When Team USA takes the court Thursday night (Friday morning in the U.S.) in the semifinals of the FIBA World Championship, they’ll face their toughest opponent to date. Greece is 7-0 in WC play and is the reigning European champion. Considering they don’t have an NBA player on their roster, that’s saying something. Greece does a terrific job of slowing the game down, playing offensive possessions late into the shot clock and getting to the foul line. In short, they’re good at making the game ugly, and when that happens, favorites often lose.

Offensively, Greece will pound the ball inside to their big men, Lazaros Papadopoulos and Sofoklis Schortsianitis. On defense, they’ll matchup man-to-man, but they won’t be flying around in the passing lanes getting out of position. This will limit Team USA’s opportunities and force them to make outside shots to win the game. Germany had a similar intent with its 2-3 zone, but the Americans were able to get on the offensive glass to create second and third opportunities. It won’t be so easy against Greece, who has the size to match up with Team USA’s frontline.

But there two things about the Greeks that present even bigger problems for Team USA: heart and cohesiveness. This is a real team that has played together (on and off) for years, not just a collection of the country’s talent cobbled together at the last minute. Each player has a role to play so there won’t be any players trying to do things that they - physically or skill-wise - aren’t able to do. They have a reputation for always playing like a champion, so the U.S. should expect maximum effort regardless of the score. Moreover, they should expect Greece to play with a chip on their shoulder. Greece represents Europe’s best, and for a long time the continent has taken a back seat basketball-wise to the United States, so there is much to play for in the eyes of the Europeans.

That said, the U.S. team has a physical advantage over Greece. If Team USA limits turnovers and takes good shots, they’ll have a chance to win the game. The most important priority should be to play solid, man-to-man defense. The U.S. has a tendency to gamble defensively, going for steals when they should stay home on their defender. Thus far, other than the game against Italy, it hasn’t hurt them, but that could easily change in the next two contests.

Team USA is no doubt playing in the passing lanes because head coach Mike Krzyzewski told them to do so. His Duke teams always play like that, with great results. But here’s the difference – at Duke, a guy can get out of position and maybe two or three guys on the opposing team can make them pay. In international ball, four or five opposing players can hit a mid-range jumper, take it to the rack with success or find the open man. Team USA still needs to play aggressively, as much of their success can be attributed to turning the other team over and pushing the ball up court, but they need to avoid gambling needlessly. Because it will cost them.

Team USA always gets its opponent’s best shot. Coach K is used to this – year after year, his Duke teams walk around with giant bull’s-eyes on their chests. The question is – how will his players react? Will they come together under tough circumstances and pull out a win? Or will they fold under the pressure?

I guess we’ll find out Friday morning @ 3:30 AM ET on ESPN2.

In the other semifinal, Spain (Pau Gasol) and Argentina (Manu Ginobili) square off at 6:30 AM, also on ESPN2.

In honor of the 2006 college football season, Bullz-Eye.com will preview an up-and-coming game of the week, each week, for the entire length of the NCAA season.

Each week a game will be highlighted and broken down by each team’s strengths and weaknesses vs. its opponent. Plus, no preview would be complete without a forecasted score – along with the game breakdown, you’ll find a prediction on Bullz-Eye.com as well.

On tap this week: #11 Florida State at #12 Miami (FL)

Anybody ready for some football?

With the NFL still a week away, the NCAA kicks off its action tonight with a bevy of games on tap. The only ranked team playing tonight is No. 24 Arizona State taking on Northern Arizona, but so what?

We’ve been without football for nearly seven months and I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m clamoring for some pigskin action that actually counts in the record book.

Now that the college season is upon us, what would the fun be without a little look into the crystal ball? My NCAA College Football Preview is up on Bullz-Eye.com and for a little taste, here are the top five programs on my list.

For the full 20, you’ll have to click on the link to Bullz-Eye at the bottom of the post.

1. Ohio State
Studs: Troy Smith, QB; Ted Ginn Jr., WR; Quinn Pitcock, DT; Antonio Pittman, RB
Despite only returning two starters on defense, the Buckeyes are primed to make a run at the National Championship. QB Troy Smith’s comparisons to Vince Young aren’t as far off as some people will have you believe. Smith can make plays in the spread offense both through the air and on the ground. WR Ted Ginn Jr. will have plenty of opportunities to dazzle in OSU’s offense and on special teams while getting a chance to line up as a quarterback in shotgun formations. The running tandem of All-Big Ten Antonio Pittman and freshman Chris Wells will be hard to stop this year. Experience on defense will be the only question mark heading into the season, but having a dominating force such as DT Quinn Pitcock will help ease the transition. Also, facing a Texas team that will have an inexperienced QB so early in the season (Sept. 9) will only help the Buckeyes chances of being the top dog in January.
Game to Watch: at Texas, Sept. 9

