Bosco's 2013 NBA Season Predictions

Division Standings
* Playoff Position ( )
  Atlantic
1. New York Knicks (4)
2. Brooklyn Nets (5)
3. Toronto Raptors
4. Boston Celtics
5. Philadelphia 76ers
  Central
1. Chicago Bulls (1)
2. Indiana Pacers (3)
3. Cleveland Cavaliers (6)
4. Detroit Pistons (8)
5. Milwaukee Bucks
  Southeast
1. Miami Heat (2)
2. Washington Wizards (7)
3. Atlanta Hawks
4. Charlotte Bobcats
5. Orlando Magic
  Pacific
1. Los Angeles Clippers (1)
2. Golden State Warriors (5)
3. Los Angeles Lakers
4. Sacramento Kings
5. Phoenix Suns
  Northwest
1. Oklahoma City Thunder (2)
2. Minnesota Timberwolves (7)
3. Denver Nuggets (8)
4. Portland Trailblazers
5. Utah Jazz
  Southwest
1. San Antonio Spurs (3)
2. Houston Rockets (4)
3. Memphis Grizzlies (6)
4. New Orleans Pelicans
5. Dallas Mavericks
  Playoff Predictions
Bulls over Heat in ECF
Clippers over Thunder in WCF
NBA Finals- Bulls over Clippers in 7
  Awards 

MVP - Derrick Rose 

ROY - Victor Oladipo 

Coach - Doc Rivers 

6th Man - Jarrett Jack 

DPY - Roy Hibbert
  Ten Bosco-isms 

1. No way Brooklyn has a better year than the NYK 

2. Wade's age/injuries will catch up to him this season 

3. DRose will be unstoppable 

4. Kyrie Irving will finish top 3 in MVP (if he stays healthy) 

5. John Wall & the Wizards will be fun to watch 

6. The Clippers are too deep and too good for the west 

7. The Warriors are a year away from WCF 

8. Dwight Howard will return to form in Houston 

9. Denver can finish 4th or 10th. #unpredictable 

10. The bad teams will be AWFUL in hopes to land the #1 pick in what will be the deepest and best draft in over a.decade

Bosco's Top 30 Players of the '12 NBA Draft

Ive done rankings like this in years past but have never recorded them down for proof. This year will mark year 1 and I will continue to do it every draft from here on out. This top 30 ranking is what I think these guys will turn out to be during their career, not just by the end of season 1. I'm talking 10 years from now I will be able to look back at this and see how right or wrong I was.

Note: No international players since I do not watch them play or follow them as closely as college players.

Key
$$$- Future Hall of Famer
***- Perennial All Star
###- Long Career as STARTER

1. Michael Kidd-Gilchrist - $$$
2. Anthony Davis - $$$
3. Bradley Beal - ***
4. Dion Waiters - ***
5. Jeremy Lamb - ***
6. Thomas Robinson - ###
7. Marquis Teague - ###
8. Royce White - ###
9. Perry Jones - ###
10. Harrison Barnes- ###
11. Damian Lillard- ###
12. Draymond Green- ###
13. Moe Harkless- ###
14. John Henson- ###
15. Will Barton- ###
16. Terrence Jones
17. Terrence Ross
18. Jared Sullinger
19. Andre Drummond
20. Fab Melo
21. Quincy Miller
22. Doron Lamb
23. Festus Ezeli
24. Andrew Nicholson
25. Kendall Marshall
26. Hollis Thompson
27. Jeff Taylor
28. Darius Johnson-Odom
29. John Jenkins
30. William Buford

BUSTS
Meyers Leonard
Austin Rivers
Tyler Zeller

Bosco's 2012 NBA Mock Draft

Bosco's 2012 NBA Mock Draft

1. New Orleans Hornets- Anthony Davis- (Absolute clear cut number 1. Will dominate the paint for a long time)

2. Charlotte Bobcats- *TRADE* (If Not- Harrison Barnes- Michael Jordan isn't the greatest at drafting, just balling. And if he goes Barnes over highly projected Robinson, we can argue it is a UNC homer pick in more than one way)

3. Washington Wizards- Bradley Beal- (Pure BEAST of a scorer & will make John Wall a great PG)

4. Cleveland Cavaliers- "MKG" Michael Kidd-Gilchrist- (Being selfish here- since he is my favorite college player coming out I would love to see him paired with Kyrie Irving)

5. Sacramento Kings- *Thomas Robinson* (Probably won't last this long, but my prediction is that he is picked at the 2 spot IF Charlotte trades out of the spot)

6. Portland Trailblazers- Andre Drummond (Blazers need a Center of the future since Greg Oden was an obvious FAIL, Drummond will be the next project)

7. Golden State Warriors- Damian Lillard (This kid is a scoring PG, might even be a better Brandon Jennings, would replace Monta Ellis and fit right in with Steph Curry)

8. Toronto Raptors- Austin Rivers (Dion Waiters is the trendy pick here, but I dont think the Raptors take a slashing scorer when they have Demar DeRozan. Rivers will be the choice)

9. Detroit Pistons- Dion Waiters (The Ben Gordon trade forces me to think they go guard here, and Waiters who will be a top tier guard in this league fits that mold)

10. New Orleans Hornets- Kendall Marshall (New Orleans will look to pair Anthony Davis up with a pass first PG, Marshall is that guy)

11. Portland Trail Blazers- Tyler Zeller (I'm going out on a limb that the Blazers take 2 big men, but also hedging my bet if they take Damian Lillard early on)

12. Milwaukee Bucks- Meyers Leonard (The Bucks going big man here to replace the traded Bogut. Leonard has drawn big time attention from scouts, Bucks will scoop him up if he's available)

13. Phoenix Suns- Jeremy Lamb (Will be hard for the Suns to pass up on his talent if he falls down them. I believe Lamb will be a top 5 player from this draft when its all set and done)

14. Houston Rockets- John Henson (Houston filling a need here with UNC big man, who can rebound and does have a high upside)

15. Philadelphia 76ers- Terrence Ross (The Sixers may lose Lou Williams to free agency, if so this pick will lessen the blow)

16. Houston Rockets- Moe Harkless (The Rockets will fill two big needs with the picks of Henson & Harkless who is a slashing 6'8" SF)

17. Dallas Mavericks- Terrence Jones (Probably tied for the best do-it-all player in the draft with Draymond Green. Dallas can use this type of guy)

18. Houston Rockets- Marquis Teague (After the Rockets traded into this spot, I initally thought 3 mid 1st round picks could mean big time blockbuster, if that doesn't happen look for them to finish out their picks with a PG of the future)

19. Orlando Magic- Jared Sullinger (With the chances of the inevitable Dwight Howard trade being through the roof on draft night, why not go big man here. And not just any big man, remember as recent as 7 months ago this guy was a projected top 5 pick)

20. Denver Nuggets- Arnett Moultrie (An above average offensive PF. That is normally hard to find this late in a draft)

21. Boston Celtics- Perry Jones (See Below)

22. Boston Celtics- Royce White (A pair of forwards with major upside can be the youth needed to keep the Celtics title hopes alive for another year, as long as they bring back KG of course.

