For starters, I thought the Patriots did OK. They filled most of their needs, got a few steals in there, and most importantly unloaded Ellis Hobbs. That could not have come soon enough. I love Chung, he is a young Rodney Harrison who hits hard and can take control of the secondary. Between Chung, Meriwether and James Sanders, those are a great three young safeties to build a secondary around. And with the addition of Butler (who I am not going to judge just yet because I hope his great athleticism and abilities outweigh his poor tackling skills) and removal of Hobbs, the Pats secondary can grow up as a unit and in the coming year develop into a very strong cohesive unit.
Brace and Tate were steals for them. Brace can come in and give Wilfork a much-needed rest. This also allows for Mike Wright and Jarvis Green to start learning the ropes at end when the don't re-sign Seymour next year when his contract expires. And Tate was a steal to have fallen that low in the draft. Granted, they are taking a chance on him with is knee problems, but giving him a year to develop behind Galloway with the help of Moss and Welker, he will become, I think, what they were hoping Chad Jackson would turn out to be a few years back.
Some things that I was surprised about: No linebacker until the third round. They had the chance to pick and number of the solid linebackers and just kept trading down and trading down to the point that they had none left worth picking. My only reasoning is that Belichik just did not like any of them for his system. I trust the guy at this point. And, the kid they picked up seems like a good early down pick up with great size who, much like Thomas without the speed, and may develop, who knows.
I feel as the Jets, Dolphins and Brows were all out to get that Pats in this draft. Ha, I'm just kidding, I always feel that way, but the Jest made a great move to get Sanchez who will step in right away and will be the face of that franchise for years. I am a little worried because I think he is far superior to Matthew Stafford because of how much more fluid he is and how much more athletic I believe he is in the pocket.
And lets all take a moment to laugh at the Oakland Raiders who passed on Michael Crabtree and Jeremy Maclin for Darrius Heyward-Bey. Ha! That's comical. Sure he is fast, but I guess Al Davis has not gotten the memo that there are more important things to being a wide receiver then simply being fast. Like say catching the ball, something that HB has had an issue with for years and having a positive attitude, which he also lacks a great deal of. Crabtree and Maclin were and are better receivers and we will watch the Raiders continue to be where talent goes to die for the next 5-10 years.

There is talk that Stephan Marburry has come to a verbal agreement with the Celtics and another undisclosed NBA team saying he would sign with them barring his release from the Knicks. Coming to the Celtics would either be the best thing or worst thing for them, nowhere in between. His talent alone would be a plus since there is very little of that coming off the bench for the C's right now. Their bench is made up of a lot of young players who are still learning the ropes and a few vets who would not be able to cut it most places if not for their very specific roles that they have acquired from being members of the Celtics.
Marburry could come in and be the piece of the puzzle that bring the Celtics banner number 18. Coming off the bench, he would give Rondo some valuable rest as well as, with his talent, allow for Ray Allen to take some even more needed rest and still provide an offensive spark as well as defensive stability that the Celtics thrive on. His veteran know-how would also be vital in helping to develop the talents of Rondo, Tony Allen and Gabe Pruit (three key players in the future of the organization). By giving them ten points and 15 minutes a game (probably more) off the bench, he is filling the void off the bench the has been missed by James Posey since his departure for New Orleans and could help solidify a much shakier C's team then the group who brought home the rings last year.
He could also have the total opposite affect. He could continue with his selfish attitude that bought him a one-way ticket to the bench and brought him no playing time. But, there is one person on the C's that would never let him become a distraction and his name is Kevin Garnett. The two were a very successful tandem in Minnesota until Marburry started talking, so he got released. Since then, KG has established his place in Boston as the enforcer who now knows what it takes to get his team an NBA championship. While they are both older now, only one has grown more mature and that one will not take a single bit of crap from the other and at the first sight of it would have Marburry packed up and back to where he was prior to the potential signing.
Now with limited options and refusal of his current team to cooperate, Marburry remains unutilized and unappreciated as the second highest paid player in the NBA who does not even touch the court. By signing with the Celtics and agreeing to finish out this year as their sixth man and help them win another championship he would be doing both himself and the city of Boston a favor. Could he be the next Corey Dillon or Randy Moss who come to Boston and shape up to help their teams bring home the glory? I guess we will just have to wait and see.

