Category: External Sports (Page 494 of 821)

      2010 NBA Preview: #21 to #25

      October 8, 2010 /
      Mar. 27, 2010 - Chicago, ILLINOIS, United States - epa02095912 New Jersey Nets center Brook Lopez (R) looks to make a pass in front of Chicago Bulls center Joakim Noah (L), during the third quarter of their NBA basketball game at the United Center in Chicago Illinois, USA, 27 March 2010. The Bulls defeated the Nets 106:83.

      This year, I’m going to preview the NBA season by starting with the lowest of the low and working my way up to my Finals picks. If a franchise is a legitimate championship contender, I’ll focus on what stars have to line up for a title run. If a team is a playoff also-ran, I’ll identify the weaknesses that have to be shored up via trade, free agency or draft over the next couple of seasons to make it a contender. If a team is likely to miss the playoffs, I’ll take a look at the salary cap, and provide a blueprint for how the team should proceed in the near future to get back in the postseason.

      Click here to see #26 to #30.

      #25: New Jersey Nets
      The Nets only won 12 games last season, but there are reasons to be optimistic about this team. Brook Lopez is developing into an All-Star caliber center and Terrence Williams played well in the last two months of his rookie season. Devin Harris is still a dangerous guard, and he’ll be reunited with his former coach, Avery Johnson. Throw in a good power forward (Troy Murphy) to mentor the #3 overall pick (Derrick Favors) and there are some pieces in place in New Jersey. Of course, Nets fans want to see the franchise swing a deal for Carmelo Anthony, but that plan looks to be on hold (or dead?) for now. He’d be a great fit at small forward, though after missing out on LeBron, the Nets did fork out $35 million at the position by signing Travis Outlaw this summer. That contract could come back to bite them, but for now the team has plenty of financial flexibility and a projected payroll of only $38 million heading into next season. The Nets would rather trade and extend Melo this season because they know the risk inherent anytime a player hits free agency.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      2010 College Football Week 6 Picks

      October 8, 2010 /
      TUSCALOOSA, AL - OCTOBER 02: Mark Ingram of the Alabama Crimson Tide celebrates his touchdown against the Florida Gators with Preston Dial and Michael Williams at Bryant-Denny Stadium on October 2, 2010 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

      It was a .500 effort last weekend thanks to NC State’s collapse against Virginia Tech. (What the H was that, Wolfpack?) Michigan State and Boise State were winners, while Ohio State and the NC State Chokesalot were losers.

      I’m 6-6 against the number this season, but let’s see if we can’t pull out another 3-1 Saturday like we did two weekends ago.

      No. 1 Alabama at. No. 19 South Carolina, 3:30PM ET, CBS
      The thought here might be to take the points with a 3-1 South Carolina team playing at home – especially after the Tide struggled with Arkansas two weeks ago on the road. But I think the near-loss was good for Nick Saban’s squad, who is at the end of a daunting three-game stretch. Heisman winner Mark Ingram shredded the Gamecocks last season by rushing for 246 yards and I see more of the same this year.
      THE PICK: ALABAMA –7

      Minnesota at No. 20 Wisconsin, 12:00PM ET, Big Ten Network
      I’m going right back to the well against Wisconsin again, which is just 1-4 against the spread this year. Minnesota’s offense has been a little better than people expected and this should be a classic Big Ten battle (i.e. boring football), which will be won down in the trenches. While I don’t see the Gophers pulling off an upset like the Spartans did last Saturday against Wisconsin, 22.5 points is too much for the Badgers to be laying against anyone right now.
      THE PICK: MINNESOTA +22.5

      Toledo at. No. 4 Boise State, 8:00PM ET, ESPN 3
      There typically aren’t any letdown games for a team like Boise State, but if there were, it would look like Toledo. The Broncos waxed New Mexico State 59-0 on the road last Saturday, which is why oddsmakers have hiked up the point spread again this week (Boise covered as a 43.5-point favorite). But the Rockets are 3-0 against the spread on the road this year and have enough weapons to score against a potentially less-motivated Boise defense. Any game involving the Broncos has a chance to get ugly in a hurry, but I think Toledo keeps this contest within 39 points.
      THE PICK: TOLEDO +39

      Oregon State at. No. 9 Arizona, 6:00PM ET Versus
      Is it just me or do oddsmakers continue to slight the Beavers in terms of the spread? They’ve already proven in close losses to TCU and Boise State that they can hang with top-25 competition and yet here they are once again listed as an underdog of more than a touchdown. The Wildcats’ record speaks for itself, but most teams have trouble with the Rodgers brothers and I like for Oregon State to keep this one close, just as Cal did two weeks ago against ‘Zona.
      THE PICK: OREGON STATE +8.5

      Season Record: 6-6

      College Football, External Sports

      Max Hall set to make a little history on Sunday

      October 8, 2010 /
      SAN DIEGO - OCTOBER 03: Quarterback Max Hall of the Arizona Cardinals drops back to pass in the third quarter against the San Diego Chargers at Qualcomm Stadium on October 3, 2010 in San Diego, California. The Chargers defeated the Cardinals 41-10. (Photo by Jeff Gross/Getty Images)

      When rookie Max Hall lines up under center for the Cardinals this weekend, he’ll be the first undrafted rookie quarterback to start a game in the first five weeks of the season since 1987 when replacement players were used.

