I will admit that I've been skeptical of LeBron James ever since he entered the NBA.  He wore #23 on his jersey, and it seemed that NBA fans were just a bit too eager to label him as the next Michael Jordan.  While I've never been very fond of individual comparisons, I'm starting to believe that LeBron James may become one of the best of all-time.  Last night's stunning performance sure made a strong case.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS 108, CHICAGO BULLS 100

   During a stint in the 3rd quarter, I thought I was watching some of the worst basketball of the season.  For about a 4 minute stretch, I witnessed:  2 airballs, 1 missed dunk, 5 ugly bricks, and at least 2 turnovers.  During that stretch, there was only one field goal made between both teams.

Then LeBron James took over.

LeBron's versatility was on display as he dominated many facets of the game.  Not only did he score 37 points, but he played some of the most intelligent basketball that I've ever seen from someone so young.  When he was pressured or double teamed, he simply dished the ball to an open shooter.  He handled the ball under control, taking over the role of point guard down the stretch.  He even had the presence of mind not to save a loose ball under the opponent's basket.  Any coach will tell you that is a big no-no.

LeBron James may already be the best in the NBA.  No, he doesn't score as many points as Iverson or Kobe Bryant.  However, LeBron is the most versatile player in the NBA.  Cleveland probably needs another piece or two, but this is definitely a franchise with a bright future.

Here's a look at another big performance last night:

DALLAS MAVERICKS 105, SACRAMENTO KINGS 95

Early on in this game, it looked as if the Dallas Mavericks would blow out the Sacramento Kings.  However, the Kings battled throughout and made this a close game in the 4th quarter.  Dirk Nowitzki poured in 37 points to lead the Mavericks, which was just enough to defeat the Kings.

Just like the rest of the league, the Kings had trouble defensively against Nowitzki.  He can hit from anywhere on the court, and doesn't need much room to get his shot off due to his height.  When Dirk is shooting well...it's tough for the Mavericks to lose.

Throughout this game, I couldn't help but notice how far the Sacramento Kings have fallen.  This is a team that was a serious contender a few years ago.  The Kings don't have a go-to guy, which is their biggest deficiency.  They have a group of seemingly talented young players, but nobody to lead them.  Kenny Thomas and Corliss Williamson could benefit from the presence of a veteran big-guy.  Francisco Garcia looked like a player that doesn't belong in the NBA.  This team clearly needs Santa Claus to bring them some help.

Happy Holidays to everyone! 

Perhaps there is no greater feeling in the world than that of being truly inspired.  It happens every day, and in every walk of life.  Such moments also occur in the world of sports, even if only once in a while.

To me, the greatest gift that sports gives us all...is that of inspiration.  Those moments that transcend the playing field are what make sport truly special.

With that, I would like to share my inspirational moments in sport with you.

    (Favre dedicates game to his father)

• Monday Night Football - December 22, 2003.  One day after his father's death, Brett Favre had quite possibly his greatest performance ever.  In the first half versus the Oakland Raiders, Favre passed for 311 yards and 4 touchdowns.  Just in the first half!  At the time, this Monday Night match-up was crucial to the Packers' playoff hopes.  Whenever Brett decides to "hang 'em up"...I will choose to remember this particular game rather than his dismal 2005 season.
• US Open - 1996.  Pete Sampras faced Alex Corretja in an epic match that lasted over 4 hours.  During the 5^th set tie-breaker, Sampras would get a warning from the umpire after vomiting on the baseline.  An exhausted and dehydrated Sampras would finish the match, and went on to defeat Corretja in a close battle.  Sampras dedicated his US Open performance to his coach Tim Gullikson, who died earlier in the year.  In my eyes, this gutsy performance defined the career of one of the best tennis players ever.
• NBA Playoffs - 2000.  Following a crucial playoff win for the Utah Jazz, Karl Malone was stopped on the sidelines for an interview.  After being questioned about the playoff series, Karl Malone focused his comments on a recently lost friend.  Malone stated that basketball wasn't his biggest worry, but rather the family of a young friend that had died of cancer.  Days later, more information about this was given.  It seems that Karl Malone had befriended a 14 year old boy by the name of Ret Thomas, who was dying of cancer.  Before dying, Ret Thomas asked to be buried in the NBA jersey of his hero...Karl Malone.
• MLB - September 6, 1995.  Cal Ripken, Jr. plays in his 2131^st consecutive game to break Lou Gehrig's 56 year-old record.  In heroic fashion, Ripken would also hit a crowd pleasing home run in this record setting game.  Though some may undermine this feat, it was one of the greatest moments in all of sports.  In any profession, anyone who goes through a whole career without missing a day could be considered a hero.  Cal Ripken, Jr. is a great testament to endless effort and sacrifice.

