oveckin is jumping into the glass after a goal. These guys playing sports arent like the guys our fathers watched throughout the years and the overall public needs to realize that once in awhile.

When it comes to baseball, I just dont get why players have to stone faced when they play the game and they cannot get excited. Please, we all have some emotion once in awhile and if some like to do it more than others than so be it.

-Charlie.

The Shaqtus Headin' to the Rock n Roll Capital?

First, a shout-out to the scared person who said I bring nothing to the table. Thank you. Moving on, there are some rumblings about the NBA off season that we have to cover before the Finals are over. The deal to send Shaquille O'Neal to Cleveland didnt die in February when it was first suggested and it now appears that the trade talks are heating up once again.

The proposed deal is Shaq to the Cavs for Ben Wallace and Sasha Pavlovic because there are rumors that Wallace may retire leading to complete salary dump for the Suns and the Cavs getting the most dominant center in the past fifteen years. In my opinion, this could a couple ways for the Cleveland.....

1. This could bring a championship to the city of Cleveland- I think the Boston Celtics at full health are the only team that could handle Shaq inside but they have already had many issues covering LeBron James. I think the chemistry would be great with two fun loving guys like Shaq and LeBron so that doesnt become a problem.

2. It ruins LeBron legacy- The whole debate about whose better will be pretty much nullified if Shaq does come to Cleveland because now the three best players in the league have all played wtih Shaq and Kobe Bryant/Dwayne Wade both have won titles only with Shaq there (granted that could come to end tonight with Kobe). LeBron will now have help and trust me it will make the Cavaliers such a better team with LBJ being able to play man-to-man instead of a zone that seems to not work. Also Shaq will flourish with teams likely choosing to stop LeBron in the paint instead of Shaq leading to many easy thunderous dunks.

3. Does the style change?- My last thought would be that the style of the Cavs has been an up and down team who will have to slow it down for Shaq although I could see many Shaq to LeBron outlets leading to easy baskets. I really dont think that becomes an issue for the Cavs as much as people would like to believe.

-Charlie.

Welcome Back Sports Illustrated Cover Jinx

A couple days ago, ESPN's podcast regular Dave Dameshek said this via Twitter... "Is the Sports Illustrated cover jinx back? 1st LeBron's "Cleveland Rocks" cover, then Detroit's "Wings Close In on Cup". Uh-oh, Wings fans." I think we can all be afraid of the Cover Jinx now after the Pittsburgh Penguins won the Stanley Cup last night in a 2-1 victory against the Detroit Red Wings on the road.

Now I have said the two times I have decided to write about hockey that I know nothing about the sport and dont watch it enough to have a full on hockey article. I still think in the realm of sports for a team to come back from being down 3-2 against the best team in their sport with only having one game at home is phenomial. Not to mention that the Penguins were completly blown out in Game 5 with a 5-0 defeat making seem even more unlikely that Pittsburgh would win Lord Stanley.

The other very cool aspect of the Penguins winning the Stanley Cup is Mario Lemieux bought this team when they were bankrupt in 1999 and rebulid this storied franchise to the top of the mountian with great players like Sidney Crosby, Marc-Andre Flury, and Evgeni Malkin. Lemieux is truly a class act and deserves to be recongized as one.

-Charlie.

Nick Anderson Loves Company

When the Orlando Magic were in their first NBA Finals playing the Houston Rockets who were the defending champions of the NBA in 1995... The Magic's three point assassin Nick Anderson only needed one free throw with eleven seconds left to win Game 1 and he clanked them both which led to the sweep by the Rockets. Now he has some company in that group as Dwight Howard and Hedo Turkolgu both missed late free throws were they blew a five point lead in the last thirty seconds allowing the Los Angeles Lakers to force overtime.

Howard had a great game with sixteen points, twenty-one rebounds, and nine blocks. The other thing we all know that Howard is like Baby Shaq when it comes to shooting free throws but nonetheless he needed to make that free throw to win the game for the Magic. He will now be known for his poor free-throw shooting until he finds a way to fix it because teams will continue to exploit him. As I said in an article about Lazar Hayward's misstep in the NCAA will be remembered all this year; Howard's missed free throws will be shown time in and time out this upcoming year.