2. Texas
Studs: Frank Okam, DT; Tarell Brown, CB; Justin Blalock, OT
With such high expectations heading into the season, expect either Colt McCoy or Jevan Snead, whichever young QB wins the job, to struggle initially. Look for the defense to carry the Longhorns early in the season with corners Aaron Ross and Tarell Brown. Both are dependable enough to play on islands and top LB recruit Sergio Kindle should make a huge splash even as a freshman. Texas has a solid offensive line led by All-American OT Justin Blalock and can run the ball efficiently with Jamaal Charles and Selvin Young. The Longhorns may take an early loss to Ohio State, but the defending champs have all the makings for a repeat title run.
Game to Watch: vs. Ohio State, Sept. 9

3. USC
Studs: Dwayne Jarrett, WR; Lawrence Jackson, DE; Ryan Kalil, C
No Matt Leinart, Reggie Bush or LenDale White? No problem for head coach Pete Carroll and the Trojans. USC has an explosive wide receiver duo in Dwayne Jarrett and Steve Smith. Jarrett is a 6-foot-5, 215-pound junior with unbelievable playmaking skills that should be double covered on every play. Smith is a nice complement on the other side of Jarrett and, sticking with the offensive theme, tailback Chauncey Washington should have no problem carrying the load left by Bush and White. In fact, when Washington was a freshman, coaches considered him the better prospect over Bush and White, but grades kept him from showing his potential. Weaknesses in the secondary and replacing so many high talent playmakers will be the only thing that can keep USC down this year.
Game to Watch: vs. Notre Dame, Nov. 25

4. Notre Dame
Studs: Brady Quinn, QB; Tom Zbikowski, S; Jeff Samardzija, WR
When you have a Heisman Trophy candidate as your quarterback, as the Domers do in Brady Quinn, expectations will understandably be soaring heading into the regular season. Quinn doesn’t have to do everything on his own, however, as he has some veteran weapons at his disposal in wide receivers Jeff Samardzija and Rhema McKnight. Quinn also will be paired with RB Darius Walker in one of the top backfields in the nation. Depending on who you ask, Notre Dame’s weakness is in the secondary. However, cornerbacks Tom Zbikowski and Chinedum Ndukwe are leaders and can play man coverage as well as the pair from Ohio State can. If ND can get past a physical schedule early on and head into November undefeated, they’ll be tough to bounce out of National Championship contention.
Game to Watch: at USC, Nov. 25

5. Auburn
Studs: Kenny Irons, RB; Quentin Groves, DE; Courtney Taylor, WR
A top-five backfield and secondary will aid the Tigers’ chances at a title in ’06. Tailback Kenny Irons’ breakout 2005 season (1,293 yards, 13 touchdowns) provided a surprisingly smooth transition from Cadillac Williams and Ronnie Brown the year before. Teamed up with Irons will be steady QB Brandon Cox, who excels at the little things like selling play fakes and handling the ball. When new coordinator Will Muschamp moved All-SEC free safety Will Herring to linebacker this offseason, he improved his LB corps, but many wondered if he hurt his secondary. But with David Irons and Jonathan Wilhite returning at corner this season, Muschamp had the flexibility to make the move, and the risk should pay off during the season. Point of weakness for the Tigers heading into ’06: They need WR Courtney Taylor to bounce back to 2004 form quick, fast and in a hurry.
Game to Watch: vs. LSU, Sept. 16

Read the rest at Bullz-Eye.com

Throughout the preseason, we’ll take a look at the best – and worst – the NFL has to offer, unit by unit. Look for a new set of rankings every few days.

A powerful defensive line can do wonders for your entire defense. The d-line can keep guards off linebackers or create a rush to give the secondary a helping hand in the passing game.

A team can have sack masters, space eaters or a combination of both if the line is good enough.

Keeping in mind that some teams play the 4-3 and some play the 3-4, what defensive lines are the best in the NFL?

Criteria for defensive line:

80% of a team’s grade will fall on the four starters (or three if the team plays a 3-4). Of those starters, the unit must strike a balance between being able to stop the run and generating a pass rush up front.

Since a lot of teams use a rotation in order to keep their line fresh for the fourth quarter, the rest of the 20% will go to the depth a unit has. Teams may rise or fall depending on their depth, but most of the emphasis will go on the starters.