    (Who could forget this girl?)

• Olympic Games - 1996.  During a crucial point in the gymnastics competition, Kerri Strug was injured from her first vault attempt.  Kerri suffered torn ligaments in her ankle, along with a third-degree sprain.  Knowing that her team would need the points to secure a gold medal, Kerri Strug chose to complete her second vault attempt.  Kerri's vault attempt was successful, and it clinched the first ever US gold medal in women's gymnastics.  The 88 pound Strug proved that a big heart can sometimes be delivered in a small package.

Everyone has their special memories throughout the history of sports.  They remind us that heart is what it takes to succeed in life.  I feel truly lucky to have witnessed such inspirational events.  One can only hope that the world of sports has more to come.

Please feel free to share your favorite moments.  I look forward to hearing about Kirk Gibson, Curt Schilling, Walter Payton, Michael Jordan, and many others.

Immediately after watching the Indianapolis Colts lose to the Chargers yesterday, I couldn't wait to see what comments would be posted today about Manning and the bunch.  Let's just say I wasn't too surprised at what I saw.

  I'm certain that this picture didn't occur yesterday, but I imagine this was how Manning felt.  Here's a guy that may be the best quarterback to ever play in the NFL...yet he may never be good enough for fans.  All he has done over the past 8 seasons is be the absolute best at the most demanding position in football.  Just look at any fantasy football league and see who is always the top QB.

So yesterday, it seemed that the Colts could choose to win...simply by playing the starters for at least 3 quarters.  Today, everyone has labeled Manning as a "choke artist"...and suddenly the Colts don't have the respect that should be demanded by a 13-1 record.  What a difference a day makes...

Yesterday's game against the Chargers proves that the NFL is the most competitive of all professional sports.  But when San Diego clinched the game in the 4th quarter, it shouldn't have been a surprise.  The Colts still almost pulled out a victory against an extremely motivated Chargers group.  The Colts simply couldn't match the Chargers' intensity because they don't really have anything to play for until the playoffs.  Does that mean that the Chargers could easily defeat the Colts in the playoffs?  Don't count on it.

I don't think it's a lock, but I would expect the Colts to march their way through the playoffs.  I wonder what today's critics will be saying then.  I told you so?  Manning is lucky? 

And when they win the Super Bowl, will people still criticize them?  After all, they didn't win it 3 years in a row.

Please give Manning and the Colts a break.  Manning's only the best QB in the league, and the Colts are only the most complete NFL team since Joe Montana was leading the 49ers.

As week 15 of the NFL approaches, I evaluate a few common misconceptions of this season...

This year in the NFL has sparked heated debate about several players and their performances.  Here is a statiscal analysis of just a few debates around the league.

1)  The best receiver in the NFL is either Chad Johnson or Marvin Harrison.

These two are definitely among the greats, but neither Johnson or Harrison have been the best receiver this year.  The best has been none other than Steve Smith of the Carolina Panthers.

  Shocking, but true.  Here's a comparative look at the 3 receivers:

Steve Smith:  87 Receptions, 1329 yds, 102 yds/game, 10 TD

Chad Johnson:  73 Receptions, 1161 yds, 89.3 yds/game, 7 TD

Marvin Harrison:  72 Receptions, 992 yds, 76.3 yds/game, 12 TD

Though he may have more end-zone celebrations, Chad Johnson has only 7 TD's compared to Smith's 10 TD's.  Steve Smith also has 14 more receptions than Johnson.  Considering that Delhomme is throwing him the ball instead of Manning or Palmer, I would say that Steve Smith has definitely performed better this season.

