Meet the Mets...

Since the All-Star break, the Braves are 8-4. Overall, Atlanta has won 18 of 28 since ending their 10 game losing streak. Those pesky Mets have continued to play well, allowing Atlanta to shave only one game off their lead since the break. However, though the Braves are still 5.5 back in the Wild Card, they've leapfrogged half of the field and are now chasing only three teams as of this morning. So while this weekend series with the Mets at Turner Field may not end up having Eastern Division implications, the Braves must keep winning, and can send a message to the Mets by winning the series. Regardless of the 12 game gap, this one will still feel like a big series for both teams.

The Mets will have the advantage in arms, throwing Pedro Martinez, Orlando Hernandez, and Tom Glavine against Atlanta's Horacio Ramirez, Tim Hudson, and Chuck James. If the Braves actually manage to sweep the Mets (don't hold your breath), there will still be a flicker of hope for the division. But the reality appears to be that New York continues to play like the best team in the NL, while the Braves will continue to chase the Wild Card.

Stay tuned...

Anger rising...

At 8:44 this morning, I'm officially ready for football.

I'm going through my morning routine, checking out the sports pages in Knoxville, Nashville, Atlanta and Boston with SportsCenter on the background. They go to the Hot Seat segment and bring on an analyst from each sport, asking who's on the proverbial...hot seat. So for college football, they break out your friend and mine, Jim Donnan, from his eight month hibernation. Jim, who's on the hot seat in college football?

"I'm gonna have to go with Phillip Fulmer at the University of Tennessee (fair enough). 5-6 last year isn't going to cut it, and they haven't been able to beat Georgia or Florida in the last couple of years."

Fact check!

The Vols beat Georgia two years ago in Athens, and have beaten Florida three of the last five meetings. Georgia's players were quoted at media days yesterday talking about how much they respect the Vols. There's no question that Fulmer's seat might be getting hot, and there's no question that 5-6 won't cut it...but let's get someone other than Donnan (who used his second pick to talk about Chris Leak...in all of college football, the ex-Georgia coach goes after his two biggest rivals for the hot seat as an unbiased analyst? Come on.) to try and tell people about college football.

It should be hard to get a job with ESPN. My thought is it would be something that lots of people would kill for. And my hope is that people of intelligence and a hair of research expertise would land those jobs and be brought on SportsCenter to talk about the hot seat as the face of their respective sports on this morning. And the best we can do is Jim Donnan?

This isn't the first time with him either. And he isn't the only one - Bob Davie has one of the highest profile college football jobs with ESPN, and let's be honest...but Donnan was last seen as the guy at Georgia before Mark Richt, cussing out Phillip Fulmer in front of his daughter at the tail end of a 38-13 loss in 1997, playing the Vols with undefeated, top 10 teams in 97, 98, 99...and losing, and ultimately being fired the following year. He's a joke, and he's only good at pissing me off.

And I'm so glad he did.

I'm ready.

37 days...

SEC Media Days

The fun begins this afternoon in Birmingham...you can take a look at who's giving interviews below and read their comments all week at secsports.com. The coaches will also make their picks for the SEC race later in the week.

Wednesday
Alabama (RB Kenneth Darby, CB Ramzee Robinson, Coach Mike Shula)
Vanderbilt (OT Brian Stamper, LB Jonathan Goff, Coach Bobby Johnson)
Georgia (C Nick Jones, DE Quentin Moses, Coach Mike Richt)
Kentucky (WR Keenan Burton, LB Wesley Woodyard, Coach Rich Brooks)

Thursday
Ole Miss (TE Robert Lane, LB Patrick Willis, Coach Ed Orgeron)
Tennessee (OT Arron Sears, DT Justin Harrell, Coach Phillip Fulmer)
Arkansas (WR Marcus Monk, LB Sam Olajubutu, Coach Houston Nutt)
South Carolina (RB Mike Davis, CB Fred Bennett, Coach Steve Spurrier)

Friday
Auburn (WR Courtney Taylor, LB Will Herring, Coach Tommy Tuberville)
LSU (WR Dwayne Bowe, FS LaRon Landry, Coach Les Miles)
Florida (QB Chris Leak, DT Marcus Thomas, Coach Urban Meyer)
Mississippi State (QB Michael Henig, DB Jermaine Johnson, Coach Sylvester Croom)

SEC Preview - Alabama

Looking Back...
Alabama used the nation's best scoring defense and enough clutch plays at the right times to win their first nine games in 2005, including victories over Florida and Tennessee. The Tide fell to LSU in overtime and then lost to Auburn, but capped off the year with a Cotton Bowl victory over Texas Tech to finish 10-2, a very successful season for Mike Shula.

Looking Forward...
In the best conference in college football, at its most tradition rich institution, Alabama must try and keep the pace in a crowded field in 2006, replacing a three year starter at quarterback, facing questions about its most explosive offensive threat, and trying to replace seven starters on defense. Mike Shula found his place in Alabama lore last year - this is the season where he can earn his stay.

Offense
Sophomore John Parker Wilson - who sounds like he was born to play quarterback in the SEC - takes the mantle from Brodie Croyle. Wilson is untested but beat out senior Marc Guillon for the starting job. Much of his duties will revolve around handing the ball to Kenneth Darby, back for his senior season with a chance to put his name among recent Alabama greats at running back like Shaun Alexander and Shaud Williams. Darby, quietly, is a two-time All-SEC player and picked up over 1200 yards last year. Alabama can also split the backfield with fullbacks Le'Ron McClain and Tim Castille (I've never seen two fullbacks on the cover of a team's media guide...until today). The offense will go behind a line returning four starters, though the fact that only one of them is a senior speaks volumes about the problems that Alabama had at this position a year ago. Was the line the biggest problem with last year's offense, and if so is it solidified? In 2005 Alabama had more weapons on offense, but still struggled mightily to put the ball in the end zone, relying on their outstanding defense and clutch kicking to win games. Jamie Christensen does return, and he did nail the game winners against Ole Miss, Tennessee, and Texas Tech, but he also missed nine field goals that didn't come at the end of games. If Bama is to score more, they'll need help from the receiving corps, who is still waiting to find out the status of Tyrone Prothro. After shattering his leg against Florida, Prothro spent almost a month in the hospital, developed an infection after surgery, and isn't talking about his status. The other receiving options are back (DJ Hall, Keith Brown and Matt Caddell all return), but their struggles sans Prothro are well documented (and probably overemphasized, but nonetheless...). With a weaker defense and less experience at quarterback in an offense that struggled last year, can the offense hold up their end and make up the difference?

Defense
Gone are seven starters from the nation's number one scoring defense and number two total defense in 2005. The Tide return Wallace Gilberry and Jeremy Clark on the line, Juwan Simpson at linebacker (where the losses of DeMeco Ryans and Freddie Roach hurt the most), and only Ramzee Robinson in a secondary playing without Charlie Peprah, Roman Harper, and Anthony Madison for the first time in three years. Simeon Castille has some experience at corner and will be expected to help smooth the transition for the rest of the young secondary, while the Tide need less experienced players like LB Terrence Jones to step in and immediately make an impact. It's beyond reason to expect this defense to approach the numbers and sheer dominance that last year's unit produced, but this is still Alabama and they should still be more than adequate on this side of the ball. Three opening contests with Hawaii, Vanderbilt, and Louisiana-Monroe will test them in limited capacity, before back to back trips to Arkansas and Florida. The fact that there are 12 straight games with no off week (though eight of them are at home) is a burden for both sides of the ball, but especially this defense looking for depth. Given the pre-exisiting issues with the offense, the defense will still be relied on to carry a large portion of the load this year.

Depth Chart
QB John Parker Wilson (So)
RB Kenneth Darby (Sr)
FB Le'Ron McClain (Sr)
WR DJ Hall (Jr)
WR Keith Brown (Jr)
TE Travis McCall (So)
LT Chris Capps (Jr)
LG Marlon Davis (So)
C Antoine Caldwell (So)
RG BJ Stabler (So)
RT Kyle Tatum (Sr)

LE Wallace Gilberry (Jr)
DT Jeremy Clark (Sr)
DT Dominic Lee (Sr)
RE Bobby Greenwood (So)
LOLB Juwan Simpson (Sr)
MLB Matt Collins (Jr)
ROLB Terrence Jones (Sr)
CB Ramzee Robinson (Sr)
CB Simeon Castille (Jr)
FS Jeffrey Dukes (Sr)
SS Marcus Carter (Jr)

K Jamie Christensen (Jr)
P PJ Fitzgerald (Fr)

Schedule
Hawaii
Vanderbilt
Louisiana-Monroe
at Arkansas
at Florida
Duke
Ole Miss
at Tennessee
FIU
Mississippi State
at LSU
Auburn

Five Questions...
1. Is John Parker Wilson the man?
In a year, are Alabama fans going to be cussing Wilson or praising him? He has a chance to be the future at this position, if he can deliver. He doesn't have to be All-SEC, as the saying goes, he just can't get them beat. But he also must be productive enough to prevent defenses from stacking the line and negating Kenneth Darby. Developing a rhythm with the receivers early is crucial, and he can gain confidence as he goes along. He doesn't have to carry the load, but he must contribute and be part of the solution instead of part of the problem.

