Trade Treks Out West

The trade deadline in baseball passed by earlier today and quite a few trades were made by the GMs looking to buy or sell. There were three trades that seem to catch the eyes of the league and they all involved teams in the AL and NL West Divisions. The first one involved Ryan Dempster. The expectation leading into today was that he was going to be traded to the Dodgers. Dempster would actually end up in the American League. He was traded to the Rangers in exchange for two minor league players. The Rangers make this move with hopes that it will give them enough for another World Series run.

The other two trades involved the Phillies dumping a couple of players. Who would of thought that the Phillies would be sellers instead of buyers at this time. One trade would send Hunter Pence to the Giants in exchange for Nate Schierholtz, a Double AA Catcher, and a Class A pitcher. The other trade Philly orchestrated would involve the Giants NL West Rivals, the Dodgers, as they sent Shane Victorino packing in exchange for a reliever and a minor league picther and also a player to be named later or cash. Not exactly gutting the whole team but enough of it for them to contend in the future.

Not a bad trade deadline day in the Majors. Ryan Dempster is the biggest move, no doubt, considering the ERA he has (2.25) and how he helps cancel out Zack Greinke going to the Angels. It's definitely a bigger move than that one. As for Philly's moves, they remind me of a weapons dealer selling to both sides in a war. Hunter Pence might be a better hitter than Victorino this season but the Dodgers still had a better month in terms of exchanges when you factor in getting Hanley Ramirez last week from the Marlins. But what the Pence move does is keep the Giants in it while also giving them a needed offensive boost.

There were a few other deals made in baseball like Jonathan Broxton going to the Reds but these three trades mentioned are interesting as they involve western teams making a push for a playoff run. Perhaps one of these trades will lead to that.

P.S. Please let it be the Giants.

Lochte (Not Phelps) gets First Gold for USA

The first day of the Olympic Games is over and China seems to have an early lead in both gold with 4 and total medals with 6. Meanwhile, the US watched poolside to see Michael Phelps go back into the water. Along with him was his arch rival, Ryan Lochte. Lochte had been showing Phelps up as of late and decided to do it again in the 400 m Individual Medley. Lochte managed to win the event and take gold while Phelps didn't even place finishing 4th. Thiago Pereira of Brazil took Silver and Kosuke Hagino took Bronze for Japan. This was the first event that Phelps was in and didn't take a medal since Sydney in 2000.

A sign of decline for Michael Phelps as Lochte does it again, this time in London. Sure, Phelps will have a few more shots at some medals but this 4th place finish cannot be a good sign of things to come for the 14 time gold medal winner. Lochte's training and determination pays off for himself as he becomes the USA's first gold medal winner of these 2012 games. Perhaps he will become the most popular US athlete by the time the Olympics in London conclude. Then football will return and no one will remember his name. Good for him to be on top.

THE OLYMPICS ARE HERE, GET YOUR GUNS!!!

The Summer Olympics are back and London plays host for the games this time around. Hey, I was shock to hear about it as well. Of course the games had their opening ceremony last night for the whole world to see... at their prerecorded pace outside of that timezone. I still hate the non-live factor of the whole thing. Yeah, Kobe and LeBron are waiving at us from 8 hours ago.

Anyway, I didn't really watch the opening ceremony nor did I really want to see it (if it was available via internet). I watched a bit of the country introductions; saw the US and Great Britain get introduced. That's about it. I wasn't interested in a over bloated opening ceremony. It's about the games and the athletes from all over the world. That's it. Sweet and simple.

I sit here now and I now listening to the National Anthem of the People's Republic of China. They just won gold in a Air Rifle shooting event. The first one of the Games. How did we lose this event? We are all about guns in the USA and it's a shame that we lost to China who can't even... huh? Oh, it's "Women's" Air Rifle Shooting? Still should've won.

Congrats to China for taking the first Gold and Bronze, for that matter. Yi Siling is the first Gold Medalist of the 2012 Olympic Games. That's a true honor for anybody.

P.S. What a second? How is shooting a sport divided between the sexes? IT'S SHOOTING GUNS, DOESN'T GET MORE EQUAL THAN THAT!!!

P.P.S. HOW SHOOTING GUNS A SPORT?!?!?!

Zach Greinke Traded to Angels

How important is getting a divisional spot over settling for a Wild Card spot nowadays in baseball? Important enough to get Zack Greinke.

