The Perfect Athlete

I know the draft is tonight but I feel like its been beaten into the ground.
Same with NBA Trade Rumors... beaten into the ground.

I would like to devise the Perfect Athlete:
Feet- Ronaldinho - watch a youtube clip of him for approximately 8 seconds and you'll see why. His blinding footspeed make world class defenders look stupid.
Runner up: Reggie Bush

Ankles- LaDanian Tomlinson- The way he shifts to elude defenders trace to his ankles. His cut back ability make him the best player in football today
Runner Up:

Legs- Vince Carter- To this day when he elevates there is no one else like it. I still think about to the single greatest dunk performance ever when he dominated the most talented dunk contest field in history.
Runner Up: Jose Reyes


Shoulders- Lebron James- Built like a football player, he attacks the lane like he's hitting a hole. Shaq of the Perimeter
Runner Up: Brandon Jacobs


Hands- Omar Vizquel- It seems like half the plays he makes at short he does without his glove.
Runner Up: Marvin Harrison

Wrists- Roger Federer- When he flicks those wrists, you have no idea what angle he is going for.
Runner Up: Ichiro

Vision- Steve Nash- He sees the game in a different speed then most others. Makes the right passes at the right time to the right people, easier said then done.
Runner Up: Peyton Manning

Drive- Kobe- Has that killer instinct. Hates being denied. "The Assassin"
Runner Up: Roger Clemens, Steve Nash

Head- Peyton Manning- Disects complicated NFL defenses better then anyone in history
Runner Up: Mariano Rivera

Arms- Dwight Howard- This man is huge. He looked this way out of high school, crazy.
Runner Up: David Boston

Breasts- Phil Mickelson- see blog comments from the last 2 weeks
Runner Up: Serena Williams

Leadership- Tom Brady- Everyone falls in line behind him.
Runner Up: Ray Lewis

Heart- Allen Iverson- Pound for pound the toughest, takes more hits then anybody
Runner Up- Derek Jeter

Clutch- This is a good one. I'm not sure who defines clutch in sports anymore now that MJ is gone. Tiger hits all the big putts, Jeter seems to always come through, Brady wins the big one if he can get there, Vinateri hits the big field goals... Cassell, Horry

AND NOW FOR THE ANTI PERFECT ATHLETE:
Head- Armando Benitez- seems like every October he blows saves Orioles, Mets, etc
Runner Up: Mike Vanderjagt

Arm- My boy Chad Pennington cannot laser a throw past 20 yards if his life depended on it
Runner up: Jonny Damon

Legs- Jorge Posada- the next stand up triple he gets in his long career will be his first, I'm surprised he has not grounded into more triple plays
Runner Up: Prince Fielder

Drive- Tim Thomas- this guy plays for two months every season and cashes in on a new contract
Runner Up: Randy Moss (I hope Im wrong)

Knees- anyone besides Amare who has had microfracture surgery

Leadership- Ron Artest- I'm not sure any player in the NBA would follow Ron Ron's lead, but I'd still want him on my team
Runner Up: Isiah Thomas, Danny Ainge, Kevin McHale, Billy Knight and every other idiot NBA GM

Hair- Chris Kaman, Drew Gooden (tie)... both of these guys are disturbing to look at

Physique- Eddy Curry- Yes he's talented, and yes he's fat
Runner Up: Phil Mickelson (the only man to grace both lists)

Shoulders- Peyton Manning- check out the SNL when he has his shirt off, very surprising
Runner Up: Greg Maddux

Honesty- Mark McGuire, Barry Bonds, Sammy Sosa, Michael Vick, Pacman Jones, Tank Johnson, Floyd Landis, Brett Boone, Guellermo Mota-har

Little Things

I don't know about you guys, but one of the great things about the mundane and monotonous lives that the "9-5er" leads is the enjoyment that can be found in the morning commute. While it is consistently difficult to get out of bed, the most common remedy that I have to these morning blues is good tunes and/or a good book. Tunes can be easy. Besides buying a new album, a new playlist on the ipizzle can do the trick. The book part is more of a challenge. There are some books that while interesting, can just be too heavy for you brain to handle at 7:30AM on a Tuesday. Besides that, even the best of books are known to have ups and downs. Its not like you are able to just skip to the next track if you don't like it either.

In any event, this past weekend I randomly blessed myself not only with some new music, but three new books as well. The music was based purely on recommendation (plus being bored on my computer and falling into the Itunes store trap). I purchased the new White Stripes album (thanks Chopper) and the Fall Out Boy album (Katzo has been repping these guys forever). So I am good with new music for the next couple of weeks, at which time I will need to mix it up to keep the fresh morning agenda.

I purchased three books, but the one I have started with is :07 Seconds Or Less by Jack McCallum. This is about the 2005-06 Phoenix Suns and has received quite a bit of notoriety over the past 10 months or so. It is the perfect morning book (for a sports fan). Very entertaining, interesting and easy to just pick up at a random point. While it is not a book that will change your life by any stretch, it is a fun book that gives you an in depth look into an NBA locker room and the people that make it up.