2. Is Tyrone Prothro going to play?
The ESPY award-winning receiver will not talk about his leg, which makes the media, the experts, and me seriously doubt that he'll be ready on September 2. Thanks to his catch against Southern Miss and the subsequent Florida game (and the graphic nature of his injury, which made it memorable television), Prothro became nationally famous overnight on the college landscape, and as Alabama continued to win while scoring fewer than 20 points, the nation developed the idea that Prothro was the offense. That wasn't and isn't the case, and the receivers must develop with or without him...he could redshirt or join the team late in the year, but his presence will help stretch the field and build confidence in the rest of the fan base and the receiving corps.

3. Is this Alabama defense still better than most?
They're Alabama, and thus I think they'll be good on defense. With three games to get ready, the real tests come at Fayetteville and Gainesville. If the Tide can stop Darren McFadden and then the spread option - they don't even have to win both games, they just need to play well on D - then they'll have the confidence to continue to improve. But if Alabama comes back from that revenge-happy road trip having given up 30-40 points both times, look out.

4. Can Mike Shula breathe now?
He's not going to get fired if the team goes 7-5. He's not going to get fired if the team goes 4-8. But this is still a very big year for Mike Shula in T-Town. He made magic happen last year with a good team and a great defense, now it's time to earn his stay with lesser talent. This question is really an extension of the next one...

5. Is Alabama ready to join/stay with the elite SEC progams?
In the last ten years, there's no question that Auburn, Florida, Georgia, LSU, and Tennessee have enjoyed tremendous success in this conference and in the nation, with three National Championships, Auburn's undefeated season, and Georgia's two SEC titles in the last four years. Those five institutions are the face of the SEC. It's incredible that the conference's most tradition based program would be at the bottom of that list, but that's where Alabama finds itself. Last year they put themselves back into the discussion, but one year does not make anything. This is the season where Alabama can either slide back towards the middle, or stay in the conversation with those other five teams. They don't have to win it all, but they must compete and occassionally come out on top against the best of the best.

Final Analysis
This defense will end up being solid and the Tide will ride Darby to a competent offense, though it's nothing you'll want to write home about. With this team, facing this schedule in this conference, 8-4 is a very good number. Alabama doesn't appear to have the horses to win the West, but I still think they'll go bowling - just probably not January 1. The defense will keep them in every game and give them a chance to win some of the big ones. Ultimately, I think this year is another step forward for Alabama, instead of sideways or backwards along the path. On this day, we say Roll Tide.

Saturday Blog: One Word.

Jordan. Ruth. Ali. Gretzky. These are the men who are uncontested at the top of their sports, with no arguments. It's been a rare feat in our generation to get to see two of them in their prime. And, as the general sentiment goes, there will never be another one of them. There will never be anyone who does more in baseball than Babe Ruth. And there will never be anyone in the NBA who can accomplish so much greatness over the course of an entire career than Michael Jordan.

So what's left? Football is a unique game, with this argument more clearly defined at each position (for instance, there's no question about Jerry Rice being the best wide receiver of all time), but to try and define one single face of the NFL, over its entire history, you're inviting a never-ending argument on multiple levels. Which is good for the game and good for conversations like this one. The same can be said in many other sports - which helps solidify the point that the class of four at the top of this page are in a class all by themselves, and to even breathe of someone joining them would mean we're into something rare. There have been others, in the States and around the world, who've been at the undisputed top of their sport, but failed to captivate us either by a dull personality (Pete Sampras) or lack of enthusiasm for the sport in general (Pele, in the US). The reason that Ali joins that list is not because he's solely the greatest boxer of all time - because that's a separate argument - but when you combine his personality, his voice, and his impact, no one comes close. That's why when I say "Ali", you know exactly who I'm talking about. So it's more than on-field performance - it's a presence. It requires more than just talent, it requires an x-factor.

This list should be impossible to join. Contenders and pretenders to the throne must first rise above all else in their own respective sport, something that's impossible in its own right - that's why "The Next Jordan" label has slipped on and off about a dozen players from Vince Carter to Dwayne Wade like a glass slipper right around midnight. Your appreciation for someone like Jordan or Gretzky (remember when hockey was fun? exactly.) only grows with time. These are the guys you'll tell your grandkids about, even if you never watched hockey.

We've been playing sports in the United States for 100+ years, and we're left with four names. No one can stand the scrutiny. It takes an incredible amount of everything, including luck and God, to put you even near this company. Will we ever, in our entire lifetimes, see anyone else to join this company?

Tiger.

Right now he's finishing his third round at the British Open, and he's in the lead. If he wins - and he's never lost a major while leading after 36 holes and 54 holes - it'll be his 11th major since winning the Masters in 1997. No active player on the PGA Tour has more than 6, and that's Nick Faldo who's quite a bit older than the 31 year old Tiger.

Tiger's accomplishments in 2000-2001 - when he won the "Tiger Slam" by holding all four majors at one time after winning the Masters in 01 - was so dominant it wasn't even fun to watch. It would be the equivalent of Jordan and the Bulls winning every game in the NBA Finals by 30 points.

There's absolutely no dispute that Woods is the best player of his generation. The all-time golf question seems to only be a matter of time, as he closes in on Jack Nicklaus' record 18 majors.

But just being the greatest golfer of all time wouldn't put one in such rare company. And it's not just the dominance with which he's done it at times - though more of the down to the wire, holing a putt on 18 to win by one matches would only help his reputation and lore - it's what he's done to the sport of golf.

His late father, when Tiger turned pro, said that he could reach more people than Jesus Christ. While we're not advocating anything resembling that statement here, his multi-racial background makes him appealing to all (that's why the blacks take him with the first pick of the racial draft).

Consider this: if Tiger Woods died tonight, how many people would instantly stop caring about golf?

Woods brought golf to the masses, and made it more exciting to those who were already playing it. No one has done more for an individual sport in the United States than Tiger Woods. And not just in the US - the way Gretzky brought hockey to the Western United States when he signed with the LA Kings, Woods took golf to every place on the planet where there's enough landscape for 18 holes. He, and he alone, made golf popular, fun, exciting. He is the only reason many people will turn on their TV to the British Open this weekend, even if it's just tomorrow morning to see the end. No one else can say that.

The dominance he plays with puts "rivals" at his feet. This is a similar story with Michael Jordan, who came into the NBA at the prime of Bird and Magic, and hit his stride just as Bird's back had betrayed him and Magic announced he had HIV. And - all apologies to the collective unit of the Detroit Pistons in 1989-1990 - there was no one who could stop Jordan after that. Who were the contemporaries? Clyde Drexler? Penny Hardaway? Karl Malone? You can make a solid argument that the second best player in the NBA during the Jordan years was Scottie Pippen based solely on how much better he was because he played with Jordan.

Anyone who gets the label of being "the one" to rival Tiger fades fast. David Duval is a shell of the man he once was, and don't think some percentage of that wasn't trying to be Tiger. Vijay Singh isn't consistent enough. And the crowd favorite, Phil Mickelson, is yet to prove that he can consistently beat Tiger by any stretch of the imagination. The one who's gotten the most attention since staring down the fairway at Woods at the 99 PGA is Sergio Garcia, who would be an exciting rival (and shot a course record 65 today and may play with Tiger tomorrow, the ultimate death sentence in golf) - El Nino has never won a major.

There is no one else.

Part of the beast is marketing. Both Jordan and Tiger can thank Nike for helping them along. Both have had commercials that live in our collective memory and become part of our vocabulary, whether it's "It must be the shoes" or "I am Tiger Woods." Tiger followed Jordan's example with endorsements as well - instead of choosing every product that comes along to endorse, Woods is very selective, having deals with EA Sports, Nike, Buick, and American Express. Those four alone will pay the bills, trust me, if his multimillion dollar earnings won't. By the time he retires, Tiger could be one of the richest men on the planet, and the wealthiest athlete ever.

Some people don't like him, either because he is so dominant, or because of the way he comes across - he leads the tour in the F-word, and he's always on - a reporter yesterday asked him if the tournament was over, and Tiger said "No, because I'm not holding the jug." Rick Reilly's article in Sports Illustrated this week discusses part of this phenomenon, the differences between Woods and Mickelson and their fan bases. And Phil is a likeable guy.

But Tiger is a killer. And I love that. He's stone cold and he drops the language and the stare because he wants to win. And while I was happy for Phil when he won his major(s), and I'd love for him to emerge as a true rival for Tiger and go wire-to-wire with him - if it comes down to it on 18, I still want Tiger to win. Because you have to respect something this great.

Even Jordan had a period of his career like this, when The Jordan Rules was released and people found out that MJ wasn't everybody's best friend, wasn't comical like Shaq or always smiling for the cameras like Magic. But Jordan was lethal and there was no stopping him. Both Tiger and Jordan do limited interviews, stay far away from politics, and focus on their game alone. Where Ali made a name for himself by being controversial, Tiger and MJ have kept theirs by staying far away from it.