The Brewers pitcher has had a good season so far going 9-3 with a 3.44 ERA. The problem is that his talents are being wasted with the Brewers who are currently 14 games behind the Reds in the NL Central and are 10 games under .500. To make things worse, the team was on a 7 game losing streak entering today. So the idea for them was to the sell and Zack Greinke was their product. There were some perspective buyers but the team who got Greinke were the Angels. Looking at the Angels rotation to start the season, you would think they wouldn't need another starting pitcher. But it seems that CJ Wilson and Jared Weaver are the the only one's consistently showing up. So they traded for Zack Greinke giving the Brewers SS Jean Segura and 2 pitchers from Double-A.

The 2 Wild Card team format is no doubt at work here. The Angels are currently one of the Wild Card leaders but that would mean nothing if they lose that One-Game playoff which could easily happen to any team. Better for them to make a charge for the Division and get Zack Greinke to help you do it. The still have a very tough Rangers' team to get by and they are currently 5 games behind them entering today. Even with Greinke, I still favor Texas to take the AL West. The Angels might have to settle for a Wild Card spot anyway which means they might not make the actual playoffs and getting Zack Greinke would've meant nothing then, especially if he joins a new team during the off season.

Roma Beats Liverpool at Fenway, 2-1

It was my last night in Boston and I decided to wrap it up with one more trip to Fenway but this time not to see the Red Sox but Liverpool FC. It was Football at Fenway while the Sox were out of town and I decided it would be fun to see Soccer played in the 100 year old stadium. It was a different experience going to a Liverpool game and see John Henry's other team (lose in front of my eyes). They had managed to bring in AS Roma for a friendly and it was fun to watch.

While no goals were scored in the first half, the second had plenty. American Michael Bradley scored for Roma in the 63' and the crowd went nuts with "USA" chants. Alessandro Florenzi scored another goal for Roma a few minutes later. Liverpool would score one in the 80' but their later efforts were not enough. Roma spoils Liverpool's game in Fenway, 2-1.

A fine game for the folks of Fenway as it seemed to have split the crowd's allegiances. I didn't know what supporters were surrounding me at times. Still a good game that is meant to increase the awareness of Liverpool. A win would've been better and Liverpool needs to improve a lot in order to contend in the EPL again but it was still a nice showing against the respectable club of Roma.

P.S. I head back to the West Coast in the morning. I enjoyed every minute in Boston and the surrounding area. I got a sports craving out of the way as well as an historic craving out the way. From Lexington and Concord to Quincy and the homes of the Adams family, it was a blast. I especially loved Thing. He's too good at Rock, Paper, Scissors though.

Hanley to Dodgers and Wandy to Pirates

The deadline approaches and a couple of teams have made some moves. One of them is the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates are actually in the mix in the NL Central as they are currently just 2.5 games back of the Reds. They have a good team but they wanted a bit more so they went out and got Wandy Rodriguez of the Astros in a trade in exchange for three minor league players. This already adds on to their pitching of James McDonald and AJ Burnett.

Meanwhile the Dodgers are in the same boat as the Pirates: contenders but currently 2.5 games back but in the NL West. Their offense has taken a hit this year and while getting Matt Kemp back from the DL helps, the team wanted a bit more in their lineup. Hanley Ramirez is the help they are getting. They get Hanley from the Marlins along with reliever Randy Choate in exchange for pitcher Nathan Eovaldi and a minor league player. Though not the best avg., Hanley does bring some power and speed to the team.

These two moves are nice and show their respective fan bases that each side is trying to win now but they might not be the best moves available. The better move for the Pirates might've been going after Ryan Dempster of the Cubs or even Zack Greinke of the Brewers. I don't exactly have anyone off the top of my head for the Dodgers but I would've thought there would be someone they could get that would be better than... actually, now that I think about it, Hanley Ramirez is alright for them. No need to get any better.

Though fine moves, they may get a bit overshadowed by the fact that the Phillies and Cole Hamels have a new deal together. 6 year, $140 million extension gives that team some security. Pity it won't mean anything for this season.

Ichiro Traded to Yankees, Debuts in Seattle?

This last weekend hasn't been that great for the Nation. The good news was the fact that the Yankees got swept by the A's (like Oakland again). The bad news to take that away was the fact that the Yankees made an addition to their clubhouse. Longtime Mariner, Ichiro Suzuki, has been traded to the Yankees for a couple of pitching prospects. What made things even more intriguing was the fact that he made his Yankees debut that very day. Why? Because the Yankees were in town visiting the Mariners in Seattle. That's right. Ichiro's Yankee debut was against his old team at Safeco Field. Ichiro went 1 for 4 as the Yankees won, 4-1.

