The Red and Gold are back and better than ever, football fans.

It won't be long until we start to get familiar with QB J.T. O'Sullivan (#14) and WR Josh Morgan (#84). In fact, they're already making headlines.

After watching these two studs perform in the preseason, I'm beginning to get an eerily familiar feeling. Butterflies are in my stomach with pins and needles simultaneously perforating my sensory organs.  

It's the same feeling I had during Terrell Owens' first training camp with the Niners. The same feeling I developed during Jeff Garcia's inaugural year as a pro. It's been a long time.

Start getting used to it, folks. Things are looking up for the San Francisco 49ers. And it's all because of two unheralded players who are rising faster than anyone could have expected.

O'Sullivan, a six-year veteran bench warmer who came out of UC Davis, is quickly becoming a household name in the Bay Area with his stellar performances so far in the preseason. He had a perfect passer rating of 158.3 against the Chicago Bears, going 7-for-8 while passing for 126 yards with one touchdown in limited playing time and engineered three scoring drives en route to the Niners' 37-30 victory. Against Green Bay, he went 8-for-17 for 154 yards and one TD, leading the way to two scoring drives en route to a 34-6 Niner win. 

It seems like a hundred years ago since the 49ers last posted two consecutive 30+ point outings, and although it's only the preseason, much progress has already been made. 

O'Sullivan looks a lot more patient in the pocket than Alex Smith, and he is a hundred times more precise and accurate on his passes. Maybe it's because J.T. learned under new offensive coordinator Mike Martz while they were both in Detroit, and maybe it's because O'Sullivan had a chance to be tutored by the great Brett Favre.

Whatever the case, J.T. has earned the right to start, and Shaun Hill has proven to be good enough to be his backup. Meanwhile, the much maligned Smith has come to the reality that he is now considered the biggest quarterback bust in the NFL since Ryan Leaf. Too bad they don't give cash refunds in the NFL because I'm sure Niner management kept its receipt.

The 49ers have traditionally been known for developing wide receivers into stars after selecting them late in drafts. We all know about Jerry Rice and T.O. Now we're about to find out about Morgan, who was drafted in the sixth round out of Virginia Tech, and has so far produced nine catches for 182 yards and an impressive 59-yd TD in about four quarters of play through two games.

The unheralded Morgan has shown the ability to catch the short slant and turn it into a long gain. He's gone deep and scored, showcasing his 4.47 speed. And above all, he's proven that he can quickly grasp Martz's complicated offensive playbook, run routes with precision, and possess tremendous hands. I don't want to jump the gun too soon, but if everything falls into place and if Morgan continues to improve, we might end up getting another dose of that familiar San Francisco treat.

And I haven't even mentioned the rest of the 49ers' talented and well-balanced receiving corps that includes future Hall-of-Famer Isaac Bruce, future All-Pro TE Vernon Davis, Bryant Johnson, Arnaz Battle, Ashley Lelie, Jason Hill, and the surprisingly solid rookie out of Baylor, Dominique Zeigler. San Francisco is stacked in this position and with Martz Madness invading the Bay Area, there is reason to be optimistic about a playoff berth in 2008-'09.

O'Sullivan and Morgan are already getting rave reviews from experts and analysts around the league. The Niners offense seems revived, and All-Pro RB Frank Gore should benefit tremendously from the all-around balance.

With a young and improved defense that's getting more and more time playing together in order to generate some cohesion, I wouldn't count out the 49ers to win the NFC West. They picked up highly regarded DE Justin Smith to anchor the frontline on Mike Nolan's 3-4 scheme. And with All-Pro LB Patrick Willis only getting better, the Niners are definitely on the upswing. The defense garnered six sacks against Green Bay last week, the first time in a long time I've seen the pass rush this intense. It will only make Nate Clements' and Walt Harris' job that much easier on the corners, which will in turn allow hard-hitting safety Michael Lewis to roam free and deliver punishing hits a la former Niner greats Ronnie Lott and Tim McDonald.

And did I forget to mention return specialist and former Pro Bowler Allen Rossum, who's already returned a punt for a touchdown this season? Right away, the 49ers' special teams unit is already looking spectacularly special.

Indeed there is reason to be excited, for this could be the year the 49ers shock and rock the National Football Conference.