While it is always kind of weird to read a book like :07 Seconds so close to the time it happened, right now seems to be the perfect time. There are so many NBA rumors flying around and the Suns seem to be in the middle of all of them. If you get nothing else from this book you will get four things....Steve Nash is a warrior, Mike D'antoni is a great coach, Shawn Marion is tremendously insecure and Amare Stoudamire is self-centered. Many people now believe that Marion and Stoudamire can't work in unison to win a title because of this dichotomy. In the same breath though, I can not say I know which one would be better to trade.

Basically though, I have ripped through 110 pages in two days. This is the kind of book that is so important for a sports fan. When we view a team we see it through fantasy goggles. We don't see personalities, but instead talent. We don't know the demeanor of a player before a game or how late he stays up at night or how hard he takes a loss. These are the reasons teams win titles. It is clear that during the 2005-06 season the Suns had and were on their way to something special. Since then they have not won that elusive title. Like I said though, from readin this book you know the framework is there for it. Now the franchise is at a crossroads and it will be very interesting to see how the proceed.

Randoms

• KG will be traded and when its all set and done Kobe will be as well.
• Question....Thoughts on girls using Victoria Secret bags for daily use, ie carrying gym clothes into the office, etc? I find it odd, and it is something I always notice and have been meaning to bring up.
• Federer will win Wimbledon and the US open again this year, but he won't feel complete until he wins at Roland Garros.
• Big up to my boy JOakim NOah. Watch his Real Sports piece this month. Very solid. Good luck.
• LAstly, sorry I hadnt been around for a while I was very busy with work and tests, etc. This blog s gunna pick it up bigtime though.
• Holler

STKAFI

Updated: AL All-Star Voting

The AL All-Star voting was recently updated after my initial post.

The top spots in most positions remained the same, with the exception of the outfielders. Magglio Ordonez (previous 4th in voting) and Manny Ramirez (previous 2nd in voting) have flip-flopped positions.

This would make Ordonez an all-star starter for the first time in his career.

In addition, 3 players (Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, and Vladamir Guerrero) all topped 2 million votes after Tuesday updated ballots.

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/press_releases/press_release.jsp?ymd=20070626&content_id=2050003&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp&c_id=mlb#ballotResults

All-Star Weekend

As difficult it may be to follow up a post as insightful and interesting as Curtin's last post, I will try my darnedest.

With the All-Star game at AT&T park in San Fransisco a mere two weeks away, let's tackle position by position who SHOULD be starting for each league. This by no means is what the starting line-up will be because as we all know the fans have the last word, and big names usually end up getting the start over the player that deserves it. I will go through each position in each league with who I believe should be starting thus far, and in parenthesis, where my player is in the standings to date, followed by the leading vote getter (though 6/19 for AL and 6/25 for NL).

Let's start with the visiting AL:

C - Jorge Posada (2nd, Ivan Rodriguez) - He may not be the best catcher in the AL (Joe Mauer), but he is having a career year (in a contract year, no less).

1B - David Ortiz (1st) - the DH will get the start at first in the NL park.

2B - Brian Roberts (N/A, Placido Polanco) - A year removed from a devastating arm injury, Roberts is back to his All-Star form batting .324 with 24 stolen bases. Somehow is not in the top 5 in voting.

SS - Derek Jeter (1st) - The captain is putting up another stellar season at the plate.

3B - Alex Rodriguez (1st) - Next.

OF - Magglio Ordonez (4th) - Having a monster first half.
OF - Ichiro (3rd) - Batting over .350 with 22 SB's.
OF - Vladmir Guerrero (1st) - MVP candidate continues to put up huge numbers.

*Manny Ramirez is the 2nd vote getting in an off year.

Starter - Dan Haren - This is the hardest position to decide on right now. There are so many leading candidates this year for the AL starter, but Haren has been absolutely lights out posting a 1.78 ERA while going 9-2. Oh, and in his two loses, he gave up a combined 1 earned run. Although I would not argue against Johan Santana, C.C. Sabathia, Josh Beckett, or Justin Verlander.

Now for the NL:

C - Russell Martin (1st) - This young Canadian is putting up great numbers, with a rare 13 SBs for a catcher.

1B - Prince Fielder (1st) - Off to a tremendous start. This young guy is a superstar in the making.

2B - Chase Utley (1st) - Consistently puts up the best numbers of any 2B in both leagues.

SS - Jose Reyes (1st) - Arguably the most exciting player in baseball. Hardy has put up great numbers but cooled, surprisingly Hanley Ramirez isn't even in the top 5 vote getter's, yet I would probably consider him a close second to Reyes.

3B - Miguel Cabrera (2nd, David Wright) - Wright has made nice push in the past month, but minus SBs, Cabrera's numbers are superior.

OF - Matt Holliday (6th) - How is this guy 6th in the voting? Oh yeah, he plays in Colorado. This young right handed hitter is one of, if not the best in baseball.
OF - Ken Griffey, Jr. (2nd) - Numbers wise you could make a case for some other guys, but because there is not a dramatic difference, even I can make a push for a classy guy who just deserves to be there.
OF - Carlos Lee (7th) - As much as I wanted to put Eric Byrnes here, because he definitely deserves it (not even in the top 15 vote getter's), Lee's 60 RBI's on a terrible, terrible hitting team, pushed him over the top.

*Carlos Beltran, Griffey, Jr., and Alfonso Soriano are the leading vote getter's to date.