Is Tiger worthy of joining this company? Well, not yet, but he will be - and that's why it's both exciting and historic to watch him now, while he's doing it. They show and speak of things like The Rumble in the Jungle all the time - if I was alive then and watching it, I'd be telling people that I saw that fight everytime it was brought up. Clips that are commonplace now of Jordan - the shot on Ehlo, the dunk contest with 'Nique (the only place Jordan had a true rival), the drive in the lane switching hands against the Lakers in the Finals, the six first half 3's against Portland the next year, coming back and dropping 55 on the Knicks, stabbing the collective heart of Utah with his final touch in the last shot of the 98 Finals - I remember all of those, and I remember them fondly, even if I was/am a Celtic fan, and even if I will still argue the finer points of Bird vs. Jordan even though I really know the answer to that debate.

So I'm watching Tiger now, finish out 18 on the third round to play for the jug tomorrow. And it's all a living story, one that I'll want to tell my grandkids even if I stop playing golf one day. That's why you watch Tiger now. That's why he will be among those four as the singular athletes in history.

And if this journey continues, the question will become not if he belongs, but if he reigns higher than all of them, as the greatest sports figure of all time. Wait. See. Watch. Enjoy.

Preseason All-SEC Picks

Smells like Media Days! Actually, those aren't until next week, Wednesday-Friday. Until then, when you can add some conference picks to your preseason schedule, you can check out who the coaches voted as preseason All-SEC right here.

Will's Picks for Preseason All-SEC:

QUARTERBACK
Brandon Cox (Auburn)
It's a year for holding your breath with SEC quarterbacks, with the only sure star talent in Chris Leak playing in an offense that isn't for him. A number of players, including JaMarcus Russell, Erik Ainge, and even Brent Schaeffer could be winning this spot come December, or could all be riding the bench by midseason. Or a complete unknown and untested could rise up - and many teams need that to happen, with fortunes riding on the shoulders of John Parker Wilson, Mitch Mustain, and others. Which brings us back to Brandon Cox - one of seven returning starters in the SEC, but seems the most comfortable fit above all the rest. Not the most talented, not the most exciting, but plays on a good team and has been there before. Can lead Auburn to Atlanta.

RUNNING BACKS
Kenny Irons (Auburn) & Darren McFadden (Arkansas)
Unlike quarterback, this position is absolutely loaded this year. A number of candidates here, including Kenneth Darby, Arian Foster, and Kentucky's Rafael Little come up just short. A number of teams - most notably Georgia & LSU - have stables of backs that could be All-SEC. But these two stand above the rest - Irons runs hard and strong in the continuing tradition of stout Auburn running backs, and McFadden might be the most exciting player to watch in this conference - one preseason magazine said if he played for Southern Cal, he'd be Reggie Bush.

WIDE RECEIVERS
Dallas Baker (Florida) & Sidney Rice (South Carolina)
Tyrone Prothro's still injured leg keeps him off my picks. Sidney Rice single-handedly won some games for the Cocks last year, so we'll have to see what he can do with more attention this season. Dallas Baker doesn't have that problem, as Andre Caldwell will draw plenty of attention on his own right, and if the Gator offense starts clicking with more efficiency, Baker will rack up the catches and yards.

TIGHT END
Martinez Miller (Georgia)
At this position, the Dawgs don't rebuild, they simply reload. The senior could become another first round NFL Draft Pick come April, if somebody can get him the ball.

OFFENSIVE LINE
Will Arnold (LSU), Tim Duckworth (Auburn), Daniel Inman (Georgia), Nick Jones (Georgia), Arron Sears (Tennessee)
Average size: 6'5", 313, all seniors except Arnold. Georgia and Auburn should end up having the best o-lines in the SEC this year.

DEFENSIVE LINE
Quentin Groves (Auburn), Justin Harrell (Tennessee), Ray McDonald (Florida), Quentin Moses (Georgia)
Lacking the really dominant players this conference has enjoyed in years past, but Moses will still end up being a real force for Georgia, and the other three are solid players who can push around the opposing o-line. There's probably somebody we don't know about that'll have a breakout season.

LINEBACKERS
Juwan Simpson (Alabama), Tony Taylor (Georgia), Patrick Willis (Ole Miss)
Maybe no true superstars here after Willis, but a very solid year at LB for this conference. Simpson and Taylor have been making plays for their teams for 3 years, and Willis might be the best defensive player in the whole conference, and one of the best linebackers in the whole country. Other names, including Florida's Brandon Siler, Arkansas' Sam Olajubutu and Auburn's Will Herring are also players.

DEFENSIVE BACKS
Tra Battle (Georgia), David Irons (Auburn), LaRon Landry (LSU), Reggie Nelson (Florida)
Landry, among other things, is a 99 overall on NCAA07 and the ESPN announcers, most notably Bob Davie, have a strange fascination with him. The other three are also solid players in a year where teams - especially the Vols - need players who've been good for years to become great in the secondary to help carry the defense.

SPECIAL TEAMS
Brandon Coutu (Georgia), Gordon Ely-Kelson (Georgia), Rafael Little (Kentucky)
There's no doubt that UGA has the best kicker/punter combination in the SEC. Rafael Little can be highly explosive returning kicks, which playing for Kentucky is a well-traveled occupation.

Dream Team 06

First, an aside - the Braves have picked up Indians' closer Bob Wickman, a two time all star who is 15 for 18 in saves this year. Atlanta has tried to play this "add a veteran to the bullpen" game before with mixed results - I'll reserve judgement for now, but well done for making any addition instead of a subtraction.

Using this roster, USA Basketball (led by Coach K this time around) will select 12 of those players to compete in the World Basketball Championships. American basketball dominance is a thing of the past, struggling at the last two major events, dropping six total games at the 02 world championships and in Athens in 04. Much can be debated about why we seem to struggle to excel on the worldwide level these days, or what changes can be made...below you'll find my personal picks for who should be filling the 12 roster spots to put the red white & blue back on top (note: the team that is selected will play in both the 06 World Championships and the 08 Olympics - hoping to build chemistry over that time period - so while some of the players I've chosen won't be available for the world championships in a few weeks, I want them in China in two years...)

Point Guards: Chauncey Billups & Chris Paul
One of the problems the US team has had in its last two outings is players playing out of position and not playing as a team. Allen Iverson, bless his potentially Celtic green heart, is not the type of point guard you want in the world game. This team needs someone like Billups to run the floor and the offense, to distrubute and let the immense talent do their thing. Chris Paul is young and a great compliment at this position to Billups. Potential trouble though: Billups won't play in the world championships in Japan; the only other true point guard on the roster is Luke Ridnour. Gone are the days of Stockton and Gary, when a true point guard could simply assist and play D and become a household name.

Shooting Guards: Kobe Bryant, Paul Pierce & Dwayne Wade
Here's your offense, right here. The US doesn't need to put Bryant, James, Wade, Carmelo, and a post player of your choice on the floor and try and out-talent/out-athlete to outscore the other team. With a true point guard and more solid post play and an emphasis on defense, a couple individuals like these guys can take over a game in the same manor they do in the NBA. This isn't an All-Star game. The team needs to run like any other team. Kobe is too good to ignore, Pierce took an unfair share of the blame for the mistakes the last time out and deserves a second chance while playing at an equally high level on many nights, and D-Wade is the best player in the NBA right now. Kobe and Pierce will miss Japan, but no worries - the training camp roster is loaded at the 2 and 3 spots.

Small Forwards: Bruce Bowen, LeBron James & Adam Morrison
And because they're loaded, you need to get some specialists, not just the 12 most talented guys in the world. You need a stop late in the game? Put Bowen in. Carmelo Anthony takes a seat because of his attitude and antics at the last Olympics. King James can lead this team - put him on the floor with Kobe or Wade and look out. Adam Morrison gives the team another youthful, energetic, never been there before presence - and the tears in his eyes say he loves to win, which is what this team needs more than anything.

Power Forwards: Elton Brand, Shawn Marion
Brand might be the most underrated player in the NBA. Shawn Marion gets a spot over teammate Amare Stoudamire, who I'm just not sure is ready to go from his injury. No Tim Duncan, no Kevin Garnett this time around.

Centers: Chris Bosh, Dwight Howard
You also won't find Shaq on the roster, and so the task again falls to the young. If chosen, Bosh and Howard would be in the crossfire the most on the floor, but I just don't see a better option and I hate not picking two guys who play this spot some in the NBA in favor of another guard/forward.

Check out the link for the full roster and let me know if you can do it better...let me also state that it will never and has never, in any sport, on any continent, ever be done better than The Admiral, Barkley, Bird, Drexler, Ewing, Jordan, Laettner, Magic, Malone, Mullin, Pippen and Stockton. The Original Dream Team is the greatest team, ever. Period. No challengers. And I miss those days of winning by 80 and Sir Charles getting in fights with players from foreign countries.