LAKERSFAN19 recently spoke about how boring the NBA has become then went on to write about the proliferation of haterfans in our precious blogosphere, mentioning in particular the constant perceived hate that is dumped on our once revered SHAQUILLE O'NEAL and the so-called brat of the NBA, KOBE BRYANT. As I was commenting on his blog, I began to remember and my comment turned into paragraph after paragraph. So I decided to write a little sumthin sumthin, courtesy of Lakersfan19's original idea. 

The NBA is certainly not boring. In fact, it is exciting. It's where "Amazing Happens."

Seven teams in the Western Conference are on pace for 50+ win seasons and the two teams with the best record in the league are both surprisingly from the Eastern Conference. Boston is on pace to for 70+ wins, which has caused Michael Jordan to pay more attention of late. The Minnesota T-Wolves are threatening the record for futility and the New York Knicks is in another league of their own. Scoring is up while defense continues to determine who wins, and never has there been this many international players in the NBA. The great Scottie Pippen has gone international as well, at the ripe young age of 42, and is apparently still harrassing opponents from the defensive end. I guess the only thing missing is THE RETURN OF THE WORM, Dennis Rodman. Okay, maybe not.

Nonetheless, unprecedented talent has given way to parity which, in turn, has provided fans a ton of great basketball to watch.

But nothing will ever duplicate the drama that developed from the love triangle that was Shaquille O'Neal, Kobe Bryant, and Phil Jackson. Not even the famous Jordan-Pippen-Rodman triad from Chicago.

Here, I attempt to briefly revisit what once was and why so many of us have come to "hate" although deep down inside we "love". And more importantly a glimpse of what is to come with these two lead actors, one OSCAR worthy and the other an ESPY nominee.

As far as the "hating" is concerned, I can see why so many fans do it. If you notice, most people will intensify the hate when things are going bad for a particular player on court or off it. It's in our nature as fans and it is, believe it or not, a normal behavior for extremely passionate fans.

What I don't understand, however, is when people continually bring up the past and use this as an excuse to hate even if that particular player has changed. Case in point, KOBE.

Everyone is now beginning to see with the Lakers' drastic improvement that KOBE's immature remarks this offseason may have served a purpose. In fact, Bryant and Jackson may have tactically strategized this in order to get more from the rest of the team.

We all know that the ZENMASTER is known for his psychological ploys, so as fans do we really know for sure that KOBE was all to the bad here?

Bottom line: KOBE BRYANT is a leader and among the fiercest competitors the game has ever seen. Ever.  Always has and always will be. In due time he will get the respect from fans that he rightfully deserves (he always had the respect of his peers) because after all, like former pro sports brats ahead of him - Terrell Owens and Randy Moss - and like that old cliche, "winning solves everything."

I was around to digest everything MICHAEL JORDAN had to endure throughout his early years in the NBA and I see a similar pattern here with the two players, especially since JACKSON is the coach of the two stars.

KOBE is only 29 and for those who have paid attention to all the nuances of his entire career, one can only have utmost respect for his dedication to the purity of the game of basketball. Never mind the off-court antics and stuff because that is really irrelevant.

We as working class people  have issues outside of work that tend to affect our professional careers at times. It's normal folks.

Haters fail to look at what KOBE has brought to his team and to the game. Instead, they find someone to blame and something to blame that someone for. And in a place like Los Angeles, everything becomes all the more magnified.

Why the heck would Jerry Buss pay KOBE all that money in the first place and let SHAQ go for less-than-equal value? Because BUSS not only is a smart businessman but he also recognizes hard work and discipline. Game recognizes game.

And isn't Lamar Odom's 15 and 9 panning out much better than Shaq's 14 and 7 right about now? As far as O'Neal is concerned, he got what he wanted. The cash, the quick championship, and the short-lived glory. Shaq knew in 2004-2005 that guys like 'Zo, Antoine Walker, Gary Payton, White Chocolate, James Posey, D-Wade, and Coach Riley were all hungry to win so he squeezed in at the opportune moment, fit in perfectly, and took advantage.

It was good enough for him to do it for one year, just like it was always good enough for him to treat his conditioning half-heartedly once he earned his contract and delivered three titles to Los Angeles. His contentment is the nature of his personality, unlike Kobe who always believes he can get better. This is the difference between a superstar and a legend. This is what sets apart the Michaels, the Magics, the Kobes, and the Larrys from every other Hall-of-Famer.

