The Night before Super Bowl XLIII

There is less than 24 hours before the kick-off of Super Bowl XLIII and I can guarantee you that there will be some restless hearts as anticipation arises. We have broken down both offenses and now it is time to break down the defenses. Now it doesn't take a professional sports analyst to tell you who's defense is more talented on paper but paper hasn't obviously been accurate in the three playoff rounds of the NFC. If you ask any of the Arizona defenders, they will tell you that they are going to be ready to come out and play smash-mouth defense for the entire 60 minutes. I can guarantee you this because honestly, most of the Cardinals know that they won't be making another appearance to the Super Bowl anytime soon. But then again, tell me before this season started that the Cardinals would make the super bowl and I would have made a mockery of you for the entire regular season. Here's what's going down in my books on how the two defenses are going to perform.

Pittsburgh has a great case for being the top defense in the league with impacts players such as Troy Polamalu, James Farrior, James Harrison, Casey Hampton, and more. The biggest strength in defense is their speed. The group of defenders that Pittsburgh contains makes it hard for receivers to get open and for runners to find gaps and even when opponents find some room, the entire defense quickly collapses on the ball, stopping most players from making potential big-time plays. With a 3-4 base formation, Coach Tomlin shows plenty of faith in his 3 linemen defensive hold on the run and relies on the speed of the 4 linebacker set up. Pittsburgh isn't hurt by having one less linemen out there because their linebackers are just as big and the entire secondary knows how to drop a hard hit. Kurt Warner tends to struggle dearly when being pressured vigorously so expect Pittsburgh to display many combinations of blitz packages by bringing in linebackers from the middle or cornerbacks from the side. The big time man will be in the deep secondary, when Polamalu flys in from the strong safety position on blitzes. If Pittsburgh can contain, the running game and are able to consistently apply pressure on Kurt Warner and frustrate him, the high scoring Cardinals won't be having another usual Sunday but they could be in for a replay of a nightmare they had against New England earlier this season.

Arizona doesn't have as much talent in their defense but they have plenty of big time play makers that will show up tomorrow evening. Using a 4-3 defense, the Cardinals lack an impact guy on the front line, so they will be needing all four men on that line to be able to hold up the Pittsburgh offensive line. Luckily for the Cards, they have playmakers in the secondary with their linebackers as well as the corners and safeties. Like the Steelers, the Cardinals will have to apply quick pressure onto Ben Roethlisberger and not allow him to have time to give the Steelers' quick receivers time to get open. The Cardinals' strong safety, Adrian Wilson, will be all over the field and he will be hungry for tackles and will be very interested in meeting Roethlisberger face to face in the freshly cut grass. The cornerbacks for Arizona are talented enough to hold their own against the Steelers receiving crew while getting help from the safeties when linebacker blitzes are being applied but expect safety blitzes and corner blitzes to come from all over the field. Don't expect Roethlisberger to have a consistent pace in the pocket because the Cardinals defense will be all over him, but the key point would be actually. getting him down once the defense gets to him.

Both defenses will be going deep into their roster as they will be all over the field, using every amount of energy they have, and both quarterbacks will have to step up under pressure. Kurt Warner has been infamous for losing composure under pressure and unless he proves the Roethlisberger will possibly struggle at times but will find a pace regardless of how his offensive line performs. Steelers with the advantage on D.


Now we didn't forget about the special teams did we?
Pittsburgh has a guy who's kicked plenty of field goals and extra points in his early career as Jeff Reed as shown good composure and consistency no matter what the distance or what the situation. He has been to one superbowl before so he definitely won't be experiencing any Super Bowl jitters. Punter, Mitch Berger, has been with multiple teams and has been in the NFL long enough to tell you he doesn't even know what being nervous feels like. He isn't the best punter in the league but he will help the Steelers with controlling field position. Speedy Santonio Holmes will make a gamechanging play if he finds room on a punt and don't be surprised if he steps up and goes big by choosing not to call the fair-catch and instead returning it for a convincing amount of yards.

Arizona has one of the best kickers in the game but Rackers has never played in a Super Bowl and he will definitely have some early gametime nerves. If you're a Cards' fan, you better not hope it comes down to a field goal to decide the game. J.J Arrington and Steve Breaston will be huge for Arizona as sleepers on the offense and also as returners. Steve Breaston will be the silent killer at receiver, but he will look to step up big on another part of the field as he will try to break for big time play on special teams. Arrington, who is the third option of the running back trio, will most likely not get too many opportunities on offense so expect the young athlete to be hungry for a big run on special teams. On the other hand, Arrington may try too hard and make one extra move too many and make a game changing mistake.

Pittsburgh will be controlling the field and will have a big advantage on Arizona on the special teams.


The Pittsburgh Steelers are the favored team in this year's Super Bowl and there is a reason why they are; because they have more experience on both ends and will come out of the gates fast. Arizona will realize they're in the Super Bowl, late in the first half, but it won't be enough as Pittsburgh holds up yet another Lombardi trophy for the second time in four years. Pittsburgh over Arizona, 33-27. Willie Parker is awarded as MVP.

-Jason Chong

Wake drops Duke as the Super Bowl preview continues

The highly anticipated dual between Wake and Duke played up to expectations. The atmosphere was loud and the tempo was fast from the get go as both teams went run and gun by attacking the basket right away. The speed of the game was impossible to slow down but the scoring never really got out of hand. There were blocks and missed layups as well as missed jumpers nonstop in the first half as the defenses were all over the floor. Turnovers were a plenty and both teams showed that they wanted to make a statement in this one. As Wake led most of the way, they took a small comfortable lead midway through the second half and were even up by double digits at one point. Kyle Singler and his crew prevailed as they overcame the deficit and tied the score with under ten seconds to go in regulation. As overtime looked to be the more likely outcome, James Johnson had a smooth cut to the basket and got the inbounds pass for a more than simple layup off the glass, leaving the Blue Devils just .8 seconds to put up a shot. A last chance hail mary was heaved but the clock struck 0 and Deacon fans joyful rushed the court as the #1 team dropped for the third straight week. Jeff Teague has been the talk of Wake Forest this season but freshman phenom Al-Farouq Aminu out of Norcross, Georgia showed that he had plenty of talent by putting up 15 points, 11 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 blocks. Extra efforts by the young star displayed a couple of eye popping highlights that were quite the momentum changers. 

The night of college hoops was far from over as plenty of other games displayed the best of college basketball. As the top of the ACC got jumbled up, the Big East had lots of action as some of their top teams stumbled and never got back on their feet. #3 Pittsburgh took a visit to Villanova as the Wildcats currently maintained the #21 position in the top 25 but Villanova looked more like the #3 team in the nation as Pittsburgh was dropped 67-57. Pittsburgh didn't let the hometown crowd distract their flow as Sam Young and Levance Fields were the scoring leaders for the Panthers but the second half was a completely different story. Villanova, who only scored 26 points in the first half, put up a convincing 41 points on the visiting team as they overcame the first half deficit to take a lead for the final eight minutes of the game. Pittsburgh was plagued by missed free throws and DeJuan Blair struggled to find an offensive flow all night. Nova was led by their big three in the second half as Cunningham, Reynolds, and Redding put up 10 points a piece and combined for 30 of their team's 41 points in the second half.

The young and rising Syracuse Orange decided not to take their defense on the road as they took on the providence Friars. As the first half ended, both teams left for the locker rooms as the score was tied at 44 each. There were more than enough lead changes and neither team really had a convincing run to take advantage of the match. The second half had even more scoring as both teams dropped 50 points at least. Providence took off from the start of the second half as they took the lead and never looked back as Sharaud Curry led the way and put up 15 of his 22 total points. Johnny Flynn, who led the entire night for both teams, had a career-high 35 points but it was not enough. Neither team really had an answer on defense as the final score was  100-94 in favor of the hosts, The Friars.

#23 Georgetown continued their struggles as they lost their 4th straight game and their 6th game in the last 8th. Tonight they fell to the Cincinnati Bearcats as they tried to improve their conference record but failed and went on to be 3-5 in the Big East and 12-7 overall. Expect them to be out of the top 25 for the upcoming week and many more to come. Coach Thompson is going to have to make some changes on his rotation and gameplan if he plans on partaking in this year's big dance.

Sleeper teams to keep an eye on for the next few weeks.

#7 Louisville isn't really a sleeper team as one of the top teams in the rankings but struggled early on and has now forgotten all about their losses to Western Kentucky, Minnesota, and UNLV as they have won eight straight and have yet to lose in the Big East, maintaining an impressive record of 7-0 in the conference. The team had shown signs of chemistry issues and struggles in the early portion of the season, but Pitino has brought it together as the athletic Cardinals are clicking on all cylinders.

#18 Memphis who dropped from the rankings earlier this season have gotten their act together as they could possibly be the hottest team in the nation right now with an 11 game winning streak. In the beginning of the season, Calipari and the Tiger veterans realized how important CDR, Dorsey, and DRose were to this team last year, as the team could not find a flow and realized that some improvements were dearly needed in order for this team to have success and make another run for the final four. Of course, the fresh Tigers still have plenty of pieces to add to the puzzle or success, but there is plenty of time to work on all that as the top team in the Conference USA doesn't have to worry about falling from the top of their conference as none of the other teams really pose a threat.