As I have already noted before, the NBA is about as screwed up as it gets in terms of ref performances. As the Cavs smacked the Celtics around last night, I could not help but yell at the television on more then one occasion. Sure, they missed some shots and the Cavs played a very dominant game, but there was something to be said about the officiating once again. I commend the Cavs, especially LeBron form their performance because it was offensively superior to the Celts and I believe that the Cavs probably would have won the game anyways even if the officiating had been more even. But, even with that being said, the Celtics score is a better representation of the fact that the referees in the NBA are not calling the games fairly. If you go back to the Lakers game, which I noted as being a particularly poorly officiated endeavor, the Celtics have not been the same team as of late and who can blame them. Sure one could argue that they are in a slump, but I have been watching these games and the reason that they are having so much trouble getting into a rhythm and winning games is that the refs don't let them play anymore. The Celtics play an up-tempo, in your face style of basketball, which is not an uncommon technique in the NBA and never has been. They use their defensive and offensive intensity to their advantage and power through other teams. But, since the Christmas game at LA, they have not been allowed to do that. The officials blow the whistle on little touch fouls, every attempted block is a foul, every time they charge through a pick its a foul, every time the try and clog up the lane and draw the charge its a foul and the list goes on. How is a team who plays hard-nosed basketball supposed to win and play their game if the officials have their own agenda and wont let them do so? It's not fair to the league, the fans and most importantly the Celtics to be targets of something that goes beyond the game of basketball. Tommy Heinsohn said it perfectly during the Celtics loss to the Rockets in Boston the other night; "The officials are wearing their red glasses tonight." But it's not the first time the Celtic great has mentioned this. He noted, that as the Celtics continue to get less and less calls for them and more and more against them, the amount of technical given out to Celtics players, particularly Kendrick Perkins, have gone down significantly, almost to the point of no existence. This, he says, is as a result of the officiating switch, which has been going on against the C's over recent games. As Perkins (who is second in the league in technical fouls behind the world champ in the matter Rasheed Wallace) receives less technicals, the team continues to be hit with more cheeky and borderline personal fouls, removing the aggression from the Celtics style of play. The less T's are a mask for everyone so that it seems like the officials are taking it easy on the Celtics when in reality they are using it as a means of compensation. Let me clear the air on some issues: first, the Celtics have not won a lot of these games because they have not played up to the Celtic standards that they had last year when they won it all, it does not fall completely on the officiating by any means. However, when the reining world champs loose to the Wizards without Arenas, the Rockets without McGrady, the Bobcats without Shawn May and the Cavs without Ilgauskis, you have to start to wonder how some of these teams were able to stick around with the champs. Not pointing any fingers but its something to think about.

My last post was far to reactive and not thought out regarding the Celtics loss to the Lakers on Christmas day. While I still feel that the officiating was not done fairly, the Celtics missed a lot of shots and did not play up to their full potential. Also, the Lakers did what needed to be done to win a hard fought basketbal game.
This does not however change my oppinions on the fraud and cheating which encompas professional sports.

The sports world is buzzing right now and it comes as no surprise. As the college football season draws to a close, the NFL playoff picture is starting to get exciting, the baseball off-season is on the brink of a financial explosion and top tier wide receivers are off shooting themselves in the foot with unlicensed handguns, things could not be more exciting for a sports fan. And lest we forget that men's college basketball is off and running.

Lets take this one thing at a time for the sake of organization.

