Top returnersQB John Parker Wilson; WR Keith Brown; WR D.J. Hall; OT Andre Smith; C Antoine Caldwell; G Justin Britt; CB Simeon Castille; LB Prince Hall; DE Wallace Gilberry; FS Marcus CarterKey lossesLB Juwan Simpson; CB Ramzee Robinson; DT Jeremy Clark; RB Ken Darby; FB Le'Ron McClain; DL Chris Hall; OT Kyle Tatum; DT Dominic Lee; LB Terrence Jones; SS Jeffrey DukesTop newcomer: DT Kerry Murphy 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: Ken Darby (835 yds)Passing: John Parker Wilson* (2,707 yds)Receiving: D.J. Hall* (1,056 yds)Tackles: Jeffrey Dukes (86)Sacks: Wallace Gilberry* (3.5)Interceptions: Simeon Castille* (6) Spring answers: 1. Wilson grasps offense: Quarterback John Parker Wilson showed last season, his first as an SEC starter, that he's capable of winning games for the Crimson Tide. He seemed to have a good grasp of new offensive coordinator Major Applewhite's offense, which employs aspects of the spread offense and I-formation. Wilson completed 18 of 36 passes for 244 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions in the spring game.
2. Offensive line returns: Five starters return to the offensive line, four of whom kept their jobs under new offensive line coach Joe Pendry. Left tackle Andre Smith might end up being one of the best tackles ever to play in the SEC. Senior left guard Justin Britt is more than dependable, and junior center Antoine Caldwell is an All-SEC candidate. Right tackle Chris Capps was bothered by a shoulder injury in the spring, so guard B.J. Stabler slid out to tackle. Marlon Davis replaced Stabler at right guard.
3. Big-time receivers: The Tide have a pair of game-changing receivers: seniors D.J. Hall and Keith Brown. Hall broke most of the Alabama receiving records with 62 catches for 1,056 yards and five touchdowns. Brown has battled injuries throughout his career, but caught 44 passes for 590 yards and three scores last season. Senior Matt Caddell emerged as the No. 3 receiver during the spring, but junior Nikita Stover also made an impression with three catches for 58 yards and one touchdown in the spring game. Sophomore Mike McCoy and freshman Earl Alexander might be future stars.
4. Just for kicks: Kicker Jamie Christensen, who was bothered by a partially torn groin muscle last season, has fully recovered. His leg looked strong during the spring, making field goals of 47 and 41 yards during the spring game. Christensen made 13 of 17 field goal tries last season, including a 46-yarder.
5. Smooth installation: There didn't seem to be many hiccups while new coach Nick Saban and his assistants installed their system. Applewhite didn't install his entire playbook, so there's still work to do on offense during preseason camp. New defensive coordinator Kevin Steele, lured from Florida State, quickly switched from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4. Fall questions: 1. Secondary holes: Two starters are back in the secondary: left cornerback Simeon Castille and free safety Marcus Carter. Castille was an All-SEC pick last season with six interceptions and three fumble recoveries. Junior Lionel Mitchell left spring as the starting right cornerback, but he was being pushed hard by sophomore Marquis Johnson and midyear transfer Kareem Jackson. Senior Eric Gray was bothered by a hamstring injury. Strong safety Rashad Johnson was in line to replace departed starter Jeffrey Dukes, but his coverage skills remained a concern. Justin Woodall might be a factor there when he returns from an ankle injury.
2. Inexperienced linebackers: Only one starting linebacker returns, sophomore Prince Hall, who earned freshman All-SEC honors with 77 tackles and two sacks last season. The switch to a 3-4 requires more linebackers. Walk-on Darren Mustin earned the other inside spot during the spring. Defensive ends Keith Saunders and Ezekial Knight were moved to outside linebacker, where Saban hopes they'll be able to help in pass protection. They're still grasping the nuances of pass coverage, though.
3. Where's the beef: The Tide lost several key players from its defensive line rotation, including tackles Jeremy Clark, Dominic Lee and end Chris Harris. The tackle has to be an anchor in the 3-4 scheme, and the Tide were still searching for one at the end of spring practice. Brian Motley, who started the spring as a third-string center, moved to defense and was the No. 1 nose tackle at the end of spring drills. He'll have to fight off injured Lorenzo Washington and Byron Walton during preseason camp to keep the job, though.
4. Who's the running back: Alabama's running game really never got untracked in 2006, averaging only 123.1 yards per game, ninth best in the SEC. Leading rusher Ken Darby, who ran for 835 yards but never scored last season, is gone. So are fullbacks Le'Ron McClain and Tim Castille. Junior Jimmy Johns, the most experienced runner coming back, was suspended during spring practice for academic reasons. Sophomore Terry Grant, coming off a shoulder injury, was the most impressive back in the spring, running eight times for 47 yards in the spring game. Glen Coffee and Roy Upchurch, who battled knee and foot injuries in 2006, respectively, also are trying to work into the rotation.
5. Improve the pass rush: The 3-4 scheme might generate more pass rush with the hybrid outside linebackers rushing the passer. But the Tide still need increased production from their ends. Senior Wallace Gilberry is by far the most productive player on the edge, with 43 tackles and 3½ sacks last season. Sophomore Bobby Greenwood also showed signs of production in 2006 with five tackles for loss and two sacks. Depth remains a concern at end.
Arkansas Razorbacks

2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 TroySept. 15 at AlabamaSept. 22 KentuckySept. 29 North TexasOct. 6 Tennessee-ChattanoogaOct. 13 AuburnOct. 20 at MississippiOct. 27 Florida InternationalNov. 3 South CarolinaNov. 10 at TennesseeNov. 17 Mississippi StateNov. 24 at LSU2006 overall record:10-4Conference record:7-1Returning startersOffense: 6; defense: 4; kicker/punter: 1Top returnersRB Darren McFadden; RB Felix Jones; WR Marcus Monk; C Jonathan Luigs; G Robert Felton; DT Ernest Mitchell; LB Freddie Fairchild; CB Matterral Richardson; FS Michael Grant; DE Antwain Robinson; FB Peyton HillisKey lossesDE Jamaal Anderson; DT Keith Jackson; CB Chris Houston; OT Tony Ugoh; G Stephen Parker; OT Zac Tubbs; TE Wes Murphy; LB Sam Olajubutu; SS Randy Kelly; FL Damian Williams; QB Mitch MustainTop newcomer: TE David Williams 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: Darren McFadden* (1,647 yds)Passing: Casey Dick* (991 yds)Receiving: Marcus Monk* (962 yds)Tackles: Randy Kelly (88)Sacks: Jamaal Anderson* (13.5)Interceptions: Chris Houston and Michael Grant* (3) Spring answers: 1. McFadden returns: Tailback Darren McFadden returns for what is probably his final college season after running for 1,647 yards and 14 touchdowns last season. Junior Felix Jones also is back after running for 1,186 yards and six scores in 2006. The pair didn't do much in the spring, but the Razorbacks might have found a future star in sophomore Michael Smith. He ran eight times for 143 yards in one scrimmage, after running for 247 yards and three touchdowns last season.
2. Fairchild returns: Sophomore Freddie Fairchild, who missed most of last season with a knee injury, returned to spring practice and will start at strongside linebacker. Fairchild is Arkansas' most physically gifted linebacker. He was held out of contact drills during the spring. His return allowed senior Matt Hewitt to return to strong safety. Senior Weston Dacus returns at middle linebacker, and sophomore Ryan Powers was the leader to replace departed Sam Olajubutu on the weak side.
3. More than Monk: One of Arkansas' star receivers returned, senior Marcus Monk, who caught 50 passes for 962 yards and 11 touchdowns last season. Sophomore Damian Williams transferred to Southern California. Senior Robert Johnson, a former quarterback, and sophomore London Crawford are battling for the other receiver spot. Crawford was hampered by a strained hamstring in the spring. Reggie Fish, only 5-foot-7, also made strides during the spring. Marques Wade, who battled turf toe last season, had three catches for 57 yards in a scrimmage.
4. Offense installed: Gus Malzahn took his spread offense to Tulsa after only one season at Arkansas. Former Arkansas assistant David Lee, who coached quarterbacks for the Dallas Cowboys, was hired back as offensive coordinator. Lee ditched the spread offense and will run a more conservative, run-based offense. He still plans to utilize McFadden and Jones in the backfield, though.
5. Football is almost here: And it can't get here soon enough for Hogs coach Houston Nutt, who has been deluged with off-field problems since the Razorbacks lost three straight games to finish the 2006 season. Malzahn left for Tulsa, and Williams and quarterback Mitch Mustain transferred to Southern California. There have been other accusations mounted against Nutt, who could really use another championship season this fall. Fall questions: 1. Is Dick the quarterback: The junior will have to be after Mustain, the highly regarded signee from Springdale, Ark., bolted to the West Coast. Dick, bothered by a back injury at the start of the 2006 season, replaced Mustain late in the season and started five games, completing 49.2 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and six interceptions. He was the only scholarship quarterback in spring camp. Freshmen Nathan Dick, the starting quarterback's younger brother, and Joe Chaisson join the team this summer.
2. Offensive line holes: The Razorbacks lost one of the better tackles in college football, Tony Ugoh, along with two other starters. Center Jonathan Luigs will anchor the line, and right guard Robert Felton is coming off a solid season. Junior Jose Valdez replaces Ugoh at left tackle, and senior Nate Garner takes over for departed Zac Tubbs at right tackle. Former walk-on Mitch Petrus, who also has played tight end and defense, will probably start at left guard.
3. Replacing Anderson: The Hogs must replace defensive end Jamaal Anderson, an NFL first-round choice, who had 13½ sacks last season. Also gone is tackle Keith Jackson Jr., the leader of the defensive front. End Antwain Robinson returns, but he had a hip injury during the spring and also faces off-field legal problems. Tackle Marcus Harrison tore the ACL in his knee in the third practice and probably won't be ready for the start of the season. Senior Fred Bledsoe will start if Harrison isn't ready. Ernest Mitchell start at the other tackle spot, and sophomore Malcolm Sheppard takes over at left end.
4. Secondary openings: Cornerback Chris Houston, a first-round choice in the NFL draft, and strong safety Randy Kelly are gone. Hewitt moves back to the secondary from linebacker to take Kelly's spot. Free safety Michael Grant returns after tearing knee ligaments last season. Senior cornerback Matterral Richardson returns, and sophomore Jerell Norton won the left cornerback spot during the spring.
5. New kicker: Jeremy Davis, who struggled on field goals last season, missing seven of his 13 attempts, was moved to punter during the spring. Junior Brian Vavra took over the place-kicking duties, but the Arkansas coaches hope incoming freshman Alex Tejada wins the job during fall camp.
Auburn Tigers

2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 Kansas StateSept. 8 South FloridaSept. 15 Mississippi StateSept. 22 New Mexico StateSept. 29 at FloridaOct. 6 VanderbiltOct. 13 at ArkansasOct. 20 at LSUOct. 27 MississippiNov. 3 Tennessee TechNov. 10 at GeorgiaNov. 24 Alabama2006 overall record:11-2Conference record:6-2Returning startersOffense: 5; defense: 7; kicker/punter: 0Top returnersQB Brandon Cox; WR Rod Smith; OT King Dunlap; TE Cole Bennett; NG Josh Thompson; DT Sen'Derrick Marks; DE Quentin Groves; LB Merrill Johnson; CB Patrick Lee; FS Aairon SavageKey lossesTB Kenny Irons; CB David Irons; LB Will Herring; WR Courtney Taylor; G Ben Grubbs; C Joe Cope; G Tim Duckworth; OT Jonathan Palmer; DE Marquies Gunn; LB Karibi Dede; K John Vaughn; P Kody BlissTop newcomer: S Michael McNeil 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: Kenny Irons (893 yds)Passing: Brandon Cox* (2,198 yds)Receiving: Courtney Taylor (704 yds)Tackles: Will Herring (72)Sacks: Quentin Groves* (9.5)Interceptions: Eric Brock*, Will Herring and David Irons (3) Spring answers: 1. Cox is healthy: Senior quarterback Brandon Cox wasn't nearly as effective last season as he was as a sophomore, and Auburn's coaches attribute many of his problems to injuries. Cox threw for 2,198 yards with 13 touchdowns and nine interceptions last season, but played terribly in a couple of the Tigers' biggest games. He was back on form in the spring, though, completing 14 of 19 passes for 302 yards and two touchdowns in the last scrimmage. He threw for 836 yards with seven touchdowns and no interceptions in the team's three scrimmages.
2. Strong up front: Auburn has the potential to be dominant up front defensively, with end Quentin Groves (9½ sacks), nose tackle Josh Thompson (43 tackles), tackle Pat Sims (three sacks) and end Sen'Derrick Marks (10½ tackles for loss) returning. Marks was moved from tackle to end during the spring so coordinator Will Muschamp could get his four best linemen on the field. Tackle Mike Blanc and end Michael Goggans, who moved from tight end, also had good springs.
3. Blackmon is back: The Tigers faced the tough task of replacing starting linebackers Will Herring and Karibi Dede, the team's top two tacklers in 2006. Middle linebacker Merrill Johnson returns, and sophomore Patrick Turner was the leader on the strong side and junior Steve Gandy was No. 1 on the weak side. But sophomore Tray Blackmon, who was suspended for much of last season and then left school during spring semester to handle personal issues, returned to Auburn for summer school and is working to regain his eligibility. Blackmon is a big-time talent who could be a difference maker if he's eligible in the fall.
4. Kicker found: The Tigers lost All-SEC kicker John Vaughn, a Lou Groza Award finalist, who was 20-for-24 on field goals and made all 34 extra-point tries last season. Redshirt freshman Ross Gornall was solid during the spring, though, making his first seven field goal attempts. He finished the spring 9-for-11 and should win the job this fall.
5. Plenty of runners: Auburn has never had many problems replacing star running backs, and this fall shouldn't be any different. Junior Brad Lester averaged 5.2 yards and scored 14 touchdowns while playing behind Kenny Irons the last two seasons. Lester ran for 510 yards and scored nine touchdowns last season, when he spent considerable time filling in for the injured Irons. Sophomore Ben Tate also is battling for the job, and redshirt freshman Mario Fannin ripped the defense for 206 yards and two touchdowns on 13 carries during the last scrimmage. Fall questions: 1. Go-to receiver: Last season, Auburn struggled to find complementary receivers to go around Courtney Taylor. Now, the Tigers have to find guys who can replace him. Junior Rod Smith remains Auburn's most dangerous receiver, but there was a lot of movement behind him during the spring. Redshirt freshman Montez Billings passed junior Prechae Rodriguez at one receiver spot, and sophomore James Swinton emerged as Smith's backup. Speedy sophomore Robert Dunn also remained a starter.
2. Rebuild the offensive line: The Tigers return only one starting lineman: left tackle King Dunlap. Junior Tyronne Green tries to replace All-American Ben Grubbs at left guard, and junior Jason Bosley takes over for center Joe Cope. Senior Leon Hart replaces Tim Duckworth at right guard, and junior Antwoin Daniels replaces Jonathan Palmer at right tackle.
3. Unsettled spots in secondary: Some surprising battles emerged in the secondary during spring practice. Sophomore Jerraud Powers was battling senior Jonathan Wilhite at right cornerback, and redshirt freshman Zac Etheridge was listed as a co-starter with senior Eric Brock at strong safety.
4. New punter: The Tigers lost punter Kody Bliss, who averaged 45.7 yards and put 13 of 47 punts inside the opponent's 20-yard line last season. Redshirt freshman Ryan Shoemaker punted well in the spring and will probably replace Bliss this fall.
5. Which is better -- offense or defense: Auburn struggled to score points last season, and coach Tommy Tuberville's defenses are always regarded as fast and physical. With seven starters back on defense, one would figure the defense would have had the upper hand during the spring. But the offense scored five touchdowns in the spring game and was even more productive in the last scrimmage.
Florida Gators

2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 Western KentuckySept. 8 TroySept. 15 TennesseeSept. 22 at MississippiSept. 29 AuburnOct. 6 at LSU Oct. 20 at KentuckyOct. 27 vs. GeorgiaNov. 3 VanderbiltNov. 10 at South CarolinaNov. 17 Florida AtlanticNov. 24 Florida State2006 overall record:13-1Conference record:7-1Returning startersOffense: 6; defense: 2; kicker/punter: 2Top returnersQB Tim Tebow; WR Andre Caldwell; WR Percy Harvin; WR Cornelius Ingram; G Drew Miller; OT Phil Trautwein; OT Carlton Medder; SS Tony Joiner; DE Derrick Harvey; G Jim TarttKey lossesQB Chris Leak; FS Reggie Nelson; WR Dallas Baker; RB DeShawn Wynn; C Steve Rissler; DT Ray McDonald; DT Joe Cohen; DE Jarvis Moss; LB Brian Crum; LB Brandon Siler; CB Reggie Lewis; CB Ryan SmithTop newcomer: DE Carlos Dunlap 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: DeShawn Wynn (699 yds)Passing: Chris Leak (2,942 yds)Receiving: Dallas Baker (920 yds)Tackles: Earl Everett (85)Sacks: Derrick Harvey (11)Interceptions: Ryan Smith (8) Spring answers: 1. Tebow is ready: Sophomore quarterback Tim Tebow assumes the starting job, after playing a lot as a freshman. Tebow completed 66.7 percent of his passes for 358 yards with five touchdowns and one interception. He also ran 89 times for 469 yards and eight touchdowns in 2006. Tebow was largely limited to designed runs and gimmick plays as a freshman, but he looked comfortable throwing from the pocket during the spring. A shoulder injury caused him to focus on his touch and short and intermediate routes.
2. Third receiver found: The Gators lost leading receiver Dallas Baker, who had 60 catches for 920 yards and 10 touchdowns last season. Speedy sophomore Percy Harvin and senior Andre Caldwell return as the top receivers, after combining for 91 catches for 1,004 yards and eight touchdowns in 2006. Seldom-used junior Louis Murphy made the biggest impression during the spring, with a team-high eight catches for 129 yards in the spring game. Coach Urban Meyer declared Murphy a starter after the game. Sophomore Jarred Fayson, who caught one pass last season, is another player on the rise.
3. Big tight ends: Tebow found two more weapons during the spring: tight ends Cornelius Ingram and Aaron Hernandez. Ingram, who resembles an oversized receiver more than a tight end, caught 30 passes last season. Hernandez is one of the rising stars on offense and caught a touchdown in the spring game. Both players run extremely well for tight ends and might play big roles on offense this fall.
4. Experienced offensive line: Three players who started every game last season return: seniors Carlton Medder, Drew Miller and Phil Trautwein. Miller moved from right guard to center, where he replaces departed senior Steve Rissler. Medder and Trautwein, who started every game at tackle last season, might switch sides, with Trautwein going to the right to protect the left-handed Tebow's blind side. Junior Jim Tartt is injury-free and had a good spring at left guard. The right guard spot remains a battle between redshirt freshman Maurice Hurt and twin brothers Michael and Maurkice Pouncey, who enrolled as freshmen in January.
5. Pass rush still exists: After losing pass-rushing specialist Jarvis Moss to the NFL draft, the Gators still have junior Derrick Harvey, who had a team-high 11 sacks and 13 tackles for loss in 2006. Harvey underwent surgery to repair a sports hernia late in the spring, but should be ready to go by preseason camp. Sophomore Jermaine Cunningham was one of the most impressive players during the spring with three sacks in the spring game. Converted tight end Trent Pupello and redshirt freshman Lawrence Marsh, who also played inside during the spring, will have to help on the edge. Fall questions: 1. Who's the running back: Mon Williams, who was Florida's most impressive runner early in spring practice, tore the ACL in his knee and will miss the 2007 season. Kestahn Moore, who coach Urban Meyer described as Florida's best back during the spring, missed the last week of practice after having surgery for a sports hernia. Smallish sophomore Brandon James and redshirt freshman Chevon Walker also are available. Highly regarded freshmen Chris Rainey and Bo Williams join the battle this fall. Regardless of who starts at tailback, Meyer will try to run the ball with Harvin, Fayson and, of course, Tebow.
2. Secondary holes: The Gators lost starting cornerbacks Ryan Smith and Reggie Lewis, as well as All-American free safety Reggie Nelson. The only returning starter is strong safety Tony Joiner. Sophomore Markihe Anderson locked up one of the cornerback spots, but the other starting position remains a trouble spot. Freshman Joe Haden, who enrolled in January, emerged as the favorite from spring practice, ahead of sophomore Wondy Pierre-Louis and converted tailback Markus Manson. Senior free safety Kyle Jackson was being pushed by sophomore Dorian Munroe and freshman Bryan Thomas in the battle to replace Nelson.
3. New defensive tackles: The Gators lost their top three defensive tackles: Ray McDonald, Joe Cohen and Steven Harris. Senior Clint McMillan, who didn't do much of anything during his first three seasons, played surprisingly well during the spring. Junior Javier Estopinan, who missed all of 2005 with a leg injury and then suffered torn knee ligaments last season, was the other starting tackle in the spring. The Gators might need Marsh to play inside, as well as promising redshirt freshman Terron Sanders.
4. Fresh faces at linebacker: Each of the starting three linebackers was lost: seniors Brian Crum and Earl Everett and junior Brandon Siler, who entered the NFL draft. Sophomore Brandon Spikes, who led Florida freshman with 15 tackles in 2006, takes over in the middle. Sophomore Dustin Doe is slated to start on the weak side, and redshirt freshman A.J. Jones will probably replace Crum on the strong side. There is essentially no experienced depth behind them, either.
5. Just for kicks: The Gators' kicking game was downright laughable at times last season, as departed kicker Chris Hetland made only six of 15 field goal tries. Punter Eric Wilbur, who averaged 42.3 yards last season, also must be replaced. Senior Joey Ijjas and Jonathan Phillips were battling for the place-kicking duties and both showed strong, yet inconsistent, legs during the spring. Freshman Chas Henry might have to replace Wilbur.