Moving on to the big topic of this year's Super Bowl, let's observe the running backs and the receiving corps for both squads. The Steelers have a workhorse in Willie Parker who has shown that you don't need size to be successful in the position and he will most likely have a couple of runs for over 20 yards in this match up. With his quick speed and agility, don't be surprised if Parker breaks free for a big run of 40 yards or more. Mewelde Moore, the back up who has proven to have the ability to step up as Parker missed a few games this season due to injuries, will probably come in to give Parker plenty of relief time and will most likely get a few handoffs as the Steelers will more than likely attempt over 30 running plays in order to wear out the Cardinal defense. Parker will run for over 100 yards and will take a lot of attention off of the passing game. 

The Cardinals have a three headed monster led by Edgerrin James who has plenty of experience in the playoffs. Of course, this isn't a very threatening three headed monster as the back ups Tim Hightower and J.J Arrington aren't exactly at the same level as Edge but both have proven to be capable of doing damage to defenses. Tim Hightower will probably have a few opportunities as Kurt Warner will hand it off to the man in the jersey with the number 34 on the back. J.J Arrington who was a highly rated running back coming out of California just a few years ago will probably spend the night on the sidelines, but if his jersey number is called, expect Arrington to try to make a name for himself by stepping up and making a huge play.

Both teams have plenty of talent at running back but I will have to lean towards the Steelers running game as they display more athleticism and speed. Besides, Edge has never been to the Super Bowl. (Recall when the Colts traded Mr. James and moved on with life by winning the Super Bowl the next season)

Pittsburgh has a former Super Bowl MVP in receiver Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes is a young star in the making. Can't leave Heath Miller out of the picture as Roethlisberger will look to him plenty of times as the two leading wide receivers will draw a few double teams from the weak secondary of Arizona. Hines is coming off an injury but he will be giving 100% as he hopes to be the one lifting up the trophy. Expect the man to have a slow and hesitant start, but the running game will complement the receiving game and lots of pressure will be taken off Hines. Santonio Holmes will have to step up as their isn't much receiving depth on the team and he will definitely be the x-factor for Pittsburgh's offense.

Arizona has a duo at the wide receiver position and possibly the most dangerous receiver in the league. Terrell who?.. and you can forget about Randy Moss when he doesn't have his right hand man Tom Brady.. It's all about Larry Fitzgerald. With plenty of double teams being put on this guy, Anquan will have to step up and get open for Kurt. The silent killer, Steve Breaston, will be the x-factor for the Cardinals offense as he will need to step up and demand the ball at times. Not much action from the Cardinals' tight ends but Leonard Pope is a freak at 6'8" and is bound to blossom in the NFL sometime soon. The Super Bowl wouldn't be a bad place to start.

The Pittsburgh defense has a notorious secondary led by Troy Polamalu but it won't matter as Arizona's receiving threat is very talented as well. Advantage Arizona.

A big time game to watch tomorrow night.. if you have cable that is..

Tune in to TNT at 800 pm as Orlando hosts Cleveland in a potential Eastern Conference Final preview.

-Jason Chong

Countdown to Super Bowl XLIII

Both the Steelers and Cardinals have recently arrived and landed in Tampa Florida. The Steelers are coming in as the favored team and are looking to win their second super bowl in four years. The Cardinals have never even been in the presence of the Lombardi trophy before as they make their first appearance in franchise history, but there is plenty of playoff experience to back that up. Kurt Warner and Edge can tell you all about their experiences. So the Steelers are the heavy favorite and the Cardinals are the underdogs that many are cheering for but who really cares what the papers say. Once the Super Bowl is set, all regular season records and stats are thrown out the window. Homefield advantage is not even a concern and both teams have 60 minutes to prove the world that they are the best team in the NFL.

There are plenty of categories where we can compare the two but for now, let's start with the leaders behind center and the offensive linemen.

Pittsburgh has a winner and a fighter in Ben Roethlisberger who seems to be impossible to knock down. The man has found ways to overcomes plenty of deficits and you couldn't ask for a more reliable guy during a final minute drive. Well, maybe there are a few names out there, but Big Ben is a pretty good guy when it comes to winning games down the stretch. He has experience in the Super Bowl as he and the Steelers won Super Bowl XL. This quarterback will be patient and find time for his wide receivers and will make precision passes that seem almost humanly impossible.

Arizona's main man is Kurt Warner who has appeared in two Super Bowls within the last decade with the St. Louis Rams and has a ring to show for it as well as a Super Bowl MVP award. Don't forget to mention that he also had a regular season MVP award. He can shove those bragging rights' in Ben's face. Kurt Warner will definitely get hit and bruised up in the season finale but he will stay patient and show composure as a veteran leader. Both quarterbacks have blue chip talent but the one advantage Kurt will have are his tall and lengthy receivers in Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Hines Ward and Santonio Holmes deserve plenty of respect but Fitzgerald is an absolute freak and Anquan Boldin is not such a bad complement to him.

That's enough talk about the receivers for now. This is the quarterback 's time to shine. Both will have plenty of success in this matchup and both will struggle at times, but Kurt Warner will outshine Big Ben despite the outcome of this game.

The Steelers offensive line do not have any big name guys but they have proven to be capable of taking care of business when it came to protecting their quarterback. The running game hasn't been too shabby either as Willie Parker has run for over 100 yards in five games this season while playing only a little over half the season due to injuries. The offensive line will more than likely have a couple of faults during this highly anticipated match up, but like I said, bringing Ben Roethlisberger down won't be very easy. The line isn't the worst but expect the big man at qb to make them look better than they are.

Arizona has an offensive line led by, 322 pound Right Tackle, Levi Brown. I would probably favor these trench fighters over the ones in Pittsburgh by a small strand. They have done something that most offensive lines have failed to stay consistent at for Kurt Warner over the past few years. That is, give the man time to throw the ball. Kurt Warner has been given plenty of opportunities to find his targets this year and has once again become a top quarterback in the league. Who can we thank for this? That's right, the big men up front. Of course the Cardinals offense will have to face a much tougher defense than their own, and could get caught sleeping early on out, but expect the line to straighten up within the first quarter or else this game won't even be close. 

If both lines were to face the same defense, I would favor the Cards, but with Pittsburgh's high powered defense, I will have to take the Steelers offense line in this head to head comparison.

Say what you need to say and go ahead and make your own assumptions, but this is what I got for you readers so take it and accept it.

Shout out to Mo Williams for dropping a career high 43 points as well as 11 assists and 8 rebounds and somehow outshining LeBron's triple double night.

Look out for ESPN tomorrow night at 700 pm as the current number one team in the country drives a few miles to make a small visit to Winston Salem, North Carolina as the Blue Devils take on the Demon Deacons. A huge statement game in the ACC for both schools and there will be lots of emotion in this one. Many other top 25 teams will be on tomorrow as well, so in case this one gets a little out of hand, keep your hand on that remote and look out for other good games to be on.

-Jason Chong

NBA All Star Teams accurately decided?

The month of February is right around the corner and the first half of the NBA season comes to a close as All Star Weekend approaches. The ballots are in and the starters have been announced, but do these players really deserve to be on the floor in Phoenix Arizona for the tip-off? 

For the East, the starting lineup has been set as

G Allen Iverson

G Dwyane Wade

F LeBron James

F Kevin Garnett

C Dwight Howard

As for the West, the starting lineup will consist of

G Chris Paul

G Kobe Bryant

F Amare Stoudemire

F Tim Duncan

C Yao Ming

Of course, these are all big time names and each of them deserve a good argument to be awarded a starting position in this event but there are plenty of other names that are more deserving, if not by a lot more. One of the biggest controversies in deciding these positions is the popularity contest. Every one of these guys is a big time name and are easily some of the most exciting players to watch in the league, but many can agree with me that they aren't the most deserving this season.

Starting from the Eastern Conference,

Allen Iverson? I don't know if this crossed anyone elses minds, but the mans been in Detroit for only a few months. He got traded over from the West so therefore, I don't understand how he could be awarded not only a spot on the Eastern team but the starting point guard position? The top three point guards in the East this season are without a doubt Devin Harris, Jameer Nelson, and Rajon Rondo. They might not be big time names like AI, but they have all outperformed him and they have all led there teams, as the floor leader, to success respectably.  Without a doubt, AI never fails to be exciting to watch, going coast to coast, going hard to the basket, and taking some of the toughest shots possible but this is the All Star Game. Let the top performers for the season get their well deserved spots. Any of these three would be a smart choice as this year's starter at point but AI is a no no.

