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Breakout players come from all kinds of backgrounds. Sometimes they are highly hyped freshmen that underperform but eventually live up to expectations, or sometimes they'll be misused players waiting to break out under a new coach. Other players just need a bump up the depth chart after graduation and defection.

Using a formula that determines offensive value, depth charts, coaching changes, and other key factors, these 10 players jump out as stars poised to break out.

Austin Freeman, Georgetown—Shooting Guard/Small Forward

Everything went wrong for Georgetown last season. After a promising start, the Hoyas epically tanked during the final two-thirds of Big East conference play. One part of the massive Hoya collapse was the drop-off in Austin Freeman's play.

Freeman entered D.C. as a freshman touted to have the potential to be good enough to not need four years of school before turning pro. After a solid freshman season, the wing player saw significant drop-offs in his shooting percentages and didn't progress as expected during his second season.

The most notable dip came from behind the arc. Freeman drilled 40 percent of his three-point shots in 2008 but took fewer in 2009 and hit only 30 percent of his attempts.

The atmosphere is changing in Washington, as Georgetown is poised to turn things around, and Freeman could be at the center of it. If Freeman can take a step forward in 2010, he could quickly become an All-Big East performer.

Elliot Williams, Memphis—Shooting Guard

Sometimes a change of scenery can spark a player's performance. For Elliot Williams, this change of scenery comes under unfortunate circumstances. Williams left Duke—where the sophomore guard would have had a starring role—to return home to Memphis in order to attend school near his ailing mother.

Williams was the latest in a long line of five-star recruits to play for Mike Krzyzewski. But Williams never had a definitive role under Coach K. He started to perform when inserted into the starting lineup, but his production dropped down the stretch.

Memphis coach Josh Pastner will rely heavily on the two-guard given the lack of depth. Williams will be the best player on a rebuilding Tiger team that still has many dates on national television.

Solomon Alabi, Florida State—Center

There were times last year when Seminoles center Solomon Alabi looked brilliant, a dominating center capable of carrying FSU on his back. Those times were for the most part only glimpses, as the 7'1" Nigerian is still developing his post moves and getting accustomed to ACC-caliber basketball.

Alabi played second fiddle to then-senior guard Toney Douglas. With Douglas and fellow big man Uche Echefu gone, Alabi can shine next to fellow sophomore Chris Singleton.

A few more polished offensive moves and Alabi can be an absolute star. He's already one of the league's best rebounders and shot blockers. Alabi ranked 16th in the country in shot-blocking percentage, swatting away more than 10 percent of shots taken when he was on the floor.

Dexter Pittman, Texas—Center

During his few years in Austin, Dexter Pittman has lost a lot of weight but gained a lot of game. Pittman enrolled at Texas out of shape and overweight. Pittman obviously didn't play much. But before last season, he took the initiative to lose weight and improve his conditioning.

Pittman's minutes increased, and he flourished in the Longhorns' frontcourt. The senior forward only played 16 minutes per game as a junior, but a further increase this year, combined with an improvement in his game, means his scoring average of 10 points per game will increase dramatically as well.

Drew Gordon, UCLA—Power Forward

UCLA brought in one of the best recruiting classes in the country last year, but many of the stud recruits didn't see much time on the court because of talented upperclassmen. After four of the five starters from 2009 graduated or went pro, coach Ben Howland will now be leaning on last year's solid recruiting class.

Drew Gordon was the second-best prospect in UCLA's 2009 class behind Jrue Holiday, who's now on the opposite coast playing for the Philadelphia 76ers. Gordon came to UCLA loaded with talent and a potential star in the making. After posting strong tempo-free statistics in 2009, Gordon could be UCLA's top option in 2010.

Mike Scott, Virginia—Power Forward

A coaching change may be the key to Mike Scott finally getting the touches he deserves for the Cavaliers. The soon-to-be Virginia junior might see an increase in minutes this season and potentially more touches. Scott is one of the most efficient yet underutilized players in the ACC.

Scott has a terrific 110 offensive rating, which is much higher than any other Cavalier's rating—including rising sophomore star Sylven Landesberg. The problem for Scott is he only takes 17.7 percent of his team's shots, a ratio good for just eighth-best on the team.

The solution? A new coach. Former Washington State coach Tony Bennett has always stressed efficiency in his offense. If he brings the same mentality to Virginia, Mike Scott will be sure to see a much bigger role in the Cavalier offense.

Keaton Nankivil, Wisconsin—Power Forward

Wisconsin seems like it always has multiple highly efficient forwards in its frontcourt. That should continue in 2010 as Jon Leuer and Keaton Nankivil return to the Badgers. Leuer already has a prominent starting role in Bo Ryan's offense, but Nankivil came off the bench last season, averaging only 14 minutes per game.

Nankivil is a strong offensive player and great offensive rebounder, meaning he'll fit quite nicely in Ryan's system as well. If Wisconsin is going to sniff the NCAA Tournament in 2010, they'll need Nankivil to step up and fill the shoes of the recently departed Marcus Landry and Joe Krabbenhoft.

Quincy Acy, Baylor—Power Forward

Baylor brought in two decorated freshmen last year to anchor its frontcourt of the future. The lesser touted of the two, Quincy Acy, ended up having the bigger impact during his freshman campaign. Acy, with his athleticism, became a playmaker off the bench for the Bears.

Acy should have his role already defined for him for 2010 because he'll have big shoes to fill with the graduation of Kevin Rogers. Acy's situation is similar to the aforementioned Mike Scott. His offensive efficiency of 112.7 is very high, but his 14.1 shot percentage is very low.

With other top options Curtis Jerrells and Henry Dugat also gone, Acy could see a starring role for Scott Drew.

Rotnei Clarke, Arkansas—Shooting Guard

Courtney Fortson and Rotnei Clarke are both about to be sophomore guards. Fortson has received more hype despite having a poor offensive efficiency rating and high turnover percentage.

Clarke is a deadly three-point shooter and incredibly protective of the ball. Clarke also missed a total of three free throws last season. If Clarke continues his progression during his sophomore year, he'll eventually outshine Fortson and become the Razorbacks' new star player.

Alex Tyus, Florida—Center

Alex Tyus almost left Florida, but the big man decided not to transfer out of Billy Donovan's program and should be rewarded in 2010. Tyus is on the verge of becoming a star for the Gators. Nick Calathes rightly received all the attention last year with the tremendous season he posted, but he left to go pro.

Florida needs a talented player to step up if the school wants to compete in a much-improved SEC. Tyus is Florida's most efficient and utilized player on offense returning this season. He'll be the most likely candidate to shoulder the load and become a star in Gainesville.

For more updates on college basketball, follow Jameson on Twitter.

Instead of showering today, I would rather talk about the football stadiums in the Big Ten and rank them top to bottom for various reasons while pointing out their typical fan bases. The one thing that draws me into being a huge college football fan (even before College Gameday started traveling) is the atmosphere that stadiums and teams generate.

On a side note, that is why I was a huge opponent of the Miami Hurricanes leaving the Orange Bowl and moving 20 miles north of their campus to Landshark Stadium. It is also home to the lackluster fan bases of the Dolphins and Marlins.

But let’s talk Big Ten since this is by and for Midwest sports fans.

I was excited to see Indiana’s newly renovated stadium on the Big Ten network and I am equally excited to see Minnesota leave the horrible Metrodome. Maybe their awesome new outdoor field will give them a home field advantage and some college atmosphere that they have been lacking.

That said, having a unique and imposing home field gives football teams the advantages they need to compete in the Big Ten, hosting visiting fans to a good experience, and sometimes an edge in recruiting.

(And, by the way, if you’re interested in attending any Big Ten games this year and don’t yet have tickets, click here to get great deals on Big Ten tickets from StubHub

, or click on the name of each stadium to find tickets by team.)

1. Ohio Stadium (Ohio State)—102,329 capacity

Nicknamed “The Horse Shoe,” but not a horse shoe anymore since the 2001 renovation. The top spot is really a toss-up between Penn State and Ohio State. Penn State just joined the Big Ten in 1993 though, so the tie-breaker goes to the Buckeyes (this choice was greatly helped by the fact that I grew up in Columbus).

Ohio State has a raucous crowd that usually makes it deafening for the opposing squads.  Plus “The Best Damn Band In All The Land” marches across Woody Hayes Drive and onto the field before every game to form the famous Script Ohio, as seen below.

Fans run with the marching band and into the stadium as if they were scrambling to see an approach shot by Tiger Woods after a drive on the 18th hole. Other teams’ fans are annoyed at the obnoxious Buckeye fans as much as the British golf commentator is at the “GET IN THE HOLE!” guy at Augusta.

I just got goose bumps thinking of the craziness that occurs once the senior tuba player high steps his way to dot the “I” and the band belts out the oft played fight song. Everybody sings the words and yells O-H-I-O, each side owning one of the letters in order.

The Olentangy River runs right next to the stadium and serves as a great sight when walking through the miles of tailgates on fall Saturdays. The capacity expands to 105,000-plus during big games, especially the Michigan game. You will have a hard time finding a sizable road crowd during Big Ten games as the home fans just won’t give up their tickets so road fans can watch their team lose.

There is a reason there is a recruiting “fence” around the Ohio border and that reason is the memories conjured, the tradition, the size, and the atmosphere inside and out of Thee Ohio Stadium. I wanna go back to Ohio State, to old Columbus Town!

[Editor's Note: And those of us who don't bleed scarlet and gray like you are now ready to vomit.]

2. Beaver Stadium (Penn State)—107,292 capacity

The capacity is 107,282 and they have stuffed 110,000-plus during big matchups. Kirk Herbstreit deemed Happy Valley with the best student section in college football with the senior student section forming a block “S” in blue and white shirts or body paint.

I absolutely agree with Kirk. And so do my dead brain cells after partying with some of the craziest party people I ever met when I lived on South Beach. “They Were! Penn State!” (graduates).

The “White Outs” and the noise make this the hardest place for a road team to get any sort of rhythm in the Big Ten. If the crowd wasn’t loud enough, they have a huge Jumbotron and booming sound system that plays a cat-like roar, making the crowd’s roar just as intimidating.

Unlike Ohio Stadium, it is nice to see they have a crew smart enough to keep lush natural grass every year. This Saturday afternoon football church in Happy Valley reeks of Preparation H for old alumni, liquored up party people with flasks, and sexy college co-eds. In a good way.

3. Camp Randall Stadium (Wisconsin)—80,321 capacity

Though not as large as Beaver Stadium, Wisconsin’s student section rivals that of Penn State.

The UW band sets off the crowd playing drinking songs, pop songs, and dance songs. And, of course, the sound man gets everyone jumping before the fourth quarter during “Jump Around” by House of Pain, a tradition that started against Purdue in 1998. The video below takes place during an Indiana game…which I am sure Wisconsin won. By a lot.

Video: Fans Jump Around at Camp Randall Stadium

Come to think of it, that would be a great nickname and slogan for the stadium: “Welcome to the House of Pain.”

The marching band was also suspended in 2006 and 2008 because of some off-the-field antics including hazing and sexual misconduct on road trips (sounds like a good time to me).

[Editor's Note: Midwest Sports Fans does not explicitly endorse KVB's idea of a good time.]

Established in 1917, Camp Randall is the oldest stadium in the Big Ten and the atmosphere (literally) is host to horrible weather conditions that stifles many road teams. The visiting locker room has been painted pale pink in the past and now a pale blue supposedly to distract the road teams. Wisconsin is currently 30-3 at home since painting it the distracting “prison blue” color.

If you travel there for a night game, expect the bad weather and bad play by your team. Even the Green Bay Packers play one preseason game a year at Camp Randall Stadium. In turn the Wisconsin marching band attends at least one Packers game at Lambeau Field a year.

4. Michigan Stadium aka “The Big House” (Michigan)—106,201 capacity

They are adding more seats to reach 108,000 plus by 2010. Insert “The Big House” and the fans that sit on their hands in silence here.

And by the way, if you don’t remember what inspired the despondent looks on the faces of the Michigan turds fans above, watch the first few minutes of the video below:

Video: Appalachian State Upsets Michigan

Interesting to me is that Ann Arbor only has an 114,000 person population so you know the town basically shuts down until football is over. That is how college football Saturdays should be.

You have no idea the size of the stadium on the outside since it is built with the stands and the field going down and underground from where you walk up to the ticket gates. One thing I will say about Michigan fans (like Buckeye fans) is that a road fan will be hard pressed to find extra tickets because the fan base is so loyal. Even if they are not that loud or intimidating, or that idiotic or drunk.

Michigan Stadium has hosted Wolverine football since 1927 and the famous Fielding Yost. As an Ohio State fan, I find it funny that they played on “Ferry Field” before Michigan Stadium. I couldn’t make that up. Never.

5. Kinnick Stadium (Iowa)—70,585

Another stadium holding a pink-painted visitors locker room, but this wasn’t done by mistake like perhaps the drunk and stoned Wisconsin students in Madison. Former coach Hayden Fry majored in psychology at Baylor University and believed the pink color had a calming effect that could make visitors have less mental toughness and be less aggressive after pissing in a pink urinal.

Some women and those in the gay/lesbian community have protested for it to be changed saying it is a slap in the face to their lifestyle. (This furthers my believability that grassroots campaigns did in fact legalize gay marriage in the state earlier this year.)

Back to the stadium, it is about as boring as the dunkards who live in Iowa. But I will give Iowa’s only Heisman Trophy winner (Nile Kinnick) and Hayden Fry credit for instilling some excitement on Saturdays and creating a real loyal fan base. Iowa, which stands for Idiots Out Walking Around, takes a break from doing that every Saturday and they travel well as I noticed at the 2003 Orange Bowl.

6. Ross-Ade Stadium (Purdue)—62,500 capacity

And here we have the first major drop off in atmosphere on this list. I have a hard time giving a lot of Purdue football fans any credit. Unfortunately I’ve probably been to 30 or so games at Ross-Ade, so I can say that.

Every top-10 matchup in Ross-Ade is invaded by the road team’s fans. Most Purdue fans were born and bred on Hoosier basketball, thanks to the movie and Coaches Knight and Keady. Hence, they know nothing about football, how it is played, and of all people the likes of Jim Everett and Joe Tiller taught the fans what winning takes. No, not loyal support, hard work, and consistency; but rather gimmicks and repetitive passing systems that have a hard time lining up when smash mouth, goal line situations are needed.

Tiller first took the Big Ten by storm with the spread and now every time there is a run up the middle the crowd groans and boos. That takes stupidity like calling an offense “Basketball On Grass” as some do. I’ve never seen a more boring ragtime marching band entertainment at halftime than Purdue’s, the “World’s Biggest Drum” and a dance team of fatties dancing the charleston included.