Shaq had always been The BIG QUOTATION, so he told Miami fans that he would bring two more titles although he probably knew deep down inside that he was probably done. He will try to mask his inadequacies by simply taking time off here and there in order to play out his contract and honor his fans. But we all know what's best for the team. The Heat should buy him out if they want to be competitive. 

Simply put, The BIG ARISTOTLE is running out of excuses and things to say. His best one came recently when he mentioned that he at least has a Master's Degree to fall back on. A sign that he has reached the end? Definitely so.

I actually believed he had one more solid year in him in 2007-'08. Guess I was wrong. The BIG DIESEL is now The BIG INACTIVE, while KOBE continues to lead the LAKERS' ASSAULT to everlasting greatness and basketball immortality along with THE BIG BYNO-MITE, Andrew Bynum. 

When it's all said and done, KOBE will have more rings than SHAQ and his LAKER legacy will undoubtedly leave a more lasting effect on all of our hearts.

I am sure of this only because KOBE puts more work into his craft than O'Neal ever did.

In any profession, the ones who demonstrate unrelenting work ethic and desire to be the best at what they do regardless of innate ability or talent usually move higher up the ladder (look at the careers of MJ, OLAJUWON, BIRD, MAGIC, who all improved different parts of their games as they got older). Since 2002, tell me one thing SHAQ has improved in his game? Free throws? A go-to move? Rebounding? Defense? Absolutely nothing. Shaq will continue to (and always has) rely on his sheer size and strength in order to intimidate, be physical, and get easy buckets (which helps to explain his high career FG%).

His huge miscalculation about the nature of the game has led him to be ineffective because injuries have now taken their toll on his body and he can no longer rely on what was once his only major strength.

A dedicated center like DWIGHT HOWARD, who continues to work hard on his craft, may wind up becoming a better basketball player than SHAQ (even if he winds up with less rings or no rings at all) because we can see that HOWARD is starting to develop a wide array of post moves, is a force on the boards, and blocks shots like Olajuwon once did. Shaq, with his size, should have led the NBA in rebounding and blocks EVERY year since '99 but he never did so except for maybe one year.

Upon making these points, one would see that no matter SHAQ's dominance between '99-04, he still would not have won those rings without KEY ROLE PLAYERS like Kobe, D-Wade, Rick Fox, Glen Rice, Ron Harper, Brian Shaw, Robert Horry, Derek Fisher, Horace Grant, A.C. Green, Alonzo Mourning, Jason Williams, Gary Payton and Antoine Walker. Think about it. This was SOLID talent built around Shaq.  

After all, when was the last time we saw SHAQ make a game clinching bucket to decide the outcome o####ame?

Way back in 1997-'98 during the last Lakers' home game of the regular season against UTAH. Turn around 12-foot jumper from the left baseline to seal the deal. Del Harris was the coach and L.A. was swept by the same Jazz squad in the playoffs that year.That's probably the only time he ever made a basket at the end of the game when it counted most.

Don't get me wrong, I will not discount Shaq's greatness in his era. However, if you compare his basketball abilites against some of the greatest of all time, in my opinion he is not even top five.

From SHOWTIME to the LAKE SHOW, it's a new era in LAKERLAND. As we look ahead, it might not be long until THE YOUNG GUNS conquer the WILD WILD WEST and the rest of the 'boring' NBA.

Last week, I posted a blog explaining why the Los Angeles Lakers were on the rise and the Phoenix Suns were in for a big surprise this year.

Numerous Suns supporters and Laker bashers, namely NBA preview guru XPHOENIX87 and my favorite of them all RICKO the Cynical one, continued their assault on me while suggesting that my perceived lack of unbiased opinion continues to fuel my homerism.

Although it is true that my undying support for the Lakers franchise is never more evident with these blogs, one thing these two don't realize is that I make sense when I point out the obvious between these two teams. Why else would DIME rank the Lakers #4 in their power rankings if I was so homeristic and biased? Get a clue, Phoenix fans. Your team was just outrebounded and spanked by the lowly Hawks last night. And don't even say Amare wasn't there, because the last time you were without Stoudemire for an extended period you were still feasting on the East. Last night should be an indication that your team is in serious trouble.

The purpose of this blog is to address the stupidity  and sardonic nature of Phoenix fans and how they love to bring up the past to justify their perceived notions about the two rivals. They love bringing up Kobe's off-court failures, they love to bring up the Suns regular season excellence, they love to bring up how Laker fans keep hanging onto their legacy as a franchise, and they love to reiterate how last year Phoenix started off 1-5 and ended the season with a b@ng. It was a b@ng alright... b@nged right out of the playoffs.

