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      Top 10 Pound for Pound MMA Fighters in the World 4/29/10

      April 29, 2010 /

      It has been some time since I released a top 10 pound-for-pound list, with my last edition coming all the way back in August of last year. There have been some changes and the bottom of the list was tough to determine, but I feel pretty good about this group. I am basing this list over the past few years and using this criteria to make my choices: Quality of wins (i.e. stoppages), Quality of opponents, Amount of damage taken in fights, and Establishment of all-around skills in the cage. Now that the criteria has been addressed, here we go.

      1. Anderson Silva – 26-4 – UFC Middleweight Champion: Silva’s last fight was embarrassing for the UFC, but it again displayed how dominant he is. He literally took two rounds off and still won a unanimous decision and in the three rounds he tried, he landed every shot he threw while dodging every shot Demian Maia threw at him. When he gets challenged, Silva quickly runs through his opponents, like Forrest Griffin and Rich Franklin. When guys don’t come at him, like Patrick Cote and Thales Leites, the fights are unwatchable. Bottom line, it is hard to see someone beating this guy and I still think he could step up to heavyweight someday and give Brock Lesnar a run for his money.

      2. Georges St. Pierre – 20-2 – UFC Welterweight Champion: GSP hasn’t been challenged since facing Josh Koscheck at UFC 74. The champion has cruised through his opponents and the only complaint against him has been his inability to finish recent opponents. Still, stopping B.J. Penn and dominating Thiago Alves, Jon Fitch, and Dan Hardy is pretty impressive and a potential fight with Koscheck again or slugger Paul Daley or even Jake Shields keeps things exciting with GSP.

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      External Sports, Mixed Martial Arts, UFC

      Bucks stun Hawks, take 3-2 lead

      April 28, 2010 /

      After a Josh Smith jumper, Atlanta led by nine with 4:09 to play, and the Bucks’ chances were looking pretty grim. But Milwaukee went on a 14-0 run over the next three and a half minutes to take a five-point lead. The run was keyed by John Salmons (8 points) and Ersan Ilyasova, who made a couple of key saves that led to a Carlos Delfino three and an inside bucket for Ilyasova.

      Also key was Joe Johnson’s sixth foul, which came on a drive to the basket with 2:15 to play. Kurt Thomas, who drew a couple of key fouls in Game 4, stepped in and took the charge, and the play forced the Hawks’ best player out of the game. They tried to go to Josh Smith and Jamal Crawford down the stretch, but they went a combined 0-for-5 in the final two minutes. Throw in the Bucks’ 10-for-12 stretch from the free throw line (including 4-for-4 from Brandon Jennings with under 0:20 to play), and it all adds up to a Milwaukee win.

      Jennings led the Bucks with 25-4-3 and is now averaging 20-3-4 in the postseason. Salmons chipped in with 19 points and played excellent defense on Johnson (6-for-16, 13 points) all night. The Bucks have won three straight after Scott Skiles decided to put Salmons on Johnson and let his defensive specialist, Luc Mbah a Moute, cover Josh Smith, who killed Milwaukee in the first two games. Salmons has proven that he’s up to the challenge and it has completely turned this series on its head.

      The Bucks now head back to the friendly confines of the Bradley Center on Friday night with a chance to close out the series. I fully expect a raucous Milwaukee crowd.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, Fantasy Basketball, NBA

      Lookin at Lucky draws the rail at Kentucky Derby

      April 28, 2010 /

      2010 Kentucky Derby favorite Lookin at Lucky has drawn the rail position for Saturday’s race at Churchill Downs. The 3-year-old colt is also a 9/2 favorite to win the 136th running of the Kentucky Derby.

      The rail has been awfully kind to horses in the Derby, as the No. 1 post position has won 12 races since 1900. The only other position with a comparable number is the No. 5 post, which has also produced 12 winners since 1900.

      The horse with the next best odds for Saturday is Sidney’s Candy, who is 15/2 to win. But he drew an unlucky post at the No. 20 position, which has only produced two winners since 1900. (Of course, Big Brown won from that exact position only two years ago.)