On the positive side, they did a great renovation enclosing the stadium, have an incredibly large video board, and there is not really a bad seat in the house. So you might as well go see your favorite team in West Lafayette and piss in one of the troughs installed in the restrooms (it’s a Northern Indiana thing, you wouldn’t understand).

Now back to crappiness.

About 15,000 University of Oregon fans took over Ross-Ade last year! The natural Bermuda grass is supposedly a credit to Purdue’s agricultural department finding prescription athletic turf. Good for them. I personally love natural turf. (This paragraph is brought to you by, “Obnoxious Ohio State Fan” mentioned earlier in the article. He’s righteous!)

7. Memorial Stadium (Illinois)—70,000 capacity

Sorry I’ll be much more positive the rest of the way. Just make sure you send No. 6 to an IU fan. They need some cheering up come football season.

And speaking of Memorial Stadium, also the name of IU’s stadium, the older of the two is in Champaign and opened in 1924 with Red Grange scoring six touchdowns against Michigan on its official dedication game in October. This Memorial Stadium is a dedication to the men and women who died in the World Wars and has sported artificial turf since 1974.

I love that the original drawing for this stadium was to support more than 80,000 people and have a tall phallic monument in the North end zone. They eventually settled on the smaller capacity and no monument.

In 2002 the stadium hosted the Chicago Bears while Soldier Field was getting renovated.

Oh, and Ron Zook coaches there now. When he’s not water skiing or bitching at Urban Meyer.

8. Spartan Stadium (Michigan State)—75,505 capacity

Spartan Stadium fell a lot on my list because I have seen too many big games blown on their own field. Most people blame the coach for this, but I just drop their home field advantage down a notch. Heck, their best win in the 90s was against No. 1 Ohio State in Ohio Stadium. How does this not hurt Ohio Stadium instead of Spartan Stadium? Simple. The ineptitude since then.

The most exciting things Spartan fans see on TV or at the stadium lately have been an introduction to the basketball team or a sideline reporter interviewing Tom Izzo in the middle of the second quarter while the team was losing. I can hear Mark Dantonio now…”I get no respect, no respect.”

Well, you’re right considering the high school talent that floods your stadium’s gates.

9. TCF Bank Stadium (Minnesota)—50,300 capacity

Gopher fans finally have a stadium on their campus and outdoors. This really makes me happy. There probably wasn’t a worse college football atmosphere than the Metrodome. This new stadium, on the other hand, could move up in the rankings once it opens this year.

TCF Bank Stadium includes an apparent easy-to-80,000 person capacity renovation that could take place if the team shows success on the field and makes some extra money in bowl games. It will also include the third largest outdoor HD video board in the nation.

The con here is it is outdoor and cannot bat down opposing team’s punts during games. Though I cannot imagine anyone in the Minnesota administration would have the arrogance of Jerry Jones, refusing to move such a video board if it did get in the way. HD really has us by the nuts doesn’t it?

10. Memorial Stadium (Indiana)—53,500 capacity

I love how this Memorial Stadium in Bloomington is dedicated to a rock while Illinois’ is dedicated to war heroes. That’s solid, solid as a rock. Very Charlie Brown in the Halloween episode.

I did see the renovations to the stadium on TV and it is finally a Big Ten-worthy stadium. Too bad it wasn’t built for a better program, but I suppose IU does have its moments. While most people complain the top Big Ten teams don’t have a tough conference, IU fans complain their conference schedule is way too tough to compete.

[Editor's Note: As an IU fan and alum, I can categorically say that I've never complained about the conference schedule being too tough. Except when we play Minnesota and Northwestern at home. Those games are haaarrrrrddd!]

11. Ryan Field (Northwestern)—49,256 capacity

I know I said I would get shorter with my writing as the list fell lower on the list. So in lieu of saying anything about Ryan Field, just watch the video below. It makes me happy, and unless you’re a douche it will make you happy too.

 

Really though, Evanston is a great section of Chicago because of this campus.

Well, now you’ve seen my rankings. What do you think?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

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*—Ohio Stadium Script Ohio photo credit: Ames Photos

*—Beaver Stadium S-Zone photo credit: Ames Photos

*—Super Wolverine and the Wrist Band Warrior photo credit: DawgSports.com

*—Michigan fans reacting during App State loss photo credit: Lon Horwedel, The Ann Arbor News via MLive.com

*—Kinnick Stadium pink locker room: Sondrak.com

*—Ross-Ade Stadium penis photo credit: Deadspin.com

*—TCF Bank Stadium photo credit: GopherSports.com

A three-year-old insisted on using the remote control to change channels on a television in a Chicago hotel.

The entire family ended up looking at the movie, The Express, which told the life story of Ernie Davis, the first African-American to win a Heisman Trophy, in 1961.

The inspiration to do research on the Heisman Trophy began at that moment. After visiting the Notre Dame campus as we drove back to Cleveland, I realized that Tim Brown, a former Oakland Raider, won the Heisman Trophy at Notre Dame.

That was enough to get me going. I started researching aspects of the history of the Heisman. Excerpts from this study are provided.

The first Heisman Trophy was awarded in 1935. Jay Berwanger of Chicago got the prize.

From 1935 to 1961, halfbacks received most of the Heisman Trophies. Nineteen halfbacks received the award, with Ernie Davis grabbing it in 1961.

Davis made history by becoming the first African-American to get the Heisman Trophy. His accomplishment was more dramatic because of his struggle with leukemia, which cut his professional career short.

Of all of the Heisman winners, 29.7 percent were halfbacks. In more recent years, quarterbacks have dominated, receiving nearly 37 percent of the awards.

From 1973 to 1983, running backs dominated. Here is the list:

1985	Bo Jackson	Auburn	RB
1984	Doug Flutie	Boston College	QB
1983	Mike Rozier	Nebraska	RB
1982	Herschel Walker	Georgia	RB
1981	Marcus Allen	Southern California	RB
1980	George Rogers	South Carolina	RB
1979	Charles White	Southern California	RB
1978	Billy Sims	Oklahoma	RB
1977	Earl Campbell	Texas	RB
1976	Tony Dorsett	Pittsburgh	RB
1975	Archie Griffin	Ohio State	RB
1974	Archie Griffin	Ohio State	RB
1973	John Cappelletti	Penn State	RB

Another observation is that Southern California, Notre Dame, and Ohio State have received more Heisman Trophies than the other schools.

I realized that Notre Dame was en route to Cleveland, so I insisted on visiting the campus. It was a sight to see. The "Touchdown Jesus" artwork on one of the buildings stands out.

I immediately gathered the names of the football players from Notre Dame who also won the Heisman. They are:

1. 1943 - Angelo Bertelli
2. 1947 - John Lujack
3. 1949 - Leon Hart
4. 1953 - John Lattner
5. 1956 - Paul Hornung
6. 1964 - John Huarte
7. 1987 - Tim Brown

Again, I got excited. Tim Brown is pictured in a display in the Pro Football Hall of Fame. He is also a supporter of Sports and Education. He is a high achiever. He received the Heisman in 1987. 

Did the three-year-old know what he was doing when he insisted on looking at a certain movie? Maybe he did. He is the same three-year-old who met and took a picture with Tony Dungy at the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

So, "out of the mouths of babes" can come the wisdom for the next generation. Let's commit to continuing to write about (and research) the connections between sports, education, and STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) professions.

As we do so, we shine a beacon light for the future of the next generation, including our children and grandchildren.

Note: STEM hearing, addressing the crises in education in the United States.

(Editor's Note) Click the logos for more information on the games. The numbered icons mean multiple games are located at that spot. Click the numbered icon for the multiple games. Bleacher Report formatting won't allow for the full map to fit in text box; moving the map around will show all points. There are 14 games highlighted on the map.

With more than 340 teams across the country, there are more than just those 14 great games. Here's a few more:

Kentucky vs. traditional rivals, at Indiana on Dec. 12 and vs. North Carolina on Dec. 5

The Wildcats are finally back in the national spotlight for the right reasons and will play their yearly games against the rebuilding Hoosiers and reloading Tar Heels.

Indiana is back on the road to respectability and a win over rival Kentucky will go a long way to putting the Hoosiers back on the map.

For North Carolina, a win against UK would make it clear the Heels are reloading, not rebuilding after losing their top four players from last year's National Championship team.

North Carolina at Texas at Cowboys Stadium, Dec. 19

The Tar Heels love playing in NFL Stadiums (took on Michigan State at Ford Field last year) and so far are undefeated at 3-0 after dominating the Final Four.

Texas is incredibly strong in the front court which should UNC's strength, as Roy Williams returns sophomore center Ed Davis and senior Deon Thompson.

Texas at Connecticut, Jan. 23

The two schools don't know where they are playing this tilt, but both teams should be in midseason form as this contest will take place during the conference schedule.

This game would have been one for the ages if it was this year's Texas team vs. last year's UConn team that featured Hasheem Thabeet and Jeff Adrien, but this year's game will still be memorable.

Ohio State at Butler, Dec. 12

These two teams played a wrestling match of a basketball game last season in Columbus. This year, the two will tip-off in Hinkle Fieldhouse as both squads should be better than last year.

A matchup of Evan Turner vs. Gordon Hayward should have college basketball fans licking their chops.

Syracuse at Florida, Dec. 10

Last year the two teams played and it was the Jonny Flynn vs. Nick Calathes show. But both guards are gone, and the two schools will look towards incoming transfer Wes Johnson to lead the Orange, and Alex Tyus, who almost left Florida, will lead the Gators.

Duke at Georgetown, Jan. 31

Up and down the roster, the Blue Devils have more talent than the Hoyas, but Georgetown should be a much improved team on a mission to make the Georgetown faithful forget about last year's disaster.

Greg Monroe could turn into a Player of the Year candidate as he'll shine in the spotlight now that DaJuan Summers and Jessie Sapp are gone. Those two departures are almost addition by subtraction for the Hoyas.

Questions, concerns, or mistakes? Email Jameson at jamesonfleming@gmail.com. For more college basketball links and updates follow Jameson on Twitter.

Before I start with my rankings, I just wanted to warn you all that this is a fairly long read and I am sorry for its length. I hope that you all will give it a read and comment on it anyways.

With that said, let's get into the rankings of the best trios in the NBA.

30. New York Knicks: Al Harrington, Wilson Chandler, and Nate Robinson

Al Harrington is a dangerous offensive player and coming off a 20 point per game season, but you have to question whether or not he truly is a winning player. He gets his points, but he doesn't really do anything to help his team win. He is a horrific defender, a poor rebounder, and has an absolutely terrible attitude.  

Nate Robinson has become a spark plug off of the bench for the New York Knicks, but his lack of size and point guard skills leave him as a limited player. He does not bring anything to the table aside from scoring and energy off of the bench though.

Wilson Chandler is one of the lone bright spots on the Knicks roster. He is an intriguing prospect and showed a lot of promise last season and with an increased role on the team he looks to take his game to the next level.

While there is no denying that the Knicks have a talented Big Three, the simple fact of the matter is that aside from Chandler, none of these players are conclusive to winning and seem to be content with nothing more than getting their own.

29. Sacramento Kings: Kevin Martin, Tyreke Evans, and Spencer Hawes

Kevin Martin has become one of the best scoring shooting guards in the NBA over the past few seasons and looks to have a very bright future ahead of him. He is one of the best scorers in the game but does not give you much else aside from that scoring.

Tyreke Evans is a huge question mark heading into the season. He will most likely be given the starting point guard spot and look to lead the Kings. He is a dynamic athlete and has loads of potential but will he be able to step in immediately?

Spencer Hawes is a versatile big man that can step outside and hit the jumper. He is going to have to improve his defense and all-around game to be more than an average center, though.

The Sacramento Kings have some good young talent in Martin, Hawes, and Evans, but aside from Martin, none of them are proven players. How will these youngsters perform next season? That is up in the air.

28. Houston Rockets: Aaron Brooks, Trevor Ariza, and Luis Scola

The Rockets have been decimated by injuries. They are without Yao Ming for the entire season and who knows how long Tracy McGrady will be out for, or if he will ever become the player that he once was. So as a result of injuries to their star players, the Rockets are going to have to get some production elsewhere.

Aaron Brooks had a coming out party during last year's playoffs and showed that he can be a legit NBA point guard. He is lightening-quick and is very adapt at getting to the hoop. He is going to have to improve his decision-making and add more to his game to continue to stay effective though.

Ariza joins the Rockets from the defending NBA Champion Los Angeles Lakers. He was a vital piece to the Lakers championship run and was a key contributor.

However, you can't help but wonder whether or not Ariza looked better than he truly was alongside great players like Kobe Bryant and Pau Gasol. I guess time will tell.

Luis Scola is also going to have to take a more prominent role on the team and become a focal point on offense. He is one of the best role players in the game and a fantastic energy player, but can this role player step his game up and become a major contributor offensively?

Without Yao and T-Mac, this trio is looking a little wack.

27. Minnesota Timberwolves: Al Jefferson, Jonny Flynn, and Kevin Love

Al Jefferson is one of the best young big men in the game today. A fantastic offensive option down low and a great rebounder. He is a limited defender and passer, but he has all of the tools to be a multiple-time All-Star. A concern about Jefferson is how well will he bounce back from his season-ending knee injury last year?

Jonny Flynn is the most NBA-ready point guard that came out of this year's draft. He is an explosive athlete and a great leader on the floor. He is going to need to improve his jumper to keep the defense honest to get full use of his blazing speed. He my be small in stature, but this young point guard has a huge heart.

Kevin Love is a terrific rebounder and a fundamentally sound player. He doesn't have any particular area of his game that he stands out in aside from rebounding, but he is just an all-around smart player. He isn't an ideal compliment to Jefferson however, and didn't look great playing alongside Big Al last season so that is something to keep in mind.

The T'Wolves trio is full of potential, but aside from Jefferson, none of them have shown much more than just potential.

26. Indiana Pacers: Danny Granger, T.J. Ford, and Troy Murphy

Danny Granger had a breakthrough 2008-09 season in which he was named to the All-Star team for the first time and also won the NBA's Most Improved Player award. He is a dynamic offensive threat capable of going off at any time and showed last season that he is a viable number one option.

When T.J. Ford is focused in on playing team basketball, he can be a very lethal point guard with his incredible speed and playmaking ability. Sadly for Pacer fans, Ford tends to get caught up in individual battles too often and doesn't have the greatest of attitudes. When he is in the right mindset though, he is a good player and point guard.

Troy Murphy is one of the league's better rebounder and was among the league leaders in double-doubles last season. He is a smooth shooting big man that stretches the defense and has the potential to be a matchup nightmare. He doesn't give much aside from rebounding and shooting though, as he is a pretty poor defender.