A little surprising that Ichiro leaves the team after so long and looks to be playing his farewell series over the next few days. Seems a bit proper for the fans of Seattle to have a chance to say goodbye to Ichiro before he leaves Seattle. I'm not sure how much Ichiro will help the Yankees considering that his batting average has been going down over the last few years. Sure, he can still play and that short RF in Yankee Stadium will help him but they are still getting a player that used to be in his prime.

While many will be intrigued as to how Ichiro will help the Yankees, I am more interested to see where he goes after this season is over and he is a free agent. Will the Yanks still want him then or will he have to find a new home?

Paterno Statue Down, NCAA Dolls Out Big Punishment

Jerry Sandusky was found guilty, two former board members are awaiting trial, and now the university itself faces steep punishment from the NCAA. Before the NCAA threw the gavel, Penn State took down the statue of Joe Paterno over the weekend as there was pressure from around them to do so and threatened vandalism of the statue anyway. Now just an empty memorial is left.

As for what the NCAA punishment is, it was harsh but not as harsh as it could've been. It hit the school with a $60 million sanction, a four-year bowl ban, the vacating of all the wins under Paterno from 1998-2011, and a loss of 20 scholarships a year over a four year period. With the vacating of wins, it's puts Paterno at 298 wins instead of 409. Bobby Bowden now has the most major college wins with 377 and the late Eddie Robinson now holds the division I record again at 408. The program is also under a 5 year probation and will lose shared Big Ten money of 4 year's worth of about $13 million which will be used "to established charitable organizations in Big Ten communities dedicated to the protection of children," as stated by the conference.

All the penalties and the vacating of wins has effectively taken aim at what Penn State has built over the years. They were lucky to have not received the Death Penalty but this is not much better for Penn State. Seeing it all, it might as well be the Death Penalty. All of these punishments have affectively taken Penn State out of the picture in the college football for a long time. This whole thing might put them in the same boat as SMU and what the Death Penalty did to them back in the 1980's. The bowls games and prestige are gone, the great players coming to the program are gone (and some that are there are likely going to transfer), and by the time that the punishment period has passed, they might not be able to get any of it back. SMU sure hasn't.

Now I understand why some will ask why punish the players and the program for what a few individuals did. I get that the players weren't involved and the current staff there wasn't involved but it's not about them. It's about a couple of things: One is the people involved who decided to cover this up for the sake of their program instead of doing the right thing. In a way, it's just what they covered up to preserve should be torn down. Second, and perhaps more importantly, it's about sending a message that the NCAA will not tolerate this kind of abuse again and that no university should put their program in front of the safety of our children. Football cannot be king in this matter.

My First Trip to Fenway

In all my years as a Red Sox fan, I had never been to Fenway Park. It's kind of hard to do that when you live on the other side of the country and the other half of you is a Giants fan. That being said, it's been a dream of mine to go to the home of the Red Sox and I can finally say that I have done that.

I attended my first game at the 100 year old Fenway Park and it was amazing. I got to see Lansdowne Street and all the shops and people there. Then I went into the park through Gate C and went out to see the Beauty of the park. It was a great view from the Bleacher section as I looked into the field and the Grandstands. It was a wonderful view from there as I got to see all of the Ballpark: Pesky's Pole, the Green Monster, the Nachos in front of me. The Fans were great too except for the Blue Jays fans.

As for the game itself, it didn't go that well. Josh Beckett was on the mound and he didn't have his best stuff. He allowed 4 runs in the first two innings of the game but settled in a bit after that. Still allowed one more run later on. Aaron Laffey of the Blue Jays just stumped us. We managed to get plenty of hits but just couldn't group them together to get some runs. Laffey just kept stranding us on base the whole night. We managed to scrap in one run in the 9th inning to avoid a shutout but the result was still the same. Blue Jays beat the Red Sox, 6-1.

Despite the loss, I still enjoyed myself as I took in the experience around me. The atmosphere was great and I got to see the Red Sox at home. What more can you ask for?... A WIN!!! Going to Fenway again tonight. GO SOX!!!