One for the road...

I'll be in Nashville until late Wednesday...until then, check out this article from today's News-Sentinel on Buzz Peterson.

In 10 years, if Bruce Pearl keeps at this pace and the Vols become annual contenders for the Final Four and a household college basketball name (which is asking a lot, but whatever Bruce Pearl sells, I'll buy. The man is Jewish and I seriously considered trying to get him to be a guest speaker in my morning worship service in Knoxville last year) - if Pearl can do that, what becomes the legacy of Buzz Peterson?

Vol basketball coaches in the post-Ray Mears era all have their distinct ring. I've been trying all morning to come up with a good word for Don DeVoe - "solid" will have to do for now - but younger folks like me don't remember his early successes, just his latter days with a few highlights here and there (Dyron Nix, anyone?). Wade Houston was worth as much as his son was - which was quite a bit while he was here, and merited one NCAA Tournament appearance, loads of entries in the Vol record book, and launched him to a successful NBA career (still earning a paycheck from the Knicks, thank you very much). Once he left, the program entered the doldrums of a five win season.

Kevin O'Neill - no disrespect to Pearl - but O'Neill was and is the best postgame interview in the history of this athletic department, because you just never knew what he was going to do. At the beginning of his tenure, in a cavernous and empty Thompson-Boling, on my seats on the second row of the upper deck, you could hear him dropping f-bombs while he repeatedly kicked the Revco advertisement near the bench. Also a recruiting phenom. He didn't want to be here, and thus we didn't really want him here. Loses points in the pantheon when I discovered this morning while reading up on him that he went to school in Montreal. Sacre blu!

Jerry Green went from so loved to so disliked in such a brief period of time, maybe history will be kinder towards what he did accomplish in four years as time passes. Green is definitely still bitter about being fired after winning 20 games and taking the team to 4 straight tourneys, but then again, wouldn't you be?

And we all know about Pearl.

So where's Buzz? Is he just the forgotten guy between the spectacular free fall of Jerry Green, and the phoenix rising in Bruce Pearl? Did Peterson make any lasting contributions to the program, besides being a super nice guy? The Vols did get totally robbed in 2003 on Selection Sunday, and Buzz was the unluckiest UT coach I've ever seen. I hope that Ron Slay will always be fondly remembered around these parts, and thus Peterson to some small extent, but who knows. I'm also unsure if Buzz could ever really succeed in a major conference in college basketball, but he might get his shot again, he's still very young for a coach. He seems to thrive at mid-majors, and so maybe he'll find peace there...and that's what the article is all about. Check it out.

My Favorite Day

In life there are a handful of days where you just wake up with a feeling that can't fully be described after you didn't get much sleep the night before because of it. It's a combination of joy and anticipation, with a dose of respect that this day doesn't come around all the time. It's like Christmas morning for grownups. It can be triggered by a number of things, unique to each individual, but no matter the reason, the feeling is special. It's right.

We all get them from time to time, but the circumstances of life dictate that you can rarely circle one on your calendar months in advance and know that this day is going to be one of them. Especially rare is the ability to circle a date every single year. In the limited realm of the sports world, this is also true - I know what it's going to feel like when I wake up on the morning of the Tennessee-Florida game, and that feeling is going to be magnified once every two years when that game is in Knoxville, but beyond that, what can you bank on? There are a miniscule amount of guarantees - even this year, the UT-UF game will be tainted should the Vols fall to Cal in the opener.

So let me give you one you can bank on.

Tuesday.

Last year on this day I was in the middle of a mission trip with the youth group I was in charge of at the time. After rationalizing in my head that I would survive without it, I found out I was wrong. So the next day, our group took a break from the weeklong mission project, and we went to the mall. And I was able to sustain my addiction for a few brief moments in a store there, before being able to fully give in to it on Friday night.

This year, I'll wake up on Tuesday morning in Nashville, at a seminar from the night before. It'll probably be Wednesday before I get to the ability to satisfy this need. But on Tuesday morning, I'll know it's there, waiting for me.

And then, last night, I discovered something even better - a small sampling of it, free, waiting for me. And that's just making the anticipation grow.

Like I said, these days are unique to everybody...and no matter how ridiculous your day or my day might sound, it's real to us. So Tuesday is it for me. And I'm not alone.

Tuesday. NCAA Football 07 from EA Sports.

This is the beginning of the end of the long night of the offseason of my favorite sport in the entire world, by far. This is when college football goes from something I can only read about in seemingly limitless preseason magazines, to something I can get my hands on, to touch and feel. And this is one of those magnified moments, one that comes along with this event only once every five or six years - NCAA is debuting on a next-generation system. That means it's not just a little bit improved from last year - that means it's brand new, looks incredible, and should play that way too.

This is why I bought my XBOX 360. This is why I will tell the kids in my youth group "break time, we're going to the mall!" and then spend all of that hour at EB Games, playing the demo version. This is why I was jubilant to find a free demo of the game on XBOX Live last night. You play FSU-Florida in only one minute quarters, but man...it looks incredible. And then, to top it all off, on my second drive as the Noles, I fired a 69 yard touchdown pass to #1. And I'm thinking to myself "...was that Brandon Warren?" Unreal.

This is my day. This is our day. I'm learning more and more every day that when something like this comes along - whatever it is for you - you celebrate it and remember it. I'm thankful for a video game. It reminds me of everything that I enjoy, the things that I love about life and sports, even the little things. "It's in the game."

Tuesday. Buy it. Play it. Enjoy it. And learn from it too...Riverside Wrath will see you ladies on XBOX Live, Wednesday night.

Until then, enjoy these NCAA 07 items from:

IGN - Top 25 Players by Position
GameSpot - Breakdown of Top 25 Teams
EACustomCovers.com, FlickR, & GameStop each have custom covers for the game to print and place over Reggie Bush, if that's your thing. Vol fans will find Arian Foster on the first site (complete with Madden & NBA Live covers as well), Erik Ainge on the second (along with Rudy and Jessica Alba, amongst others), and Smokey on the third (mascots site).

50 days...but only 4 til Tuesday.

Here come the Braves...???

Death, taxes, and the Braves playing in October. The young folks who think that Atlanta has always been good don't remember the days when the Braves were one of the worst teams in baseball. The 1991 turnaround season was without warning - the Braves had the worst record in baseball in 1990 - making it one of the most memorable sports events in the southeast in the last 25 years.

15 years, one strike, and 14 consecutive playoff appearances later, and you start assuming things. Your first assumption is that Atlanta couldn't possibly be this bad (40-49 at the All-Star Break, which is much better than it was about 3 weeks ago when they'd just finished losing 20 of 23). Your second assumption would be that they'll snap out of it - and it's way too early to tell if they have or not.

Another dangerous assumption would be that they've never been this far behind before - currently 13 back of the Mets in the NL East, 6.5 out of the Wild Card. However, the Braves have played this game before. The magical 91 season was a summer love affair, not a spring one - the Braves were 9.5 out of the division lead at the All-Star break. In 1993, the Braves were 10 back on July 22 and were really in worse shape then than they are now, because they had to play .750 ball just to win the division by one game (thank you Fred McGriff), notching 104 wins to edge out the Giants on the final day (a team winning 103 and missing the playoffs is unreal). After flat out dominating the National League from 1995-1999, and playing in their last NLCS in 2001, the Braves have been behind the eight ball for several years running. They've been counted out in each of the last three seasons, fallen behind in the standings, and continued to come through sooner or later. (Stats and historical info from www.atlantabraves.com)

So, why is this year different?

For one, they've never been this bad this long, playing sub-.500 ball at the All-Star Break. A 7-3 homestand finish may or may not be a sign of good things to come. Second, they're chasing the best team in the National League, though the Mets haven't been playing their best ball as of late. Third, they're chasing them from 13 games back.

We'll talk about the Wild Card in a second, but for the eternal optimists...can the Braves catch the Mets? Sure, they could. The Mets have never gotten the best of the Braves in the last fifteen years - even their World Series appearance in 2000 came after St. Louis dispatched Atlanta in the NLDS. If - and that's a large if - if the Mets start to falter, either with losses or injuries, and if they make the wrong addition before the trading deadline (or perhaps not one at all), they could start to slide...and make no mistake, if the Braves start making things interesting, the Mets will feel the heat.

That said, 13 games is a ton of ground to make up, the Mets are really talented, and while Atlanta has potential, I haven't seen enough to make such an extremely brash predicition. I will say that the Braves have 13 games to open the second half before they face the Mets - 3 at San Diego, 3 at St. Louis, 4 at Philly, and a 3 game home set with the Marlins, all still in the hunt (because everybody in the NL is still in the hunt right now...except the Cubs, of course...okay, and the Pirates.) Those lucky Mets, meanwhile, have six games with the aforementioned Cubbies between now and the end of July, plus three apiece with the Reds and Astros. The point is this: if the Braves play well and the Mets don't, if Atlanta can get that 13 number down to single digits by July 28, then they'll have a brilliant chance to make some noise at Turner Field with 3 against the Mets July 28-30. If the Braves come out of that series having taken two of three, or even - don't hold your breath - a sweep, and the number is hovering around 6 going to August, then we can realistically talk. The Braves and Mets play six times more in September.