This was an absolutely crushing loss for the Magic and I dont really believe that they can recover from this train wreck. There is no reason why they shouldnt have lost game four and we should be heading to a pivotal game five. Instead Derek Fisher showed why he is the man in the late quarters from time in and time out. I really have a tough time seeing this young Magic team recovering from this loss to come back to win in game five. Orlando shot sixty-two percent in game three and only won by four points. Its over. The Lakers have them on their heels and are ready to deliver the knockout punch.

-Charlie.

Somethin' Brewin?!

One of the biggest Milwaukee Brewer fan forums have made legitimate rumors about the Brewers making another big deal to land a top line pitcher. At this point, everybody is speculating who this pitcher could be and the favorites seem to be... Jake Peavy of San Diego, Cliff Lee of Cleveland, Eric Bedard of Seattle and by pure speculation people are starting to float Mark Buerhle of the Chicago White Sox, and Dan Haren of the Arizona Diamondbacks name around.

Now I know one of the biggest things in the Internet world is not to get wrapped up in trade talk on stupid forums. Although this is the top Brewer site by many people opinions and I asked Ted whose a frequent reader if the guys floating the names out were legit. He said for sure and that like I said before its all rumors.

My reasoning for this article is just to make everyone aware that the possibilities of the Brewers bringing in another pitcher seem like they could happen any day now. Who knows it might not be for another couple of weeks but it could be tomorrow for all we know. I found it very interesting that JJ Hardy wasnt used whatsoever in today's ball game and Corey Hart was only brought in to pinch hit. That to me signals that something may be up here and they want to deal either of those guys.

My personal inclination would like to think that Lee and Bedard are the main ones the Brewers are after because General Manager Doug Melvin has done the most work with the Indians and the GM of the Mariners is our good friend Jack Z (by the way loved Manny Parra). I wouldnt feel great about Bedard for the injury sake and he seems to spell Rich Harden all over again except to the north. Whatever happens, I hope it turns out good.

In Doug I Trust.

-Charlie.

Favre and the Vikes a "Done Deal"?

I know we have all been nauseated with the Brett Favre coverage for the second straight summer and I am sure if you watch ESPN, you would know that the Vikings have supposedly suspended their pursuit of the former Green Bay Packer quarterback. I am here today to tell you that is a sham and that Favre is actually very close to signing with the Vikings all they need to do is make a few minor tweaks.

You might ask where are my sources for a pretty large claim? Well I have two and my teachers always told me I needed three to make it credible although I think these two should drive home the point. Jason Wilde, a two-time sports writer of the year for the Wisconsin State Journal confirmed this on the D-List (props to Bailey for introducing me to that sports show, great stuff.) and in his Wiki page, it is know that Wilde/Favre relationship has been up/down at best. The other source is a blog Packer Geeks. Wilde said on the D-List that they must have the same source. They also mention in that article that "Favre's arm is better than it has been in years" and the deal will come out within the next day or two.

I guess I would like to save my full on "piss and vinegar" speech for when Benedict Brett really does sign with the Vikes. It saddens me that it has come to this and I really do believe that this is a bad Hollywood movie playing out in real life. My friend and die-hard BF4 fan Josh asked me yesterday "How many more games do the Vikings win?" and looking at their schedule, I do not see many games that would make a difference if Favre was playing. I will remind everyone again that Favre struggled last year and the year before that in the final five games of the season because simply he was old.

I will sit back and let the rest of the fireworks explode....

-Charlie.

In Ibanez I Trust

One thing that I hate about blogging is there are always the few that give you a bad name as a whole like the guy today who accused the Philadelphia Phillies slugger Raul Ibanez of using performance-enhancing drugs. It personally makes me sick.

The biggest thing that bothers me about Major League Baseball is when someone has an amazing start everyone and their mother assumes its performance-enhancers. If the MVP Voting ended today, there is no reason to that Ibanez isnt the front-runner hitting .327 20 HRs 55 RBIs.

I dont understand how this idiot can feel that Ibanez is roidin' because they are tested a ridicolus amount of times and he hasnt lost a step even at his older age if you look at years prior. Another huge aspect is that Ibanez is playing the National League for the first time therefore many of these pitchers havent seen Ibanez on a frequent basis. He also has protection such as Ryan Howard and Chase Utley like he never has had in his career.

Ibanez's thoughts via Fanhouse...