NBA Changes for Good and $

Some minor changes are coming to the NBA with some involving adding to instant replay. One of them is now officials can check on all flagrant fouls calls in a game. A bit more was added to checking a defender's position around a basket on a charge or blocking foul but only in the final two minutes and in OT. Also Goaltending calls can be reviewed in the late stages of the game. The other thing that came out was the approval by the league to sell small advertising patches on NBA uniforms. This will be implemented starting in the 2013-14 season and the league is hoping to add $100 million dollars in revenue through this method.

I do applaud the expansion of instant replay in the NBA. I do not watch it as much as I should but I can imagine that this helps the game by eliminating more of the human element. That's a good thing in my book. However, I don't like the advertising patches idea. If you follow this blog you know that I follow soccer or futbol and just love the sport but the one thing that I find regrettable is the fact that the teams can put advertising right smack in the chest area of the uniforms. Heck, it seems even worse in Ligue 1. I'll admit that I have grown accustomed to it but I rather that the four big sports in the US don't start heading down this avenue.

It's one thing for Adidas or Nike to show their logo on the uniforms they make for the league. It's just clutter to add anything else.

Howard, Will You Sign Extension or Not if Traded to Lakers?

The Dwight Howard trade rumors continue to unfold and conflicting reports seem to coming out as a result. Sources recently revealed that Howard would sign a long term extension if he was traded to the Lakers. This seemed to indicate that a trade to LA was imminent and around the corner. However, these reports seem to have doubt attached to them. Howard's agent is apparently refuting reports that Howard would sign an extension if traded to the Lakers. The agent then stated that Howard intends to explore free agency at the end of next season no matter who trades for him, including the Nets.

Here's the thing: DWIGHT COULD BE EXPLORING FREE AGENCY RIGHT NOW IF HE DIDN'T OPT IN FOR NO REASON!!! This whole story still has me trying to figure out why he opted in for another year. Anyway, the whole real conclusion to this story is that it seems that we are nowhere closer to finding out where Dwight Howard is going to play this season. Perhaps there is some truth to both stories. Maybe Howard hinted to the Lakers that he would be open to hearing extension talks or hearing them when free agency came around.

It's still all speculation at this point but it's starting to make me want to start pulling hair out of my head. I'm sure that I'm not the only spectator that feels like this.

P.S. Any significance to commenting on Nets within this story? No. I think he still wants to go to Brooklyn but just wants to make a PR point with this story.

Forte and Rice Given New Deals

With the eve of NFL Training Camps and the preseason, some big contracts were not yet settled around the NFL. 2 players with two different teams got their deals done yesterday and both were RB's.

Matt Forte and Ray Rice were in the same boat as they were tagged by their respective teams (Bears and the Ravens) and they wanted long term deals. Who can blame either of them knowing that this league uses up RB's like I chow down burgers. On the eve of possibly holding out, deals have been struck for both players. Matt Forte agrees to a 4 year, $32 million contract and Ray Rice agreed to a 5 year, $40 million contract. Both players are in their mid 20's with Forte being a bit older and this is likely going to be their last big contracts for their careers.

Very important moves for both teams but the Ravens needed Ray Rice a bit more than the Bears needed Forte. While Jay Cutler and Joe Flacco are fine QB's, the Ravens depend on the run a bit more while the Bears seem to be shifting to more passing with the off season they had. Running the ball is still important to the Bears and should be to any team (except the Pats somehow) but the passing game led by Cutler will likely be something they lean on more.

With training camp around the corner, the one star player that seems to not be getting the love from his team is Wes Welker of the Patriots. Now he will play under the tag but still a disappointment he wasn't able to get a good contract from the Pats long term.

P.S. Maybe if you stopped dropping the ball during big Super Bowl moments they wouldn't hesitate to get a deal done.

Jeremy Lin Not Going to the Knicks?

The most fascinating and perhaps most captivating player of the year has been Jeremy Lin. He lit up the court for a brief period of time around February and caught all of our eyes. He quickly became the most talked about player around the country. Then he came down to earth a little, got hurt, and the Knicks got booted from the playoffs yet again.

So far this off season for the Knicks has been moves centered around the PG position. Now heading into the off season, you would assume that the team was going to keep Jeremy Lin and see what they could with him next year. The Jason Kidd move seemed to support that as he might've been coming in as a mentor. Then the Knicks traded for PG Raymond Felton, a guy who was seemingly on the Knicks a couple of seasons ago. With that move completed, it seems that the team is going to move on from Jeremy Lin. Sources are saying that the Knicks will not match the offer from the Rockets and let Lin go to Houston for 3 years and $25 million.