Danny Granger is one of the NBA's bright young stars, but aside from Granger, this trio just doesn't shine.

25. Milwaukee Bucks: Michael Redd, Andrew Bogut, and Brandon Jennings

Michael Redd has been hit hard by injuries over the last couple of years, but when Redd is on his game there are not many better pure scorers in the NBA. He is a lethal shooter and an all-around great scorer but he does not bring too much to the table. The biggest knock on Redd over the past few years has been his inability to stay on the court.

Andrew Bogut was taken with the first overall pick in the 2006 NBA Draft and has not developed into the player that the Bucks had originally hoped for him, but he is still a very good center. He is one of the best passing big men in the NBA and when given an opportunity, he has proven that he can be a viable offensive option.

Brandon Jennings is the brash and cocky rookie point guard that the Bucks are looking to lead them into the future. He has all of the physical tools and gifts in the world, but you have to question his mind frame. He is a very good player on the court, but his mouth may get him in trouble off of the court. You can't deny his talent though.

With Redd's injury problems and question marks surrounding Jennings, I simply can't put them any higher than 25 so here they are.

24. Charlotte Bobcats: Gerald Wallace, Tyson Chandler, and Raymond Felton

Gerald Wallace is one of the most energetic players in the NBA and is the definition of a guy leaving it all on the floor. He may not be the most talented guy out there, but you know that he will give you 110 percent every time he steps on the floor. Sadly for Bobcat fans, this pedal-to-the-metal playing style often ends up with Wallace on the injured list.

Tyson Chandler is the newest member of the Bobcats and he brings them an ultra-athletic, long, defensive big man. He makes his living on the defensive end of the floor and is known as one of the premier defensive centers in the game. However, he is very limited offensively and without a point guard like Chris Paul spoon-feeding him easy baskets he is not going to give the Cats much offensively.

As of right now Felton is not technically a part of the Bobcats as he is still a restricted free agent, but I decided to include him anyway. Felton is a good floor general and a tough defender. He is not going to wow you with his play but he will go out there and give you a consistent effort night in and night out on both ends of the floor.

This trio is very potent defensively, but do they have the offensive firepower to warrant a higher ranking? Not in my mind, so they come in at 24.

23. New Jersey Nets: Devin Harris, Brook Lopez, and Courtney Lee

Devin Harris broke out last season in his first full year with the Nets and made his first All-Star appearance. Without Vince Carter in the lineup, look for Harris to improve on his terrific season last year as he is the undisputed No. 1 offensive option and franchise player in New Jersey. He established himself as a top-10 point guard last season and is looking to make the jump to top-five this year.

Brook Lopez just may have been the steal of the 2008 NBA Draft. He was definitely the best big man selected and had a very good rookie campaign last year. He showed great skill down on the low block and with another year of experience under his belt, look for him to come into the season as a much improved player.

Being the Nets second best player and having an increased role on the team is only going to benefit him as well.

Courtney Lee was the centerpiece in the Vince Carter deal this past season, and he has the potential to become a very dangerous two-way player in the NBA. He was the Magic's best perimeter defender in their run to the Finals last season and proved that he is no slouch on the offensive end of the floor, either.

This trio may be young and somewhat unproven, but do not count out their abilities as they are very good players.

22. Oklahoma City Thunder: Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, and Jeff Green

Last season Kevin Durant gave us a glimpse into his future as an elite scorer. He absolutely tore it up after being moved to his natural position of small forward. He is already one of the NBA's elite scorers and will just get better as he gains more experience.

Durant is going to have to round out his game and become a better playmaker to take the next step though, but I fully expect him to do that.

Russell Westbrook is coming off of an impressive rookie season. He showed his surreal athleticism and versatile skill set. With a full season under his belt and being more accustomed to the league, look for his defense to become a staple of his game.

He is going to have to develop more point guard skills and play within himself more often to become a true point guard, though.

When Jeff Green was drafted he was predicted to be the Scottie Pippen to Kevin Durant's Michael Jordan and Green has the skill set to become a poor man's Pippen. He is a versatile forward with good playmaking instincts. With Durant missing some time last season he was able to showcase all of his talent and he looked good.

With another year of experience under his belt, look for him to come out guns blazing.

The only thing holding this trio back is experience, but they are undoubtedly going to be a force to be reckoned with within in the next couple of years.

21. Los Angeles Clippers: Baron Davis, Blake Griffin and Eric Gordon

Baron Davis is coming off of an absolutely terrible season in which he shot 37 percent from the field and averaged 14.9 points per game, which is his lowest point output since his sophomore season. He clashed with his coach and played uninspired basketball for the entire season. Still, there is no denying this man's talent and when he is on his game physically and mentally, there aren't many better point guards.

Blake Griffin was the first pick in this year's draft and the Clippers showed their commitment to him by trading Zach Randolph and opening up the starting power forward spot for him. Many people believe that Griffin is possibly the most NBA-ready big man prospect to come into the league since Tim Duncan and he looks to be leading candidate for Rookie of the Year.

One of the lone bright spots for the Clippers last season was the play of Eric Gordon. He was a dynamic shooter and showcased all of his offensive abilities. With another year of experience on his belt, look for him to come out guns blazing and improve on his stellar rookie season.

If Davis focuses on the game and Griffin plays like he's expected to, this trio could very well deserve to be ranked higher.

 

20. Memphis Grizzlies: O.J. Mayo, Rudy Gay, and Zach Randolph

O.J. Mayo is a terrific scorer and shooter. He was the leading scorer for the Grizzlies as a rookie and looks to elevate his game to the next level in his sophomore season. He has already proven that he can score the rock, but in order to become a better player he is going to have to round out his game.

Rudy Gay is an athletic specimen and if the reports about him adding 20 pounds of muscle are true, he is going to be a lethal slasher this season. He has shown the ability to score the rock, but much like Mayo, this youngster needs to develop the other areas of his game—his passing in particular. If he is able to become a better creator for his teammates, he could really become something special.

The Grizzlies acquired talented, but cancerous Zach Randolph in the offseason in hopes that he can solve their power forward woes and lack of interior scoring. Nobody can deny the talent that Randolph has, but you have to question his work ethic and whether or not he is a player that will bring you wins.

He has a history of putting up hollow, empty stats on losing teams. Will Randolph be able to turn it around and become a piece to a larger puzzle?

This trio is very talented, but with the inexperience of Mayo and Gay, as well as the questionable attitude of Randolph, Grizzly fans could be in for a roller coaster of a season.

19. Chicago Bulls: Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, and John Salmons

The Bulls lost Ben Gordon to the Pistons, but are hoping that Luol Deng is back and healthy. Deng has shown signs of being a very efficient scorer and playing alongside a point guard like Rose is going to help his game out tremendously. Before he was hit by the injury bug, Deng was considered to be one of the brightest young stars in the game and if he can stay healthy he will show why.

John Salmons was a trade deadline pickup for the Bulls last season and was a huge reason why they gave the Celtics so much trouble in the playoffs. He is a smooth player that doesn't blow you away, but will methodically pick you apart. Having an entire training camp to work with will do wonders for his game, and with Gordon gone, expect to see an increase in his role as well.

Last, but certainly not least, is the reigning Rookie of the Year and first overall pick in the 2008 NBA Draft, Derrick Rose. Rose showed a tremendous amount of potential and the sky truly is the limit for him. The Bulls are going to lean heavily on this explosive point guard this season and if last season was any indication, Rose is up for the task.

The Bulls are a team on the rise, and this trio will be relied on heavily to improve on their successful season last year.

18. Golden State Warriors: Monta Ellis, Stephen Jackson, and Andris Biedrins

Monta Ellis had a tumultuous season last year. He was injured in the offseason in a moped accident which caused him to miss a significant amount of time.

This season, he is looking to put that all behind him and prove why he was given a large contract extension. Ellis is a dynamic scorer that is one of the fastest in the game today.

Stephen Jackson brings a fire and tenacity to the game like no other. He is a passionate player that plays with his heart on his sleeve, which can be his biggest strength and biggest weakness at the same time.

He is the leader of this team and a very versatile player. When his head is on straight, he is a very good player and this young Warriors team is going to be looking to Captain Jack for leadership.

One of the most important parts of a Run N' Gun system is being able to rebound the ball. After all, if you can't rebound the ball you can't get out and run, and this is exactly where Andris Biedrins comes in.

He is a terrific rebounder and defensive player and is usually the one to ignite the Warriors fast break. Defense is his role and he plays it very well.

The Warriors have always been an exciting team, and this trio should be very fun to watch next season as they start running towards the postseason.

17. Detroit Pistons: Rip Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Gordon

Rip Hamilton has been the Pistons leading scorer for the past seven seasons and looks to continue that trend. Hamilton is one of the best players in the NBA at moving without the ball and utilizing off-the-ball screens to get himself open looks. He possesses one of the best midrange jump shots in the game.

Tayshaun Prince is the player that gets the least recognition out of the members of those elite Piston teams, but with Chauncey Billups and Rasheed Wallace gone, Prince will be under the microscope.

Prince is a lengthy defender that is among the best in the NBA. He also has a good jumper and his length is causes mismatches in the post.

The Pistons biggest move this offseason was to sign former Chicago Bull Ben Gordon to a long-term deal. Gordon is most likely going to come off of the bench next season and if that is the case, he will be among the leading candidates for the Sixth Man of the Year award, an award in which he has already won. His role will be instant offense off the bench, and this role fits him perfectly.

The Pistons had a horrible season last year as it was the first time in six years that the did not make it to the Eastern Conference Finals and if they hope to make it back to the top of the mountain in the East, it will be up to these three players.

16. Miami Heat: Dwyane Wade, Michael Beasley, and Jermaine O'Neal

Dwyane Wade is a top-three player in the NBA and an elite player in every sense of the word. He is a dangerous offensive player and one of the best guards in the league at playing passing lanes and blocking shots. Wade is a superstar, what else needs to be said?

Michael Beasley had a somewhat disappointing rookie season considering the hype he had going into it, but with a larger role on the team and a season under his belt, he could become a force alongside D-Wade next year. His combination of size, strength, quickness, and athleticism allows him to score in a variety of ways. As long as he puts in the work on both ends of the floor, he can be a star.

Jermaine O'Neal was acquired just before the deadline last season and took time to adjust to the team. He is a fallen superstar and has troubled knees, and although he is not what he used to be, he is still a great defensive presence that can have a scoring outburst on any given night.

Although this trio isn't fantastic in terms of depth, I can't bring myself to drop them any further down the list considering how good Dwyane Wade is, so they come in at 16.

15. Philadelphia 76ers: Elton Brand, Andre Iguodala, and Thaddeus Young

Elton Brand has been hit hard by injuries and missed the better part of two seasons now. The Sixers signed him to a fat contract last offseason and with the loss of Andre Miller, they are going to need him to show why they gave him that contract. When he is healthy, Brand is a consistent 20-10 player that plays solid defense as well. He will be relied on heavily to give the Sixers a much needed interior presence on offense.

Andre Iguodala is one of the most exciting players in the league and proven to be a very good player. He has been the best player for the Sixers during their last two trips into the postseason and a healthy Brand may help give him some more room to operate. Last year he struggled with Brand in the lineup, but hopefully these two can develop some chemistry during camp and become a potent inside-outside duo.

Thaddeus Young is an energetic, versatile forward that can do a bit of everything. He was fairly raw coming out of college and looks to be putting it all together. With Miller leaving the team, Young is going to have an increased role on the team and they will need him to step it up and become the third best player on the team.

The Sixers have a talented trio, but chemistry issues as well as possible injuries have them stuck in the middle of my rankings.

14. Atlanta Hawks: Joe Johnson, Mike Bibby, and Josh Smith

Joe Johnson has thrived since coming to the Hawks and they have had great success with him leading the way. He is a great scorer and a very good playmaker from the shooting guard spot.

He is a versatile player that does a little bit of everything on the court. Johnson is arguably a top-five shooting guard in the game today and the straw the stirs the Hawks pot.

Mike Bibby was the player that many people consider to have pushed the Hawks over the top and made them a playoff team. He is a very good shooter and a great leader on the floor. He is a very clutch player and loves the big moments.

He isn't a great playmaker from the point guard spot and not your typical point guard, but he is just a very good basketball player.

Josh Smith is one of the most athletic players in the game today and he makes great use of that athleticism by getting out in transition and finishing on the break or by protecting the hoop with blocked shots. He is not a great man-to-man defender, but his length and leaping ability make him one of the premier help defenders in the game today.

The Hawks have a very talented young squad, and have made some noise in the East these last two years, and if they are going to make some more noise this year, it will be these three players that lead the charge.

13. Utah Jazz: Deron Williams, Carlos Boozer, and Mehmet Okur

Deron Williams is a top-two point guard in the NBA and the best player currently playing to not have been named to an All-Star team. He has great size for the point guard spot, and that, along with his excellent playmaking skills, shooting ability and screen usage, make him a terror for opposing point guards. Deron has become a complete player since entering the league and an absolutely fantastic floor general.

Carlos Boozer has had a very interesting offseason to say the least as his name was swirled around in trade rumors and speculation. As of right now though, he is the starting power forward for the Utah Jazz and he is a damn good one.

He is a physical banger down low with some good post moves and he also works very well with Deron Williams in screen and roll situations. He is a very good rebounder as well. His defense simply sucks and he is a fairly selfish player, but he is definitely a good one.

Mehmet Okur is really a key piece to the Utah Jazz and I don't think that he gets the recognition that he deserves. His perimeter shooting ability gives the Jazz tremendous spacing and opens up the entire lane for Carlos Boozer and Deron Williams to work with. He is an excellent offensive big man that has a major impact on the Jazz.

The Jazz have experienced success with this trio, and they look to get back to where they were just two seasons ago when they were a Western Conference finalist.

12. Toronto Raptors: Chris Bosh, Hedo Turkoglu, and Jose Calderon

Chris Bosh is one of the best offensive big men in the game today. He has an excellent jumper and is very good at getting to the line. He has a great first step which he uses very well and allows him to get to the rim. Offensively he is just a tremendous talent.

He has shown in the past that when he is given a respectable supporting cast around him, he has the ability to lead them into the playoffs and this year, he has a good cast around him.

Hedo Turkoglu was one of the biggest free agents to hit the market this offseason and he ended up in Toronto. He is a walking mismatch with his 6'10" frame and ball-handling abilities. He is a very good playmaker for his size and a dangerous shooter.

Perhaps the best part of Turkoglu's game is his ability to come through in the clutch and in pressure situations, which is going to be a huge asset to the Raptors.