Again, 13 games is a ton of ground to make up.

A smaller number is 6.5 - that's the number of games the Braves are behind for the Wild Card, which is a lower number than 8, which represents the number of teams between them and the lead. That's a lot of traffic...but, when I look at these teams in the Wild Card standings - Dodgers, Rockies, Reds, Giants, Brewers, D-Backs, Astros, Phillies, Braves, Marlins - there isn't anything in that list that makes me overly uneasy. The real trick, I think, is the San Diego Padres, who currently lead the NL West, but I ultimately like the Dodgers in that division - the only team on that list above with a better talent level than Atlanta.

So, the Wild Card can be Atlanta's for the taking. And the question in this race isn't the number of games behind, it's just simply playing the best baseball down the stretch. The contenders will separate themselves out, and Atlanta needs to make sure they're among them when the calendar hits September.

The team does have issues to be resolved, no doubt. When your number one starter, Tim Hudson, is doing his best Jeckel & Hyde, that's not good. When your bullpen is a revolving door, that's even worse. But the offense is there. Brian McCann is the best catcher in the NL. The infield is solid, even Marcus Giles is starting to come around. Andruw Jones is still a beast. And lots of people don't like Jeff Francouer, but he's one of my favorite players and keeps making the clutch hits and racking up RBIs. Plus, it's the Braves - they'll make a move before July 31 and add someone to help this club out.

So, what does Atlanta need to do? Play their best baseball now, and win. If they keep winning - even if the Mets are uncatchable and the division streak is over - there's no reason why they can't win the Wild Card. The saying in baseball goes that over 162 games, there are no cinderellas - you get the 8 best teams in the playoffs. But once you get that far, in a five or seven game series, anything can happen. The Wild Card has won the World Series 3 times already. Getting to October is what's important.

This is playoff baseball, now. Every day is important, to catch the Mets or to advance towards the Wild Card - which, as long as they're in it, makes for good television and vocal fan support, which should help the ballclub. You don't have to be John Smoltz, circa 1991, to know the importance of this for the Braves. Everybody knows. The hunt is on, and it's time for the Braves to show what they're made of. The last 15 years have been pure joy, even with only one World Series ring. If Atlanta is going to keep this incredible journey going, they're going to earn it.

Will they? That's why they play the games...but I hope it's at least exciting to watch down the stretch, and it should be.

My predictions for baseball's second half:

AL East - Red Sox
Who's more likely to implode down the stretch, the Yankees or the Red Sox? That used to be easy to answer, but now that Beantown has a ring, it's not so simple. The Yankees have been waiting to fall apart since Luis Gonzalez did them in back in 2001, and this might be the time. Plus, the boys in the AL Central will probably make sure that both the Yanks and Sox don't get in this time. Red Sox get the bid this time...don't forget about Toronto.

AL Central - White Sox
I like Detroit, but you don't discard the defending world champions so easily. The margin is nothing, the White Sox are still playing great baseball, and ultimately they're the better team. They'll take the division and the best record in baseball...but I think Detroit (and Minnesota for that matter) will continue to play well.

AL West - Angels
I could throw darts at a board and give you a more educated guess here. Any of them can win.

AL Wild Card - Tigers
You want them to win it. Screw the Yankees.

NL East - Mets
No one is more optimistic than me, but if I put "Braves" here, you might stop reading this forever. It can be done, but realistically the Mets are too good to blow 13 games. Just how good they are and how far they can go remains to be seen.

NL Central - Cardinals
The Astros picked up Aubrey Huff today and are also fond of the second half run, but St. Louis will eventually right their ship - probably starting this week - and go back to pulling away in this division. The Reds are a fraud.

NL West - Dodgers
I keep thinking that the Padres are no good, and they keep winning. But the Dodgers have more talent, plus clutch bats in Jeff Kent and Nomar, and down the stretch I'll take them any day over everyone else in this division, though I'm pulling for the Rockies, who're another great story overshadowed by Detroit.

NL Wild Card - Braves
Believe it. Realistically, no reason why they can't be in it by September, and be winning it by October.

Sunday Blog: Womens' Tennis, World Cup & Home Run Derby

If it snows as hard as it rains here in the winter, I'm going to die here.

Some random thoughts for your Sunday evening...

A Male Perspective on viewing Womens' Tennis
Generally, even on the lesser sports, I try and watch the big events. I'll tune in for the British Open later this month, I try and catch Daytona and Indy, and read below for some thoughts on the World Cup Final. So Saturday morning, I'm doing the whole Breakfast at Wimbledon thing. It's Amelie Mauresmo (on the left down there) vs. Justine Henin-Hardenne in the finals, and I'm trying to decide who to pull for. And as soon as I start watching, on instinct my mind is trying to figure out which of the two is more attractive, because apparently that will weigh heavily in my decision.

Now, let's keep in mind - Anna Kournikova isn't playing in these finals. Neither is Martina Hingis. The women who played Saturday are more known for their tennis than their looks - which is fine. But then I begin to wonder if I'd be enjoying it more if Maria Sharapova had won earlier in the week to advance. And if you had a matchup between an attractive female model/athlete, and another solid tennis player, if there would be any debate at all.

Even the fact that Mauresmo is from France - again, more on the World Cup in a moment - which normally would instantly deter me from cheering for her, doesn't seem to hold nearly as much weight as looks. And it's not like I turned on the TV and thought "man, I hope they're good looking" or "I hope the hot girl wins!"...it just kinda happened automatically.

So is it best for womens' tennis to have the most attractive players advance every tournament? As an alleged purist, I would love to say no...but facts and facts, guys are guys, and if you want more of us to watch...I'd pull for Sharapova in the future.

The match, by the way, was well played. Mauresmo won in three sets.

The Male Population of France + Crunch Time = Disaster
I think that's a pretty standard, across the board formula. So while Mauresmo brought glory home to Paris on Saturday, today the French soccer boys lost the World Cup final to Italy in spectacular fashion. After playing well throughout regulation and sending the game to overtime tied at 1-1, Zidane, the best French player and team captain, apparently didn't like what an Italian player said (in English? French? Italian?) about his mother, and headbutted(!!!) him to the ground in the waning moments of overtime. That, of course, merited a red card and an ejection, ending his notable career spectacularly in the toilet, or whatever the French equivalent is - sorry, I took Spanish. The game went to penalty kicks, where the French goalkeeper was beaten on all five shots. Italy wins.

Now, it's been published and documented in the past about my strong general dislike of soccer. And I could make some serious additions to the list based on watching this year's World Cup (the flopping alone is totally absurd). I know the guys are good athletes and it's competitive and worldwide, people love it, and I respect people who play, but it's just never been for me. But here's the thing: I try. I watched all the American matches...and watched them send the sport back five years in this country with their performance. I watched the quarterfinals, semis, and today's title match. An analyst today said "you hate to see the World Cup final come down to penalty kicks"...which I'm sure means what soccer purists want is the best team to win "on the field"...but if you're a random guy watching this at home, you couldn't ask for anything more. There was good drama out there on the field today, even if you're not a soccer fan.

One final soccer note - an announcer, maybe even good ol' Brent Musberger, said that the World Cup was the most valuable prize in all of sports. Even if that's true worldwide, to say it on American television makes guys like me not want to watch it ever again just to spite that notion.

Home Run Derby picks
Monday Night, 8:00 PM, ESPN

AMERICAN LEAGUE
Jermaine Dye, White Sox
Troy Glaus, Blue Jays
David Ortiz, Red Sox
Miguel Tejada, Orioles

NATIONAL LEAGUE
Lance Berkman, Astros
Miguel Cabrera, Marlins
Ryan Howard, Phillies
David Wright, Mets

Last year Bobby Abreu came out of nowhere and hit an incredible record 41 home runs in this thing, which potentially is one of the most enjoyable sporting events to watch each year. While this year may not have a player capable of producing Ken Griffey Jr's shot off the warehouse in Baltimore, or Mark McGwire teeing off in Boston (I hate what steriods have done to my baseball memories), everybody loves home runs.

WILL'S PICK: David Ortiz, Red Sox - he's hit so many clutch home runs lately, no reason why he can't come through again here. Ryan Howard is a beast and Tejada can also get it done - and ESPN will be pulling for David Wright so they can continue their love affair with the Mets - but Big Papi will come through in the clutch again.

Giving the people what they want...

Yesterday I blogged on the presumed dominant sway that big market cities hold on sports, and ran ficticious playoff scenarios showing the matchups if the largest possible markets were pitted against each other to determine if this would truly be best for the sport.

