USA USA

This is a good video of when President Bush threw out the first pitch at Yankee Stadium after 9/11. Regardless of your views on W., it's a good story and shows how unified our country can be when someone decides to mess with us.

Telling the Truth?

Remember when Jose Canseco first came out alleging steroid use by baseball players and everyone laughed it off because ...... well, it was Jose Canseco and he was sort of a joke. Well look who was right all along?

How right was he? Check out this article that looks over his claims and which ones were right and which were wrong.

Nice Hat

Is Tom Brady's career as a great QB done? I'd say so!

Roids?

Gee, do you think Manny's buddy David Ortiz was a roid guy???

Spring Cleaning

It's spring cleaning time, so check out some of the things that should be thrown out of sports once and for all.

Shocking News!!!

In the most surprising news of the year, Brett Favre is probably coming out of retirement once again. How many years is this now?

Looks like his tired, old body with end up at QB for the Minnesota Vikings.

The Videogame Curse

Is the Madden Football curse for real? Well if it is Larry Fitzgerald and Troy Polamalu are in trouble this year, as they are on the cover for Madden 2010.

Here's a look at the Madden curse so you can decide for yourself.

Draft Bust

Here's a look at what some former NFL draft busts are doing these days, since their NFL careers went nowhere.

By the way, here's a look at Ryan Leaf today!

More Football

How do you feel about an 18-game NFL season? I'm fine with it as long as that means they eliminate two preseason games.

But now the season might stretch into mid-February. Why not just start the season earlier?

And With the First Pick in the 2009 NFL Draft .......

Those of you that know me know that I'm not a fan of the NFL draft. I don't get the hype, I think it's incredibly boring. It takes six hours to complete and most people don't know 75% of the players being drafted (and if they say otherwise it's only because they read 5 papers that morning that each had a different mock draft).

But I also know I'm in the minority on this one. So to please those that find this event exciting, here is a list of 10 "surprises" that could happen on draft day. A good surprise would be hearing that the event would be cancelled, but that won't happen.

Best Place to Watch A Game

Forbes Magazine has ranked the 30 Major League Baseball stadiums and at #1 they have put ....... AT&T Park, which is home to the San Francisco Giants. I haven't been there so I can't comment, but of the stadiums I've been to, here are my rankings:

1) Wrigley Field - Ya, I'm a homer since this is my favorite team. But you can't beat the atmosphere outside the stadium. You can't beat the bleachers. Can't beat the rooftop seats. Day games, green grass, ivy covered walls. What more do you need, a winning team???

2) Fenway Park - Like Wrigley it has a great atmosphere outside the stadium since it's in a neighberhood. You don't even notice the stadium when you are walking up to it. The wall isn't as big as it seems on TV, but it dominates the stadium. I wasn't there when they had the seats on top of the wall, but they look great. When we went the fans were the most knowledgable I had ever been around. I'm guessing now it's been taken over by a corporate crowd.

3) Petco Field (San Diego Padres) - Perfect weather for games. They also have an area in RF which is perfect for families - sandbox, grass seating, etc.

4) Kauffman Stadium (KC Royals) - The outside is odd because it's a giant parking lot that they share with the KC Chiefs stadium. But the inside is great. Cool features in the OF, classic scoreboard and the perfect size stadium.

5) County Stadium (Milwaukee Brewers) - It's no longer there, but I loved it because it just smelled like baseball and probably because it's the stadium I went to more than any other growing up.

6) Miller Park (Milwaukee Brewers) - I like this stadium less and less as time goes on. It's too "domey," the roof is always shut because it's broke and it seems like more of an indoor stadium than outdoor. But it has some cool features, like Bernie Brewer!

7) US Cellular (Chicago White Sox) - There is nothing special about this stadium, it was built right before Camden Yards and all the new stadiums. But in a way I like that, it's just baseball. Outdoor baseball, what more do you want.

