One sublect that many, including myself, have done for so long is give top ten lists of pretty much everything under the sun. Sports fans really like to make these lists. But what many readers don’t realize, unfortunately, is that 99% of top ten lists are nothing more than an opinion.  Some of the writers don't realize it either though.

Some of the more popular lists I have done would include the top ten baseball players of all time, top ten hottest WNBA players, and the big one, the top ten most overrated sports moments which I wrote earlier this year.

A marketing firm compiled data and fan feedback from all 122 pro sports franchises. With this list it is based on many items. This list is not my list. This list was done by two companies as well.

The list is called the "Ultimate Standings" by Warsaw Sports Marketing Center at the University of Oregon and Markitecture INC. The list was published in the May issue of ESPN the Magazine.

The data used to figure all this out was put together with these factors included. Most of these factors included: Ownership, Coaching, Players, Fan Relations, Affordability Stadium Experience, and BLEEP-for-the-Buck.

So who are the Top Ten Franchises and who are the Bottom Feeders? Here are the lists.

Top Ten Sports Franchises:

10. Arizona Diamondbacks

9. Jacksonville Jaguars

8. Detroit Pistons

7.Detroit Tigers

6.Los Angeles Angels

5. Anaheim Ducks

4. Green Bay Packers

3.New Orleans Hornets

2. San Antonio Spurs

1. Indianapolis Colts

 
The Bottom Feeders:

113. Memphis Grizzlies

114. Baltimore Orioles

115. Cincinnati Bengals

116. Seattle Supersonics

117. Oakland Raiders

118. Minnesota Timberwolves

119. Atlanta Falcons

120. Detroit Lions

121. Toronto Maple Leafs

122. New York Knicks

 Notables and other numbers:

The city of Detroit had three teams in the top 12 and one in the bottom. The Detroit Red Wings came in at 12th.

No New York team ranked higher than the Giants at number 48. New York has seven pro sports franchises which is more than any other city.

The New England Patriots were ranked as the 11th best franchise.

The Chicago Cubs were ranked 95th. I guess without any living fans from the last World Series it is hard to rank higher. The Cubs have only won two World Series’ and they were back-toback in 1907-08.

The number 100 team is the New Jersey Nets.

The Indiana Pacers just missed the Bottom Feeder list at number 112

In MLB the Boston Red Sox ranked 89th while the New York Yankees ranked 65th. The Tampa Bay Rays ranked 75th while the Toronto Blue Jays ranked 67th and the Baltimore Orioles were ranked 114th. The AL East is not a good franchise division apparently.

Surprises on the list were the Milwaukee Brewers who were 13th and the St. Louis Blues were 14th.

  The NFL has operated far too long with the current type of Collective Bargaining Agreement. The most obvious problems involve guaranteed contracts and ridiculous rookie contracts. These two issues will be at the forefront of the next contract as negotiations at a snail pace toward 2011 as well as revenue sharing between players and owners.

  As it stands now NFL owners can pull out of the present collective bargaining agreement with the players on November 8, and it appears that the owners are heading in that direction. If the owners pull out of the CBA, there is no salary cap the final year of the agreement (which is in 2010). If the players pull out, players would only receive free agency after six years of service — not four. In 2010 the NFL could operate without a cap. But that would not remain for long. Teams looking for one year success could reap big rewards if they target that year for a run. It would be a big year for one year contracts and the best teams would have the advantage because they would already have the incentive for veteran players looking to win a Super Bowl.

  The first obstacle is a must for NFL players. Get guaranteed contracts. It is amazing in a league that has the highest revenue and has the highest risk of injury that there are not guaranteed contracts. What the owners may want in place to cover the expenses is two more regular season games. They would likely change two preseason games into regular season games. Every other sport has guaranteed contracts why doesn’t the NFL?

  The second change is another glaring need in the NFL. A rookie salary cap like the NBA has. The guaranteed money to top tier rookies has been insane for a number of years now but has taken an even bigger jump over the last four years. Teams with high draft picks are already bad teams, they don’t need to pay top dollar to players that have not even played yet. If a player is a bust it cripples teams for many years. Matt Millen is an easy target for this issue.