I am going to call out XP87 and RICKO right here right now for BLOGWORLD to see and show how ridiculous they are with their sarcasm because no one wants to give the LAKERS any credit whatsoever, which is the reason they are arguably the biggest LAKER HATERS of all-time. You will hate me for this.

At least last year after Phoenix ended L.A.'s season, I commended the SUNS with a blog wherein I displayed the utmost respect to the rivals. I give respect where respect is due because I know what I see and I tell it how it is. Haters talk the way they talk because they have nothing better to do and their parents never taught them any better.

So Laker supporters, I am going to spearhead the attack against the state of Arizona right here right now. This is going to be a battle all year so if you guys are with me get your ammunition ready. And for you Phoenix fans, bring it 'cause I'm adding fuel to the fire. So here we go, DING! DING! DING!... ROUND #1.

This from RICKO, on November 7, 2007 at 2:41pm:  "So you're saying the Suns are not a championship contender? And YOU saying we Suns fans have "blind arrogance"?? You, sir, are a piece of work indeed.

So I reply, "Yes, RICKO, the Suns are not championship contender for reasons I pointed out. They are an excellent regular season team who will win 60 games every year with Nash but until you guys get some real centers and power forwards, you'll keep losing to the San Antonio's and Dallas's in the postseason.

And YES, Suns fans have blind arrogance just like you guys claim Lakers are arrogant because you keep hanging onto championship hopes that are not legitimately there. At least in LAKERLAND, we know that it takes a great center, a great guard, a great coach, a balanced lineup, and above all DEFENSE to win a title because we've done it 14 times before. And don't even try to come back and say AMARE is a great center because he's not. He's 6-8, jumps high, and only plays center because he's playing in Phoenix. Anywhere else, he's a power forward. Your window of opportunity was in '05 and '06 and your team blew it....

So XPHOENIX87, on 11/7/07 at 3:02pm, mockingly writes:  "See, Ricko, you have to understand that the Suns need to get some real centers and power forwards like Kwame Brown, Chris Mihm, Andrew Bynum and Ronny Turiaf. Your pathetic rotation of Amare, Marion, and Diaw just can't hold a candle to that group, especiall not with Amare aging so quickly at the ripe old age of 24.

I come back with a little taste of their own sarcasm: "Your statement was just about as accurate as your previews, XP. Glad to know you're starting to take notice. Kudos." I'll add that XP probably doesn't know who Antonio McDyess is or is most likely avoiding the fact that Stoudemire might possibly end up like McDyess and could be in another uniform in one or two years, leaving Nash with (gasp) Skinner and Diaw.

XPHOENIX87, at 9:17pm last night while researching his next team preview, provides a little witty candor in response to my straightforwardness:  " What a stunning rebuttal where you didn't actually address any of the many factual inaccuracies in your article. Your logic and debating skills are, as always, impeccable.

Added RICKO, who at 9:34pm last night was probably sharing the computer in his basement with his buddy XP while watching LEBRON's triple-double on ESPN:  "xphoenix- Sigh. I'm afraid you're right. Looking up and down the Suns roster, I see no one the caliber of Mihm and Bynum. Thanks for setting me straight. And the fact that your sarcasm went right over J-Dizz's head is priceless.

So at this point, they probably think I'm fuming and flaming hot like an El Pollo Loco. But actually I'm sitting in my office laughing at how stupid these two really are. They probably get an erection just by saying  that I have no logic or debating skills, but frankly I did not appreciate it. Think before you talk XPhoenix. You're ego is getting way too big because of those previews and the generous comments people give you. Frankly, anybody can do a preview when you've got copies of THE SPORTING NEWS, ESPN MAGAZINE, the INTERNET, and a subscription to SPORTS ILLUSTRATED at your disposal.

You attack my intellect and I will call you out.

This was my reply to XP, which I posted on my blog at 12:48pm, after I came back from having lunch with a client:  " XP: you should have already figured out my rebuttals to your comments before you even made them because your silly comments are aimed at nothing more than to repeat what the rest of the Phoenix fan base has already said in this blog. And you should know better considering you're supposed expertise with all your previews.

