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      Goodell to wait on Vick decision

      June 26, 2009 /

      According to the Associated Press, Roger Goodell has started to focus on Michael Vick’s future, although that doesn’t necessarily mean that the NFL commissioner will make a decision by the start of the season.

      Goodell hasn’t given a timeline yet on when he’ll come to the decision on how long he’ll suspend Vick and when he’ll reinstate the quarterback into the league. Considering the media exposure that is sure to follow a story this big, it’s probably a good idea that Goodell doesn’t put himself in a spot to have to make a decision by a certain date and time.

      If Goodell waits until right before the season starts, that obvious hurts Vick’s chances on playing this season. Chances are, no team is going to sign him without knowing how long he’ll be suspended for.

      On a side note, who wouldn’t want to be a fly on the wall when Goodell finally does meet with Vick (which should be after Vick is released July 20 from home confinement and federal custody)? Don’t forget that the two met at the draft a couple years ago before the whole dog-fighting situation went down and Vick assured Goodell that he wasn’t a part of it. Oh boy…

      NFL

      Running diary of the 2009 NBA Draft

      June 25, 2009 /

      I’m going to be doing a running diary of the NBA Draft, so check back at 7 PM ET when I’ll be giving my initial impressions on every pick in the first round and commenting on all the other happenings (trades, bad commentary, crazy suits, etc.). I’ll also be answering questions if anyone gives two sh*ts about what I think. It’ll be fun.

      LaRusso, my buddy and admitted Minnesota Timberwolves fan, will be joining me. I’m a Bucks fan, so between the two of us, our teams have three picks in the top 10.

      All times are in PT. (Eastern Time gets all the love, but Pacific Time is where it’s really at.)

      Let’s get this thing rolling…

      4:18 PM: There’s a rumor that the Warriors might send Andris Biedrins, Marco Belinelli, Brandan Wright and the #7 pick to Phoenix for Amare Stoudemire. That seems like an awful lot to give up given the trades we’ve seen go down in recent days. But Stoudemire is a borderline franchise player, so a good center (Biedrins) and three prospects (Belinelli, Wright and the #7 pick) doesn’t seem crazy.

      Jeff Van Gundy is talking like the Vince Carter trade means that Hedo Turkoglu is gone. I’m not so sure.

      4:26 PM: Regarding Turkoglu, Kyle Hightower of the Orlando Sentinel echoes Van Gundy’s take: “The Magic have yet to confirm the deal, but the addition of a scorer in Carter, the trade would seem to end the Magic’s quest to bring back forward Hedo Turkoglu for a long term deal.”

      This all comes down to whether or not the Magic are willing to go over the luxury tax for the long term to keep Turkoglu.

      4:39 PM: Thanks for eating up four minutes with that pick, Mike Dunleavy. He makes maybe the worst acquisition in years (Zach Randolph and his bloated contract) and he gets awarded with the #1 pick and Blake Griffin. The NBA should do away with the progressive lottery system and give all non-playoff teams an equal chance at the top pick. In fact, all 14 picks should be decided by an equal lottery. It would be more exciting (just think, every team has an equal chance of coming out of the lottery with the #1 pick or the #14 pick — talk about the thrill of victory or the agony of defeat) and it would eliminate all the tanking we see at the end of the season, which not only betrays the NBA fan base but also taints those late season playoff races.

      But back to Griffin, who looks like the real deal. He’s my bet for Rookie of the Year. (I know, I’m really going out on a limb there.)

      4:41 PM: LaRusso just told me that Taylor Griffin was the #1 pick of the Harlem Globetrotters. I don’t even know what that means.

      Barring a trade, I think the Grizzlies are going with Thabeet here.

      Continue reading »

      NBA, NBA Draft

      U.S. to meet Brazil in Confederations Cup finals

      June 25, 2009 /

      u.s

      Spain’s national team, the No. 1-ranked professional soccer team in the world, had been unbeaten a world-record-tying 35 games in a row. They had also won a world-record-tying 15 games in a row. But then they met the United States in the 2009 Confederations Cup. They met the Americans and the Americans beat them. This is the same U.S. National team that has never won a World Cup, a Confederations Cup, or made any FIFA records of considerable note. Nevertheless, they outplayed their Spanish opponents on Wednesday, defeating them 2-0 in front of a shocked South African crowd.