I'll come after people who defame or slander me," he said before last night's game against the New York Mets. "It's pathetic and disgusting. There should be some accountability for people who put that out there.I'll put that up against the jobs of anyone who writes this stuff. Make them accountable. There should be more credibility than some 42-year-old blogger typing in his mother's basement. It demeans everything you've done with one stroke of the pen."Nobody is above the testing policy. We've seen that."

I think that last comment made by Ibanez is the one that holds the most truth. No one can slide a quick one past the drug testers and that has been proven frequently. I hope this doesnt phase Ibanez and continues to have a great year.

-Charlie

Floyd Fails to Fight On

Today, the coach of the USC Trojans Tim Floyd decided to step down as men's basketball coach only after three years with the team. This is the latest in the long story lines about Floyd and the shady recruiting that has been going on at USC especially with O.J. Mayo.

I had ripped Floyd a new one when I heard he took the Arizona job which turned out to be false but it does make one wonder why didnt he? My guess is Floyd felt that he could outsmart the NCAA and somewhat swipe these Mayo allegations under the floor. He didnt do anything remotely close to that as they found out about the supposed 1000 dollars Floyd gave to one of O.J. Mayo handlers which I wrote about it in this article. As I said in the end of that article, I truly believe now that the NCAA has gather enough evidence and is prepared to bring the hammer down on the program. Andy Katz wrote an awesome article himself on many reasons why this could have happened.

I think this also raises the question are these uber one-year wonders really worth having in college basketball? We have now seen two programs (USC and Memphis) deal with a mountain of problems because of these one year guys who provide great excitement but in the end it is all trouble. The NCAA and the NBA need to take a closer look at the one year rule to see if its really worth having when you have programs consistently having problems to attempt to get ahead in the college basketball world.

Floyd I feel should never coach again at a major program a lot like Kelvin Sampson due to the fact that they are proven dirty coaches. Iowa State had a heap of issues when Floyd left and now USC is facing those same sort of issues. He can enjoy being an assistant or working for a small team although no team should ever take the risk of having Floyd be their head coach.

I find it hard to believe that many big name coaches will want to coach at USC. I think they will probably go inside their program with someone who has USC ties since they are destined to be some sort of trouble. Whoever they find needs to have a clean record and no one that can cause the problems that Floyd did.

-Charlie.

Are You Ready For Strasburg?

It feels like I am ready to bring out D-Generation X with the whole "Are You Ready..." But in all honestly, Stephen "the Anchorman (credit to Simmons-Jack-O) Strasburg is supposed to be the next big thing in terms of prospects. Tony Gywnn, his manager for San Diego State feels that he could be the number one starter for the Washington Nationals (number one pick in the draft) and feels that he could be the number three starter for San Diego behind Jake Peavy/Chris Young, right now.

I think it is unreal that people believe that Strasburg is ready to be an MLB starter without any time in the minor leagues. I feel that is a complete ludicrous statement because going from college hitting to big league hitting is such a huge difference more than any other sport. You can make that leap in the NBA and somewhat NHL. I would compare it to starting quarterback right away in the NFL, only Peyton Manning was successful with that and I dont believe Strasburg can do that.

The other big story line swirling right now is the Nationals ability to sign Strasburg. They couldnt sign Aaron Crow last year who is the top five prospects for this year's draft. It will be interesting to see if Washington can make them a "Godfather" offer to make sure he will be the face of the franchise for the first four years of career and then becomes a Yankee haha.

-Charlie.

SVG Blowin' It For the Magic

I said this before the NBA Finals got going on Thursday night.... "Game 1 is huge in so many ways due to the fact that if the Magic get blown out in game 1 I feel Van Gundy may self-destruct." I would like to stand by that claim because our boy Stan Van Gundy decided to play J.J. Redick who didnt play in five of the six games in the Eastern Conference twenty-seven minutes and Courtney Lee arguably one of the best rookies this year plus a true difference maker only twelve... yeah that makes sense Stan.

I think you could say that SVG has self-destructed and it might lead to a sweep by the Lakers although I feel the Magic will only win one in Orlando and we will not be heading back to Los Angeles for a variety of reasons....

