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      Michael Vick a 49er? Don’t hold your breath.

      January 25, 2009 /

      With the 49ers set to interview former Falcons’ head coach Dan Reeves and former Atlanta offensive coordinator Hue Jackson, internet speculation revved up the possibility of San Fran reaching out to suspended quarterback Michael Vick once he gets out of federal prison.

      But Matt Maiocco’s of the Press Democrat.com mocks the idea in his latest blog entry:

      Michael VickPut all that together and it seems obvious to me that the 49ers have decided to acquire Vick when/if he is able to resume his career after serving his sentence, as well as any suspension Roger Goodell might impose.

      But that is not all I’ve learned in recent days:

      –The 49ers’ plan to go after Vick was actually Plan B. The first idea was to acquire Daunte Culpepper and Randy Moss, and build a dome to replace Candlestick.

      This would’ve been the plan if Scott Linehan had just said yes to the 49ers’ offer to become offensive coordinator. Linehan was coordinator of a top-4 ranked Vikings offense for three consecutive seasons with Culpepper and Moss as his main weapons under the roof of the Metrodome. But when Linehan declined the 49ers’ offer, the 49ers had no other choice but to rip apart that plan and begin their planning to get Vick.

      –The 49ers will do whatever’s necessary to select Ole Miss offensive lineman Michael Oher in the draft.

      Oher’s first year in college was 2005. That is the same season that Micheal Spurlock concluded his Ole Miss career. The 49ers signed Spurlock to a contract this week. Hel-LOOOO! I mean, can you even conceive a scenario in which the 49ers would sign Spurlock if it wasn’t already a done deal that they’d soon be getting Oher? All you have to do is connect the dots on this one. Oh, yeah, and Patrick Willis is already on the team. This one is just way too easy.

      –The 49ers plan to lure Hall of Fame quarterback Joe Montana out of retirement.

      Coach Mike Singletary hired Tom Rathman to join his staff as running backs coach. Singletary is being just a little too obvious about his intentions. Obviously, the best way to get Montana out of retirement is to hire a former teammate to the staff. You read it here first.

      Singletary has not announced Shaun Hill will be the starter in 2009 for one very good reason. How can Hill be the starter with Montana on the team?

      Even though Maiocco has every right to mock the notion, the idea isn’t that far fetched. After all, Reeves did draft Vick in 2001 and the thought of Dan and Singletary teaming up to straighten Mikey out isn’t that bad of an idea.

      But if you remember correctly, Reeves and Vick didn’t necessarily end on the best of terms. They had a great working relationship up until midseason of 2003 when Reeves questioned whether or not Vick was being overly cautious with the fractured fibula he suffered in a preseason game that year. Reeves, presumably worried about losing his job, wanted Vick to play a hell of a lot sooner than Week 13, which was the first time Mike returned to the field after suffering the injury. But Vick kept proclaiming he wouldn’t be 100% if he had come back any sooner than that, so why force it? Reeves was eventually fired a week and a half later and we all know what happened to Vick.

      Not that the two couldn’t put that little squabble behind them (if they haven’t already) to work together again, but that’s just another thing to keep in mind if you want to buy the Vick-to-San Francisco rumors that have been circulating. Personally, I don’t think Singletary would take a shot on Vick. He wants players that will be dedicated on the field – not to their twisted hobbies off it.

      NFL

      Brandon Jennings says that all is not rosy in Europe

      January 25, 2009 /

      Remember Brandon Jennings? He’s the #1 basketball recruit of the class of 2008 that decided to forgo college (due to trouble with the admissions tests) to sign with a professional team in Rome.

      We brought you some excerpts from his blog just after Christmas that stirred up some controversy but weren’t all that controversial. Now he’s on record (via email to the New York Times), and it seems like his frustration level is rising.

      “I’ve gotten paid on time once this year,” Jennings said in an e-mail message. “They treat me like I’m a little kid. They don’t see me as a man. If you get on a good team, you might not play a lot. Some nights you’ll play a lot; some nights you won’t play at all. That’s just how it is.”

      “I don’t see too many kids doing it,” his e-mail message said. “It’s tough man, I’ll tell you that. It can break you.”

      “My role is to play D and take open shots — that’s it,” he said. “And I’ve accepted that role.”

      I can’t imagine that these quotes will endear him to the coaching staff in Rome. My guess is that he’ll be running a few extra sprints after practice. And this is one of the advantages (or disadvantages, depending on how you look at it) of the internet, blogs and email. These athletes are so accessible now, even ones that are living in Italy, that journalists can get a quote without flying around the world or having to track them down via telephone. Maybe the Times caught him at a bad time or maybe this is just how it is playing for Lottomatica Virtus Roma.

      But even though his minutes are inconsistent and he’s only averaging eight points a game, it doesn’t look like Jennings’ time in Rome will hurt his draft stock, at least according to one anonymous NBA assistant coach.

      An N.B.A. assistant coach who has been to Europe and has watched Jennings play said his potential draft standing had not been harmed. The coach requested anonymity because he was discussing a player currently ineligible for the draft.