Georgia Bulldogs

2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 Oklahoma StateSept. 8 South CarolinaSept. 15 Western CarolinaSept. 22 at AlabamaSept. 29 MississippiOct. 6 at Tennessee Oct. 13 at VanderbiltOct. 27 at FloridaNov. 3 TroyNov. 10 AuburnNov. 17 KentuckyNov. 23 at Georgia Tech2006 overall record:9-4Conference record:4-4Returning startersOffense: 7; defense: 4; kicker/punter: 1Top returnersQB Matthew Stafford; TB Kregg Lumpkin; TB Thomas Brown; WR Sean Bailey; WR Mohamed Massaquoi; C Fernando Velasco; OT Chester Adams; S Kelin Johnson; LB Brandon MillerKey lossesDE Charles Johnson; DE Quintin Moses; LB Tony Taylor; S Tra Battle; CB Paul Oliver; TE Martrez Milner; OT Ken Shackleford; C Nick Jones; DT Ray Gant; P Gordon Ely-KelsoTop newcomer: WR Israel Troupe 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: Kregg Lumpkin* (798 yds)Passing: Matthew Stafford* (1,749 yds)Receiving: Martrez Milner (425 yds)Tackles: Tony Taylor (96)Sacks: Charles Johnson (9.5)Interceptions: Tony Taylor (7) Spring answers: 1. Stafford matures under center: Georgia took its lumps with then-freshman quarterback Matthew Stafford last season, as the highly regarded Texan threw nearly twice as many interceptions (13) as touchdowns (seven). But unlike last spring, when Stafford was battling three other quarterbacks for the starting job, the job is securely his going into the 2007 season. Stafford has a tremendously strong arm and better-than-expected mobility given his large frame. He might need that mobility playing behind a very inexperienced offensive line this fall.
2. Abundance of tailbacks: Georgia returns two tailbacks who are coming off knee surgeries in Kregg Lumpkin and Thomas Brown. Lumpkin seemed to be coming into form late last season, after he tore the ACL in his left knee during preseason camp in 2004. He struggled during his sophomore season in 2005, then came back to lead the Bulldogs with 798 yards and six touchdowns last season. Brown tore knee ligaments against Tennessee last season and missed the last six games. He missed the spring while continuing rehab, but should be ready for the start of camp. Redshirt freshman Knowshon Moreno, from New Jersey, is the running back that has Georgia coaches excited.
3. Bailey is back: For whatever reason, Georgia has lacked a big-play threat at receiver during the last couple of seasons. Junior Mohamed Massaquoi struggled through a sophomore slump, after showing flashes of brilliance as a freshman in 2005. Senior A.J. Bryant, a converted quarterback, has never reached his full potential, and junior Kenneth Harris is nothing more than a solid possession receiver. But the return of senior Sean Bailey, who missed all of last season with a knee injury, gives Georgia's passing game the kind of target Stafford needs to stretch defenses. And Georgia coaches are determined to get the football into the hands of smallish senior Mikey Henderson as much as possible.
4. Richt hands over play calling: In Georgia's final two games of last season, upsets of nationally ranked Georgia Tech and Virginia Tech in the Chick-Fil-A Bowl, coach Mark Richt relinquished the play-calling duties to quarterbacks coach Mike Bobo. Bobo keeps the role going into the 2007 season, the first time Richt hasn't called plays since his days as Florida State's quarterbacks coach. Even though Georgia has a promising quarterback, Bobo plans to establish the running game behind an inexperienced offensive line.
5. Coutu is back: Kicker Brandon Coutu was seemingly on his way to an All-America season in 2006, until he tore his hamstring after five games. Coutu was 7-for-8 on field goals, with a long of 55 yards, before the injury. His replacements went 6-for-10 in his absence, and Richt never seemed to have much confidence in his kicking game. Coutu returned to kick three field goals, including a 51-yarder, in the Bulldogs' 31-24 win over the Hokies in the bowl game. His leg was fine during spring practice and continues to get stronger. Fall questions: 1. Rebuilding the offensive line: Georgia must replace three starters: center Nick Jones and tackles Ken Shackleford and Daniel Inman. Guard Fernando Velasco moves from guard to center, and senior Chester Adams moves from guard to right tackle. Freshman Trinton Sturdivant, who enrolled in January, might be the Bulldogs' best lineman and will start at left tackle. Redshirt freshman Chris Davis is winning the battle for left guard, and juco transfer Scott Haverkamp is slated to start at right guard. New line coach Stacy Searels, lured away from LSU, replaces Neil Callaway, who was named coach at UAB.
2. New defensive ends: The Bulldogs lost starting ends Charles Johnson and Quintin Moses, who were both selected in the NFL draft. Johnson and Moses combined for 14 sacks, 31 tackles for loss and a whopping 62 quarterback hurries last season. Their replacements -- a rotation of senior Marcus Howard, junior Jeremy Lomax, sophomore Roderick Battle, redshirt freshman Michael Lemon and juco transfer Jarius Wynn -- had a grand total of three sacks in 2006.
3. Linebacker holes: Georgia lost starting weakside linebacker Tony Taylor, who was its biggest playmaker on defense in 2006, with a team-high 96 tackles and seven interceptions, as well as 11 quarterback hurries, two forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries. Middle linebacker Jarvis Jackson, second on the team with 71 tackles last season, also is gone. Senior Brandon Miller, 257 pounds, moves to the middle. Sophomore Darius Dewberry and junior Dannell Ellerbe are both extremely athletic and left spring drills as the starting strongside and weakside linebackers, respectively. Depth is a concern, as backup Akeem Hebron was suspended for the 2007 season and junior Marcus Washington is recovering from knee surgery.
4. Who replaces Oliver: Georgia's defense took a tremendous blow earlier this month when senior cornerback Paul Oliver was declared academically ineligible. Oliver was one of the best cover cornerbacks in college football and will enter the NFL's supplemental draft. Sophomores Bryan Evans and Asher Allen might now start at cornerback, but defensive coordinator Willie Martinez also might move backup free safety Reshad Jones to cornerback. Martinez said Jones had the best spring of any of Georgia's defensive backs and is fast enough to play cornerback.
5. New punter: The Bulldogs lost punter Gordon Ely-Kelso, who was adept at getting good hang time and angling punts out of bounds. Junior Brian Mimbs is in line to replace him, after averaging 43.25 on three punts in the spring game. But incoming freshman Drew Butler, son of former Georgia All-American kicker Kevin Butler, might get a chance to win the job this fall.
Kentucky Wildcats

2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 Eastern KentuckySept. 8 Kent StateSept. 15 LouisvilleSept. 22 at ArkansasSept. 29 Florida AtlanticOct. 4 at South CarolinaOct. 13 LSUOct. 20 FloridaOct. 27 Mississippi StateNov. 10 at VanderbiltNov. 17 at GeorgiaNov. 24 Tennessee2006 overall record:8-5Conference record:4-4Returning startersOffense: 7; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 2Top returnersQB Andre Woodson; TB Rafael Little; WR Keenan Burton; WR Dicky Lyons; OG Christian Johnson; OT Garry Williams; TE Jacob Tamme; LB Wesley Woodyard; DE Jeremy Jarmon; FS Marcus McClinton; SS Roger WilliamsKey lossesC Matt McCutchan; G Trai Williams; OT Michael Aitcheson; DE Durrell White; DT Lamar Mills; CB Karl BookerTop newcomer: DT D. J. Stafford 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: Rafael Little* (673 yds)Passing: Andre Woodson* (3,515 yds)Receiving: Keenan Burton* (1,036 yds)Tackles: Wesley Woodyard* (122)Sacks: Myron Pryor* (5)Interceptions: Marcus McClinton* (4) Spring answers: 1. Woodson gets better: Senior quarterback Andre Woodson was probably the most improved player in the country last season, throwing for 3,515 yards with 31 touchdowns and seven interceptions. He completed 63 percent of his attempts and avoided the poor decisions that plagued him in the past. He stayed healthy during the spring -- the Wildcats' top priority -- and completed 17 of 28 passes for 245 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions in the spring game.
2. The gang is all here: The Wildcats return most of their top playmakers from a year ago, including receivers Keenan Burton and Dicky Lyons. Burton had a whopping 77 catches for 1,036 yards and 12 touchdowns and was a top kick returner. Lyons had 50 catches for 822 yards and nine scores. Senior Steve Johnson emerged as a dependable third receiver during the spring, with 15 catches during the team's three scrimmages. Junior David Jones also showed improvement during the spring.
3. Special teams are special: A big part of Kentucky's unexpected success last season was a result of its special teams. And all the key components return this season. The Wildcats led the country in punt returns and were 10th in kickoff returns, the only team in Division I-A to rank in the top 10 in both statistical categories. Kentucky also allowed only 3.6 yards on opponents' punt returns. Coach Rich Brooks continued to stress special teams during the spring, and the punt returns might be better if tailback Rafael Little returns to health.
4. Find the tight ends: Woodson does a great job of utilizing the tight ends in the passing game. Jacob Tamme led all SEC tight ends with 32 catches for 386 yards and two touchdowns last season. T.C. Drake and Ross Bogue showed during the spring that they can catch the ball, too, with five combined receptions in the spring game.
5. Full scholarship allotment: Although Kentucky had a handful of injured linemen during the spring, there was more depth than usual. For the first time since 2001, the Wildcats had a full allotment of 85 scholarships, the maximum allowed by the NCAA. Brooks inherited a program under NCAA sanctions and injuries made the lack of depth worse until last season. Fall questions: 1. Little's health: Little was one of the SEC's most explosive backs in 2005, when he ran for 1,045 yards and nine touchdowns and caught 46 passes for 449 yards. But he never got untracked last season and was plagued by injuries. He dislocated his wrist during the spring, then suffered a knee injury during the season. He underwent arthroscopic surgery on the knee during the offseason and missed most of this year's spring practice. Kentucky needs him healthy this fall, after it ranked last in the SEC in rushing with only 98.6 yards per game.
2. Will the defense improve: Kentucky won last season despite having the SEC's worst defense. The Wildcats ranked last in the conference in scoring defense (28.4 points per game), pass defense (268.9 yards per game), run defense (184.5 yards) and total defense (453.4 yards). Much-maligned defensive coordinator Mike Archer left for Tom O'Brien's staff at North Carolina State, and Brooks promoted defensive backs coach Steve Brown to coordinator. Brown vows to simplify the scheme so players can play more aggressively and think less.
3. Offensive line holes: The Wildcats lost three starters on the offensive line: center Matt McCutchan, guard Trai Williams and tackle Michael Aitcheson. Four linemen were sidelined with injuries at the start of the spring, and then juco transfer Jess Betts underwent surgery to remove torn cartilage from his knee. Left tackle Garry Williams and left guard Christian Johnson will anchor the unit, but the rest of the line is a huge question mark.
4. Improving the defensive line: The Wildcats have to get better at stopping the run, or their defense won't get any better. They'll have to do it without end Durrell White and tackle Lamar Mills. End Jeremy Jarmon is a good pass-rusher, but tackles Corey Peters and Myron Pryor have to play stronger in the middle. The depth took a hit when tackle Ventrell Jenkins suffered a shoulder injury that might potentially sideline him for the rest of the season.
5. Where's Micah Johnson: The linebacker corps is pretty solid with leading tackler Wesley Woodyard returning on the weak side. Middle linebacker Braxton Kelley returns, along with strongside linebacker Johnny Williams. The Wildcats are still waiting for sophomore Micah Johnson to make a big impact on defense. One of the highest-profile recruits to choose Kentucky in some time, Johnson played mostly on special teams and backup linebacker last season. He missed much of the spring after undergoing surgery to correct a sports hernia.
LSU Tigers

2007 Schedule
Aug. 30 at Mississippi StateSept. 8 Virginia TechSept. 15 Middle TennesseeSept. 22 South CarolinaSept. 29 at TulaneOct. 6 FloridaOct. 13 at KentuckyOct. 20 AuburnNov. 3 at AlabamaNov. 10 Louisiana TechNov. 17 at MississippiNov. 23 Arkansas2006 overall record:11-2Conference record:6-2Returning startersOffense: 6; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 1Top returnersWR Early Doucet; RB Jacob Hester; OT Ciron Black; C Brett Helms; G Herman Johnson; LB Ali Highsmith; DT Glenn Dorsey; DT Charles Alexander; DT Marlon Favorite; LB Luke Sanders; CB Chevis JacksonKey lossesQB JaMarcus Russell; WR Dwayne Bowe; OT Brian Johnson; OT Peter Dyakowski; FS LaRon Landry; SS Jessie Daniels; DE Chase Pittman; WR Craig DavisTop newcomer: WR Terrance Toliver 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: Jacob Hester* (440 yds)Passing: JaMarcus Russell (3,129 yds)Receiving: Dwayne Bowe (990 yds)Tackles: LaRon Landry (74)Sacks: Tyson Jackson* (8)Interceptions: Craig Steltz* and Jonathan Zenon* (4) Spring answers: 1. Abundance of tailbacks: The Tigers have as many as five players who could line up at tailback this fall, but Keiland Williams and Richard Murphy appear to be the front-runners after spring practice. Jacob Hester, the leading rusher a year ago, returns to tailback. Alley Broussard, a big-time runner three years ago, has seemingly never recovered fully from knee surgery and will probably be limited to short-yardage situations.
2. Stout defensive front: Here's all you need to know about the Tigers' defensive line. Seven linemen had sacks in the spring game, and dominating tackle Glenn Dorsey wasn't even one of them because he missed the spring with a leg injury. Three tackles are back -- Dorsey, Charles Alexander and Marlon Favorite. Defensive end Tyson Jackson had 8½ sacks last season, and sophomore Rahim Alem should replace Chase Pittman on the other side. Junior Tremaine Johnson had three sacks in the spring game.
3. Three linebackers return: Each of the three starting linebackers returns: Ali Highsmith on the strong side, Darry Beckwith in the middle and Luke Sanders on the weak side. Highsmith missed the spring with a leg injury. Sophomore Jacob Cutrera was pushing Beckwith during the spring and will probably play a lot this fall.
4. Spread on the offense: New offensive coordinator Gary Crowton, who left Oregon to replace Jimbo Fisher at LSU, quickly installed the spread offense. Crowton likes to run out of spread formations and prefers short, quick passes off three-step drops. The routes might better suit new quarterback Matt Flynn, who doesn't have the arm strength of departed starter JaMarcus Russell.
5. Experienced cornerbacks: Both starting cornerbacks, seniors Chevis Jackson and Jonathan Zenon, return to a secondary seeking two new safeties. Jackson had 46 tackles and 14 pass breakups starting on the right side. Zenon had four interceptions and 12 pass breakups. Redshirt freshman Jai Eugene and sophomore Chris Hawkins emerged as the top backups during the spring, but incoming freshman Phelon Jones also might get a chance to play this fall. Fall questions: 1. Is Flynn ready to go: Senior Matt Flynn, whose experience has largely been limited to an MVP performance in place of the injured Russell in the 2005 Chick-Fil-A Bowl, takes over full time this fall. Flynn isn't nearly as big as Russell and doesn't have the former starter's arm strength, but he's an accurate passer and showed a good command of the offense during the spring. Ryan Perrilloux, who threw four passes the last two seasons, was shaky during the spring, then was suspended by coach Les Miles after he was arrested for trying to use a fake I.D. Perrilloux has been dogged by off-field problems the past year, and Miles might not be comfortable handing the sophomore his offense.
2. Doucet needs help: The Tigers lost standout receivers Dwayne Bowe and Craig Davis, who combined for 121 catches for 1,826 yards and 16 touchdowns in 2006. Senior Early Doucet is back after catching 59 passes for 772 yards and eight touchdowns, but he'll need help. Sophomore Brandon LaFell is probably the No. 2 receiver, but he was plagued by drops during the spring. Sophomores Chris Mitchell and Jared Mitchell didn't do much during the spring. Sophomore Trindon Holliday is a very explosive player with world-class speed, but he's still learning how to play receiver. Incoming players DeAngelo Benton, Demetrius Byrd and Terrance Toliver might get a chance to crack the rotation this fall. Doucet caught nine passes for 115 yards and one touchdown in the spring game, but the other receivers did very little.
3. Offensive line holes: LSU returns three starters on the offensive line: center Brett Helms, left guard Herman Johnson and left tackle Ciron Black. Senior Carnell Stewart will probably replace departed right tackle Peter Dyakowski, and sophomore Lyle Hitt left spring as the top right guard. Senior Will Arnold was one of the country's top linemen before injuring his ankle and knee last season. He hasn't yet returned, but might supplant Hitt at guard this fall.
4. New safeties: LSU must replace NFL first-round draft choice LaRon Landry at free safety and three-year starter Jessie Daniels at strong safety. Senior Craig Steltz has played a lot during his career and will replace Daniels. Junior Curtis Taylor is the top candidate to replace Landry. Taylor hurt his shoulder in the spring game, but should be ready by the start of preseason camp.
5. Just for kicks: Kicker Colt David is back, but punter Chris Jackson, one of the best in school history, must be replaced.
Mississippi Rebels

2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 at MemphisSept. 8 MissouriSept. 15 at VanderbiltSept. 22 FloridaSept. 29 at GeorgiaOct. 6 Louisiana TechOct. 13 AlabamaOct. 20 ArkansasOct. 27 at AuburnNov. 3 Northwestern StateNov. 17 LSUNov. 23 at Mississippi State2006 overall record:4-8Conference record:2-6Returning startersOffense: 9; defense: 6; kicker/punter: 2Top returnersRB BenJarvus Green-Ellis; TE Robert Lane; C Corey Actis; OT Michael Oher; WR Dexter McCluster; LB Jonathan Cornell; SS Jamarca Sanford; CB Dustin Mouzon; DE Greg HardyKey lossesLB Patrick Willis; LB Rory Johnson; CB Trumaine McBride; G Andrew Wicker; LB Garry Pack; FS Charles ClarkTop newcomer: DT Ted Laurent 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: BenJarvus Green-Ellis* (1000 yds)Passing: Brent Schaeffer* (1,442 yds)Receiving: Mike Wallace* (410 yds)Tackles: Patrick Willis (137)Sacks: Patrick Willis and Greg Hardy* (3)Interceptions: Charles Clark (2) Spring answers: 1. Solid running game: Senior BenJarvus Green-Ellis last season became only the third Ole Miss player to run for 1,000 yards in a season. He came back to spring in excellent condition and seems poised for a big senior season. He was held out of the spring game, so Bruce Hall and Cordera Eason shared carries. Hall fumbled twice; Eason ran 12 times for 104 yards and one touchdown.
2. Experienced offensive line: It has taken the Rebels awhile to gain cohesiveness on the offensive line, but they believe they achieved it during spring practice. Senior center Corey Actis and junior left tackle Michael Oher are the anchors. Sophomore Reid Neely had a good spring and was tabbed to replace Andrew Wicker at left guard, and junior Maurice Miller was the right tackle. Sophomore John Jerry returns at right guard.
3. Improved defensive line: The Rebels feel like the defensive line can be the most-improved aspect of their football team. They need improvement after totaling only 14 sacks in 2006. Nose tackle Jerry Garrett was impressive during the spring, and coach Ed Orgeron feels 300-pound tackle Peria Jerry can be a dominant player. End Greg Hardy missed the spring while concentrating on academics. Marcus Tillman and Kentrell Lockett were the starting ends at the end of spring practice.
4. New defensive coordinator: Orgeron hired longtime SEC defensive coordinator John Thompson, who has worked at Alabama, Florida, Arkansas, LSU and South Carolina. Thompson will keep the same 4-3 alignment, but Orgeron relinquished play calling after doing it his first two seasons at Ole Miss.
5. Tight ends more involved: Orgeron expects the tight ends to be more involved in the passing game this coming season. Robert Lane, a former quarterback, is a big target. He missed the spring game with a sprained ankle, but will be fine by the beginning of preseason camp. Lane caught 11 passes for 155 yards last season. Fall questions: 1. Starting quarterback: Senior Brent Schaeffer might be the perfect example of why fans should never get too excited about a juco transfer. Schaeffer, the former Tennessee starter, was supposed to breathe new life into the Ole Miss offense last season. Instead, he sucked the life out of it a few times with ill-advised decisions. Schaeffer wasn't ready to start at quarterback after arriving late at Ole Miss. He completed only 47 percent of his passes and threw 10 interceptions and nine touchdowns. Schaeffer wasn't much better this spring, either, as former walk-on Seth Adams led the competition at the end of spring practice. Adams completed 16 of 20 passes for 159 yards and one touchdown in the spring game. Schaeffer was 2-for-5 for 13 yards and one touchdown. Adams isn't nearly as mobile as Schaeffer, but he seems to have a better grasp of coordinator Dan Werner's offense.
2. More receivers: One of the top priorities in the spring was to get more production from the receivers and there were mixed results. Split end Shay Hodge played pretty well in the spring and secured a starting job after catching five passes for 65 yards in the spring game. Flanker Dexter McCluster, a dynamic but smaller runner, is a starter after missing the last six games of 2006. Ole Miss has to find ways to get the ball into his hands more often. Marshay Green and Michael Hicks also showed improvement, but the Rebels are counting heavily on juco transfer A.J. Jackson, a 6-foot-6 target.
3. Who replaces Willis: The Rebels lost linebacker Patrick Willis, one of the best players ever to play in Oxford, as well as outside linebacker Rory Johnson, who skipped his senior season to enter the NFL draft (where he wasn't selected). Garry Pack, the other outside linebacker, was dismissed from the team for a violation of team rules. Sophomore Jonathan Cornell is slated to replace Willis in the middle and had a solid spring. Walk-on Jamie Phillips was the leading candidate at one outside spot, along with junior Antonio Turner. But juco transfers Tony Fein, a 24-year-old military veteran, and Lamar Brumfield will be in the mix this fall.
4. Starting secondary: A couple of spots were open in the secondary after cornerback Trumaine McBride and free safety Charles Clark departed. Jamarca Sanford returns at strong safety, and converted receiver Kendrick Lewis was the No. 1 free safety. Sophomore Cassius Vaughn and junior Dustin Mouzon were the starting cornerbacks, ahead of senior Nate Banks, who started the first 10 games last season.
5. Staff changes: Orgeron made a lot of changes to his coaching staff after receivers coach Matt Lubick left for Arizona State. Along with the hiring of Thompson, who will coach the defensive backs, David Corrao was promoted from graduate assistant to linebackers coach. David Saunders, the linebackers coach last season, was reassigned in the athletics department. Tony Hughes moved from defensive backs to tight ends, and tight ends coach Hugh Freeze is coaching the receivers this season.