DWade... To some, the man out of Robbins Illinois, deserves this spot more than any other shooting guard. Some may argue, though, that a certain guy named Joe Johnson or maybe even Mr. Funk himself, Vince Carter, deserves that starting position more. Wade has been renown as one of the most versatile players in the league and he is capable of doing almost anything. But wait just one moment, did you know that the Hawks are currently 4th overall in the Eastern Conference? They have a winning record for the first time in years? Joe Johnson has led this team through injuries and tough losses and has taken over games in crunch time. The man can turn it on whenever he wants and is capable of winning games in clutch situations. He might not be into dunking so much but the man can do anything you need him to do when it comes to stepping up and taking care of business. Vince Carter.. Some may say his legs are getting old and he just doesn't have the same kind of juice he once had as a Raptor. I can't keep track of how many game winners and clutch shots the stud has made in just this season. He has played above expectations as age has supposedly started to kick in and his dunks are just as powerful and smooth as before. In the end, Dwyane Wade is the right choice for the starter but who could go against JJ and VC?

LeBron James. Why bother trying to make an argument for any other small forward in the entire league. There couldn't be a wiser choice here.

Kevin Garnett.. This man was once a league MVP and the most difficult man to stop on the court. He isn't the same Garnett from back then but he is still one of the top players in the NBA. He is obviously a huge part of why Boston has been successful this season but there is another name that deserves the spot in place of KG. Chris Bosh. He has had a breakout season. The guy has turned it up a notch when some believed he hit the pinnacle of his game. The Raptors might not be too hot right now but other than because of his nasty hairstyle, Bosh has plenty of reason to wonder why his name wasn't on that starting roster. Maybe you should consider trying to shave your head or something, Chris. CB4 should be starting but KG isn't a bad choice either. You decide for yourself.

Dwight Howard. His nickname is superman. What more do you need to stay. He has improved so much since he was first drafted and not many people probably thought that he would become this destructive. He is a force and can do things most big men only dream of doing.

Now to the West...

Chris Paul.. He is a top candidate for this year's MVP award and with all due respect to the deep talent in point guards in the West, CP3's competition for this starting spot wasn't even close.

Kobe Bryant. This guy can do whatever he wants. He can lock you down, score on you, slam it down your throat, and end your dreams of acquiring a championship ring. He is the Jordan of this generation and all you haters can argue all you want, Kobe is the best active player in the NBA. 

Amare Stoudemire... The man child is not even a small forward first of all. I know that KG and Dirk have been in this same position in the past, but Amare doesn't really fit this position. Believe me, he can do many things that could badly hurt a defender's feelings. He definitely deserves to be in the All Star Game, but my choice for the starting small forward would be... actually you know what? Amare sounds good to me.. Other than him, I guess someone can make an argument for Kevin Durant to be the go to starter at this position but it isn't going to be me that backs him up. Carmelo would have been the favored choice, but injuries seem to keep him from really being in this argument.

Tim Duncan. The 7 foot former swimmer from the Virgin Islands will soon enough find himself in the hall of fame but his game is so fundamental, I just can't favor him as the starter. I know I said that this is for the best players of the year and not the flashiest, but fundamental Timmy needs to come off the bench. Sorry big guy. Give it to Pau.. How about Al Jefferson? Let him gain SOME joy out of this season.

Yao Ming. The Great Wall of China is a tower and a force. It just wouldn't be right for him not to start. And besides, until the guy retires, the Chinese population won't stop voting for him. Yo.. Yao..

So for the most part, the picks for this year's starters seem accurate enough but there can be plenty of arguments made for some of the guys that got the short end of the deal. In reality, what's the big deal of starting in an All Star game. As long as your in it, if you come out and do your thing, you'll probably end up being the one that gets the most playing time. Just a thought.. So why did I just spend the last half hour writing all that? It's just what I do.

Let me know what you want to hear me rant on about in the next article. My ears are open.

-Jason Chong

MLK Day. A day ON.

It has been a while since my last post and I must admit that it was not the best time to take a break. A lot has happened in the world of sports over this past weekend and there is plenty of discussion to be had. I don't plan on cramming all of that in just one entry but let's see what I can do.

The football world is in a state of disbelief as Kurt Warner and his high octane passing game has led his cinderella team, the Arizona Cardinals, to Super Bowl XLIII. That's right, the NFC West division champs who finished the regular season with a less than satisfactory record of 9-7, have proved all the doubters and critics as they waltzed right into this year's championship game for a shot at the Lombardi Trophy. The one team that stands in their way, the AFC CHampions, the very experienced and high powered Steelers. On paper, the Steelers have the Cardinals beat in almost every single category that could be named. For instance, Ben Roethlisberger is a better quarterback, the Steelers have a better wide receiver corp... Hold on... Did anyone find that last sentence hard to read? That might be because Ben Roethlisberger isn't a better quarterback than Kurt Warner, and the wide receivers in yellow and black aren't exactly more talented. Say what you want and make your own opinions but for now. There is still plenty of time before the 60 minutes in Tampa Florida are actually going to be played so there is no need for me to get ahead of myself already. Between now and then, I will slowly breakdown the two teams as Super Bowl XLIII comes near. For now though, congratulations to the Cardinals for their first ever Super Bowl appearance. As for the Steelers, don't get too ahead of yourselves, you don't want to end up like the Falcons (this could have been you guys in the Cardinals' position), Panthers (Coach Fox, you were foolish to think it would be easy), or Eagles (Didn't you see a trend? You couldn't possibly have thought that a 48-20 win in the regular season against the Cardinals would mean anything now did you?).

Wake Forest stands atop the AP Poll as the only undefeated team in Division-1 basketball! Do they deserve it?

Pittsburgh was the former #1 ranked team before falling to Coach Pitino's, then #20, Cardinals 69-63. While the Panthers dropped from the ranks of the undefeated, the only other two undefeated teams were battling it out in Littlejohn Coliseum as Wake Forest visited Clemson. The crowd was loud and filled the stands with purple and orange. It wasn't really the atmosphere that the Demon Deacons wanted to be in while trying to knock off a conference rival but the crowd didn't seem to be much of a factor as Dino's squad led almost throughout the entire 40 minutes of regulation. The young men of Wake Forest showed plenty of composure whenever it was needed, except for a few times when some questionable decisions led to points in favor of the Tigers. With a comfortable lead, the Demon Deacons answered to every basket Clemson had to offer. With under 5 minutes to go in regulation, the Tigers rallied back to make it a 1 point game but Sophomore James Johnson quickly answered to the comeback by leading his team to a 10-2 run. Wake Forest never looked back and the crowd was silent as the clock read 0:00.

The rest of Saturdays action packed schedule of college basketball games stayed true to its expectations as upsets were dealt and last minute crunch time was in full effect. On top of the Louisville upset over Pittsburgh, Arizona State quickly forgot about their loss to USC as they joined Louisville's party by reigning on UCLA's parade and shocking the home team Bruins in a comeback win in overtime. James Harden once again displayed why he is without a doubt, a top prospect in the 2009 NBA draft. Can't leave out the impressive performance by Duke as they calmly handed Georgetown its fourth loss of the season. Kyle Singler was once again a standout performer with 15 points and 16 rebounds. A colossal Big East match up was also showcased as #8 Syracuse hosted #13 Notre Dame. Might I say that the Orange weren't very house warming as they trampled on the Irish by 19 and quickly forgot about their loss to Georgetown. The first five minutes of the game was wire to wire as both teams answered to one another but the Orange weren't interested in keeping the game close and went off by starting with a 7-0 run and never gave Harangody and his crew another shot at coming back. Notre Dame could not stop the fast offense of Syracuse as the Orange put up 93 points.

As the unpredictable NBA crosses the halfway mark in the regular season, much talk is going on about the big time match up between Kobe and LeBron tonight at 10:30 as the Lakers host the Cavaliers. Comparisons with Jordan have been put aside as these two have been said to possibly be the next "Magic and Bird". While everyone is wondering what's going to happen in this bout tonight, my question is, who can slow down the fire hot Orlando Magic? Sure the "rivalry" between Olympic Gold Medalists Kobe and LeBron is going to be exciting to watch tonight, but neither of them are on the current top team in the league. The Cavs are undefeated at home and almost unstoppable and the Lakers are #1 in the Western conference, but the Magic are ahead of Cleveland in the East as the #1 team in the conference and they just recently defeated the Zen Master's Western powerhouse. So, if Orlando is ahead of Cleveland and they beat the top team in the other conference, The Los Angeles Lakers, wouldn't that make the Magic the best team in the league at this moment? Instead of focusing on tonight's match up, most people should be thinking about how any team is going to stop #12 who seems to get better and better after every game, or #15 and #7, who seem to be capable of playing any position on the floor. On paper, the Magic might not be the most talented squad with depth, size, and speed, but this squad has the ability to beat anyone. Without a doubt, tonight's game will get all the attention that it deserves and I will most definitely have my eyes glued to the screen as two future hall of famers go at it with each other, but just keep in mind that Dwight and Stan will be at home relaxing as they await for any challenger that could take away the position as the top team in the NBA. Tonight? It's Kobe and LeBron's "15 minutes" (or is it 48?), but I assure you that Dwight is very much interested in that trophy they hand out in the end of the post season. Just Saying.