      “I think it is good for him,” he said. “He was getting a defensive component that he needed. If I was a scout and I needed a point guard, I would be extremely impressed with what he has done over there.”

      Sonny Vaccaro, who in many ways brokered the deal for Jennings to go to Europe, also commented.

      But Vaccaro said there had been a change from last summer, when he worked on the deals for Jennings. Economic conditions in Europe are just as difficult as they are in the United States, and he said he underestimated the emotional strength a player needed to compete overseas.

      “A less-driven kid would have come home,” Vaccaro said. “They practice twice a day, and the Europeans play everybody. It is not like one of these silly college games where the same seven guys play every minute of every game. When it’s over, the fact he was able to handle it is going to be more landmark than him just going over there.”

      What is Vaccaro smoking?

      “It’s not like one of these silly college games where the same seven guys play every minute of every game.”

      I’ve played and watched a lot of basketball in my life and the best teams have a regular rotation of guys. Some coaches use a six- or seven-player rotation, and some can find eight or nine guys that they trust. Rarely do teams regularly play a full 12-player roster. With that many guys going in and out of the game, it is impossible for most of the bench players to find any kind of rhythm. I’m not sure why Vaccaro felt the need to use the term “silly” as it just makes him sound foolish.

      At the end of the day, I don’t think Europe will be a viable option for most high school seniors. As long as the NBA age-limit stays at 19, most players will prefer to play at the college level due to its comfort and familiarity. But for players like Jennings, who have difficulty getting into college, Europe will remain an option. It just may not be as attractive of an option as it was a year ago.

      Related content: Brandon Jennings

      College Basketball, NBA, NBA Draft, Rumors & Gossip

      UConn snaps Notre Dame’s 45-game home winning streak

      January 24, 2009 /

      Hasheem Thabeet raised some eyebrows earlier this season when he talked some trash about Notre Dame’s Luke Harangody.

      Thabeet got off the best line, which was prominently displayed on the Mag’s cover for the world to see. Asked who he thought were the toughest big men in college, Thabeet said, “Nobody’s better than me, only more experienced. I played Luke Harangody and he was not tough. Tyler Hansbrough? I don’t see nothing.”

      The 7’3″ Thabeet didn’t play particularly well against the Irish — nine points, 11 rebounds, five blocks and three turnovers — and he allowed Harangody to rack up 24 points and 15 boards, but the rest of the Huskies picked up the slack and pushed #3 UConn to a 69-61 win, which broke #19 Notre Dame’s 45-game home winning streak.

      The game was back-and-forth until about nine minutes remaining in the second half when the balanced Huskies went on a 13-1 run to put the game away. Harangody didn’t get any offensive help. The Irish shot 33% from the field, but Harangody accounted for 10 of Notre Dame’s 25 made field goals. His teammates shot a woeful 28% from the field, and just 26% from long range. The key was Kyle McAlarney; he hit his first three three-pointers, and proceeded to miss his next 12 shots. Ouch.

      From an NBA perspective, Harangody is the better player right now, but Thabeet is the better prospect. He is much better defensively than he is offensively. He is weak with the ball, often having it stripped or losing it when going up for a shot. At 7’3″ he was clearly bothering Harangody on defense, but Thabeet still allowed him to score 24 points. In the NBA, Thabeet will be as good of a player as he wants to be. Based on his comments about his competition, he clearly doesn’t have much respect for the opposition, but the big question is — will he be willing to put the work in to become a NBA star?

      As for Harangody, I’m not sure what kind of NBA player he will make. He’s 6’7″ and is kind of a tweener at the forward position. He could be a David Lee type, but he doesn’t quite have Lee’s athleticism and seems a little slow getting up and down the court. His jumper is ugly but effective and he is able to score in a multitude of ways. However, I just don’t see an NBA team allowing him to have the freedom to be the creative scorer he is in college.

      Currently, NBADraft.net has Thabeet projected to go #2 overall, while they don’t even project Harangody to be drafted. If I were an NBA GM, I’d definitely want to take a look at Harangody and see how he fares against NBA competition. One thing’s for sure — he’s a hard worker that parlayed limited athleticism and gritty determination into the Big East Player of the Year as a sophomore last season. I think he could have a successful career as a bench player in the NBA.

      College Basketball, NBA, NBA Draft

      Australian Open Roundup

      January 24, 2009 /

      Round 4 of the Australian Open begins today. The first Grand Slam of the tour calendar has already seen its fair share of surprises, disappointments, scuffles, and nudity. I’ve recapped the highlights below.

      The top-ranked men advance

      Of the top ten-seeded men in the tournament, only David Nalbandian failed to advance, losing to unknown Yen-Hsun Lu in the second round. The others, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Jo-Wilfried Tsongo, Gilles Simon, Andy Roddick, Juan Martin del Potro, and James Blake have all made easy work of their competition. Really, things won’t get interesting until the Quarter Finals.