The Top 10:

1. Carolina Panthers
Julius Peppers, Michael Rucker, Kris Jenkins, Maake Kemoeatu, Kindal Moorehead
It’s hard to argue the production this unit can generate both against the run and pressuring the quarterback. Julius Peppers is an athletic freak who occasionally lines up as wide receiver on the goal line, but mostly just sacks quarterbacks (10.5 put downs last year). Michael Rucker is 31, but is a relentless worker who had 7.5 sacks last year. Kris Jenkins is a former Pro Bowler who could be one of the best DT’s in the game if he could ever stay healthy, and Maake Kemoeatu adds massive size to this unit. Carolina finished fourth against the run last year. Kindal Moorehead and Al Wallace provide excellent depth for this unit.

2. Seattle Seahawks
Grant Wistrom, Rocky Bernard, Chuck Darby, Bryce Fisher, Marcus Tubbs
Talk about depth. The Seahawks can go five deep with their defensive line unit and still get quality production from every player. Grant Wistrom had a bit of a down year last year and needs to rebound, but both Rocky Bernard and Bryce Fisher finished with just under 10 sacks apiece. Chuck Darby ended up being one of the better free agent pickups last season and Marcus Tubbs finished with five and a half sacks as a reserve.

3. Chicago Bears
Adewale Ogunleye, Alex Brown, Tommie Harris, Ian Scott, Alfonso Boone
This line is one of the more balanced front fours in the entire league. Adewale Ogunleye is a speed rusher from the outside and Alex Brown gets consistent pressure opposite the former Dolphin. Tommie Harris and Ian Scott make up two of the most underrated tackles in the league and the Bears have depth to burn with Michael Haynes, Tank Johnson, Alfonso Boone and rookie Dusty Dvoracek.

4. Jacksonville Jaguars
Reggie Howard, John Henderson, Marcus Stroud, Paul Spicer, Rob Meier
This unit could easily be the top defensive line in the league if they were just a bit better against the run. Marcus Stroud and John Henderson form possibly the best defensive-tackle duo in the NFL and since the team added Reggie Howard, he and Paul Spicer give Jacksonville a nice pass rush from the outside. Howard led the Jags with 8.5 sacks last year and Spicer was right on his heels with 7.5. Rob Meier can play both the tackle and end position when rest for the starters is needed.

5. Indianapolis Colts
Dwight Freeney, Robert Mathis, Montae Reagor, Raheem Brock, Corey Simon
These guys are about average or slightly above against the run, but man, can they rush the passer. Dwight Freeney is the big name out of this group, and rightfully so with his speed and athleticism, but pass-rush specialist Robert Mathis is a handful himself. Freeney and Mathis combined to give Indianapolis 22.5 sacks last year. Montae Regor has become the d-line’s leader while Corey Simon fit in well last year as a free agent. Raheem Brock may be the most versatile player among the front four.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers
Aaron Smith, Casey Hampton, Brett Keisel, Orien Harris
The first three-man defensive line on the list goes to the Super Bowl Champions. This unit leaves the sacks to the linebackers, but Casey Hampton gives opposing interior offensive linemen fits trying to man up on him. Aaron Smith is great at the point of attack and gives the Steelers their best pass rush while opposite end Brett Keisel was needed to secure the void left by Kimo von Oeloffen’s defection. If rookie Orien Harris is ready to play at the start of the season, he may claim the starter’s spot from Keisel. Pittsburgh finished third against the run last season.

7. New England Patriots
Richard Seymour, Vince Wilfork, Ty Warren, Dan Kleco
You could make a serious argument that the Patriots should flip-flop with the Steelers because of end Richard Seymour, but we’ll leave New England here for now. All three of these guys are former number-one picks and Seymour is the best of the bunch by fitting so well into head coach Bill Belichick’s scheme. Ty Warren has started 32 straight regular season games, which speaks volumes about his dependability, and Vince Wilfork finished second on the team last year with 91 tackles. The depth is a bit better on the Steelers at this point, but New England reserve Dan Kleco has a high motor.

8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Simeon Rice, Greg Spires, Chris Hovan, Anthony McFarland, Jon Bradley
This group gets passed over a lot when analysts talk about defensive lines because Tampa has such a good front seven as a whole, but the Bucs are talented up front. Simeon Rice is a sack demon virtually every year and, although Greg Spires finished with only four sacks, he is probably the best overall player on Tampa’s line. Anthony “Booger” McFarland finally stayed healthy last season and the addition of Chris Hovan propelled the Bucs to a top-10 finish against the run in 2005. Jon Bradley found his way into the regular rotation last season.

9. Miami Dolphins
Jason Taylor, Kevin Carter, Vonnie Holliday, Keith Traylor, Dan Wilkinson
Miami has a solid balance of rush and pass with Jason Taylor leading the way with 12 sacks last year. Kevin Carter and Vonnie Holliday provided a nice pass rush as well last season, and adding big Dan Wilkinson in the offseason will help shore up the run defense in ’06 along with Keith Traylor.