Mississippi State Bulldogs

2007 Schedule
Aug. 30 LSUSept. 8 at TulaneSept. 15 at AuburnSept. 22 Gardner-WebbSept. 29 at South CarolinaOct. 6 Alabama-BirminghamOct. 13 TennesseeOct. 20 at West VirginiaOct. 27 at KentuckyNov. 10 AlabamaNov. 17 at ArkansasNov. 23 Mississippi2006 overall record:3-9Conference record:1-7Returning startersOffense: 9; defense: 5; kicker/punter: 2Top returnersC Royce Blackledge; OT Michael Brown; OT Craig Jenkins; WR Tony Burks; TB Anthony Dixon; LB Jamar Chaney; DE Titus Brown; SS Derek Pegues; QB Michael HenigKey lossesDT Deljuan Robinson; DT Antonio Johnson; DT Andrew Powell; DE Michael Heard; LB Quinton Culberson; FS Jeramie Johnson; CB David Heard; WR/QB Omarr Conner; G Brian AndersonTop newcomer: K Eric Richards 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: Anthony Dixon* (668 yds)Passing: Mike Henig* (1,201 yds)Receiving: Tony Burks* (850 yds)Tackles: Quinton Culberson (102)Sacks: Titus Brown* (7.5)Interceptions: Derek Pegues* (4) Spring answers: 1. Experienced offensive line: Mississippi State returns six players who started games last season. Left tackle Michael Brown was a sometimes dominant blocker while starting the last five games. He missed the early part of the season because of eligibility problems. Center Royce Blackledge and right tackle Craig Jenkins also return. Junior Anthony Strauder moves from right guard to left, and senior J.D. Hamilton had the edge at right guard.
2. Henig is healthy: Many of Mississippi State's problems during three consecutive three-win seasons can be attributed to poor play at quarterback. Michael Henig is a quality quarterback when he's healthy, but he broke his collarbone twice last season. Henig gained 20 pounds during the offseason to try to become more durable. He completed seven of 14 passes for 113 yards and two touchdowns during the spring game. Highly regarded juco transfer Josh Riddell, who threw for more than 5,000 yards and 54 touchdowns in junior college, never really mounted much of a challenge during the spring. He was 1-for-6 for 39 yards with one touchdown in the spring game. Backups Tray Rutland and Ty Evans transferred.
3. Dixon on pace: Tailback Anthony Dixon was thrown into the fire last season as a true freshman. He finally seemed to hit his stride late in the season, when he ran for 335 yards in the last three games. Dixon didn't take much pounding during the spring to keep him healthy for the fall. Senior Justin Williams left spring drills as the No. 2 tailback, followed by Tulane transfer Christian Ducre. Sophomore Arnil Stallworth is coming back from a knee injury.
4. Athletic linebackers: The Bulldogs lost linebacker Quinton Culberson, the heart and soul of their defense the last couple of seasons. Junior Jamar Chaney moves from the outside to middle, after totaling 66 tackles and 7½ tackles for loss last season. Strongside linebacker Gabe O'Neal also has a lot of experience. Jamon Hughes figures to replace Chaney on the weak side, but he was being challenged by Anthony Littlejohn during spring practice. Juco transfer Dominic Douglas might be one of State's best three linebackers, so the coaches will have to find a place for him.
5. Kickers improve: State needs as much as it can get from its special teams. Kicker Adam Carlson missed six of 12 field goal tries last season, but the junior showed a more accurate leg during the spring. Junior Blake Adams also punted better after averaging 38.2 yards last season. Safety Derek Pegues is one of the most dangerous kick and punt returners in the country. Fall questions: 1. Replacing the tackles: State lost three tackles who played significant roles last season: Deljuan Robinson, Antonio Johnson and Andrew Powell. Sophomores Quinton Wesley and Kyle Love went into the spring as the replacements, but they couldn't hold off Memphis transfer Cortez McCraney and juco transfer Jessie Bowman.
2. Defensive end depth: The Bulldogs are pretty set with starting defensive ends Titus Brown and Avery Hannibal. Brown had 14½ tackles for loss and seven sacks last season and might be on the verge of an All-SEC-type campaign this fall. But depth remains a concern with very few experienced players behind them. Juco transfer Jimmie Holmes might be able to help this fall. K.J. Wright and Terrell Johnson need to develop quickly.
3. New cornerbacks: The Bulldogs lost veteran cornerback David Heard and Pegues moved to free safety. The Bulldogs weren't very good at defending the pass last season -- they ranked 11th in the SEC, allowing 205.9 yards per game -- and were particularly vulnerable against the deep ball. The coaching staff hopes sophomores Anthony Johnson and Marcus Washington can provide better coverage this fall.
4. Starting strong safety: Junior Keith Fitzhugh was getting a surprising challenge from junior De'Mon Glanton during spring practice. Fitzhugh had 59 tackles a year ago and is a dependable tackler. But Glanton is a very aggressive player who will try to win the job during preseason camp.
5. Offensive playmakers: The Bulldogs are searching for playmakers on offense. Senior Tony Burks caught 35 passes for 850 yards after transferring from a junior college last fall. He averaged a whopping 24.3 yards per catch. Jamayel Smith, a walk-on who was the last player added to the fall roster before the 2006 season, caught 20 passes for 335 yards and two touchdowns last season. He earned a starting job in the spring -- ahead of Burks. Brandon McRae, a transfer from Division I-AA Morehead State, also was listed as a starter after spring practice.
South Carolina Gamecocks

2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 Louisiana-LafayetteSept. 8 at GeorgiaSept. 15 South Carolina StateSept. 22 at LSUSept. 29 Mississippi StateOct. 4 KentuckyOct. 13 at North CarolinaOct. 20 VanderbiltOct. 27 at TennesseeNov. 3 at ArkansasNov. 10 FloridaNov. 24 Clemson2006 overall record:8-5Conference record:3-5Returning startersOffense: 6; defense: 10; kicker/punter: 1Top returnersQB Blake Mitchell; TB Cory Boyd; TB Mike Davis; WR Kenny McKinley; OT Jamon Meredith; MLB Jasper Brinkley; DE Jordin Lindsey; DE Eric Norwood; K Ryan SuccopKey lossesNT Stanley Doughty; WR Sidney Rice; CB Fred Bennett; C Chris White; G Thomas Coleman; G Seth Edwards; QB/WR Syvelle NewtonTop newcomer: RB Brian Maddox 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: Cory Boyd* (823 yds)Passing: Blake Mitchell* (1,789 yds)Receiving: Sidney Rice (1,090 yds)Tackles: Jasper Brinkley* (107)Sacks: Eric Norwood* and Casper Brinkley* (7)Interceptions: Stoney Woodson* (3) Spring answers: 1. Abundance of pass-rushers: The Gamecocks believe they've greatly improved their defensive end rotation by adding midyear transfers Jonathan Williams, Clifton Geathers and Travian Robertson. Returning ends Jordin Lindsey (4½ tackles for loss, one sack) and Eric Norwood (nine tackles for loss, seven sacks) were pretty productive in 2006, too.
2. Running back duo: Senior Cory Boyd ran for 823 yards and eight touchdowns last season, the highest rushing total by a South Carolina player since 2000. Boyd got most of the work during the spring, when junior Mike Davis was recovering from arthroscopic knee surgery. Junior Bobby Wallace has shown good explosiveness in limited touches, so coaches want to get him more involved. Incoming freshman Brian Maddox was the top running back in the state of South Carolina.
3. Seeing double at linebacker: Senior middle linebacker Jasper Brinkley led the Gamecocks with 107 tackles in 2006 and might be poised for an even bigger season in 2007. His twin brother, Casper Brinkley, was moved from defensive end to weakside linebacker in the spring. Coaches haven't decided which position he's better suited for. Junior Marvin Sapp, the team's second-leading tackler last season, broke his right ankle during the spring game. He underwent surgery in April to insert two screws into the ankle, but coaches expect him to be ready by the start of fall camp. Sapp is battling sophomore Rodney Paulk at strongside linebacker.
4. Mitchell on target: Despite poor numbers in the spring game (13-for-39 for 150 yards and two interceptions), coach Steve Spurrier was pretty much pleased with the performance of quarterback Blake Mitchell, who seems to be making the most of his second chance. The senior was benched early last season, following his arrest for his role in a bar fight, and didn't win the job back until the second half of the ninth game. Mitchell completed 69 percent of his passes for 1,789 yards with 10 touchdowns in the last 4½ games.
5. Greater emphasis on special teams: The Gamecocks have one of the better kickers in the country in Ryan Succop, who made 16 of 20 field goal tries last season. But they were inconsistent in kick returns and coverage the last two years, so Spurrier hired Mississippi State assistant Shane Beamer to coordinate the special teams with tight ends coach Frank Chatham. Beamer, son of Virginia Tech coach Frank Beamer, also will coach outside linebackers. Fall questions: 1. Defensive tackles: The Gamecocks ranked 75th in the country against the run, allowing 146.8 yards per game, and opponents were able to wear down an undersized front. Nose tackle Stanley Doughty, one of the better run stoppers, is gone. Tackle Marque Hall returns after suffering a torn ACL after the first game last season. Junior Nathan Pepper, senior Joel Reaves and redshirt freshman Kenrick Ellis also must perform better this fall.
2. Nothing up the middle: South Carolina must replace the heart of its offensive line: departed center Chris White and guards Thomas Coleman and Seth Edwards. Spurrier was very unhappy with the replacements this spring, so much so that he moved defensive tackle Lemuel Jeanpierre to offense. Spurrier says Jeanpierre is a tougher player and might win a job by the opener. Tackles Jamon Meredith and Justin Sorensen return. Senior William Brown seemingly has the center job won, but the guard spots remain concerns.
3. Who replaces Rice: Nobody on the roster can match the athleticism and skills of departed receiver Sidney Rice, who caught 72 passes for 1,090 yards and 10 touchdowns. He bolted for the NFL draft despite having two years of eligibility remaining. Junior Kenny McKinley is a great receiver in his own right, after catching 51 passes for 880 yards and five scores last season. But the Gamecocks must find second and third receivers. They're counting heavily on juco transfer Larry Freeman and incoming freshmen Chris Culliver, Jason Barnes and Dion Lecorn for help.
4. Who are the cornerbacks: Departed senior Fred Bennett was the most experienced cornerback in the secondary last season. Juniors Carlos Thomas and Stoney Woodson won the starting jobs during the spring. Woodson had a team-high three interceptions in 2006 and showed greater confidence in coverage.
5. Isaac returns: Senior Brandon Isaac, who missed all of the 2006 season with a shoulder injury, is back and should start at free safety. Sophomore Emanuel Cook seems to be the favorite at strong safety. Depth must be developed at both positions.
Tennessee Volunteers

2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 at CaliforniaSept. 8 Southern MississippiSept. 15 at FloridaSept. 22 Arkansas StateOct. 6 GeorgiaOct. 13 at Mississippi StateOct. 20 at AlabamaOct. 27 South CarolinaNov. 3 Louisiana-LafayetteNov. 10 ArkansasNov. 17 VanderbiltNov. 23 at Kentucky2006 overall record:9-4Conference record:5-3Returning startersOffense: 7; defense: 5; kicker/punter: 1Top returnersQB Erik Ainge; C Josh McNeil; G Anthony Parker; DE Xavier Mitchell; LB Jerod Mayo; LB Ryan Karl; RB LaMarcus Coker; RB Arian Foster; DT J.T. Mapu; FS Jonathan Hefney; TE Chris Brown; TE Brad Cottam; P Britton ColquittKey lossesOT Arron Sears; G David Ligon; WR Jason Swain; WR Robert Meachem; WR Brett Smith; DT Turk McBride; LB Marvin Mitchell; CB Jonathan Wade; CB Antwan Stewart; SS Demetrice MorleyTop newcomer: CB Eric Berry 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: LaMarcus Coker* (696 yds)Passing: Erik Ainge* (2,989 yds)Receiving: Robert Meachem (1,298 yds)Tackles: Marvin Mitchell (104)Sacks: Jerod Mayo* (5)Interceptions: Jonathan Hefney* (5) Spring answers: 1. Old Foster returns: Junior Arian Foster, who never found his form last season because of an ankle injury, finally resembled the running back who ran for 879 yards and five touchdowns as a redshirt freshman in 2005. Vols coach Phillip Fulmer said Foster had a "great" spring. Sophomores LaMarcus Coker and Montario Hardesty, who has undergone surgeries on both knees, give the Vols one of the country's best backfields when all three are healthy. The Vols ranked 96th in the country in rushing last season with only 108 yards per game.
2. Plenty of tight ends: Tennessee has a dearth of experienced players at receiver, but there are three quality targets at tight end. Senior Chris Brown played a huge role in coordinator David Cutcliffe's offense last season, with a career-high 31 catches for 239 yards. Senior Brad Cottam is another big target, and younger brother Jeff Cottam was one of the most-improved players during the spring.
3. Experienced linebackers: With holes to fill on the defensive line and in the secondary, Tennessee's linebackers are going to have to lead the defense. Middle linebacker Marvin Mitchell, the team's leading tackler in 2006 with 104 tackles, must be replaced. Junior Jerod Mayo, who had 12½ tackles for loss and five sacks last season, moved to the middle during the spring. Mayo was hampered by knee and ankle injuries the past two seasons, and swelling in the knee kept him out of contact work during the spring. Senior Ryan Karl is back at strongside linebacker, and athletic Rico McCoy, a freshman All-American, takes over on the weak side.
4. Holes filled on offensive line: The Volunteers lost the left side of their line when tackle Arron Sears and guard David Ligon departed. They were perhaps Tennessee's toughest and best linemen. Right tackle Eric Young missed the spring after undergoing shoulder surgery during the offseason, and coaches are unsure if he'll stay on the right side or move to the left when preseason camp begins. Sophomore Chris Scott had a good spring and might start at left tackle. Right guard Anthony Parker is back, along with center Josh McNeil. Junior Ramon Foster left spring drills as the starting left guard, after he was named the team's most improved offensive player.
5. Just for kicks: Replacing kicker James Wilhoit, who was 18-for-22 on field goal tries last season, will be no easy task. Redshirt freshman Daniel Lincoln seemed to regain his confidence during the spring, after he struggled in practice throughout the 2006 season. But junior Britton Colquitt, one of the country's best punters, remained ahead in the battle to handle place-kicking chores. Fall questions: 1. Ainge's development: Senior quarterback Erik Ainge made remarkable progress last season, after Fulmer brought Cutcliffe back onto his staff. Ainge threw for 2,989 yards with 19 touchdowns and nine interceptions and completed 67 percent of his passes. He struggled during the two losses in which he played extensively, against Florida and Penn State in the Outback Bowl. Ainge missed the second half of spring drills after undergoing surgery to remove torn meniscus cartilage from his right knee. He is already back running and throwing and should be fine by the start of preseason camp.
2. Defensive line: Starting defensive ends Xavier Mitchell and Antonio Reynolds are back, but coordinator John Chavis is looking for increased production from both. Mitchell had 15 quarterback hurries and four sacks last season; Reynolds had just one sack.
3. New defensive tackles: Replacing tackles Turk McBride, Matt McGlothlin and Justin Harrell is a tall task. Senior J.T. Mapu, who returned to the team in 2006 after a two-year absence on a LDS Church mission, never seemed to regain his form. Junior Robert Ayers also has played inconsistently. Mapu and junior Demonte' Bolden left spring drills as the No. 1 tackles, but sophomore Dan Williams also made a big impression.
4. Rebuilding the secondary: Free safety Jonathan Hefney, who had 96 tackles and five interceptions in 2006, is the only returning starter. Strong safety Demetrice Morley was dismissed from the school for academic reasons, and cornerback Roshaun Fellows (a starter in 2005) was kicked off the team for a violation of team rules. Sophomore Marsalous Johnson was the most improved player on defense during the spring and went a long way in securing one of the cornerback spots. Senior Antonio Gaines was the other starting cornerback after spring drills, and senior Jarod Parrish was the starting strong safety. But they'll have to hold off juco transfers Nevin McKenzie and DeAngelo Willingham and highly regarded freshman Eric Berry during preseason camp.
5. Who are the wide receivers: The departed trio of Jayson Swain, Robert Meachem and Bret Smith was spectacular last season, combining for 60 percent of the team's receptions, 72 percent of its receiving yards and 96 percent of its touchdown catches. Obviously, Tennessee will have a tough time replacing that production. Sophomore Quintin Hancock had a solid spring, and junior Lucas Taylor showed signs of being productive. But the Vols are counting heavily on juco transfer Kenny O'Neal (who was booted off Florida State's team last spring) and freshmen Brent Vinson, Ahmad Paige and Gerald Jones.
Vanderbilt Commodores

2007 Schedule
Sept. 1 RichmondSept. 8 AlabamaSept. 15 MississippiSept. 29 Eastern MichiganOct. 6 at AuburnOct. 13 GeorgiaOct. 20 at South CarolinaOct. 27 Miami (Ohio)Nov. 3 at FloridaNov. 10 KentuckyNov. 17 at TennesseeNov. 24 Wake Forest2006 overall record:4-8Conference record:1-7Returning startersOffense: 8; defense: 8; kicker/punter: 2Top returnersQB Chris Nickson; WR Earl Bennett; MLB Jonathan Goff; OT Chris Williams; DE Curtis Gatewood; SS Reshard Langford; FS Ryan Hamilton; WR George Smith; RB Cassen Jackson-Garrison; G Josh Eames; C Hamilton HollidayKey lossesLB Kevin Joyce; DT Ray Brown; DE Chris Booker; WR Marlon White; TE Steven Bright; G Mac PyleTop newcomer: QB Larry Smith 2006 statistical leaders (* returners)Rushing: Chris Nickson* (694 yds)Passing: Chris Nickson* (2,085 yds)Receiving: Earl Bennett* (1,146 yds)Tackles: Jonathan Goff* (93)Sacks: Curtis Gatewood* (7)Interceptions: Reshard Langford* and Darlron Spead* (3) Spring answers: 1. Nickson grows as a passer: Vanderbilt's coaches were happy with the sophomore's progress during the spring. He had a tremendous freshman season, throwing for 2,085 yards with 15 touchdowns and running for 694 yards and nine scores. But they wanted to see Nickson throw more accurately and make better decision and they were happy with the results.
2. Talented duo at receiver: Nickson will have two big-play threats on the perimeter with juniors Earl Bennett and George Smith. Bennett is one of the most underrated players in the country, after hauling in 92 passes for 1,146 yards and six touchdowns last season. Smith caught 13 passes for 209 yards and three touchdowns in the last four games. Junior Sean Walker emerged as the third receiver during spring drills.
3. Third linebacker found: The Commodores return middle linebacker Jonathan Goff, the heart and soul of their defense. The senior had 93 tackles and 2½ sacks last season and was named All-SEC. Strongside linebacker Marcus Buggs, another senior, had 50 tackles and 10½ tackles for loss in 2006. Sophomore Brandon Bryant went a long way in winning the weakside linebacker spot with four tackles and one sack in the spring game.
4. Experienced offensive line returns: The Commodores might have five seniors starting on the offensive line, if tackle Brian Stamper returns from a stress fracture in his right foot. Four senior starters return: left tackle Chris Williams, left guard Josh Eames, center Hamilton Holliday and right guard Merritt Kirchoffer (who moves back from right tackle). Stamper is expected to start at right tackle after missing nearly all of last season with a back injury. Sophomore Thomas Welch played their during Stamper's absence in the spring.
5. Jennings returns: Nickson was Vanderbilt's leading rusher last season, after Jeff Jennings missed the season with a knee injury. Starter Cassen Jackson-Garrison was slow out of the gates after undergoing an emergency appendectomy, but finished with 614 yards and five touchdowns. Jennings looked very strong during the spring and should give the Commodores a formidable one-two punch at tailback. Fall questions: 1. Starting secondary: Vanderbilt played as many as seven cornerbacks last season, and coach Bobby Johnson tinkered with the starting secondary in the spring. Sophomore D.J. Moore, who played pretty well as a freshman, was on his way to securing one of the starting spots. Converted safety Myron Lewis worked with the first team at cornerback, and sophomore Joel Caldwell, a starting cornerback last season, was working at backup safety. Junior Josh Allen also is in the mix at cornerback. Starting safeties Ryan Hamilton and Reshard Langford both return.
2. Can Lewis help the pass rush: The Commodores are desperately trying to generate more pass rush from their down linemen. They hope they found an answer in end Quavian Lewis, who had three sacks and a pass breakup in the spring game. End Curtis Gatewood, who had 49 tackles and seven sacks last season, also is back.
3. Red zone offense: The Commodores spent a lot of time working on their red zone offense, after they scored touchdowns on 18 of 32 trips inside opponents' 20-yard line, the lowest success rate in the SEC. The return of Jennings, and improved accuracy from Nickson, should help this fall.
4. Stop the run: The Commodores are still a bit undermanned up front, a big reason they allowed 156 rushing yards per game last season. Senior tackle Gabe Hall, who has lost nearly 30 pounds to around 288, showed promise during the spring as a run stopper. Sophomore Greg Billinger also will play. Tackle Theo Horrocks, who had 49 tackles and five sacks in 2006, is the anchor of the interior unit.
5. Get better on special teams: The Commodores have to get better in the kick return game, after they averaged only 4.7 yards on punt returns (last in the SEC) and 17.9 yards on kickoff returns. Bennett can be a dangerous kick returner, but the blocking in front of him has to get better.