My first major reason was SVG because he has mentally lost it against Phil Jackson and Kobe Bryant. I think he feels overwhelmed with all thats going on in the last twenty-four hours and I believe he realizes how much shit he is taking. SVG biggest mistake of the whole postseason has been giving Jameer Nelson as much playing time as he has already had. Nelson looks alright out there but the chemistry that we all witnessed in the past two series was thanks to combination of Rafer Alston and Anthony Johnson. In addition, Alston you can clearly see isnt the same player and this has screwed him up mentally. This ultimately is the biggest reason right now the Lakers are up 2-0 on the Magic.


Say what you will about how much the media is hyping this story line but another huge reason is Kobe Bryant's killer instinct. I am willing to put Bryant in the "Tiger-Federer-A-Rod-Favre" category where people feed off what that certain athlete is doing. When Favre had that look in his eye as a Green Bay Packer; it seemed like no one could stop the Packer offense on that given Sunday. Kobe has that same look of determination almost like there is no way the Lakers are losing a single game of the series.

Game 3 becomes ever more critical and the Magic need an emphatic win to build confidence. If the Magic snake on out at home, it gives them absolutely no momentum. But if they beat them by seven or more, it gives them some confidence which they havent had in this whole NBA Finals. Also it wouldnt hurt if Dwight Howard decided to show up in this Finals for once and starts to act like a complete man. Orlando needs that too for confidence.

-Charlie.

Brewers Weekly-Crowning the Prince

The first part of the article today is devoted to Prince Fielder who has been the absolute man this last week. I have not remembered a time where Fielder has been spraying the ball to all parts of the field. He has always claimed how he wants to be a .300 hitter and my dad has always claimed how he has to hit the ball to left field. This week we finally saw Fielder taking the ball to left field and defeating the shift that some teams choose to put on Prince. I am just happy to see him starting to hit the ball to all fields.

Monday: The Brewers entering this game against the Florida Marlins were 5-16 in Florida so we should have known that this week could get a little weird. It started out with the Brewers losing this game in the sixth when Jorge Julio couldnt get an out if his life depended on it and allowed in five runs. He was released that next day.

Tuesday: Not a good night at all as Manny "I am the biggest headcase ever" Parra allowed in 10 runs and was just destroyed all over the park. Nothing more to talk about in this one.

Wednesday: The Brewers got off to a fast start with a Ryan Braun homer and then they were able to get nine runs in thanks to the Marlins pitching staff who walked in four runs. So with a 9-1 lead everything was going great until Florida just kept hitting singles off Braden Looper until the lead got pulled to 9-6. Thankfully Trevor Hoffman closes the door.

Thursday: A great battle between Josh Johnson and Dave Bush. The Crew could have a run or two if werent for Mike Cameron's three strikeout day and it hurt that Johnson hit a three-run homer himself.

Friday: Just a dominating performance by Yovani Gallardo in a 4-0 victory where he only allowed two hits. I told some people that every time Yo is on the mound, I feel no reason why we should lose the game. Also Yunel Escobar had a lot to do with the Crew getting their runs.

Saturday: The Brewers once again shut out the Braves with pretty solid pitching by Jeff Suppan and Fielder hit two homers in the effort.

Sunday: Another rough performance by Parra and Carlos Villanueva who pitched his third straight day which seemed to have some wear on his arm. Also this was a battle between Chipper Jones (two homers five RBI) and Ryan Braun (two homer four RBIS) was awesome.

-Charlie.

Man of the Week= Mr. Kennedy

A lot of you are probably wondering who the "Man of the Week" is this week and I was going to do this on Saturday preempting the "Extreme Rules" WWE Pay-Per View that the Clubhouse all watched today but who cares. I am devoting this week's picture to a fallen solider in the WWE... Mr. Kennedy.

He is a professional wrestler from the beautiful Green Bay, Wisconsin where he had built a name for himself in the WWE by moving up slowly but surely through the ranks. Then two weeks ago, there was a mystery guest to be apart of a 5 vs. 5 tag match and sure enough it was Mr. Kennedy. He also told the now former WWE Champion Randy Orton that he would be competing for the title in the upcoming weeks.

In the match, Kennedy was getting waxed until he made a counter on Orton where he supposedly dropped Orton on his surgically repaired shoulder. After the drop, you can see Orton make an attempt to slap Kennedy for doing it but I mean pro wrestling cannot be perfect so I have no idea why the Champion, Orton was complaining about it. After the match, Kennedy was fired from WWE and they had said he had a "wrist" injury which he proved on a video that it is not really broken.