23. Atlanta Hawks- Andrew Nicholson- (A big man that lacks real athleticism but can score from anywhere on the floor)

24. Cleveland Cavaliers- Fab Melo (After adding either MKG or Barnes earlier they can really start to build a complete team with the addition of 7 footer)

25. Memphis Grizzlies- Jeff Taylor (If a PG falls to them here, they will grab him. But in my mock that doesn't happen, which forces the Grizzlies to make this pick, a 6'7" SF that does a little of everything, including being a big time defender)

26. Indiana Pacers- Draymond Green (This guy is a winner, who does a everything a basketball player can do. I think he will be a glue guy in the NBA for a long time. Would be a great pickup for the Pacers this late in the first round. Plus they should keep him of Miami's roster if they ever want to contend with them)

27. Miami Heat- Festus Ezeli (We have heard Greg Oden might want to take his injuries to South Beach, if that is in the Heat plans then Ezeli probably won't be the pick here. But I'll say Miami takes the flyer on Ezeli being the healthier of the two and their need for bigs)

28. Oklahoma City Thunder- Doron Lamb (The one glaring thing we saw in the Finals was that the role players for Miami just stepped up and knocked down shots. While OKC's just did not at all, therefore I think going with a winning college player who can knock down the three might be a key addition for them)

29. Chicago Bulls- Will Barton (A SG has been the biggest NEED for the Bulls since D-Rose has come along. Well its time they try and fix that. Barton can shoot, create his own shot and is big time in transition. Once Rose gets a glimpse of him, he will be dying to get back on the court ASAP)

30. Golden State Warriors- Quincy Miller (An extremely athletic 6'10" SF with a 7'3" wingspan. He will immediately make an impact in the Warriors rotation, while still having a great amount of room to improve over the years)

...Tomorrow I will release my Top 30 players of the 2012 NBA Draft in order from 1-30 on where I feel they will rank throughout the careers.

Why I Support the NFL Owners and the Negative Impact the Lockout will have on the Game

With June rapidly approaching, most NFL fans are simply disgusted with the ongoing labor dispute between the NFL owners and the former NFL Player's Association (NFLPA). The 8th Circuit Court of Appeals will hear oral arguments from both sides in the first week of June, but is not likely to make a formal ruling into July. The Court's first action was to grant a permanent stay of the NFL owner's lockout a few weeks ago. This ruling signaled that the Court favored the NFL and was accompanied with a strongly worded rebuttal of the Federal district court's decision that sided with the NFLPA. If the 8th Circuit rules with the NFL, the lockout will remain in effect and will force both parties back to the negotiating table. It is appearing more and more likely that the NFL will miss preseason and possibly even regular season games.

Strictly on principles alone, I favor the NFL owners in this dispute. My rationale is what have you done for me lately. The NFL owners can give back to the fans if they earn additional revenue. In the last few years, the NFL has started their own television network, launched a revolutionary TV program called NFL Redzone which allows viewers to watch highlights of every game, and built new stadiums. When Jerry Jones, owner of the Dallas Cowboys, earned additional revenue, he turned it into sport's greatest stadium; maximizing seating, introduced the world's largest jumbotron, and vastly increased the NFL fan's gameday experience. The San Francisco 49ers are in desperate need of a new stadium and can build one with additional revenue. If the NFL players receive an extra slice of the financial pie, what will they do for the fans? They are likely to spend their money on bigger mansions, faster cars, or maybe even throw their money in the air at a gentlemen's club (i.e. Pacman Jones). Sure, there are some players that spend wisely and donate heavily to charities. The majority blow their money on jewelery, cars, boats, etc. How else can you explain players like Mark Brunell ,who has earned over $50 million in his career, filing for bankruptcy? Or Charlie Batch having to sell his Super Bowl ring to cover expenses?

The NFL has given in to all the players extracurricular demands such as health benefits for life for retired players, a guarantted payout of up to $1 million dollars for the players in a contract year after a major injury, an $82 million dollar pool for retired players' benefits, reducing the physical demands of the offseason by shortening the OTAs and other events, and delaying a decision on an 18-game season, But, lets be honest here, the NFLPA was only ever interested in the money. These demands were only laid on the table as bargaining chips, to give the public the perception that they were willing to bend on supposedly key issues to get a deal done. My favoritism towards the NFL owners only becomes easier as star players such as Adrian Peterson and Rashard Mendenhall compare the player's lives to modern day slavery. Or when a Chiefs player suggested establishing an emergency fund for players struggling with finances. To my knowledge, the minimum salary for the NFL benchwarmer is over $350,000 per year. That is 4-5 times what I have earn on an annual basis! If the players are struggling financially they have only themselves to blame and are too inept to keep their financial house in order. The NFLPA also didn't earn any points when they demanded the NFL owner's open their financial books for review. Down here in the normal world, if an employee asks their boss to open up the finance books, it would be followed by a laugh and/or a pink slip. Even the NFL owner's do not have access to other team's income statements and balance sheets.

As if this offseason isn't enough to sour your opinion of the NFL, I have three negative predictions for the upcoming season: 1) The quality of football will be the worst in recent memory. The teams with new coaching staffs or quarterbacks will be downright awful without the time to learn/install a new offensive and defensive schemes, develop chemistry between skilled players, and condition their bodies for the rigors of a season. 2) A devastating increase in major injuries. Despire the players working out on their own, they are not getting assistance from medical trainers and professionals as they are accustomed to. Without a full offseason to get their bodies ready for the season, major injuries will be on the rise, which will ultimately hurt the quality of the game as star players watch from the sidelines. 3) The greatest disparity between good and bad teams in the history of the game. Unless the lockout is resolved soon, the average teams will be bad next year, and the bad teams will be even worse. Teams like the San Francisco 49ers, Carolina Panthers, and Minnesota Vikings that have had significant turnover in the offseason will be at a huge disadvantage. Teams with relatively no changes, like the Pittsburgh Steelers and Green Bay Packers will not be affected that much by the lockout. This will lead to more blowouts and laughers than ever before.

Regardless of your position on the lockout, prepare yourself for a forgettable season, if there is one to begin with.

Bosco's Final 68 - March Madness 2011

1. Ohio St
1. Kansas
1. Pittsburgh
1. Duke

2. Notre Dame
2. San Diego St
2. Kentucky
2. Uconn

3. UNC
3. Texas
3. Florida
3. Louisville

4. Purdue
4. Syracuse
4. BYU
4. Wisconsin

5. St. Johns
5. Arizona
5. West Virginia
5. Vanderbilt

6. Cincinnati
6. Texas A&M
6. UNLV
6. Kansas St

7. Xavier
7. Georgetown
7. Washington
7. Old Dominion

8. Temple
8. George Mason
8. Utah St.
8. Tennessee

9. UCLA
9. Marquette
9. Villanova
9. Richmond

10. Missouri
10. Gonzaga
10. Florida St
10. Butler

11. Michigan
11. Michigan St
11. Illinois
11. Colorado

12. Memphis
12. Penn St
12 (First Four) Virginia Tech vs. St. Mary's
12 (First Four) USC vs. Clemson

13. Princeton
13. Belmont
13. Indiana St.
13. Oakland

14. Morehead St
14. Long Island
14. Bucknell
14. Wofford

15. Akron
15. Northern Colorado
15. St. Peter's
15. Hampton

16. Boston U
16. UC Santa Barbara
16 (First Four) UNC Asheville vs. Alabama St
16 (First Four) Texas San Antonio vs Arkansas Little Rock

Bosco's Top 10 (NCAA Road 2 The Final Four) Edition 2

Hello everyone, welcome back to the best unknown sports blog on the web!