I like how you guys keep trying to base things on last year. You're just like everyone else out there. Your stuff is nothin' new my friend. You talk about how Phoenix started 1-5 last year and how they ended up. Well, how do you like it that this year will be Phoenix's turn to suffer injuries? Again I shall repeat... Amare knee's won't last, Nash is having to carry too much of the load at his age, and once again after five games Phoenix has been OUTREBOUNDED and OUTMUSCLED.

Like all Phoenix fans who nitpick at every little thing just to find something wrong with the Lakers, you keep bringing up the past - "Yeah, it's a good thing that in LA they build for dynasties and don't 'rent aging superstars' like Karl Malone and Gary Payton. I mean, that would just be stupid" -  but didn't we make it to the FINALS that year even with an INJURED Malone? And what have the SUNS done? NADA my friend. Who's stupid now?

One of XP's other comments to me was "Shouldn't LA be a little bit more worried that THEY have no onewho can guard Carlos Boozer?"

See how you guys love to nitpick at the most absurd things? So I come back with, "Didn't we just spank the JAZZ, who had no answer for Bynum's double-double. Like I said since you don't pay attention, Boozer is tough but he is UNDERSIZED for a power forward. He ain't no Mailman" And let me also add that he ain't no BARKLEY either.

XP says that I can't give him a rebuttal, basically challenging me. Here's another one of his acerbic statements:  "LA still has no post defense; they had no answer to Yao"

And like the Suns do (ha ha ha)? Since you are the preview expert, tell me something... What did Yao say about Kwame's post defense? Didn't Ming happen to mention that among NBA centers, Kwame plays him the toughest? I do believe he said that last year. Go on and do some research so you'll know your facts, instead of relying on silly stats all the time. And by the way, HOUSTON has NO ANSWER for KOBE.

XP adds, "You know, it's too bad that Phoenix doesn't have a First Team All-NBA post player to exploit those defensive weaknesses. Oh... wait..."

So I reply, "You obviously don't know that Phoenix has no TEAM defense, getting outrebounded every game and nobody taller than 6-9 who can hold the paint. Nothing but outside shots and if they were so consistent, they why have they shot an average of 39% against the Lakers and the lowly Atlanta Hawks? Figure that one out. You won't because you don't know about the old adage, "You live and die by the three".  Remember that DALLAS team in the nineties with George McCloud who put up three after three after three? That's your Phoenix Suns.

I keep going as if on a rampage... "And oh yeah, forgot to mention that the Lakers have a 7-time All-Defense MVP candidate and three big men who can give Amare fits and put him in foul trouble. Nice try on that one. I shall add that we also have three-time champion and defensive tough guy Derek Fisher, whom Nash is probably intimidated by.

Finally, I cap it off with a little something for Mr. RICKO: "Sarcasm is just about ALL that Phoenix fans have to go by."

Why is it that we cannot go under the previous pages of a particular blog section and view blogs that were posted two days ago when we click under page 3 of 440, for example, on the NBA, MLB, or NFL blog sites?

Every time I click on previous pages, it reverts back to the most recent blogs posted so if you click on page 5 for example, you end up getting the same blogs that are viewable on page one.

Can someone please explain what in the world is going on?

Everyone likes to talk about how important statistics are in determining which players and teams are the best in the league.

Now let's talk intangibles, the reason why guys like Dave Cowens, Bobby Jones, Rick Mahorn, Bill Laimbeer, Rick Fox, Robert Horry, Derek Fisher, Steve Kerr, Ron Harper, Horace Grant, and Brian Shaw have all these rings. Aside from stats, other factors like size, experience, preparation, game plan, defensive awareness, health, mindset, clutch play, luck, and coaching have to be strongly considered.

You can put up a hundred points with ease, but when it counts in the playoffs, how will the Suns compensate for their lack of size on the boards with the Lakers fast-improving bigs of...

Ronny Turiaf (who fared really well against Amare this year), Bynum (7-1, 285), Brown (6-11, 275), Cook (who with his shooting range will pull Amare or Thomas away from the lane), and maybe even the shot-blocking Mihm (7-1, 265).