If that formula doesn't work anywhere close to 100% of the time, as we found - especially in the NFL - what would be the most lucrative, popular championship matchups in sports? Since the NBA just ended, and it's hard to disengage from what's happened already in baseball this year, let's take a look at what I believe would be the best possible scenario for fans and the front office in the NFL in 2006-07:

(remember, it's best for fans and front office, or "the majority" - so the dream Vince Young/LenDale White NFL takeover season where the Titans shock the world and win it all will have to wait for another, even less realistic but twice as hopeful blog sometime closer to September, just before opening weekend, when I'm at my most delusional. That'll come right after the blog where I pick the Vols to win the National Championship. That's not a joke.)

AFC
1. New England Patriots (East champs) - still easily the most popular team in their division, and still feel like the most dominant team in the league

2. Indianapolis Colts (South champs)- last year they had everything going for them and were "the" team, until they ran into Pittsburgh. Without #32 in their backfield, they lost the rushing face of the franchise and are more and more known as "Peyton Manning's team" rather than "the best team in football". Will they be as exciting to watch? Will people still want to see them go all the way?

3. Cincinnati Bengals (Central champs) - the toughest call of all of them to make initially, but who do you want to see more, the Steelers or the Bengals? Give me Carson Palmer and Chad Johnson, all day baby. And if this debate is the toughest to call, then fans will want to see it played out...

4. Denver Broncos (West champs) - probably not one of the six most popular AFC teams right now, they get the nod on tradition in the division, and the fact that even without a true superstar, people aren't clamoring to see Randy Moss alone as much as they used to.

5. San Diego Chargers (Wild Card) - One guy who can draw an audience is LaDanian Tomlinson, and this West Coast matchup with the Broncos makes for a solid Wild Card game. A bonus storyline following Phillip Rivers all year.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (Wild Card) - the defending champs and loads of tradition, losing points without The Bus and because the Bengals are more exciting. Great rematch of the "There goes Carson Palmer's knee" game in the wild card round.

NFC
1. Dallas Cowboys (East champs) - the whole world may not know it yet, but the Cowboys are a breath away from legitimate Super Bowl contender status again. Drew Bledose is still a name QB, Bill Parcells is a draw, and now they've got the ultimate X-factor: T.O. And as much as people love to love the Cowboys when they get rolling, plenty of people love to hate them as well, which also makes for strong viewing.

2. Atlanta Falcons (South champs) - the NFL wants Michael Vick to succeed more than any other player. Believe that. No one - not Manning, not L.T., not T.O., not Moss, not Reggie Bush...no one can be more lucrative than Michael Vick, if he can become an elite quarterback on an elite team. Plus, their jerseys are one of the best in the league and will sell well the more they win.

3. Arizona Cardinals (West champs) - okay, look, somebody has to win that division. Now, who's more popular: the Seahawks, who're clearly much better, but this isn't that poll...Seattle has Shaun Alexander, and can any random fan name any other player? Or, Arizona, who has three more well-known players in Kurt Warner, Matt Leinart, and now The Edge, plus one of the NFL's best receiving corps to score loads of points and become an exciting team (at least the most exciting team in the NFC West). The novelty pick, and not just in popularity, but the "experts" will be falling all over them as the sleeper for 07.

4. Green Bay Packers (Central champs) - yeah, they love the Bears in Chicago, and the Packers will almost certainly miss the playoffs...but if you want a story that makes people watch, it's Brett Favre in his last(?) season, working some deep magic and making one last playoff push...with a home game on the Frozen Tundra...

5. Seattle Seahawks (Wild Card) - ...where he can be matched up against his old coach and the defending NFC champs, and be big home underdogs..."can Brett work the magic at Lambeau one last time?" People will watch that, after they spend all week talking about it.

6. New York Giants (Wild Card) - the NY factor + the Manning factor = must have in the playoffs. More people will watch them play at Arizona than any other remaining NFC team.

Now, to play this thing out...

AFC Wild Card
Bengals d. Steelers (for all the reasons that I had them winning that division, plus creating the very watchable Indy-Cincy divisional matchup, which was the most exciting game of 2005)

Broncos d. Chargers (L.T. is nice, but the Pats-Broncos is too tradition rich to pass up)

NFC Wild Card
Giants d. Cardinals (yay for Arizona, but the G-Men advance to take old boss Parcells in a nasty Cowboys-Giants rivalry game)

Packers d. Seahawks (everyone in America would be pulling for them, so why not give the people what they want?)

AFC Divisional
Patriots d. Broncos (no contest here on which team people want to see more)

Colts d. Bengals (without the potential Manning vs. Foxboro factor, the Bengals might get the nod here since they've got more exciting weapons on offense...but perhaps the loss of James means Manning, inexplicably, plays even better and has even larger numbers than before, thus making them even more exciting to watch?)

NFC Divisional
Cowboys d. Giants (The Manning vs. Manning Super Bowl isn't the most lucrative game (yet) and doesn't work as well when neither of them have won one yet, because then you know at least one of them will on that day, and it takes suspense away. No, you need the "older brother keeping younger brother down" story, or the always-popular "Will Peyton ever win one?" story. The Cowboys have tremendous draw and advance)

Falcons d. Packers (Favre represents the QB the NFL wanted to see do well 10 years ago...Vick is that man today. So what you hope for here is a "passing of the torch" performance, where Favre throws for 350 and still loses as Vick actually plays well...so much of this scenario depends on Vick accomplishing much more than he ever has, but again, that's what the NFL wants more than anything, I promise you)

AFC Championship
Colts d. Patriots (the "Manning can't beat New England" story has run its course. If I liked the Cowboys in the other matchup, I'd match them with the Patriots for a Best of the 90s vs. Best of the 00s Super Bowl. But I like Indy here...plus, the true "big one" is the Super Bowl anyway, so the questions about Manning don't go away just because he makes it there, he has to win it.)

NFC Championship
Falcons d. Cowboys (as much of a draw as Dallas could be, again, Michael Vick would be more of one for the league - and if the Falcons make it this far, it'll be on Vick's back and legs. The Manning vs. Vick showdown is the most lucrative, fan-friendly potential Super Bowl matchup possible today)

Super Bowl - Colts vs. Falcons
(So...because what more people would enjoy and the front office benefit from is Michael Vick becoming a Super Bowl hero and winning, which would mean another, more intensified year of "Manning can't win the big one", the Falcons seem to be the most lucrative pick here...But we don't play that game around here. Besides, I've had enough ignorance about Vick being better than Manning than I can stand, especially here in Virginia Tech country. If this matchup actually happened and the Falcons won, it would make me beat my head against the wall. Repeatedly. If this matchup actually does happen, you'll see #18 prove that he is, in fact, the best quarterback in the NFL today...and finally get his ring)

In the end, you can see the power of individual performances/matchups. It doesn't really work in baseball, but even outside of the realms of golf, tennis, and NASCAR, even in the biggest team sports, the big bucks are in individuals. The team concept really shines in the college game, with greater tradition and greater money (that's why they put Duke and North Carolina on opposite sides of the bracket every year, just hoping...). But in the pros, give me Larry Bird & Magic Johnson. And on Super Bowl Sunday, the highest possible ratings/money/popularity matchup would feature the Colts and the Falcons, otherwise known as Peyton Manning vs. Michael Vick.

Agree? Disagree? Is there a more lucrative Super Bowl matchup in 2007 than Indianapolis vs. Atlanta, Manning vs. Vick? Fire away with the comments, I challenge you! And thanks for reading, as always.

Big Market Sports

Watching Mike & Mike this morning on ESPNEWS, recalling a conversation they had with David Stern about the concerns with the New York Knicks - arguably, at this moment in time, the worst professional franchise in any sport - and Stern, of course, said it wasn't that big of a deal. Is it? The Governator has been involved with movements to get an NFL team in Los Angeles. Would the league be much better off if someone was playing in LA?

If the money and the television ratings are truly in the big cities, would the respective commissioners want the biggest markets possible to make the playoffs each year? Would that instantly turn into the biggest ratings in each of the big three sports? Are the big market teams really in a better position to compete in the biggest sports? Here are the ficticious playoff scenarios for the NFL, NBA, and MLB involving the largest possible market teams seeded top to bottom - some interesting scenarios (each city gets only one team per playoffs):

Big Market NFL Playoffs
AFC
1. Houston Texans
2. San Diego Chargers
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. New England Patriots
5. Indianapolis Colts
6. Jacksonville Jaguars

NFC
1. New York Giants
2. Chicago Bears
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Carolina Panthers
5. Philadelphia Eagles
6. Dallas Cowboys

Big Market NFL Super Bowl: New York Giants vs. Houston Texans

Big Market NBA Playoffs
EAST
1. New York Knicks
2. Chicago Bulls
3. Philadelphia 76ers
4. Charlotte Bobcats
5. Detroit Pistons
6. Indiana Pacers
7. Milwaukee Bucks
8. Boston Celtics

WEST
1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Houston Rockets
3. Phoenix Suns
4. San Antonio Spurs
5. Dallas Mavericks
6. Memphis Grizzlies
7. Seattle Sonics
8. Denver Nuggets

Big Market NBA Finals: New York Knicks vs. Los Angeles Lakers

Big Market MLB Playoffs
AL
East - New York Yankees
Central - Detroit Tigers
West - Seattle Mariners
Wild Card - Baltimore Orioles

NL
East - Washington Nationals
Central - Chicago Cubs
West - Los Angeles Dodgers
Wild Card - Houston Astros

Big Market World Series: New York Yankees vs. Los Angeles Dodgers

(US City Population numbers from www.infoplease.com)

What are we learning? The NFL seems to be the least affected by big markets, with some of the most popular teams based in small markets (Green Bay). The NFL is still affected by individual performances - though not like the NBA - so I think the NFL brass would rather see a Peyton Manning & Michael Vick Super Bowl than a New York team playing (remember when the Giants played the Ravens? Yuck.) The NFL also holds rich tradition across the board, so the front office also wouldn't mind seeing the Cowboys in the Super Bowl, or seeing the 49ers start winning again.