Today I have an edition of Bosco's Top 10. This top 10 will run weekly through selection Sunday and be posted on Monday or Tuesday afternoons. This Edition of Top 10 will be who I believe has the BEST shot to get to Final Four weekend and win the NCAA Tournament. I will rank the teams 1-10 with a little note about each one and their previous rank. (This is different from years past where I have posted my own Top 25 weekly rankings.) The other big difference is this will be based upon rankings, records, RPI, and the good old "eye test", since I do watch A LOT of college ball.

1. Texas Longhorns (2)- This team just keeps getting better and better! They are currently on a ten game winning streak beating teams by an average of 17.2 points per game. Jordan Hamilton continues to make his case for Nat'l Player of the year. As of right now he's definitely a first team All-American and Big 12 player of the year.
2. Ohio St. Buckeyes (1)- I'm going to be honest here. Yes, they lost his weekend, but anyone will lose in that atmosphere. And as much as coaches won't admit it, this loss will help Ohio St more than it will hurt them. They only dropped two spots in the Coaches Poll and 1 spot in the AP poll, so their chances of a #1 seed are just as good as they were last week. Plus Jared Sullinger keeps getting better, maturing in front of our eyes. They also have talented experience with Diebler, Buford and Lighty.
3. Kansas Jayhawks (3)- Two weeks ago, I had Kansas at #3 and I plan on keeping them in that same spot. They haven't lost since that Texas game, riding a six game win streak, by beating their opponents by an average of 21.6 points per game. They are a very good team, and can make a deep run so the #3 spot is not a bad thing!
4. Duke Blue Devils (4)- I've seen a lot of people writing and talking about Duke's chances of repeating getting worse and worse. Why, I ask? Yes, the ACC is down. Yes, they haven't been blowing teams out? But neither did the Duke team of last year. In the past two weeks since I made the statement... "I don't think Duke can repeat without Kyrie Irving returning", I have actually changed my tune a little bit. I think they have just as good of a chance as the three teams above them. The reasons why are, the bigs inside have actually stepped up of late, the Irving backups have gained much confidence especially Seth Curry and most importantly Nolan Smith has been unstoppable. He to me is right behind Jordan Hamilton (ahead of Jimmer Fredette) as Nat'l Player of the year and a definite first team All-American. The prototype for having a team ride his back all the way to the Final Four!
5. Pittsburgh Panthers (5)- It pains me to have them not move up from two weeks ago. This team just keeps winning, but I guess it goes to show you that there are a bunch of teams that can win it all. I feel just as strongly with Pitt going to the Final Four as I do with Texas. This team has two losses and only one in the Big East, which to me is most impressive. That conference is insane and to have gone this late into the year with one loss is a telling sign. A sign that this team maybe Jamie Dixon's best and maybe the most capable of making that Final Four run. I'm still in shock that they were able to win two awfully tough road games at West Virginia (HUGE RIVAL) and Villanova (Hadn't lost at the Pavillion since 2007) without their best player Ashton Gibbs.
6. San Diego St Aztecs(6)- The Aztecs are on a five game winning streak since their loss at BYU. That means they still only have one loss overall. As I've said before, they are this year's Butler. One hundred percent capable of making a Final Four run, and then would have a twenty five percent chance to win it from there. Kawhi Leonard is averaging almost 15 points and 11 rebounds per game. He's the type of player that will get the dirty jobs done on the road to the Final Four while still putting up big numbers. While D.J Gay, Billy White and Malcolm Thomas are all big time seniors who can blow up on any given night!
7. Notre Dame Fighting Irish (10)- The Irish are 21-4 overall and 10-3 in the toughest conference in college basketball. Two weeks ago, I thought that they had an outside shot to make it to the Final Four, but now after winning 7 in a row I'm ready to say they have a great shot. Mike Brey has his best team, stacked with experienced seniors, lead by Tyler Hansbrough and Tim Abromaitis. They both can put the ball in the hole, while Hansbrough has shown toughness that I've only seen from a few players this year. He is the leading candidate for Big East player of the year.
8. BYU Cougars (9)- Jimmer Fredette continues to dazzle but now the team is learning how to win when he doesn't have top notch shooting performances. That's a huge step in allowing this team to grow and be confident enough to make that Final Four run. Noah Hartsock and Jackson Emery are 2 key players that continue to make this team better. I'm ready to say Final Four shot is increasing every time I see them play.
9. Georgetown Hoyas (NR)- Here is the first of two teams to make their debut on my Top 10. G'Town continues to show me how good they are. They are riding an eight game win streak in the Big East, changing their record from 1-4 to 9-4. Austin Freeman, Chris Wright & Julian Vaughn are all seniors with tournament experience, and Jason Clark is a junior. They are four players that could use their experience and leadership to make that Final Four run. This is the year that I can see two Big East teams getting back to the Final Four, they have the deepest conference and some really talented experienced teams.
10. Wisconsin Badgers (NR)- Okay, as of Saturday at 2pm I did not think I would have the Badgers in my Top 10. But after watching that game I learned two things. One being the obvious, they can play at home which doesn't translate during the NCAA tournament. The other being the key to them being in my rankings. That's the play of Jordan Taylor. Wow, was I impressed with the ability to take the entire team on his back and dig them out of a 15 point second half deficit, and lead them to victory. I already knew that Jon Leuer was a big time senior with the ability to lead the team deep into the tourney. But I thought they lacked a big time perimeter player, boy was I wrong. To take a line from the great Dickie V, Taylor should switch his first and last names, because he had a Jordan-esque performance Saturday, and if he can repeat that, they can beat any team in the country on a neutral site.

Teams who have fallen out of the Rankings- Villanova Wildcats & Uconn Huskies.

Bosco's Top 10 (NCAA Road 2 March Madness) Edition 1

Hello everyone, welcome back to the best unknown sports blog on the web!

Today I have an edition of Bosco's Top 10. This top 10 will run weekly through selection Sunday and be posted on Monday afternoons from today on. This Edition of Top 10 will be who I believe has the BEST shot to get to Final Four weekend and win the NCAA Tournament. I will rank the teams 1-10 with a little note about each one and their previous rank. (This is different from years past where I have posted my own Top 25 weekly rankings, which normally didn't differ much from the coaches or AP polls.) The other big difference will be that I won't be using rankings to make my decisions, it will be based upon records, rpi, and the good old "eye test", since I do watch A LOT of college ball.