boxing and basketball

Celebrities spotted at ringside: Magic Johnson, O.J. trial attorney Robert Shapiro, IBF heavyweight champion Wladimir Klitschko, Matthew McConnaghy, Wesley Snipes, Judge Mathis, Will Ferrell, Jim Belushi, Jennifer Lopez and Mark Anthony, Jim Carrey and Jenny McCarthy, Taylor Hackford and Helen Mirren, Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz), John Madden, Reggie Bush, Jerome Bettis, Mary J. Blige, Michael J. Fox, Tom Jones, Russell Crowe, Thomas Hearns, Tito Trinidad, 50 Cent, Eva Longoria, George Lopez, Jay-Z, Leonardo DiCaprio, Eddie Murphy, Usher, Michael Jordan, Denzel Washington, Jack Nicholson. Marc Anthony just completed the national anthem. 50 Cent will rap during Mayweather's entrance. Mayweather enters the ring wearing the colors of the Mexican flag and a sombrero he has on backwards. Round One: Mayweather punching often but not landing, but De La Hoya isn't punching much at all. He's focusing on Mayweather's body and trying to pin him on the ropes to no avail. Slow round. Round Two: De La Hoya dominant with the jab and right hand. He punches with Mayweather instead of waiting and lands the cleaner, harder punches. Snaps Mayweather's head back repeatedly with jabs. Round Three: De La Hoya pins Mayweather on the ropes and is punching intelligently. Not loading up too much on the power and overwhelming Mayweather with volume. Mayweather's defense neutralized De La Hoya for the rest of the round. Close round to score, but De La Hoya was the aggressor. Round Four: Mayweather opens strong, but De La Hoya roughs him up inside on the ropes to the body. Not much landed clean. Mayweather is in control in the middle of the ring. Not many of his punches are getting through either, but De La Hoya is flat-footed and looks gassed. Hard round to score.Round Five: Mayweather's best round. Lands a pair of clean counter right hands. He's not retreating from exchanges inside now. He's staying in the pocket and winning the exchanges. De La Hoya has an abrasion on the side of his left eye. Round Six: De La Hoya bounces back with a solid round. Makes Mayweather miss badly at ring center. Nails Mayweather with a right hand out of a crouch and re-establishes his dominance as the bigger puncher. Round Seven: De La Hoya finally rediscovers his jab to control the round. When he uses it, Mayweather is on his heels backing up and ducking and can't punch back.Round Eight: De La Hoya takes control with the jab again. Mayweather throwing one shot at a time and isn't willing to engage. De La Hoya flurries in the last 10 seconds with Mayweather on the ropes to punctuate the round. Round Nine: Mayweather does all the work early, though not much lands cleanly. De La Hoya strictly defensive and doesn't do much other than follow Mayweather. Is he fading or just taking the round off? Round Ten: De La Hoya not jabbing and having trouble getting off a clean shot as Mayweather is too slick. A few slight boos creep in. The only clean punch lands at the bell -- a straight right on De La Hoya's chin. Round Eleven: Mayweather's legs are too fast, and De La Hoya does nothing for 2:30 of the round. He finally jabs and lands and jolts Mayweather with a big right hand on the ropes that might have stolen the round. Round Twelve: De La Hoya does all the punching and closes strong, including some right hands at the bell that were the cleanest of the round. Mayweather stands and trades in a spirited finish.Awaiting the decision....Tommy Kazmarek 115-113 for De La Hoya; Chuck Giampa 116-112 for Mayweather; Jerry Roth 115-113 Mayweather. Mayweather wins WBC 154-pound championship. Mayweather credited with landing 207 punches to De La Hoya's 122, according to PunchStat by HBO. Full story here.You can also talk boxing anytime with reporter Chuck Johnson by leaving a message on his profile page.Round-by-round analysis by USA TODAY's Johnnie Whitehead in McLean, Va.Posted by gkicinski on May 05, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Happy Final Four FridayWhat? The Final Four was last month? Not in Europe. Follow along at Eurosport. If you like, pretending you're partying back in 1999 -- Duke grad Trajan Langdon is playing for CSKA Moscow.We'll be easing you into the weekend today (though some of us got a head start with some great live music last night). It's Podcast Day -- stream the audio to hear Jon Saraceno on De La Hoya-Mayweather and Jennie Rees on the Kentucky Derby. We'll add the iTunes link when available.Derby? De La Hoya-Mayweather? Will either event last longer than the podcast? Ask boxing writer Chuck Johnson and horse racing/NFL writer Tom Pedulla.And maybe later we'll ask the question -- would you rather golf with Tiger Woods and Michael Jordan in your group or with Kid Rock and Alice Cooper?Posted by Beau Dure on May 04, 2007 in Basketball, Boxing/MMA, Horse Racing, Podcasts Permalink Comments (0)On tap tonightWe conclude an 18-post day, an unofficial Sports Scope record, by looking at the playoffs and other random sports-type things on the air tonight.All times EasternNBA playoffs: Spurs and Suns are at home going for the knockouts against the Nuggets and Lakers. Both on TNT -- 8 p.m. in San Antonio, 10:30 p.m. in Phoenix.NHL playoffs: Senators and Sharks are at home seeking a 3-1 lead over the Devils and Red Wings. Both on Versus -- 7 p.m. in Ottawa, 10 p.m. in San Jose.Baseball: Philadelphia at Atlanta (ESPN, 7:30 p.m.)Boxing: Junior middleweights, Yory Boy Campas vs. Eromosele Albert, at Miami (ESPN2, 9 p.m.)Bowling: United States Bowling Congress Queens, at Matthews, N.C. (ESPN2, 7 p.m.)Soccer: Copa Libertadores on Fox Sports en EspanolIce hockey: USA vs. Slovakia, World Championships (WCSN, 8:15 a.m. Thursday morning)Posted by Beau Dure on May 02, 2007 in Baseball, Bowling, Boxing/MMA, Hockey, NBA Permalink Comments (0)Ali-Ohno showdown drawing closerAs we predicted long ago, Apolo Anton Ohno and Laila Ali are the front-runners in Dancing with the Stars, which whittled its field down to six with the controversial exit (read the comments) of Cheers and Pixar films star John Ratzenberger.(OK, we predicted Ali-Drexler, with Ohno making a good run. But NOW we'll call it Ali-Ohno. Blogging is a flexible medium.)The folks at Ohnozone, though, see the bar being raised for their namesake skater.In other sports-related reality news, Jordin Sparks is in trouble this week on American Idol.Posted by Beau Dure on May 02, 2007 in Boxing/MMA, Olympic Sports Permalink Comments (0)Weekend WatchAll stages of the sports life cycle in one weekend -- the very beginning (the NFL Draft) and the very end (at least five playoff/World Championship sports, including the Cricket World Cup).Previews:- NFL Draft- Nextel Cup- Dice-K's Yankee Stadium debut- Bulls taking nothing for granted against HeatAll times EasternRead morePosted by Beau Dure on April 27, 2007 in Baseball, Boxing/MMA, College: More sports, Cricket, Cycling, Football, Golf, Hockey, Lacrosse, Motorsports, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Soccer, TV, Tennis, Weekend Watch Permalink Comments (0)On tap tonightWill the Mavs lift the Curse of the Warriors? Find out tonight. Or in Game 3. Game 4 at the latest.All times EasternNBA: TNT has both Game 2s involving Texas teams unexpectedly trailing 1-0. NBA TV has the more predictable series, with Cleveland leading the depleted Washington Wizards:- Denver at San Antonio (TNT, 7 p.m.)- Washington at Cleveland (NBA TV, 8 p.m.)- Golden State at Dallas (TNT, 9:30 p.m.)NHL: Game 1 doubleheader on Versus- N.Y. Rangers at Buffalo (Versus, 7 p.m.)- Vancouver at Anaheim (Versus, 10 p.m.)Baseball: Can the Yankees climb to fourth while the Red Sox and Orioles battle for East supremacy?- Boston (12-7) at Baltimore (11-9) -- 7:05 p.m.- Toronto (10-10) at N.Y. Yankees (8-11) -- 7:05 p.m.- Detroit (11-9) at Chicago White Sox (11-8) -- ESPN, 8 p.m.- San Francisco (10-8) at L.A. Dodgers (13-7) -- 10:10 p.m.- Full skedSoccer: Toronto FC bids once again to gets its first win. Last chance before the home opener.- Toronto at Kansas City (8 p.m.)One continental title is decided after a 2-2 first leg:- CONCACAF Champions Cup, second leg, Chivas at Pachuca (Fox Soccer Channel, 9:30 p.m.)And another gets through the group stage:- Copa Libertadores, four gamesBoxing: Featherweights, Jason Litzau vs. Aldo Valtierra, at St. Paul (ESPN2, 9 p.m.)Softball: Texas at Texas A&M (CSTV, 7:30 p.m.)Posted by Beau Dure on April 25, 2007 in Baseball, Boxing/MMA, College: More sports, Hockey, NBA, Soccer Permalink Comments (0)This weekend in UFCA third straight UFC main-event upset, with Gabriel Gonzaga knocking out Croatian heavyweight contender Mirko Cro Cop, and a bit of tsk-tsking from the English media. (Via UFCMania)Posted by Beau Dure on April 23, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Reality update: Clyde outApolo Anton Ohno and Laila Ali keep tearing it up on Dancing with the Stars, much to the delight of the good folks at Ohnozone.Clyde "the Glide" Drexler, though, is out. From the tone on his blog, he won't miss the grind.Posted by Beau Dure on April 18, 2007 in Boxing/MMA, NBA, Olympic Sports Permalink Comments (0)Rocky vs. Drago, updatedJust as Ivan Drago towered over Rocky Balboa in Rocky IV and Destructor had a few tons on Bender in Futurama, Fedor Emelianenko will have a distinct size advantage in his Russia-vs.-USA bout Saturday night.But without scriptwriters in the wild world of mixed martial arts, pundits and oddsmakers aren't giving Matt Lindland much of a chance. The middleweight has bulked up, but he isn't just facing any old heavyweight -- Emelianenko has one of the most glittering resumes in fighting."Yes, I am crazy," Lindland tells MMA Weekly.The event spans weight classes and sanctioning bodies (Lindland is currently a coach in the IFL), so the organizer is also the company selling the pay-per-view -- Bodog.Posted by Beau Dure on April 13, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Upset SaturdayWe asked Friday whether UFC fans would be turned off if the typical bout were settled with subtle wrestling moves that many don't even see.The main event of this weekend's UFC 69 was anything but subtle and anything but expected. Reality TV winner and heavy underdog Matt Serra clobbered Georges St. Pierre, knocking him down and finishing him off with a first-round flurry. Serra had never won by knockout, though he had won several fights by submission.St. Pierre's reaction: "I made a mistake and got caught."Here's another sign of the sport's growth -- ESPN has video.Posted by Beau Dure on April 08, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Mayweather vs. UFC fansWe've asked the "Boxing or MMA?" question before, and we've traced the growth of UFC into a global megabrand.But the question keeps coming up, especially now that Floyd Mayweather has aroused the anger of the mixed martial arts community.Mayweather, as quoted in the story above: "It ain't but a fad. Anyone can put a tattoo on their head and get in a street fight. ... These are guys who couldn't make it in boxing."UFC chief Dana White doesn't need anyone to cover his back in a verbal brawl. But he's got it ... from FOXSports.com's MMA readers and from ESPN's Mary Buckheit.We'll skip the macho head-butting about which fighters could beat up the others. UFC might face another problem soon: What happens when the fighters get too good?When you think of UFC, you may think of wild one-punch knockouts and brawls on the mat. But as fighters get better defensively, the action is more subtle. Already, you may see one guy swinging away at an opponent on the mat, not noticing that the guy on the bottom is applying a subtle chokehold that will end the bout in a few seconds. As in NewsRadio, you're relying on Joe Rogan to figure out what's going on.So here are our questions: Do you prefer UFC and other MMA events to boxing? And will you continue to enjoy it if it becomes less of a brawl and more of a tactical match between experienced pros?And a reminder: UFC 69 Shootout will be live from Houston tomorrow night on pay-per-view. Georges St. Pierre faces Matt Serra for the welterweight championship in the main event.Tim Sylvia-Randy Couture photo by Ed Mulholland, US PresswirePosted by Beau Dure on April 06, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Weekend WatchWe're already broken down playoff implications and TV options for most sports played in gyms. If you prefer green grass (or turf) and fresh air (or domed), baseball season starts Sunday night. Chris Carpenter and the Cardinals host Tom Glavine and the Mets on ESPN2, 8 p.m. Yes, ESPN2.All times EasternFINAL FOURSMen: Ohio State-Georgetown, then UCLA-Florida (CBS doubleheader, 6 p.m. Saturday)Women: Rutgers-LSU, then Tennessee-North Carolina (ESPN doubleheader, 7 p.m. Sunday)CHAMPIONSHIPSBoxing: The women take a turn on Friday Night Fights -- Mary Jo Sanders vs. Valerie Mahfood for the IBA middleweight belt (ESPN2, 9 p.m. Friday).Tennis: Serena vs. Henin in a big-time final (CBS, noon Saturday). Men's final features up-and-coming Novak Djokovic vs. Ivan Ljubicic or Federer-slayer Guillermo Canas (CBS, noon Sunday).Bowling: PBA Tournament of Champions (ESPN, 1 p.m. Sunday)Swimming: All weekend on WCSN, including the USA-Australia women's water polo final and the Michael Phelps-Ian Crocker showdown in the 100-meter butterfly. Those are both in the Saturday morning session.Cycling (track): Also all weekend on WCSN.SOCCERTop games are Liverpool-Arsenal (7:45 a.m. Saturday, Setanta) and Bayern Munich-Schalke (9:30 a.m. Saturday, GolTV). Many more on Fox Soccer Channel, GolTV, Setanta Sports Channel, Setanta Premium.Want more options? Keep reading ...Chris Carpenter photo by Marc Serota, Getty ImagesRead morePosted by Beau Dure on March 30, 2007 in Baseball, Bowling, Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College: More sports, Olympic Sports, Soccer, Tennis, Weekend Watch Permalink Comments (0)Athletes survive 'Dancing' cut(We will return to actual traditional sports in the next post. But first, today's reality TV update.)After Angela Ruggiero's shocking ouster on The Apprentice, would athletes step up on Dancing With the Stars?Yes. And we're predicting an Apolo-Ali final. (Not Apollo Creed, who was indeed a boxer but was fictional.)Apolo Anton Ohno, only a couple of weeks removed from World Championship competition, won rave reviews. Laila Ali leads the scoring. Clyde "the Glide" Drexler ... well, he's hanging in there.The full roundup is at Ohnozone, where the short-track skater's considerable fan base isn't the least bit surprised that he's faring well.In more sports-related reality TV notes, Jordin Sparks (daughter of NFL vet Phillipi) seems to have done enough to advance on American Idol, says our Idol blogger Ken Barnes. His commenters agree. Frankly, if the rest of Idol were like Sparks' performance last night, we might actually watch the show instead of flipping back and forth between that, hockey and UFC Unleashed. She blew away Blake's syrupy rendition of the Cure classic Love Song.Posted by Beau Dure on March 28, 2007 in Boxing/MMA, NBA, Olympic Sports, TV Permalink Comments (0)Taking PRIDEThe two biggest mixed martial arts organizations are now one. The owners of the Ultimate Fighting Championship is buying PRIDE, the Japanese organization.Both brands will remain, but you'll see more crossovers and more unified rules. The AFL-NFL-Super Bowl analogies are flying on Sherdog's live blog from a press conference in Japan. Highlight from the blog: "UFC president Dana White has come on stage and says that all mixed martial arts organizations are a joke next to UFC or PRIDE."The EvilMaster Report: "Ending Dream Stage Entertainment's control over PRIDE has immediate and far-reaching effects for the UFC, which has struggled in recent months to provide soluble contenders for the touted light heavyweight and heavyweight divisions. While mainstream observers seemed satisfied with the influx of rematches and ill-prepared contenders, there was an undercurrent of grousing from fans that were aware of how fractured the 'world title' picture truly was."Wikipedians are documenting the change on the PRIDE entry but NOT the UFC entry (as of this writing). Both entries give a sense of the differing histories and rules.How does the megamerger affect boxing? The first commenter here says it won't, that boxing and UFC always have had and always will have different demographics.Randy Couture-Tim Sylvia photo by Ed Mulholland, US PRESSWIREPosted by Beau Dure on March 27, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Iceman's next boutMay 26 -- Chuck Liddell vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in UFC 71, Las Vegas. Get your tickets ($50-$750) Friday.Rampage isn't just an arcade favorite of the '80s. Jackson is the last fighter to beat Liddell, knocking out the Iceman in a 2003 PRIDE tournament, and UFC was happy to sign him late last year. But Jackson's form might not be what it was, though he's in control in his interviews.Liddell had an uncomfortable interview -- or perhaps too comfortable, depending on how you look at it -- on a Dallas morning show. He attributed his slurring and dozing to illness, medication and lack of sleep.Posted by Beau Dure on March 26, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Morning headlines and beyondWhat's happening, what happened and what people are talking about:- Jon Saraceno wonders whether the 50-16 Suns can find the attitude of a champion. (USA TODAY)- Michael Hiestand says close games helped NCAA ratings over the weekend. But what was Billy Packer saying about Simon Cowell? (USA TODAY)- In Las Vegas, they're happy to be back in the Sweet 16 after a 16-year absence (Las Vegas Review-Journal). The rest of the country is opting for the father-son angle with coach Lon Kruger and point guard Kevin Kruger (ESPN, NYTimes). But no one's taking the Kruger Industrial Smoothing angle.- No surprise in the pool -- just a happy retirement for Auburn coach David Marsh as his men's team won its fifth straight NCAA swimming and diving title by a margin so comfortable he could sleep on it. Sophomore Cesar Celio, the NCAA swimmer of the year, won the 50 and 100 freestyles and was on two winning relays. Plenty of NCAA and meet records are in the full results.- Also repeating as national champion this weekend: Wisconsin women's hockey, which won the title at Lake Placid. Coaching the team: Mark Johnson, one of the 1980 "Miracle on Ice" gold medalists. (Capital Times)- In NCAA wrestling, five Minnesota wrestlers placed in the top six of their weight classes to clinch a national title for the Golden Gophers. With two losses stopping an Iowa State surge, Minnesota had the title wrapped up before heavyweight Cole Konrad stepped onto the mat to finish his career with a pin, a 35-0 record and a second straight national title. The 10 individual champions come from 10 different schools. Cael Sanderson's first year as coach is affecting the balance of power in Iowa.- Ryan Shafer bowled a 300 on TV to snag a $10,000 bonus. But that was only in the semifinals. Player of the Year contender Norm Duke won his third event of this year's PBA Tour. (Indianapolis Star)- Think NBA stars-in-waiting like O.J. Mayo don't care about their high school state championships? Think again. They might care too much (Huntington Herald-Dispatch).- Columnist Bill Dwyre thinks he saw a future star in the Pacific Life Open final (LA Times).- The Amherst Lord Jeffs are the Division III men's hoops champions (Boston Globe). Lord Jeff would be Lord Jeffery Amherst, who led British forces in North America through several pre-Revolutionary campaigns and has been linked by some historians to early form of germ warfare. Amherst College is a perennial contender in the U.S. News and World Report rankings for top liberal arts colleges.- DePauw beat nemesis Washington University (of St. Louis, not the University of Washington) in the season opener and again in the Division III women's title game. (The Republican)- Sturdy midfielder Shalrie Joseph is the New England Revolution captain. Shalrie Joseph wants to be traded. It's a salary dispute, MLS-style (Boston Globe).- Evander Holyfield might get one last title shot after all. Should we celebrate? (SI)- A Discovery Channel cyclist won the Paris-Nice race. Just not any of the ones you might know. (Velo News)- On St. Patrick's Day, the Irish were unlucky in Six Nations rugby but shocking winners in the Cricket World Cup (International Herald Tribune).- But the upsets, the protests and the benching of English star Andrew Flintoff after a drinking incident were all overshadowed by more shocking news -- Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer died after being found unconscious in his hotel room (Reuters).Posted by Beau Dure on March 19, 2007 in Basketball, Bowling, Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College: More sports, Cricket, Cycling, High schools, NBA, Olympic Sports, Tennis Permalink Comments (0)Matthews denies, Holyfield explainsIn the wake of the steroid/human growth hormone raids last month:- Gary Matthews Jr. denies using HGH. MLB.com has his full statement. Excerpt: "I have never taken HGH -- during the 2004 season or any other time. Nobody has accused me of doing so, and no law enforcement authority has said I am a target of any investigation for doing so."- Evander Holyfield says he took a prescribed drug for a hormonal deficiency, but he's not sure of the trail that would connect such a drug to Applied Pharmacy in Mobile, Ala. A statement is expected on his site. (Atlanta Journal-Constitution)Posted by Beau Dure on March 14, 2007 in Baseball, Boxing/MMA, Drugs in sports Permalink Comments (0)More names in steroid sagaTo give some idea of what we learn from last week's raids on Florida pharmacies, Sports Illustrated has reviewed a "37-page classified intelligence report" on a similar raid of an Alabama pharmacy last year. Names on the list of clients: Angels outfielder Gary Matthews Jr., wrestler Kurt Angle, Rangers outfielder Jerry Hairston Jr., David Bell, Jose Canseco and John Rocker.SI also found the name "Evan Fields" and a phone number. When the reporters called the number, boxer Evander Holyfield answered.The New York Daily News spoke with Rocker, who says he used human growth hormone to treat injuries. But World Anti-Doping Agency adviser Gary Wadler says HGH shouldn't be used for the purposes Rocker describes.In an investigation last year, ESPN found several doctors using HGH as a means of rehabilitation, though it's not clear whether Rocker's specific injuries could be treated in similar fashion.