That's all for today, and can't forget to say Happy Martin Luther King Day!

-Jason Chong

Just a boring Thursday?

First off, before I begin my entry, I would like to personally apologize to each and everyone of you for saying, All Star game and Roger Mason, in the same sentence. I don't really know where I was trying to go with that but in no way did I mean that he was All Star material. The three point shoot out, definitely, but the game itself on Sunday night, no way. The man is a warrior (or a Spur to be literally correct), but his skill level can only take him so far. Sorry for being so unclear there.

Thursday night was not a night loaded with a bunch of powerhouse match ups but surprisingly enough, there was tons of exciting basketball to spectate. With college football over for this season and the NFL playoffs on break during the weekdays, basketball has full control of sports broadcasting from ABC to ESPN. If you're a huge fan of basketball, this has to be one your favorite months of the year. With that said, I'd like to start off with the NBA games that displayed plenty of highlights for the night. 

Portland tipped off the night against New Jersey in the IZOD center as the first quarter showed more than enough scoring. Vince Carter, who played despite a sprained ankle, had a more than impressive night racking up 13 points 9 rebounds and 5 assists in a losing effort. This game was neck and neck as neither team really took a commanding lead until it was in the fourth quarter that Brandon Roy and rookie Jerryd Bayless led the way for the Blazers in a 105-99 victory. Bayless didn't lead the scoring on this night but was a standout performer, putting up a career high 23 points off the bench. Bayless has struggled plenty of times throughout his first season in the league but is most definitely going to be a big time contributor for the Blazers in the coming future.

Game 2 of the night was a blow out waiting to happen as Cleveland visited Chicago. The Cavaliers came in with the best record in the East and had plans on walking out of the United Center with another victory to add in their overflowing win column, but the hometown squad had other plans. LeBron James quickly showed his dominance on the court as his team took the lead in the first quarter but the Bulls made sure that LeBron wouldn't have it entirely his way. As the first half came to a close, the Bulls trotted to the locker rooms as even their own fans were amazed to see that their team was only down by 2. As the second half begin, the crowd showed plenty of support while still being confused by how close the game was. When the 3rd quarter came to a close and the score was all knotted up, the Chicago fans erupted out of their seats as they cheered on their young stars. The fourth quarter was a trench fight as both defenses showed their toughness. With just 17 seconds left in regulation, Derrick Rose came in the clutch by dropping two free throws to tie the game. A last second stand allowed an extra quarter to be played as the clock expired.  The Cavaliers' offense looked lost as LeBron scored all six of the visiting teams overtime points, and the Bulls took full advantage of this opportunity as Luol Deng hit back to back threes to seal the deal with a final score of 102-93. Everyone contributed on this night for the Bulls but my performer of the night is Luol Deng as he came out with a purpose, racking up the stats with 22 points, 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals. LeBron had another MVP performance with 28 points, 14 rebounds, and 7 assists but it just wasn't enough. Come on, everyone should know that one guy can't single handedly carry a team to victory EVERY night. Right?...

The third game is a match up of two talented Western Conference teams and this game is currently at half time so I'm not going to say anything about this one. But the score is close and both the Nuggets and the Suns are looking to score plenty of baskets in the second half so if you're looking for some fast tempo basketball tonight, I suggest you turn your television to TNT right now. 

In the world of College basketball, this nights line up of games looked like it was going to be full of blowouts and early deciding conclusions. At least I thought so. I was wrong (I tend to be wrong a lot lately).

#19 Purdue can tell you all about how they almost lost to a Northwestern team that looked like they weren't even going to be a threat, but on this night, the boys in purple came out firing and playing smash mouth defense by holding the Boilermakers to only 21 points in the first half. Northwestern led by 13 at half time. I don't know if Purdue's coach said something in the locker room or the players decided to actually come out and play, but the second half was a completely different story as the Boilermakers patiently cut the lead down until they finally had their first lead of the night with a little over a minute left to go in the game.

#17 Minnesota, a surprise team in the top 25, almost lost control as they trailed early to a sleeper team in Wisconsin. The Gophers trailed by 11 at half time but had just enough fire power to even up the score to take the game into overtime. Minnesota showed good composure and used their second half momentum to lead them to victory in extra time.

#16 Xavier, the usual top ranked team out of the Atlantic 10 conference, played down to their opponents' level as it took a full 40 minutes for the Musketeers to pull off a win on the road against a weak Rhode Island squad.

Arizona at #7 UCLA was one game that I told everyone to keep an eye out for but nothing happened like I expected it to. I said this game could possibly be a close one and Budinger would drop 30 regardless of the score. With 12 minutes to go in the game, the score seems to be a blow out in the Bruins' favor and Chase has only a mere 13 points on the night. Unless the Wildcats can somehow turn it around, the night looks to be over as I was completely wrong. Shows how little I know. Shame on me.

That's all my opinion has to voice for tonight, so to all you faithful readers, until next time.

-Jason Chong

Wednesday Night

There was plenty of good basketball to watch tonight and did anyone catch that Kentucky Tennessee game yesterday. Jodie Meeks came out and made history as he put up 54 points against the struggling Volunteers. Might I remind everyone that he is from the state of Georgia. Just saying.

As for tonight, Georgetown and 'Cuse put on a scoring frenzy as both teams had four players in double digits. DaJuan Summers led the entire night as he dropped 21 and earned a W for the 12th ranked Hoyas. Coach Thompson's team came out fast and never really looked back. I didn't guarantee a close game but I did say it was going to be a good one and both teams lit up the floor with plenty of baskets to "ooh and ahh" about.

The other game that I mentioned as a game to look out for was the ACC battle between the fresh boys from Winston Salem, North Carolina and the Golden Eagles of Boston College. Tyrese Rice and Joe Trapani both finished the game with 20 points each but it was nowhere near enough to slow down the Demon Deacons as Wake took an early lead and dominated throughout the game. Jeff Teague had a very impressive standout performance as he and the rest of Dino's crew continued to prove to the nation that they can compete, and secured their undefeated record for another night.

The night was full of excitement as top 25 teams fell like Jenga bricks  (For those of you who don't know what Jenga is) Even some non ranked match ups proved to be worthwhile. Michigan State went heads up with Big-10 rival Penn State who kept the game close until the final seconds came to a close as the Spartans escaped a scare in University Park, Pennsylvania. The Big-10's top teams continued to show their vulnerabilities as unranked Illinois dropped #24 Michigan and pounded them by a margin of 15. During the first half, the game went back and forth and their were plenty of lead changes as the Wolverines led by one at half time but a spark went off as the Fighting Illini worked off of an 8-0 run and never looked back. #21 Baylor fell to the Aggies of Texas A&M as the boys in College Station took good use of home court advantage and came out big early and finished strong. The Bears never even had a chance. The last game recap of the night and probably the most exciting one is the only ACC game that no one was really talking about prior to the final result for the night. Gary Williams had his team in command all night and the Terps held a 17 point lead with just 12 minutes to go in the game but the Canes weren't about to let Maryland go for a cake walk with this one. Miami's defense locked down in the final twelve minutes as they only gave up 8 points and stormed back. McClinton earns the credits for knocking down the final shot of the game as he drilled a three to take the lead by two. Kudos to Miami but Maryland honestly just let this one slip away.

Enough of the Recapping talk that probably bores half of you readers to death (I hope not). Let's go to my most outstanding performer of the night. Many of you might have watched Curry pour on 39 points for the Davidson Wildcats but my game ball goes to the young man from Louisiana. Tasmin Mitchell had a career night as he scored 30 of his Tigers' 85 points while grabbing a monumental 14 rebounds. I watched this athlete a couple of times in the past two seasons and saw him as a rip off version of former LSU teammate, Tyrus Thomas. Both are freak athletes but Mitchell has extra weight under his belt and can move around with the ball a lot better. Tyrus may have some nice highlights in the NBA every once in a while but as soon as Mitchell hits the hardwood with the big boys, look for him to come out with something to prove. With the way he performed tonight, I think he believes he's ready for the draft. If you're someone who's always looking up on mock drafts and is interested in seeing who your favorite team is going to pick up, keep this young star in the making on your radar. He may not be a top draft prospect, but if he continues to improve, he will surely be a nice sleeper pick, late in the first round or early in the second round. At least, if he gets picked up later during the draft and not during the lottery and ends up doing nothing in the NBA, he won't really be considered a bust. That's not wrong of me to say is it? Now, don't hype him up too much because of all this talk he's getting for a one night performance. Like I said, just keep him on your radar. That's all I'm saying.

Remember to tune in tomorrow for a late night contest as UCLA hosts Arizona. There will be plenty of good basketball to watch there. Look for Chase Budinger to come out of the gates with a killer instinct as he could possibly go for 30 maybe even more. He has yet to have a 30 point performance this season and it's about time that happens. Don't be surprised if that night is tomorrow night. But then again, I could be completely wrong and he could be contained to single digits, but seriously, don't count on it. The dude's a true athlete and can jump out the rooftops. The rest of the night should be a quiet one as most games will be over before the half.