Doz is heartbroken about this and wanted me to do this to honor Mr. Kennedy. If he goes to TNA Wrestling, we will watch every match that Kennedy is in and I hope Orton never wins the WWE Championship again.

-Charlie.

The Sad Story of Big Papi

I think when the decade is over and people reminsce about baseball, I feel that David Ortiz will be one of the top five players that will always be remember for bringing the Boston Red Sox a world championship. Lets take it to today where it appears that Ortiz might not be in the starting lineup come two weeks if he doesnt produce. He is seeing an eye doctor to see if something is wrong but Big Papi needs to realize that its over big fella.

Now some people will say that he was juicing throughout the 2000s and I hate that accusation about any player during this era because even though many players did take steriods that doesnt mean that every player took a form of roids. I think Ortiz and Red Sox Nation need to realize that most larger players slow down much quicker than ones who stay in shape. I mean look Cecil Fielder, he was guy who was primarly a Designated Hitter throughout his career slowed down very quickly. Same goes for Frank Thomas who I would draw big time comparison in Ortiz because during their prime no player was more feared then the drop off was rather severe. Edgar Martinez was the only player of recent memory as a DH had a consistant career.

Also the Ortiz saga furthers my theory that Prince Fielder will be a Red Sox. I mean it is the perfect place for Fielder to continue his career if he has decided that he no longer wants to be a Brewer. If thats the case, I hope we trade him to get into the loaded farm system of Boston.

-Charlie.

Big Unit Gets 300

Randy Johnson, pitcher for the San Francisco Giants and still the proud owner of the greatest sports mullet of the 1990s received the top pitching milestone of winning three hundred games at the ripe age of forty-five.

I think when I think of my first memories of baseball besides the Milwaukee Brewers, Randy Johnson is right up there. I love the Seattle Mariner teams when it featured him, Alex Rodriguez, and Ken Griffey Jr. He was such an imposing figure back then with that aforementioned mullet and his towering height of 6'9. I think there will never be a guy who has a better fastball-slider combination where he was practically unhittable throughout the late 90s and early 2000s.

Many people believe that there will never be another 300 game winner ever in Major League Baseball due to way pitching is structured these days. I somewhat agree but I feel thats a strong statement because who knows what kind of phenom might come about or a guy like CC Sabathina/Roy Halladay, both complete game machines might be able to pitch until late 30s, early 40s.

-Charlie.

Pittsburgh Pirates Continue to Disappoint

As Brewer fans, we have seen some bad management choices over the past twenty years and thankfully once Mark Attanasio took over the Crew which has seemed to be the answer for them to get back to the playoffs. Well the Pittsburgh Pirates havent found an owner or a general manager that has figured it out. Their recent crime was trading Nate McLouth for three prospects and these were even the top prospects in the Atlanta Braves system.

I cannot believe they traded away a guy who the Pirates just signed to a big time deal and was an all-star for them last season. The supposed reason was because the Pirates uber prospect Andrew McCutchon was ready to come up to the big leagues. Look they need to keep McLouth atleast until July before making the decision that McCutchon is the offical answer in center field. If I was a Pirate fan, I would be balled up in a corner just hoping that their general manager Neil Huffington will figure things out.

I hate to tell Pirates fans this but it might not be over. Huffington isnt afraid to get involved with trades as last year he dealt Jason Bay, Xavier Nady, and Damarso Marte for no real big names minus Jeff Karstens although he hasnt been anything special in his first year and a half for the Pirates. I cannot fathom how the Pirates do not get more for Bay from the Red Sox such as Manny Delcarmen, Justin Masterson or Clay Bucholz, all three are top flight prospects that could have made difference for the Pirates.

Who knows when the Pirates will ever grow as a team because the Brewers have a ton of young players who appear to stay, same goes for the Cincinnati Reds, and St. Louis Cardinals. I guess I really cant hope for the Pirates to improve but you wonder if they ever will.

-Charlie.