Some other needs in this deal are better pension plans with health insurance for former players. How can a league discard the players that made the league what it is today.

According to a story from ESPN.com there is a lot more to what the owners want as well-"Beneath the surface of this increasingly rancorous dispute is the bargain the players and the owners made in March 2006, an agreement that provided significant increases for players in salaries and bonuses. Instead of 55.5 percent of NFL revenues, the players now are entitled to 60 percent. The salary cap has jumped from $85.5 million per team in 2005 to an expected $123 million per team in 2009, an increase of 43 percent.

Although the owners agreed to those increases, they are not happy about their decision. A number of owners claim their profits have dropped from 10 percent each year to only 4 percent since the 2006 bargain was struck." - Lester Munson ESPN.com

Also of note from the ESPN.com article from Lester Munson: "Upshaw and others involved in NFL labor issues expect the owners to announce that the players will be locked out of training camps, putting the 2011 season in jeopardy. An NFL lockout would come six years after the National Hockey League locked out its players, which killed the 2005-06 NHL season.

The NFL's union, according to Upshaw, will counter with decertification, which means it will give up its role as the official labor organization of NFL players and become a trade association.

"How can they lock us out if we are not a union?" Upshaw said.

Jeffrey Kessler, a union attorney who was a leader of the court fight that led to the 1993 restructuring of the NFL, added: "If you lock out players who do not have a union, it is an antitrust violation."

The battle will lead to the same kind of litigation that began after the players' unsuccessful strike in 1987 and led to the 1993 settlement that allowed owners and players alike to prosper for 15 years. It will be a high-stakes struggle, as the players will seek to duplicate their triumphs in the early '90s with demands for triple damages and injunctions."

This does not look like it will be pretty if this is already starting. With all the egos involved the only real losers will be the fans who are treated to court room drama, lawyer speak, and replacement players. There really isn’t anything like Billionaires arguing with Millionaires!  It doesn't look good but there is still hope that this can be taken care of before doomsday in the NFL.  This may come down to the final hour.  There are a lot of layers to this and one can only hope that they will make sense of all this and get the new deal done.

 

Every pundant with a computer, google, and watched the NFL draft  has given their grades to NFL teams for last weekends drafts.  We all know you can't judge a book by it's cover, it is the same with the draft.  It is comical to me to see that many in the Detroit Media and many fans give the Detroit Lions and Matt Millen a C+ and even as high as a B+ for their draft.

  Some of the comments I have read are that the Lions seem to have filled so many holes in their roster.  Another is that the Lions finally drafted players that want to play football.  If that has been the problem than why did it take eight years to figure out?  I think anyone learns on the job faster than that.  I think I could learn knee surgery faster than Millen learned how to draft and he hasn't really even done that yet either.  The thing is, THEY WOULDN'T HAVE SO MANY HOLES IN THE ROSTER IF MATT MILLEN WOULDN'T  HAVE CREATED SO MANY HOLES IN THE LIONS ROSTER IN THE FIRST PLACE!

  Another thing I found ironic was that Matt Millen, the guy who had to get rid of as many of Bobby Ross' players when he came in, drafted one.  Bobby Ross was the coach that first brought S Caleb Campbell into Army football.  Now there is actually people critical of Campbell's patriotism for heading to the NFL instead of Iraq?  Are you kidding me?  This is a great PR move for the Army and a great recruiting tool. 

I wonder just how many of these people have ever served our country themselves?  Funny how I have only heard 100% support for Campbell from other military brats.  It is like people who rip on the President of the United States but don't even vote.

  For the first time in years the Lions are going to go defense first in the NFL draft.  The last time they did they drafted LB Ernie Sims.  It has worked out well so far.  This year it appears that Florida DE Derrick Harvey will be the Lions pick at no. 15.  If Harvey is drafted before the Lions pick, Tennessee LB Jerrod Mayo will be the pick.