1. Ohio St Buckeyes
- The only undefeated team remaining in the country, and with "Super-Frosh" Jared Sullinger getting better by the game, they are scary good. The Buckeyes have as good of a shot as anyone to win it all, and not having a loss puts them ahead of the rest.
2. Texas Longhorns
- The Longhorns are arguably the hottest team in the country. But the key is can they maintain this play all the way through March? As of right now, you have to say yes and think they have a legit shot to get to the Final Four and win it all. That is because of the play of Jordan Hamilton and Tristan Thompson. Both youngsters, as Hamilton is a sophomore and Thompson a freshman, but both are playing like they are ready to be helping NBA teams out next year. And they might be,  but I'm sure they would like to win a NCAA title first.
3. Kansas Jayhawks
- Another Big 12 school? Yes, and one of the best teams in the country. Yes, I realize that they had their 69 game winning streak at home snapped last week. But that loss was to Texas! This team can jump on the backs of the Morris twins and ride to the Final Four. They will need freshman Josh Selby to continue to grow to win it all though due to the lack of depth at the guard position.
4. Duke Blue Devils- As a huge Duke fan, I will be the first to tell you that I don't think they can repeat without Kyrie Irving making his way back into the lineup. But I also can tell you that I wouldn't doubt them being able to get back to the Final Four. They will have to rely on seniors Nolan Smith and Kyle Singler to step their games up like they did last year even if Kyrie Irving were to make a miraculous return. The Plumlee brothers will also need to toughen up as Brian Zoubek did last year from right around this point in the season, and carry it through the "Big Dance".
5. Pittsburgh Panthers- Pitt is having another great defensive season, which will keep them in most games. The problem is if Ashton Gibbs has a really off game they might struggle to keep up with some of the potent offenses they will see come tourney time. I do think that they can battle with any team on the glass which could be huge as well.
6. San Diego St Aztecs- SD St is having an amazing season so far. Lead by former "Fab 5" coach Steve Fisher and double double phenom Kawhi Leonard, this team can make a run from national obscurity to everyone's Cinderella story. I understand that they will most likely be a 2 or 3 seed for the Tournament but Butler was considered a Cinderella story last year, so can SD St.
7. Uconn Huskies- Uconn is having a surprising season so far based on preseason predictions by most of the analysts. Kemba Walker has been the best player in the country and has been able to lead his team to huge wins all year. And anytime you have a coach as experienced as Jim Calhoun combined with a National Player of the Year candidate like Walker, the results could be dangerous.
8. Villanova Wildcats
- Nova has been a consistent squad for years now. And I think most would say that is because Jay Wright is one heck of a recruiter. Especially at the guard position, I like to call them "Guard U". They have the two senior Corey's (Fisher and Stokes) who average 15 points a game, who both have 3 prior tournaments of experience to rely on. Since Nova isn't high on everyone's radar, I wouldn't be surprised if this is the year they make it back to the Final Four.
9. BYU Cougars
- Jimmer Fredette is all I have to say. If you don't know who this guy is, you sure will come March. He can score with the best of them, and I mean the BEST of them. Even the best scorer in the NBA, Kevin Durant tweeted last week that Fredette was the best scorer in the world! He is averaging a cool 27 points per game, but also has a lot of help, from the rest of his talented team including Jackson Emery who can also score! They have a classic March Madness game against the Kansas St. Wildcats last year to look back on, and try to make a deep run to the second weekend and beyond.
10. Notre Dame Fighting Irish
- Yes, Notre Dame is now as much of a basketball school as a football school. Especially lately, including this season. They are currently ranked in the top 10, while playing in the best conference in the nation (Big East). I just have a funny feeling that they will ride the coat tails of Ben Hansbrough, just as UNC did two years ago with his brother Tyler. Ben seems to have that same "IT" factor as a player, and wants the ball when the games on the line. He proved that last week in Pittsburgh when he hit every big basket he could to end the Panthers extended home winnings streak.

Rafael Soriano

I wrote in my column earlier that I expected the Yankees to sign Rafael Soriano to be their bridge to Mo in 2011 and I was wrong:

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/yankees_nix_soriano_7Czn3GXNDnUj2FWxgnj1tI

The Yanks were unwilling to give up a first-round pick for a relief pitcher, which I completely agree with. Great, young pitching staffs are built through the draft.

But on the positive side, Joakim Soria has expressed interest in being traded to Yanks:

http://www.nypost.com/p/sports/yankees/soria_would_yank_no_trade_clause_qH9VUVhfnV5wNfgk36gpKO

Why Yankees Fans Should be Optimistic for 2011

This has been a strange and unusual offseason for the New York Yankees. No high-profile free agent signings, no big trades, and an abnormal number of questions and concerns going into the 2011 season. There is no doubt that the Yankees are getting older and the pitching rotation is paper thin. Yankees fans have also watched the Boston Red Sox make huge free agent signings, bringing in Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford, undoubtedly the best free agent haul in baseball. That being said, there are many reasons for optimism and Yankees fans should continue to expect nothing less than a 28th World Series ring in 2011. Below, I give six reasons why Yankees fans should be pumped for 2011:

The 2010 Yankees won 95 games
In large part, this is the same Yankees team that won 95 games and finished with the 3rd best regular season record in all of baseball. The vast majority of the 2010 team is back in 2011. Players that the Yankees are not bringing back include Javier Vazquez, Austin Kearns, Lance Berkman, Marcus Thames, and Kerry Wood. The second coming of Vazquez ended pretty much like the first one, in major disappointment and utter frustration with his inability to perform in New York. The Yankees got nothing out of Vazquez in 2010, so it is not a major loss. Berkman and Kearns were disappointing mid-season acquisitions and will not be missed in 2011. I still believe the Yankees will re-sign Marcus Thames as a 4th outfielder. Thames did have some huge Home Runs for the Yankees in 2010 and was directly responsible for at least a few of the team’s wins. However, Thames is NOT a critical part of the Yankee roster. Kerry Wood is the biggest departure, but he simply did not want to be a Yankee, turning down millions to return to the Cubs. The major question mark for 2011 is whether Andy Pettite returns. His return is critical and will dictate whether the 2011 Yankees are a clear World Series contender or not.
The core Yankees are all back in 2011; Jeter, A-rod, Cano, Texiera, Granderson, Sabathia, Hughes, Swisher, and Mo. Look for Jeter and Granderson to have bounce-back years in 2011. For the first time in his career, Jeter is working on his swing the entire offseason with hitting coach Kevin Long. I truly believe that Jeter was embarrassed by his 2010 stats and will be more motivated than ever to rebound. Yankees fans only got a small taste of Curtis Granderson’s potential in 2010; he struggled early on and after making a late-season adjustment to his swing, was on fire for the remainder of the regular season and postseason. Mark my words, Granderson will hit over 30 home runs in 2011 and will be the top Yankees outfielder. Another Yankee due for a bounce back is AJ Burnett. Burnett is truly the key to the Yankees success and I expect him to win at least 15 games this year. The Yankees brought in a new pitching coach to work specifically with Burnett. While he did have an awful and inconsistent year in 2010, Burnett still has an elite pitching arsenal and will get back to being one of the game’s best in 2011. If Burnett performs up to expectations, there is no reason to believe that the Yankees rotation can’t improve this year.
Don’t forget that the 2010 Yankees scored the most runs in baseball, scoring over 40 runs more than the team behind them. The Yankees also hit the third most Home Runs in the league. With basically the same offensive team intact, the Yankees will most certainly be in the top 5 in the league in runs scored and Home Runs, and those type of numbers win games.