So much for Linsanity in New York. Also, when did $15 million (3rd year of the deal in Houston) become worth more than a billion dollars? I need to retake math class. I think it's a shame that Lin, Melo, and the Knicks weren't given a real chance to see if they could work. They had rough games but they didn't have an off season to practice together and to see if they could become more. As for Lin in Houston, another move to try and get Dwight Howard or simply to try and get someone to build a team around (Lin or someone else).

Lin ironically goes back to the team that he had started with for the 2011-12 season. Lin never played a regular season game for the Rockets but it's presumed that he will play quite a few for them now.

Drew Brees and Saints Agree to a Deal... Finally

Perhaps the most shocking thing during the whole NFL off season is the fact that the Saints and Drew Brees have not come to a deal. The Saints tagged him and both sides have drawn out negotiations this close to training camp. Despite the way it has been going, the two sides have come to an agreement at last. Drew Brees and the Saints agreed to a five year worth $100 million in which $60 million is guaranteed. In fact, $40 million is guaranteed this upcoming season.

Through all the torment with Bountygate, this deal needed to get done. Having Drew Brees is the only way to keep playoff hopes for the Saints alive during this rough season ahead. It also gives them peace of mind for the next few seasons. It would have been interesting to see Brees holdout when the deadline passed but I guess if you are a football fan you are glad that Brees won't miss any time and are happy to have him available for your fantasy team.

Investigation: Definite Cover Up at Penn State

It's easy to make several accusations against someone based on knee jerk reactions and little bits of information. It's what I do everyday. But this story is different.

After 8 months, the independent investigation led by Louis Freeh, the former director of the FBI, at the behest of Penn State Trustees concluded and their findings have been revealed. The investigation concluded that coach Paterno, President Graham Spanier, AD Tim Curley and VP Gary Schultz "failed to protect against a child sexual predator harming children for over a decade." It also concluded that these four men instead chose to conceal facts regarding Jerry Sandusky. Curley and Schultz are currently awaiting trial with charges related to this matter.

This investigation just concludes what we all knew and feared: that Joe Paterno was involved in a cover up. I know that we don't have the luxury of asking Joe his reaction but this is still all pretty damming evidence. Now the important thing right now is just to move forward and learn from this. The university has already taken measures to prevent this sort of thing from happening again and I'm sure that other universities will follow suit.

The one question that I kept hearing the last day or so is whether or not the school should take down Joe Paterno's statue. To me Joe's legacy is no more. He knew about this all the way back to 1998 and he failed to act on the knowledge and even was involved in concealing it. I know he was Penn State and this is something that cannot be brushed under the rug but the statue has to at least come down.

Of course the university will make the final decision but when they discuss this, they have to remember a few things: First, that nothing is more important than the safety of our children... that's pretty much it.

WHAT'S THE POINT OF THE ESPYS?!?!?!

You know, I actually respect the Oscars to a degree. I don't watch but I understand why they do it. To honor the people that make movies and to determine who in the business did the best that year in certain categories. Without tacky award shows, we wouldn't be able to determine who did the best (even though films are an art form and impossible to rank based on that fact... unless you want to go by box office gross then "Avatar" film takes all).

What I love about sports is that we are able to determine the best already with regular seasons, playoffs, team statistics, player statistics, tournaments, competitions, tryouts, meets, trials, play dates, etc. Every major sport already has a way to determine who is the best: team sports have seasons and postseasons, Tennis has tournaments and points awarded for rankings, and every other individual sport has the Olympics (GOLD OR NOTHING).

So with all of this being said, WHY DOES SPORTS NEED A TACKY AWARDS SHOW OF ANY KIND?!?!?! It makes no sense to me. Half of the awards in team sports seem to just be MVP awards which are already handed out by other organizations. Others are just opinionated like "Best Comeback" or "Moment." No need for it whatsoever.

I can maybe get behind an award show dedicated to kids' sports or amateur sports but this just seems like a waste of time. I'll stick with national titles, rings, and tournament victories to tell me who did the best that year, thank you very much.

P.S. The 49ers win over the Saints won "Game of the Year?" Well that is just awe... NO, FIGHT IT, KHAN!!!

P.P.S. "Gone with the Wind" is still the top grossing film of all time when you adjust for inflation. Also, for an historical perspective, why don't we just count the number of tickets sold instead of the money earned? Money runs the world, that's why.

Nets Stop Chasing Howard

Don't you just hate it when you're not able to go where you want to go? Dwight Howard feels your pain.