We can throw fast and athletic lineups at the Suns (Smush, Kobe, Evans, Odom, and Brown)

Or pound the Suns to submission inside and slow it down and control tempo (Bynum, Turiaf, Odom, Kobe, Evans)

Or we can throw our clutch lineup (Kobe, Smush, Walton, Odom, and Bynum/Brown)

Or we can go to a shooting lineup (Vujacic, Kobe, Walton, Radmanovic/Odom, Cook)

Each and every game the Lakers are improving. With Odom and Brown due back the Lakers can start to work on getting that third seed. The defense will be at full strength, and the fact that Jackson is playing a variety of lineups will make it difficult for opponents to read us once we completely gel as a team.

What gives Lakers fans confidence about this year's team is the fact that we have depth on the bench. L.A. can play physical with the big teams like the Spurs, Pistons, Heat, Rockets and Mavs. We can also run with the athletic teams like Phoenix, Denver, and Golden State.

Phil Jackson is the master at getting his players prepared for the moment much like Belichick is with the New England Patriots. While the Suns go with that same 8-man rotation every game, come playoff time they'll be so predictable people will wonder why the Lakers beat them so convincingly.

Going against all the current power rankings and regular season records, the true #1 team in the league given that all players are healthy and in that playofff mindset - Miami. The #1 team in the West is Dallas. The Lakers are the true #3 in the NBA. The legit #4 would have to be San Antonio simply because of Popovich. Finally  I've got the Phoenix Suns as #5 because you should be when you have  All-Stars in Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire, and Shawn Marion and another Olympian in Boris Diaw.

It's amazing how Kobe's 24 is so close to Jordan's 23. It's almost like seeing MJ wearing the purple-and-gold.

Remember how Jordan used to dribble the ball like three or four times and spin it right before he shot a free throw? Well, Kobe spins it first and then he dribbles the ball three or four times before shooting. How much closer can the two be? We all know he walks and talks like him. Heck, he probably eats and sleeps like him too.

42 big ones. 10 boards. 9 dimes. Thrilling. Spectacular. Clutch. Leadership. Will to win. There's only one Kobe. And everybody knows it.

Let's analyze why I firmly believe the Lakers are going to the Finals this year. First of all, the injuries are happening now so it's good. They'll be coming in full force once springtime comes around.

Secondly, Kobe is now a leader who can trust his teammates and make them better. With this I mean Kobe now gives everybody else confidence in him and themselves to make plays when needed. The Lakers are evolving and everyone knows it. Kobe said against Phoenix opening night that this year the Lakers were on a "quest for a title." I truly believe him.

Thirdly, the Lakers not only beat the Suns convincingly without Kobe, but they also trounced Utah by 30 not too long ago. They beat the Spurs, who were all healthy, by over ten points exposing San Antonio's major weaknesses - they're slower than ever and their defense is suspect. Dallas beat us but that was expected.

The Mavs are clearly the class of the west but I'm not worried. Dallas has no answer for Kobe and Lamar, and Kobe could score 62 against them in 3 quarters no problem.  What's gonna happen when you got Brian Cook scoring 25+ and Luke and Bynum are giving their solid contributions? What will Dallas do then? The Mavs simply don't have the combination of big men to contain the Lakers' foursome of Bynum, Brown, Odom, and Turiaf. We ate them up inside last year and that's why Kobe went berserk against them.  After all, we were glad to let Devean George go to Dallas so even more so why I am not worried.

So Suns fans, Dallas fans, Spurs fans, Nuggets fans, and Utah fans... how do your teams prevent this MJ wannabe from going on another championship run?

The Assault is coming. In fact it's already happening.  

As the year draws to a close, we've seen a handful of coaches, players, and teams in the NFL and NBA who surprised us with their stellar play and also disappointed us by not meeting expectations.

I present my  2006 Over-Under Awards, all of them rated and some of them achieved.

NFL

Most Overrated-Underachieved Coach:  Tony Dungy - He had a powerhouse defensive unit at Tampa Bay and failed to put them over the top. He has a powerhouse offensive juggernaut in the Colts and is seemingly on pace to pull off another playoff blunder. Nobody knows what is wrong here.

Most Overachieved-Underrated Coach:  Brian Billick - He won a Super Bowl with Dilfer at QB and he has consistenly given us toughminded hard-nosed defensive teams. They quietly have the second-best record in football. With coaches like Parcells and Holmgren getting all the attention, Billick continues to get the most out of what he has. And with the addition of McNair, he has a good shot at another Super Bowl run.

Most Overrated-Underachieved Player:  Randy Moss - Not only does he whine, pout, complain, and under-perform when his team is losing, but he takes it one step further by saying he thinks he's got nothing left for them and wants to be traded. What once was a fairytale beginning now has turned into a nightmare ending to whatever is left of Moss' career. Jake Plummer came in a close second.