  The Lions have signed veterans at CB and S in Brian Kelly and Dwight Smith.  They also traded for Cleveland CB Leigh Bodden.  The Lions biggest defensive needs are at DE and LB.  The Lions need a DE opposite of DeWayne White.  White played very well when he wasn't hurt and made a lot of big plays in 2007.  The Lions need a DE opposite of White to help him out, something Kalimbust Edwards never could do.

  If both Harvey and Mayo and drafted before the Lions get to pick at 15, then it may be one of two RBs.  The Lions released Kevin Jones in the off season so they will be looking at a RB anyway.  The plan may be to wait until the 2nd or 3rd round for a RB.  If the Lions are forced to draft a RB in the first round it will be either Oregon's Jonathan Stewart or Illinois' Rashard Mendenhall.  Mendenhall had a freakish 9 yards per rush last year.

  Next up on Matt Millen's to do list is logic!  The logic that every "football guy" has.  "You win games in the trenches"  Something the Lions have not done since Matt Millen has taken over.  Matt Millen has not drafted an offensive lineman in the first two rounds of any draft since 2001!  That year he drafted LT Jeff Backus and C Dominic Raiola and both have been starters since 2001.  Logic tells me that lineman drafted after the first two rounds is not Millen's expertise and he should refrain from doing it again.

Since the 2002 draft the Lions only have two starters from their 1st and 2nd round picks.  Six of the 12 picks aren't even on the team any more and two aren't even in the league at all!  This is just since 2002.  Two starters from 6 drafts.

Those in the know in football and in most sports know the real deal is that you free agency is used to cover mistakes you have made in the draft.  Well the Lions have made so many mistakes in the draft that the salary cap wouldn't even really allow them to do that.

 If you missed it, the Lions cut RB Kevin Jones and DE Kalimba (Kalimbust) Edwards yesterday.  Kevin Jones was the starting RB and Kalimbust was a DE who was listed as inactive many of the last games in Detroit.  But if you ask me he has been inactive his entire career other than the one play he made on Brett Favre in this picture.

  I can respect Rod Marinelli for trading away top players like Shawn Rogers to Cleveland and cutting Kevin Jones.  But why would he not ask for Matt Millen to resign?  He should go straight into his boss' office (Matt Millen) and ask for his resignation.  If he does not resign, Rod should go straight to team owner William Clay Ford.

  It seems rather odd that a GM in charge of player and coach personnel who demands so much of them, has not delivered one thing in eight years as the Lions top boss.  Matt Millen's record is an abysmal 31-81.  Millen could have the Lions go completely undefeated 19-0 for three straight years and still have a losing record!

  It seems rather odd that a person at any job could make so many bad decisions year after year and keeps his job.  Especially in sports where winning is the bottom line, isn't it?  Why doesn't Rod ask for Millen to walk away so the franchise can begin to heal?

  How about someone tries to weigh the good moves to the bad ones.  Are the outsiders from the organization the only ones who see this?  Do they walk around Allen Park (training facility location for the Lions) saying to each other how brilliant Matt Millen is or WOW that move Millen made worked out great!

  From drafting Charles Rogers,Mike Williams, Joey Harrington in the first round to signing Jeff Backus and Corey Redding to 7 year $49 million deals.  Redding made him the highest paid DT at the time which produced a whopping 1 sack this season playing next Shawn Rogers. 

From the 2002 and 2003 draft, the Lions have two players remaining. The Lions do not have a starter on the roster, other than Roy Williams, from the 2004 and 2005 drafts.  Most people know you build winning teams through the draft, not through free agency.  Millen has been in charge of the Lions drafting for 8 years now.

Another surprise with Millen is that the Lions owner WCF brought him in because he is a "football guy" and that is what the Lions needed.  But don't most football people know that you win games in the trenches?  The Lions have failed to address the offensive and defensive lines for many years now.  The Lions have not drafted an offensive lineman in the 1st or 2nd round since 2001 when they drafted center Dominic Raiola and tackle Jeff Backus.  Both still start for Detroit.  How many WRs, QBs, and RBs to they have to draft, give a truck load of money to, and then cut having a huge dead cap number year after year before something is done or someone other than the coaches gets fired.