The NBA - although any NY-LA series, such as the Knicks-Lakers, would earn a few extra dollars - is built around individuals more than anything else. The front office in the NBA is pulling for a Miami-Cleveland Eastern Conference Finals in 2007 - two small market teams - harder than anything else, and then a Miami-LA Finals (and not because it's LA, because it's Shaq and Kobe). A team with no stars will suffer in the ratings no matter where they play in the NBA - the Pistons and Spurs weren't disliked because they were smaller markets, they were disliked because their superstars weren't exciting.

Major League Baseball appears to be the most affected by big markets, and that system bleeds into team salaries. And MLB is least affected by individual performances. A Yankees-Dodgers World Series would pull in the ratings. There's also an emphasis on tradition - the city of Boston, while lower on population numbers than some other cities, pulls in the TV ratings, and let's be honest, we all enjoy Yankees-Red Sox. By contrast, if this year's World Series is something like Detroit vs. Houston...well, you get the point.

It's clear then, that the most lucrative/most exciting playoffs/championships aren't based on just the biggest markets at all. You could make a similar argument about college football/basketball. So, what would be the best possible championship scenarios for the fans and the front office in sports? That's for another day...

Weekend Blog - 25 Favorite Vols: 5-1

Concluding the weekend blog with my Top 5 favorite Tennessee players in the last 15 years, the best of the best:

5. Leonard Little (DE/LB - 1995-97)
The best word to describe Little is violent. Versatile is another good one, as Little played both defensive end and outside linebacker, and well. He made several highlight reel hits against opposing quarterbacks - in a game few will remember, Leonard Little could've been charged with attempted murder on Kentucky QB Billy Jack Haskins in 1995, taking part in the single greatest beating I've ever seen a quarterback take in person, by far - and was at his finest against Alabama, introducing himself to Freddie Kitchens on multiple occassions. Before guys like Jevon Kearse and Dwight Freeney made the rush end a must-have in the NFL, Leonard Little was one of a kind at the University of Tennessee at it. Little ranks second all time at UT in sacks, only 4 behind Reggie White with 28 - and Little only played 3 years.

4. Jay Graham (RB - 1993-96)
Much like Peerless Price, there have been other Tennessee players at this position who were better at individual things - speed, tackle-breaking, etc. - but Jay Graham made the biggest runs in the biggest games. What Travis Stephens did against Florida, Jay Graham did to Alabama twice, but was more overlooked because the quarterback's name was Manning. Stephens - playing in an additional game - picked up the single season rushing record in 2001, but Graham was even more money in 1995. Both men couldn't make it stick in the NFL, but both were true heroes on the brightest collegiate stage.

3. Peyton Manning (QB - 1994-97)
Shock! Gasp! Stay with me on this one. You can write your paragraph of choice on why Manning is great. For me, it was his ability to prove that he was one step better than even the very best. The same way Larry Bird made a missed shot a rarity, Manning made an incomplete pass something to talk about. In 1995, he threw 4 interceptions in 12 games. He made the ridiculous plays, like at Georgia where he turned a QB sneak into a touchdown pass. There is no question that Manning is the most famous, the most talented, and the best individual player to ever play here. Peyton is the only UT quarterback to throw for 500 yards. Peyton is the only UT quarterback to throw for 400 yards, which he did twice. Of the Top 50 passing yardage performances in UT history, Manning owns the top four, and 18 overall. The next closest quarterbacks have 7 (Casey Clausen, and....)

2. Andy Kelly (QB - 1988-1991)
Success, to a certain degree, is relative. And while we've always been thinking about National Championships around here with varying degrees of reality, that foundation was built on the back of players like Andy Kelly. In 1988, the Vols were 5-6, and supposed to be about that bad again in 1989. Instead, the Pride of Rhea County took the reigns as a sophmore and guided the Vols to an 11-1 season and the SEC Championship, turning everything about this program around. The following year - the biggest roller coaster season in UT history - the Vols battled to a 9-2-2 record and another SEC Championship. In 1990 the goal, the prize, the ultimate realistic idea was the Sugar Bowl. The Vols won the SEC and got there, playing Virginia. If you're too young for it...imagine Peyton Manning playing a perfect game against Nebraska and the Vols winning the Orange Bowl. On the greatest stage, Andy Kelly brought the Vols from down 16-0 at halftime to victory, with a 4th quarter for the ages, making every play and becoming a hero. The hometown boy went from hero to legend in South Bend the following year, guiding the Vols to the 35-34 win on the road. Before Tee, Manning, or Shuler...before National Championships, Phillip Fulmer, Steve Spurrier and all the things that define the Vols today...Andy Kelly made it all possible. The hometown boy became the perfect leader, and the man who took the Vols to the next level.

1. Al Wilson (LB - 1995-1998)
On a list that's based on memories, you'd want a player who was there for the Vols' four most successful seasons. You'd want a leader, who commanded the respect of his teammates and opponents. You'd want someone who cared, who played hurt. You would want someone who defined his position, playing it so well that everything before him was obsolete, and everything after him bears his mark (quote stolen from Dave Chappelle talking about Richard Pryor). And you'd like it if he was around to win the ring in 1998. Al Wilson was more than just around. He was the heart, soul, and individual embodiment of the Vols. And he was mean. He wore a permanent scowl on his face, and played every play like it was his last. There is only one Al Wilson. And there is no other choice to top this list.

(all statistics found using the University of Tennessee football media guide)

Agree? Disagree? Got a list of your own? Be it Top 5 or 25, feel free to add comments below. Who's the next great Vol to join this list? Well, as they say, that's why they play the games...

62 days...

Weekend Blog - 25 Favorite Vols: 10-6

Getting down to the nitty gritty...picks from this point become more difficult to separate, but here's the lower half of the Top 5...

10. John Henderson (DT - 1999-2001)
The Outland Trophy winner simply couldn't be stopped in the middle of the defensive front. A physical spectacle as well as a great football player, Henderson fought double and triple teams for most of 2001, as well as an early high ankle sprain, and still spearheaded the defensive front. Made Albert Haynesworth a first round draft pick. The last true household name Tennessee superstar.

9. Peerless Price (WR - 1995-1998)
Other wide receivers might rank at the top of individual receiving categories - best hands, best speed, etc. - but Peerless lives up to his name for memorable moments. His senior season alone would put him on this list, but #37 also made key grabs during the 97 campaign, making great plays as the slot receiver and having his best game in the SEC Championship. In 1998, Price drew the opposing team's best corner each night, and delivered everytime. Price made key grabs against Syracuse, made an incredible in-traffic touchdown catch against Florida, beat Champ Bailey for a score at Georgia, raced a kickoff back 100 yards against Alabama, and toasted the lesser opponents on the Vol schedule at will. Price also made game winning TD grabs in the two biggest games of the year, in the SEC Championship, and the play from the Fiesta Bowl, which stands as the most memorable play from the biggest game in UT history.

8. Heath Shuler (QB - 1991-1993)
When Andy Kelly graduated in 1991, Vol fans knew his leadership would be sorely missed. But on raw talent, there was no question that the incoming super-recruit had him beat, and when Heath Shuler started taking snaps to open the 92 campaign, the game changed in Knoxville. I remember in the season opener, against Directional Louisiana, Shuler fired a first quarter interception and my dad said, "We'd better get used to this...", as in "really talented, but will never win like Andy Kelly." Two weeks later, Shuler and the Vols had disposed of Georgia and Florida, and the Vols were national news. Though neither 92 nor 93 progressed exactly the way Vol fans would've hoped - with an uncanny three straight losses in 92, a tie against Alabama and a beating from Penn State in the Citrus Bowl in 93 - don't forget that Shuler finished second in the Heisman to an unbeatable Charlie Ward, and the 93 offense shredded every UT record on the books (pre-Manning, of course). Fun to watch, Shuler had an unfortunate series of events in the NFL, but now wants to be your representative in the state of North Carolina.