The AL East is a Weaker Division in 2011

There is no doubt that the Red Sox are stronger in 2011, than they were in 2010. However, they are NOT a better team than the Yankees. Yes, the Red Sox picked up Crawford and Gonzalez, which will undoubtedly make their offense better. What the national media fails to mention is that the Red Sox lost Adrian Beltre and Victor Martinez. Beltre had a monster season in 2010, smashing 28 home runs and batting .321 with 102 RBIs. Victor Martinez is among the league’s elite catchers. Basically, the Red Sox replaced two great players with two great players.
For the past several seasons, the Tampa Bay Rays have been an even greater nemesis than the Red Sox. In 2011, the Rays will finish behind the Blue Jays in the AL East. There is no way they can rebound from their horrific offseason, losing Matt Garza, Carl Crawford, Carlos Pena, and Rafael Soriano among others.

Cliff Lee is in the National League
Need I say more, the Yankees road to the World Series is that much easier. Lee has been a Yankee killer and it is great news that he is out of the American League.

Exciting New Prospects
For the first time since 1998, the Yankees will have a new full-time catcher, with Jorge Posada being moved to DH. While the Yankees did sign Russell Martin to compete for the job, I fully expect Jesus Montero, one of the highest-rated prospects in all of baseball (ranked 4th overall by Baseball America), to take over the full-time job by the All-Star break. One of the major reasons I was vehemently opposed to the Yankees efforts in 2010 to trade for Cliff Lee was that Montero would have to be part of the deal. Montero is the Yankees future and has been compared to Mike Piazza by many baseball scouts. Montero has the potential to be an elite hitting force for the Yankees as he hit 21 Home Runs and 75 RBIs for the Yankees Triple-A affiliate in only 123 games. Over a 162 game season, Montero has the ability to hit over 30 home runs and drive in over 100 RBIs. The Yankees became a dynasty in the late ‘90s and early 2000s by building through their farm system, brining up home grown talent like Mo, Jeter, Pettite, and Posada. I have a strong belief that Montero will have a similar impact for the Yankees in 2011, as Derek Jeter had in 1996.
Another elite prospect to look out for is Manuel Banuelos, a left-handed pitcher that is only 19 years old and sky-rocketed up the Yankees farm system in 2010. Banuelos started the season in the Yankees Rookie League, one level below Single A. He simply dominated at each level in the minor league system and ended the season with the Trenton Thunder. The Yankees plan to bring Banuelos up in the bullpen in 2011 and he will have a similar impact for the Yankees that Joba Chamberlain had in his rookie season.

Cashman Is Not Done Yet
Although the Yankees have been strangely quiet this offseason, I do not expect it to continue. Just like the Granderson trade in 2010 that literally came out of nowhere, and the Swisher trade the year before that, expect the Yankees to use their excellent farm system to trade for a Starting Pitcher or another outfielder. I also think the Yankees will sign Rafael Soriano to be Mariano Rivera’s setup man for 2011, and eventual heir to the closer role.

The Evil Empire No More
I was one of the few Yankee fans to be excited that they did not get Cliff Lee this offseason. For the first time in recent memory, the Yankees payroll has decreased and they can no longer be accused of buying a title. Both the Red Sox and Phillies have equivalent payrolls to the Yankees for 2011 (approx. $170 million), and it can no longer be claimed that the Yankees spend to win. The Yankees are no longer a $200+ million dollar team like they have

While there are certainly many questions surrounding the 2011 Yankees, I am confident that they will return to the postseason and win their 28th World Series ring. The powerful 2010 offense is back in full force. AJ Burnett will have a bounce back year and the pitching rotation will improve on their 2010 numbers. If Andy Pettite returns, the Yankees will be in even better shape. If not, young prospects will step up like they did in 1996 and Cashman will add depth to the rotation before the trade deadline. Breath easy Yankees fans, the Yankees will continue to win in 2011.

Book of Eli; Who is truly at fault for his 25 interceptions?

I tend to have a very common argument with fans of the “Big Blue”. The argument is, of course, about former Super Bowl MVP, Eli Manning. Although he is an extremely talented QB, coming from an even more talented gene pool, my argument is that he is given far too much credit and has a tendency to be worshipped by those of the “Blue Bloods”. This year’s argument was that the majority of his interceptions were off of his receiver’s hands. I’ll admit, I’ve only watched maybe 4 or 5 Giants games this year. I’m an Oakland Raider fan who likes to torture himself on Sundays by watching the worst run team in all of sports show how much potential they have and then blow it due to horrific managerial calls and 60’s style defense. However, that’s a story for another day.

Seeing as I did not watch every Giants game, I decided to go back and watch the highlights/lowlights of all of the interceptions thrown my Peyton’s’ brother and Archie’s’ son. Here’s the results:

Week 1:

(1) Intended for Ramses Barden (Although extremely overthrown) it deflected off of Barden's hands and into the Panthers arms. ELI 0 -WR’s 1

(2) This was a perfectly thrown ball to Ahmad Bradshaw but he bobbled it directly to the Panthers defender. ELI 0- WR’s 2

(3) This throw was off of Nicks’ hands into the Panthers arms. Not a good throw, kind of left Nicks out to dry, but off of his hands regardless. ELI 0- WR’s 3

Week 2:

(1) Bad throw intended for Smith. Underthrown into triple coverage. This one is on Eli. (ELI 1-WR’s 3)

Week 3:

(1) The world famous left handed throw to Boss! No more to go any further into this one. (ELI 2-WR’s 3)

(2) I’m really starting to think differently about Hakeem Nicks. Another one directly through his hands. (ELI 2- WR’s 4)

Week 4:

NO INTERCEPTIONS THROWN

Week 5:

(1) This one was intended for Manningham, nobody told him though.

(ELI 3- WR’s 4)

(2) We have a tie! Horrible throw by Eli. (ELI 4- WR’s 4)

Week 6:

NO INTERCEPTIONS THROWN

Week 7:

(1) Terrible throw to Pascoe. Easy call. (ELI 5- WR’s 4)

(2) These are the one’s that are tough to call. It’s a horribly thrown ball that Smith has to go way out of his way for. However, it did hit his hand. I have to go against Eli on this one. Not a good throw and you know that in the locker room, he got the blame for this one and not Smith.

(ELI 6- WR’s 4)

(3) Awesome effort by Nicks. Horrific throw by Manning. It hit his hands but Jerry Rice wouldn’t have caught this one. (ELI 7- WR’s 4)

Week 8:

BYE WEEK

Week 9:

NO INTERCEPTIONS THROWN

Week 10:

(1) Easy call. Picked off by Ball. I think it was meant for Manningham but Ball barely had to move. (ELI 8- WR’s 4)

(2) TD Dallas. Manning was looking left for Nicks and it was was easily picked by McCann. (ELI 9- WR’s 4)

Week 11:

(1) Yet again, an easy INT. Bradley (The Eagles MLB) was covering Hagan an Eli threw up a jump ball. (Eli 10- WR’s 4)

(2) Asante Samuel read this one perfectly (as he so often does). Another one for Eli. (ELI 11- WR’s 4)

(3) There’s a 3^rd interception in this game. I’m not able to find the video for it. Seeing as Eli also fumbled twice in this game, I’ll give the wr’s a point for it. However it should be noted that Manning was responsible for 5 turnovers in this game. Way to step up against a rival team.