Starter - Jake Peavy - Another close call, but with not as many candidates, Peavy's 113 K's are third in the ML to Erik Bedard and Santana. You could make a case for Brad Penny, Chris Young and even Cole Hamels. But Peavy is the choice here.

The voting could fluctuate a little from now until the All-Star game, but I don't see it changing too much. The most intriguing factor will be who the starters for each rotation will be.

Interesting side note, ARod was the leading vote getter, with Beltran second, playing in NY does have its advantages.

The Kid is Back

The recent post by my fellow blogger, Ice Cold, got me thinking about the best in baseball. Always a highly debated argument whether it be best closer, best fastball, most clutch; there is little doubt that the possibilities are absolutely endless. While considering the possibilities of an article, I flipped on late night sports center and there was my answer, Ken Griffey Jr. The most electric position player of my young lifespan as a baseball fan. Now, while I did have the oppurtunity to watch Ozzie Smith flip around on the baseball diamond along with others when I was young, it isnt like I remember anything about the experience. Ken Griffey was and is just flat out exciting, the original "the kid", every year he gets hurt but at the same time, every year there is a moment or three where everyone says to themselves . . . The Kid is back. I cannot think of another streak of this magnitude, hurt every year, sometimes severely and yet when he comes back, we aren't suprised. Most oft injured stars never return to form, (see Nomar), but Griffey is just too good, better than bonds, better than Arod. He was the perfect player in every way. The sweetest swing, the greatest fielder. Everything. When Junior is in town, you see him play and it is electric, everytime, whether you witness domination, like last night, or an 0-4 with 2 ks. Everytime up to the plate is exciting.

One quick note on this, I have never witnessed a more electric sports figure, more polarizing, more dominant when watching him on his game live than Pedro Martinez. I have never witnessed anything like Fenway Park back in the day, watching Pedro dominate the competition. At this point, I dont see anything coming close but I'll leave the door slightly ajar.

Now is Griffey the most electric player today? No he isn't, there is no chance, on a daily basis, I am sure that Big Papi in fenway, Reyes, perhaps on his way, in NY and Jeter in NY command more respect and fan noise. But there is something extra about Griffey. And frankly, if you do not get that warm, all is right with the baseball world feeling when you or another remarks that "The Kid is back", if only for a few games, then you are missing out on my favorite under-rated, annual, guaranteed moment of the baseball summer.

Friday Dancing

Seeing Roger Clemens line last night makes me feel like dancing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ew1q-qSMZ5A

K to the OBE

The never ending twists and turns of the Kobe Bryant situation is about to get even better in the next few days when a video where Kobe speaks poorly of the Lakers front office and Andrew Bynum surfaces.

There are so many angles to Kobe and what is going on that it's impossible for anyone to know how this is going to end up and that includes Kobe himself.

1. I have been on Kobe's website and I don't see where it says he has narrowed the teams down to Chicago, New York and Phoenix. However, let's assume this is the case for a second. It is kind of ironic that Kobe wants a trade but his manner of doing so has made it very difficult for him to in fact be traded.

Kobe is the only player in the league with a full no trade clause. So narrowing his trade options down to these 3 teams basically holds a gun to Lakers management. If you are Chicago
you can just sit tight and low ball the Lakers because you know they don't want to send him to a Western Conference power like Phoenix, and you know unless the Knicks get creative they don't have any real pieces to give.

2. Another problem that the Lakers are facing is they have the most expensive ticket in town. In order to sell out that building they need a superstar to bring in the fans. The fans aren't flocking to see Luol Deng and Ben Gordon or Frye, Lee and Crawford. They need a stud, and this leads me to another problem.

3. When you look at the big name trades over the years, the team getting the Superstar always does better. It is never stud for stud it is always a 4 for 1 or whatever.

The Lakers acquired Wilt from Sixers in 1968-69 for Jerry Chambers, Archie Clark and
Darrall Imhoff.

Kareem was traded to the Lakers for Junior Bridgeman, Dave Meyers, Elmore Smith, and
Brian Winters.

The trade of Shaquille O'Neal to the Miami Heat for Lamar Odom, Caron Butler, and Brian
Grant.

Barkley was traded for Hornacek, Tim Perry and Andrew Lang

Look at the names at the other end of these deals! And now you're going to lose Kobe, who may go down as a top 10 player of all time (worst case). How do you deal a guy in his prime like this who most certainly will not get back even value.


5. My final thought on the issue is this. I think Kobe may be just ballsy enough and just competitive enough to want to go in to Chicago and try and outdue what MJ did there. Granted this is a tall task with the 6 titles and statute outside the Arena, but Kobe has 3, is it out of the question for him to think he can get 4 more in Chicago? He knows how weak the East is and he saw Lebron take 4 scrubs to the finals. Kobe thinks of himself as the best player in the league. Why not go to the East, and give yourself a shot at the finals every year.
One more final thought is whatever team he goes to, is probably going to be a bare cupboard. Whats the Bulls without Deng and Gordon? Although i could see the Lakers asking for Tyrus Thomas too and that might be too much.

Whats the Knicks without Frye, Lee and Crawford? He would still have Curry but thats about it.