10a. Atlanta Falcons
John Abraham, Patrick Kerney, Rod Coleman, Grady Jackson, Chauncey Davis
The Falcons were on the verge of missing the top 10 due to their atrocious run defense last year, but they didn’t have two of these two guys in ‘05. The Atlanta foursome of John Abraham, Patrick Kerney, Rod Coleman and Grady Jackson has a combined for 190 career regular season starts between them. No other foursome in the league can touch that number and the recent addition of Jackson gives this unit some beef in the middle to help stop opposing runners this year. How excited are Chris Simms, Jake Delhomme and Drew Brees to face this bunch twice a year?

10b. San Diego Chargers
Luis Castillo, Igor Olshansky, Jamal Williams, Chase Page, Jacques Cesaire
The Giants just missed the list in favor of the Chargers’ young trio. Odds are not a lot of people have heard of this group, but they, along with the Chargers’ linebacker unit, finished number one in the NFL against the run last season. The best thing about this unit is its youth too, with Luis Castillo heading into only his second year and Igor Olshansky a mere pup too. Jamal Williams is the veteran of the group and made his first Pro Bowl appearance last season.

The Bottom Five:

28. Oakland Raiders
Derrick Burgess, Tyler Brayton, Tommy Kelly, Warren Sapp, Lance Johnstone
Derrick Burgess led the league in sacks, but he and the rest of this unit get abused in the running game and Warren Sapp should be regulated to a backup at this stage in his declining career.

29. Kansas City Chiefs
Jared Allen, Lional Dalton, Eric Hicks, Tamba Hali, Ryan Sims
Jared Allen is the only true stud of the group with 11 sacks last year, but Eric Hicks is going to get a lot of pressure from rookie Tamba Hali and Ryan Sims continues to be a disappointment due to injuries.

30. San Francisco 49ers
Bryant Young, Anthony Adams, Marques Douglas, Ronnie Fields
Marques Douglas led all 49er linemen with 62 tackles last year, but Anthony Adams is playing out of place in a 3-4 system. How much longer will Bryant Young play?

31. Buffalo Bills
Aaron Schobel, Larry Tripplett, Chris Kelsay, Kyle Williams, John McCargo
Aaron Schobel had a nice year, posting double-digit sacks, but Chris Kelsay isn’t much help on the other side and rookie John McCargo will push Kyle Williams and newly acquired Larry Tripplett for their jobs.

32. Cincinnati Bengals
Justin Smith, Sam Adams, Robert Geathers, Bryan Robinson, Shaun Smith
How can a team with such a good offensive line have such a below average defensive front? This unit is terrible; they just don’t do one thing particularly well. Justin Smith can rush the passer, but hasn’t lived up to the number-four selection the Bengals used on him in 2001, and Sam Adams is getting up there in age. Robert Gethers isn’t much against the run and who knows what Cincinnati has in Bryan Robinson?

Titans’ HC Jeff Fisher denied the CBS Sportsline item which indicated that Travis Henry was going to start Week 1. Chris Brown is apparently still the #1 guy in Tennessee, but the situation is quite muddled… Billy Volek is apparently upset about the signing of Kerry Collins and wants out of Tennessee. Collins is expected to start Week 1…Warrick Dunn is set to be the Falcons’ main offensive weapon and will be used around the goal line. This makes Dunn a great pick in the third round, especially in PPR leagues…Carson Palmer suffered no ill-effects in his knee after Monday night’s game and is expected to start the final preseason game. With injuries like his, it’s always good to hear that the player suffered no aftereffects. His healthy return continues to boost the value of Chad Johnson, T.J. Houshmandzadeh and Rudi Johnson…NFL.com is reporting that Adam Vinatieri has a severely injured ankle, going so far as to say that it may be broken. When asked about it, Vinatieri didn’t deny the report. He’s a kicker, so stay away from him for now.

How can a problem be so publicized, so scrutinized and so downright shoved down our throats by the media get so much attention in one sport but not another?

It was the late Ken Caminiti who opened up a lot of people’s eyes in a 2002 Sports Illustrated cover story that steroid use in sports was perhaps a bigger issue than what most people thought.

It would be a vast understatement to say that since then, the media has run with the story.

Current major league players such as Barry Bonds and Jeremy Giambi along with former stars like Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa have come under rapid fire over the years about their involvement with performance enhancing drugs.

The players are criticized for using, commissioner Bud Selig is chastised for possibly being aware of the steroid use in his league and overall the sport is under a constant microscope by fans and analyst.