      Venus Williams and Ana Ivanovic are eliminated

      It must be said that both matches in which they lost have been the most exciting matches of the tournament. Unseeded 20 year-old Carla Suarez Navarro, in only her fourth Grand Slam main draw appearance, defeated Venus Williams in the second round. It was an amazing match and both women gave it their all. Navarro, however, was able to consistently return Venus’ 192 mph serve and never seemed to tire. Williams was on the defensive during the final set and Navarro’s fine shot placement carried her to victory. The crowd congratulated the awestruck youngster with a standing ovation. Suarez has since advanced to the Fourth Round where she will face twenty-first-seeded Anabel Medina Garrigues.

      It was less than a surprise and more of a disappointment to watch Ana Ivanovic fall to twenty-ninth-seeded Alisa Kleybanova. For those who follow tennis, it’s perplexing that Ivanovic is ranked fifth in the world judging by the way she played yesterday. Strictly speaking, the Serbian lost because she couldn’t find her serve. It was painful to watch Ivanovic toss the ball five feet away from herself. She double faulted more than a few times and rarely was able to hold serve. All in all, the three-setter was intense, but undeniably sloppy. While Ivanovic made 50 unforced errors, Kleybanova committed 44, 24 of which came in the opening set alone. It’s time for Ana to take a break and try to get herself into the mindset that helped her win the French Open in 2008.

      Serbian and Bosnian fans clash after Novak Djokovic/Amer Delic match

      Last year at the Australian Open, Serbian and Croatian fans attacked each other with flagpoles, bottles, and boots. This year, the Balkan rivalry consisted of Serbians and Bosnians. After Serbian Novak Djokovic’s victory over Bosnian-American Amer Delic, fans from both nations pelted each other with chairs.

      A streaker stalls a Williams sisters doubles match

      Although this article claims the gentleman was out there for only 14 seconds, broadcaster Patrick McEnroe has him at nearly a minute. While Serena and Venus laughed bashfully during the incident, tournament officials aren’t taking this lightly. In 1993, a man stabbed Monica Seles on court during a match in Hamburg, Germany. Still, it looks like this guy was just having a good time.

      Coverage of Day 7 will air at 7 PM ET and 12:30 AM ET on ESPN2.

      Tennis

      MMA Preview: “Day of Reckoning”

      January 24, 2009 /

      On Saturday January 24th Mixed Martial Arts promotion Affliction will be putting on a monster fight card dubbed “Day of Reckoning”. It will feature Affliction’s star attraction Fedor Emelianenko, who will go up against Andre Arlovski for the WAMMA heavyweight championship. This will be the second show by the promotion and with the fighters listed on the event card, this looks to be another success. Let’s take a look at three of the main event fights as they’re broken down.

      Fedor Emelianenko vs Andrei “the Pittbull” Arlovski
      Affliction’s WAMMA champion Fedor Emelianenko puts his belt on the line against former UFC heavyweight champ Andrei Arlovski. The battle of Russian heavy weights will show who the top heavyweight in MMA is, but also if Fedor is actually an unbeatable force.  Arlovski is a former UFC champ, but many question his chin and his ability on the ground, which happens to be Fedor’s strength. It should be interesting to see if both men’s sambo background will be showcased for any submissions, or if this will be a stand up war.  Arlovski’s best bet is to make this a technical boxing and kickboxing match, which will allow him to try and pick Fedor’s average boxing skills apart. Fedor will probably go in to the clinch and look for a takedown. If he gets Andrei to the ground he will look to throw elbows and set up a submission. Emelainenko is favored to win, and probably should barring a knockout punch or kick.  Don’t blink because this fight could end abruptly.

      Matt Lindland vs Vitor Belfort
      Matt “the law” Lindland is an Olympic silver medal wrestler who has competed in numerous MMA promotions, who does quite well using ground and pound tactics. His opponent is former UFC lightheavy weight champion “the Phenom” Vitor Belfort, who possesses all the physical skills to be a dominant MMA fighter. This fight should be fantastic as it has so many possible outcomes. While Belfort is a black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, it is his pro boxing skills that frighten so many competitors and Lindland loves using the clinch and getting in close, which puts him at risk of a knockout. If the fight goes to the ground, look for Lindland to try and control top position and for Vitor to try and stand up and maybe throw an arm bar attempt. Outside of his mental breakdowns in certain fights, Belfort should be able to take Matt out. Look for a quick finish by TKO from “the Phenom”, who has put away opponents in under a minute in previous fights.

      Renato “Babalu” Sobral vs Rameau Sokoudjou
      One of the main event matches features Brazilian fighter Babalu Sobral, an outstanding wrestler and Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt against kickboxer and judo practitioner Sokoudjou. Both fighters are ex-UFC fighters who had their contracts cut. This is not the best match up for Sokoudjou, who has already lost to other Brazilian jiu jitsu stand outs.  His only chance to really defeat Sobral is to keep him standing and try and keep the distance between the two. If he uses his kicks to set up combinations, he can avoid going to the mat. Babalu is more than likely the favorite to win and if he can impose his will and keep the fight on the ground, he should be able to submit Sokoudjou.

      Mixed Martial Arts

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