What about a sign and trade with the Nets for Carter??? Kidd, Kobe, Jefferson, Kristic, ___ Probably good enough to win the east

A column for another day, but can we get KG out of Minnesota! Talk about loyalty and respect. We don't hear a peep out of him!

Newest Power Rankings

The summer is starting to heat up, and teams are starting to separate themselves from the pact. If you notice one pattern, and it's been consistent for the past few years, its that the NL continues to suck. Which begs the question, which is worse? The National League or the Eastern Conference in the NBA? And don't give me that crap about the Cardinals or the Pistons winning championships somewhat recently, both divisions are terrible. Now, without further ado, let's take a looks at the updated Katzo MLB Power Rankings (through June 18th):

1. Los Angeles of Anaheim Angels (45-26): The hottest team in the majors right now. Stellar pitching staff, a bullpen that has the likes of K-Rod, and set-up man Shields to complement a starting rotation which consists of Lackey, Colon, Escobar, Santana, and Weaver. Not too mention a line-up of scrappy hitters up and down, scattered with a couple power guys who can get the home run when necessary. I don't see many teams that could beat them in a seven game series.

2. Boston Red Sox (44-25): Good hitting, decent starting pitching, great bullpen. Very solid team but I have some issues with the starting pitching. Lester is coming back soon, but will he save the day? Doubtful. Playoff bound? yes. World Series bound?...

3. Detroit Tigers (40-29): I love this team and would very much like to see a Tigers/Angles ALCS. But injuries in the bullpen have hampered them a bit. Great line-up and tremendous young pitching. Can the bullpen turn it around?

4. Cleveland Indians (41-28): Remember when I said at the beginning of the year to watch out for this team? Same division as the Tigers, slightly less hitting and a questionable closer keeps me from putting them ahead of Detroit. Still believe they will make earn the Wild Card.

5. Milwaukee Brewers (39-31): Another team of young players that I love to watch. Prince is slowly turning into a King in front of our eyes. Tremendous bullpen and a solid rotation should get them at least to the NLCS. Would love to see a Brewers and Tigers/Angels World Series.

6. NY Mets (38-30): Pitching, pitching, pitching. Do you really want your ace starting spring training at the end of July? Age is starting to show, and as dangerous as their line-up is, they can't carry them every night, especially in the playoffs.

7. Oakland A's (38-31): Pitching, pitching, pitching. But this is a good thing for the A's. Stellar young group of arms, but where are the runs going to come from? An exact opposite of the Mets.

8. San Diego Padres (40-28): Great staff and bullpen, but will have trouble adding to the left side of the scoreboard. Also, is this division the best or the worst in the NL? I can't tell. (Okay, not the worst, that's the central).

9. LA Dodgers (39-30): The saga continues, consistent pitching with struggling bats.

10. Atlanta Braves (38-33): Health. This team has all the tools to make a run, but can they stay healthy and can they be consistent enough? And honestly, Andruw, really?

11. NY Yankees (35-32): Staff is finally healthy (minus Hughes). Clemens is back and Abreu is hitting, but can they keep it up, and have they dug themselves into too deep a hole?

12. Philadelphia Philies (36-34): Cole Hamels cannot carry this staff, and it's too bad because he's special. Line-up is too hot and cold.

13. Arizona (40-31): Young hitters have started to cool, don't be surprise if this team fizzles down the stretch.

14. Minnesota Twins (34-34): Santana hasn't been the same. If he turns it around and with Mauer back, I could see this team making a late push.

15. Seattle Mariners (35-31): Surprise of the year so far. Had a nice little streak. Not enough pitching or overall weapons to make a serious run.

16. Colorado Rockies (35-34): Love the young hitters.
17. Toronto Blue Jays (33-35): Destroyed by the injury bug.
18. Florida Marlins (33-38): Too young still.
19. Tampa Bay Devil Rays (31-37): Slowly but surely making strides.
20. Chicago White Sox (29-37): A huge hole in the proverbial team bat.
21. St. Louis Cardinals (30-37): Rumblings of Ankiel being called up as a power-hitting OF, good for him.
22. Pittsburgh Pirates (30-39): Already ran out of steam.
23. Chicago Cubs (31-37): Easily the most entertaining off the field team this year...that's about it.
24. San Fransisco Giants (30-39): Can't score for the young, but talented pitching staff.
25. Houston Astros (30-40): Can't score any runs period.
26. Kansas City Royals (29-42): Alex Gordon is finally starting to turn it around.
27. Washington Nationals (30-40): Second most surprising team this year.
28. Baltimore Orioles (29-40): New manager won't help much, at least this year.
29. Texas Rangers (26-43): Yuck.
30. Cincinnati Reds (27-44): Yuckier, especially after they trade Dunn and possibly Griffey.