Jose Calderon is one of the best pure point guards in the NBA. He truly gets what it means to run an offense and play unselfish team basketball. He is a tremendous shooter and is great using screens. He is a good playmaker and all around offensive player.

His defense is a concern as he is a lousy defender, but you definitely can't deny his talents on the offensive end of the floor.

This Raptor trio possess a lot of talent on the offensive end of the floor, but they really don't give you much in the way of defense, which prevents them from making it into the top 10.

11. Phoenix Suns: Steve Nash, Amare Stoudemire and Jason Richardson

Steve Nash is one of the best point guards in the NBA, and possibly one of the best of All-Time at running a fast paced team. He is a fantastic passer and playmaker and a master at utilizing screen situations. He has a dead-eye jumpshot from the perimeter which forces teams to play him tight coming off of screens. He is getting up there in age, but he is still good for another year or two.

Amare Stoudemire is an ideal power forward in an uptempo system. He runs the floor better than any big man in the game and is one of the most ferocious finishers in the paint. He is also very effective in screen situations as he has developed a very nice midrange jumper.

A motivated Amare is a top-five power forward in the game.

Jason Richardson was acquired in December and didn't have the season he hoped for. He is a dangerous shooter from deep and an athletic finisher around the rim. He will be a very nice target out in transition for Nash and thrives in the fast-paced game.

These three players may be the most offensively talented trio in the game today, but with their lack of defense, they slide down to No. 11.

 

10. Portland Trailblazers: Brandon Roy, Andre Miller and LaMarcus Aldridge

Roy is one of the NBA's rising young stars. He is widely recognized as a top-five, possibly even top-three shooting guard in the NBA. This youngster plays the game with the poise of a seasoned veteran.

Roy is a jack of all trades as he really does not have a glaring weakness in his game. He has developed into quite the player and, perhaps more importantly, leader.

Andre Miller is the Blazers' prized offseason acquisition. This savvy floor general will be the elder statesman for the Blazers and brings valuable experience to the table.

Miller is a very good pass-first point guard that looks to get everybody involved. During his time with the Sixers he showed himself capable of being a solid leader, and that is something that the Blazers will love about Miller.

Rounding out the trio is power forward LaMarcus Aldridge. Aldridge is a smooth shooting big man that loves to step outside and shoot the midrange jumper. He is an excellent pick and pop player. He needs to develop more of a back to the basket game and to learn how to fully utilize his exceptional length though.

The young Blazers had a nibble of the postseason cake this past season, and they are hungry for me. This trio will dictate whether it will be feast or famine for the Blazers.

9. New Orleans Hornets: Chris Paul, David West, and Emeka Okafor

Chris Paul is coming off of back-to-back MVP-caliber seasons and leading the Hornets to the playoffs for the second straight year.

Paul is one of the best playmakers in the NBA and is an expert at setting up his teammates for easy baskets. He is perhaps the best point guard in the NBA at throwing lob passes. He is the player that many consider to be the best point guard in the NBA.

David West is a great shooting big man. He and Paul are quite possibly the best pick-and-pop tandem in the entire NBA. West is coming off a second consecutive All-Star appearance and looks to help lead the Hornets back to the Western Conference elite.

The newly-acquired Okafor gives the Hornets a different outlook. He does not posses the athleticism that Tyson Chandler has nor is he as energetic, but what he does bring to the table is a more polished offensive game along with some very sound positional, as well as help, defense. Playing alongside a point guard like Paul is going to possibly open a lot of things up for this former No. 2 pick.

A lot will hinge on how well Okafor adjusts to his new team, but with a point guard like Paul, I think that adjustment will go very smoothly.

8. Denver Nuggets: Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, and Nene

Carmelo Anthony is one of the most complete scorers in the game today. When it comes to putting the ball in the hoop, there are few players that can do it as effectively and in as many ways as Melo. He has also become one of the best rebounding small forwards in the entire NBA and has begun to round out his game since the arrival of Chauncey Billups.

Chauncey Billups is a top-five point guard in the NBA. He might be your prototypical, pass-first point guard, but you can not deny his impact on the game.

He's one of the best leaders in the NBA today and a great, veteran floor general. His arrival in Denver last season completely changed the culture of the franchise and helped lead them to the Western Conference Finals.

Nene had a breakout season last year as he was finally able to stay healthy and produced as a result. He experienced career-highs in points, rebounds, blocks, and field goal percentage. This young, athletic 26-year-old big man is looking to show that last season was not a fluke and build upon his excellent 2008-09 season.

This trio proved last season that they could work together flawlessly and with an entire training camp to work with this time around, they may even be better than last season.

7. Washington Wizards: Gilbert Arenas, Caron Butler, and Antawn Jamison

The Washington Wizards are a team that has been decimated with injuries over the past few seasons and their Big Three of Arenas, Butler, and Jamison have unfortunately not seen a lot of court time together as a result.

Gilbert Arenas has been devastated by injuries these last couple of years but when he is on his game, there aren't many better pure scorers in the game. He is a streaky shooter but when he is on, he is lights out. Injury problems have managed to stall his meteoric rise to the top, but he is apparently 100 percent healthy for the first time in years.

Butler is one of the more unheralded players in the NBA. He is a versatile offensive player that has a solid midrange game and is an effective slasher, while giving you a tough defender at the other end of the floor.

Antawn Jamison rounds out the Wizards trio and he gives them a versatile offensive post player. Jamison can step outside and use his quickness and shooting ability to full effect, or he can go down low and make full use of his unorthodox post game.

If Arenas can become an elite player once again, and Butler and Jamison continue their All-Star level play, the Washington Wizards may be the dark horses in the East.

6. Dallas Mavericks: Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, and Jason Terry

Dirk is the best offensive power forward that the game has seen in a long time and is undoubtedly a top-three power forward in the game today. There aren't any better power forwards at taking over a game on the offensive end of the floor.

Josh Howard is a dangerous player when he is motivated and is the player that many people believe is the X-Factor for the Mavericks. When Howard is on his game, there are not many better two way players in the game nor are there very many better third options on the floor.

Jason Terry is the NBA's reigning Sixth Man of the Year and provides the Mavericks with instant offense off of the bench. He is a very good shooter and a great clutch performer that relishes the opportunity to hit big shots.

Jason Kidd may be one of the leaders on this team, but the Dallas Mavericks will go as far as Dirk Nowitzki, Jason Terry, and Josh Howard take them.

5. Cleveland Cavaliers: LeBron James, Shaquille O'Neal, and Mo Williams

The Cleveland Cavaliers where the best team in the regular season last year but fell short of their ultimate goal of winning an NBA championship. LeBron James and his sidekick Mo Williams were both All-Stars last season and formed one of the more formidable duos in the league last season.

Williams' shooting ability proved to be a very valuable asset to the penetrating ability of James and the two worked very well together but it was still not enough to win a championship. So what did the Cavs do to appease these players and strengthen their roster?

Well they just happened to go out and trade for perhaps the most dominant player that the NBA has ever seen in Shaquille O'Neal. Although he is getting up there in age, Shaq proved last season that he is still a dominant force down low as he was an All-Star yet again and the Phoenix Suns' best player. Having Shaq down low gives LeBron the dominant big man that he has yet to play with and a guy that will take some of the pressure off of James.

James is coming off his very first MVP season and is hungry to win an NBA championship. I would not want to have to face this trio in the playoffs, that is for sure.

4. Orlando Magic: Dwight Howard, Vince Carter, and Rashard Lewis

The Orlando Magic are coming off their first NBA Finals appearance since the 1994-95 season. They had a terrific team last season but that did not stop them from going out and acquiring perhaps the most electrifying and explosive player the NBA has ever seen in Vince Carter. Carter may be getting up their in age but he has proven that he can still play at an All-Star level and is one of the more complete offensive players in the NBA.

Rashard Lewis is fresh off of an impressive 2008-09 season in which he led the league in three-point field goals made and was an All-Star for the second season in his career. His dynamic shooting ability is a critical component to the Orlando Magic's offense and the spacing that he provides is a major reason why they are such an effective team.

Joining Lewis and Carter is some guy named Dwight Howard. I hear that he is pretty good. Howard is the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and the league's best center. His defensive prowess and elite rebounding is a perfect compliment to the offensive abilities of Carter and Lewis.

This trio looks to build on the success that the Magic had last season and I am not going to put it past them.

3. Los Angeles Lakers: Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Ron Artest

Kobe Bryant is fresh off his first NBA championship without Shaquille O'Neal and first NBA Finals MVP. Pau Gasol is fresh off a terrific postseason and his first NBA title. These two proved last season that they are a dynamic duo that is capable of great things.

So what did the Lakers do to complement these two star players? Oh well, they just managed to go out and sign a guy by the name of Ron Artest.

Bryant is the player who many believe is the best in the NBA. He is undoubtedly the best shooting guard in the NBA and best two-guard to play the game since Michael Jordan.

Gasol has thrived in the Triangle offense and showed that he is a fantastic second option on a championship caliber team. Artest is a former Defensive Player of the Year and when he has his head on straight, a marvelous two-way player.

Kobe is scary enough on his own, but when you add a possible top-five power forward in the NBA and one of the most feared defensive players that the NBA has seen this decade, you have the makings of a fantastic trio.

2. San Antonio Spurs: Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, and Manu Ginobili

These three Spurs just may have the best chemistry out of any trio in the league. They have been together for three NBA championships and have been among the league's elite for their entire tenure together. This trio has been the driving force behind the San Antonio Spurs for the last seven years and have yielded impressive results.

Duncan is quite possibly the greatest power forward to play the game and the player that many believe is the No. 1 power forward in the game today. He is a game changer on both ends of the floor.

Tony Parker has become a top-five point guard in many people's minds and proven to be a dynamic scorer. He is a former NBA Finals MVP and an All-Star point guard.

Manu Ginobili is one of the best sixth men in the entire NBA. This former Sixth Man of the Year winner is capable of igniting his team and coming through in pressure situations.

The Spurs have reloaded and are looking poised to make another championship run, and this trio will be leading the charge.

1. Boston Celtics: Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce

Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce. All three of these players are future Hall of Famers. All three of them are still playing at an All-Star level. They led the Boston Celtics to a league-best 66 wins and the NBA championship back in 2008.

This past season they looked like they were well on their way to possibly repeat as NBA Champions until Garnett was sidelined with a knee injury and eventually lost to the Eastern Conference Champion Orlando Magic in seven games.

Kevin Garnett is a top-three power forward in the NBA and a former MVP as well as Defensive Player of the Year. Paul Pierce is a top-three small forward in the NBA and a former Finals MVP and Ray Allen is arguably a top-five shooting guard in the NBA as well as quite possibly the most feared shooter in NBA history. Together, the have brought the type of success to Boston that hadn't been there since the days of Larry Bird, Kevin McHale, and Robert Parrish.

They have fantastic chemistry and play off each other amazingly well. The have proven that they are trio that can win a championship and give you an elite team.

People like bad sports announcers, who are being produced by the sports media machine as rapidly as the Fed prints pesos. And, they...umm...suck!

Well, not today. Not all of them. I’m putting away my Internet snark to tell you my favorite college football announcers. These are the guys who bring value to my game watching experience every time I see them.

Reece Davis

The Bama grad is smart, smooth without being unctuous, frequently challenges dumb, lazy opinion, and operates a studio show surrounded by lisping dolt Lou Holtz and the smug Mark May like they’re puppets dancing on the end of his string.

His set ups, his transitions, his ability to deliver the emotion of college football without hyperbole, is just top notch. The guy brings the goods every week and does so with real passion for the game balanced by a hint of a smirk, just a small tilt of his head, that suggests "yeah, I’m in on the joke too."

Chris Fowler

Ah, Chris is a long away from his days at Scholastic Sports America. Fowler’s game is not dissimilar from Davis. He’s unflappable, has a solid voice, and provides a steely spine of narrative to studio shows and a solid presence behind the mike at games. Just a solid pro.

Petros Papadakis

Yes, really. Petros is loud, has a grating voice, and sweats, grunts, and gesticulates in the booth like an Athenian grocer who just found out that his daughter is dating an Albanian. A lot of people hate him. I love his self-deprecating sense of humor, his lack of pretense, his knowledge of the game, and, when focused, his capacity for real insight.

To wit:

Papadakis, a former USC Trojan team captain, remarks casually at the height of the 2005 ESPN USC Reggie Bush media hypefest that UCLA’s Maurice Jones-Drew is a better player than Reggie Bush and will be a much better NFL RB. Heresy. And transport yourself back to that time—this is madness, this is cajones, this...is...SANTA MONICA!

Petros then offers a lucid 10-minute explanation for why and it proves to be dead on sitting here in 2009. The sheer balls of that analysis stunned me, and I’ve always liked him since. He has also called Matt Leinart’s NFL career to date with amazing prescience.

I also like his unpredictability. I doubt I’ll communicate this perfectly accurately, but I’m watching some Pac-10 late night game and Petros is talking about how good looking some kid is, his boyish good looks, but then instructs the viewer to look at the player’s legs and ass, he’s a developed man. He’s carrying on and on about it in a joking way. His booth partner finally gently jabs him about it and Petros pauses, looks pleadingly at the camera, spreads out his hands like he’s calling forth to his ancestors and remarks, “Well, I am Greek.”

Craig Way

Homer pick? I don’t think so.

As annoying as Craig can be in an afternoon drive format—dropping the names and classification of one obscure 2A Texas high school after another until blood flows from your ears and toenails—he’s also an absolutely outstanding radio play-by-play announcer. He knows the game, has a great cadence for calling the action, and sets up his booth partners generously and frequently.

Listen to the homer announcers that dominate the rest of college football radio—yes, even putting aside the amusement factor of a Dave South—they sound so incredibly bush league after you’ve experienced Way.

Chris Spielman

Announces like he played. No wasted motion and he nails whatever he decides to tackle. He’s not in the same class as these other guys as a pure voice or talent, but he’s like two-chord punk rock after five years of disco—he shuts his mouth and lets the game take on its own personality. Sadly, his nervous dollar-for-each-word partners generally feel the need to fill the dead air.

I’m watching a Big 10 snoozer and Spielman opines right before a field goal that it’s probably a fake though nothing in the game situation suggests that it would be. It is. After the fake, he gets on the telestrator and points out that the kicker lingered too close to his head coach before the kick and they spent way too much time chatting. He then talks about situational awareness—being able to pick your head up as a defender and notice the world outside of your assignment and play your hunches. Solid stuff.

Ron Franklin

Forward this to the 1:00 minute mark, sit back, and watch how it’s done. With extra Dr. Jerry Punch!

Sadly, Ron has been buried by ESPN for some time now, and it’s no wonder that he’s retiring soon.