Back to the original question, though: how can one sport’s problems with performance enhancing drugs be brought to light by the media and fans, but not another?

In a recent blog written by C.W. Nevius on sfgate.com, Nevius wonders aloud if anybody really cares that the NFL might have just as big of a problem with steroids as the MLB does.

In the blog, he writes that since the NFL is a league that is basically adored by the public and crushes other programs in television ratings, that people are simply don’t care.

Nevius uses the newly uncovered facts released by The Charlotte Observer that several players of the ‘04 Carolina Panthers team used performance-enhancing drugs on several occasions that season, as a backdrop for his argument.

The Observer quotes Dr. Gary Wadler, a well-known expert on performance enhancing drugs, who prepared a report for the U.S. Attorney General’s office.

“Several of them were using disturbing, particularly alarmingly high amounts with high dosages for long durations — some in combinations,” Wadler said. “This wasn’t just a passing flirtation with these prohibited substances. When I see (prescriptions) `renewed five times,’ I say, `What are you trying to accomplish?’ ”

It certainly seems like it. Wadler’s report, based on the players’ medical records, showed that Steussie and another player picked up prescriptions for drugs just days before leaving for the 2004 Super Bowl. (The Panthers lost that game, 32-29 to New England.)

Dr. Wadler identified former Panthers’ Todd Steusie, Jeff Mitchell, Kevin Donnalley and Wesley Walls as players who were known to have taken steroids.

Those weren’t exactly practice squad members – every single one of those players contributed to Carolina going to the Super Bowl that season.

Let it be known that it wasn’t all of the Panthers players involved in the drug use, but the point is that the NFL is seemingly ducking a lot of scrutiny by use of smoke and mirrors.

By suspending a few players each season, the NFL is making the public believe that its drug testing is on the up and up. But are we to believe that the majority of the NFL is clean?

Nevius details in his blog that the average linebacker 20 years ago was 225 pounds. Now the average LB is upwards of 265 pounds and can still run the 40-yard dash in 4.4 seconds.

Now I love the NFL. To me, there is no more organized and classy league out there. Come Sunday’s in the fall, there is no better feeling than waking up to a full schedule of football games and nothing to do but sit back in watch.

But how can we as fans berate one league (going as far to say that Barry Bonds’ stats should have an asterisk by them in the record books), but simply turn away from another league when there is full documentation stating that players were using steroids during a Super Bowl run?

The 2004 Panthers are simply not discussed, while news reports and debates on national radio and TV stations bring up ‘riods in the MLB virtually every day.

Now, I don’t equate players using steroids to enhance their performance as say, someone who is handed all the answer to a test, but it is still wrong. It is still someone using an unfair advantage over the next guy.

It is still cheating – and we as fans should start paying attention to the rug that is being pulled over our eyes by the NFL.

Curtis Martin will start the season on the Physically Unable to Perform (PUP) list, which means he’s on the shelf for at least the first five weeks of the season. Kevan Barlow and Derrick Blaylock are fighting for the starting job for the Jets, a situation which should be avoided by all but the most desperate fantasy owners…Mike Shanahan (aka “Skeletor” and the “Mastermind”) is at it again. After awarding Mike Bell the top spot on the depth chart, setting up a combination similar to the Mike Anderson/Tatum Bell one-two punch that was so productive for Anderson last season, Shanny is now saying that it’s not that clear. Once again, the Denver RB situation is muddled, but the team has probably the best run-blocking line in all of football, so it’s tempting to dive in and take one of the Bells in the 4th or 5th round. Let the buyer beware…Terrell Owens graced the rest of the Dallas Cowboys with his presence on the practice field this week. Honestly, I don’t know what the big deal is about a sore hammy. WRs have them all over the league. This is more about the battle of wills between Owens and Bill Parcells. Given the contentious preseason, I’m not sure T.O. won’t pull a repeat of last season…A source close to the Tennessee Titans reported that it will be Travis Henry, not Chris Brown, that will start for the team Week 1. We’re still waiting for a confirmation of this to prove that it wasn’t just the report of an optimistic fantasy owner…Torry Holt still has a bruised sternum, but he returned to practice and looks good to go…Bill Belichick inferred that there may be a RBBC forming in New England. Laurence Maroney has looked so good in the preseason that it will be hard to deny him playing time, and Bellichick feels that it’s important to have at least two good running backs, given all the hits they take during the course of the season. This is bad news for Dillon owners and obviously good news for Maroney, but really, everyone loses in a RBBC.