Playoff Predictions:

AL East: Red Sox
AL Central: Tigers
AL West: Angles
Wild Card: Indians

ALDS: Angles over Indians, Tigers over Red Sox
ALCS: Angles over Tigers

NL East: Mets
NL Central: Brewers
NL West: Dodgers
Wild Card: Padres

NLDS: Brewers over Padres, Dodgers over Mets
NLCS: Brewers over Dodgers

World Series: Angles over Brewers

All Star Picks

When did this disparity in sports occur. The AL way better than the NL, the Western Conference way better than the East, The AFC way better than the NFC. I know at certain periods of time one league was more dominant, but for their to be such a disparity in all 3 leagues at the same time?? Don't give me that Cardinal World Series stuff, they got hot at the right time, they were not a better baseball team then about 3 or 4 AL teams. (Let's hear it Ice Cold)

First of all I have received the same email 4 different times concerning the end of Sopranos. This is the best piece I've found summing it all up
http://blog.silive.com/advanceupdate/2007/06/exclusive_an_interview_with_so.html

Usually I would write about the NBA Finals, but it is nauseating me. I'm not even talking about the low scoring, I at times enjoy a good defensive, grind it out playoff game. What is nauseating to me is how bad Lebron's supporting cast is. The guys are terrible. Spurs went 10-19 from three, Cavs went 3-19 from three. Ok enough.

Let's look at baseball. The All Star game is just a month away.
AL: I'm only doing starters
Catcher- Jorge Posada .353, 7, 40 With Mauer out, another catcher had to step up and take the batting title, who knew it would be Jorge
1B- David Ortiz .340, 11, 42 I give Ortiz the nod over Morneau, despite Justin's 17 home runs and 47 rbi's, for one because of the different in batting average .340 to .276 but also because of the Red Sox tremendous record and the Twins lousy one
2B- Polanco .344, 33 rbi, 44 runs One of the catalysts for a Tiger team that leads baseball in hits. A down year by Cano thus far, and my hatred for Kinsler (think Chris Shelton 2007)
3B- Arod. I won't waste your time justifying this one
SS- Jeter This is close between him and Guillen but DJ's 46 runs to 32 for CG and .328 compared to .305.
OF- The 6 candidates for 3 spots
Magglio .362, 13, 56, 53 runs
Vlad .330, 12, 54, 34 runs
Manny .289, 8, 33, 33 runs
Tori .308, 13, 51, 38 runs
Sheff .281, 17, 43, 57 runs
Ichiro .333, 5, 33, 48 runs

Magglio is a no brainer, and maybe the only other person in the MVP argument other then Arod right now. For the other two, I'm going with Ichiro who leads the most surprising team in baseball and Vlad who leads the AL west Angels. Sheff may be the hottest player in baseball as of late but Magglio is stealing his all star thunder. Vlad is 2nd in the league in RBIs and one of the top in average as well. Manny comes in a distant 6th

Starting pitcher- Lackey may have his 10 wins, Beckett may be undefeated, C.C. may be the most dominant over the past two weeks... but my starter is Tyler Clippard... just kidding, I'm going with Danny Haren. I like many think wins is a slightly overrated category was judging pitching, however is 1.58 era cannot be ignored. The second closest in the AL is 2.48. Haren has 97 innings and is 7-2. he has let up more then 2 earned runs just once the entire season and that was his 3rd start of the year. he has made 14 starts, and started the year off 0-2! In 4 of his 14 starts he has let up zero earned runs, including one in which he lost. He's my choice, although their are def worthy candidates.

Sorry, no NL picks for me.. if no one does it ill make the NL next week. Hopefully the Mets have won a game by then, and as for the Yanks... they are getting awfully big in that rear view mirror

Positive Thoughts

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/13/sports/football/13giants.html?_r=1&ref=sports&oref=slogin

Just doin my part for the kid and my G-men...

The Age-Old Debate

After this weekend's French Open final, I've decided to re-visit one of the most intriguing, entertaining, and even debates in sports. Each side has their arguments and it's very difficult to try and squash the other sides stance. What makes dispute even more complex and harder to tackle is the fact that it spans across two completely different sports.

So who is the more dominate athlete? Tiger Woods or Roger Federer?

As many close to me know, I have had the same position even before this weekend, and unfortunately with Federer losing in the French Open final yet again to Rafael Nadal, who has quickly become his nemesis, some could say my stance has been strengthened. However, I believed Tiger was the more dominate athlete, even before this weekends results and still do. Lets go over the numbers, which are staggering on both accounts:

Tiger Woods -

• 31-years old (age is a more significant factor after first glace which I will re-examine in a little);
• 11-year veteran (turned pro in 1996);
• 1996 ROY;
• 79 professional wins (57 Tour events);
• 12 Major Championships: 4 Masters (1997, 2001, 2002, 2005), 2 U.S. Opens (2000, 2002), 3 British Opens (2000, 2005, 2006), and 3 PGA Championships (1999, 2000, 2006) Yes he has one each major at least twice, and he will be the odds on favorite to win his 3rd U.S. Open this weekend;
  
• 4-time AP Male Athlete of the Year (1997, 1999, 2000, 2006), 7-time PGA Tour Money Winner (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2005, 2006), 8-time PGA Tour Player of the year (1997, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006);
• 142-consecutive cuts made;
• 7 straight PGA Tour wins at one point;
• 447 weeks as the World's #1 Ranked Golfer

Roger Federer -

• 25-years old;
• 9-year veteran (Turned Pro in 1998 at the age of 17);
• 513-130 career record;
• 48 career titles;
• 10 Grand Slam titles: 3 Australian Opens (2004, 2006, 2007), 4 (straight) Wimbledon's (2003, 2004, 2005, 2006), 3 (straight) U.S. Opens (2004, 2005, 2006);
• 8-consecutive Grand Slam finals
• 12-consecutive Grand Slam semi-finals
• 41-consecutive match win streak
• 7-straight tournament title streak
• 3-time Laureus World Sportsman of the Year
• World's #1 ranked player since February 2, 2004
• 176-consecutive weeks as the World's #1 ranked player

*Please keep in mind that I'm sure I'm leaving some numbers and records out, but I am just trying to quickly display the most important and dominating statistics for each athlete.