For this:

With Notre Dame blowing out Purdue, Holly Rowe praised the defensive coordinator of Purdue for using the team’s timeouts towards the end of a blowout loss. Holly Rowe added to her praise this comment: “If the coaches are giving up, what does that say to the players?”

Mr. Franklin responded with, “Holly, it’s not giving up. It’s 49-21, sweetheart.”

Give him a medal. Upbraiding the witless Holly Rowe is praiseworthy.

Didn’t Make It

I have a bit of a soft spot for Brent Musberger for his positive Longhorn mojo, but his Great Man Theory of broadcasting in which one player is made responsible for all events on the field is wearisome for me.

What if...I can’t even ponder it...what if he broadcasts a Florida game?

Tebow. Musberger. It’s like crossing Ghostbuster streams. This must be stopped.

I have no problem with Kirk Herbstreit and think he does a very solid job, but his vacillations have increased with his public profile. Don’t talk in circles around a proposition and then turn it back over to Fowler having said nothing.

Now I ask you to do the same.

---

This article was written by Scipio Tex of Barking Carnival. Follow Barking Carnival on Twitter (@BarkingCarnival).

When thinking back to the 2002 PGA Championship at Hazeltine, two things immediately come to mind—Rich Beem’s goofy little dance and Tiger Woods’ 210-yard 3-iron from the fairway bunker on the 18th hole.

The PGA Championship returns to Hazeltine National Golf Club this week for the first time since 2002.

Like any major championship, we are bound to see some incredible shots, and who knows, someone in the field this week may just hit a shot that will go down as one of the greatest shots in major championship history.

The possibility is always present any time the top players in the world gather for a major championship.  

But, as of now, here are the top five greatest shots in PGA Championship history.

5. Tiger Woods 3-iron out of the fairway bunker at the 2002 PGA Championship

It’s not often that you see a guy hit a 3-iron from a downhill lie out of a fairway bunker that flies 210 yards, hooks around a large tree and lands eight feet from the hole.

It’s less often that you see a player follow up a miraculous shot like that by sinking his eight-foot birdie putt.

And it’s less often still that you hear the No. 1 player in the world continually refer to that shot as the best he’s ever hit in his life.

But, there’s one very good reason why you may have never heard about Tiger Woods' incredible bunker shot at Hazeltine.

Similar to Endy Chavez’s catch in Game Seven of the 2006 NLCS, unless the shot ultimately leads to victory, it’s just another clip that occasionally pops up on highlight reels.

If Woods had won the 2002 PGA Championship, his bunker shot might have gone down as one of the greatest golf shots of all time.

But, at the end of the day, victory is what really matters, and back in 2002, Rich Beem was the one walking out of Hazeltine with the Wanamaker Trophy in hand and not Tiger Woods.

4. Gary Player’s second shot on the 16th hole of the 1972 PGA Championship

After bogey’s at the 14th and 15th, Gary Player had lost his lead to Jim Jamieson with just three holes left to play at the 1972 PGA Championship.

The taste of victory in Jameison’s mouth must have become even more pronounced as he watched Player slice his tee shot into the gallery on the 16th.  

Player had to stand up on a gallery member’s chair just to get a glimpse of the green, after which he stepped down, pulled a 9-iron out of his bag and calmly hit his ball over water and several large trees before it landed on the green and came to rest less than four feet from the hole.

Player’s tap-in for birdie was more like a large pin sticking into Jamieson and completely deflating any hope he had of winning the 1972 PGA Championship.

3. Jack Nicklaus on the 16th hole of the 1975 PGA Championship

Jack Nicklaus arrived at the long par-five 16th at Firestone Country Club holding a comfortable lead over playing partner Bruce Crampton.

Nicklaus certainly wasn’t one to squander away leads down the stretch at major championships, but on this day, Crampton must have thought that Nicklaus was finally letting one get away.

Nicklaus pulled his tee shot into a hazard, took a drop, and then sent his third shot across the fairway, where it came to rest in the rough behind a few very large trees.

At this point, Crampton would have been thinking that Nicklaus was looking at a bogey at best with a double bogey being the more likely outcome.

Perhaps Jack was letting him back into the tournament.

Well, perhaps not.

Nicklaus took out a 9-iron, somehow got the ball up and over what appeared to be the tallest tree on earth, cleared the lake and landed 30-feet from the hole.

OK, not what Crampton had expected but Nicklaus was still left with a 30-foot putt just to save par, which would have still given Crampton a couple of strokes back with two holes left to play.

But, when Jack Nicklaus is standing over a must-make putt, the outcome is as predictable as the sun setting each and every evening.

Nicklaus, of course, holed the 30-footer for par and went on to win his fourth PGA Championship.

“Jack’s the closest thing we have to a machine” Crampton said after the 1975 PGA Championship.

Maybe no single sentence has ever described Jack Nicklaus in a more accurate way.

2. Shaun Micheel’s 7-iron on the 72nd hole of the 2003 PGA Championship

Shaun Micheel held a one-stroke lead over Chad Campbell as he stepped onto the tee box on the 72nd hole of the 2003 PGA Championship.

Micheel found the rough with his drive and was left with 175 yards to the hole.

No one would have been the slightest bit surprised if he chunked, sliced, ducked, hooked or even whiffed his approach shot.

Heck, guys like Shaun Micheel simply don’t handle major championship pressure of this magnitude.

But, on that day he did.

Micheel striped a 7-iron to within two inches of the hole.

Several minutes later Jack Fleck...oh, wait, sorry about that, Shaun Micheel tapped in for one of the most improbable major championship wins of all time, which was ultimately secured by one of the greatest pressure golf shots of all time.

1. Bob Tway’s bunker shot in the 1986 PGA Championship sends a dagger right through the heart of Greg Norman.

Like every major championship in 1986, Greg Norman held the 54-hole lead at the PGA Championship.

Norman had a chance to win the 1986 Masters with a par on the 72nd hole, but sliced his approach shot with a 4-iron into the gallery lining the right side of the green and wound up recording the bogey that gave 46-year-old Jack Nicklaus his 18th and final major championship.

Norman was in position to win the 1986 US Open, but his 75 in the final round left the door Open for Raymond Floyd.

Norman did manage to win his first major championship at the British Open, which was played at Turnberry, and he was now looking for his second consecutive major title at the 1986 PGA Championship.

Greg Norman and Bob Tway arrived at the 72nd hole all tied up.

After Tway found the bunker with his approach shot while Norman’s ball was sitting on the fringe, it was looking as if Tway would need to pull a rabbit out of his hat just to get up and down to force a playoff.

But, Tway decided to pull a rhino out of his hat instead.

Tway’s bunker shot landed about a foot onto the putting surface and slowly began rolling towards the hole before it eventually disappeared into the cup along with Norman’s hopes of winning back-to-back major championships.

Norman still had a chance to tie Tway by sinking his 25-foot putt, but after a player throws a shot like that at you, it’s difficult not to believe that the golf God’s are on the other player’s side on that day and there’s nothing at all you can do about it.

Norman missed his putt and Tway’s bunker shot on the 72nd hole of the 1986 PGA Championship will live on as one of the greatest golf shots of all time.

Will a shot hit this week at the 91st playing of the PGA Championship make it onto next year’s list?

We shall see.

American baseball has enjoyed a long, rich, and storied history, ever since Alexander Cartwright codified the rules of the game of "Base Ball" back in 1845.

But, as in all aspects of life, with the highs come the lows, both with their own legacies of fame (or infamy).

The following is a ranking of the worst of the worst: the bottom 50 aberrations, anomalies, shams, head-scratchers, farces, charlatans, and shenanigans—cringe-inducing, if you will.

These are the types of things that are an embarrassment to professional (that being MLB and minors) baseball—blights on America's game.

Some are sad, some are bad, and some will make you mad—but there's no codified definition as to what is ranked where, other than my own opinion, whatever it's worth.

And now, on with the show.

50. Rob Dibble's affinity for hitting people with a baseball

Rob Dibble was probably the truest of the Cincinnati Reds' "Nasty Boys," mainly because, well, he was nasty. But Dibs does not garner this spot for his tendency to hit batsmen, but rather a few unconventional targets that he plunked.

Most baseball aficionados, especially in the Cincinnati area, know that Dibble threw a ball over the outfield fence in anger, and inadvertently conked a fan sitting in her seat.

However, Dibble one-upped himself later that season when he purposely pegged Doug Dascenzo in the back of the leg after Dascenzo laid down a squeeze bunt—that particular lapse in judgment earns him the spot.

49. Crazy Crab Mascot Abuse

While Randall Simon's sausage swat is probably the most infamous instance of mascot abuse, the San Francisco Giants' Crazy Crab mascot was the recipient of the most.

After the success of Philadelphia's Phillie Phanatic, baseball's first real team mascot, the Giants trotted out their own mascot in 1984—but this time, fans were encouraged to boo, yell, and throw garbage at the Crab. Occasionally, even the players would get in on the action.

In all honesty, this would be a lot lower (as in further down the list) if it weren't purposely hilarious.

48. Orange baseballs

Believe it or not, this ridiculous idea has been advocated two different times in baseball history...Yes, you read that correctly.

The first time the orange spheroids were presented as a solution to early-Astrodome glare produced by the initially translucent roof (the actual solution will make an appearance here later on).

Oakland A's owner (why isn't this a surprise?) Charles O. Finley was the champion of the second campaign to implement the orange ball—only this time, Finley wanted to use it to add a little "pizazz" to the game, as well as to help the spectators see the ball.

Apparently, Mr. Finley believed that the patrons of his team a) were very hard of seeing, or b) had the attention span of gerbils.

Besides the obvious reasons, there were plenty of logistical problems created by the pigmentation of the ball—it was slick, harder to see, etc. This idea was (mercifully) nixed after being tried in one exhibition game.

P.S.—If any sport needs to use an orange ball, it is GOLF. Depending on the weather, it's borderline impossible to see the ball unless you were the one who hit it.

47. PETCO Park's short-sighted engineering

San Diego's fairly new stadium is the first (but not the last) poorly designed/intrinsically flawed stadium to make an appearance in these rankings. 

Here's the rub: it's facing the wrong way.

To give the fans a nice, scenic view, San Diego chose to have the stadium point towards the bay—facing north. You might say, "That's not necessarily bad"—at which point I would agree with you.

However, because of the choice to keep the Western Metal Supply Co. building, as well as the gargantuan scoreboard and seating decks, the wind patterns have changed in such a way that all the wind comes in through the gap in center field—blowing back any long fly ball hit in that direction—and the Padres power hitters have paid the price. 

With the construction cost for the park being to the tune of $450 million, you'd think that Padres management could have hired a few engineers to tell them that there might be a few problems.

46. Billy Ripken's 1989 Fleer baseball card

William "Billy" Ripken is known chiefly for three things.
He is:

• a former Major League Baseball player;
• Cal Ripken Jr.'s brother/Cal Ripken Sr.'s son;
• the guy whose bat, and subsequently baseball card, had naughty words on it.

The 1989 Fleer baseball cards are simple: some players have "action shots," and others pose for their picture. Ripken fell into the latter category—and the ensuing result vaulted him into baseball infamy.

For whatever reason (allegedly on accident), Ripken grabbed a particular bat when he was asked to pose for his picture before a game; that was common practice. Except Ripken's bat had a particular socially unacceptable phrase written on the end in big black lettering (hint: it rhymes with duck lace).

The most astounding part of the whole episode is the fact that no one at Fleer even noticed until it was published. Inevitably, that picture had been seen by hundreds of eyes before it was ultimately sent out to the stores—and yet nobody saw it.

Of course, immediately afterwards, Fleer noticed its mistake—and drew more attention to it by quickly rushing out different (not to mention ridiculous) re-prints, each blotting out the obscenity with a varying degree of effectiveness.

If you want to see for yourself, here's the original card and the re-prints (if you are grossly offended by a particular four-letter word, don't click the link).

45. Marc Ecko's poll on Bonds' 756th home run

After Barry Bonds broke Hank Aaron's home run record, the man who caught Bonds' homer put it up for auction—where it was purchased for $752,467 by fashion mogul Marc Ecko (yes, the guy who started ecko unltd).

Rather than keep it as part of a collection, Ecko decided to create a publicity stunt by setting up a website where people could vote what would be done with the ball. Three choices were given:

1) Bestow It (give it to the Baseball Hall of Fame, as is);
2) Brand It (brand the baseball with Ecko Unltd.'s trademark asterisk);
3) Blast It (shoot it into space).

Regardless of whether you hate or love Barry Bonds, the simple fact remains that he has hit the most home runs in MLB history. How any actual baseball fan could possibly vote to indelibly brand a part of the game's history with a large, red asterisk is beyond my ken.

Gilbert Arenas, the NBA basketball player, recognized this as well—he offered to purchase the ball from Ecko for $800,000, so Ecko couldn't "mess up history."

Even if you are in favor of the branding (which was the ultimate choice, by the way), stamping a baseball with an asterisk sounds like a wholly inadequate form of revenge—an extremely expensive inadequate form of revenge.

44. Seattle Pilots

One season. That was all the American League expansion team could manage—at least in Seattle.

In 1969, the Seattle Pilots came into existence as a Major League baseball team. And, like all expansion teams, they didn't come anywhere near competing for a title in their first season. 

Following the team's sale in bankruptcy court (talk about a good omen!), the new ownership decided to pack it up and move to Milwaukee for the 1970 season, changing the team's name to "Brewers" along the way.

There is quite literally nothing remarkable about the Seattle Pilots—the team has forever become an answer to a trivia question. The two most famous members of the team, Jim Bouton and Lou Piniella, were not known for being fantastic baseball players as much as their other ventures (Bouton wrote an outstanding book, Piniella became a top big-league manager).

In fact, they likely would have shrunk into further obscurity if Bouton hadn't included his experience as a Pilot in his 1970 bestseller Ball Four (which is, as a matter of fact, the best baseball book ever).

Here's to you, Seattle Pilots, for giving baseball trivia lovers a treasure trove of trick questions.

43. (New) Yankee Stadium

When the New York Yankees management decided to build a new stadium, their conversation probably went something like this:

Yankee Executive No. 1: Hey, you know what? "The House that Ruth Built" is getting a bit old...Some people have complained about their seats not being wide enough, that they don't have enough leg room, and there's not enough bathrooms/elevators! Something must be done.

Yankee Executive No. 2: My feelings exactly! But we risk alienating our diehard fans by building a new stadium—it could be perceived as disrespectful to just transplant one part of our rich history, such as Monument Park, to a new place. 

We have great attendance, and we're making a lot of money...but I get the feeling that it's just not enough anymore. This is a crisis.