(Update: Mayo Clinic guidelines on human growth hormone say the treatment is approved for children's ailments and "muscle wasting associated with AIDS and HIV," but they say nothing about treating injuries. Curiously, the Mayo page says growth hormone can increase muscle mass but doesn't necessarily make a patient stronger.)The Florida raids have a link to a recent bodybuilding champion, The Columbus Dispatch reports. Victor Martinez, who won the Arnold (as in bodybuilder-turned-actor-turned-governor Schwarzenegger) Classic on Saturday, is an "unindicted co-conspirator" in the investigation of a steroid ring in Florida, New York and Texas, an Albany County district attorney spokeswoman tells the paper.SI notes that the raids are aimed at the suppliers, not the buyers. Still, Major League Baseball is sending an investigator to Albany, the Times-Union reports.Posted by Beau Dure on March 07, 2007 in Baseball, Boxing/MMA, Drugs in sports Permalink Comments (0)Can quitters win?The beating Israel Vasquez took in the ring Saturday against Rafael Marquez might not compare to the beating he has taken after the fight. From the (San Diego) Union-Tribune, Jerry Magee writes:Vazquez retiring as he did was reminiscent of Roberto Duran announcing “no mas” during a match against Sugar Ray Leonard. By acting as he did, Vazquez takes himself out of consideration for possible big-money bouts against Manny Pacquiao and Marco Antonio Barrera at a higher weight.On the same card, Victor Burgos fought bravely to the end against Vic Darchinyan, continuing until the referee stopped the fight in the 12th round.Burgos is in a medically induced coma.The Arizona Republic's Norm Frauenheim couldn't miss the contrast:(Burgos) wouldn't quit, and for that there were cheers. Too bad Burgos couldn't hear them after a fight in a sport proud of its of survivors yet full of conflicting messages about how to become one.Though some find UFC disturbing, mixed martial arts fighting follows is far more forgiving of giving up. When a fighter is caught in a chokehold or an armbar, he "taps out." You'll even see the words "TAP OUT" all over the ring and the fighters' shorts in this Columbus Dispatch audio slide show.Incidentally, FightNews.com's Francisco Salazar says Vasquez may get a rematch with Marquez, anyway.Posted by Beau Dure on March 06, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Silva upsetMore than six years after losing a controversial decision in Japan, Dan Henderson finally has his revenge against one of the biggest names in mixed martial arts -- Wanderlei Silva. Henderson, a former Olympic wrestler, took Silva's Pride middleweight belt with his fist.The bout was the headliner on the second Pride card in Las Vegas. This one drew an announced crowd of 13,180.The LATimes says Henderson's win was one of several upsets on the night, including one decided by a "gogoplata submission." After reading around, we think that's a choke with a foot or shin. Moral of the story in mixed martial arts -- the guy on his back isn't necessarily losing.Posted by Beau Dure on February 26, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)ReorganizationJust a little bit of housecleaning before the guests arrive. (We'll explain later this week.)Boxing and fighting sports are now in the "Boxing/MMC" category.NASCAR posts are now in the "Motorsports" category."NHL posts are in "Hockey."Olympic Athlete of the Week posts are folded into "Olympic Sports."Posted by Beau Dure on February 25, 2007 in Boxing/MMA, Hockey, Motorsports, Olympic Sports Permalink Comments (0)Good morningIt's podcast day, and we're joined today by NFL draft expert Rob Rang to talk about the combine. Listen here or download at iTunes.While podcast day comes once a week, NHL salary day comes once a year, just in time for the trade deadline. The breakdown shows that most teams are under the new cap, and you can search through the numbers at our database.A fight like De La Hoya-Mayweather comes along once a decade or so, and USA TODAY staffers tagged along for 48 hours of their publicity tour. Check the video of their appearance at USA TODAY headquarters and a photo gallery from the tour.Today's columns:- Jon Saraceno: Plight of "Pacman" illustrates need for stricter NFL- Michael McCarthy: Ex-coaches on tube shy away from speaking minds- Mike Lopresti: Yankees' soap-opera status far from a guiding light- Kevin Allen: Two views on karma, trade possibilities and fights (just in time for last night's big brawl)Live this afternoon: Match Play round of 16 coverage starts at noon on XM channel 146 and at 2 p.m. on the Golf Channel.Posted by Beau Dure on February 23, 2007 in Baseball, Boxing/MMA, Media, Podcasts Permalink Comments (0)Boxers say they'll live up to the hypeOscar De La Hoya and Floyd Mayweather Jr. stopped by USA TODAY headquarters in McLean, Va., Wednesday to promote their May 5 junior middleweight title fight in Las Vegas. (See video here.) The two fighters could not be more different. Mayweather, who carries the mythical "pound-for-pound" title, blew into the room first sporting a hooded sweatshirt and vibrating with energy. "I'm here for you all. You can ask me anything you want," explaining his casual dress by declaring he was "one of you."But his diamond-studded bracelet and necklace that hung down to his waist reminded everyone he was in a different tax bracket. "Don’t judge me by my necklace cause it's long. It doesn't matter because we're all ending up at the same place."De La Hoya, who’ll be defending his 154-pound belt, and whom Mayweather referred to as "fake," showed minutes later looking dapper with sweater and tie and an expression that mirrored a patient entering the dentist's office.The session lacked fireworks, but the good news for boxing fans is the vow from both fighter to make the event live up to the hype. "Absolutely," Mayweather answered when asked if he felt an obligation to try to knock De La Hoya out instead of playing it safe for a decision win. "He doesn't have to worry about me running."De La Hoya, whose career has been a string of mega fights, giggled when Mayweather said neither of them had been in an event this big. He still, however, acknowledged the importance of the fight to boxing. "This is like Sugar Ray Leonard, Roberto Duran and Tommy Hearns … it's up to us to make it that type of fight."--Pete O'BrienPosted by gkicinski on February 21, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Dancing with the athletesThe Apolo Anton Ohno rumors were true. He'll be a contestant on Dancing With the Stars.In the post-Emmitt era, the show is heavy on athletes. Clyde "the Glide" Drexler gets a chance to add another dimension to his nickname, and we'll see if Laila Ali can float like a butterfly.We're not sure why the others are even showing up, frankly. We'll predict an Ali-Drexler final, with Ohno making a good run before his youth catches up to him.Posted by Beau Dure on February 21, 2007 in Boxing/MMA, NBA, Olympic Sports Permalink Comments (0)Mayweather calls out De La HoyaUFC is on the rise, but boxing is still king when it comes to creating media events out of playground taunting.Oscar De La Hoya sees his upcoming bout with Floyd Mayweather as a chance to help his ailing sport: "Boxing has been at its lowest point for quite a while now. This will give it a great shot in the arm."Mayweather sounds a little less noble, but if the idea is to get people talking, he's happy to start the conversation. He questioned De La Hoya's heart and used a word we won't use here. But Reuters doesn't mind the language.That's the first of 11 stops on this tour.Posted by Beau Dure on February 21, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)ESPN: Morrison cleared to fightHe fought Stallone in Rocky V, then rose through the heavyweight ranks until an HIV test put him out of commission in 1996. Now, Tommy Morrison tells ESPN.com's Dan Rafael he has been cleared to fight on Thursday.Morrison was set to fight a January bout in Arizona but withdrew with a hand injury.Posted by Beau Dure on February 20, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Weekend WatchPlenty to watch before every sport goes into hiding and cedes center stage to the Colts and Bears.All times EasternFRIDAYCollege hockey: #1 New Hampshire hosts traditional power Maine. (CSTV, 7 p.m.)NBA: ESPN doubleheader with New Jersey-Orlando (8 p.m.) and the ER special of Chicago-Seattle (10:30 p.m.).Track and field: Live from New York, the 100th Millrose Games. (ESPN2, 7 p.m.; highlights on NBC at 2 p.m. Saturday)SATURDAYSoccer: The Liverpool derby (Liverpool-Everton, Setanta, 7:45 a.m.), then as many as four Americans on one field as Fulham (Brian McBride, Carlos Bocanegra, Clint Dempsey) hosts Newcastle (new signing Oguchi Onyewu).College men's basketball: Tough test for #4 Ohio State at Michigan State (CBS, 4 p.m.), then a big one in the Big 12 between #8 Texas A&M and #6 Kansas (ESPN, 9 p.m.).NHL: This is the equivalent of planets aligning. The top teams in the East, Buffalo and New Jersey, meet at 7:30 p.m. Center Ice subscribers will want to flip back and forth at 8 p.m., when the top teams in the West meet -- Anaheim at Nashville.Boxing: Tomasz Adamek and Jesus Chavez defend their titles on a "Super Saturday" card. (Showtime, 9 p.m.)NBA: Division leaders Utah and Phoenix clash. (9 p.m.)SUNDAYGolf: Tiger Woods is at the European Tour's Dubai stop (Golf Channel, same-day tape, 8:30 p.m.), while the PGA Tour's FBR Open wraps up (NBC, 3 p.m.).NBA: Detroit at Cleveland, with the Central lead possibly at stake. (ABC, 2:30 p.m.)College women's basketball: #21 California at #9 Stanford (4 p.m.) is the weekend's best.NFL: Game time 6:25 p.m. Michael Hiestand has more on the broadcast. We'll be talking about it here at Sports Scope.Tennis: If you want a Super Bowl alternative, check the Vina del Mar (Chile) final, likely including Australian Open finalist Fernando Gonzalez. (Tennis Channel, 8 p.m.)ALL WEEKENDWe've already covered the weekend in winter sports World Championships, with Bode Miller set for a busy week.Read on for more TV and Web options. We've added links for satellite radio schedules.Read morePosted by Beau Dure on February 02, 2007 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, Golf, Hockey, Lacrosse, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Soccer, Super Bowl XLI, Tennis, Weekend Watch Permalink Comments (0)Divine interventionBeliefnet offers a list of the top 10 sports miracles. No. 1 is obvious, but Off Wing Opinion argues on behalf of a couple of omissions -- Villanova over Georgetown, Buster Douglas over Mike Tyson.Some of the most frequently replayed miracles aren't included. The list doesn't include Dwight Clark leaping for "The Catch," Christian Laettner's catch-and-shoot against Kentucky (part of a 10-for-10, 10-for-10 performance) or Michael Jordan's shot against Craig Ehlo.There are no NBA or NHL miracles on the list. You'll see two baseball, one college hoops, one horse racing, one gymnastics, one golf, one boxing, one college football, one NFL and one hockey.What else is missing?Also at Beliefnet, Gregg Easterbrook ponders the theology of praying for football teams. The same argument could extend to other sports, though some baseball fans may argue it's theologically sound to pray against the Yankees.Posted by Beau Dure on February 02, 2007 in Baseball, Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, Golf, Hockey, Horse Racing, NFL, Olympic Sports, Super Bowl XLI Permalink Comments (0)Today's top featuresTGIPD. The "PD" is Podcast Day, with C+C Football Factory (Colston and Corbett) breaking down the NFL playoffs. Stream the audio, download at iTunes and no, that '80s music reference doesn't mean we're old. Borat listens to C+C.More NFL: Deuce McAlister is revved up ('70s music reference this time, to one of the strangest hit songs in history) for the NFC championship game, while the AFC championship pairing looks familiar. Jon Saraceno says it's Peyton Manning's turn, while Michael Hiestand finds that any of the possible Super Bowl matchups would be a solid ratings draw. Among the other 28 teams, the Cardinals coaching job might be the least desirable, writes Mike Lopresti.College hoops: Chat with Tim Gardner at 2 p.m. ET.Hockey: Kevin Allen describes a wildly successful coaching change in St. Louis.Baseball: Texas manager Ron Washington took a sobering tour through his hometown of New Orleans. Hal Bodley assesses the prospects for the latest big-spending team, the Toronto Blue Jays. Yes, the Blue Jays.Boxing: After celebrating her father's 65th birthday, Laila Ali talks about preparing for her last fight before taking a break to start a family.Posted by Beau Dure on January 19, 2007 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, NFL Permalink Comments (0)Ali at 65A few snapshots of Muhammad Ali on his 65th birthday:- "What makes him the greatest fighter is that he simply had skills that exceeded anyone's expectations." -- Sylvester Stallone (via Reuters)- "By the time Ali beat Foreman, the country was healing, and heavyweight boxing was as popular as baseball and the up-and-coming NFL. With Howard Cosell giving him a decade of access to TV, Ali also charmed the print media with an ease surprising for a high school dropout thought to be functionally illiterate." -- Cedric Golden (Austin American-Statesman)- "Muhammad was the happiest human being on this earth – still is. An absolute joy to be with. Most special man that ever was born. Do you know what makes me proudest in life? The very fact I can call Muhammad my friend." -- Angelo Dundee (via The Telegraph)- "Muhammad is a little sentimental. He likes looking at older things. He likes watching some of the interviews and saying some of the crazy outrageous things he used to say." -- Lonnie Ali, his fourth wife (via AP)- Author Davis Miller describes sparring with Ali. He landed a combination. Ali answered. That was it.Add your own thoughts and links below.Posted by Beau Dure on January 17, 2007 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Weekend WatchBy popular demand, we're switching back to a chronological approach for the highlights:All times EasternFRIDAYGolf: See if Michelle Wie can pull off a miracle and make the cut at the Sony Open in Hawaii (Golf Channel, 7 p.m.)Boxing: Friday Night Fights, ESPN2, 9 p.m.NBA: Doubleheader on ESPN -- Wizards-Hornets (8 p.m.) and Houston-Denver (10:30 p.m.). Best game has Orlando at L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m.).SATURDAYWinter sports: Alpine skiing will be questionable all weekend and maybe all month. But check Eurosport to see if they're doing live video from biathlon.Soccer: Blackburn-Arsenal (Fox Soccer Channel, noon) is the pick of the day.College football: No, we're not done. North South game today (ESPN2, noon) and Hula Bowl tomorrow.College women's basketball: Christine Brennan will be happy to know the marquee hoops game of the day is a women's game -- #1 Maryland at #3 Duke (FSN, 12:30 p.m.), a rematch of last year's national championship, which brings back very bad memories for those of us who have a couple of degrees from the latter.College men's basketball: No. 5 Ohio State has another big non-conference game against an SEC team, #20 Tennessee (CBS, 1 p.m., part of regional coverage). Unbeaten Clemson (#14) gets its biggest test of the season at #25 Maryland (ESPNU, 2 p.m.). Top-ranked North Carolina is at Virginia Tech (ABC, 3:30 p.m.). See below for much more.NHL: NBC perks up with regional coverage at 2 p.m., with Boston-N.Y. Rangers the best of three available games. In the evening, power-rankings leaders Buffalo and Anaheim are at home against conference foes Tampa Bay (7 p.m.) and Colorado (10 p.m.). Also on TV: San Jose at Phoenix (HDNet, 9 p.m.).NFL: Two playoffs: Indianapolis at Baltimore (CBS, 4:30 p.m.); Philadelphia at New Orleans (Fox, 8 p.m.). Check the picks.NBA: New Jersey at Minnesota (NBA TV, 8 p.m.); Orlando at Phoenix (9 p.m.).SUNDAYSoccer: Everton-Reading (Setanta, 8:45 a.m.).NFL: The other two playoffs: Seattle at Chicago (Fox, 1 p.m.); New England at San Diego (CBS, 4:30 p.m.)Snowboarding: Snowboardcross is the first event at the World Championships. Torino gold medalist Seth Wescott and silver medalist Lindsey Jacobellis are on the U.S. squad, with Jacobellis looking to make up for a costly stunt on the last jump in Italy.NBA: Denver at Portland (NBA TV, 9 p.m.).College women's basketball: SEC rivals -- #4 Tennessee at #15 Georgia (FSN, 1 p.m.).Golf: PGA Tour's Sony Open wraps in Hawaii (The Golf Channel, 7 p.m.).Tennis: Australian Open coverage takes you away from that overrated function known as "sleep." (ESPN2, 7 p.m. and ESPN, 3:30 a.m.)College men's basketball: #17 Oregon at #8 Arizona (FSN, 8 p.m.).College football: As threatened, the Hula Bowl (ESPN, 8:30 p.m.)Read morePosted by Beau Dure on January 12, 2007 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Soccer, Tennis, Weekend Watch Permalink Comments (0)Weekend WatchWild-card weekend, golf in Hawaii and bull riding in New York. Guess which one also features American Idol star Chris Daughtry?All times Eastern. We wouldn't ask you to do the time conversion between here and Hawaii.NFL: You've seen the picks. Game times and networks are:- Kansas City at Indianapolis, NBC, 4:30 p.m. Saturday- Dallas at Seattle, NBC, 8 p.m. Saturday- N.Y. Jets at New England, CBS, 1 p.m. Sunday- N.Y. Giants at Philadelphia, Fox, 4:30 p.m. SundayNBA: Dallas takes its 11-game win streak to San Antonio in the first game (8 p.m.) of ESPN's Friday doubleheader. Miami at Phoenix is the second game. Utah has back-to-back games at Houston (8:30 p.m. Friday) and Denver (9 p.m. Saturday).NBA TV has Detroit at Chicago (8:30 p.m. Saturday) and Dallas at L.A. Lakers (9:30 p.m. Sunday).Soccer: It's a combination of the NCAA Tournament and the old Indiana high school tournament on Hoosiers. But it's much older. They've been playing this tournament since 1871. It's the FA Cup, open to most teams in England, and the fun starts when the Premier League teams join in this weekend. This year, 685 teams entered, though it is whittled down to 64 before the top teams join the fray.Only two teams outside the four professional leagues have survived to this stage, which spoils the fun. But one of those teams, Tamworth, will show its stuff to a North American audience against Norwich City on Fox Soccer Channel (noon Saturday).Through the luck of the draw, U.S. goalkeepers Tim Howard (Everton) and Brad Friedel (Blackburn) face off in an all-Premier League matchup Sunday. Two of England's marquee clubs, Liverpool and Arsenal, face each other Saturday. If you're going, why not send a video to the BBC?Boxing: Friday Night Fights returns to ESPN2 (9 p.m.). Showtime has the IBO super middleweight title fight (Anthony Hanshaw-Jean Paul Mendy) 11 p.m. Friday and the Samuel Peter-James Toney rematch at 9 p.m. Saturday.College football: Cincinnati can give the Big East a 5-0 record in its bowls with a win over Western Michigan (International Bowl, ESPN2, noon Saturday). Then it's Ohio and Southern Miss in the GMAC Bowl (ESPN, 8 p.m. Sunday).College men's basketball: Duke (vs. Virginia Tech, noon) and Ohio State (at Illinois, 2 p.m.) get conference tests in Saturday's ESPN coverage. The folks from Bristol also have a good nonconference game -- Connecticut at LSU (9 p.m. Saturday).College women's basketball: CBS has a national doubleheader of national powers Saturday -- Michigan State at defending champ Maryland (2 p.m.) and Tennessee at Connecticut (4 p.m.). Also Saturday: Stanford at California (5 p.m.). Sunday, see Purdue at Texas (ESPN, 3 p.m.) while keeping an eye on Georgia at LSU (3 p.m.).Tennis: The Tennis Channel has Martina Hingis vs. Dinara Safina in the Gold Coast finals (8:30 p.m. Friday), plus ATP Adelaide semifinals (10:30 p.m. Friday) and final (11:30 p.m. Saturday).NHL: North of the border, CBC has a solid Saturday tripleheader -- N.Y. Rangers at Montreal (3 p.m.), Buffalo at Toronto (7 p.m.), Dallas at Calgary (10 p.m.). The marquee game is Sunday: Detroit at Anaheim (8 p.m.).Rodeo: The Versus Invitational, from Madison Square Garden, will be on delay on -- not surprisingly -- Versus. That's 7:30 p.m. Saturday and 8 p.m. Sunday. NBC also will have PBR coverage at 2:20 p.m. Sunday. Make your fantasy picks now.Golf: Coverage of the PGA Tour's season opener from Hawaii at 6 p.m. each night on The Golf Channel.Read morePosted by Beau Dure on January 05, 2007 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, Golf, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Soccer, Tennis Permalink Comments (0)2006 in review: Wide worldThe excitement of a possible Triple Crown winner turned to gasps at the Preakness when runaway Kentucky Derby winner Barbaro pulled up with a horrific injury. The horse's health declined and rebounded, with the prognosis looking better after months of treatment. Bernardini was the overshadowed winner at the Preakness, while Jazil won the depleted Belmont Stakes. Invasor upset Bernardini in the Breeders Cup Classic.Jockey Russell Baze Jr. broke Laffit Pincay Jr.'s record for all-time wins.Boxing: While Rocky Balboa returned to the big screen, the real-world heavyweight division saw few American highlights, with all four title belts in the hands of fighters from the former Soviet Union.Manny Pacquiao knocked out Erik Morales in the third and likely final matchup of the super featherweights.Middleweight champion Jermain Taylor kept his belts with a draw against Winky Wright and a win over Kassim Ouma, but a Wright rematch looms. Maybe.This much we know -- Floyd Mayweather Jr. and Oscar De La Hoya are set to tangle in May in a bout that could be boxing's richest.UFC: The mixed martial arts organization is set to rack up more impressive pay-per-view numbers with a year-end match between Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz.X Games: Travis Pastrana won "Most Xperimental Athlete," which is apparently a good thing.Rodeo: Trevor Brazile took all-around honors and a PRCA money record. Adriano Moraes won the PBR title.Poker: Jamie Gold won the World Series of Poker but faces a suit over his winnings. Michael Mizrachi leads the Player of the Year standings and has pocketed more than $2.3 million.Dog show: The Westminster winner is a colored bull terrier named Rufus.Barbaro photo is University of Pennsylvania handout via AP; Brazile photo by Chris Carlson, APPosted by Beau Dure on December 29, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, Gaming, Horse Racing, Year in review Permalink Comments (0)Tyson back in the newsWith Mike Tyson's arrest on DUI and drug possession charges, we're left to wonder what Tyson was planning to do next.Since an October exhibition bout that doubled as a campaign ad for ex-brother-in-law Michael Steele, we've seen rumors of a bout with Tom Jones (yes, the singer, whose spokespeople denied it) and a switch to mixed martial arts in the PRIDE circuit. Mike-Tyson.info claimed in November that Tyson might be planning to box under the PRIDE banner rather than mix it up in the hybrid of kickboxing and wrestling forms.On Deadline links to the local TV report, in which a police spokesman says Tyson was cooperative, even a "perfect gentleman."Posted by Beau Dure on December 29, 2006 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)James Brown and sportsListen Up remembers James Brown and his essential music career. Yet the Godfather of Soul spread his music throughout the entertainment world and the sports world as well.Sure, Brown was in Rocky IV, performing Living in America to Drago's befuddlement just before the Russian boxer killed Apollo Creed. (For Brown fans, the deeper meaning of "Apollo" is the name of the legendary Harlem theater in which he recorded one of his masterworks.)But Brown's boxing ties weren't limited to Creed-Drago. He performed at a festival in Zaire before Ali-Foreman, the Rumble in the Jungle.He also made a lasting contribution to Georgia football, recording Dooley's Junkyard Dawgs in honor of the Bulldogs' gritty defense in the 1970s.AP file photo - Brown at the Apollo in 1994, where a nearby street was renamed James Brown BoulevardPosted by Beau Dure on December 26, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Football, Media Permalink Comments (0)Weekend WatchCollege tournaments in football and volleyball, NFL playoff berths at stake and a rodeo final are among the highlights. All times Eastern.NFL: The Colts and Chargers are in a "win-and-in" playoff scenario, while a few other teams can clinch a berth with help. Among the latter are the Saints and Cowboys, who happen to play in the Sunday night game.College tournaments: The Division Formerly Known As I-AA has football semifinals on ESPN2 this weekend (Massachusetts-Montana, 7:30 p.m. Friday; Youngstown State at Appalachian State, 4 p.m. Saturday).Division II semifinals are Sunday: Bloomsburg-NW Missouri State (ESPNU, 5:30 p.m.) and Delta State at Grand Valley State (ESPN2, 7 p.m.). Division III will be Webcast on Saturday at NCAASports.com -- St. John Fisher at perennial power Mount Union (noon) and Wesley College at Wisconsin-Whitewater (1 p.m.).The Division I volleyball tourney has been whittled to 16 and will be cut down to eight tonight. ESPNU has a quarterfinal quadruple-header starting at 4 p.m. Saturday.Boxing: Jermain Taylor defends the WBC and WBO middleweight belts against Kassim Ouma, with Winky Wright waiting in the wings (HBO, 10 p.m. Saturday).Figure skating: Olympic competition meets American Idol as fans pick the winners at the Marshall's U.S. Challenge (ABC, 1 p.m. Sunday). Sasha Cohen, Kimmie Meissner, Johnny Weir, Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto are among the skaters.Winter sports: We know freestyle skiing's World Cup circuit is starting this weekend in China. Check FIS for updates on the weather-plagued skiing events in Europe. Speedskaters of both kinds are on track this weekend, luge and biathlon athletes are in action, and the bobsled circuit is in Park City.Soccer: Toluca and Chivas tangle for the Mexican title in the second leg of the final (Univision, 1 p.m. Sunday). They're currently tied 1-1.The other half of one CONCACAF Champions Cup quarterfinal bracket will be filled in a Caribbean qualifying tournament, featuring the Puerto Rico Islanders.The World Club Cup kicks off on Fox Soccer Channel, with Mexico's Club America representing North America and vicinity (5 a.m. Sunday and Monday).NBA: Top games include Detroit-Orlando (7 p.m. Friday), Denver-Dallas (8:30 p.m. Saturday, NBA TV) and San Antonio-L.A. Lakers (9:30 p.m. Sunday, NBA TV).NHL: Edmonton-Dallas (8:30 p.m. Friday), Anaheim-Tampa Bay (7:30 p.m. Saturday).College basketball: Marquee matchups are Wisconsin-Marquette (ESPN, 2 p.m. Saturday), UCLA-Texas A&M (CBS, 2:30 p.m. Saturday) and Washington-Gonzaga (11 p.m. Saturday). Intriguing matchup is last year's Cinderella, George Mason, at Duke (ESPN, noon Saturday).On the women's side, it's Texas-Duke (ESPNU, 1 p.m. Sunday) and Ohio State-LSU (3 p.m. Sunday).Pool: It's like the Ryder Cup, but it's the Mosconi Cup. If you happen to be in a country that gets Sky Sports, check it out.Rodeo: Final day of the Wrangler PRCA National Finals (ESPN2, 9 p.m. Saturday).Asian Games: North Korea vs. South Korea in soccer. The Koreas will unite behind a 2014 Winter Olympic bid.MORE ON TVSee the full listings for more college basketball, bowling and golf on the broadcast networks, ESPN and ESPN2.Also:- HDNet: College hoops, NHL, "cagefighting"- ESPNU: College hoops, hockey, volleyball, football- CSTV: More college sports, especially hockey- NBA TV: NBA, Euroleague, D-League- Fox Soccer Channel, GolTV, Setanta: More soccer (listings at Soccer America)Read morePosted by Beau Dure on December 08, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, College: More sports, Golf, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Soccer, Weekend Watch Permalink Comments (0)Around the lunch tableWe'll be tracking the U.S. soccer non-hiring of Jurgen Klinsmann. You're already chiming in on Barry Bonds, but what about Tom Brady trying to sue your fantasy league? (If you're a Yahoo! player, that is.)Other reading material for the early afternoon:- Can the Chargers take home field in the AFC?