For all you NFL playoff lovers, I don't want to make my "bold" predictions yet, but to hype up the weekend, here are some key thoughts for both match ups. Sort of.

In the NFC Championship game, the Cardinals are the surprise contestants in this years season as they look to challenge a defense that is known to neutralize pass threats. The Eagles already showed that they can stop high powered offenses as New York looked clueless out on the field last week, even though they had the home crowd. The Cardinals have taken down two fine NFC South teams in the first two rounds but they have not faced a secondary nearly as good as Philadelphia's. Brian Dawkins leads the Eagles secondary unit and he will come out with brute force. The man is a workhorse that not many like to challenge. You can never count the Cards out with their impressive offense but expect their to be plenty of hard hits.

As for the AFC, it truly goes to show that defense wins football games. These two defensive monsters come in as arguable the two best defenses in the league. They got everything. D-lines that will come hard and quickly after your quarterback and cease to allow running backs to break free for big runs, all at the same time. Both have veteran linebackers as Ray Lewis is probably the most feared in the AFC if not the entire NFL. And lastly, how can you forget one secondary that contains Polamalu and another that has a magician who calls himself Ed Reed. These defenses are fast and the key to this game will be whichever offense falls first. The first turnover will be a big one. Don't be surprised if these defenses end up scoring more than the offenses. Maybe I'm talking too crazy but both have shown that they can score on the defense more than enough.

It's playoff time in the NFL and HD televisions couldn't be selling better.

My last few thoughts before I sign off on this one. 

-What a game it was tonight as the Lakers fell to the Spurs. Roger Mason is Mr. Clutch of 2009. Someone get this man a plane ticket to the All-Star game in Phoenix! I don't care much for the old timers in San Antonio but this cat, Mason has come a long way since getting drafted in the second round just four years ago.

-Why does the World Cup happen only once every four years? I know it's a random thought, but seriously, these countries battle for one of only 32 spots and 16 of the teams that make it don't even play more than three games. I guess that just makes the victory taste that much sweeter. 

Anyways, only 512 more days until kickoff!

-I never realized how much money baseball players got payed. I guess you need THAT much money to keep the players interested in it when they're playing the sport 11 months and 30 days a year. Seriously, their spring training is like 2 hours long total and the regular season consists of multiple series'. Imagine if the NBA did that. It'll feel like the playoffs every week. TNT would run out of two-face commercial ideas. (Check it out)

-The Knicks opened up all this cap space for LeBron and, who knows what other monster they could possibly lure in, but what happens if The King decides that he wants to stay in Ohio? I would love to see the man in a New York jersey but he is doing plenty of damage to the rest of the league with the team he is currently on. Why would he go elsewhere? You should think about that New York. Money can't always bring you happiness.

Don't forget about those games to watch during the rest of this week in college hoops. Until next time..

-Jason Chong

Duke UNC rivalry looks to heat up as 2009 will be a memorable one

Let's take a break from the NBA for a short while and talk some collegiate basketball. It's 2009 and conference play has recently opened up for everyone and so far, the Big East looks to be the grandaddy of all the elite conferences with eight teams ranked in the AP poll. Pittsburgh stays on top at #1 as they and Wake Forest are the only remaining undefeated teams in Division 1 basketball. You might be able to say that Wake Forest this year is like the Alabama of college football. With an impressive 08 recruiting class that came in for the Demon Deacons, supporters and critics expected this to be a development year as they could have possibly made an appearance in the preseason top 3 next season as a top contender for a spot in the final four... NEXT season... Instead, Coach Dino had other plans as Wake Forest bursted onto the 2008-09 campaign as big time contenders. At a very impressive record of 14-0, the Deacons will continue to be successful but will NOT reach this year's final four.

Wake Forest has the roster of an NBA lineup. They are fast, athletic, and have lots of size with more seven footers than most teams even in the NBA. They have a freshman sensation in Georgia product Al-Farouq Aminu and the team's potential is larger than life. Through the first half of the season, the young boys from Winston Salem, showed their weaknesses and inconsistencies at times but also showed plenty of highlights and big time plays as they have gone beyond expectations. Wake Forest hasn't seen much action in the top 25 since the departure of CP3 but this year, all the right pieces have been formed to build a possible picture perfect ending. Not so fast. This team may roll deep in size and depth but none of them have any experience in the big dance. Wake Forest could see their season ending before talk of the sweet sixteen even begins. They will most likely get a five seed or higher in one of the four regions but within the first two rounds, a small town team from a smaller conference or an average team from a big conference will show these boys what it takes to be successful in tournament play.

Pittsburgh will stay on top of the nation in the regular season and will be the Big East regular season champs. What is the key to this team's success? They might not be the most talented squad in the conference, but they have big time veterans in Sam Young and Levance Fields. If there's any duo that's been in the NCAA longer than these fellas, it's Dicky V and Brad Nesslar. These seniors may have never reached the final four before, but this will be the year for the Panthers, as the tandem will lead the way in the tournament to go far and beyond. Championship? Not sure about all that, but a final four appearance is almost definite. Stay healthy, boys.

The PreSeason #1 Heels will not be regular season ACC champs nor will they win the ACC tournament. Is that what all you Tyler Hansbrough haters wanted to hear? Well, with the 0-2 start in the conference, UNC isn't exactly headed in the right direction but will get it together by conference tournament time and will be crowned the ACC tournament champs. Anyone remember what happened to Clemson a couple years back? Undefeated in non-conference play and then a complete meltdown in the second half of the season. UNC has too much talent for that to happen but it would be an interesting sight. Don't count on it.

NCAA basketball is very wide in talent and is almost unpredictable. Look at bracketology for instance. You never know when a George Mason will crawl up your back.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gGHQ6xpnahI&feature=related

The possibilities and outcomes in college basketball is so vast and unlimited and therefore, it would be social suicide for me to try to put up an early prediction of all the conference champions and seedings but I will manage to find enough boldness to say who I expect to see in this year's final four.

The final fo.... Five

UNC: Tyler Hansbrough will lead his team to a second final four appearance, even if he has to single handedly do it. They were blasted last year in the semi final game to eventual tournament champions, the Kansas Jayhawks, and this year the Heels look to prove the nation that they are this year's best team.

Pittsburgh: Like I said, they aren't the most talented team in the league, if not in their own conference, but with big time players like seniors Sam Young and Levance Fields, the Panthers will be very successful in this years tournament and will be almost impossible to stop for nearly any team that steps in their way. Role players will be key. Sophomore DeJuan Blair better bring his big boy shorts.

UCONN: The Huskies will probably not win their conference but they will be sure to snag a ticket to the final four. This team is so diverse with size, athleticism, speed, and leadership. They have plenty of experience in the big dance and the upper classmen are going to really want it as this year will probably be their best possible shot before moving onto the real world. Freshman, Kemba Walker will have to keep playing to his high expectations. He may have first game jitters in round one, but after that, there are no excuses.

Michigan State: Izzo's crew has plenty of depth and plenty of leaders. Right now, they are firing on all cylinders against every opponent. Coach Tom Izzo really has his team going right now and the only thing that looks like it can stop them at the moment is academic probation and so far, the team seems to be attending class. Size will be an achilles heel for the Spartans but with plenty of skilled guards, they will be able to run up and down the court with an upbeat tempo, making it almost impossible to slow them down.

Duke: You got a coach who's name more than half his players probably can't even spell but the man is a legend. Say what you want to say about him, all you haters, but he was named Team USA's head coach for a reason. Coach K knows how to win. It's in his blood and this year's squad is one of the better teams he's had since the year he had JJ, Shelden, Dockery, and Ewing.

Yeah I cheated. I couldn't pick a final four so I picked a final five. I promise I'll have a true final four later on in the season when I'm more informed with seedings and everything but this is the best I can say for now.

Now here are my top ranked teams that are in the hunt for the final four but will most definitely not make it.

Wake Forest: As much as I'd hate to say it, but this talented young squad just isn't ready for the big time quite yet. Demon Deacons 2009-10 Final Four Champions!

Oklahoma: Blake Griffin is obviously a force but you've seen guys like him leading a team before. One man wrecking crew. He can do it all, but he alone will not be enough for the Sooners to make a trip to the final four this year and there is nothing Tony Crocker or Willie Warren can do about it. Recall Michael Beasley in 2008 (with Bill Walker), OJ Mayo in 2008 (with Taj Gibson and Davon Jefferson), and Kevin Durant in 2007 (with DJ Augustin and AJ Abrams).

Syracuse: Hall of Fame head coach Jim Boeheim has his team going in the right direction with a near perfect record. The team is loaded with talent and has one of the best active coaches in the nation. This team is very exciting to watch but the final four is just too far of a task for the Orange. I suggest giving Carmelo a call. I'm sure he'll be happy to lend a hand.

Clemson: They may be in the top 10 but in all honesty, when is the last time this team has ever been to the final four. Have they even been there before? Who's even on this team? I'm sure they'll go on a huge losing streak in conference play and be out of the top 25 soon anyway. Was that ignorant?