8) The Metrodome (Minnesota Twins) - An absolute dump. There is nothing worthwhile about this place. Uncomfortable seats that don't even look at the plate, hot, not spacious, crowded corridors, lack of good food choices, etc. As much as I love baseball, I try to avoid going to games here. I have no interest in going inside this dump to watch baseball on a perfect summer night.

Playoff Time

The NBA playoffs are set and for the first time in a long time I actually have some interest in paying attention this year. One thing that intrigues me is my favorite team, the Chicago Bulls, playing the Boston Celtics in the first round. With Kevin Garnett expected to miss the entire postseason the Bulls have a realistic chance in knocking the Celtics off in the first round. I don't think it will happen, but I think it will be a good series.

Here are my predictions:

Eastern Conference

(1) Cleveland v. (8) Detroit - Cleveland

(2) Boston v. (7) Chicago - Boston

(3) Orlando v. (6) Philadelphia - Orlando

(4) Atlanta v. (5) Miami - Miami

Cleveland v. Miami - Cleveland

Boston v. Orlando - Boston

Cleveland v. Boston - Cleveland

Western Conference

(1) LA Lakers v. (8) Utah Jazz - LA

(2) Denver v. (7) New Orleans - New Orleans

(3) San Antonio v. (6) Dallas - Dallas

(4) Portland v. (5) Houston - Portland

LA v. New Orleans - LA

Dallas v. Portland - Portland

LA v. Portland - LA

Finals

Cleveland v. LA - LA (unfortunately)

Boom! Pow!

My wife will be happy to hear this - John Madden is retiring from announcing NFL games. Cris Collinsworth will take over for Madden.

Bobbleheads and Lawyer Appreciation Night

If you're headed to the ballpark this summer you might want to check out this list of the best and worst promotions being put on my baseball teams.

Coach Thomas

For some reason a college has agreed to let Isiah Thomas become their next basketball coach. The school is Florida International, which isn't big, but still why would you let this bum come in? Was it the success he had running the CBA into the ground? What about coaching the Packers and Knicks? What about running the Knicks?

Odd Ducks

Here's a list of the 10 "biggest flakes" in sports history.

It's Hot In Here

The baseball season is only 4 days old and some players are already feeling the heat! Ahem, C.C. Sabathia.
Here's a list of those who will be under the pressure cooker this summer.

NCAA 2010

The NCAA basketball tournment is barely over and we're already looking at next season. Here's a look at next year's Top 25 teams, which includes many Big 10 teams. But bare in mind that most of these predictions are based on players not entering the NBA draft.

Powerful

Here is the USA Today power poll for baseball to get you ready for the season.

Baseball Predictions

Here are my 2009 baseball predictions. I'm sure I'll be 100% wrong!
(*=Playoffs)

AL West

1. LA Angels*
2. Texas Rangers
3. Seattle Mariners
4. Oakland A's

AL Central

1. Minnesota Twins*
2. Cleveland Indians
3. Chicago White Sox
4. Detroit Tigers
5. Kansas City Royals

AL East

1. Boston Red Sox*
2. Tampa Bay Rays*
3. New York Yankees
4. Toronto Blue Jays
5. Baltimore Orioles

Playoffs

Tampa Bay v. LA = Tampa Bay
Minnesota v. Boston = Boston

Tampa Bay v. Boston = Boston

NL West

1. LA Dodgers*
2. Arizona Diamondbacks
3. Colorado Rockies
4. San Francisco Giants
5. San Diego Padres

NL Central

1. Chicago Cubs*
2. St. Louis Cardinals
3. Milwaukee Brewers
4. Cincinnati Reds
5. Houston Astros
6. Pittsburgh Pirates

NL East

1. Philadelphia Phillies*
2. New York Mets*
3. Florida Marlins
4. Atlanta Braves
5. Washington Nationals

NL Playoffs

NY Mets v. LA Dodgers = LA Dodgers
Philadelphia Phillies v. Chicago Cubs = Philadelphia

LA v. Philadelphia = LA

World Series

LA Dodgers v. Boston Red Sox = LA Dodgers