The NFL:
In top news, Plaxico Burress continues his tarnishing of a once respectable NFL career by shooting himself with Antonio Pierce's handgun in a nightclub in New York City. The team has placed him on non-injured player reserve, ending his season. A light punishment for such an act and such a player who has caused so many problems on and off the field for the super-bowl champs. If I were in the Giants front office, I would not only release him form the team, but force him to pay out the remainder of his contract for the waist of time and overwhelming distraction he has caused to both the Giants and the NFL (whose problems with players and hand guns seem to be a big enough problem as it as. **Bengals**cough, cough**. Excuse me). Goodell should implement a no tolerance policy regarding handguns and NFL players. While I understand that players who spend time in the national spotlight are more likely to be subject to acts of violence due to their financial and public standing, there has to be another way to deal with this. Why not get them all personal bodyguards? Oh right, because then they get drunk and get into fights with them and get forced into AA. So I guess that solution is out. But seriously, the only way Goodell can make a dent in this problem is a zero tolerance policy. One strike and your done. Cause it is so hard to go and get a gun registered? I mean honestly.
On a happier note in the NFL, for the first time in since 2001 the Patriots are not in the front of the AFC playoff picture and after embarrassing themselves against the Steelers this weekend find themselves neck in neck in one of the more exciting playoff races I have seen in a long time. So many teams, so little spots. To think that 10 wins wont be good enough to make the playoffs is the greatest thing I have ever heard. Competition is back in the NFL. YES!

NCAA Football:
The College football season is coming to a close and once again the BCS computers are doing their absolute best to ruin everything. I think it's in their programming to try and make everyone angry. But as of now the top two teams in the country, Alabama and Oklahoma, in my mind, deserve to be there. Alabama, the lone BCS unbeaten (not counting Utah and Boise State because we all know the mountain west is a joke, despite the fact that they continue to each know off top 25 teams every time they cross paths. How quickly we forget Oklahoma) and Oklahoma, whose one loss came in one of the most exciting college football games I have ever seen in the loss to third ranked Texas. Oklahoma deserves to be at number two after their thrashing of the most efficient college offense I have seen in my lifetime of Texas Tech (who deserve to be in a BCS bowl as much as anyone). They earned their spot in my mind and being that I feel Alabama will not beat Florida this weekend their national championship hopes are very much alive.
The Heisman has more legitimate contenders in my mind then there have been in years. While Sam Bradford seems to be the front-runner (with which I am totally ok with) there are a number of players who could win and cause me to lose no sleep over it. Teabeau could go back to back, despite the dip in his numbers from his hall of fame type numbers from last year, Colt McCoy is having the season of a lifetime and in light of his planning on staying for his senior year, and the incremental increase in numbers over the past three years, plan on seeing him finish in the top three this year and going number one in the 2010 NFL draft to the Seattle Seahawks or St. Louis Rams (you heard it here first). And lets not forget the Brady and Moss of the Big 12 in Harrell and Crabtree down at Texas Tech, both worth candidates as well as well as conference rival Chase Daniel (who would have won it last year if not for the explosion of Teabeau). And lets not forget those poor players who are not in the national spotlight who are as deserving as anyone to be considered for national recognition (an issue which bothers me as much as non-BCS conference teams not having a shot at the national title. Lets not forget LT, Steve McNair, TO; just to name a few players who did not need a big college program to become stars in the NFL).  Shonn Greene of Iowa leads all rushers with 1729 yards to accompany his 17 touchdown runs, which tie for 5th in the nation. Or Michigan States Jevon Ringer who ranks in the top five in total yards and yards per game as well as leading the country in rushing touchdowns for the 21st ranked Spartans. Also of note LeSean McCoy of Pittsburgh and MiQuale Lewis of Ball St who are on the verge of completing their first undefeated season in school history, much to his credit. But despite the huge number of worth candidates, expect it to come down to Bradford, Teabeau and (Colt) McCoy, with Bradford coming out on top.