As former Lions coach Daryl Rogers once said after another loss in an 8 game losing streak "What the hell does a guy have to do to get fired around here ?"

Lions fans tried what was dubbed the "walk out" protesting Millen.  Nice to see the game was SOLD OUT!!  How about a protest that would make a difference.  Don't walk in the door in the first place!  Stop buying tickets, watch them on TV for free.  Then when the games start getting blacked out and it starts hitting WCF where it hurts, his bottom line, he may actually do something about this living Lions fan nightmare called the Matt Millen experiment!


In sports what do they always say?  Hey don't take it personally it is just business.  Maybe that doesn't apply to Matt Millen just coming from him onto players.   Sometimes I wonder if Matt Millen is even for the Lions because he seems to make many things happen against them.  Maybe Millen is all part of Bill Belicheck's master plan!


Pass this on to as many people as possible.  Help out a Lions fan in need of more than one playoff win since 1957!  Besides why wouldn't you?  What have the Lions ever done to your team?

A man attending a game in a rainbow afro wig and holds a sign that says John 3:16. Also known as "Rainbow Man," the born-again Rollen Stewart and his John 3:16 signs were fixtures at major events in the 1970s and 80s. Mostly behind the uprights in football games.

He brought his sign to the World Series, Super Bowl, Olympics, and World Cup. He was outside Buckingham Palace when Di & Charles wed; he went to see the Pope in Alaska. But he was known as more religious fanatic than sports fan.

In Detroit one sign has become just the same but on a smaller yet growing scale. In Detroit there is the "Fire Millen" sign. If it is seen at Ford Field it is taken and usually taken to the exits. I heard a person say the other day they they have had fourteen Fire Millen signs taken away at Ford Field in Detroit.

But recently it has been popping up all around the country. Some are Motowners on the road at a sporting event and try to get it on Tv and succeed. It is fully endorsed by me to anyone who wants to take a sign to a sporting event and is not sure what to put on it, write Fire Millen on it. You are sure to get some laughs and you will be helping a suffering Lions fan somewhere.

Coming soon I will share with you the most recognizable Lions fan. He is known as the Pilgrim. He is to Lions fan what The Big Dawg & the Bone lady from Cleveland, the Hoggetts from Washington, Spike & Raider Ron from Oakland.

 

The NFL Comeback Player of the Year Award has been given out after every season since 1972, except for 1985 when no winner was selected. The player named Comeback Player of the Year shows perseverance in overcoming adversity, in the form of not being in the NFL the previous year, a severe injury, or simply poor performance. Garrison Hearst is the only player to have won the award twice (1995 and 2001).

So here we are in 2007 and there a few choices emerging already. The early favorite in many eyes is Randy Moss. He went from a dreaded situation in Oakland to one of the best teams in the league in New England.

Randy Moss has been lighting it up this year with the accurate passing of Tom Brady. The last time Moss was this effective was when he last played with Daunte Culpepper in Minnesota. Ironically the Oakland Raiders traded Moss shortly before signing Culpepper in Oakland. Maybe Al Davis wants to try to get another top 5 pick in next years draft.

Randy Moss so far in 2007 is leading the league in receiving yards with 779. Moss has already surpassed his 2006 total in only eight games. Moss has 11 TDs already which ties his last two seasons combined. Moss is one of the biggest reasons the Patriots are smashing every opponent on the way to their 8-0 record heading into Indianapolis. Randy Moss has become relevant again.

One other candidate that comes to mind is Kevin Jones of the Detroit Lions. He is coming back from a serious foot injury known as the Lis Franc injury. This injury is said to have a one year rehabilitation and Jones returned almost three months early. It was said he would go on the PUP list (physically unable to perform) to start the season, thus missing the first six weeks. The Lions decided to keep him off the list and let him come back and to get into game shape week-by-week.

Kevin Jones so far has started two games for the Lions and played in five. Jones has rushed 62 times for 272 yards averaging 4.4 yards per carry with four TDs. The workload keeps getting bigger each week for Jones and it only helps his team more. The Lions are currently 5-2.