(ELI 11-WR’s5)

Week 12:

NO INTERCEPTIONS THROWN

Week 13:

(1) This was a pass thrown to the triple covered Kevin Boss. London Fletcher comes down with it untouched. (Eli 12-WR’s 5)

Week 14:

(1) This is getting ridiculous. How it can be said that all of Eli’s interceptions are off of his WR’s hands, well, it’s beyond me. Routine interception by Allen, intended for Manningham. (Eli 13- WR’s 5)

(2) Intended for Nicks, jumped by Walker. Easy interception. (Eli 14- WR’s 5)

Week 15:

(1) This throw was deflected by Tapp and picked by Mikell. Although some will say that this was not Eli’s fault, the point of this article is to either blame Eli or the WR. Seeing as it was deflected by a defensive lineman and picked by a safety, it has to go on Eli. The only reason that I even know whom it was intended for (Hagan) is because NFL network was kind enough to tell me. (Eli 15- WR’s 5)

Week 16:

(1) This one is funny. Eli threw a completion to AJ Hawk. He tried to escape the sack and threw it directly to AJ Hawk. (Eli 16-WR’s 5)

(2) Interception intended for Hagan. Picked off about 4 to 5 feet in front of him by Sam Shields. (ELI 17-WR’s 5)

(3) Nick Collins intercepted this one, as Manningham was double covered. It looked like pass interference by Shields but it would have been picked regardless. (ELI 18-WR’s 5)

(4) This was intended for Nicks. Williams looked like he was getting a punt return. Easy interception, yet again. (ELI 19- WR’s 5)

Week 17:

(1) This ball should’ve been easily caught. Manningham bobbled a perfectly thrown ball. Picked off by former 1^st round pick and Al Davis Hall of Famer, Philip Buchanon. (Eli 19-WR’s 6)

As you can see, Eli manning had thrown 25 interceptions this year. After watching the replay of every single interception, it is absolutely insane to say that the receivers were at fault for more than half of them. Even if I go in favor of Eli for the 2 controversial interceptions (mentioned above), he would still be fully responsible for 17 of them. Let’s also not forget about the interception that I blamed the wr’s for against Philly, only because I couldn’t find the video for it on NFL.com. Is it possible that the receivers ran the wrong route? Yes, it is possible. Is it also possible that the Giants receivers could have made more of an effort to get the ball on the ground? Yes, that too is possible. However, facts are facts. Sorry Giants fans, its time to admit that your holy QB is flawed.

Duncan's NFL Playoff Predictions

NFC

First Round

Eagles over Packers

Saints over Seahawks

Second Round

Eagles over Bears

Falcons over Saints

NFC Championship

Eagles over Falcons

AFC

First Round

Baltimore over Kansas City

Jets over Colts

Second Round

Ravens over Patriots

Steelers over Jets

AFC Championship

Ravens over Steelers

Super Bowl

Ravens 21
Eagles 17

Super Bowl MVP

Joe Flacco

The Decision: Vince Young Edition? 3 Possible Destinations for Vince Young

Don’t worry folks. You’re not going to have to tune into ESPN to see Vince Young sitting on a stool ready to make the “Big Announcement”. He won’t have the privilege of appointing an interviewer (One less time we all have to see Jim Gray) and he won’t be “Taking (his) talents to South Beach”. Well actually, maybe he will. I don’t want to get ahead of myself though.

Going into to the offseason, there have been many headlines to keep us “Online Athletes” happy, some being huge, some, not so much. However, one topic that has been quite interesting is that out of Tennessee. The ball was put in the Titans’ court. They had to choose between veteran head coach, Jeff Fisher and the shoulder pad throwing college football legend, Vince Young. Numerous spats had forced the two to grow apart and the results had shown it on the field. Jeff Fisher, for the most part, has been a very successful head coach under owner Bud Adams. He’s done so, despite the streaky play of Young. The decision had been made. Young would no longer be on the team.

So, what is next for “Vincanity” (wait wrong Vince). So what is next for Vince Young? His style of play has proven that he cannot be that “Pocket Passer” that Tom Brady and Peyton Manning are. He has however, shown that he can be effective outside of the pocket. This means that in order for him to be at his best, he has to have a line that can give him some time to maneuver.

Option numero uno (That means “number one” in Spanish, for all of you high school French majors): the Arizona Cardinals. I know what some of you are thinking, “The Cardinals just got rid of one 2006 draft bust. Why would they get another?” Well to be honest, the Cardinals could stray away here. However, the truth of the matter is that Coach Ken Whistenhunt loves some creativity in his offense. With Youngs’ athletic ability, it will allow Whistenhunt to run a very detailed offense. Does Young have the brain capacity to run this type of offense? That is another question.

Option number two: the Seattle Seahawks. This one is easy to justify. Their Quarterback situation was horrendous this year, and you know that Pete Carroll would absolutely love to be the one who “Rejuvenated Vince Young”. Give the guy some credit; he deserves to do something right in the NFL. Don’t get me wrong, the Seahawks made the playoffs, but there were 2 CFL teams that could beat them like they were playing with Bo Jackson in “Tecmo Super bowl”.

The 3^rd and final option that I will be discussing today is… the Miami Dolphins! YES! Maybe he will “Take his talents to South Beach”! Think about it. The Dolphins can run the ball. This would allow the “Fins” to use Young in a productive manner. They’ll be able to continue to play the smash mouth style of football that they love to play. When rolling outside of the pocket, he may cause enough of a distraction to let Brandon Marshall free up in the passing game. Hey, we’ve seen stranger things happen in this league so anything is possible. Not to mention, if all else fails with the Dolphins, Young is 20 times better than anyone the Heat have on their bench. Yeah, I said it.

Bosco's 2010-2011 NFL Playoff Predictions

AFC
1st Round
Jets over Colts - 23-20
Ravens over Chiefs - 24-13

2nd Round
Patriots over Jets
Ravens over Steelers

AFC Championship
Ravens over Patriots


NFC
1st Round
Packers over Eagles - 34-30
Saints over Seahawks - 24-23

2nd Round
Packers over Falcons
Bears over Saints

NFC Championship
Packers over Bears


SUPER BOWL XLV
Packers over Ravens
MVP- Aaron Rodgers

... Well sorry to all Packers & Ravens fans because I just jinxed you. HAHA
My Preseason NFC/AFC Championship game losers have now moved into my SB prediction. Enjoy the playoffs everyone!

Bosco's 2010 NFL Awards

Hey there everyone. I know it's been a little while for me blogging on here, but I promise for now on this page will be up and running at a weekly clip at the very least.
Here are my awards for the 2010 NFL Season (My preseason predictions of these awards were obviously slighty off but that's why they are called predictions)

MVP- Tom Brady, QB, Patriots (3900 Yds, 36 TDs to 4 Ints, 65.9 Cmp % & #1 seed with a 14-2 record)

O.P.Y- Arian Foster, RB, Texans (1616 Yds Rushing, 16 Rushing TDs, 4.9 YPC, 604 Yds Receiving, 2 Receiving TDs, 2220 Total Yards from Scrimmage)

D.P.Y- Troy Polamalu, LB, Packers (63 Tackles, 1 Sack, 1 Forced Fumble, 7 Interceptions, 1 Def TD)

O.R.Y- Sam Bradford, QB, Rams (3512 Yds, 18 TDs to 15 Ints, 60 Cmp % & living up to #1 Draft Pick expectations)

D.R.Y- Ndamukong Suh, DT, Lions (66 Tackles, 10 Sacks, 1 Forced Fumble, 1 Interception)

Coach- Mike Smith, Falcons (13-3 Record overall, 5-1 in NFC South & #1 Seed in NFC)

Bosco's 2010 NFL Predictions

-- "In 2010, I'm thinking outside the box!" --
These are my NFL Predictions for the 2010 season. I predict a winner in every game on the schedule and that is how i get the records. Teams with a * are the division winners and teams with a # are wildcards. Playoff predictions and awards are last.