Yankee Executive No. 3: Eureka! Here's the solution to what is ailing us: NEW Yankee Stadium! We'll build it just like our old stadium so that the fans will feel like they're attending a game in old Yankee Stadium, and we'll have plenty more box seats to cater to our rich clientele.

Exec. No. 1: By George Steinbrenner, I think he's got it! But let's not forget comfort—we MUST widen our seats by an inch, and we can't forget about bathrooms and elevators. Pure genius...a stadium that is new AND old at the SAME TIME!

Exec. No. 2: Brilliant, brilliant, brilliant! We can construct a carbon copy of our old, but functional, stadium, especially all of the outfield dimensions—after all, imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

Exec. No. 3: You know, I bet we can drop $1.5 billion on this thing! It'll happen eventually, so let's be ahead of the curve!

Exec. No. 2: Ha ha! A baseball reference, how witty!

You know, we might be able to drive off our fiercely loyal middle-class fanbase if we charge enough for tickets, especially with this economy! Maybe we won't even sell out opening day!

Exec. No. 3: My thoughts exactly. Heck, with the design of the thing, we might create a bandbox—just like a slo-pitch men's softball league! Let's make a rule where if you hit more than one home run in an inning, it's an out.

Exec. No. 2: I'm liking this more and more. Let's do lunch, then head back to our obscenely expensive lofts.

Exec. No. 1: Hey, wait up! And why haven't I said anything in a while? Also, what is "loft" supposed to mean, or are bare apartments called "lofts" to justify charging tens of thousands of dollars in rent per month?

Are you even listening to me anymore?
(Exeunt)

42. Joe Mikulik and his lost marbles

I'm sure some of you reading this are thinking, "Who is that?" Either that or you are googling the name 'Joe Mikulik' so you can figure out why this is important.

Anyways, for this one we take our first trip to the minor leagues. Mikulik is the manager of the minor league team Asheville Tourists, an affiliate of thea Astros. During a game in 2006, Mikulik came out to dispute a call at second base (don't worry, the details are mere semantics), and when he didn't get the desired result, Mikulik raged against the umpire until the arbiter ran him from the game.

And then the fun started. Mikulik proceeded to pull out every stop, use every tantrum tactic in the book, and even added a few of his own twists—such as dumping a bottle of water on home plate to make it muddy (he had already covered it with dirt).

Needless to say, Mikulik, and the organization, got a lot of bad press (emphasis more on "lot" than "bad") after the incident. This is another item on the countdown that would be a ranked far differently if it weren't so much fun to watch his tirade.

(Dis)honorable Mention goes to Braves minor league manager Phil Hellman, who illustrated, amongst other things, a new way to use the rosin bag.

Classy to the end.

41. Moises Alou's batting preparations

Without a doubt, this was the worst, most disgusting case of "too much information" in baseball history.

In a 2004 interview with a writer for ESPN.com, Alou decided to share the secret to his success—urine.

Or more specifically, urinating on his hands. Yes, you read that right.

Somewhere along the line, Alou, who is known to eschew batting gloves, figured that, if he peed on his hands, the skin would be harder and it would prevent callouses. Even if it is slightly true that it does actually work, I think I can speak for all baseball fans when I say that we really didn't need to know.

Just imagine being a teammate of Alou's after hearing this...I wouldn't be surprised if there were far more fist bumps than handshakes.

40. Connie Mack's "spite fence"

Most people know that, across Waveland Avenue from Wrigley Field, there are a few apartment buildings that stand taller than the left-field bleachers in the Cubs' stadium—creating a perfect place to watch the game if you don't have a ticket (there are now admission costs and the proceeds are split with the Cubs, but that is not the point).

A similar situation existed beyond the right-field wall of Philadelphia's Shibe Park, home of the Philadelphia (now Oakland) A's. Obviously, the tenants of the apartment buildings there took full advantage of their situation—watching the games for free.

In the midst of the Great Depression, cash-strapped A's fans could catch a game without having to pay for a ticket—they could get a seat on top of one of the buildings for a much lower price. However, the A's owner/manager/treasurer, Hall of Famer Connie Mack, would have none of that.

In 1935, after Mack lost an extended legal battle with the owners of said buildings, Mack exacted his revenge in the form of adding 21 feet to the right field fence (for a grand total of 33)—a hideous metal monstrosity that blocked the view from across the street; truly, borne of spite.

Mack's spite fence is probably not the only one of his kind (Fenway Park, anyone?), but the Old Tactician made the mistake of making it personal—in the form of a (literal) barrier between his team and its followers.

39. Brawl between Dayton Dragons and Peoria Chiefs

Every once in a while, there will be a bench-clearing brawl in baseball—typically, it'll just be a rugby scrum-like affair. Every once in a while though, the fight will be a knock-down, drag-out fracas—and this minor league melee is amongst the worst of the latter.

Undoubtedly, if this occurred between two major league teams, it would be amongst the absolute worst (think, top five) events in baseball history—but it didn't, and so it finds its way here at No. 39.

The fight was ignited after multiple Dragons were hit by pitches, but what sparked the fight is not really important. Rather, it was the unbridled, reckless aggression exhibited that makes this so horrifying...But that's to be expected when a fan is hospitalized after being hit by a thrown baseball.

If you watch the video of the fight, you'll see the Chiefs starter, Julio Castillo, come running across the screen and throw a baseball really hard.

What you won't see is that Castillo, while attempting to hit a Dragons player at point blank (apparently, Castillo wasn't content with only hitting three people in one inning), hurled the ball into the stands near the dugout—where it hit a fan (Julio Castillo was arrested and convicted of assault as a result).

At which point, the "stuff" really hit the fan. Ten minutes, another head injury, a broken leg, and 15 ejections later, another horrendous chapter was written into baseball history.

38. The Pine Tar Incident

As you may have guessed, seeing as how it is the accompanying picture to this article, George Brett's legendary blitz out of the dugout is making an appearance here—breaking through in the 38th spot.

While Brett was certainly justified to be hopping mad, it is nevertheless his rage-filled visage that is the lasting memory from the entire ordeal.

The entirety of the play was a complete shenanigan, from the moment Yankees manager Billy Martin left the dugout following Brett's home run. Inasmuch as this whole sequence of events is full of intricate details, it would be extremely inefficient to try to explain everything about it—so I'll cut to the chase.

There is a bylaw in baseball's rulebook that allows pine tar (a substance used to help grip a bat) to extend no further than 18 inches down the handle; George Brett's bat had a bit too much pine tar, and Martin knew this. 

Showing the bat to home plate umpire Tim McClelland after Brett's go-ahead homer, the Yankee skipper sought to have the home run disallowed (despite the fact that pine tar, in no way, shape, or form, has no bonus effect on a batted ball) and McClelland incorrectly agreed, calling Brett out (he should have simply removed the bat from play, without any consequence).

And then all hell broke loose. All told, after a bizzare appeal process over the course of a few days, and a "make-up inning," the Royals ended up getting a win—rendering the whole incident moot.

However, even though it was ultimately insignificant, the particular play has left an indelible mark on the game of baseball—and it's a lot bigger than 18 inches.

37. Jeffrey Maier's catch

Never has there been another play that personified why so many people loathe the New York Yankees. Never. Ever.

That is saying quite a lot—keep in mind, this is a franchise that inspired a (smash-hit) Broadway musical entitled Damn Yankees (this is hilariously ironic, considering Broadway happens to be in New York City).

For those of you who don't know about it, here's a few sentence fragments to get you caught up to speed:

Game One of 1996 ALCS. Yankees vs. Orioles. Baltimore leading 4-3.

Bottom of the eighth, nobody on base. Derek Jeter. Fly ball, deep right field. 

Tony Torasco at the wall. Jeffrey Maier, Leaning over the fence. 

Glove in the way. Home run. Angry Torasco screams at umpire Rich Garcia. 

Game tied. Extra innings. Yankees win, go on to take the series in five games (a coherent version is located here).

However, it was the ensuing media hoopla that makes this an aberration for anyone who isn't a Yankee fan. Since most national news headquarters happen to be in New York City, Maier became an overnight national pseudo-celebrity.

Jeffrey went on talk shows, interviews, the whole nine yards. Rudy Giuliani even gave the kid a key to the city—all because he did something that, in any other ballpark, would have earned him a swift trip out of the stadium.

36. John Rocker('s big mouth)

There aren't too many players in baseball who have been more polarizing, controversial, and downright offensive than former closer John Rocker. He was brash and arrogant to begin with, but he truly vaulted himself into infamy, and this list, by making homophobic/racist/sexist remarks...

During an interview...

For an article...

In Sports Illustrated.

Rocker is, without a doubt, not the first (nor the last) person to make nasty remarks of such nature, but he was stupid enough to make them in a massively popular weekly sports periodical. Offensive AND moronic, a lethal combination.

I'd rank this higher, but Rocker doesn't deserve any more attention than he's already received.

For those of you who have stayed with this all the way, I thank you for your patience—and with that I'll conclude the first part of the rankings.

(Link to Part Two, #35 thru #21)

You can call this part two of "The Future of Baseball" series.  If you haven't seen the "Top 25 MLB Position Players 25 Years Old or Younger" I recommend you check it out.

I have come up with a list of the top 25 MLB pitchers 25 years old or younger.  There are a few requirements to be eligible for the rankings.

First, obviously, the player must be no older than 25 by July 31 of this year.  Only players currently in the MLB are eligible, so minor league prospects are a no-go.  A starting pitcher must have accumulated at least 80 innings to be eligible for the top 25, but they are still eligible for the honorable mentions section if not.

While a pitcher's record is important, I tend to look more at a pitcher's ERA and WHIP, as those are areas that they can control.  For instance, Zack Greinke's record might not be eye-popping because he plays on a terrible team, but his ERA and WHIP are phenomenal.

Next to the ranking will be the player’s position, team, and regular season stats leading up through August 2.  Here is the stats key:

SP—Starting Pitcher

RP—Relief Pitcher

IP—Innings Pitched

W-L—Won-Loss

ERA—Earned Run Average

K—Strikeout

BB—Walk

WHIP—Walks and Hits Allowed per Inning Pitched

SV—Save

The spots 20-25 were difficult to rank, and there are a few deserving pitchers that just missed the top 25.  An argument could be made for any of those spots, so let me know what you think.

1. SP, Tim Lincecum—San Francisco Giants: 156.2 IP, 12-3 W-L, 2.18 ERA, 191 K, 41 BB, 1.05 WHIP, Age: 25

The reigning NL Cy Young winner hasn't slacked off one bit.  Lincecum is ranked in the NL's top three in wins, strikeouts, WHIP, complete games, innings pitched, ERA, and win percentage.  Lincecum has thrown two shutouts this season.  That's one heck of a resume right there folks.

2. SP, Zack Greinke—Kansas City Royals: 147.1 IP, 10-6 W-L, 2.08 ERA, 153 K, 28 BB, 1.09 WHIP, Age: 25

I think all baseball fans pity Greinke.  So much talent, so little run support playing for the Royals.  Greinke has an impressive resume as well, ranking in the AL's top three in strikeouts, WHIP, ERA, and complete games.  Greinke has also thrown two shutouts this season.

3. SP, Matt Cain—San Francisco Giants: 140.0 IP, 12-2 W-L, 2.12 ERA, 112 K, 54 BB, 1.17 WHIP, Age: 24

Looking amongst Giants pitchers, you barely have enough time to recollect yourself after seeing Lincecum's stats before you are hit yet again, this time by Matt Cain.  Cain ranks in the NL's top three in wins, ERA, win percentage, and complete games.

4. SP, Felix Hernandez—Seattle Mariners: 152.1 IP, 12-4 W-L, 2.78 ERA, 141 K, 43 BB, 1.16 WHIP, Age: 23

It's hard to believe King Felix is only 23, as it seems like he's been around for much longer.  Hernandez ranks in the AL's top five in wins, strikeouts, innings pitched, ERA, and win percentage.

5. SP, Cole Hamels—Philadelphia Phillies: 123.0 IP, 7-6 W-L, 4.68 ERA, 107 K, 23 BB, 1.32 WHIP, Age: 25

After a World Series championship and MVP award, Hamels has struggled with injury throughout the season which has led to his inconsistency on the mound. 

6. SP, Josh Johnson—Florida Marlins: 141.0 IP, 10-2 W-L, 2.87 ERA, 114 K, 36 BB, 1.12 WHIP, Age: 25

Johnson has been spectacular in his first career All-Star season, rankings in the NL's top 10 in wins, ERA, win percentage, innings pitched, WHIP, and complete games.

7. SP, Yovani Gallardo—Milwaukee Brewers: 135.0 IP, 10-7 W-L, 3.13 ERA, 147 K, 64 BB, 1.23 WHIP, Age: 23

Gallardo can be inconsistent at times, but when he's on, he's dangerous.  An interesting tidbit: Gallardo is the only pitcher to ever hit a home run off of Randy Johnson, which he did in his first start of the season in April.  He ranks third in the NL in strikeouts.

8. RP, Jonathan Broxton—Los Angeles Dodgers: 47.2 IP, 7-0 W-L, 24 SV, 2.83 ERA, 74 K, 20 BB, 0.92 WHIP, Age: 25

The first reliever to make the list, Broxton is excellent in nearly every category.  Broxton ranks fourth in the NL in saves, converting 24 out of 27 chances. 

9. SP, Edwin Jackson—Detroit Tigers: 139.2 IP, 7-5 W-L, 2.64 ERA, 109 K, 45 BB, 1.15 WHIP, Age: 25

Jackson has pitched well this season after being acquired from the Rays in the offseason.  Jackson ranks fourth in the AL in WHIP and third in the AL in ERA.

10. SP, Chad Billingsley—Los Angeles Dodgers: 143.2 IP, 11-6 W-L, 3.82 ERA, 140 K, 63 BB, 1.28 WHIP, Age:24

While Billingsley can be shaky, he has proven himself as a reliable option for the best team in baseball.  Billingsley ranks fifth in the NL in strikeouts, although he also ranks fourth in walks.

11. SP, Jon Lester—Boston Red Sox: 134.0 IP, 9-7 W-L, 3.90 ERA, 148 K, 44 BB, 1.31 WHIP, Age: 25

Lester has been shaky this season, but he is 5-2 in his last 10 starts.  Lester ranks third in the AL in strikeouts and has thrown two complete games.

12. SP, Jair Jurrjens—Atlanta Braves: 139.0 IP, 9-8 W-L, 2.85 ERA, 98 K, 50 BB, 1.24 WHIP, Age: 23

Through all the Tommy Hanson hype, Jurrjens is sometimes overlooked.  He has been solid and steady all year for the Braves, and ranks ninth in the NL in ERA.