2)  The loss of Priest Holmes will make the Kansas City Chiefs worse.

Well, the Chiefs have struggled...but not because of the injury to Priest Holmes.  Larry Johnson has made the most of his opportunity, and should be the starter of the future.

   Let's look at some of the numbers:

Larry Johnson:  96.2 yds/game, 5.1 yds/carry, 14 TD

Priest Holmes:  64.4 yds/game, 3.8 yds/carry, 6 TD

Considering Larry Johnson served as a back-up for the first few games, those numbers are quite astounding.  LJ's yards per carry this season even exceed Priest Holmes' career number of 4.6 yards per carry.

3)  Michael Vick is a better overall player than Donovan McNabb.

Donovan McNabb has taken a lot of criticism in this dismal season for the Eagles.  Critics have questioned his talent, performance, and leadership.  Michael Vick also has some critics, but most would say that he is the better of the 2 QB's this season.  Here's why those critics are wrong:

Donovan McNabb (in 9 games):  85 QB Rating, 2507 passing yds, 59.1% completion, 278.6 passing yds/game, 16 TD (passing)

Michael Vick:  76.6 QB Rating, 2014 passing yds, 55.7% completion, 167.8 passing yds/game, 13 TD (passing)

Despite playing 3 more games than McNabb, Vick has less combined passing and rushing yards (2513).  Vick's rating is significantly lower than McNabb's, and Vick has also thrown 3 fewer TD's.  Considering that McNabb played all season with multiple injuries, I'd say McNabb is the better overall QB.

4)  Harrington has got to go.

  No other quarterback has drawn more criticism that Joey Harrington this season.  Has he really been that bad?  That's debatable, but look at his numbers compared to another starter probably headed for the playoffs:

Joey Harrington:  66.5 QB Rating, 56.9% completion, 161 yards/game, 8 TD, 11 INT

Kyle Orton:  60.9 QB Rating, 52.9% completion, 138.3 yards/game, 9 TD, 13 INT

So would the Chicago Bears be better off with Joey Harrington?  Ehh, maybe not.  But Joey Harrington critics need to admit that there is more to losing than just the QB.

Hope this helps you in your debates!

Everyone has their opinion of which is the best sport.  Here, I want to examine the overall managment of each sport...right down down the postseason play.  So here's my list, starting with # 5:

5)  NBA :  This sport used to be great.  Magic, Bird, Jordan...the list goes on and on.  Over the past several years, the NBA climate has changed dramatically.  Dr. James Naismith is probably rolling over in his grave at this very moment.  Instead of marketing good team basketball and winning, the NBA has focused on super-stars with monster dunking ability.  Most of these high-flying youngsters you see on commercials don't have the slightest clue how to win.  The post-season is disastrous because it never ends.  Terrible move to make the first round of the playoffs a seven game series instead of five.

4)  MLB:  I love the game of baseball, but no professional sport has been managed more poorly than MLB.  From strike-shortened seasons to steroid scandals, MLB has done far too much to alienate fans.  Salary disparity amongst teams is a joke, which causes small market fans to be forever frustrated.  On a good note, at least the Yankees don't win every year.

3)  NCAA Football:  A great, pure sport.  Heisman talk, conference play...there isn't much not to like about this game.  However, the BCS system has to go.  It's finally time for some sort of playoff system.  At least allow the top 10 teams to battle it out for a championship.  Oh, one more thing...the Nokia Sugar Bowl?  The Tostitos Fiesta Bowl?  Can you say, "sell-out"?

2)  NFL:  I may get some arguments about this one.  I consider this to be the best professional sport.  The NFL parity is astounding, which gives all fans hope at the start of the year.  No real complaints about the NFL, except I wish the season lasted longer than baseball's.

1)  NCAA Basketball:  Can you say "March Madness"?  The greatest post-season spectacle in all of sports.  Even if Cindy the secretary usually wins the office pool.  The only danger to this sport is the early entry of student-athletes into the NBA draft.  But even so, there isn't a more competitive sport to watch.

So what do you think?