Another player on the radar for comeback player of the year is Brett Favre who everyone said needs-to-retire two years ago and is now leading his team to a 6-1 start.

  This is one of those "my dad always told me" type deals where the Detroit Lions have the number two pick in the 2007 NFL Draft.  The Lions are very interested in defensive end Gaines Adams from Clemson.  So based on the latter advice the Lions need to draft anyone else.

  Actually they are likely to take Adams.  The Lions just don't want to select him number two overall.  They would much rather draft him 4th or later.  This is for two reasons. 

First the Lions don't want to pay him number two money when they don't have to.  If they trade down he is likely to be on the board as late as the number eight pick. 

The second thing this does is gets the Lions more draft picks.  The Lions already have the first two hours reserved for the begining of round five.  The Lions have four picks in the fifth round.

The Lions also need the Raiders to draft JaMarcus Russell so that Calvin Johnson is available.  Tampa Bay and Atlanta bot want CJ and the Lions will be a happy suitor to their bids.

  I know you thought you would never read that line.  All you ever hear is how bad oBLEEPM Matt Millen is.  Today I will show you that maybe he really isn't that bad after all.  Well for starters, he never had a number one overall pick bust like so many other GMs have in the past.  Cleveland had Tim Couch at number one overall and Couch isn't even in the league anymore.  They should have taken Donavon McNabb.  Remember though he was the guy Philly fans booed when he was selected number two just ahead of Cincinnati's bust, Akili Smith.  Also don't forget that same draft in 1999 the Saints traded away every pick to get Texas RB Ricky Williams.

Soooo back to defending Millen's moves.  He still has five of the last seven first round picks on the roster.  It made sense at the time and is still a running joke among Lions fans that drafting another WR in the first round is to give Joey more "weapons!"  Now as it stands Charles Rogers is trying to just get another shot, Joey is backing up Ron Mexico in Atlanta, and "BMW" Big Mike Williams may be cut or traded after June 1st.  Not to worry though.  The Lions will be near a 50% roster change.  They did finish with a whopping 18 players on IR last season.  That is almost two full first teams for offense and defense.  They have brought in a lot of lineman as well, which they needed.  Ross Verba was a bum and Damien Woody is so overweight he has step on two scales to weigh in these days, and he is down 30lbs......again.

This years draft, Millen has a lot of options.  He has used options well in the past as well.  In 2004 he traded down with Cleveland to draft Roy Williams and later in the first round selected RB Kevin Jones.

On the other hand it doesn't matter what moves Millen has or hasn't made, the Lions have been the bottom feeders of the NFL for six years now and Lions fans have had enough.  If he was doing such a great job he wouldn't have fans staging protests against him.  Maybe this is what Jets fans should have done a long time ago.  Just look at this clip from youtube.com and see just what the Jets have done in drafts past.  Jets fans you may get sick by watching this, but hey, this is a article trying to defend Matt Millen and it is pretty hard with out your help.

  Sorry I meant possible picks.  It wasn't a fruedian slip but it was a Millenism.  After Millen traded Joey Harrington and cut Charles Rogers many Lions fans said Millen must be fired.The Lions have made a lot of moves this off season.  They will actually be around a 50% roster turnover.  Lions GM Matt Millen has been very active with new coach Rod Marinelli.

Well anyway it looks like the Lions are looking at Safety Reggie Nelsen from Florida and Defensive End Gaines Adams.  The Lions have a lot of options including Tackle Joe Thomas from Wisconsin.  Thomas will also visit Tampa, Cleveland, and Washington.

according to Ben Maller of Foxsports.com and the Detroit News: "Offensive tackle Joe Thomas of Wisconsin, one of the top candidates to be taken by the Lions with the second pick in the draft, has scheduled a visit with  the Lions on April 20. Peter Schaffer , the agent for Thomas, confirmed the visit Monday. Thomas plans to visit Tampa Bay today and has other visits lined up with Cleveland and Washington. Defensive end Gaines Adams of Clemson is scheduled to be in Detroit on Friday. Reggie Nelson of Florida, rated the No. 2 safety behind LaRon Landry of Louisiana State, has scheduled a visit for this week.