Georgetown: They have lost just too much talent in the past two seasons to replace within one recruiting class. The Hoyas will make a fair run of their own, but when the games get closer and the teams get stronger, the bulldogs of the north will only be able to do so much to determine their own destiny. John Thompson III will be sweating plenty this March. (Sorry Brian, truth hurts. Try not to cry this year)

Louisville: Pitino has a group that can play but not really play together. The talent that he's brought in over the years hasn't really been playing to its best extent. They got plenty of athletes but a set offense is almost nonexistent in Louisville's world. Back to the recruiting boards.

Games to watch this week.

Kentucky at Tennessee on Tuesday at 900 on ESPN. Neither team is in the top 25 but whenever these two SEC east teams face off, it's always exciting.

#3 Wake Forest at Boston College on Wednesday at 900. These two ACC teams face off as the only teams that have defeated UNC this year. Not interesting enough for you? You don't deserve to call yourself a college hoops fan.

#8 Syracuse at #12 Georgetown on Wednesday at 730 on ESPN 2. The Big East powers face off as both teams look to prove that they are the best team in the conference.

Arizona at #7 UCLA on Thursday at 1100. The inconsistent Wildcats could really use a win like this to help them get a spot in the tournament in March when selection sunday breaks down all the key wins for the bubble teams.

On Saturday, just turn on your tv, order a nice large pizza, call over some of your buddies, and enjoy big time games all day. It'll be a weekend well spent.

Don't hate the writer, I'm just the messenger.

-Jason Chong

Kobe and LeBron to meet in June?

A colossal matchup is in store this summer as LeBron looks to take his troops to the finals for the second time in three seasons and Kobe tries to bring home the trophy as he and the rest of his buddies in yellow and purple failed to in 2008. The Cavs are looking nearly unbeatable as they are taking down every team that bravely stands in front of them as the Lakers are equally taking care of business and showing everyone why they belong on top of the Western Conference. Of course there are many other playoff bound teams that could make an argument as to being the team to look out for in this years playoffs but right now, but the high octane Cavaliers and the deep stacked Lakers aren't planning to change the coordinates of the direction they are both heading, any time soon. 

Why the Lakers will make the finals this year: Kobe Bryant. He is a fighter, a leader, a downright assassin, and he has just the right artillery to work with this season. As long as he and his team is healthy, don't expect any of the Western teams to really get in their way. Ariza, Radmanovic, and Walton will have to make some big time plays in order for the Lakers to stay on top during the playoffs. Look for those three to be the x-factors. They might not all play in every game but they will each get plenty of opportunities on the hardwood throughout each round. Expect the Zen Master to rotate them in and out with different starting lineups.

Why the Cavaliers will make the finals this year: The King. Did I say Kobe was a fighter? LeBron is a straight up animal. What the King wants is what the King gets. And this year, I think he wants to make it to the finals, and then some. The guard play in Delonte West, Mo Williams, and Booby will be key as their shooting percentage will be the deciding factor of how opposing defenses will handle James and crew. Big Z will need to be healthy and Varejao (I really wish he would just shave his head) will have to continue to step it up.

Why the Lakers won't make the finals this year: Kobe forgets his shoes at home or the defense just decides not to show up like it did earlier this season. Anyone remember when that happened? It wasn't pretty. If Sasha takes over 30 shots in any of the series', we got a problem. Someone needs to tell him that he doesn't need to shoot everytime he touches the ball. If Andrew Bynum or Pau goes down with an injury, LA will be in trouble.

Why the Cavaliers won't make the finals this year: LeBron doesn't drop 30 a game. The Chosen One will need to average something like 30 7 and 7 in order for his team to be successful. The guards can't have trouble early, trying to find the basket. If that is the case, defenses will be able to focus more on LeBron and that will cause havoc for the Cleveland coaching staff. LeBron will need to stay out of foul trouble or else they will have problems trying to score while LeBron helplessly watches from the side. Big Z will have to stay healthy. If injury strikes his old body in the playoffs, a quick recovery won't be likely and the Cavs will be playing with a much smaller team against opponents with big men like Dwight, KG, Sheed, and the young man from the Dominican Republic. In the long run, it's honestly all up to LeBron. The man can do miracles.

Now that I've done a breakdown of the top team from each conference, let's see what the brackets would look like if the playoffs started tomorrow.

EAST

1. Cleveland

2. Orlando

3. Boston

4. Detroit

5. Atlanta

6. Miami

7. New Jersey

8. Milwaukee

WEST

1. Los Angeles Lakers

2. San Antonio

3. Denver

4. New Orleans

5. Houston

6. Phoenix

7. Portland

8. Utah

Dallas just missed it by a millimeter.

So here's my outlook. You all probably saw my sorry prediction of the Chargers beating the Steelers so don't expect an expert analysis on this. And when the real playoff bracket comes out, I'll do another prediction but here it goes for now.

#1 Cleveland over #8 Milwaukee in 5. Jefferson pours 40 one night and gets one for the win column as Milwaukee's playoff journey ends quick.

#2 Orlando over #7 New Jersey in 6. Vince keeps his team in the battle but the young Brook Lopez just can't contain Big Dwight.

#3 Boston over #6 Miami in 5. Miami is just too young and DWade and Marion just don't have what it takes to keep up with the defending champs.

#5 Atlanta over #4 Detroit in 5. Detroit may be the higher ranking but Iverson doesn't really fit well with this program and as one of the key players, The Hawks take advantage of this achilles heel and stuns the Pistons quick and easy. The young Hawks are easily motivated and by winning their first playoff series' in over a decade, the Hawks are more confident than ever.

#1 Los Angeles over #8 Utah in 7. Phil and his Lakers get a scare but barely pull away from the first round as Kobe leads the way.

#7 Portland over #2 San Antonio in 6. San Antonio gains an early 2-0 lead but the Blazers hang in and fight as fatigue hits the old aged Spurs and it costs them four straight games and the series.

#6 Phoenix over #3 Denver in 6. Chauncy is a new fan favorite in Colorado but he and Carmelo just don't have enough to contain Amare and Shaq down low as the speedy Suns take care of business and end the series in game six at home.

#5 Houston over #4 New Orleans in 6. I really wanted to go with the Hornets in this one but you got to be cheering for T-Mac and his Rockets in this one as he has yet to make it out of the first round. This will be the year whether it's against the Hornets or whoever else. #1 in red steps up big in the playoffs and takes his team to the next level... The second round...

#1 Cleveland over #5 Atlanta in 6. The Hawks have all the momentum in the world but the Cav's track record at home is just too impressive. Cleveland wins all three home games and game 6 in Atlanta as Joe Johnson and company just don't have enough to stop LeBron.

#3 Boston over #2 Orlando in 5. The Magic just don't match up well with the Celtics in this one and Big Dwight can't do enough as Hedo and Shard just can't come up with enough to throw at the Celtic defense. Rondo takes care of Nelson like Barack over McCain. Was that politically incorrect? Shame on me.

#1 Los Angeles over #5 Houston in 5. The Lakers realize that the first round was a huge wake up call and T-Mac is still overjoyed and overwhelmed with finally getting passed that first round. Wake up man, Kobe's got the ball right now and you're supposed to be guarding him.

#6 Phoenix over #7 Portland in 6. Phoenix jumps on top early and, unlike the Spurs, are able to finish with a much younger squad. The Blazers are far too inexperienced to overcome this deficit and head to their locker room as they prepare for 2009-10.

#3 Boston over #1 Cleveland in 6. Some of you are probably looking at this and thinking, "are you out of your mind?" No, actually, I think I'll go with Boston on this one. Cleveland will win game one and have everythng going their way but KG and the rest of the Big FOUR will tie it and take the lead in the next two games. Boston will take over home court advantage and end LeBrons season in game six in the garden as the King realizes he just can't do it in Cleveland. Time to bounce.

#1 Los Angeles over #6 Phoenix in 6. When do these two teams ever meet without putting on a show. Either the game is real close, there's a fight, or it's just right out heated. That's what a Conference Finals should be like. Shaq will teach Bynum what a real once league dominating big man is capable of doing but the age in Kazaam's legs won't be able to take a full series in the third round as the big men of LA just out power Amare.

You got it. I'm predicting a rematch of last years finals. What's going to be the difference maker this year? Let's do a little math. Lakers+Andrew Bynum > Celtics-Posey. Not only are the Celtics without Posey this year, they will truly understand how important a veteran like PJ Brown can be. You're thinking, "alright, so they don't have two role playing veterans, but how can you forget the presence of KG, and #34 and Jesus Shuttlesworth's scoring abilities?" If this match-up does end up happening this year, you will see how much of a difference Posey makes. Just go back and watch some film from the previous finals. Look for #41 in white and green. He's the one wearing the tube socks. Last year was Boston in 6? I say this year, Kobe will hold up the finals MVP trophy and earn his fourth ring as a Laker as Los Angeles wins it in Boston in game six and gets booed off the court by objects being violently thrown through the air. Ahh, don't you just love the atmosphere in the garden? 