      That’s a pretty cool stat if you’re Hall.

      If you’re the Arizona Cardinals, it kind of makes you want to throw up.

      The reason Hall is starting is because the quarterback situation has become a back hole in Arizona. Kurt Warner retired, Matt Leinart turned out to be Matt Leinart and Derek Anderson turned out to be Derek Anderson.

      Now the Cards don’t have much of a choice but to start Hall, the undrafted rookie out of BYU who has the unenviable task of taking on the defending Super Bowl champs this week. Thanks to Gregg Williams’ relentless defense, the Saints made Mark Sanchez look like a high school quarterback in a blowout win last year. Williams loves to mix up his looks in order to confuse opposing quarterbacks and force them into making mistakes. Seeing as Hall is a rookie, he was already going to make mistakes but he could be headed for a disastrous day on Sunday.

      Or hey, maybe he’ll hold his own. Warner was a nobody when he took over for Trent Green back in 2009 and we all know how his story turned out. Hall turned in a solid preseason and while he doesn’t have the physical tools you look for in a starting NFL quarterback, as long as he doesn’t turn the ball over and is consistent, he’ll be fine.

      This will be one of the more underrated storylines to follow this Sunday.

      External Sports, NFL

      Is there still hope for a Melo-to-Nets deal?

      October 8, 2010 /
      Denver Nuggets' Carmelo Anthony reacts in the second quarter of Game 4 against the Utah Jazz in their NBA Western Conference playoff series in Salt Lake City, Utah, April 25, 2010. REUTERS/Ramin Rahimian (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASKETBALL)

      It appears that the Nuggets are still considering the deal, if one reads the tea leaves left by Yahoo’s Adrian Wojnarowski:

      Denver scout Mike Bratz is courtside for Nets-Celtics game in Newark. His eyes stayed on Derrick Favors, who has played 5 scoreless minutes.

      Bratz had no reason to be there other than to scout Favors (or any other potential trade pieces), as the Nuggets don’t play either team until Nov. 20 when they host the Nets in Denver.

      The four-team trade had (has?) legs, but the Nuggets kept fielding offers and once Anthony reported to team functions, the franchise decided to stand pat for the time being.

      I am adamant in my belief that if Anthony starts the season, the Nuggets will hold onto him until next summer. The West is somewhat depleted with the loss of Amare Stoudemire and Carlos Boozer, so assuming they stay reasonably healthy, the Nuggets are a good bet to be sitting in the Top 4 come February’s trade deadline. At that point, it’s going to be very difficult for the Nugget brass to justify trading away their best player without causing a riot amongst the team’s fan base. Melo will be a good citizen (even if he’s been disingenuous about his desire for a trade) and at that point, he’ll see the light at the end of the tunnel.

      In my opinion, the Nuggets are going down the same road as the Raptors did last season, only Bosh’s agent never requested a trade last summer, so Toronto was flying a little blind.

      The Nuggets won’t have that excuse.

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA, News, Rumors & Gossip

      Why would the Patriots trade for Vincent Jackson?

      October 8, 2010 /
      SAN DIEGO, CA - OCTOBER 19: Vincent Jackson #83 of the San Diego Chargers celebrates his touchdown against the Denver Broncos in the first half during Monday Night Football on October 19, 2009 at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California. (Photo by Donald Miralle/Getty Images)

      I mean, I know why they would. He can stretch the field with his speed, he’s a big target, he can block and they’re in need of a receiver.

      But why would the Patriots trade for Vincent Jackson?

      Ever since the Pats traded Randy Moss on Wednesday, rumors have circulated that they’re going to pull off a trade for the disgruntled Jackson. But as John Clayton, Adam Schefter and anyone else with a functional brain notes, this deal isn’t going to happen.

      The Patriots don’t believe in spending top dollar on a receiver, which is why they traded their No. 1 wideout to Minnesota two days ago when they only have Wes Welker, Brandon Tate and Julian Edelman on their roster. And let’s not forget why Jackson is holding out in the first place: He wants to get paid.

      Why would Bill Belichick orchestrate a trade to ship Moss out of town and then turn around and acquire another unhappy receiver looking for a new contract? Furthermore, why would he go head-to-head with San Diego GM A.J. Smith when he knows Smith is looking for two early round picks for V-Jax? It just doesn’t make any sense.

      This isn’t Madden ’11. You can’t just plug a player into any situation and have everything work out in the end. Jackson isn’t a fit for the style of offense that New England runs and it appears as though Belichick is changing his offensive approach anyway.

      V-Jax to the Pats isn’t going to happen unless Belichick and Smith wake up one morning and decide to completely change the way they’ve ran football teams for the past decade.

      External Sports, NFL

      « Older posts Newer posts »

      © 2026 The Scores Report – The National Sports Blog

      Theme by Anders Noren — Up ↑