13. SP, Joba Chamberlain—New York Yankees: 110.2 IP, 7-2 W-L, 3.58 ERA, 97 K, 50 BB, 1.40 WHIP, Age: 23

We all know what Joba is capable of, and he has started to consistently show his true potential.  He has struggled with his control, and ranks sixth in the AL in walks even though he's only pitched 110 innings.  He does, however, rank third in the AL in win percentage.

14. RP, Joakim Soria—Kansas City Royals: 31.2 IP, 2-0 W-L, 18 SV, 1.71 ERA, 40 K, 8 BB, 0.95 WHIP, Age: 25

Soria often goes unnoticed, reason being he plays for the Royals.  Soria ranks ninth in the AL in saves and it's a shame he doesn't get more opportunities. 

15. SP, Clayton Kershaw—Los Angeles Dodgers: 120.2 IP, 8-5 W-L, 2.76 ERA, 117 K, 65 BB, 1.23 WHIP, Age: 21

The young lefty often struggles with his control, as he ranked second in the NL in walks, but he is still 5-1 in his last 10 starts.  Kershaw is ranked sixth in the NL in ERA.

16. SP, Matt Garza—Tampa Bay Rays: 136.2 IP, 7-8 W-L, 3.69 ERA, 121 K, 53 BB, 1.22 WHIP, Age: 25

Garza's got great stuff, but he struggles with inconsistency and control.  He ranks third in the AL in walks, although he does rank eighth in strikeouts.

17. SP, Ubaldo Jimenez—Colorado Rockies: 143.2 IP, 8-9 W-L, 3.76 ERA, 128 K, 54 BB, 1.25 WHIP, Age: 25

Ubaldo has been off and on this season, although he is 2-0 in his last four starts.  Jimenez ranks seventh in the NL in strikeouts and sixth in the NL in innings pitched.

18. SP, John Danks—Chicago White Sox: 119.1 IP, 9-7 W-L, 4.00 ERA, 100 K, 46 BB, 1.31 WHIP, Age: 24

Danks has been good of late, with a 4-1 record over his last six starts.  He's always had upside, and it appears now he's beginning to hit his stride.

19. RP, Andrew Bailey—Oakland Athletics: 61.0 IP, 4-3 W-L, 14 SV, 2.21 ERA, 69 K, 22 BB, 1.02 WHIP, Age: 25

The rookie closer has just about been the most productive player for the struggling Athletics.   He has a great ERA and WHIP, especially for a rookie.

20. SP, Ricky Romero—Toronto Blue Jays: 109.2 IP, 10-4 W-L, 3.53 ERA, 87 K, 42 BB, 1.38 WHIP, Age: 24

A leading Rookie of the Year candidate, Romero has been on tear as of late.  Romero is 7-1 over his last 10 starts, and is ranked ninth in the AL in wins and seventh in win percentage.

21. SP, Kevin Slowey—Minnesota Twins: 90.2 IP, 10-3 W-L, 4.86 ERA, 75 K, 15 BB, 1.41 WHIP, Age: 25

Slowey hasn't pitched for a month, and is most likely out for the rest of the year after having surgery on his right wrist.  It's a shame, as Slowey already reached double digits in the win column.

22. SP, Johnny Cueto—Cincinnati Reds: 126.1 IP, 8-8 W-L, 4.06 ERA, 95 K, 43 BB, 1.34 WHIP, Age:23

Cueto has struggled of late, losing four of his last five starts.  Cueto struggles with inconsistency like many other young pitcher, but he's got good stuff.

23. SP, Brad Bergesen—Baltimore Orioles: 123.1 IP, 7-5 W-L, 3.43 ERA, 65 K, 32 BB, 1.28 WHIP, Age: 23

While Bergesen is not a strikeout pitcher, he makes up for it in other ways.  Bergesen doesn't get much attention, or run support for that matter, playing on the Orioles, but he's definitely a young talent.

24. SP, Brett Anderson—Oakland Athletics: 108.0 IP, 6-8 W-L, 4.33 ERA, 85 K, 31 BB, 1.31 WHIP, Age: 21

Anderson has made the most out of his rookie season, showing that he's got good stuff and also has good control.  Anderson is 3-1 over his last six starts, in which he tossed a shutout against the Red Sox.

25. SP, Rick Porcello—Detroit Tigers: 105.1 IP, 9-7 W-L, 4.36 ERA, 55 K, 35 BB, 1.41 WHIP, Age: 20

The 20-year-old rookie has been up and down all season.  Porcello has gone 1-3 over his last six starts, but the talent and upside is undoubtedly there. 

Honorable Mentions (In no particular order):

SP, John Lannan—Washington Nationals

SP, Dallas Braden—Oakland Athletics

SP, Max Scherzer—Arizona Diamondbacks

SP, Chris Volstad—Florida Marlins

SP, Luke Hochevar—Kansas City Royals

SP, Scott Kazmir—Tampa Bay Rays

SP, David Price—Tampa Bay Rays

SP, Jordan Zimmermann—Washington Nationals

SP, Phil Hughes—New York Yankees

SP, Tommy Hanson—Atlanta Braves

SP, Mike Pelfrey—New York Mets

SP, Trevor Cahill—Oakland Athletics

SP, Clayton Richard—San Diego Padres

RP, Matt Capps—Pittsburgh Pirates

Also on OnlineSportsFanatic.com.

As we enter the dog days of summer boxing fans I ask you to come with me on a journey of boxing truth and justice.

It has been a somber pugilistic summer solace and I think that some good boxing banter and as always comical fresh boxing stupidity will give us the chance to block out what is currently hurting us all.

I have been quite reticent in recent months watching and hearing and reading the sport we all know and love. I have many beefs. Many things to say. Some of you will like it and of course some of you will not.

In arguing with the dumb f$$k’s of the world like captain fat or going back and forth with stoker the feuds, debates, and overall astute nature of my chats is something that I relish as a writer and I will continue to spit the truth.

As of late I have noticed that people who have no clue how boxing works have been getting bolder and bolder with each piece I write. It’s a laughable yet tragic trend that I will snuff out with logic and fact. Two powerful allies in the arena of boxing debate.

Feel free to weigh in where and if you can. I ask that those who don’t actually write or have any creative atoms in their respective beings to shut the f%$k up and learn from the best. I have prepared a three course meal of which you all can gorge on to your infinite delight. All systems go…

Boxing’s current Top Ten (take with water call me in the mourning)

10. King Arthur Abraham        30-0  Former IBF Middleweight champion

I have been involved in many arguments concerning this man as of late. The argument centers around if he passed Pavlik without actually FIGHTING pavlik. In a flash Arthur exited the 160 pound division to greener tourney laced Showtime pastures.

Kelly meanwhile is left with seemingly no one to fight. I think in some parts this is due to the fact that the Kings stock just keeps going up. It has not really stopped his whole career. He is the rare heavy handed puncher who couples his heavy digits with elegant speed.

He also appears to have a good beard although I am waiting to see how he deals with 168 pound body punching. His highness has a dash of top level boxing intuition to go along with that power. Tell me this fans.

What REALLY stopped Top rank from making the King/Kelly fight? I have the answer no worries. Risk. Bob arum is no dull knife. He saw an undefeated monster and he knew his emotionally shot fighter would not stand a chance.

It is this MAN who until a couple weeks ago was the real middleweight world champion. Screw ding. Screw HBO. This man was the man at 160 and that is why it was he not the ghost who was mailed a multi million dollar deal to fight in a very intriguing boxing promotion even though it is a Showtime presentation.

If the loquacious yet limited Carl Froch can beat down Jeannine Taylor then anyone with smart money would have to bet that Arthur knocks Taylor out with out problem or consequence.

I don’t see Arthur really getting tested for the first phase of this “classic” tourney so the deeper more penetrating questions about the King will have to be answered another day. Welcome to my rankings King. Anything you need while you are here let me know.

9.Chad Dawson       28-0     Light Heavyweight titlist

This is a tough call boxing fans. I as I type am wondering if this is a warranted selection. Why do I pontificate fans? Well this mans stock is not convincing me to buy multiple shares. He had a dreadful performance against Tarver and it exposed WHY he is not a bankable star.

He simply does not draw. I would suppose that it does not help that his consumer unfriendly handlers keep staging his fights five trillion miles from where his fan base resides. I went to college in CT and I can tell you there are three prime venues in which Dawson’s following plus interested mainstream CT’ers would come and pay money to get in.

You have the Hartford Civic Center which is gigantic. You have two amazing casinos. No Instead Russ Greenburg in all his glory stages the God da## fight at a desolate (for Vegas standards) boring venue that drew no fans whatsoever.

It looked the beginning of fight night round 3 where you fight in half filled ball rooms when you are still 10 fights away from the title. It was horrible. Not to mention the telecast was coupled with the fantastic Hatton/Pac tilt which incidentally amplified how badly Management and HBO Fu#ked up.

It is true that Chad’s lack of drawing power is hurting his rise. But maybe it also has something to do with the way his career is being sculpted from a consumer point of view. Back to the Macro.

Chad will get through this fight with the affable Glenn Johnson(who I love) I believe that he needs to chase a fight with Bernard Hopkins, or perhaps a cruiserweight title rematch with the rising TA. He needs a marquee attraction worse the Barack needs a black and mild.

He is undefeated, the best in his division, and a good guy yet he is bringing in tap dance recital gates. He needs to keep winning but no more trips to the land of b level fighters. For the next 2 years it has to be top level opponents and that’s it

8. Wladimir  Klitschko     53-3    Unified/Ding Heavyweight champion               

Wald. I have placed you even in about the same place I placed you last time my reason is about the same reason it was last time. I have to give you some credit before I undress you yet again.

The credit is the way you handled the David Haye situation. You were very graceful in your response to his “injury” and you were swift in choosing another opponent. You had the option of delaying the fight until mid July but in the midst of that decision you were informed of how that would affect the fans that had already paid.

You then chose to give the FANS a fight around the same date that you had stipulated months earlier. I have also noticed that you are now leaning towards fighting the surprising Eddie chambers because you believe that would be better for boxing and the American public. Here is my typed dap Wald. That’s a pretty darn cool sting of events on your part.

On the other hand you continue to be a horrible heavyweight champion. I think it’s insane that it’s gotten to the point where the only people who will televise your fights are ESPN classic. Come on Wald even I cracked regular ESPN when I was competing.

Wald’s style consist of getting a lead and then going into the four corners offense while the clock winds down (for those of you who don’t know what the four corners offense is don’t worry some things I type will be over your head) I can not stand the way he fights and Network head honchos would rather pay for the world hotdog eating contest then watch the Heavy weight champ defend his title.

I can not call DR Wald a disgrace, not only because that would make this a paradoxical sentence but more so because he does good things for the kids of the world and his fellow countrymen. He has a sense of history and a fabulous wardrobe.

He just is not cut out to be a boxing attraction. I am not slamming him fans I am describing him. He has a very difficult style to cope with but you name me a fighter who has tested that chin or heart in his last eight or nine fights.

In this day and age of boxing if a top level fighter wins two or three fights without being touched it is usually that 3rd or 4th fight in which they take risk. Fighters like Pacman or JMM take a risk every fight. They are champions. Warriors. Knights.

Wald is a weenie. He has beaten down at least 8 men in a row with ease and he REFUSES to step up his comp. don’t give me the he has “no one to fight” excuse. F^^k that.

He needs to display a lust for combat or quit. He is hurting the sport on a mass scale right now due to the infallible importance of the current heavyweight champion to the masses going back to the Model-T. Will a new heavyweight attraction please stand up?

7.Juan Manuel Lopez               26-0   WBO Super Bantamweight champion

I have been singing this kids praise for a year and running. I told the world that this kid had the skill set and the timing to become a huge star. By timing I mean that with the inevitable fall of Miguel Cotton that a new star from boxing’s best island was needed.

He has filled the void but in an unexpected turn of events Bob Arum is upsetting the potential this kid has as a mainstream star. WHY? Well I will take this chance to say I love Bob Arum. I have met him, interviewed him, shook his hand all that. But he has been undercutting boxing as a whole recently and the following events point to why

Making the Cotto/Pac fight as fast as he could even before contracts were inked when it was clear that Sugar/Pac was the better match up AND since Sugar is the lineal champ at 147 and Hatton was at 140  why not go after Shane,

Why go after Cotto who won his title by defeating Jennings? Why not go after the man who beat the man who beat your selected opponent and the man at the weight you’re trying to conquer?

Continuing to throw the undefeated joke of a club fighter JCC’jr on Latin Fury PPV cards as oppose to putting him on boxing after dark and seeing him really get tested

Attempting to match Pavlik with Mora or Forrest (RIP) before HBO asked him what he was smoking

All Arum cares about is money. In order to ensure that is makes money he is now either keeping fights in house or matching his most marketable names against plumbers and afterschool teachers. He does this to ensure that all cash cows keep squeezing out that green.

The problem is he shortchanges US the fans. Now try understanding the problem for Juana. CC who I will get to later (however if you want to get to him now scroll down the page) came out and addressed the 500 pound elephant in the room.

“Why does this guy continue to fight these nobodies, he is disgracing his fans and lying to them at the same time” I wont go THAT far but at its root the quote is on target. Bob Arum is padding this kid’s record begging the WBO for mandatories.

Most fighters take a break from fighting stipulated opponents and take a money fight. Esp hot champs like Juanma. No instead of that Arum is content to protect his asset and ignore us all. That is fine he is playing with an awesome force of nature’s career

6. Sugar Shane Mosley  WBA/lineal Welterweight champion

If I am Sugar I am not smiling right now. I murdered the tornado, cemented my status as the best welterweight out here. And I can’t get anyone to fight me. No one of relevance. I was publicly ducked by the “best” fighter in the world.

I mean sugar gave Pacman everything he wanted. Bigger ring, punchers gloves, 140 pound limit, 60/40 split. I mean look at all those concessions. Sugar has a much longer history of success in this game yet he BOWED down and kissed Pac’s feet to get the fight.

Pac because of his prispercasity chose to fight the dwindling Cotton because of the cheap skate Bob arum AND of course because fighting Shane is too much of a risk right now. Shane has all the tools to beat  Pacman, Speed, power, grace, stamina, and determined aggressive talent.

I am not sure how his understanding of the Philly shell has evolved or even diminished. But I know this. I interviewed his trainer NR at a fight last year and the first thing I took from his personality was the focus.

The army like approach to the brutal reckoning at hand. This man will have Shane READY for anyone and that includes Pretty Boy. I am eager to see Shane fight believe me but I am not eager to see him fight Kermit Citron or Andre Berto. That is a step back.

Peace to that bulls$$t. He is in line for a marquee name and fighting on a B level HBO card is not what he nor I had in mind. But the clock ticks. He has not fought since January and it looks like if he does fight this year it will be towards Christmas. But THAT promotion is in flux because of the low ball offer that they gave dibella and berto.