Most Overachieved-Underrated Player:  Maurice Jones-Drew - He has scored frequently, energized the Jaguars' push for a playoff berth, and leads the much-hyped Reggie Bush in TDs scored and rushing yardage.

Most Overrated-Underachieved Team:  Denver Broncos - They defeated New England in last year's playoffs before falling to the eventual champion Steelers in the AFC Championship. The defense started off the year on a tear, making everyone think that this was going to be "the year." Then Jake Plummer happened and the defense went with him. If they don't make the playoffs, we will soon see major changes.

Most Overachieved-Underrated Team:  New England Patriots - This was a close one between the Jets and the Saints as well. Surely  everyone's been pulling for the Saints because of the concern for the city and they're deserving of all the attention, but no one expected them to win a division that has Carolina and Atlanta. The Jets have been a mild surprise considering that the Giants generate all the hoopla in New York. The Patriots win out because once again they are in title contention despite not having big name players except for Tom Brady. They lose Branch, go through numerous player adjustments and yet they remain a strong contender as they age while the rest of the AFC gets younger and stronger.

NBA

Most Overrated-Underachieved Coach:  Isiah Thomas - There is absolutely no reason  why the Knicks shouldn't be leading the dismal Atlantic Division. They have, on paper, four of the leagues most dangerous scorers in Marbury, Crawford, Francis, and Richardson. They possess solid role players (Lee, Frye, Balkman, Rose) you could put around a guy like Edy Curry, yet they can't win. The problem is attitude, and it looks like Isiah's "bad boy" mentality may not work with this group. Personally, I would love to see the Lakers' top assistant coach, Kurt Rambis, take Isiah's job.

Most Overachieved-Underrated Coach:  Jerry Sloan - Being the spoiled Lakers fan that I am and seeing the commitment to excellence in the way Jerry Buss runs his franchise, I have to give much props to Jazz owner Miller, Sloan, and the coaching staff. For years Sloan has been all about winning. The way he played the game has translated into his coaching style and system, and his players are perhaps among the most disciplined in the NBA. The resurgent Jazz are off to a fast start, and without bigger names like Kobe, AI, or D-Wade, they continue to win behind Sloan.

Most Overrated-Underachieved Player:  Stephon Marbury - If Starbury could only get his head right then maybe the Knicks would be a contender. Whatever the reason is -Isiah and I can't get along or I don't want to play the point - Stephon has certainly not earned his stripes. With the talent that surrounds him, there is absolutely no reason why your winning percentage is .406. Kwame Brown, former #1 pick, is a close second but when you're on Kobe's team you're not going to get a lot of touches, so you won't get a chance to really shine.

Most Overachieved-Underrated Player:  Richard Hamilton - Unfortunately for the masked man, he doesn't score enough points to garner the attention of a Lebron, Kobe, or Iverson. Despite being the solid all-around player that he is, I'm surprised he isn't on the Olympic team. He is among the most durable two-guards you can find and his mid-range shot is among the best. He doesn't really shoot three's and moves excellent without the ball. Maybe that's why he is the most overlooked. Numbers 2-5 in this category are Josh Howard, Lamar Odom, Shawn Marion, and Andrei Kirilienko.

Most Overrated-Underachieved Team:  Los Angeles Clippers - I would have given this to New York but nobody really expects much from the Knicks these days excpet James Dolan. The bigger issue here is whether or not Isiah Thomas gets his players to believe in him. On the other hand, the Clippers started to make believers out of L.A.  last year until this year happened. They obviously can't focus with all the trade talk surrounding them and frankly, this is the year where Mike Dunleavy proves to us if he is worth all that money. Last I checked this was still a Laker town.

Most Overachieved-Underrated team:  Houston Rockets - With all their injuries, it's amazing how they're at .600. If T-Mac can stay healthy... The Rockets have the emerging Yao as the anchor to a team loaded with excellent role players. You'd be surprised to know that they have three Olympians (Yao, Battier, and Spanoulis), one all-star (T-Mac), one former all-star (Mutombo) and one former all-star coach (Jeff Van Gundy). The addition of savvy Greek point guard Spanoulis and the "smarter" play of playground expert Alston have brought balance to this team. With Yao out, Mutombo has filled in admirably.