- Katie Uhlaender has won two straight women's skeleton races, which makes her the early front-runner for Olympic Athlete of the Week honors. But as far as winning streaks go, she's trailing Norwegian biathlon legend Ole Einar Bjorndalen, who's up to eight now.- MaxBoxing/ESPN has the story of a Ugandan child soldier turned middleweight contender.Posted by Beau Dure on December 08, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, NFL, Olympic Sports Permalink Comments (0)No fighting ultimate fighting's riseUltimate fighting has been in the public consciousness for at least a decade. Friends aired "The One with the Ultimate Fighting Champion" in May 1997. That episode used the sport as an excuse to break up Monica and multibillionaire Pete (Jon Favreau), who clings to his delusions of competency in the ring to Monica's horror.A couple of months ago, we asked if UFC and other mixed martial arts competitions were replacing boxing as America's favorite combat sport.Today, USA TODAY's Life section takes us to a UFC competition in Sacramento (the one in which Tim Sylvia ... wait ... we'll stop there in case you've got it on Tivo) and finds that it's drawing everyone from teachers to paramedics to Hollywood agents, all boosting the sport's substantial ratings on Spike.Wikipedia provides a rough guide to the various forms of this rough sport. Some aspects of it aren't unique. Olympic-style judo sees athletes using chokes and armbars to force opponents to submit (or pass out, whichever comes first). Taekwondo and various forms of karate or kickboxing include kicking and punching.So what makes this sport special? Why is it drawing crowds to arenas, cable TV and pay-per-view?Photo by Martin E. Klimek for USA TODAYPosted by Beau Dure on December 05, 2006 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Today's chats, columns, etc.Baseball: We've covered it before and will cover it again today, but first, read what Hall of Fame voter Mel Antonen has to say about Mark McGwire's candidacy.College football: The USA TODAY/Gallup Fan Poll agrees -- Florida is No. 2, by a margin of six points out of 400 votes cast, with the Southern voters making the difference.- The NCAA moved to speed up games this year. How'd that work out?College basketball: Meet star Arizona freshman Chase Budinger, who's also a former national prep player of the year in volleyball.- Meet the new No. 1 in the Top 25NFL: NFC North QBs (not just Rex Grossman) are in the firing line in Four Downs.- Fantasy chat with Nate Davis, 2 p.m. ETNBA: The Scorer's Table finds Kevin Garnett posting MVP numbers- Fantasy chat with Brian Styers, noon ETNHL: Checking in with ... Sharks goalie Vesa Toskala- Ted Montgomery: One-timers on Hossa, the Red Wings and Gretzky- The scoring record for a U.S.-born player may soon fall to Mike Modano- Clutch rankings for November are out, with players from Tampa Bay and Montreal atop the list.- Chat with Kevin Allen, 1 p.m. ETDrugs in sports: Gene doping might not be the wave of the future, as a test is in the works.Ultimate fighting: Any way you look at it, the sport is on the rise.Posted by Beau Dure on December 05, 2006 in Baseball, Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, Drugs in sports, NBA, NFL Permalink Comments (0)Weekend Top 12The top performers over the weekend, none decided by polls. Except boxing. And figure skating.12. Tommy Jones: The 2005-06 PBA player of the year won by one pin in Ohio.11. Winky Wright: Knocked down Ike Quartey and cruised to a unanimous decision.10. Michael Phelps: A typical six-win performance at the U.S. Open.9. Florida State men's basketball: Plenty of upsets over the weekend -- DePaul over Kansas, Notre Dame over Maryland and North Dakota State, a Division II team not long ago, over Marquette -- but the Seminoles get the edge for knocking off an intrastate rival who happens to be the defending national champion, Florida.8. New York Islanders: Beat division rivals Pittsburgh and N.Y. Rangers on back-to-back nights to remain atop the Atlantic. Viktor Kozlov had four goals against the Rangers.7. Brazil: No longer the World Cup champion, but the world champion in men's volleyball.Read morePosted by Beau Dure on December 04, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College: More sports, NFL, Olympic Sports, Soccer, Tennis Permalink Comments (0)Lunch-table talkBoise State fans are emerging in our BCS/playoff conversation. Also up today: Michael Vick, the Weekend Top 12 and a list of the frantic hires and fires in college football coaching.Also worth reading:- Contender winner Peter Manfredo is getting a shot at Joe Calzaghe, who will give up his IBF title to take the fight. (BBC)- QB controversy stirring with the 9-2 Bears. (MSNBC) We may look at that in the afternoon.- NCAA tournament fields announced in women's volleyball and men's water polo. The latter saw the end of a 44-game winning streak over the weekend. (CSTV)- Iran has won a temporary reprieve on its ban from international soccer to play in the Asian Games. (AFP)Posted by Beau Dure on November 27, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College: More sports, NFL, Soccer Permalink Comments (0)Weekend Top 1212. Anaheim Ducks: Won fourth of last five games to move into a tie with Buffalo for the NHL's best record.11. U.S. women's soccer: Defeated Canada 2-1 in overtime to clinch the Gold Cup. The U.S. played without Heather O'Reilly, who was busy helping North Carolina avenge a season-opening loss to Texas A&M and won its 25th straight, twice coming back from a one-goal deficit to win 3-2 in the quarterfinals. ACC soccer teams account for half the semifinalists in the men's and women's NCAA Division I brackets despite UCLA's stunning comeback win at Duke.10. Georgia (women's basketball): Won early-season showdown with Stanford.9. Stephen Ames: A smashing Skins Game debut.8. Australia (cricket): A smashing start to the Ashes series, beating England by 277 runs despite the voluntary concession of 10 of their 20 wickets.7. Dallas Mavericks: David DuPree's team of the week, running their winning streak to nine with wins over San Antonio and New Orleans.Read morePosted by Beau Dure on November 27, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, College: More sports, Golf, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Soccer Permalink Comments (0)Weekend WatchQuarterfinals in college soccer, virtual quarterfinals in college football, all-consuming matchups for folks in England and the usual NFL/NBA/NHL November fare. All times EasternNBA: Tonight's battle of Texas (Dallas-San Antonio, 8 p.m., ESPN) is the weekend TV highlight. Also Friday, the 8-3 Lakers visit 11-1 Utah. On Saturday, Dallas turns around to host the surprising Hornets.College football: Plenty of rivalry games, but the stakes are highest in Wake Forest-Maryland (ACC title game impact, 7:45 p.m. Saturday, ESPN) and Notre Dame-Southern Cal (national title game impact, 8 p.m. Saturday, ABC). For the full weekend, check the breakdown, the Weekend Forecast and the TV schedule.Golf: Fred Funk, Fred Couples, John Daly and Stephen Ames are the unlikely foursome in the Skins Game (3:30 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, ABC). Don't forget the Euro Tour in Australia (Golf Channel)Skiing: The Nordic folks are all in Finland, but the Alpine skiers are closer to home, with World Cup races in Lake Louise, Alberta. WCSN has delayed video for subscribers, while live updates are available through usskiteam.com or Eurosport.Soccer: Manchester United. Chelsea. The traditional power vs. the club that spends like three Steinbrenners put together. If you're not excited about that matchup, you may not be a sports fan, let alone a soccer fan. Let Bobby McMahon break it down for you. (11 a.m. Sunday, Fox Soccer Channel)NFL: Philadelphia-Indianapolis is the prime-time game (8:15 p.m. Sunday, NBC). If you think the Colts won't make it through the playoffs, then you might be looking at a Super Bowl preview in the 4:15 games as Da Bears travel to New England. Check the picks.NHL: Best game is Sunday, when league-leading Buffalo takes on the Rangers and the league's leading scorer, Jaromir Jagr.Cricket: England's in just a bit of trouble against Australia in the first test of The Ashes, bringing out the gallows humor from The Guardian's readers: ""Seriously, England are in the driving seat here," says Tim Nicholls. "The Aussies have some serious problems, like when do they really declare, is Harmy just playing possum, what are they going to do on Monday? And then there is the selection crisis of do they need a sixth batsman or could they just field a celebrity in their middle order? It's all about mind games and the creation of doubt."(If that doesn't make sense, consider this: Australia scored 602 runs. Yes, that's a lot. And they quit early -- conceding only nine wickets instead of 10 -- so they'd have more of a chance to get England out. The English are "53 for 3," which means they're on pace to score about 177, leaving them a gap of more than 400 for the second innings. Three days left, and England must be praying for rain.)Follow live at the BBC, or the stat-heavy cricinfo, or The Guardian.ALSO THIS WEEKENDRead morePosted by Beau Dure on November 24, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, College: More sports, Golf, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Preps, Soccer, Weekend Watch Permalink Comments (0)Today's columns and featuresEverybody eat well? Too much? Relax and dig into to this:College football:- USC takes defensive tackNFL:- Bears' Bradley enjoys long-awaited chanceNHL:- Roenick gets his act together- Kevin Allen: A look at next summer's free-agent market- Gary Thorne: GMs adapting to new-look NHL- Kyle Woodlief: Smaller prospects making way up NHL draft board- Checking in with ... NHL analyst Bill ClementNBA:- Warriors' Ellis thriving under Nelson- New attitude gives Hawks new hopeHorse racing:- Jockey Baze close to career record for winsBoxing:- Welterweights vie to succeed MayweatherTV:- Michael Hiestand on Bob Davie and an NFL Films series with hard-hitting questionsCollege soccer:- Notre Dame soccer a two-part successAt Sports Scope today, we'll round up your fantasy help and preview the gigantic weekend ahead.Posted by Beau Dure on November 24, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, College: More sports, Horse Racing, NBA, NFL, Soccer Permalink Comments (0)Weekend Top 12The top 12 weekend winners ...12. British Columbia Lions. Lifted the Grey Cup with a 25-14 win over the Montreal Alouettes.11. Padraig Harrington. Not many golfers beat Tiger Woods in a playoff. He's the second, in fact. Tiger is now 14-2. The other big golf winner of the weekend: LPGA rookie Julieta Granada, who earned a $1 million paycheck at the ADT Championship.10. Old Dominion men's hoops. Beat No. 8 Georgetown on the Hoyas' campus.9. Manny Pacquiao. Knocked down Erik Morales three times to close out the trilogy of fights (one win each before Saturday) with a third-round knockout.8. Utah Jazz. Now 9-1 after beating Phoenix.7. Chicago Bears. Also 9-1, and they're a little farther along in the season than the Jazz. The defense dominated in a 10-0 shutout of the Jets.Read morePosted by Beau Dure on November 20, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, College: More sports, Cycling, Golf, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Tennis Permalink Comments (0)Weekend WatchCollege football's titanic weekend and the NASCAR series finale are among the highlights. Also, champions are crowned in CFL football, modern pentathlon and NCAA field hockey.All times EasternTOP EVENTSCollege men's basketball (Friday): 2K Sports College Hoops Classic concludes on ESPN2, with St. John's and Texas in the third-place game (7 p.m.) and Maryland against Michigan State for the title (9 p.m.).College football (Saturday): No more need to hype Michigan-Ohio State. Just a reminder of the time and channel: 3:30 p.m., ABC. The second-biggest game of the day: California at Southern Cal (8 p.m., ABC).NASCAR (Sunday): The final turns in the Chase for the Nextel Cup (NBC, 3 p.m.).The rest of the week:Read morePosted by Beau Dure on November 17, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, College: More sports, Golf, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Soccer, Tennis, Weekend Watch Permalink Comments (0)De La Hoya-MayweatherMay 5, 2007: Floyd Mayweather vs. Oscar De La Hoya. Site undetermined. Both men say this will be their last fight, a statement boxers have been known to take back. De La Hoya is likely to be an underdog.The records:Floyd Mayweather: 37-0, 24 knockouts. Titles won: WBC super featherweight, WBC lightweight, WBC light welterweight, IBF welterweight, WBC welterweightOscar De La Hoya: 38-4, 30 knockouts. Titles won: IBF lightweight, WBC super lightweight, WBC welterweight, WBC junior middleweight, WBA junior middleweightDe La Hoya is 33 (34 by the time of the fight) and has only fought six times in the last five years, once since Bernard Hopkins knocked him out with a body shot Sept. 18, 2004. Mayweather will be 30.The Ring ranks Mayweather first among welterweights and De La Hoya sixth among junior middleweights.Will this fight live up to the hype? Or is it too late?Posted by Beau Dure on November 14, 2006 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Weekend Top 12Ten isn't even enough for gymnasts any more. We stretch it to 12.- Da Bears: Rex Grossman silences the Brian Griese talk, Devin Hester makes the Giants pay for ignoring the deep man on a field goal attempt and Chicago has a two-game lead in the NFC home-field race. Honorable mention to San Diego, which moved to 7-2 the hard way, storming back from 21 points down.- Jimmie Johnson: Finished second to Kevin Harvick in Arizona but broke open the Chase for the Nextel Cup, needing only a 12th-place finish next week to clinch the title.- Houston Rockets: Won fourth straight, with Yao dominating Shaq in a 94-72 win over Miami.- Houston Dynamo: Answered a late overtime goal with one of their own, then won the MLS title on penalty kicks.- Justine Henin-Hardenne: Tour champion, top-ranked women's player.- Southern Cal football: Handily beat Oregon and moved into position for a title shot as ranked teams tumbled around them. The women's soccer team upset Santa Clara before falling to Stanford in the NCAA tournament.- Tony Schumacher: Needed a record to win his third straight NHRA Top Fuel championship, and he delivered. Honorable mention to John Force, who won his 14th Funny Car title and his 122nd race.- Vladimir Klitschko: Knocked out Calvin Brock to keep his share of the heavyweight championship. So can we have a unified champion yet?- Virginia basketball: Opened a new arena in style with an upset of Arizona.- Evan Lysacek: Won Cup of China figure skating competition with a comeback in the free skate.- Lorena Ochoa: As if we needed any more convincing that she's the top LPGA player this year.- Pete Weber: Won his 33rd PBA title with an average margin of victory of almost 50 pins in the two televised matches.Honorable mentions to Shani Davis (winner 1,000 meters, World Cup speedskating), Andy Potts (World Cup triathlon winner) and the NCAA field hockey semifinalists.Posted by Beau Dure on November 13, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, College: More sports, Golf, Motorsports, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Soccer, Tennis Permalink Comments (0)Weekend WatchAll times Eastern. See full TV listings here, and follow football, basketball, NHL and the MLS playoffs on the scores page. We also have matchup info for football, basketball, NHL, MLS, European soccer and NASCAR.FRIDAYNASCAR: Speed Channel has Nextel Cup qualifying (5 p.m.) and Craftsman Truck race (8 p.m.).College football: UTEP-UAB (8 p.m., ESPN2).Golf: The Merrill Lynch Shootout is mostly men but includes a Fred Couples-Annika Sorenstam team (4 p.m., USA). That means she's missing the LPGA Tournament of Champions (5 p.m. tape, The Golf Channel). Tiger Woods is on the European Tour's China stop (11 p.m., The Golf Channel). And they think Americans don't know geography.NBA: ESPN has selected Miami-New Jersey (8 p.m.) and Detroit-L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m.) from the evening's 10 games. Unbeaten New Orleans is at Portland.NHL: Nashville-Detroit among the seven games.College hockey: Harvard-Cornell (8 p.m., CSTV)SATURDAY MORNING/AFTERNOONRead morePosted by Beau Dure on November 10, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, College Football, College: More sports, Golf, Motorsports, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Soccer, Tennis, Weekend Watch Permalink Comments (0)Weekend WatchAll times Eastern. See full TV listings here, and follow football, NBA, hockey, NBA and the MLS playoffs on the scores page. We also have matchup info for football, NBA, NHL, MLS, European soccer and NASCAR.FRIDAYNBA: ESPN doubleheader has Cleveland-San Antonio (8 p.m.) and Seattle-L.A. Lakers (10:30 p.m.)High school football: No. 2 Lakeland, Fla., takes on crosstown rival Kathleen (7:30 p.m., USATODAY.com)College football: Air Force-Army (8 p.m., ESPN2)NASCAR: Speed Channel has Nextel Cup qualifying (4:30 p.m.), Busch qualifying (6:30 p.m.) and the Trucks race (8:30 p.m.).NHL: Four games, includings Dallas-Edmonton (9:30 p.m.)College hockey: Notre Dame-Ohio State (8 p.m., CSTV)Soccer: U.S. women face Canada in Peace Queen Cup final (11:30 p.m.)Read morePosted by Beau Dure on November 03, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Football, College: More sports, Golf, Horse Racing, Media, NBA, NFL, Olympic Sports, Preps, Soccer, Tennis, Weekend Watch Permalink Comments (0)Tyson-Jones ... not RoyHere's one from the "we'll believe it when we see it" file (sentiment already expressed at TVSquad): Mike Tyson vs. Tom Jones. Yes, that Tom Jones -- the 66-year-old Welsh singer.We have doubts. Severe doubts. Even if the report is accurate, the source is questionable. It's Mike Tyson, who technically says "some personalities like Tom Jones."Jones is a boxing fan, at least -- the trademark on his name is owned by "Seconds Out Productions, LLC," and he has been keeping up with fellow Welshman Joe Calzaghe.Posted by Beau Dure on October 24, 2006 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Tyson still has somethingJon Saraceno saw Mike Tyson meet, greet and throw a few punches Friday in Youngstown, Ohio. The stamina isn't coming back, and neither is a heavyweight belt. But he still has power, and people are still willing to fork over money to see him swing at somebody or something.The Cleveland Plain Dealer was part of the assembled media, which was a few hundred times lower than, say, Tyson vs. Michael Spinks or Evander Holyfield. Joe Maxse reports: "By the end of the round, the fans were chanting an expletive that began with the letter B."Tyson did take boxing advertisements to a new level. Rather than scrawling GoldenPalace.com across his back, he wore a T-shirt for Michael Steele. No, not the former Bangle (yes, she came back to join the reunited band but decided last year not to continue touring) but a Republican candidate for Senate who just happens to be his former brother-in-law.There was no decision, but TysonTalk.com seems to lean toward Tyson. Just a bit.So what next for Tyson? Start a senior tour of boxing? Serve on Capitol Hill with Steele?Posted by Beau Dure on October 23, 2006 in Boxing/MMA Permalink Comments (0)Sports to Go: Online gambling fights the axIn The Simpsons, Lisa gets airplane traffic diverted from the family home by sneaking the legislation into a bill giving flags to orphans.The reality isn't so different, as online gamblers must be wondering why their hobby is being crushed by the "SAFE Port Act," which is intended to shore up security at national ports. Poker Players Alliance calls it a "back room deal" that "allowed it to pass without any public discussion."Overseas, the legislation has created a bit of panic. From The Telegraph: "The beleaguered online gambling industry is bracing itself for a wave of company collapses and redundancies, after World Gaming collapsed into administration today. The Guardian tells us Sportingbet sold its U.S. operations for $1.Some sites are defiant. PokerStars.com says it's confident its operations are legal. Full Tilt Poker has a simple message: "We're here to stay." Poker Players Alliance says it will continue the fight.And that fight looks far from futile. MSNBC's Mike Brunker finds several sources agreeing that the legislation won't be easy to enforce.Poker star Annie Duke, our guest on this week's Sports to Go podcast, draws a distinction between the skill of poker and the sheer luck of lotteries and roulette, and she points out the math and business skills that can be developed at the virtual poker table. She's betting on a lot of litigation in the future.Also in this week's Sports to Go: USA TODAY's Chuck Johnson looks at the state of boxing, including the former Soviet republics' domination of the heavyweight class.