Ok so last year I posted a story about Minnesota Timberwolves Center Eddie Griffin who had smashed his SUV while driving drunk and cranking one out to porn.  That was one for sure way most fans agreed they would not have wanted to get busted.  But Griffin made his mama proud by pulling off this trifecta of nonsensical lunecy.

 Then a few months later another set of indescretions from the Detroit Lions defensive line coach Joe Cullen.  He was busted once when he drove through Tim Horton's drive thru naked.  Maybe he just wanted to see if he could use "it" as a bagel holder, who knows.  Then he was arrested for drunk driving two weeks later.

  Now comes the latest from a Wisconsin man.  He had his second arrest for similar charges.  This is the Associated Press story: 

SUPERIOR, Wis. (AP) — A 20-year-old man received probation after he was convicted of having sexual contact with a dead deer. The sentence also requires Bryan James Hathaway to be evaluated as a sex offender and treated at the Institute for Psychological and Sexual Health in Duluth, Minn."The state believes that particular place is the best to provide treatment for the individual," Assistant District Attorney Jim Boughner said.

Hathaway's probation will be served at the same time as a nine-month jail sentence he received in February for violating his extended supervision.

His extended supervision is from guess what?  Seriously, guess what it was.  Ok I will tell you, it was from killing a horse and having intercourse with the animal afterwards.  I may be going out on a limb here but, is it just me or should this man be getting a little more than probation for this?  Is this a guy we want living about your community? 

Just another thought on how not to get busted in my humble opinion.

All kinds of reports out of Detroit today had a story of Kevin Curtisfiring his agent.  Curtis is a free-agent WR from St. Louis, where Mike Martz is from.  Curtis would be a number two WR under Martz in Detroit.  This would also mean he is getting paid number two money as well.  Or does it?  It came out today that Curtis wanted to sign with the Lions.  His agent Tom Condon may have delayed everything by being at Brady Quinns pro-day workout.  Ironically the Lions didn't even send anyone to Quinn's workout, they were all busy trying to sign free-agents like Condon's other guy Curtis.

It was reported then that Curtis was to fly into New York to talk to the Giants but may have actually just flew home to Salt Lake City.  If Curtis wanted he could represent himself and imediatly sign with Detroit.  However if he is to hire another agent he would have to wait a period of five days before signing.  He could announce that he has agreed to terms ahead of time.  Either way it looks as if Kevin Curtis will be a Detroit Lion next season.

The Lions already signed DE Dewayne White, acquired RB Tatum Bell, T Gerorge Foster, and have four 5th round picks this year.  Actually ESPN announced today that they are not going to cover the fifth round of the NFL Draft this year because the Lions have too many picks.

BTW question to some NFL general managers from last weekend.  Have you lost your damn mind?  Singing a cb to an $80 million contract, giving mediocre offensive lineman $50 million, and signing Ahman Green to more than a one year deal and it is worth over $20 million?  I guess they have lost their damn minds.  Unless the key to Super Bowls is dominant left guards now. 

The list of keys to a Super Bowl have become this:

1.  Sign a seven year deal with a left guard just because he doesn't BLEEP instead of him being dominant.

2.  Amass as many 5th round picks as pissible errrrrr possible

3.  Fire a 14-2 coach and lose all the assistant coaches, and bring in the retred of all retred coaches

4.  Underpants + ? = profit!  (obscure South Park reference)

 Dre Bly has requested permission to seek a trade from the Detroit Lions.  Lions president Matt Millen and coach Rod Marinelli have given cornerback Dre’ Bly that permission.  Bly could go from "Zeros to Heros" in a trade from the league worst franchise over the last six seasons.  When Bly signed here in 2003 many Lions fans said it was a bad move for the Lions. In his first three seasons, he made two Pro Bowls and was a first alternate for another. He was a leader and a team captain.  His three interceptions were his lowest total as a Lion in 2006.

I respect Bly more for wanting this trade.  As a long suffering Lions fan I can't blame him at all for wanting out.  He has a small window of opportunity left in his career to have a shot at winning the Super Bowl and it doesn't appear my Lions want to participate in that game for a long time.  I was actually wondering why he wanted to stay before this came out in the Detroit Free Press. 