Orlando Magic-Los Angeles Lakers Predicition

Well this is going to a short and sweet article because I have cover the keys already and I have gave the reasons on why both teams could win. Jameer Nelson's play could be huge because he averaged 28 points a game against the Lakers this season already and he is activated for tonight's game. According to Ric Bucher of ESPN.com's Twitter he had said this yesterday.... "re: Jameer. Just talked to him + watched a few drills. After 4 months' off, he'll boost the Magic more psychologically than physically." I wouldnt agree more.

Even though I think Nelson could be factor, the Lakers will win this in six. I had originally said five to some people but I have decided to have a bit more faith in the Magic. The Lakers simply have too much size for the Magic who have seemed to dwarf every team they played. Trevor Ariza and Lamar Odom will be able match up perfectly with Rashard Lewis and Hedo Turkolgu who both have been the big factor in the first three series. Dwight Howard will get his and have a great series although his X-factors will not be here.

-Charlie.

NBA Finals Preview: Los Angeles Lakers

Well we are doing the same thing for the Lakers as they are in the NBA Finals for a record 30th time and Kobe Bryant seeks the oppertunity of winning his fourth NBA Title. If Bryant were to win his fourth title, I truly believe that Kobe is a top five NBA player of all time. So lets give some keys for the Lakers to win the NBA Finals.

1. Kobe Bryant and his Teammates- I think the biggest thing the Lakers need to have is for Kobe Bryant to make sure that he is passing the ball. They have some insane stat that if Bryant shoots the ball less then twenty times, the Lakers are 49-1. And if he shoots over thirty-five times, the Lakers record is around .500. I think the writing is on the wall for Bryant to make sure that he needs to create instead of doing it himself because thats how the Magic beat the Fighting LeBrons.

2. Lamar Odom- This one is clear cut because we have all seen the Lakers when Odom shows up then we have seen the Los Angeles when Odom doesnt eat enough gummy bears. If you havent heard the story about Odom's love for sweets, I highly suggest you read it. (Odom is one of the best characters in the NBA from his love for sweets to his love of living on the beach, Lamar you are the man.)

3. Andrew Bynum Attempt at Becoming a Man-Now I realize that Bynum is a fresh twenty-one year old but he needs to grow up quick. Bynum could become a huge X-Factor if he figures out a way to stop Dwight Howard. He needs to show to Howard right away that he isnt a soft player. I hope Bynum puts Howard on his ass in the first half just to show whose house it is. If Bynum can do that, the Lakers will be looking very good.

-Charlie.

NBA Finals Preview: Orlando Magic

And here we go... The NBA Finals tip-off tonight and I will give you guys my overall thoughts on both teams then leave you with a prediction. I havent decided whether I will do a wrap-up after every game or every other game although you will be updated about this series.

We start with the Orlando Magic who I thought is one of the best stories so far of 2009. They basically came out nowhere to get to the NBA Finals and have played the "Nobody Believes in Us" Card throughout the entire playoffs. There is still doubters that do not believe this Magic team can beat the Lakers for a variety of reasons. Here are three big keys in my opinion to win this series.

1. Must defend home court- In the NBA Finals, the system changes to 2-3-2 rather that 2-2-1-1-1 which the system in the first three series. If the Magic want to win this series, they need to win all three games in Orlando. That is a very tough task for any team but I feel that will be the one thing that could get Magic to be NBA Champions. I personally they can do because at home they seem unbeatable and if take away Big Baby's buzzer-beater they might have had a chance to beat Boston in five just like Cleveland.

2. Keep rainin' threes- As I said earlier, the Magic live and die by the three point shot. If they lose their hot shooting, it could be a very short series for Orlando. The Lakers shown to be susceptible in allowing the open three point shot in past series against Houston and Denver. Rashard Lewis needs to use things like pump fakes and straight takes to lane to separate Lamar Odom off of and allow shots to go in. I think big match up is how Mickael Pietrus handles Kobe Bryant defending him since Pietrus when shooting its usally a three.

3. Stan Van Gundy- I put SVG here because he has been a guy throughout the year that gets flustered and loses control of his team rather quick. That cannot happen once during the Finals because Phil Jackson will take advantage of that and the specific game will likely be a blow out. Game 1 is huge in so many ways due to the fact that if the Magic get blown out in game 1 I feel Van Gundy may self-destruct.

-Charlie.

Tom Glavine Released by Atlanta; Next Stop Milwaukee?