NFC EAST
*Dallas - 11-5
NY Giants - 9-7
Philadelphia - 7-9
Washington - 6-10

NFC NORTH
*Green Bay - 11-5
#Minnesota - 11-5
Chicago - 7-9
Detroit - 4-12

NFC SOUTH
*New Orleans - 11-5
#Atlanta - 10-6
Carolina - 6-10
Tampa Bay - 5-11

NFC WEST
*San Francisco - 12-4
Arizona - 7-9
Seattle - 5-11
St. Louis - 3-13




AFC EAST
*NY Jets - 12-4
#New England - 11-5
Miami - 8-8
Buffalo - 5-11

AFC NORTH
*Baltimore - 11-5
Pittsburgh - 10-6
Cincinnati - 8-8
Cleveland - 2-14

AFC SOUTH
*Houston - 12-4
#Indianapolis - 11-5
Tennessee - 9-7
Jacksonville - 4-12

AFC WEST
*San Diego - 10-6
Oakland - 6-10
Kansas City - 6-10
Denver - 5-11




2010 NFL PLAYOFFS

NFC Wild Card
1. San Francisco (Bye)
2. Dallas (Bye)
3. New Orleans over 6. Atlanta
4. Green Bay over 5. Minnesota
NFC Divisonal
2. Dallas over 3. New Orleans
4. Green Bay over 1. San Francisco
NFC Conference Championship
2. Dallas over 4. Green Bay




AFC Wild Card
1. NY Jets (Bye)
2. Houston (Bye)
3. Baltimore over 6. Indianapolis
5. New England over 4. San Diego
AFC Divisional
2. Houston over 3. Baltimore
5. New England over 1. NY Jets
AFC Conference Championship
2. Houston over 5. New England




SUPER BOWL XLV
Dallas Cowboys over Houston Texans (Battle of Texas) - MVP- Tony Romo




2010 Awards Predictions
M.V.P- Matt Schaub (Houston)
O.P.Y- Aaron Rodgers (Green Bay)
D.P.Y- DeMarcus Ware (Dallas)
O.R.Y- Ryan Mathews (San Diego)
D.R.Y- Eric Berry (Kansas City)
Coach- Mike Singletary (San Francisco)




10 little thoughts about the 2010 season
1. Chris Johnson will rush for under 2,000 yards.
2. Aaron Rodgers will throw 45+ TD's.
3. Jets Defense will be Top 3 of all time.
4. Matt Ryan becomes a Top 6 Fantasy QB.
5. Steelers go 1-3 without Big Ben causing them to miss playoffs by 1 game.
6. Michael Vick will start more than 1 game for the Eagles this year.
7. The 49ers will finally dominate the West and gain #1 seed behind, quality QB play of Alex Smith and a Top Tier Defense
8. The Patriots will have a great offensive year especially Brady to Moss with 15-20 TD's in that connection.
9. Chiefs show some life this year at 6-10 but play hard and lose three or four games by under a TD. Showing a bright future in Kansas City.
10. Houston finally breaks out and has a unbelievable year, Schaub wins MVP, A.Johson does what he always does and they make a trip to the Super Bowl in Dallas to play the Cowboys for an all Texas battle in Texas!

--- Let me have it everyone! But hey, why not go out on a limb, and why not pick my team?!?

Bosco & Duncan's Final 2010 Mock Draft

1. Rams- Sam Bradford - QB - Oklahoma
2. Lions- Ndamukong Suh - DT - Nebraska
3. Bucs- Gerald McCoy - DT - Oklahoma
4. Redskins- Trent Williams - OT - Oklahoma
5. Chiefs- Bryan Bulaga - OT - Iowa
6. Seahawks- Russell Okung - OT - Oklahoma St
7. Browns- Eric Berry - S - Tennessee
8. Raiders- Bruce Campbell - OT - Maryland
9. Bills- Dan Williams - DT - Tennessee
10. Jags- Earl Thomas - S - Texas
11. Broncos- Maurkice Pouncey - C - Florida
12. Dolphins- Rolando McClain - ILB - Alabama
13. 49ers- Joe Haden - CB - Florida
14. Seahawks- C.J Spiller - RB - Clemson
15. Giants- Derrick Morgan - OLB - Georgia Tech
16. Titans- Jason Pierre-Paul - DE - South Florida
17. 49ers- Anthony Davis - OT - Rutgers
18. Steelers- Kyle Wilson - CB - Boise St.
19. Falcons- Brandon Graham - DE - Michigan
20. Texans- Ryan Matthews - RB - Fresno St.
21. Bengals- Dez Bryant - WR - Oklahoma St.
22. Patriots- Jermaine Gresham - TE - Oklahoma
23. Packers- Jerry Hughes - OLB - TCU
24. Eagles- Mike Iupati - OG - Idaho
25. Ravens- Demaryius Thomas - WR - Georgia Tech
26. Cardinals- Sean Witherspoon - OLB - Missouri
27. Cowboys- Nate Allen - S - South Florida
28. Chargers- Terrence "Mount" Cody - DT - Alabama
29. Jets- Sergio Kindle - DE/OLB - Texas
30. Vikings- Kareem Jackson - CB - Alabama
31. Colts- Charles Brown - OT - OT - USC
32. Saints- Jared Odrick - DE - Penn St.

Bosco's 2009 NBA Playoff Predictions - Round 1

Western Conference
1- Lakers over 8- Thunder in 6 games. (Most people seem to think that Phil Jackson's comments about Kevin Durant getting all the calls will help the Lakers. Well that guy is a pure scorer and he's only 21 so I think that what he said is just added fuel to the fire! Westbrook is the breakout star in this series though, taking advantage of the Laker PG's to win 2 games THIS YEAR. Next year they will win a series I guarentee it!)
2- Mavericks over 7- Spurs in 7 games. (This series will be brutal and physical and you will see some flashes of the Spurs team we have come to know at times. But in the end the Mavericks trade deadline acquistions of Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood will be a key factor in this series. I feel Spurs will either steal a game in Dallas in the first two or will win every game in San Antonio before losing a game 7 back in Dallas.)
3- Phoenix Suns over 6- Portland Trailblazers in 5 games. (A few weeks back, I thought that if this matchup happend the Blazers would have a legit shot to pull off a first round upset. But Brandon Roy's injury is way too much for them to overcome, and Nash and A'mare will dominate this series in 5 games.
4- Denver Nuggets over 5- Utah Jazz in 7 games. (The loss of George Karl and the injuries to Kenyon Martin definitely prevented the Nuggets from landing the 2 or 3 seed. But Denver landing the 4 over the 5 seed helps them win a series where they probably will lose all road games in Utah and have to win all over their home games to pull this one out in 7.