Howard has been wanting to go to Brooklyn for a while now but the Orlando Magic don't seem to want to roll over and just let him go. After about a week or so of negotiations, talks have stopped between the Nets and the Magic about Dwight Howard going to Brooklyn. The Nets have actually ended the talks seeing that they couldn't risk having no center going forward. So they re-signed Brook Lopez to a four year deal worth $60 million. Because of the deal, they cannot trade Lopez anywhere until January 15 because of the new CBA. With him taking up a lot of the cap room and not being an immediate trade commodity, the Nets pulled out of the Dwight talks.

The one team that wanted Dwight the most is out of the running and so some of that demand for the center has gone down. There is still some interest from elsewhere like the Lakers and perhaps the Rockets but the one team that Howard wanted to go to has stopped trying to acquire him. If there is a trade now, it is likely going to be with the Lakers and involving their big guy, Andrew Bynum. But the Magic better act on something. If they go into the year with Dwight Howard still on the roster, the whole season will be worse than the last one. Every media professional will not want to talk about anything else regarding Orlando but Dwight Howard and if he will be traded or not.

I actually wanted Dwight to go to Brooklyn. It would've been fun to see the team with Dwight mixed in with Deron Williams and Joe Johnson. The Nets as a team look alright and will do okay in their first year in Brooklyn but this series of failed talks will have NYC thinking "what could've been?"

P.S. Could you imagine if Howard doesn't get traded at all? The Magic will not have gotten anything and Dwight Howard will have given them another year for nothing. I still don't get why he opted-in.

A Giant of an All Star Game

Hope you guys got the chance to miss the All Star game. Still boring to me and hate the World Series implications. But if you did manage to see it, then you got to see Giants among the Stars. Melky Cabrera, Pablo Sandoval, and Matt Cain all had great nights in front of a national stage. Sandoval was 1 for 2 as he hit a bases loaded triple. Matt Cain had two shut out innings to start the game for the NL. Last, but certainly not least, Melky Cabrera went 2 for 3 and hit a 2 run HR in the 4th inning. Melky was actually named the All Star Game MVP as the NL won it, 8-0.

A Giant blowout for this year's All Star Game and some deserved attention to the San Francisco Giants. Hearing about this outcome almost made me regret missing it. Thank goodness mankind has invented sitcoms to fill the void for meaningless games. Though I hate the event, I'm glad that Melky and the Giants dominated the game. It's certainly something that will help with some momentum for their own team.

The break is almost over and the 2nd half of baseball is about to begin. You know what that means: TRADE DEADLINE SPECULATIONS!!! How is that more exciting to me than the All Star game? I need to reevaluate my life.

The Prince Wins 2nd Derby in KC

Oh man the Home Run Derby that I didn't see (for the most part). Didn't watch the meaningless event this year as I had much better things to do. Twiddling thumbs is better, right? Anyway, Prince Fielder prove to be the royal commodity last night as he won the Home Run Derby for the second time in his career. He beat out Jose Bautista in the final round, 12-7, and finished the derby with 28 total home runs. He and Ken Griffey Jr. are the only players to have multiple Derby titles in their careers because of this.

Congrats to Prince for another title but I got to say that I love the fact that the Captains for both sides sucked so hard. A Dodger and a Yankee couldn't get by the first round. Just blissful. I especially loved the fact that Robinson Cano, last year's winner, was booed the whole night and that he didn't hit a single home run. So great. I sort of hope they keep it going for the Yankee players tomorrow night. ENCORE, KANSAS CITY!!!

2012 MLB Season So Far: BLOODY PIRATES!!!

The first half of the season is over with the arrival of the All Star Break (a break that I am hating more and more with each passing year) and some of the 1st place teams that are currently there are interesting to analyze. Probably the most intriguing of all of them are the Pittsburgh Pirates who just win 2 of 3 from the Giants and are in front of the NL Central by one game. James McDonald and a NY stress free AJ Burnett are pitching well and Andrew McCutchen is on the way to becoming an MVP winner. Pittsburgh seems really excited about them and I have to admit that they look good. They might need a bit more to hold off the Reds and the Cardinals but they look like they can actually pull it off. Despite my recent hate for them, I have some faith in the Pirates this year.

As for the rest of the standings, the Yankees seem like the most comfortable team in baseball with a 7 game lead in the AL East entering the break. Damn Yanks might have aging vets but they are using them well like Andruw Jones who just had a big weekend against the Red Sox with 4 Homers over 3 games. Meanwhile, the Sox are 9.5 back and are tied for last in the division. Lester and Beckett have to get better but that team has to also stay healthy. Despite what has happened so far, they still have a shot but have to start the second half strong.