The Atlanta Braves decided to let go of 300-plus winner Tom Glavine today after they acquired Nate McClouth from the Pittsburgh Pirates for three prospects (Great deal for the Braves, McClouth is a great player and will give them a ton of production in the top of the batting order). This led me to wonder if the Brewers should take a one year flyer on Glavine.

Glavine said today that "He still wants to pitch and is looking forward to pitching in 2009." The other big thing that Glavine will have something to prove the rest of the year and show the Braves what they are missing a lot like Trevor Hoffman has this year after being left to the waste side by the San Diego Padres.

The reason for my campaigning for Glavine is the struggles of Manny Parra. I dont know if the Brewers can keep letting Parra pitch through his problems. To me, it seems like he is having a lot of the same issues Dave Bush had where he couldnt pitch on the road. I think Brewers Manager Ken Macha should consider starting Seth McClung in Manny's next start which would be against the Colorado Rockies and having Parra do some work out of the bullpen. Macha has been known for doing this with his hitters all throughout the year by giving them a mental break. I agree with General Manager Doug Melvin that sending Parra down wouldnt be the answer

-Charlie.

Vince Young is a Crybaby

Vince Young has decided that he doesnt want to be a Tennessee Titan anymore because he is not getting playing time. Well what makes Young think that he deserves this play time? Lets take a look at Young's career so far.

In 2007, he did make the Pro Bowl and they had a 3-8 record before having Young step in as a starter and led them back to a .500 record which was something that was worth giving him props. The reason why Young was so good in 07' was because a lot like Michael Vick, coaches had no idea how to scheme against his style of play. But a lot like Vick, Young was soon to get hurt.

He went down in early 2009 and enter in Kerry Collins who led his team to the best record in the AFC. Young had a complete and utter breakdown with a near suicide attempt. Young tried to put on his best "Matt Leinart face" (speaking of which is the Young-Leinart disappointment in the NFL around the same thing as Adam Morrison-JJ Redick disappointment in the NBA) saying he was going to keep learning the playbook and trying to become a better quarterback for the upcoming seasons due to the fact that Collins probably has two years left at best on him.

Young has to realize that he lost his starting job because Collins was a better quarterback for the time Young was injured. The other thing that Young has to realize is the NFL last year had something like 60 quarterbacks start at one time last season. Young will have his chance at sometime next season to play and he needs to make the most of that opportunity.

-Charlie.

Brewers Weekly: Trevor Taking Over Milwaukee

Before we get going, I am on Twitter now and its basically an easier way for people to follow my blog on Twitter: http://twitter.com/chuckscorner. Also soon you can be a fan on Facebook. I stole this topic from the post-game show on 1250 WSSP AM who said that Trevor Hoffman is having a bigger impact on the community than CC Sabathia. Most people who in my opinion were caught up in the moment feel that Hoffman has such impact and everyone loves the atmosphere he brings. I disagree, I think that the excellence that Sabathia showed throughout the regular season to bring us to our first playoff is something that I and many people will never forget. Now if Hoffman comes in to "Hells Bells" in the 9th to clinch the NL Division then he becomes more iconic. Heres the wrap-up of the week....

Monday: This game might go down as one of the best games of the year for the Brewers as they defeated the Cardinals 1-0. Yovani Gallardo proved that he can be the stopper because the Crew was on a three game losing streak heading into the game and pitched magnificently going 8 IP, 2 hits, 8 Ks. It took Bill Hall who was riding a 1-28 streak to deliver in the 10th.

Tuesday: Not much to talk about here with the Brewers getting their asses kicked. We saw the Jeff Suppan of the late months last year giving up long balls like it was his day job and the Cardinals finally got their win against the Crew.

Wednesday: No offense from the Brewers losing their first series at Miller Park since mid-April 3-2. Manny Parra pitched very well which needs to happen almost night in and night out. But I do wonder if its screws with Manny's already loose head if the Crew doesnt get runs for him.

Friday: Braden Looper once again proved why he has been a top 5 under the radar signings this year by pitching a great 7 IP 3 Hit game where he surrendered two runs. Also Corey Hart delivered with a huge homer in the 7th which we all thought was great news because a couple of friends and I were at a bar where they promised free "Seven and Seven" if a homer was hit in the 7th. Well we wanted to collect and the waitress tells us that they do not do that anymore. It was only a bump in the road on a long night.