Eastern Conference
1- Cleveland Cavaliers over 8- Chicago Bulls in 6 games. (Derrick Rose will step his game up as he did last year in the Celtic series and show the world why he was a #1 pick. Lebron will have another great series and stop the bleeding in a game 6 after a few what most will call "shocking" losses to the Bulls.
2- Orlando Magic over 7- Charlotte Bobcats in 5 games. (This is one of those series where I say it's over even before it starts. Now some new teams may come into the playoffs ready to go but i believe the Bobcats will just be happy to be in it. The Magic are on a mission to get back to the NBA Finals with a few different pieces from last years team including a healthy Jamier Nelson. Magic are just too much for Larry Brown's squad and will win in 5 games.
3- Atlanta Hawks over 6- Milwaukee Bucks in 4 games. (Yes i said it, FOUR games! The reason why is Andrew Bogut's injury is going to be a huge key of how this team believes in whether they can win or not. And even more importantly Atlanta is ready to step up big time this year and make a deep playoff run! Hawks in the sweep!
5- Miami Heat over 4- Boston Celtics in 6 games. (Well my one and only first round upset which won't really be called that much of one the way Miami has been playing of late. Dwayne Wade is on a tear and the old looking Celtics will show the wear and tear of a long season and bow out in the first round. This maybe the last time we see this Boston team including Doc Rivers as Danny Ainge may be forced to go back to the drawing board and get younger! Heat will pull this series out.

Early Predictions for the rest of the NBA Playoffs
-My Western Conference Championship pick will be the Lakers and the Suns and I have the Suns winning in 6 games and going to the NBA Finals.

-My Eastern Conference Championship pick will be the Cavaliers over the Hawks in 5 games and marching back to the NBA Finals.

-My NBA Champion is the Cleveland Cavaliers over the Suns in 7 strong games and Lebron James being the NBA Finals MVP.

-You have to go out on a limb a little bit sometimes and I see Kobe slowing down just a tad, maybe enough for a team to sneak up on them and land the knockout punch before the NBA Finals. And Atlanta making a deep run in the East this year will allow King James back to the promise land where he will land his first ring and sign a deal to become the true KING of CLEVELAND for years to come!

Bosco's NCAA Tournament Field of 65 Predictions- before actual is released!

EAST
1-Kentucky
16- Play in Game Winner (Arkansas Pine-Bluff vs Lehigh)

8-UNLV
9-Clemson

5-Butler
12-Wake Forest

4-Baylor
13-Murray St.

6-Richmond
11-Cornell

3-Villanova
14-Ohio

7-No.Iowa
10-Louisville

2-Ohio St.
15-Vermont

WEST
1-Duke
16-ETSU

8-Oklahoma St.
9-California

5-Michigan St.
12-Siena

4-Vanderbilt
13-Houston

6-Xavier
11-Illinois

3-New Mexico
14-Sam Houston St.

7-Gonzaga
10-Old Dominion

2-West Virgina
15-North Texas

MIDWEST
1-Kanas
16-Robert Morris

8-Notre Dame
9-UTEP

5-Maryland
12-Washington

4-Purdue
13-Oakland

6-BYU
11-Miss St.

3-Temple
14-Montana

7-Texas
10-Georgia Tech

2-Georgetown
15-UC Santa Barbara

SOUTH
1-Syracuse
16-Winthrop

8-Florida St.
9-Missouri

5-Tennessee
12-Minnesota

4-Wisconsin
13-New Mexico St.

6-Texas A&M
11-San Diego St.

3-Pittsburgh
14-Wofford

7-Marquette
10-St.Mary's

2-Kansas St.
15-Morgan St.


-Robert Bosco

The Thought of NCAA Tournament Expansion Really Bursts My Bubble!

I absolutely HATE this expansion talk! I know today's society (especially TV networks) are all about the money but what it should be about is the fans!

We all love how the bracket looks right now, and when they extended it to 65 teams most of us were mad but it didn't ruin the complete structure of it. Can you imagine what a 96 team bracket would look like? It will probably be more than just the orginal 1 page or the font would be too small to read the team names, i mean its a disaster in the making.

Also, Who wants to see such BAD teams in the tournament? Just think about this, today Joe Lunardi of ESPN said that if the field was 96 two of the last four teams in would be Arizona and UNC (both of whom have had ugly seaons non deserving of a bid). Expanding the field would not make the competition level go up at all, it would only make for round 1 and 2 upsets causing round 3 and 4 blow outs!

I just don't see the point of ruining the most perfect thing in sports. If they add those extra teams, yes that would mean more games, but that means adding more days. And personally for me, I can't take any more vacation days than i already do now to get the first Thursday and Friday of the tourney off. I am pretty sure that most of America would agree with me on that. Because when they talk about expanding they are talking about a possible Tuesday through Sunday run of games the following week. And those days would have the better games, since the first weekend would be seeds 33-96 playing! What a horrible and almost impossible to watch experience that would be.

I know its about money, but if they start messing with something that is as close to perfect in sports as can be, than what happens if they ruin it? What happens if people STOP watching and they start losing money! Then what? After a contract signed of 10+ yrs (which is the rumor) they wouldn't be able to do much,but wait those ten years out. How about lettting AMERICA vote! Let us tell these companies what we want! If they want to extend, then go to 68 with 4 play in games, to get 3 more bubble teams in and thats it! (but that's an argument for a different day) Nothing more, GOD i beg of you, let this whole expansion talk fall through and keep this beautiful tourney as it is!

- Robert Bosco (#1 fan of March Madness how it is now!)

Super Bowl XLIV Prediction

Well its all over after tonight. Another NFL season has come and gone, and another enjoyable one it was. Now to finish it off with the two #1 seeds in each conference in a battle for the Vince Lombardi Trophy.
Now to the predictions- When this matchup was first official two weeks ago tonight I thought the Colts were easily going to beat the Saints up and if the game was a week later I might still have thought that. But things change, the Super Bowl and it's crazyness changes players, coaches, media, predictions, ect. And although I feel that if the Saints play anywhere near the level they played at against the Vikings this could be one of those Super Bowl's where everyone at the party is more focused on their bets, box #'s, food and next years fantasy draft. But the thing is, I just no longer feel the Saints will play that badly. Whether it will be because of the time off giving New Orleans so much time to think about how they were so close to not being in this game, or just the re-adjusting or maybe even the different matchup the Saints will play better. The problem is I just don't see them playing well enough in their first Super Bowl (I realize some players have been there before) to beat Peyton Manning, who arguably is playing the best football in his career. And I just don't see the Saints defense stepping up and stopping Peyton when they need to most which is in the 4th quarter.
Now we all know that Peyton did not play well his first time around in the Super Bowl, and probably did not deserve the MVP, well if you don't think thats something Peyton Manning (Mr. Competitive) has constantly thought about your crazy, he will definitely be looking to solidify himself in Super Bowl lure tonight with an epic performance whether it be breaking Steve Youngs' TD record in a single Super Bowl (5) or a late game comeback or maybe something that will have a nickname like "the drive" or "the catch". Now i personally don't see him throwing 5 but hey why not 4? Colts win 34-30 on a late Peyton Manning Td to Wayne, just adding to his already rich and unbelievable legacy with another MVP!