A couple other surprise teams that are grabbing attention are the Nationals and the Dodgers. The Nats seem like a stronger ball club going forward and seem to be ready for October this year. Meanwhile the Dodgers need more offense if they want to stay in front in the NL West. Hope the Giants get it first. Then the White Sox have control over the AL Central and the no surprise that the Rangers have a tight grasp over the AL West yet again.

The break is here and I have nothing to watch for the next few days. Pity that there is no "actual" baseball on.

Federer and Serena Win at Wimbledon

The last fortnight in England have been all about Wimbledon and more remarkable tennis. The finals in each gender category were over the last couple of days and it was a couple of repeat champions reigning supreme. The women's side had Serena Williams beating Agnieszka Radwańska 6–1, 5–7, 6–2. This gives Serena here fifth title at Wimbeldon and 14 Grand Slams overall. The Men's final featured Roger Federer facing Andy Murray of Scotland with all of the UK behind Andy Murray. The support didn't seem to help. Federer shows life still in his 30's with a win 4–6, 7–5, 6–3, 6–4. This was Federer's 7th title at Wimbeldon (record tying) and his 17th overall Grand Slam title.

A nice couple of finals over the weekend considering that a couple of 30 year old's prove they can still compete with the twenty somethings. These two prove that greatness is not just with the youth. The amazing thing was that neither one of these winners have won a Grand Slam since 2010. The more significant victory goes to Federer as he extends that Grand Slam record he has among the guys by another notch. Hey, the way he played he might extend it again later this Summer and possibly still as the #1 ranked.

No time for either champion to rest, however, or London for that matter. They all have another fortnight to prepare for.

Ray Allen Goes to Miami

Sorry for the late reaction. I now just got the realization that Ray Allen didn't move to Florida to retire.

Either way, the big three in Boston is over. The 5 seasons during this trio's era is out the window and only one title during it. Ray Allen of the Celtics was a question mark going into free agency and at best he was going to be a bench player moving forward. He's 36 and not the same player he once was. Ray Allen didn't seem to like it that much in Boston but he doesn't seem to mind so much for Miami. Ray Allen has apparently agreed to join the Miami Heat and not simply retire in Miami.

Hey, if you can't beat them, join them. While the Celtics did put up a respectable series against Miami, they did it for the most part without Bosh out there for the Heat. Another year older doesn't help the Celtics' case. I'm sure that Allen didn't like how he was being used either and figured that if he was going to be used like that, he might as well be on a better team.

Feels like the last real threat to Miami's throne in the Eastern Conference is gone and we now wait for a new one to arrive eventually. Perhaps the Nets are on the way to becoming that thorn in the Heat's side.

Steve Nash Joining the Lakers

Hope you all had a great Fourth of July and enjoyed the fireworks and the Hotdogs. Well, at least "a" Hot Dog before Joey Chestnut crashed your parties.

While the USA was enjoying the holiday, the Lakers were working and they got some work done. One of the biggest free agent names is going to the Lakers to join Kobe Bryant. Steve Nash, one of the best PG's in the league, has just joined the Lakers through a sign-and-trade through the Suns. In exchange for their participation, the Suns get 4 draft picks over the next few years that include a couple first round picks. This comes after the fact that both the Knicks and the Raptors showed interest in Nash.

Steve Nash going to LA means a lot for the Lakers. It adds a significant piece to the puzzle but does it add enough for a title run? Sure, Nash's presence makes them better but will they be able to get by OKC? What about the Spurs? I am hesitate to say that this move makes the Lakers a favorite for a title but I think it keeps their title contender status alive (barely).

Deron Williams Going to Brooklyn

The Nets made a huge gamble a season and half ago when they acquired Deron Williams through a trade. While Williams at the time probably didn't think he wanted to be on the team for the long term, the Nets got him in hopes that he would come around. That has happened earlier today. In the midst of the Joe Johnson trade and the team trying to acquire Dwight Howard, Deron Williams has agreed to come back to the Nets. He agreed to a contract worth $98 million over five years instead of picking the Mavericks who could only offer $75 million over 4 years because of the CBA.