-Jason Chong

Day 2

I'm going to try to keep pace at writing daily or at least once every two days. Something like that. My thoughts today will be on the midpoint of the NBA season. As the All Star voting ballots are being submitted and Rudy Fernandez gets some facetime on television, trying to snag a spot in the NBA dunk contest, questions arise and challenges are made. Maybe even a few big time trades are thrown out before that deadline hits. Here are my thoughts as "halftime" of the NBA season draws near.

Could a Hawks breakdown possibly come at a worse time? I know this doesn't change the Hawks position in the East at this moment but had they won these past two games against Orlando, we could be looking at consecutive playoff rounds for the city of Atlanta. Now I know that is a bold and deep consideration, but hey, at least they could have thrown out a challenge to be the southeast division leaders. I know a win is a win and a loss is a loss but trailing 71-33 at half time? We're talking about pro athletes here. We're not even talking about the Timberwolves or Oklahoma City. This isn't like a long eight game road trip where you're fatigued and trying to just get over that eighth game down the stretch. This is a chance to take a snag at the top seed in your division! How can you go into a game with the knowledge that the team you're about to face is the only thing keeping you from being crowned the division champs and lose like that? Anyone remember a familiar scene? Game 7, 2008 NBA playoffs, Boston? Ouch... I'm just saying. Don't even get me started with Atl's apparent curse with the New Jersey Nets this season. 

Who the heck even started the hype of the Celtics possibly finishing under 10 losses this season? MJ and Scottie will probably agree with me that the Celtics are the last team to worry about finishing better than 72-10 ever. The Celtics are loaded, I'll give 'em that but has anybody else seen the way Doc rotates his players? The Cavalier's coach could do a better job. Does anyone even know Cleveland's head coach's full name? Maybe LeBron can tell me. Maybe. 

Speaking of the King, will the man who will take the challenge of stopping him please stand up? I think I see Kobe in the way back standing up, but I could be wrong. I personally would not like to see the Cavaliers win a championship anytime soon, but if no one wants to slow down LBJ23, it looks like that time is coming.

Is it just me or is the NBA starting to get real lopsided. Just a thought, but it seems to me that you're either winning games as a top 16 team, or you're just almost forgetting what it's like to win as one of the bottom 16.

Michael Beasley was listed from 6'9" to even 6'11" on some websites during his days in high school and his one and done at K State. I don't know if it's just the fact that I have bad eyes or maybe there is another guy in the league with the same name, but whoever he is, the dude on the Heat with Beasley on the back of his jersey looks like he's 6'5" or something. I don't have a problem with that but so much for Miami drafting a big man. You might as well just go with a three guard lineup with Dwade, Mario, and Beasley.

Words of advice and "encouragement" to those looking ahead to the future. We're talking 2012, maybe even 2020.

Dear Al Jefferson, you're a good guy and I'm sure you have good intentions for the team paying you over in Minnesota. Maybe you're a patient guy, I don't know, but unless you plan on partaking in multiple draft lotteries in the upcoming offseasons, I suggest you get the heck out of there.

KD35 and Jeff, your team is just flat out terrible! I don't know if it's your coach, your depth, your chemistry, or the fact that you got starters that stand taller than 6'6" and weigh less than 200, but hang in there, if you young cats stick together, in just a few years, you and the Memphis Grizzlies could be running the show. And I don't know if this is possible, but you should request a team name change. The Thunder? Come on, I'd rather play for a team called the Flint Tropics.

To the Bobcats, I can't ever take you guys seriously year after year. It's been a couple of years since this franchise has been established now, but other than drafting a bunch of sick college players and beating the Celtics in overtime a few days ago, I don't really know much about what's going on with this team. Hopefully, I'm just ignorant and you guys are moving in a positive direction. But either way, good luck in the 2009 draft lottery. Maybe you can get Tyler Hansbrough. I heard he's really good in the collegiate level. You can join him with Emeka, Sean May, and Adam Morrison.

The Kings, Who's your starting five anyway? John Salmons, Kevin Martin, Francisco Garcia? Let me know what's going on over there. Maybe you can join forces with the Clippers and take down the crosstown rival, the Los Angeles Lakers. Hey, you should take a shot at it, they got some veterans and I heard the team doesn't even have their own gym. The Clip think they do but the Staples Center honestly belongs to the Lakers. The Lakers actually have banners up there.

Golden State, is that even a real city? Maybe you should consider the above.

Lastly, I'm sure many of you have seen the commercial for the decision of the last contestant in this years Sprite Slam Competition. Rudy Fernandez, Joe Alexander, and Russell Westbrook.

Here are some fair arguments for each. They're not really fair but just take this to thought.

Why you should pick Rudy. He dunked on Dwight Howard. Not only did Mr. Fernandez dunk on Superman himself, he did it in the gold medal game of this past olympics! Call me crazy but if you're not LeBron or some other superstar high flyer in the nba and you dunk on a previous dunk contest winner that towers over at 6'11" and has the nickname Superman for how high he is capable of getting up, then you should automatically get a spot in the Sprite Dunk Contest. I'm sure the Spaniard can assure you that he's the only one from his country who's accomplished this feat.

Why you should pick the Rookie out of UCLA. He's got a lot of frustration to let out on the rim. He's on the Thunder, need I say more? The least he can do is at least try to win some other kind of trophy.

Why you should pick Joe. You shouldn't. The guy is a baller and he can hop and jam the ball but really now, he's around 6'9". Not many big men do well in dunk contests. Remember Chris Andersen in the dunk contest? I can assure you that Joe's comparisons with Mr. Andersen are far closer than with Dwight Howard's.

A small shout out to the NFL,

Mad props to the Cardinals tonight for coming out and showing the world that they can run with the best. Now the Panthers aren't exactly the best but really, the Cardinals 9-7 record isn't very much to brag about either. Doesn't seem to matter right now I guess.

Dear Coach Fisher, your team finishes on top of the entire league in the regular season, you get a first round bye to prepare for your opponent and you fall flat on your face in your first playoff game as you hand the W right on over to Ray Lewis and his buddies. Maybe next year.

Tomorrow's Division playoff predictions

Philadelphia over New York in a shootout 30-28

San Diego over Pittsburgh in an unusual one 16-10

I'm probably completely off but I won't lose any sleep over it.

-Jason Chong

The end of 2008 and now a new "Season"

The 2008 season is now over and 2009 has started off with a plethora of interesting bowl games from Texas' last minute touchdown to Oklahoma's failure to score twice in the red zone and once within 30 yards of the Florida endzone. I'm sorry for all your losses in the past few BCS bowls including some painful blowouts but this one's got to be on you, Stoops ol' buddy. Everyone enjoys starting off the fresh new year watching a couple of bowl games while at the same time more than half the nation is bitter because their respectful teams fell short of the BCS title game (Texas, Alabama, Utah, USC, Georgia Pre-season #1). But of course, we all still watch these games and that is why the BCS still exists in this world.

First off, let me start the new year by congratulating the Florida Gators for yet another storybook ending after a questionable loss to Ole Miss in the middle of the season. Being a faithful Bulldog fan for a decade now, it left a very sour and envious taste in my mouth last night watching Florida chomp off the field with yet another crystal football within the past three years. I'm not going to go on and on about the excuses Georgia had because honestly, when you are one of the most talented teams in arguably the most dominant conference in the nation, there is no excuse because that is what depth and a good coaching staff are for. I have some "family and friends" that support and attended Florida so I will be getting it from them this coming weekend. It's funny though because they always like to celebrate their wins and championships on us but I excitedly celebrate one win over them in maybe ten years (2007 Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party) and they just complain about how we were bad sports by dancing in the endzone. I don't even want to hear it because they have two championships in three years. The least they can let me do is enjoy one win over them. Now before completely getting off the topic that I'm struggling to talk about, now that the BCS title game has ended, teams are looking ahead to the next season, biased ESPN is already predicting what they call, "way too early to tell 2009 preseason rankings", and the top players in the collegiate level are deciding whether they want to declare to the NFL or come back for another year to battle for the championship or one of the 746,543 bowl games or just break a school record and maybe enjoy the campus life a little longer while still having to deal with midterms and final exams. Thus begins MY predictions for the 2009 season.

Now I know it's far too early for a 2009 preseason ranking but if ESPN can do it, why can't I?

1. Texas: McCoy is coming back with a vengeance and after what happened this past season, you know he won't settle for less than 13-0.

2. Florida: With Tim Tebow most likely coming back, the Gators could make a convincing statement for back-to-back titles but did anyone else see how big of an impact Mr. Harvin was in the championship game? The rest of the Gators might be very athletic but "Percy Harvin's" are hard to come by.

3. LSU: What LSU did to Georgia Tech in the Chick Fil A bowl could be a preview of what LSU might do to the rest of the nation in 2009. Then again, they could be the 2008 Georgia Bulldogs for this next season. Or not. Mr. Jordan Jefferson, it's all up to you, sir. Please don't make me feel like an idiot for putting the Tigers up this high. (LSU will be a top contender or a bust for the second straight year.)