With berto taking a good look at turkey you have to wonder where that leaves Shane. JC? No way is Shane trying to make money not lose it. Paul Williams? No we have to assume that Al Haymon and Bob Arum will put their personal petty vendetta aside and make the darn PAV/PW fight already. Where does that leave him?

I would say the winner of Numero Uno would be his best bet. I wish him the best until the next time I type but to be honest that wont make a difference because he will not have FOUGHT by the next time I write

5. Juan Manuel Marquez                50-4-1 Unified/Ding Lightweight world champion

Dinmita! I will admit that I like this cerebral gladiator. I watched his fight with Juan Diaz prior to typing this entry and wow what a warrior. He has timeless resolve. I really know his story. I don’t know what drives him. I don’t know where he gets his grace.

But there is something special about Juan if you have not noticed already. He has a boxing wheel house that can shift in its form and most time the shift happens before the opponent can adjust. He has blinding speed on his counter punches.

Much quicker then his appearance would suggest. He focuses on the angles and sets up his shots. He is the only man as of now that I have seen make PAC wince in the middle of a fight. His Physical mastery of the sport is only matched by his mental toughness to remain true to his fundamentals in the face of extreme drama and pain.

He could have given up in February. He had every reason to reconsider his livelihood right there in Houston. He is everything you want in boxing. He is a hall of famer, champion, icon. But no. That was not enough.

He needs Mas. I believe that he is somewhat susceptible to speed and power. That is not a good trait to have when entering the lair of one FMJ. I think it would have been a good idea to take another fight before this one. I think that this is a very bad match up for JMM.

FMJ is a bad match up for everyone but esp for JMM. In light of this I believe that JMM’s chip on his shoulder has gotten even larger and more menacing. He knows that dumb writers like me are out their doubting him, making fun of him, seeing his demise.

I think he is pissed off. I think he is confident. I think if FMJ were to ever lose a fight it would take someone with the mental constitution of JMM. We shall see Homeboys but this is shaping up to be intriguing to say the least. Can’t wait (=

4. Edwin Valero    25-0 WBC lightweight world champion

Godzilla has been quite quiet and humble in recent months. He realized that realizing reality is always a good thing when money is at stake. Bob Arum is going to put him on the undercard Nov 14 which will give him a nice little public service announcement as he makes his awesome power known to the world.

It seems like he is going to be ok to fight in light of his documented health problems which is amazing news for boxing fans. This man matches up right now with the stars of the game. His knockout ratio is more about his mindset then his physical power or extension on his punches.

He has a Jack Dempsey type aggressiveness that makes him very hard to deal with in the early rounds. When PAC attacks you he does so still not wanting to get hit. When the terminator programs you into his tracking system he is willing to take punches to land punches. He really reminds me of Hands of stone.

Not in terms of merit of course, but more in terms of ring personality and pressure applied. I believe that there are only about 5 fighters in the world around that weight that could go the full 12 rounds with the light weight world champion.

I believe that he will win this bs fight that the frugal Arum has lined up for him and I also believe that he will take a big fight because as luck would have it he is only  CO promoted by Cheap Mgee so he has veto rights from what I hear.

We will see. But I am excited for his entry into the pugilistic fold and I wait for his fistic assault on these fighters out here. Humberto Soto seems to be the person he will see in his first big money tilt. But how good is THAT guy? He has seven losses?!

What about a TB? Or even an Andre berto? This guy is a star in waiting and he needs viable names. Soto is promoted by whom?

3. Manny “Pacman”        49-3 Lineal/Ding Junior welterweight champ

The Number one HBO fighter in the world keeps the hits coming. Now he has set his sights on the dilapidated Cotto. Manny is doing it right now. He is going for the big fights but he is doing it with a certain attitude that is starting to raise questions.

His last three fights have been fought against guys that for different reasons were sitting ducks. I don’t need to go down the list but Manny seems to be interested in taking the fights that for one reason or another he SHOULD win.

Manny would not have fought Cotto 3 years ago before Cotto was having problems mentally. When Pac made the trek to MSG to observe Cotto in June he saw a fighter who was on Roller skates for the second half of the fight. He did not see a robot Pujols of a fighter that won’t stop until you are on the ground.

He did not see a pound for pound fighter. He saw a damaged goods fighter that was ripe for exposure. He SHOULD be fighting SSM. That is by far the more competive fight. Right now those monks in Vegas are putting ALL the money On Pac.

Taking a step back on paper that makes no sense. Cotto is younger, bigger, stronger, comfortable at that weight, experienced at that weight, yet men who know sports are putting all their money on PAC. This development is a reflection of the deterioration of Cotto not the rise of Pac.

Pac is going to win this fight going away. Since that is a forgone conclusion lets focus on 2010. I think that Valero, Money, Shane, Tim Bradley, are the pool of fighters he should select from.

Edwin Valero has Hagler/Hearns written all over it. PAC/Money is the transcendent fight of this decade. MP/SSM is an awesome tactical match up on paper, and I would have to say that Tim Bradley would present a legit unification although it’s a low possibility because the kid will not bring a lot of gate money or any money really to the table.

Manny has his options that’s for sure. I guess we can all sit back and savor the prime if his career. But anyone who thinks Manny is the best fighter in the world needs to chill with the mushrooms

2. FMJ   39-0

I have spoke to some people in boxing and they tell me FMJ is the best he has even looked. He is as clever, menacing, intuitive, and driven as he as ever been in his entire career.

FMJ is sitting on the cusp of Sugar ray L cereal box status. After he disposes of JMM you have to assume that he will go after Manny. If he does not the public will beat the drum and they will fight anyway. I think there are some things to consider in this situation.

First of all there is a good chance the fight will NOT happen. If you couple Floyd’s arrogance, the Haymon/ARUM feud, and of course the child like demeanor of Manny Between fights then you have a perfect storm for the fight not getting made.

The truth is Arum used to Promote FMJ and he is going to use his position at the table to stick it to AL and Pretty boy. It is a sad thing to foresee but it is inevitable. They already are going back and forth through the media on this very subject.

To me this is the biggest fight that can be made in boxing going back 15 to 20 years. If I really think about it you would have to go back to the golden era of the little men, the 80’s to find such an amazing match up with box office appeal.

The fighters want it. We want it. Make it happen. Don’t you wish boxing fans that fights were that easy? They are not so we should collectively prepare for the possibility that the fight will not happen. Since that is a possibility lets at least explore it.

Floyd could make some great fights. Shane Mosley is a tough tough fight. I would take Floyd but I would do it with a dash of trepidation. I think Paul Williams stands as FMJ’s true mountain. That is clubber lang.

That is the test. FMJ does more talking these days then before. I have heard it all.

-“I am greater then Ali”

- I am the most popular athlete in the world”

-“I am bigger then Oscar”

- “I will fight SM, MP, whoever”

Well he won’t mention Paul Williams. He will mention everything but the name of Jesus. But he won’t mention Paul Williams. You are an all time nasty fighter Money but the truth you there is more work to be done. Hurry up already so I can say I watched one of the greatest fighters ever cement his boxing throne

Fans for your entertainment….the best fighter in the world

1) Paul Williams       37-1  WBO interim Junior  Middleweight champion

Paul W. is as filthy as filthy gets. His punch count according to my count counts as one of the most remarkable for someone of that size at that weight. Paul Williams is a true vergence in the force. He simply does not make any sense.

The speed and fluidity of his punches, his 6 foot 1 frame couple with those fire hose type arms. I would suppose that since he is so young that his craft will only improve. He seems to have a hint of immaturity but I noticed on the awesome HBO series ring life that yes he is young and immature but that is tempered by his humble nature and wonderful family.

He has the talent to rule this game for awhile. He has really destroyed the myth that a tall man can not be busy and accurate.  I think the situation that Paul is currently in is not the product of his growing ego or the fact that HBO has gone cheap. REAL cheap.

Think about it. They paid an 8 million dollar license fee for Oscar/Forbes about 2 years ago. Yet they have an unreal promotion on their door step and they are only throwing 3 million!!!?Whats the f$$king deal. A PAV/PW tilt would be national news.

It could be on paper the best fight of the year. It would sell Board hall the f$$k out. It would get many PPV buys. It has all the makings. An undisputed American middleweight champ Yes I know what are you are thinking.

It does help that he is white and from a blue collar town on the rust belt. PW is am emerging boxing Giant who needs a marquee water shed moment to get the writers, broadcasters, fans and TV execs to see what has been in front of our face for a year.

Paul is by a mile the biggest physical problem in the sport. They recently asked Boring Wald if he would go two rounds with Paul. “No way! I would not be able to catch him in only 2 rounds and I KNOW he would catch me” haha that says it all.

Even the 6" 6' Ivan Drago Heavyweight champ has reservations about engaging PW. I suspect that at heart arum does not want this fight. That’s why he is giving PW such a BS offer. They are going to give him 2 million but no gate??

You have got to be kidding me. That place and the promotion are going to sell. Top rank is on the black rock if they think that it is fair to offer PW and Al haymon a flat smaller percentage fee for their services.

It is Paul’s talent and rising star that makes this promotion what it would be. Pavlik is a good humble all  American attraction. But he needs Apollo creed to elevate him. Believe me…PW is Apollo creed. He does not look like Carl Weathers but he def fights like that guys acts. What an amazing fighter. Enjoy him while we have him boxing fans

My belated  Mid year awards

Fight of the year                     Toyota Center

JMM vs. Juan Diaz                 Houston Texas, Febuary 28th   

What a fight! Ebb and flow, drama, intrigue, romance (haha just kidding just seeing if you are awake) the fight began with Juan Diaz going right to the proud veteran’s chest and testing him off jump street. I mean it was a tough three rounds for JMM in the beginning.

I watched him get pushed from pillar to post by a younger seemingly meaner man. As often does Juan Diaz ran out of gas and focus. The cut did not help either. But once JMM smelled a lapse in intensity and assertiveness he jumped RIGHT on JD.

This fight was not a lock and was def in doubt for dinimita for long periods during the bout and the drama really ramped up due to both fighters getting cut at around the same times a round apart if and I do stress If my memory serves me correct. Instant classic still saved on the dvr.

Round of the year

Round 1 Pac/Hatton       May 2nd 2009        MGM Grand

This round took my breath away. I was so pumped up reeking of anticipation. I mean between 24/7 and the rare mainstream buildup I was about as pumped up as I could be for a fight. The first round was a blur. It was material evidence on why Manny is the most exciting fighter in the world. He did not jump right on Hatton. He let Hatton hang himself and then went in for the kill. The action and the pace of the round was so furious that I barley had time to text my boys which I usually do and they do back as we analyze the fights from different locations. No this fight we all had our mouths open watching the Hitman get outclassed on the world’s stage. It was very much like JMM/PAC one, except that JMM can adjust and had a better chin. One Pac Hit the hitman with a clean direct hit the fight changed and in retrospect was over. Over and done with. I loved it. I was disappointed because I wanted a more drawn out conclusion but the first 3 min were so electrifying that I was worth it

Fighter of the year(so far)

Celestino Caballero           Unified super Bantamweight world champion

This very   intriguing fighter unified titles within his division which is so rare these days. He then defended these titles and finds himself in line for a big money fight. He is just half a year removed from zero relevance or drawing power. But with so many name fighters within his distance and the very fact that he risen so fast, that, for the Juan Manuel’s of the world or the Vazquez’s or the Marquez’s the question is starting to get asked. Well why don’t you fight Caballero? Caballero 6 months ago had no where NEAR this status. He was just another prospect that had a chance to make an impact early in his career. He did. He is tall talented and mean. He also is not quiet. As mentioned earlier in the article he has begun called out JML. That’s a great fight. If Bob Arum were not so selfish we would have a great fight on our hands and that fight would give Caballero a real chance to be fighter of the whole year not the 6 month intermission fighter of the year . I will be watching as we move forward but man what a year for this young bull from Cuba

Story of the year

Margacheato.     January 24th 2009

                            LA, Staples center

I have written far to much on this. If you don’t know the full story get the internet or turn on a TV. Instead of chronicling the story yet again I will simply pass judgment. The very fact that Shane Mosley is ok is the biggest thing here but let me point out some little things

- No one not golden boy, the CASC, or Shane Mosley himself brought civil action against tony and the LA DA has not uttered a peep and dodged all questions about issuing criminal charges, Resto and Panama Lewis Went to JAIL.

- His awful trainer came out and in the hearing admitted to all wrong doing. Now in the recent “Assault in the ring” picture you kinda get a sense for how a fighter should feel about a trainer/handler that tampers with the fight or the their respective gloves. So if captellio screwed him… if he has no idea there  was plaster in his gloves then why is he still hanging out with him? Being seen with him?

-BOB Arum still promotes him???!!!!!What the f%%k is that all about? Then cotto inks an extension after everything that happened and was said. Cotto is a sell out

-Bob arum can be heard during the introduction of "Assualt in the ring" saying " there is no excuse for what they(Luis Resto and Panama lewis) did....they should have been banned for life"  ????????? Bob Arum  is saying one thing and doing another , that is not a 360, that is not a change of opinon, what arum said on that feature and then the way he handled an eerily similar situation is bulls%%t

Just some little things (=

Just shut up award

Lennox Lewis   Commentator HBO after Dark

I can not be the only one who notices just how bad Lennox Lewis is at providing insight, carrying the broadcast, having proper diction and tone. You name it he sucks. Is HBO that materialistic that they would sell out there Journalistic integrity Just so the equally bad Bob P can say “and now we bring in former heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis..” It’s as if they sacrifice our viewing experience as consumers just so they can get that blurb in. HBO has him there out of image and maybe pity. It’s sad. Bring back old George. Get Brian Kenny. Keep Max. All set

     

 Hahaha boxing fans. I have sent this to some of my fellow writers and they ask have submitted very detailed arguments which are making me laugh as we speak. A fair warning…don’t speak with out thinking because if you have not noticed already you are dealing with a thinker. I wish you the best boxing fans and if you intend to engage tread carefully

 ps...

I recently got in an arguement with big fat dan of ESPN in his chat, here is an exerpt

I think it is sell out city that you continue to rank B-hop #1....I know you have to see him due to his ESPN duties coupled with your own but why dont you grow a pair, stop being afraid, and tell B-hop that getting ranked at all let alone #1 is only possible if you actually fight

You're an idiot. I rank BHop 1 at 175 because he deserves it now that Calzaghe has retired. I couldn't care less if we both appear on Friday Night Fights whatsoever.

   Who do you agree with? (=

For those that may challange this chat took place on Thusday August 6th

   Just wanted to clear this up