Saturday: This was the game the Brewers offense finally came alive. They had a huge inning with Ryan Braun and Mike Cameron hitting home runs in a six-run inning. Also Bill Hall got a double which everyone was in complete amazement because Hall actually got a hit. Dave Bush needs to find his command again since he has seem to lose it in the last two games. Although the bullpen was great.

Sunday: I took this game in for myself with Doz and the Brewers put five runs in the first three innings. Also Yo struck out nine without having his best stuff. He had six through two innings and the guy who sat in front of us completely jinxed Yo going into the third inning. I blame him for not seeing a twenty strikeout outing.

-Charlie.

Suck It Up LeBron

Well I think we can all agree that the NBA and Nike look like complete idiots for doing the Kobe-LeBron puppet commercials all throughout the playoffs right now with only one puppet being in the playoffs. But what all the media is talking about right now is LeBron James not talking to the media or not shaking hands with the Orlando Magic after the game.

I can understand that you hate losing and in your opinion, you are a "winner." But thats not something you do in any sport. You have to shake the hands of your opponent after the series defeat because there is going to be other series where you are on the other hand of it. You cant always win no matter if your dad was Jake Reily, the coach of the Hawks. They had Dwight Howard on SportsCenter and he said how surprised he was that LeBron didnt come up to say something to the team. LeBron doesnt want his reputation to become a guy who only cares about himself and could care less about the other players. As people said today, the NHL where guys beat the shit out of each other most night shake hands after every series.

Not only does LeBron not shake his hands, he just gives the big F-U by not addressing the media after the game. Look I understand that you just lose a series no one expected you to lose and that you are starting to head down the Dan Marino-Peyton Manning-Karl Malone road; that doesnt excuse you from not talking to the media. This also leaves all of his teammates out to dry to answer questions like "Whats LeBron thinking?" "Why isnt LeBron here."

What LeBron should really be mad at is the fact Mike Brown falls apart every playoffs. There is one thing that he cannot figure out it seems every critical series. He couldnt defeat the Magic and he couldnt figure how to handle his bench. I think that LeBron will ask for Brown's firing if the Cavs struggle at the beginning of the season. I strongly believe LeBron will not win a title with Brown at the helm.

The final thing that I would like to bring up is that I know James still has many years left for him to win an NBA Championship but I feel after this year's loss that we should take a few steps back to comparing him to Michael Jordan. MJ never lost a series when he was the one seed, never. He always went on to win the Finals. LeBron didnt do that this year and they lost in rather convincing fashion. See LeBron that was a winner and he didnt need to ever dodge the media.

-Charlie.

The Magic Continues to the Underdog Role

The Magic had been the doubted the whole playoffs. In the first round, we all thought that the Sixers might beat Orlando and they won that series without having Dwight Howard in game six. Then in the second round, we didnt believe the Magic could beat the Celtics especially after being down 3-2. They proved us wrong as they kicked Boston's ass on their home court. Then there was no way, they would beat the LeBrons after the Cavs have dominated the whole playoffs right? Wrong.

The Magic dominated the Cavaliers throughout the series by taking advantage of every opportunity they could get. The Magic used their size to dominate the Cavs off the dribble with guys like Hedo Turkoglu (6'9) and Rashard Lewis (6'10) against guys who could barely move laterally like Anderson Varejeo and you would even see Big Z trying to come out to defend these two guys.

The other thing the Magic consistently have is clutch shooting. They make huge shots left and right in the fourth quarter whether it was Turkoglu, Lewis, or Mickael Pietrus getting done night in and night out. They live and die by the jump shot which usually comes back to haunt teams in any level of basketball but that doesnt phase the Magic as they continue to shoot the three better than anyone team in the NBA.

The final thing is Dwight Howard has made me a believer. At the beginning of the playoffs, I questioned Howard's leadership skills seeing him as a better version of T-Mac. Then they won without Howard and then his rebounding more so than his scoring minus game six was the main reason why he is such an asset. My friend Seth said this to me a week or so ago, "When Howard gets some post moves, look out." I completely agree, he can be the best center in the league in about two to three years when his skill is refined.

Can the Magic pull off another upset and beat the Lakers? I will address that Thursday with an NBA Finals Preview so you will have to wait for that one.

-Charlie.