      Although Spain outshot the U.S. 18-9, nothing could get by goalkeeper Tim Howard who was solid the entire game. Goals by Jozy Altidore and Clint Dempsey were enough to propel the U.S. into the finals.

      Now the Americans will face Brazil, a team they have only beaten once in national competition. Earlier today, Brazil defeated South Africa 1-0 in a hard fought contest. But just because Brazil is in yet another final does not mean they are unstoppable. It took 88 minutes for Brazil to score, when Daniel Alves knocked a direct kick into the net against a highly underrated South African squad.

      Although the ripple effect may, unfortunately, not be as large here in the U.S., the fact that Spain’s national team was beaten buy a bunch of Americans is making news around the world. Nobody, and I mean nobody, expected this to happen. I didn’t, sports critics didn’t, the handful of American soccer fans didn’t, Spain didn’t, and even the irritating ESPN2 commentators didn’t (it’s OK to show a tad bit of nationalism, you bozos).

      Jim Rome was right in his telecast today: this victory won’t put U.S. soccer on the map. Still, it’s amazing.

      You can watch the U.S play Brazil in the Cofederations Cup final on Sunday at 11 AM on ESPN.

      Soccer

      Ten NFL players facing make or break seasons

      June 25, 2009 /

      Training camp is still a month away but you don’t need daily reports from the grueling two-a-day sessions to see what players are going to have the heat turned up on them this season. I’ve complied a list of 10 players (in no particular order) who, not necessarily the same reasons, face make or break seasons in ’09.

      1. Tony Romo, QB, Dallas Cowboys
      If Romo doesn’t get the Cowboys to the playoffs in 2009 will Jerry Jones look for other options at quarterback in 2010? No. But if you read between the lines, the Cowboys jettisoned Terrell Owens this offseason so that Romo will have every opportunity to be the team’s most influential leader and hopefully go from being a great quarterback to one of the elite. While it might not technically be a make or break season for Romo, his career is certainly at a crossroads. Romo’s numbers last year were solid – 3,448 yards, 26 TDs, 91.4 QB Rating – but his play faded over the last month of the season and the Cowboys imploded. Since then, Romo’s work ethic, offseason dedication and leadership skills have been questioned and it appears as though the QB’s career has come to a fork in the road. If he continues on the path his currently on, he might put up decent numbers and lead the Cowboys to the playoffs a couple more times before his days are done. That’s certainly not bad, but Jones and the rest of the Cowboy faithful want Romo to be extraordinary and if he completely dedicates himself to the game, maybe he can take this talented team to the next level. One thing’s for sure – with T.O. out of the way, this is now Romo’s team and it’s up to him where he and the Cowboys go from here.

      Continue reading »

      NFL

      Report: Magic to acquire Vince Carter

      June 25, 2009 /

      Whoa! I thought Vince Carter might be on the move, but I wasn’t expecting this.

      The New Jersey Nets have agreed to a trade in principle with the Magic that will send Vince Carter and Ryan Anderson to Orlando for Rafer Alston, Tony Battie and Courtney Lee, two league sources told ESPN.com.

      As for the Nets, the move is a cost-cutting measure. Both Alston and Battie are in the last year of their contracts, and trading for them would shave $16.5 million off New Jersey’s roster in the summer of 2010 and put the Nets well below the salary cap.

      Now this is a trade that helps both teams, unlike the Suns’ Shaq giveaway and the Bucks’ donation of Richard Jefferson to the Spurs’ championship fund. Not only do the Nets get loads of salary cap relief — Carter has three years and $52 million remaining on his contract — they get a nice prospect to replace him in Courtney Lee, who averaged better than 11 points per game and 43% 3PT shooting in February and March. The Nets project to go into the summer of 2010 with almost $30 million in cap space.

      For the Magic, Carter adds a boost of athleticism to lineup of spot up shooters. But how will this affect the team’s ability to re-sign Hedo Turkoglu? If they can get him to re-up, they’d have a lineup of Jameer Nelson, Carter, Turkoglu, Rashard Lewis and Dwight Howard that looks deadly on paper. I think they’re planning on retaining him, but the Magic are looking at a pretty hefty payroll over the next few years with Carter on the roster.

      NBA, NBA Draft, News, Rumors & Gossip

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