Both athletes already own numerous records in each of there respective sports (see above), but when we look at the most prestigious records each are chasing: Jack Nicklaus 18 Major Championships and Pete Sampras 14 Grand Slam titles, we should assume each will break both of their respective records.

So how do you separate the two? One could make the argument that neither has much competition. But how do we really know? Are each really so dominate that the competition within the sport just seems extremely sub-par? Or is each era in each sport just plain weak? What about Vijay and Phil or Federer's recent struggles against Nadal?

What about the difference in the sport itself? Federer is playing each opponent one on one, whereas Tiger is playing against a field of around 80 other golfers. If Federer has a bad day or two, he has to hope his one competitor doesn't have the match of his career. If Tiger has a bad day or two, he has to hope no one in the entire rest of the field is dominating.

Two things stick out to me when evaluating the two, and both happen to hamper the argument for Federer:

• 0 French Open titles
• 4-8 career record against Nadal

Now, Sampras never even made a French Open final and even though I already consider Federer better than Sampras and the greatest men's singles player of all-time, I do not consider Tiger the greatest male golfer of all-time (yet). However, for Federer to lose to Nadal 8 out of 12 times and have not won a French Open, is what, in my mind, puts him slightly behind Tiger when it comes to being a more dominate athlete.

Katz, clay is a much different surface than grass and hard court, and puts power players at a disadvantage in the tennis world. Bullshit argument. I do agree that clay is much more different and a power player must adjust his game, but Tiger has won every major in every condition. The British Open is known for its tremendous winds, Augusta is know for its clever and difficult design (not to mention it has been "Tiger-proofed", I don't see the ATP changing the grass and hard courts around to make things more difficult for Federer), and the U.S. Open has its deep rough and rock-hard greens. Tiger has defied all of his obstacles. Federer, not quite yet.

In addition, in golf, Tiger could conceivably have a good 15-20 competitive years left, while Roger's career will most likely be over in his early 30's, as is the career lifespan of the typical tennis star. Of course everything is relative to each sport, but they are on such similar career tracks that it only seems realistic that Tiger will ended up being that much more dominate.

This is obviously a very touchy topic, as I have engaged in many an argument with friends and colleagues about who is the more dominate athlete. But as of today (and even before Federer was over matched by Nadal this weekend), I believe Tiger is the more dominate athlete between the two. And when all is said and done, Tiger will end up being the most dominate athlete of all-time.

The Truth?

It is time to trade Paul Pierce. If the goal is to win a championship, then it is time to clean house. No more ainge, no more Rivers, no more Paul. I hate to say it; Paul Pierce is a great player but after watching LeBron and Co. get waxed by the Spurs, it is time to move on. They had a chance, a one in five chance that could bring them back, make them competitive now, they lost the lottery it was devastating but what now? The Celtics aren’t getting any kind of veteran help that will put them over the top, there is no one out there are available that can make them a championship contender. It isn’t happening. They won’t be able to compete with the Spurs or Suns in a 7 games series, it isn’t going to happen. The terrible thing about a youth movement when you have a superstar is that by the time the kids grow up, the star is old and no longer able to lead them the way that the team needs. Paul Pierce has 2 maybe 3 years left to lead a team at the highest level and that is about it, it is time to move on while he still has value. Trade him for pieces and get a new coach. Orherwise, we don’t have a chance.

Just a couple of quick thoughs.

The Red Sox are not in trouble, the Red Sox are not in trouble. As a Red Sox fan, It is impossible not to assume the worst. That the Yankees are coming and slowly but surely they will come back on the Red Sox until just at the end of the season, they pass us for good. Then I think, that Roger Clemens is 80 years old and they barely have a pitching staff. When I think that, suddenly everything is fine.

Despite my lack of hope for the Celtics, Al Jefferson is a glimmer.

The Cavs have no chance, it is shaping up to be exactly the kind of finals that I was afraid of. Boring as hell.

The Red Sox are cruising, don't let a little west coast trip fool you. Beckett 9-0. Manny hitting again, the power will come. J.D. Drew blows but hey you can't win em all.

GIve the Kid a Chance

http://www.nj.com/giants/ledger/index.ssf?/base/sports-1/118144980061490.xml&coll=1

And so starts my campaign to my Giant fans to give Coughlin and Manning a chance this year....

Spurs v. The Greats

First I would like to apologize for missing my blog spot today, my internet situation in Jersey City is questionable at best and I dont have the balls yet to bang one out at work yet.

So anyway, the Cavs are currently down 15 and treading in quick sand.
Problems I see at this point for the Cavs
1.) Lebron is not a consistent enough jump shooter at this point in his career. The spurs are playing off of him and yes he can get hot, but streaky jump shooters obviously have cold streaks as well. He is 2-13 from the field as I type this. So he realizes his jump shot is not falling, attempts to drive, lowers that big shoulder (not as broad as mine) and is drawing contact, but some of it is offensive. He has still been unselfish, both besides Gooden I haven't seen a guy knock down a jump shot.