- Download at iTunes- Stream the audioShare your thoughts below.Update: To follow up on a comment about the World Trade Organization -- there was indeed a ruling in 2005 that the U.S. "cannot block other countries from offering Internet gambling to U.S. residents," in the words of this Deseret News story. That means the WTO will be taking a hard look at this legislation as well. Antigua is leading the challenge, along with several British companies.Posted by Beau Dure on October 13, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, Gaming, Podcasts Permalink Comments (0)What you're browsingWho cares about athletes' personal lives? You do. Admit it. Otherwise, Brynn Cameron wouldn't be the top mover and #3 overall (behind the U.S. Open and the NFL) on Yahoo's Buzz Index. (For those who aren't in the loop -- Matt Leinart's father has told the Ventura County Star that Cameron is expecting, and his son is the father-to-be.)With that in mind, the people at Digg are enamored of Andy Roddick's emphatic denial that he and Maria Sharapova are dating. Sharapova, incidentally, is at #13 on the Yahoo Buzz Index.Other top Buzz movers, #5-9: Chien-Ming Wang, Seattle Mariners, Sasha Cohen, Hoover High School Football, Futbol Mexicano.UFC has dropped from fourth to 10th, which might be good news for boxing. We talked about the boxing-vs.-UFC issue earlier this week, and Diggsters are talking about the idea of boxers marketing themselves on MySpace. The Digg discussion is wide-ranging -- a little bit of boxing talk, some esoteric discussion of various martial arts forms, a few shots at MySpace as a hangout for immature high school kids. (That'll be a shock to journalists, who are told each day that MySpace is the latest thing to render us useless.)Posted by Beau Dure on September 01, 2006 in Boxing/MMA, College Basketball, Media, NFL, Preps, Soccer, Tennis Permalink Comments (0)Boxing or UFC?Having been called out in another USA TODAY blog, it's time to state for the record that we will cover boxing, both pro and amateur.But we should also ask a question: Is boxing on the verge of being eclipsed by other fighting sports?One sign of the times -- The Washington Post, not known for chasing the Spike TV demographic, covered an Ultimate Fighting Championship title bout over the weekend. Not as a novelty. Not with all the background information, often delivered with some amusement, that usually accompanies quadrennial coverage of team handball or curling. The Post covered it in the same straightforward tone the paper would use for a boxing story.Once a semi-underground sideshow that attracted the scorn of political figures such as John McCain, the UFC and other mixed martial arts organizers have moved toward legitimacy in recent years. The sport is a rough mix of boxing and martial arts -- the "submission," in which a fighter taps his hand to surrender rather than risk further incapacitation from a chokehold or armbar, will look familiar to Olympic judo fans. The rules have evolved so that the sport is no longer a free-for-all.From the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board (2002): "In past years, the State Athletic Control Board (SACB) had been hesitant to sanction mixed martial arts events due to the lack of formal rules in the sport which created health and safety concerns. ... However, in the last year or so, promoters of mixed martial arts events began to develop formal rules and regulations which included procedures to minimize the risk of injury to the contestant."Spike TV's broadcasts have helped the UFC overcome financial problems of five years ago. The sport is also marketed through DVD sales and video games. The biggest hurdle UFC may face soon: With many other mixed martial arts organizations still running, fighters may demand a bigger cut. (Of the money, that is.)Are the UFC and other hybrids of boxing, wrestling and martial arts on the verge of supplanting boxing? Has it already happened?Update: UFC is #1 on today's Yahoo Buzz index, one place ahead of the NFL. UFC fighter Chuck Liddell is #12.And here is the latest sckeduleFight ScheduleNational TV in parenthesesMay 3At Ariake Colosseum, Tokyo, Japan, Hozumi Hasegawa, Kobe, Japan, vs. Simpiwe Vetyeka, England, 12, for Hasegawa's WBC bantamweight title; Edwin Valero, Tokyo, Japan, vs. Nobuhito Honmo, Tokyo, Japan, 12, for Valero's WBA junior lightweight title; Nobuo Nashiro, Osaka, Japan, vs. Alexander Munoz, San Felix, Venezuela, 12, for Nashiro's WBA junior bantamweight title.At Dallas, Chris Henry, Houston, vs. Max Heyman, Albuquerque, N.M., 12, for the vacant NABF light heavyweight title.May 4At Las Vegas, Hugo Fidel Cazares, Mexico, vs. Wilfrido Valdez Perez, Colombia, 12, for Cazares' WBO light flyweight title.At Palms Casino, Las Vegas (SHO), Eddie Chambers, Philadelphia, vs. Dominick Guinn, Houston, Texas, 10, heavyweights.At Mohegan Sun Casino, Uncasville, Conn., Mike Oliver, Hartford, Conn., vs. Vernie Torres, Pensacola, Fla., 10, junior featherweights.May 5At Jakarta, Indonesia, Muhammad Rachman, Indonesia, vs. Florante Condes, Philippines, 12, for Rachman's IBF minimumweight title.At MGM Grand Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas (PPV), Oscar De La Hoya, Los Angeles, vs. Floyd Mayweather Jr., Las Vegas, 12, for De La Hoya's WBC junior middleweight title; Rocky Juarez, Houston, vs. Jose Andres Hernandez, Round Lake, Ill., 10, for the vacant WBA Fedelatin super featherweight title.May 9At Studio Mel's, Montreal (ESPN), Adrian Diaconu, Canada, vs. Rico Hoye, Detroit, 12, for Diacanu's WBC international light heavyweight title.May 11At Salinas, Puerto Rico, Jose Miguel Cotto, vs. Prawet Singwangcha, Thailand, 12, for the vacant WBA lightweight title.At Million Dollar Elm Casino, Tulsa, Okla. (ESPN2), Allan Green, Tulsa, Okla., vs. Samuel Miller, La Habra, Calif., 12, super middleweights; Terry Smith, Little Rock, Ark., vs. Kelvin Davis, Reno, Nev., 10, heavyweights.May 12At Montreal, David Cadieux, Canada, vs. Josue Blocus, Ormsby, Calif., 12, for the vacant WBO-NABO heavyweight title.May 16At Hard Rock Hotel, Hollywood, Fla. (ESPN2), Glen Johnson, Miami, Fla., vs. Montell Griffin, Chicago, 12, IBF light heavyweight eliminator.May 18At Beacon Theater, New York, John Duddy, New York, vs. Elvin Ayala, New Haven, Conn., 10, middleweights.May 19At FedEx Forum, Memphis, Tenn. (HBO), Jermain Taylor, Little Rock, Ark., vs. Cory Spinks, St. Louis, 12, for Taylor's WBC and WBO middleweight titles; Edison Miranda, Colombia, vs. Kelly Pavlik, Youngstown, Ohio, 12, middleweights.At Guadalajara, Mexico, Ulises Solis, Mexico, vs. Jose Antonio Aguirre, Mexico, 12, for Solis' IBF light flyweight title.May 25At Mendoza, Argentina, Juan Carlos Reveco, Argentina, vs. Nethra Sasiprapa, Thailand, 12, for the vacant WBA light flyweight title.At Washington (ESPN2), Tony Thompson, Washington, vs. Elieser Castillo, Miami, 10, heavyweights.At Isleta Casino Resort, Albuquerque, N.M., Jesus Soto-Karass, Mexico, vs. Gilbert Venegas, East Molline, Ill., 12, for the WBC Continental Americas welterweight title.May 26At Slaskie, Poland, Krzysztof Wlodarczyk, Poland, vs. Steve Cunningham, Philadelphia, 12, for Wlodarczyk's IBF cruiserweight title.At Bamberg, Germany, Arthur Abraham, Germany, vs. Sebastien Demers, Canada, 12, for Abraham's IBF middleweight title.At London, Matt Skelton, England, vs. Michael Sprott, England, 12, for Skelton's Commonwealth heavyweight title; Souleymane M'baye, France, vs. Gavin Rees, Wales, 12, for M'baye's WBA light welterweight title.At Anaheim (Calif.) Center (HBO), Michael Katsidis, Australia, vs. Joan Guzman, Dominican Republic, N.Y., 12, for Katsidis' interim WBO lightweight title; Jorge Linares, Japan, vs. Oscar Larios, Mexico, 12, for the interim WBC featherweight title.May 30At Kansas City, Mo. (ESPN2), Jorge Lacierva, Atlanta, vs. Marcos Ramirez, Kanas City, Kan., 10, featherweights.June 1At Chumash Casino, Santa Ynez, Calif. (SHO), James Kirkland, Austin, Texas, vs. Ossie Duran, Brirain, 10, middleweights; Donald Camarena, Denver, vs. Timothy Bradley, Palm Springs, calif., 10, light welterweights.June 2At Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, N.J., (HBO), Shannon Briggs, Brooklyn, N.Y., vs. Sultan Ibragimov, Russia, 12, for Briggs' WBO heavyweight title; Shamone Alvarez, Atlantic City, N.J., vs. Jose Luis Cruz, Santa Ana, Calif., 12, for the vacant WBO-NABO welterweight titles.June 4At Kanagawa, Japan, Eagle Kyowa, Japan, vs. Akira Yaegashi, Japan, 12, for Kyowa's WBC minimumweight title.June 8At Hudson & Campbell Fitness Center, Gary, Ind., Giovanni Segura, Bell, Calif., vs. Cesar Canchila, Colombia, 12, light flyweight eliminator.June 9At Madison Square Garden, New York (PPV), Miguel Angel Cotto, Puerto Rico, vs. Zab Judah, Brooklyn, N.Y., 12, for Cotto's WBA welterweight title; Humberto Soto, Mexico, vs. Bobby Pacquiao, Philippines, 10, super featherweights; Julio Cesar Chavez Jr., Mexico, vs. Grover Wiley, Omaha, Neb., 10, welterweights; Yuri Forman, Russia, vs. Anthony Thompson, Philadelphia, 10, super welterweights.June 14At Main Street Armory, Rochester, N.Y. (Versus), Hasim Rahman, Baltimore, vs. Taurus Sykes, Brooklyn, N.Y., 10, heavyweights; Kid Diamond, Las Vegas, vs. Jose Leonardo Cruz, 12, lightweights, for Diamond's NABF Lightweight Championship.June 23At Thomas & Mack Center, Las Vegas (HBO), Ricky Hatton, England, Jose Luis Castillo, Mexico, 12, super lightweights.July 7At Cologne, Germany (HBO), Wladimir Klitschko, Ukraine, vs. Lamont Brewster, 12, for Klitschko's IBF-IBO heavyweight titles.July 21At Las Vegas (PPV), Bernard Hopkins, Philadelphia, vs. Ronald Wright, St. Petersburg, Fla., 12, for Hopkins' Ring magazine light heavyweight title.







And now we will have basketball.For all of the crap that Dirk Nowitzki has taken (and yes, he deserved a lot of it), Tracy McGrady needs to be questioned even more.For years this guy has been touted as one of the premier players in the league. Some would even argue that he is better than Kobe Bryant. However, he has never been out of the first round of the playoffs. He had a solide game tonight, 29 pts. and 13 assists, but it wasn't enough...again.They were playing a Jazz team that they should have beaten. They were up 3-2 on the Jazz and McGrady had two chances to beat them including one game at home. McGrady I believe is cursed. Ever since being up 3-1 against the Pistons when he played with the Magic, he hasn't been able to get out of the first round. Dirk on the other hand has led his team to the Finals.McGrady however can't lead and will once again go through another summer answering the question, "why can't you get out of the first round?" Dirk will go through another summer answering questions too, but at least he knows he can do it. At least he has history on his side and can come back with a vengeance. McGrady on the other hand has to really wonder if he can do it. Perhaps he has to wonder if the Rockets are the right team for him. With Dallas going out in the first round, Houston really needed to win tonights game. McGrady needed to look at the situation and realize that if he won the game, he could easily beat the tired Warriors and go onto the WCF. Instead he does just enough to lose and not enough to win. Game 6 against the Warriors was not the biggest game of Nowitzki's career. I believe the next time he gets back to the Finals (and yes, he will get back there) will be his biggest. Tonight was McGrady's biggest game ever, and he lost. So while Dirk will get a lot if criticism this summer, just remember who else deserves it, maybe even more.54 Comments Add a commentcategories: NBA, NBA Playoffs, Dallas Mavericks, Houston Rockets, Dirk Nowitzki, Tracy McGrady« Continue reading PardonTheIntrusion's Blog...Now In HD!total comments: 54 Page 1 of 2 1 2 Next > 54fulltiltfulltimeMay 5, 200710:47 PMAre you kidding, it's not even close.I defy you to name me a more pathetic performence in a playoff series by an alleged MVP player. 8 points in a win or go home game? Very,very weak. And people still have the gall to compare Nowitzki to Larry Bird? More like Larry Fine. Stop making excuses for this guy. He's soft deal with it. Dirk will never be "the man".PardonTheIntrusionMay 5, 200711:03 PMNever be the man? When he lead his team to the Finals he was the man. I am not going to let 1 playoff series define him as a person. I remember Dennis Johnson losing in the playoffs with a BLEEP poor performance and then the next year led the Sonics to a championship.McGrady on the other hand has done nothing and he is suppose to be one of the best players in the league. What has he done in the post season? Exactly, and while Dirk sucked this year, he has been the man in previous post season. That is the point of this post, sorry you missed that.NashtyBallMay 5, 200711:22 PMI have to agree with 54fulltime here. I think Dirk's performance in the post season was one level away from shameful. He did have one shining moment when he single-handidly led the Mavs to victory in Game 5 with 2 big 3's, a big block and some solid free throws. For a guy who was touted as being the "best player of the best team" that should not be his only highlight of the series. I just didn't see where McGrady can improve his game any more. Unfortunately for McGrady, Utah is simply a better team than Houston. The question is, is Golden State a better team than Mavericks? This match up was a team that was barely .500 vs. a .800+ team. NOBODY besides the hardcore fans were expecting this downfall. And that is what is so telling about Dirk. He completely failed to provide leadership and play with heart day in and day out. There were multiple games where he appeared like he was scared of maintaining possession of the ball. In contrast, McGrady was going to hoop, playing hard and playing smart day in and day out (well, except for when he didn't foul Krilenko at the end of game 7... what was that??)Favre81May 5, 200711:34 PMIt's great. With the exception of Lebron James. All the one on one, Superstar, isolation basketball players are out of the playoffs. Spread the floor go one on one. Get a basket or get the refs to make a call. No listening the Barkley go you have to have a go to guy who can score or get the calls in the 4th quarter. To win in the playoffs. Sorry Charles but Wade, Bryant, McGrady, Anthony, and Iverson are gone. Team basketball over selfish, ego driven games. Is this really the NBA. Maybe Stern hasn't completly ruined the game promoting superstars. Nash is the MVP. You idiots. Nowitki is just a 7 footer who can shoot.NashtyBallMay 5, 200711:55 PMLOL... them are strong words Favre! But I'm eatin em' all up! How can anyone not like the game teams like the Suns and Golden State play?? It's been regarded as fun to watch but always a losing style in the playoffs. Well, what are all the critics going to say when this set of playoffs ends and all that's left are the teams that had depth, strong ball movement and agility?ea7777May 6, 200712:20 AMHey Favre81, you have it all right on this one.This is a team sport ! Not hard to figure way back in the sexies a Celtic Team made great players from team ball. They won 9 NBA Championships.Don't think there was some great superstars just like LA,Houston,Miami,Dallas and Cleveland has now.They loss to team ball.The Suns are Team Ball. San Antonio are team ball,Golden st. are team ball. Utah,Detroit,Chicago,NJare tem ball.Cleveland goes down next. LB, KB AND TM will all have to find what Nash has ! A supporting cast.The_Golden_OneMay 6, 20072:50 AMOk, and this coming from a huge, Dallas born Mavericks, fan, T-Mac definately does not compare to the upsetting performance by Dirk, He performed fine, minus 2 20-ft jumpers late in the game, and sure his free throws arent exactly great, but he still had double digits in pts, and assist, so he did what great players do, showed up, and dirk, well he was just messed up mentally, the warriors got in his head early with great D, and stayed there, minues the the 9 minutes that Dirk finally realized he was a leader in game 5 (which by the way he forgot that by the time game 6 came). I can't even believe you are studying to be a journalist and think dirk has less to answer, with the supporting cast he had and a 67-win record down the drain, than T-mac, with a midiocre team. Now on to the people bashing Dirk, yes he failed as a leader, yes he choked, but would the mavs have had 67 without him? And that 7 footer who can "just shoot" beat every "big" guy this season so you can't take away his position credit, its just a different style. He is MVP material, as is Nash, but nobody can deny him his credit for carrying this team until they met the one team that beat them all year (I don't see how the world was shocked when the coach that turned the Mavs into what they are, BEAT THE MAVS), but yeah....that's itea7777May 6, 20078:01 AMHey, every one has slumps ! Every one ! They just picked the wrong time of the year to do this.I'm glade my Suns faded around fourteen games before the playoffs. I'm not a Dirk fan he crys too much for me. He does however play like my past PHX Sun Tom Chambersand looks alot like Jack Sikma of old Seattle also Dan Essel too of old Denver. All these guys are simular. They were all talented too. Coach Avery, Heck he is a real stand up guy. I like the way he talks. Smart guy. He too messed up some in game one going small, but he still is not the player. His players just did not respond to him. He is still the coach that got them to the finals a year ago.Bottom line !!!!!!!! They choked and did not handle the pressure. Golden St came out on fire to add to the injury. Wrong time to have a slump, wrong team ! By the way any other team in the playoffs would had their hands full with these guys. I just hope they cool off alittle by the time the Suns play them ! LOLSUNS BLITZslshuskerMay 6, 20073:47 PMTM has had a long term record of being on choking teams. Dirk hasn't.First, which would you pick, TM or Dirk.The whole question is crap.They're both great players.Dirk played like pig poop in game seven @ GState.TM faded vs the Jazz.Still, they're both great players.Finger pointing is not necessary.I'll take Dirk over TM by a couple whiskers.HoffmanMay 6, 20075:23 PMThey're both great players.Dirk deserves credit for getting to the Finals but with the up and coming talent in the West, he's not a lock to get back.Dallas needs to bolster their defense. Their improvement on the defensive side of the ball was exaggerated.It's extremely unfortunate that T-Mac has never gotten out of the first round. I feel for him because he is a great player. Last edited by Hoffman on May 6th at 5:36 PM.slshuskerMay 6, 20075:33 PMLet's not bury Dirk and Dallas.GState played FAR above their season averages.Don Nelson is a great motivator for a series.Baron was unconscious during the series and prior and was quiet until the last month of the season.GState peaked at the right time and stepped it up vs. Dallas. End of story.This is not one of the great upsets.rickoMay 6, 20077:14 PMFirst of all, as I've said, Dirk is not the problem in Dallas. They are at a severe coaching disadvantage, no matter who they face. Secondly, I would take McGrady over Nowitzki in a heartbeat, as I think most would. It's a team game, not an individual game, and T-Mac would fit in admirably with almost any team. Dirk? Well, unless there's a sudden huge demand for seven footers who play on the perimeter, I don't think he fits in too well.Gl1093May 6, 20077:20 PMhoffman - u say that dirk deserve credit for taking his team to the finals. there one problem with that - the mavs lost the finals! so does dirk take the whole blame for taking his team and losing in the finals?May 6, 20077:28 PMi laugh at this...because the fact of the matter is the so called to be MVP, DIRK!!!!! and the mavs were touted as the best team and picked to win it all. Yes McGrady had expectations put upon him but saying Mcgrady, a future hall a famer, is in the same boat or worse then dirk is saying that Mcgrady choked is stretching it. and dont sleep on Utah they are a really good team... do you think golden state will not have trouble with this team???phinfan4lifMay 6, 20077:28 PMPardonTheIntrusion? since you are a biased Mavs fan, shouldn't this blog be on a Mavs website?TMac was right, I watched the series and utah was a better team. They had more options than TMac and Yao (apparantly the only two players on the Rockets). Alston, in my opinion is the one of the worst players in the league. He makes more bad plays than good plays. Unfortunately TMac has never had even one other good players on any of his teams other than when he was a pup in Toronto. Yao is extremely slow and soft. Did anyone see Boozer jump over him from behind and rebound (without fouling) over Yao with about 20 sec left. That was pathetic. I too would take TMac over Dirk but they are both great players. Van Gundy made a good point about his (old) team: it's easy to win a bunch of games in the regular season with an average team by outworking other teams most nights, but that ends in the playoffs. Especially against a better coached team.harley69May 6, 20077:45 PMThe biggest problem with both T-mac and Dirk are they have no idea what being a team player means.McGardy didnt choke he had a great game he just couldn't keep up with Boozer. Everyone counted out the Jazz. GO JAZZ. They will win Golden Statebassda1May 6, 20077:53 PMI feel u on this blog about Dirk goin deep in the playoffs and Mcgrady not gettin past tha first round, but my dude to be honest everytime Mcgrady made it to the playoffs he showed up. Im not goin to talk about all the other years. Im goin to talk about this season, because the soon to be M.V.P. didnt show up at all in the post season. Alright, when his team lost the lead and he bring them back from down nine with 3 minutes left, he made a big block and hit two threes and made a couple of free throws so they could win game five. If u was to ask me, his last three minutes was over-rated. After he hit his second three point shot he only had 23 points ,and the rest was free throws. Besides that dirk didnt show up at all in the post season, but Mcgrady had a hell of a post season. He played his ass off. I admit Utah was able to slow him down at times in every game, but he still played great in every game. Yao played good too, but the supporting cast didnt do enough. On the other hand Dirk didnt play good all post season. Infact he didnt show up at all, but T-mac played his ass off. Last edited by bassda1 on May 7th at 4:31 PM.LamboleaperMay 6, 20078:15 PMTo begin, both are great players. As a Mavs fan, Dirk did perform poorly, however, give Golden State more credit. They are not a typical "8th seed." In my opinion, they're a 4th or 5th seed. They had a poor start, and with the trade, they needed some time to gel. In March and April, GS beat Detroit, Denver, Dallas(2), Phoenix, Houston, and Utah. It wasn't like they got in by beating mediocre teams. Also, to the people who say the teams left don't have go to/stars players, they all