MLB:
As a disappointed Yankees fan this off-season could not have come fast enough. For the first time in my life, I was looking forward to the potential off-season moves that would help restore the pinstripes to glory. While allowing Hank Steinbrenner the ability to try and do what his father did is the dumbest move the Yankees have made since not cutting ties with Carl Pavano over the past ten years, he may just have the personnel around him to potentially succeed as the most scrutinized owner in professional sports (with the exception of Mark Cuban who brings the heat on himself). I predict Sabathia not signing with the Yankees and going wherever the hell he wants for as much as he feels like because, oh wait, he can. I don't see him maintaining this sort of dominance much longer and see it as a blessing in disguise for the Yankees 3 years from now. Especially with the luck they have had with pitchers over the past couple of seasons. Burnett and or Derek Lowe will be in pinstripes next year and if not them Ben Sheets. One of those three will not be able to refuse the offers the Yankees can provide at this point in their careers and should great them with open arms and wide open wallets. I predict the Yankee's rotation for next season will look something like this: Wang, Sheets, Lowe, Pettite, Chamberlain (only because Hank wont listen to reason or statisticians and will ruin the best shot the bombers had at molding the next great closing pitcher who could, along with Jonathon Paplebon, be to the two most dominant closers the league has seen since the 90's). In terms of fielding...Posada moves to first as they make a move for a younger catcher (please let it be Satalamachia) and the outfield looks a whole lot younger as Melky returns to play center, Matsui in Right and Nady in Left.
The Red Sox are one Manny-replacement away from their next world series. If they find a way to land Texiera, they win the next three World Series. If not, and they settle for someone else who can come in after Papi and hit .300 with 25+ home runs (preferably for them a catcher) they are untouchable and the best team in baseball as much as it hurts me to say it.

NBA:
I have three points and three point alone on the NBA and they are as fallows:
1) The Celtics are the best team in the NBA, period. Rondo is a legitimate point guard and Perkins is good enough to allow KG to rein his terror over anyone who comes his way. Allen and Pierce, despite their age, may be the best 2-3 combo in the league and I don't care what anyone says. The bench is gellin', and Doc is sitting in the drivers seat and knows exactly how to optimize the performance of this machine.

2) Lebron James is a fool for letting out so early his desires to play for the Knicks when his contract runs out at the end of this season. The Knicks? Honestly? I mean I don't see Alan Houston, Larry Johnson, Patrick Ewing and Latrell Sprewell walking through the tunnel, and the last time I checked, those were some of the names the last time the Knicks were good. Other then the fact that he openly wants to join a bottom dwelling team with so little chemistry its almost comical, he is saying all this while the Cavs are arguably the third best team in the NBA (behind the Lakers and Celtics). And then to go out and call Sir Charles an Idiot? Oh Lebron. I think it is you sir who is the idiot in this situation. Cleveland loves you and has bent over backwards to make you happy and bring you a championship. And if you are going to leave, every team in the league wants you and you choose the Knicks. Oh man.

3) Staying with the boys from NYC, my favorite ongoing story in the NBA involving the second highest payed player in the league, and once considered the best point guard in the league, Stephan Marbury. Ahh yes, what a life he is living. Getting paid more then all but one person in the league to ride the bench and take low blows at the organization who saw him on the decline and refuse to do anything to help change the ways of the once proud franchise who finds themselves drowning at the bottom of the eastern conference. What happened to the man behind the Starburry shoe line designed to be a quality shoe for those who did not have the mean to spend 100$ on a pair of sneakers. Hard to believe they are the same person. Get off your ass and listen to D'Antoni you fool! Play the game!

NCAA Basketball:
Not too much for me to say other then the ACC/Big Ten challenge is not a challenge but rather an exhibition for the ACC to exert its dominance over whomever they please as the hands down best conference in basketball. It should be called the ACC smack down featuring the Big Ten.
Three seasons from now, Indiana will return to national prominence along with Kentucky. Both schools are in limbo under new coaches and penalties in Indiana but will come out the other side in three years as national powerhouses once again. As long as Bill G dumps his preseason boot camp that left the cats so tired at the start of the season they could not buy a win.
On a closing note: UNC could very well go undefeated. That's a fact.

Well I know that was a lot to take in and I tried to hold back as much as possible for the sake of the potential reader. More to come.