2.) I don't know what they are going to do with Tony Parker. At one point he had 18 pts, 16 of them in the paint. He is getting in there at will. Hughes is hurt (and overrated) and cannot stay with him. Snow gives you so little on offense that you can't afford to have him out there. I guess the responsibility falls on Gibson.

Anyway, enough of that because anyone watching can see the same things I just saw... what I would like to talk about next is something I heard being discussed on the radio today. They were debating how these Spurs would stack up against some of the best teams of the past 25 years.

On Mike and the Mad Dog, Chris was saying that they wouldn't take a game from any of those Laker or Celtic teams. The depth that those teams had, sometimes 5 double digit scorers, others had Hall of Famers galore. I mean I look at the Spurs as a whole and I can see where one would say they don't have the horses to compete with teams stacked like Parish, Bird, Mchale, Johnson, Ainge, etc or Magic, Worthy, Green, Cooper, Kareem, etc

However... like those teams, the Spurs truly are a great "team". Also, besides being a great team, they have that "guy" in Duncan. It doesn't matter what team in history you put out there, Duncan will get his. And I'm starting to believe Parker is somewhat underrated. Sure, it may just be me in the moment saying that, but he year after year leads point guards in scoring in the paint, he has a solid jump shot and is quick as hell. Spurs have proven they can play different tempos and different styles. Bowen may be the premier perimeter defender of an era, and Ginobili has to be up there with one of the better 2nd/3rd fiddles. He may even be considered to be a first fiddle when it comes to crunch time, he seems to get to that hoop, he's a great finisher/flopper and a great foul shooter. Having a closer like that is often a separator from good teams to great.

I will throw Popovich right up there with the great coaches of all time. Don't give me the he has Duncan line, because you can't win championships without great players.

I didn't touch on any Michael Jordan teams which is always a tough argument because of how Jordan is revered. Some consider him unbeatable. And at times he may have been. Bulls never had that low post guy, and Duncan surely would have given them trouble. Pippen/Ginobili would have been great to watch. Not sure how the Bulls would have kept Parker at bay. One thing is for sure I would have loved to seen Bowen try and guard MJ... God I hate Bowen

Where have all the bloggers gone?

Good Lord, it has been what 2 days since the last post. Seeing as how there is a rather important game on tonight and this is a SPORTS BLOG. I figured that I would throw in my two cents in the interest of keeping things moving.

The Spurs vs. LeBron, it doesn’t get much better than that right? Right?

Sure I would rather the Suns, Warriors, Mavericks, Nuggets or even the Jazz to the Spurs due to their less than mind altering game play. But I can’t think of a more intriguing team to watch from the east than the Cavs. No other team from the East is good enough to beat the Spurs in a series. Sure the team outta Cleveland doesn’t exactly have a great shot but what other team is there with a running subplot or star like LeBron? At least that will keep things sort of interesting; especially if he continues to play like he did over the last few.

All that said, I don’t really care that much who wins, and perhaps maybe I shouldn’t be writing on a sports blog if that is the case. I’ll watch sure, but I cant promise that it will have my undivided attention.

Lets get some end of the day predictions.

My pick, screw the sports guy, screw common sense and basketball knowledge

Cavs in 6

It’d just be more fun that way.

MAN-EYE

Sometimes the worst place to be during a Red Sox/Yankees series is at home in New York City. That is, if you are a Met fan in NYC. For all of our inferiority complexes and little brother syndromes, there is not much more that can make us feel completely insignificant than when the Yankees and Red Sox do battle. Every bar is filled big screens showing Jeter and Papi, while Beltran gets what feels like an 18" screen at the corner of the bar. As a result of this, and the fact that if I am with my friends I am forced to abandon my Mets for the enjoyment of the group, I get to watch a lot of these Yankee/Red Sox battles. While there are tons of different things to love about this rivalry, and just as many memorable moments, there is one constant that fixates me to the screen at least four times a game. Watching Manny Ramirez hit.



He is, in my mind, the greatest right handed hitter that I have ever seen. Since his first full season in 1995, Manny has hit over .300 every year except for twice. He has hit over .340 twice and has six career 40 homer seasons. Manny has driven in 100 runs or more in every season since 1995 except for one and has a career on base of .410. Numbers are great, but they do not tell the entire story. To me, the epitome of a good hitter is someone who will consistently fight off good pitches and hammer bad ones. To me, has done this better than anyone in the American League over the past 10-12 years, and still has a few more year left in him. As a pure hitter, there is no one I would rather watch up at the plate.



Now, when I judge a hitter there there is an order to how what means most to me. Number one is batting average. Number two is power. Three is the ability to not strikeout and last is the skill of seeing pitches or taking walks. When I look at all the players that I have had a chance to watch over the past 15 years or so, there are a few that jump out at me.



1. Tony Gwynn: I know he did not have the power of others, but he hit so many line drives. He never struck out and would not swing at balls. The only thing missing from him and Ted Williams as a hitter is the power (which is a very big difference).