4. Ohio State: This is probably a far too high of a ranking but Terrelle Pryor showed flashes of greatness in a few games this season after replacing Todd Boeckman. With experience now under his belt, he will enter his sophomore season as one of the most feared leaders behind center in the 2009 campaign. Beanie, Laurinitis, and Jenkins will be missed.

5. USC: Too low of a ranking for the powerhouse? Lower than the Buckeyes? A team that the Trojans pummeled? They get tons of blue chip prospects year in and year out, Coach Pete is a hall of famer in the making, and all of the Pac-10 fears the University of Southern California. Maybe except Oregon State.. Any Stanford Cardinals in the house? Until the

"All-Mighty" warriors in red and yellow can finally manage to get out of the Pac-10 undefeated, they will stay less than qualified to be the top team in the nation. In my opinion, if they hadn't lost that game to the Beavers from the state of Oregon, without a doubt would they have been the best in the nation. I'm sure many people in California agree with me. Advice for 2009, you might "own" the Pac-10 in football, but stop looking past the sleepers in your own conference.

6. Oklahoma: Mr. Heisman 2008, will you stay or will you go? If you care enough about your coach, you will come back and try to get him his first bowl win in a long time. Maybe you should just head to the NFL, because I talked to Colt the other day and he isn't too happy about what happened with all the rankings.

7. Virginia Tech: Tyrod Taylor and the always powerful Hokie defense will look to defend their conference title. Could they possibly go for more than an Orange Bowl this season?

8. Georgia: Goodbye Stafford, Good luck Moreno. Thanks for the highlights but us Georgia fans were hungry for that Title game. You left us with a bitter taste in our mouths. Now the more than faithful ball coach will probably look to the Red shirt senior, Joe Cox to lead the team behind the young but experienced offensive line. Don't be surprised by what these Dawgs will be capable of doing even without Staff and Knowshon when the lineup is healthy (Knock on wood).

9. Alabama: Their two best offensive linemen gone(If you don't think that's a big deal, go back and watch the film of the Sugar Bowl when "Andre the Giant" wasn't present to keep his pretty little quarterback from eating turf multiple times)? Mt. Cody possibly headed to the NFL? J Parker Wilson done with the collegiate level? Look for Mr. Julio Jones to be one of many possible X-factors for this once #1 team in this past season as they look to surprise the nation once again in 2009.

10. Oklahoma St: All offense and no defense will be the story of their season. Typical of a Big-12 team. Oops, did I say that?

11-15 Florida State, Oregon, Ole Miss, Penn State, TCU in no specific order.

Once again, this pre-pre-pre-season ranking is far from accurate but who's ever heard of an unbiased opinion.

Lastly, as a die-hard Georgia fan since the fourth grade, here's my message to the world whether you are for or against the Dawgs.

First for those against Georgia, I don't really have much to say but don't hop onto our bandwagon once we FINALLY reach that national championship.

And those of you who cheered for Georgia this year because we were preseason #1 and then hated on us saying we suck because we lost a few games to some of the top teams in the nation, don't even think about trying to be a Georgia fan in the future because we don't need your pathetic and unfaithful support.

For the majority of you Georgia fans who are panicking about the 2009 season saying we're done before it has started, claiming it to be a rebuilding year, consider this. Other than the fact that #7 and #24 are moving onto the NFL to make millions of dollars, next year, The University of Georgia will be returning their entire starting offensive line. Sturdivant who was an all SEC linemen as a freshman will be at 100% after a season ending injury in the preseason that forced him to red shirt his sophomore year. Jeff Owens and Geno Atkins will build a near impenetrable wall on the interior of the defensive line and prospective junior linebacker Rennie Curran will lead the defensive secondary alongside two returning cornerbacks in Asher Allen and Bryan Evans as they will try to take Georgia to the top in their senior campaign. So some of you are saying, "well this is great that we have all this, but who is going to replace our two most "valuable" players from these past few seasons?" Within just two recruiting years, the Bulldogs have brought in Caleb King, Richard Samuel, Carlton Thomas, and Dontavius Jackson respectably. Haven't heard much or anything at all about them before? Well it's because these future bright stars have been waiting for their time to shine once Knowshon left for the pros as he became just the second rusher in Georgia to have consecutive 1000 yard rushing seasons. The other man, Herschel Walker. Heard of him? Caleb King will most likely be the go to guy, but expect the others to step up big as back up relievers as well as big time specialists. Envious of Florida's Chris Rainey and Jeff Demps? You got yourselves a comparison in Carlton Thomas and Richard Samuel. Don't forget to mention our upcoming running back from the c/o 2009 in Washaun Ealey. None of these guys were in the top 3 of their positions ranking in their recruiting class but how can you assume so soon when Knowshon was redshirted as a freshman and was originally the #15 running back in his recruiting class. Just a little history for those of you who didn't know much about the man Moreno until he bursted onto the scene in his debut vs Oklahoma St. Now for Mr. #1 NFL Draft pick. How could we possibly replace him? Please... Matthew Stafford was a stud but he wasn't invincible. Some may be worried about how Richt is loyal to seniority and will most likely start with Cox. What's wrong with Cox? It's Joe Cox, not Joe Tereshinski III (Starting Senior quarterback 2006-07 before getting replaced by a freshman named Matthew). He's got excellent accuracy and with a healthy fully repowered offensive line, the sky is the limit. Not only that, we'll most likely get to see a combination of Logan Gray and Aaron Murray behind center snapper Ben Jones. Zach Mettenberger who is the fellow 2009 quarterback recruit along with Murray, will most likely end up getting redshirted. Logan Gray will be interesting to see at the qb position as he is very mobile and was the punt return specialist at many times this past season. And who is Aaron Murray? He is without a doubt a top 3 quarterback in the nation in high school and could have made a huge statement as being the #1 passer in the land if not for an injury that kept him out of the regular season in his senior campaign. Unless he is redshirted his freshman year, expect him to come in and make a huge impact immediately. So we got plenty of replacements at both positions. They may not be all americans yet, but you can't blame 'em since they were backups to two and didn't really get much of a shot until now. Could Richt possibly build another three headed monster at the running back position? (Lumpkin, Brown, Ware) Maybe a dual quarterback threat with speed and pocket presence? (Greene, Shockley) By the way, all five of those names are in the NFL. Here are some positive points that I will be looking forward to in the 2009-10 campaign for the Georgia Bulldogs. We will hopefully be healthy which is the most important thing, we won't have too high of expectations with a pre-season #1 ranking (I always liked seeing us move up from a lower ranking), Stafford won't be here to do that stupid quarterback draw option play that worked once every 20 times, and if and when we reach the SEC championship game, we will get yet another home game and accomplish a goal that most of the sports nation doubted. Georgia Bulldogs 2009-10 champs? Probably not, but my elementary school teacher told me I was a big dreamer.

Speaking of dreams, I dream of a day when a playoff system will be enforced upon the world of college football. I wouldn't be too surprised if it happened very soon. The past few seasons haven't supported the BCS system very well. A split national champion? Who wants to share the championship with another team? How can there be teams that finish undefeated and not get a shot at the championship when they have just as impressive of a track record as a one loss team just because of strength of school history which is the case nowadays, not strength of schedule. Even our new President, Barack Obama, is asking for a playoff system. I know he isn't a king or anything, but if our president wants a playoff system, would it be too much to ask? Now that all the bowl games have been played and are done with for this season, let's go back and see what I think would have happened. Since the BCS to me is a bunch of nonsense, I will do an eight-team playoff according to the top eight teams from the AP rankings.

#1 Florida vs #8 Texas Tech 59-21 (This one would be over before the half)

#4 Alabama vs #5 USC 23-33 (Lots of field goals but in the end, USC is just too loaded)

#2 Oklahoma vs #7 Utah 28-35 (Comes down to a 4th quarter drive when the Heisman can't lead his troops to answer a previously impressive touchdown by Brian Johnson and his Utes)

#3 Texas vs #6 Penn State 20-16 (Texas meets a tough defense for the first time this season but manages to pull out in a grind)

#1 Florida vs #5 USC 27-31 (USC gives up the lead for the first time in the 4th but regains it with just enough time for Tebow to make a last drive effort before falling short)

#3 Texas vs #7 Utah 35-21 (Colt smiles with satisfaction as his Longhorns knock off the team that previously eliminated conference rival Oklahoma)

#3 Texas vs #5 USC 21-35 (Texas holds off USC's high octane offense but doesn't have enough energy to hold off the Trojans in the final quarter as USC scores their last two touchdowns with big drives in the fourth quarter)

#5 USC National Champions

Yeah yeah, all this is ridiculous and isn't necessary because this didn't even happen and we will never know what really would have happened but who's to say I can't make my own predictions. Like I said before, if ESPN can write about whatever they want, then so can I. Hopefully when we one day actually do get an eight team playoff, Georgia will be within a qualifying spot to compete.

Until my next post, Gooo Dawgs! Sic' Em!

-Jason Chong