He will also be a big cap number this year at over $5 million.  He is a cover corner in a zone cover defense in Detroit.  Bly could be a big pick up for a team in contention next year.  My only concern is that Matt Millen isn't going to get something fair in return.  Maybe they can send him to Miami to reunite with his friend Joey "Blue Skies" Harrington! 

Bly lost a lot of credibility with me when he threw Joey under the bus on NFL network.  It was totally uncalled for and utterly rediculous to blame another single player for a teams demise.  Now I think Joey BLEEPed when he played here (and Miami) but I don't remember the defense or WRs helping the cause either.  As a fan I don't want any players here that don't want to be here as well.  I am sure the Lions feel the same way.  Besides, this could be good for both sides.

In all fairness to Matt Millen, and i have been as fair as I can be all season, he now has a chance this year to NOT blow the draft.  To also be fair to Millen, five of the last seven first round draft picks he has made are still on the roster. 

That actually is saying something.  Ok so he blew the QB pick with Harrington, many teams have done that.  Look at he Browns and Bengals and the 1999 draft.  The top three picks were all QBs.  The Browns took Tim Couch number one overall, the Eagles took Donavon Mcnabb number two, and the Bengals took Akili Smith number three overall.  Two of these three not only aren't on their teams anymore, they aren't even in the NFL anymore.

This year the Lions have the number 2 pick and plenty of time to get teams ready to move up and trade.  Matt Millen needs to have personell start leaking who they "want" to draft at number two so other teams feel that if they want a certain player they have to trade up with the Lions.  The Browns could use a RB like Adrian Peterson and have been rumored to be interested in selecting him with their top pick.  Maybe that is the Browns working the angle I just mentioned the Lions need to take though.

Either way this year Matt has options at number two in the draft, however he already had this option once and decided to draft Charles Rogers (all Lions fans wanted him too) the local Michigan State and Saginaw, Michigan kid and we all know how that worked out.

All Star games are terrible.  They have become a popularity contest and have been for some time now.  Current proof, Steve Nash, may be on his way to his 3rd straight MVP award, is not even in the starting line up for the Western Conference at this point!  Maybe it is because he has such bad haircuts sometimes, I don't know.  Dominik Hasek who had the best GAA in the Western Conference for the Detroit Red Wings was 24-7-3 with six shut outs wasn't even on the All Star team!  Every year in all of the sports we hear about and see players getting "snubbed" based on numbers.  Would it be better if it wasn't voted on by fans?  I think so.  Besides the only All Star game that is watchable in the MLB All Star game, unless they tie.  The NFL has thiers after the season is over.  This may be the worst of all.  How about sports change to just an All Star list?  Just name the All Stars with out even having a game.  What could happen as well is they could use the best players based on stats.  Now there is a concept.

The Phoenix Suns are doing it all this year with two tremendous winning streaks.  There are truly firing on all cylinders right now with Amare Stoudemire.  They are currently on a 17 game winning streak.  Amare may be the missing piece they were lacking last year when they just couldn't get past the Mavs.  They all look fresh and energetic and they need to be to carry on through the playoffs.  The Pistons were tearing up the league like this last year and got burnt out in the playoffs by the Heat last year.  The Pistons after the last playoff game last season had played 82 playoff games in three years.  That was equivalent of an entire extra season, like playing four seasons in three years.

The Super Bowl does not seem to have the hype in it this year than it has in the past.  I have heard WAY too much about the Patriots getting screwed by the refs in the AFC Championship.  Patriot fan is definitely crying.  Patriots fan Shut up about the refs.  This is what happens.  Try being a Lions fan and seeing how many times a year this happens.  I wrote about the NFL ref staying out of my life back in August.  How about you think about Raiders fan as well when you got the benefit of the biggest scam call I have ever seen with the "tuck rule" garbage they pulled out which led to Vinateri's field goal and later getting you into the Super Bowl in which you won.  What goes around comes around so get ready for the balance to tip the scale back the other way a little.