2. Manny Ramirez: read above



3. Vladamir Guerrero: This guy can hit anything. Unreal plate coverage, and crazy power. He is a modern day DiMaggio in that he is a free swinger, but does not strike out much. Does not walk a ton, but he has improved this aspect as he has had to in that bare Angel line-up.



4. Albert Pujols: He may end up on top of this list, but I am not ready to put him there yet. His strikeout rate is one of the best ever for a man with his power. Every aspect of hitting, he is one of the best.



5. Ichiro: Basically can do whatever he wants with the bat. Not great power, but you get the feeling that if he wanted to he could hit .300 instead of .330 and his 20 HRs instead of 10. A flat-out hit machine.



Honorable Mentions:



Derek Jeter: Has gotten better with age; similar to Ichiro in the hits he racks up

Mike Piazza: If he retired three years ago he would had had a career .320 AVG. That is rare-air and ridiculous for a catcher

Nomar Garciaparra: There was a time when I felt he had the best shot in baseball to come close to DiMaggio's 56 game streak. Lights out hitter in his prime.

Alex Rodriguez: Insane power and has a career AVG over .300

Ken Griffey Jr.: Great power and the prettiest swing most of us have ever seen.

Gary Sheffield: Quickest bat over the past 15 years. People forget that he once won a batting title.



*Barry Bonds: Rank him will you may. I have a problem assessing him and his place int he game. One thing is for sure though, and before any steroid suspicions, he had great power and the best eye in the game.



I can be forgetful, so if you think I am missing someone, don't be shy.



STKAFI

A break from your Monday LeBron Barrage

As luck would have it, I have the unique opportunity to be the first on this website to discuss my thoughts on the looming NBA Finals. However, I as I am assuming everyone will be talking about it, we will be going in another direction for this column.

I have been reading up on some of the training camp reports and in my mind, it is never too early to make some power rankings/predictions for the much anticipated NFL season starting in just 3 short months or so. With the draft and most of the free agent signings / trades in the rear view mirror, we are for the first time able to look at the potential opening day rosters.

Power Rankings.

1. Colts: The defending champs definitely lost some important starters on D but they still have Peyton Manning.
2. Patriots: The newly anointed 2^nd best quarterback in the league just got a whole lotta weapons on that offense of his. With Donte Stallworth and Mr. Moss, there is not one team in the league that can handle this offense man to man.
3. Chargers: La La Ladanian
4. Saints: Beefed up that defense, Brees still leading the attack on O. They will miss Joe Horn
5. Bears: Awesome D-fense. Drop a spot because Rex Grossman is TERRIBLE
6. Titans: Vince Young Just Wins Football games. Haynesworth and Pacman(will be greating the teams as they arrive) will be enough to make teams afraid for their lives.
   
7. Cardinals: New coaching, good offense, improved everywhere, I think they finally make the jump
8. Jets: Man-genius. Still think they shoulda taken Brady Quinn
9. Seahawks: Patrick Kerney the forgotten big free agent signing. Just don’t like these guys. Probably Shaun Alexander for some reason I’m not a fan
10. Ravens: I like the moves they have made. Willis Mcgahee should play great.
11. Bengals: Probably should have been higher but they lose points due to the fact that half of them will be behind bars by Christmas
12. Panthers: Still have a great D but I don’t think that Delhomme is the answer anymore.
13. Rams: Solid team all around. There isn’t really anything spectacular about these guys
14. Broncos: The Mile High advantage makes them always at least competitive.
15. Jaguars: No idea where to put this team. Way too many questions.
16. Giants: No Tiki, I have never been solid on the mental fortitude of the QB. I think that Giants fans are in for a long season. Having 2^nd thoughts about putting them this high up.
17. Bucs: Didn’t love their draft but they will be good if Cadillac remembers how to use his legs
18. Eagles: Terrible Off season. Just terrible.
19. Cowboys: I hate Tony Romo, hate the coaching choice, good draft though, love TO
20. Redskins: They are always middle of the road and that won’t change this year
21. 49ers: Big moves this off season. Not positive that it will push them to the next level though
22. Steelers: This team is 100% mediocre.
23. Browns: Still the worst team in this division but the Steelers could give them a run for their money.
24. Dolphins: Good D, just needs Trent Green, Cleo Lemon ain’t getting it done.
25. Chiefs: This team will never break my top 20. Not until I can name a starting receiver without wondering if Eddie Kennison is still alive.
26. Falcons: Will Vick even be there?
27. Packers: Bleh.
28. Vikings: I like Adrian Peterson, I don’t like that I cannot name another offensive starter. Was Brad Johnson still playing at the end of the year?
29. Lions: They suck. But the offense should be fun to watch, no? I may be against the pick but Calvin will still probably win ROY
    
30. Bills: They suck even worse. Nothing fun about these guys
31. Raiders: I love Lane Kiffin’s approach, love JaMarcus Russell. Just don’t love anyone else on the team
32. Texans: Terrible Supreme

Playoff Teams

NFC: Giants(I guess), Bears, Saints, Cardinals, WC: Seahawks, Bucs

AFC: Patriots, Ravens, Colts, Chargers, WC: Jets, Titans

NFC Champ: Saints(Surprised?)

AFC Champ: Colts

SAINTS WIN! SAINTS WIN!

I promise, no more football for a month at least