This is becoming a trend at the 2006 FIBA World Championship: Team USA looks a little sloppy and sluggish in the first half, turning the ball over and taking several bad shots, leading to a close margin at halftime. After half, the team plays with a lot of energy, cranks up the defense and gets several easy baskets as a result. The team’s depth and versatility eventually wear their opponent down, leading to a double-digit victory.

And so it went in Team USA’s 85-65 victory over a wily German squad. The U.S. made 14 of 44 (32%) shots in the first half, including 5 of 20 (25%) from behind the arc, which led to a 40-39 lead at halftime. The U.S. was lucky that Germany’s best player, Dirk Nowitzki, came out cold and finished 3-12 (25%) from the field, scoring only 15 points in the game.

Carmelo Anthony led all scorers with 19, but struggled at times with his shot, finishing just 7-19 (37%) from the field. LeBron James added 13 points, but was sloppy, committing seven turnovers. The third captain, Dwayne Wade, had his worst game of the tournament, scoring only three points on 1-11 (9%) shooting.

The difference maker was Chris Bosh, who once again came off the bench with boundless energy, scoring 10 points and grabbing seven rebounds in just 14 minutes of play. That’s the beauty of Team USA’s depth – if Elton Brand and/or Dwight Howard are having an off night, head coach Mike Krzyzewski can call on the uber-talented Bosh to make up the difference.

The U.S. was the last of the four favorites to make it to the semis. Spain, Argentina and Greece were already in, defeating Lithuania, Turkey and France, respectively. Team USA faces Greece in the Final Four – the game will be broadcast at 6:30 AM (ET) on Friday on ESPN2, while the Spain/Argentina game starts at 3:30 AM (also on ESPN2).

A word of warning: if Team USA continues to get off to a slow start, they might find themselves down 10 or more at the break, which is a pretty big hole to be in with only twenty minutes to play. Greece, Spain and Argentina are simply more talented than any team the U.S. has faced thus far, and they’ll have to play well for more than 20 minutes if they hope to prevail.

A severe bone bruise in his left knee could spell an early season’s end for Houston Texans runnning back Domanick Davis.

“It’s getting to the point where it’s just draining me,” he said. “I’m tired of watching. I’ve been here and I’ve worked hard with everybody else and I can’t be out there and help. It’s just killing me watching.”

Davis said he doesn’t really have any significant pain when doing every day activities, but when he runs his knee is “just not right.”

“It’s up and it’s down,” he said. “I can feel good one day and I’ll do a little more and kind of aggravate it a little bit, then I have to back off of it a little bit.”

It’s possible that Davis could be put on injured reserve. This obviously doesn’t sit well with Davis fantasy owners. While his rushing numbers and touchdown totals decreased from 2004 last season, Davis still was seen as a quality back for the upcoming season. Rookie Wali Lundy is slated to start in his place, but the Texans also have Antwain Smith and Vernand Morency on the roster.

Mike Montgomery has been fired as coach of the Golden State Warriors after two years with the team. He was reportedly at odds with many of the players, and joins a long list of successful college coaches who were unable to enjoy immediate success in the NBA.

“I’m very appreciative of the opportunity that I was presented two years ago,” Montgomery said in a statement released by the team. “This was a new challenge that I was eager to embrace and glad that I had the chance to pursue and experience. I’d like to thank the Warriors’ organization for their support, professionalism and class, and I’d also like to thank the fans of the Bay Area. This is a tremendous region for basketball and the support that they have provided me over the years has been simply outstanding.”

That’s a pretty classy statement from a guy who has just been canned. During his two-year stint, Montgomery was often at odds with his players. In college, players have to conform to the head coach. In the pros, it’s the other way around.

Sources have told ESPN that former Dallas coach Don Nelson is set to replace him. The Warriors are expected to make the announcement Wednesday.

The New York Jets have officially named Chad Pennington as starting quarterback for the 2006 season.

Pennington, who was in a preseason battle with former Redskins’ backup Patrick Ramsey for the No. 1 spot, only played in three games last season before having to undergo his second shoulder surgery in two seasons.

In a related topic, the Jets also put running back Curtis Martin on the physically-unable-to-perform list with a knee injury that has caused him problems since the second half of last year.

Martin being put on the PUP list shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone considering the Jets just recently traded for former 49ers’ RB Kevan Barlow. I guess neither should the crowning of Pennington as their starting quarterback.

He took a salary cut to stay in New York through this season, but with two shoulder surgeries in just an eight-month span, the writing is on the wall for Pennington.

I don’t think I’m going out on a limb by saying this will be Pennington’s last year in green and white if he doesn’t produce early and often this season.