      In Lookin at Lucky’s last start, he placed third at the 2010 Santa Anita Derby behind Sidney’s Candy (who won the race), leading some to believe that the Kentucky Derby favorite is a tad overrated. However, Lookin at Lucky did collect wins at the Rebel on March 13 and at the CashCall Futurity on December 19 of last year. Also, Trainer Bob Baffert will know doubt have his horse prepared for Saturday.

      Personally, I think Sidney’s Candy is a value at 15/2. He swept three races this sprint, including the Santa Anita Derby in his final prep race before the Kentucky Derby. He has the ability to get out in front early and sustain it, unlike most of the contenders in this year’s race, who push early and fade late.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, horse racing

      It looks like Dwyane Wade is staying put…

      April 28, 2010 /

      …assuming Pat Riley can get him some help. Here’s what he had to say after the Heat’s loss to the Celtics in Game 5, per TrueHoop…

      “I’m looking forward to a good team to build, and being with some great players next year, and to continue to beef up our roster,” Wade said.

      Notice his use of the pronoun “our.”

      And also note that at no point did Wade ever expressly state a desire to head elsewhere. But he did place the onus on Pat Riley to make things happen over the summer.

      “I’m not putting no pressure on myself. I think I put myself in a great situation three years ago to sign this deal to make sure that my team stays competitive. We’ve got some work to do, the front office has to do it, and there’s no pressure on me,” Wade said. “I’ve said where my heart is, and I think any player that’s thinking about wanting to come to Miami, they know where my heart is. You just have to see things being done and accomplished.

      “We see that, and we’ll be talking again.”

      I don’t see Wade leaving town at this point. After the Heat played pretty well over the last half of the season, he started talking about how Miami is where his heart is and that it’s the Heat’s gig to lose, and since the franchise is in a great position to add talent this offseason, he’s a good bet to stay put.

      Michael Beasley, on the other hand, appears to be on the outs. He was benched for the entire second half of Game 5, and looks to be expendable heading into the offseason. This opens up another possibility that was seemingly closed a few months ago — the signing/acquisition of Carlos Boozer, who was once considered “too similar” to Beasley.

      So if the Heat strike out on LeBron James and/or Chris Bosh, Boozer and/or Amare Stoudemire would be a good backup plan. I think either player would convince Wade to stay put.

      With $42 million in cap space, the Heat are basically a blank slate. If they were able to move Beasley and his salary ($5 million), they would almost have enough to sign three max free agents. The problem is that the top guys all seem to play power forward or shooting guard. However, the Heat could have enough to add Rudy Gay and Bosh/Stoudemire/Boozer, or even David Lee.

      If I were Pat Riley, I’d be in constant communication with Wade to see which players he’d most like to play with. By having his buy in, you would ensure that he’s happy with the players you’re bringing in. I wonder if Riley’s ego is too big for that…


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

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

      Dodgers’ GM rips Kemp for defensive effort

      April 28, 2010 /

      While recently appearing on Peter Tilden’s radio program on 790 KABC-AM, Dodgers’ GM Ned Colletti had some harsh words for his last place team and even went as far as to criticize star player Matt Kemp.

      From the Press Enterprise:

      “Why is it? Because he got a new deal?” Colletti said in reference to Kemp’s new two-year, $10.95 million contract. “Can’t tell you. But you know, it’s below-average. If this is the last day of the season and people are voting for the Gold Glove, his name is not even on the ballot. It’s a shame that he would go from where he was a year ago to revert back to when the ball goes up in the air and you’re not sure where it’s going, or if it’s going to get caught.”

      Colletti has every right to be upset with the Dodgers’ play so far this season. The defending NL West champs are 8-12 on the year and 3-7 in their last 10 games. They’ve already lost series against the Pirates, Nationals and Reds, and own a brutal 4-10 mark on the road.

      That said, he knows better than to try and motivate a player through the media. If he wants to criticize Kemp behind closed doors fine, but to publicly out one of his best players wasn’t smart. Plus, it undermines what Joe Torre is trying to accomplish in the clubhouse.

      Motivation can be a great thing when it comes from the right person. But something tells me Colletti isn’t the right person.


      Photo from fOTOGLIF

      External Sports, MLB

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