do. Billups, Nash, Duncan, Boozer, Kidd, etc. Anyone can beat anyone. That's why they have playoffs. Last edited by Lamboleaper on May 6th at 8:16 PM.RealBBallFanMay 6, 20078:25 PMWith the media and sensationalism being what it is today--guys like T-MAC and Dirk are going to get all of the blame when they don't WIN. But please let me reimnd you that bball is, has been, and will always be a TEAM sport. The best players never win---the best TEAMS WIN.DonElevationMay 6, 20078:48 PMSteve Nash=no ringsUsually the best defensive team wins which u can bet the suns wont.As far as McGrady...After he blew it in orlando talking bout how good it feels to make it to the next round up 3-1 then loses the series to the pistons and now....The essence of NO POISE!I like mcgrady but this is sad. Dirk played like a little ho against g state. Someone like dirk whom can usually get off a quality shot at will didnt even want the ball in alot of superstar situations. All teams that win titles have a go to guy and dirk should have but didnt come thru. He should at the very least tried....! Also, g state matched up perfect against mavs. Its like an anomaly.And the best players usually do win championships.Bird, magic, jordan, duncan, wade, kobe, shaq, hakeem, kareem, wilt, etc.... and then every now and then u have an all around solid squad like the pistons with no superduper stars that win...but again they had the best defense. And ben wallace was a defensive superduper star in my opinion. Last edited by DonElevation on May 6th at 8:54 PM.LostChildMay 6, 20079:38 PMOk but what about Tim Ducan is he not a super star what about Steve Nash what about Carlos Boozer. They all put up superstar stats and I think there all superstars yes Lebron is the bigest but there all not out. Stop listing to anouncers on t.v. and make your own appinons.boxster233May 6, 20079:42 PMYes, McGrady does not have enough around him. Yes, he could have done more. That is not to say he didn't carry a huge load with 29 points and 13 assists.But he needed to shoot more. He needed to be a scorer and will a victory.Neither him nor Dirk did that. While McGrady being unable to get out of the first round is embarassing, Dirk's Mavs choked away the only Finals chance they will have. Neither McGrady nor Dirk can lead but McGrady should be applauded for changing his game the way he did this season.He should be criticized for not shooting Houston out of the first round. Dirk did nothing to make his Dallas teammates better against GS.McGrady at least tried. Nevermind that nobody else on the team can get to the basket but him; nor can they make 3's consistently.Not to mention, Terry, Stackhouse, Howard, Harris make a much better supporting cast. Criticize TMac for sure, but not more than Dirk. Dirk got the biggest stage and failed. McGrady hasn't gotten there but he hasn't had a diverse supporting cast to reach the Finals.13PanthersMay 6, 20079:45 PMDirk....WHAT?!?!?! He sucked and has to pick up his nuts and ball. I expected more from him and so did his coach! You can't come into a ride or die situation...being an all star...and not command the ball, want the ball, or just shoot the damn ball!!! He did not play like a winner, or a person who did not want to loose until game 5 with around 4 minutes to go.McGrady was trying to win!!! He scored more than 8 points. Last edited by 13Panthers on May 6th at 9:56 PM.Gmo_NeyMay 6, 200710:26 PMI have a huge problem with Tracy McGrady being compared to Dirks flop in the post season. Am i the only one to notice that Dirk does not come through in big games? yes, he along with his very capable supporting cast made it to the finals last year...but take a look at what happened...in a game where Dirk was suppose to take his team over the hump and he choked. the post season this year was embarrasing...Dirk plain and simply put SUCKED.Tracy on the other hand played well, except for a few moments when he just couldn't get it done. Does anyone out there feel as if T-mac choked? i don't. i fellt however that dirk had a bigole peice of steak down his throat...HE CHOKED!SpursFan89May 6, 200710:44 PMThough I must admit, T-Mac hasn't been as succesful as Dirk, when you account for 66% of the points you team has scored with assists and well as points scored, can you ask for much more? When your big two, T-mac and Yao, account for 88% of the team scoring, how hard is it for any to beat that? They averaged just over 49 points per game and you add 10+ assists per game, it's no wonder T-mac can't get out of the 1st round. Say it with me...no supporting cast!!! One or two missed shots, one or two less assists and T-mac's team is beat. There is no comparison and the author of this blog needs to get his head out of his rear, because you really can't ask for much more. Just look at the stats for the series. T-mac has the Marino syndrome. He makes the teams he is on so much better that they will never be able to get better from the draft, its a curse, but also a testimony to his ability.MonkeyKingMay 6, 200711:14 PMLets see you have your star player scores 29 dishes out 10 count them 10 assists and grabs 5 rebounds and your saying yea that wasn't enough!!! Oh what more could he do shoot 60 like Koby? and your saying that he should be compared to Dirk who short of dressing up didn't even try to show up for this game. Umm which games where you watching? Dallas won 60+ games this season there is no way theY should have been BLOWN OUT like that in a game 7 at least the Rockets went the distance and never quit until the final buzzer. When your so called leader plays like that and shows no signs of even trying to Man up and your team gets its Butt kicked then yea your gonna get fried all summer like you deserve. Yea could Tracy tried to shoot more yea and Yao could have played harder but in the end they fell to a better team watch the games again Utah was a better team all series. Tracy needs one more player someone who can shoot from outside so him and Yao can control the paint then he may get out the first round Last edited by MonkeyKing on May 6th at 11:15 PM.1steelerfan1May 7, 200712:24 AMBig congrats to you my man. You made the front page of the NBA sestion of Fox. Well done.sleepyfloydMay 7, 200712:47 AMthe problem with houston was they got out-coached, Yao is a liability late in the game, t-mac put up numbers just not when it counted- dirk on the other hand just got exposed- for those who forgot it was nellie who scouted and recruited dirk. dirk will now be just a 7 ft jump shooter- josh howard is the future- as for those mav fans dallas lost in 6 not 7- and all the 2nd round teams (except cavs and bulls) have excellent pt guards- something the mavs and rockets lack...The_Golden_OneMay 7, 20071:57 AMUmmm King, as we all agree that Tmac didnt fail nearly as close to Dirk, I feel you didn't even watch the Mavs series, Where are you getting this game 7 from? Apparantly you just saw people writing "do or die" and figured it was game 7, but it was 6, please review the playoffs before responding to blogs....Thanks.ChuwyMay 7, 20072:35 AMHonestly when Steve Francis was still in Houston and Yao was drafted they became a very good tandem. They both did pretty good when they got into the playoffs, even gave Shaq and the Lakers a hard time. Considering it was their first year together. What the rockets should have not done was trade Steve to get TMac and Juwan Howard. What they should've done was keep Francis and Mobley get TMac but not Juwan Howard. Juwan Howard is just plain weak. As long as Howard and TMac are together a second round will only be a dream just like what happened in Orlando when they had the worst record. What TMac needs is another Power Forward that will demand double teams. Juwan Howard does not demand this but Francis surely demanded extra energy from defenders. Last edited by Chuwy on May 7th at 2:44 AM.fsebast80May 7, 20072:53 AMyou're right nowitzki is no mcgrady. not by a long shot. mcgrady is better. even while hampered by a bad back over the past few years, i would still pick mcgrady over nowitzki any day of the week and twice on sunday. i don't doubt dirk's talent. he's a rare breed, but so is t-mac. let's just look at the mere fact that tracy is surrounded by only two other capable players(battier and yao), while dirk plays on arguably the deepest team in the league. tracy did all he could in game 7 and then some, while his supporting cast disappeared. what did dirk do in game 7? oh yeah, he couldn't even get there. dirk has led his team to a glorious 4 wins out of their last 12 playoff games. tracy has never been surrounded with the players dirk has. name me one legit player from his magic days. how about when he was a raptor? and don't even say vince because he has no heart to match his vertical. and while yao is a perennial all star, the game is getting quicker, and his slow feet are a liability given the match up, just ask boozer. so before you make an outrageous comment like you have, look at some of the facts. i could go on and on and on, but some people have to sleep, and if i can make an argument like this in a drunken stupor, lord knows what i could say sober.ReturnofGloryMay 7, 20073:19 AMI totally disagree. I think both of these individuals are excellent basketball players, but Dirk's team is a lot more loaded than T-Mac's. I just don't see how T-Mac's performance can be questioned. His performance was phenomenal against the Jazz, and I'm a Jazz fan. I think we need to remember that basketball is a team sport, and one player, no matter how good, can never do it alone. Someone else always has to step up at some point if their team is going to reach championship status. I just think it's really unfair to place so much blame on T-Mac for their playoff difficulties. I personally think he deserves a lot of credit for helping his teams get to the playoffs so often. Without his stellar play, the teams he has been on wouldn't have even qualified for the postseason.KemonoMay 7, 20074:42 AMomg are you a retard? seriously did you actually watch any of the playoffs? i read your blog thinking you were going to condemn dirk, not mcgrady...why isnt anyone talking about how badly yao ming played in game 7? or how many shots rafer alston missed? or even juwan howard played worse than his usual, luthar head showed extremely little, in fact noone did anything but mcgrady - he was the only thing that kept houston in it, Dirk? dude look at the players he has around him, Terry? Josh Howard? Devin Harris? Jerry Stackhouse? they all can create their own shot, noone in Dallas relys on Dirk to get their shots, sure his points and rebounds are impressive but he doesnt really make anyone better...but is it even a surprise dirk chocked? his go to shot is his fade away, he rarely drives and shoots a ton of jump shots..hes pretty a big version of iverson come to think of it, just iverson passes more...dude i still cannot believe your trying to blame mcgrady...blame yao or whoever, those people who always blame the teams best player whenever a team lose knows nothing about the dynamics of a team...fkhseagle21May 7, 20074:45 AMi am one of the biggest mavericks fans in the country and even i can say that tmac's performance in no way compares to dirks.Dude put up 29 and 10 assists.Maybe if he just put up 29 you could say he was hogging the ball, but no he dished it out the whole game while shooting like the tmac everyone knows and loves, or hates depending on what team you root for.He had more assists then steve nash had in last night's game against the spurs.Dirk put up 8 points in a win or go home game six after putting up 30 the game before.Bottom line Dirk should've played like the team leader and MVP that he is, and as a mavs fan and a person who knows a little abouts sports i know that he'll come back next year after learning from this expeierence and win a championship, but tmac played like a MVP and should not be criticized for it.The_Golden_OneMay 7, 20075:30 AMChuwey, are you even aware of how trades and business work in the NBA? Tell me how the rockets keep Steve and Yao and get Tmac? Nobody else on that team, even combined, would have gotten the Rockets TMAC, and no team would give up their star player for anything but a skilled leader such as Steve, So pretty much your idea is stupid and you should go back to the drawing board, actually since it was so stupid, no drawing board, more like a coloring book...The_Golden_OneMay 7, 20075:33 AMALSO, PardonTheIntrusion, You say you would like to hear our comments, well come back and defend this ridiculous blog u posted that even has the biggest Mavs and Dirk fans (such as myself) disagreeing with you....trapper64May 7, 20077:15 AMA purist would point out that last year, the end of game two was a gift by the refs - a touch foul that wouldn't have drawn a whistle in college but to ensure that the Magic won it, the refs gave it to them. Like this year when the Joey got stupid with Duncan - the refs & Stern have proven that there is little integrety in the officiating of the game - that the players who generate revenue are benefactors of biased officiating (much like the WWF). When Stern demands that the refs apply one set of rules in each and every game without bias, we will get a true champion each and every year. Till then, those teams that aren't the revenue generators will have to play 5 on 8 whereas those who generate revenue with their "street-ball" will play 8 on 5.DonElevationMay 7, 20078:44 AMI agree. On the most part nba refs suck. To much guessing.Im blaming mcgrady because he said blame him if they lose. So i am blaming him.That being said, there are obviously other factors involved in why the rockets lost.Mcgrady is a baller but maybe he needed 35+ pts and a few more assists. I know he had a nice stat line but nba stats dont get u dubs all the time. If i say blame me for something and I dont come thru then please blame me regardless of how hard I tried because honestly you can always try harder.Dirk is a baller also but he is a great shooter......guess what? great shooters need to shoot. The key word is great. Hes probably one of the top five pure shooters in the nba. So for him not to has me baffled. But i wont put too much on this because neither of these teams would have won the title anyway. Also at the very least, Dirk came thru like a true "G" last year against the spurs so I really think he has the ability but he must have a mental block. Kinda like a governer in a car. You know he can do more but hes maxxed out. But we dont know what will happen in the future so they might come thru some other time but this yr is a wrap! Last edited by DonElevation on May 7th at 8:46 AM.DonElevationMay 7, 20078:49 AMMcGrady also doesnt have the right attitude that it takes. Spurs Pistons in the finals.Preseason favorites.They keep it simple and play crazy defense among other things they do superb.steve nash is now steve gash.TMac_1May 7, 20079:28 AMT-Mac has showed up in every game if he was healthy. Don't compare him to Dirk. Where was Dirk at mentally in his series with the Golden State Warriors? Did he contribute a 20+ pt. and 10+ asst. night in their losing effort? Hell no. T-Mac is the truth, and just like any superstar, he needs a team that can contribute and step up whenever the teams needs it. The Rockets have no scorers besides Yao, T-Mac, and Battier. So, don't put the blame on T-Mac. Concentrate on the sorry excuse of an 8-point performance my Dirk. Just unbelievable...and Dirk is suppose to be the MVP????? LOL He even said himself that he wasnt going to be the leader of HIS team, and he's the go-to guy LOL. How is that MVP material. Steve Nash for MVP. I'm out.TMac_1May 7, 20079:36 AMOh and one other thing. Where was Yao at? He was practically invisible on the court until late in the 4th? Get off T-Mac's back. PardonTheIntrusion needs to check his perspectives on things. Last edited by TMac_1 on May 7th at 9:43 AM.boyyakimaMay 7, 200710:20 AMAs a Rockets fan, i cannot tell u how hard it is to watch this team. Even when they won their 2 championships, the Rockets have NEVER been a 4th quarter team. They have never been a team to BLOWOUT others. i don't believe McGrady is cursed...rather, the team is cursed. Our fans at the game were pathetic. After watching the Warriors fans vs the Mavericks...it's sickening to see that a city like Houston can't give the same support. Nowitzki is not a winner. Winners will play great games all the time. He played 6 bad games in a row. I don't blame Nowitzki for this series loss though...I blame Avery Johnson. He simply got outcoached, and he could've been playing the Clippers if he had thought about trying to win at the end of the season (instead of holding the starters vs their last game w/the warriors). Once Dallas lost Nash, they really lost their chances. Houston will never get there because they freakin' never play to win. it's sad. Both Dirk and McGrady will cry all summer while watching Baron Davis win it all.demonicumeMay 7, 200710:57 AMyo, basketball is still a team sport played with opposing teams of 8+ people right? why is it that when a player demands to be paid for his performance - he's not a team player? then again, why is it when a team - as a whole - doesnt get the job done we hear about how 'One Man' didnt win the game?last i checked, Yao was garbage. he can barely get off the floor to rebound or dunk. i has hands of stone on in-bounds passes. he's uncoordinated and cant run the floor. how, exactly, is this Tracy's fault?you jokers need to make up your mind: its either a team game or it aint. either Tracy lost the game 1 on 5 or the team lost it. pick one and get back to me so i know what to think.JTNEZZMay 7, 200711:16 AMIT ALL COMES DOWN TO THE ROCKETS JUST NOT HAVING THE RIGHT PICIES TO BE A CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM. OUR BENCH IS HORRIBLE, AND MCGRADY AND YAO NEED HELP. THE ROCKETS NEED TO SPEND SOME MONEY THIS SUMMER AND BRING IN RASHARD LEWIS, AND A GOOD POINT GAURD. RAFER ALSTON AND OUR BENCH IS GARBAGE. WE HAVE BEEN CURSED WITH GARBAGE PLAYERS THAT NEVER MEET THE POTENTIOAL US ROCKET FANS ARE PROMISED. WE NEED MORE ATHLETIC YOUNG PLAYERS IF WE EVER WANT TO GET OUT OF THE FIRST ROUND. I REALLY HOPE THIS WAS A WAKE UP CALL FOR A TEAM THAT HAS NEEDED TO WAKE UP FOR A WHILE. HONESTLY I DONT THINK ANYBODY ON OUR TEAM RIGHT NOW SHOULD SAFE WITH THERE JOB.EdMay 7, 200711:16 AMI think we all have to get one thing clear, even though the Mcgrady led Rockets went down in the first round, they did not go down to some chump team. The Utah Jazz play a style of team ball that easily make them the "Pistons" of the Western Conference. To even compare the two situations is just stupid. You take this years Rocket team and put them in the Eastern conference and they easily are favorites to be Eastern Conference champs. The West is stacked right now, so every team in the playoffs are quality teams. Dirk choked and is soft, but Dirk has been soft his entire career. TM played his heart out and he left it on the floor. The Rockets did not have the speed to handle Utah and it showed. TM has had this team on his neck and back the entire season and what happened in this series was not his fault. Besides him and Yao, no other player made a real impact and that's what it comes down too, the mavs have 3 all stars, possible MVP, and 6th man of the year and they lose to the #8? They way the mavs played, Utah would've swept them.RayRay1010May 7, 200711:54 AMIm sorry but Tmac did his thing. When u get 12 points from the rest of the team and u r passing the ball. That doesnt mean anything other then u dont have help. No one ask y yao had only 6 rebounds the whole game and if that gaint stick figure could jus grab a damn rebound maybe. Tmac is a leading he put it on himself and he did all that he can do. Tmac and yao r the only ones that can score on that team, and tmac seems like the only one that can get boards. Boozer okur ak47 matt harping and deron williams thats 2 good players and 3 allstars. Jhoward(was great about 10 years ago) battier(not as good as ak47) yao(what okur does but is smaller) skip to my lou(can shoot) and tmac. Dirk cant play under presure. In all of the loses he didnt even want the ball. He would jus stand around and wait for the ball to come to him. Stars demand the ball and come up big when it matters. 29 and 13 with like 6 rebounds doesnt sound bad to me. If dirk would have done that maybe the mavs would still be playing. Now if yao didnt get lit up by boozer the whole series maybe houston would have won.(come on he averaged like 30ppg and 14rpg) Was tmac suppose to hold him and everyone by himselfbkang78May 7, 200711:58 AMI don't see how you can compare the 2. Dirk and the Mavs were the best team in the NBA and barely showed up in their losses and got beat by over 20 in the deciding game. T-Mac goes 7 games against a higher seed and barely loses and this guy has the nerve to say Nowitzki doesn't deserve as much critism as T-Mac? How can you compare an MVP caliber player basically giving up to T-Mac's performance last night?SilentSteveMay 7, 200712:02 PMI also like watching PTI, same with Around the Horn. I understand PTI's perspective upon Dirk and T-Mac. They are both great players but sometimes fall short during the playoffs, when things matter. Both Dirk and T-Mac display great talent but I dont think they have great leadership. But, yes Dirk has lead his team to the NBA Finals during the 2005-06 season. T-Mac, on the other hand, has not even left the first round yet. To me, Rocket's playing style is similar to the Mavericks. They only rely on their star players, like Yao and T-Mac. As for Golden State, they surprised me by playing with their hearts side by side and I am looking forward to the Jazz-Warriors series. In the end, it seems like Avery J wanted Dirk to carry his team with little support, especially during game 6. I love playing and watch Basketball. This is a TEAM sport after all. The better team wins. Last edited by SilentSteve on May 7th at 12:11 PM.rampantfanaticMay 7, 200712:48 PMPTI ......... Nowitzki is clearly a player in need of a kick in da' a$$. Were it not for his lack of leadership and even questionning his own abilities. Then I doubt the Mavericks would've been dumped so unceremonioulsy. That was a totally and woefully inept display by the whole team. What was also apparent was that Avery Johnson was outcoached by his former mentor.It can't be said any more succinctly than that !At least McGrady and his teammates made a series of their contest against the Jazz , which is more can be said of the Mavericks ! Check out my most recent post titled Auf Wiedersehn Pet , Sayonarra, Arriverderci, Say Good Bye You Are The Weakest Link ! It's my own onbservations as to why the Mavericks lost to the Warriors. It's written under the rampantfanatic guise.rampant/tophatal ..........JosephMay 7, 20071:17 PMAny new starting five will fail to be near the league's top in wins regular season. It takes time to gel. The Warriors were an 8th seed, but by no means the 8th best team. They have 3 or 4 guys who can regularly score 30, the most improved player in the league, and a coach that has won. They're just better than the Mavs. With that said, Dirk folded instead of fought; and, he's a bum for that. T-Mac, on the other hand, is one of the top 3 offensive players in the league. He demonstrated that when asked to make other players better, he's more than capable, but willing (gets a nose on Kobe for that). Unfortunately, no one on the team but Yao can create his own shot. They lost as a result of it. Comparing the two, anyone who knows basketball would prefer T-Mac on his team. Neither will win a heart competition but at least T-Mac can get to the basket and play defense