The status of Domanick Davis is in serious question. HC Gary Kubiak is inferring that Davis may not make the 53-man roster. This would leave Wali Lundy as the starter with Vernand Morency hot on his tail. It would be wise to handcuff the two, but fantasy owners might have a RBBC on their hands. I wonder if the team regrets passing on Reggie Bush…Carson Palmer tested his knee on Monday night, throwing for 140 yards and three touchdowns. He’s expected to start Week 1. His presence is a boost to Rudi Johnson, Chad Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh…Philip Rivers’ shoulder is bruised, but the quarterback said that he could play if it were game day. That sound you hear is LaDainian Tomlinson and Antonio Gates owners breathing a sigh of relief…Ahman Green looked pretty good on Monday night, but the Green Bay offensive line didn’t really open any holes for him. One of the first decisions GM Ted Thompson made when he took the job in 2005 was to let guards Mike Wahle and Marco Rivera become free agents. The Packers quickly went from having one of the best offensive lines to one of the worst…In other news, the Raiders signed 38 year-old Jeff George. Let me repeat that: the Raiders signed 38 year-old Jeff George. This guy wasn’t very good ten years ago.

The Dallas Cowboy fans have to be angry with the embarrassing actions Terrell Owens continues to show toward the Cowboy team and head coach Bill Parcells. Owens was recently fined $9500 for arriving late to a team meeting. He promptly responded that he overslept and it could happen again in the future.

Parcells, who is a firm believer in discipline, has to be boiling over inside being involved in this soap opera during the pre-season. The Cowboy organization and Coach Parcells have worked long and hard to return this team to the national prominence.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Cowboys soon lose their patience and asked Owens to remove himself from the squad. I really believe that Owens is a selfish person that cares only about himself. He has disrupted every team he’s played on and the only bigger moron is his agent, Drew Rosenhause. This duo is the exact reason people lose interest in professional sports.

ESPN.com is reporting that the Tennessee Titans have reached an agreement with quarterback Kerry Collins on Monday.

The move suggests that the Titans are not thrilled with current starter Billy Volek and instead of baptizing rookie Vince Young by fire, they opted to sign Collins, even though the regular season is a mere 14 days away.

Anybody that happened to catch Tennessee’s game with Atlanta Saturday night saw an offense that didn’t take many shots down field. Volek relied on tight ends and backs to make most of the catches and when he did complete a pass, it wasn’t for more than 10-yards. Collins is definitely a guy that can throw the ball vertically and maybe offensive coordinator and/or head coach Jeff Fisher feel that Collins is the better man for their offense.

Regardless, this move is puzzling on a couple of levels. First off, Collins is 33-years old and despite throwing for 20 touchdowns last year, he didn’t finish the ’05 campaign practically well.

Collins isn’t the future, Young is. And the Titans can’t honestly think they are on the brink of a playoff berth, but this move insinuates that Collins is somewhat of a missing link to the stagnant offense.

What this move spells out to me is that Fisher is extremely worried about his job and he thinks that Collins might be the answer to get him at least one more season and propel him into Vince Young-future.

Side Note:

Staying on topic with quarterbacks, Carson Palmer makes his preseason debut tonight against the Green Bay Packers (ESPN, 8pm Eastern).

Although it’s only his first game and head coach Marvin Lewis will probably play it safe, it’s going to be interesting to tune in to see how Palmer moves around on his surgically repaired knee.

The Eagles have traded an undisclosed future draft pick and reserve linebacker Mark Simoneau to the New Orleans Saints for wide receiver Donte’ Stallworth.

Though it’s not news that the Eagles have wanted to upgrade their receiving corps, the timing of this trade is a bit surprising. From a fantasy perspective, this helps Stallworth’s long-term value as the Eagles’ offense is more pass friendly than the Saints’. However, it will take some time to acclimate, so don’t expect him to contribute immediately.

On the other side, the effect on Reggie Brown will be mixed. He’ll benefit from the extra attention Stallworth will demand, but he’ll also lose a few targets, so right now I see this as a short-term wash, making me a little leery of drafting either guy too early until things shake out.

From a QB perspective, this move certainly helps Donovan McNabb while hurting Drew Brees.

The FIBA World Championships continue this week with Team USA facing off with Dirk Nowitzki’s Germany squad on Wednesday morning. Thursday night college football kicks off this week with two games, one on ESPN and one on ESPN2.

FIBA World Championships
Wed, 3:30 AM: Greece vs. France - ESPN2
Wed, 6:30 AM: USA vs. Germany - ESPN2*
*Note: If Team USA wins this game, they will play again at 6:30 AM on Friday morning.