7. Travis Stephens (RB - 1997-2001)
"If you stay, you play." Travis Stephens is easily one of my favorite Vols for a multitude of reasons - first and foremost, for picking up 100+ yards against Georgia in his first start in 98, then for sitting patiently and even redshirting while Jamal Lewis, Travis Henry, and Onterrio Smith had their turns in 99 and 2000. In the months leading up to the 2001 season, there were actually questions about who would be the running back for the Vol attack. Then Stephens carried 41 times (school record) for 206 yards at Arkansas. Durability questions, answered. Stephens followed that with 176 against Georgia, and a screen pass TD for the ages that robbed him of a higher place on this list thanks to the Mustang defense. Stephens then put a juke on an Alabama defender than will live in infamy in Tuscaloosa en route to a TD. But the deal sealer came against #2 Florida on the first week of December, with the Vols heavy underdogs, winless in The Swamp in three decades, and given few chances - especially if told that they'd have to rely on the running game. No Tennessee running back has ever made more big runs in a big game than Stephens on this night, picking up 226 yards and punishing every Florida defender by name. A true Volunteer.

6. Travis Henry (RB - 1997-2000)
Henry ranks higher than Stephens because he's slightly more talented and made the most of his opportunities in the memorable 1998 campaign. Henry wrestled the starting role from Stephens starting with Alabama, and cemented his lore with six straight carries for the winning touchdown against Arkansas after Clint Stoerner's fumble, finishing with 197 yards. He won fans over by actually playing hard in 1999 while splitting carries with Jamal Lewis, and won the starting role by the Notre Dame game. Forgotten is his performance against Florida in 2000, carrying AJ Suggs and the Vol offense by himself for 175 yards in the 27-23 loss. No one was tougher at this position.

Five more to go...all big names, order still to be determined...

Weekend Blog - 25 Favorite Vols: 15-11

To be concluded on Sunday...

15. Dale Carter (DB - 1990-1991)
Carter spent only two years in Knoxville, but made an instant impact in the secondary. Carter made key interceptions in big games, including against Colorado in 1990, and a key 4th quarter pick against Notre Dame in the Miracle at South Bend. He is perhaps most famous for taking the second half kickoff back 95+ yards for a touchdown against Florida in 1990, turning a 7-3 ballgame towards a 45-3 rout. The most talented cornerback in the last fifteen years.

14. Carl Pickens (WR - 1989-1991)
For my money, the most talented wide receiver at UT in the last fifteen years, and maybe ever. Pickens, starting as a true freshman, simply separated from defensive backs like no one else. He made Andy Kelly look great on many afternoons. Pickens also played in the secondary as a true freshman, and was the defensive MVP of the 1990 Cotton Bowl. Also had a huge game against Virginia in the 1991 Sugar Bowl, and in both outings against Notre Dame in 1990 and 1991. Would be ranked higher, but his on-field trash talking carried over into the locker room and behind the scenes, as he left Knoxville after his junior season and played well for the Cincinnati Bengals for many years.

13. Joey Kent (WR - 1993-1996)
While Pickens is easily the most talented wide receiver, Joey Kent brings back better memories. Much of Kent's fame came from being the #1 option in Peyton Manning's sophmore and junior seasons, but Kent used that to his advantage to make some memorable grabs. His diving grab against Virginia Tech in the Gator Bowl as a sophmore served notice, and he quickly became Manning's favorite target. Going 80 yards, "on play number one!" (John Ward) against Alabama in 1995 easily puts him on this list alone. Kent also had a clutch grab against Ohio State for six, and a momentum-changing TD against Alabama in 96 when the Vols were down 13-0 in the second half. Joey Kent was and is the one receiver I felt most sure of making the catch when the ball came his way.

12. Chuck Webb (RB - 1989-1990)
There's nothing like Chuck Webb's story in all of UT history. He burst onto the scene in the Vols' late-night road upset of Top 10 UCLA in the second game of the 1989 season with 134 yards. As a true freshman in 1989, he teamed with already sensational junior Reggie Cobb to form the CobbWebb attack, which - if it lasted longer than five or six games - would've given tandems like Reggie Bush & LenDale White a run for their money. When Cobb was kicked off the team for substance abuse, it became Webb's show. For the remaining games of 1989, there was nothing like it. Ever. Chuck Webb was the solitary rushing option for Tennessee for half of a season. In that timespan, he picked up what still stands as the top two single game rushing performances in Tennessee history: 297 yards against Ole Miss, and 250 yards against Top 15 Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl. Jamal Lewis' best game was 232. Travis Stephens was sensational against Florida in 2001 and got 226. 297 yards in the SEC is absurd. And they weren't just regular runs - no one, ever, in Tennessee history, was more apt for the highlight reels than Webb. I'm serious - if you're too young for him, go find some tape (because I can't even find a picture of him now). Unreal....and then he was gone, tearing his ACL in the second game of the 1991 season...and never returning to the team. Never finding success in the NFL. So much brilliance, and then gone...and there hasn't been one like him since.

11. Casey Clausen (QB - 2000-2003)
Some other day, I'll blog about why Casey Clausen is the most underrated Vol in the last 25 years (something a News-Sentinel poll also agreed with). Casey Clausen was a winner. He was 34-10 as the starting quarterback. He was 14-1 on the road. Clausen is second in UT history in every major passing category. And it wasn't just longevity, it was grit and playmaking. He directed the explosive 2001 offense to the SEC Eastern Division title. He absolutely owned Michigan in the Citrus Bowl to the tune of 393 yards. The reality is, Clausen didn't get enough credit for 2001, and then got too much of the blame for 2002. Despite that rocky season, in which Clausen played hurt, he came back to direct a much less talented 2003 offense, winning again at Florida, and directing the Vols to a five overtime win at Alabama. He was better on third and long than any UT quarterback, including Manning. His California attitude and his mouth ("I can beat Georgia with one arm") caused more trouble than they should have, but Casey Clausen was ice cold and got the job done. Don't get me started.

Weekend Blog - 25 Favorite Vols: 20-16

Continuing the countdown on this Saturday afternoon...

20. James Stewart (RB - 1991-1994)
"Little Man" gets a spot for longevity. From bursting onto the scene as a true freshman in 1991 with a 100 yard performance at Louisville (on ESPN's first ever Thursday night game), Stewart then played the role of good teammate, sharing carries with Aaron Hayden and giving way to Charlie Garner for the better parts of 1993. When Garner graduated, Stewart came back strong into the starting role in his senior year in 94, carrying the Todd Helton-led offense to a victory at Georgia with an incredible, multiple-tackle-breaking run. Was the career rushing leader at Tennessee until Travis Henry's senior season. Four solid years at tailback, and the single greatest "4th and one, let's run the dive over the top" player in UT history.

19. Dwayne Goodrich (DB - 1996-1999)
True story: while watching the Alabama-Michigan Orange Bowl on January 1, 2000 at Bobbitt's house, with the Florida State-Virginia Tech BCS title game on the horizon, Bobbitt's dad is ranting about how great the Noles are, how athletic, what great speed they have, how Tennessee got lucky in beating them the year before, and could never match their athleticism - especially Peter Warrick. My response: "Peter Warrick can't shake Dwayne Goodrich." Bobbitt's Dad: (can't repeat it on a public forum). Goodrich solidified his spot on this list with the Defensive MVP honors in the Fiesta Bowl, including picking off Marcus Outzen and racing back to the end zone. Warrick finished with one catch. Goodrich also had a classic duel with Florida's Travis McGriff in 1998, complete with plenty of on-camera trash talking. His post-UT career is a bit checkered, but #23 was exactly what you want in a cornerback in the SEC.

18. Terry Fair (DB - 1994-1997)
Doing him one better is Terry Fair, and the difference here is punt returns. Fair also had his share of big interceptions, including an impressive vertical leap at a crucial juncture in the 1996 Alabama game and one returned for a TD that was called back for holding on the return. Fair broke backs as a punt returner - arguably the last great one Tennessee has had. Had a solid career with the Detroit Lions after graduation.

17. Jeff Hall (K - 1995-1998)
The only big kick I can remember him missing was on the opening drive in the Fiesta Bowl - and that worked out okay after all. Right away, Hall was asked to deliver, and he did, beating Georgia 30-27 as a true freshman on a last second field goal when there was no such thing as overtime. He nailed two crucial second half kicks in the downpour against Ohio State. He beat Syracuse long before we were thinking national championship in 1998. He was money in overtime against the Gators. He may not have had 60 yard power, but he was automatic. Hall is Tennessee's career point leader by far, with 371.

16. Tee Martin (QB - 1996-1999)
This ranking isn't to contribute to the "Tee Martin was overrated" and "Tee Martin never deserved his own street" conversations. What he did do was quarterback, as a first time starter, his team to the national championship. He played with immediate poise in the win at Syracuse. As the 98 season went on, Martin gained more confidence and was a difference maker in the SEC Championship and the Fiesta Bowl. By the following year, Martin was one of the best quarterbacks in the nation, making big plays to beat Georgia, Alabama, and Notre Dame. The prettiest deep ball in Tennessee history. Even if he's not Manning or Shuler, he'll always be the quarterback of the most special team in Tennessee lore.

(continuing later today...)