Deron Williams stays with the Nets and is their main attraction moving into their new stadium in Brooklyn... for now. With Johnson and Williams locked up, Dwight Howard is the only question mark remaining. Or maybe Howard isn't a question mark? Sure, Williams wasn't going to make his decision just waiting for Dwight Howard but that doesn't mean that his decision to stay with the Nets wasn't influenced by it at all. Maybe Williams heard that a deal is close and decided to stay on board. Maybe he thinks that the Nets will eventually get Howard whether it be this year or next.

It's hard to decipher what Williams true reasons were for staying with the Nets. It may have just been about the money. Either way, this move along with the Joe Johnson one makes the Nets a playoff team. If they can add one more piece to the puzzle, they can become something more.

Nets Get New Player... Not Howard

The Nets have a big year coming up: they have a new arena, they are relocating to Brooklyn into that new arena, and they need good players to attract fans and contend for a title. The last two things are on hold right now. The Dwight Howard saga in Orlando has had the Nets waiting for a trade to be made or for Howard's contract to expire. After Howard opting into the Magic for another year and several negotiations before and after that fact with the Magic, it seems that the Nets are trying other things. The Nets made a knee jerk trade for Joe Johnson of the Hawks in exchange for 5 players and a 1st round draft pick. The trade puts the Nets in an awkward situation as they gut some of their team for a "star" in hoping to get Deron Williams to come back and excite the fan base in Brooklyn.

This one is a a bit difficult to understand. I know that the Nets need to get some excitement going into the team and I know that their chances of getting Howard are small but Joe Johnson isn't going to get them the excitement they need. Johnson by himself makes the team alright and they probably endure in Brooklyn. They still, however, need Howard or Williams to play in Brooklyn with him if they want to go somewhere in the postseason. They need both for a title run.

They gave up a lot for Joe Johnson and they might just stuck with him and him alone.

SPAIN CLAIMS SECOND STRAIGHT EURO!!!

When Italy beat Germany with Mario Balotelli scoring two goals, the thought was that perhaps Italy has a chance to beat Spain for the title. Maybe they did but, after this performance, it seems they had the same chance as Pacquiao ever facing Mayweather: NO CHANCE!!!

The Euro 2012 Final was yesterday and Spain was looking to get an historic win over Italy in Kiev, Ukraine. It seems that they had gotten that. Spain scored early with a heading goal by David Silva in the 14'. Later, Jordi Alba makes a great run for a goal in the 41'. The second half came and Italy tried to make a comeback but the subs weren't enough what with one of them turning into an injury. Spain would score two more goals as the game closed out. Spain demolishes Italy, 4-0, and claims their second straight Euro title.

Let the exaggerations begin on how good the Spanish team is. I'll start. The way that Spain has been playing the last few years has been unbelievable and it was shown in this match. Their possession game is too much for anyone to handle right now and it borders on historic. This third straight major title puts this team as one of the greatest national squads ever assembled. If they have this kind of performance in a couple of years, the debate, from my point of view, will be over.

As usual, I get ahead of myself. Enjoy another Euro title, Spain. They still are the Kings of Europe.

Dwight Howard Asks for a Trade to Brooklyn

What a Surprise? The 'Dwight Howard wanting out of Orlando' saga continues. Sources say Rob Hennigan, the new GM for the Magic, apparently met with Dwight Howard, the star of the team, on Friday for the first time. During the meeting, Dwight apparently stated that he wanted to be traded to the Brooklyn Nets. The interesting part of it all is that people close to Howard have said that he felt blackmailed into signing the "opt-in" clause of his contract by way of a trade he didn't approve of. Howard is even looking into the possibility of voiding the 1 year opt-in based on the blackmailed charge that probably won't stand.

Man, things just don't seem to get better in Orlando. By the sounds analysts seem to be making, it seems that Dwight Howard will get his wish. Maybe not right away but I would bet that a deal would get done by the pre-season. The intriguing part is whether or not this influences contract talks between Deron Williams and the Nets. Deron hasn't made up his mind yet where he wants to go and would love to play with Dwight but the fact is that he is not going to wait for Orlando to make a move. Deron make a choice where to play within the next couple of weeks, regardless of Dwight's situation. The Nets, however, have a window of opportunity here to get both Williams and Howard on the same team and make themselves an instant playoff contender.

While it is fun to speculate what will happen, I must say that this is a first meeting between Hennigan and Dwight Howard. I know Dwight has his heart set on leaving Orlando but this could all easily be the result of a rough first meeting in which Hennigan might want to try and let time heal the wounds further. The team has changed coaches for Dwight and management for Dwight. They might not trade him so easily.