MLB
Mon, 10:05 PM: Boston @ Oakland - ESPN2
Wed, 7:05 PM: Detroit @ NY Yankees - ESPN
Thurs, 1:05 PM: Detroit @ NY Yankees - ESPN
Thurs, 9:05 PM: NY Mets @ Colorado - ESPN2

College Football
Thurs, 6 PM: Boston College vs. Central Michigan - ESPN2
Thurs, 8 PM: South Carolina vs. Mississippi State - ESPN

Preseason NFL
Mon, 8 PM: Green Bay @ Cincinnati - ESPN

It looks like Greg Jones did more than just sprain his knee. Reports are flying that he’s out for the season, which both helps and hurts Fred Taylor. On one had, Jones won’t be there taking away carries, but on the other, Taylor loses a very good fullback. Maurice Jones-Drew should get more action as well…Javon Walker appears to be 100% back. He caught three passes for 41 yards in Denver’s last preseason game…Torry Holt is having an MRI done on his sternum, but the injury doesn’t appear to be serious. That combined with Steve Smith’s return to practice is enough to move Smith ahead of Holt…Nate Burleson is adapting well to Seattle’s offense and has gotten a lot of reps with Darrell Jackson being out.

T.O. is getting fined, Greg Jones may be out for the year, there are WRs everywhere missing time with bad hamstrings…

You’ve got questions, we’ve got answers. Post all of your fantasy football related questions here.

Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Terrell Owens hasn’t wasted much time in being a distraction for his new team. The 11-year veteran was reportedly fined $9,500 by the Cowboys over the weekend according to ESPN.com.

Apparently Owens missed a team meeting, a rehabilitation assignment session and was late to an offensive meeting.

The incidents occurred Friday, the team’s final day preparing for a preseason game against San Francisco. The Cowboys beat the 49ers 17-7, making them 3-0 this preseason without Owens playing any of the games because of a hamstring injury that’s also kept him out of 19 of 31 practices since the start of training camp.

Well, everybody knew this was going to blow up in the Cowboys’ face, but this soon? Usually T.O. delivers for at least one season before destroying the organization that employs him.

Coincidently, the Cowboys have been playing very well without Owens on the field; albeit it’s only preseason, but quarterback Drew Bledsoe has been getting along quite well without the receiver not even taking one snap as a Cowboy in any game yet.

I’ve been one to defend Owens’ production on the field when he plays, but at 32, it’s obvious he’ll never get it.

I’m sure Owens will come out with an excuse for his actions by Monday afternoon, because well all know, it’s T.O.’s fault!

The Vikings have released Koren Robinson, confirming that the team suspects that he’ll be suspended for the entire season. Setting K-Rob’s substance abuse history aside, I often wonder why professional athletes (or any celebrity, for that matter) don’t hire a personal driver when they are planning to go out and drink. How much would one cost for a year? $50-$100K? Seems like a small price to pay to avoid all of the drama…Thomas Jones had an opportunity to seize the starting job in Chicago, but a disappointing game (four carries, three yards) muddles the situation even further…Braylon Edwards made his preseason debut, and looked good on his one catch. Barring a setback, he should be ready for the opener…Greg Jones sprained his knee but is targeting the opener for his return. This results in a slight uptick in the value of Fred Taylor, but it’s hard to get excited about a guy with his history of injury…Greg Jennings continues to impress the coaching staff in Green Bay and he’s making a serious run at the #2 WR job alongside Donald Driver. He’s becoming a great late-round sleeper…Jerrious Norwood showed why the team was happy to trade T.J. Duckett away. The rookie carried nine times for 104 yards and a score, including a 62-yard TD run in the first quarter. Expect Warrick Dunn to have a fine season, but it’s becoming clear that Norwood will see a good amount of playing time…With Domanick Davis still out, the Texans are adopting a Running Back By Committee (RBBC) approach for the start of the season, rotating Wali Lundy and Vernand Morency for the first three quarters, and bringing in a third back at the start of the fourth quarter. Fantasy owners were hoping that HC Gary Kubiak would pick a starter and give him the ball 15-20 times, but this plan, if executed, would be a fantasy mess…Darrell Jackson says he’s targeting Week 1 for his return. D-Jax is a Top 10 receiver when healthy, but his lack of play in the preseason has many a fantasy owner worried…Jerome Harrison will be the #2 RB in Cleveland. HC Romeo Crennel said that if Harrison continues to play well, he’ll be used in a change-of-pace role…Ben Watson caught eight balls for 97 yards and a TD in the Patriots’ last preseason game, and is becoming Tom Brady’s #1 target. He’s a great pick in the eighth or ninth round…Undrafted rookie Hank Baskett will start alongside Reggie Brown as the Eagles’ #2 WR. His combination of size and speed make him a deep sleeper in bigger leagues.