I am about to present myself as a sacrificial lamb for the slaughter...but the saying "no guts, no glory" was created for a reason, so here goes:

As I sifted through the blog postings of the past few days, between Mock Drafts and Playoff postings, I couldn't ignore all the opinions on this year's NBA MVP. Hmm. That's funny. They haven't announced the MVP yet. We have the Coach of the Year, Avery Johnson; the Sixth Man winner, Mike Miller; and my personal favorite, the Sportsmanship Award, Elton Brand. But, according to the NBA, we don't have an official MVP winner for this season...yet.

So how come fans on both sides of the fence have thrown their hands in the air and cried out faster than a Baptist gospel choir on Sunday? Oh right, fans got their panties in a bunch thanks to the Arizona Republic's spoiler alert, published on April 26th saying "according to a league source familiar with the voting," Steve Nash will be named the League MVP for the second year in a row.

I would like to point out, this article was written and published by THE ARIZONA REPUBLIC, the Suns hometown paper. Secondly, the key words in this article are "would be," "expected to be," and "will be announced in two weeks." I didn't read anywhere in the article or on the NBA website that declared "Nash is the 2006 MVP." Breathe people.

Being a girl who is a NBA virgin, I decided to do a little investigating and put my own unbiased spin on this whole debate. If I've learned anything over the years of watching and analyzing sports, I've learned that nothing can be assumed. (The most recent example of this fact comes at the hands of the NFL Draft and the shock of Mario Williams as the first round pick over Reggie Bush.) Everyone can sit and speculate all they want, but until the buzzer rings or announcements are made, nothing is a sure thing.

To begin, how about a little history? The National Basketball Association's league MVP award is officially named The Maurice Podoloff Trophy. Maurice Podoloff was the granddaddy of the league, merging the Basketball Association of America together with the National Basketball League in 1949 and thus creating what we know today as the NBA. Mr. Podoloff was commissioner of the league from 1949-1963 and the MVP trophy was named after him. The award itself is determined by a vote of 124 Associated Press journalists. The journalist have five entries where they can award points to players: 10-7-5-3-1. Wow, this sounds a lot like the Heisman Trophy!

When word spread that Nash might be named MVP for the second year in a row, the mixed reaction was astounding! Kobe supporters were crying, LeBron fans were outraged, and Arizona was jumping with joy. Of course there are a few more names to throw in that mixed bag, but for the sake of time, I'll have to leave it at that.

From first glance, I'm hard-pressed to determine who gets my top vote. My biggest question is: what are the guidelines in determining the league MVP? It's easy to compare stats, but we all know that stats aren't a tell-tale sign of the impact a player can have in the game. Of course it is amazing to witness Kobe shooting 81 points in a single game, but how can you over look the 21 year old phenom who is one of three NBA players ever to average 30+ points a game, 7+ rebounds, and 6+ assists in a season? Finally, our sunny boy took a largely untested team back to the playoffs and scoffed at the notion that they couldn't repeat their 2005 season. They are all MVP worthy feats.

If I were the AP writer with a vote in my hand, I would have to think twice about giving it to the same player two years in a row. I've always been a fan of spreading the wealth, and when there are so many worthy players who have done amazing things for their teams and the league as a whole, why should the award be returned to the same player? Secondly, King James is 21 and he has just begun to climb to the top of his career. Sure, he is an undeniable talent who has finally giving the city of Cleveland something to celebrate down in the Flats, but unless some act of God comes between him and the basketball court, I suspect that he will continue to present a much stronger argument for MVP in the future. Finally, Mr. Bryant. Honestly, I'm not a major fan of the guy simply because of his on and off-the court antics. I know this isn't the "sportsmanship" award, but character should and DOES play a role in who wins this award. On the other hand, there is no denying that Kobe's stats are phenomenal and hands down should take this award on his ability to scare the pants of opponents when he has the ball in his hands.

In terms of Bryant, Nash, and James, a valid question is "Where would their teams be without them?" Good question, and one we'll never know. I would be hard pressed to say that without their star players, the Lakers, Suns, and Cavs would have a different song to sing this season. On the other hand, what might have transpired with other players from those teams if they didn't rely so much on their stars to win the game? Maybe a different player could have scored a whopping number of points if given the chance in LA. Regardless, the simple fact that all of these men are crucial and imperative pawns for their teams is the most relevant factor in determining the NBA MVP.

So who gets my vote? Kobe Bryant. I'm reluctant to give it to him simply because he falls short on the moral and character front, but I can't deny his stats. Nash won last year, and James has years ahead of him to win the award multiple times.

Ok squad...fire away!