Sports Quick Hits - 7/25 - Lockout Over/Stars Overseas?

Well, it's a little late today, but with this edition of Sports Quick Hits, you can know that the NFL Lockout is Over! Almost. It's still pending the formality of the players vote, which at this points looks like it'll be a majority agreement with the owners unless something dramatic changes. With that vote, the NFL and NFL Players committees, who worked until 3am this morning, have expedited the NFL time line. If the deal is accepted today, here's what will happen:

Monday, 7/25 - The NFL will announce teams can go to 90-man rosters and will distribute official free agent lists. So, expect to see a bunch of big names, and we'll also get clarification on guys like Logan Mankins and Vincent Jackson, and whether or not their franchise tags will stick.

Tuesday, 7/26 - Teams can begin negotiating with drafted rookies and undrafted college free agents beginning at 10am. All signed players are allowed into team facilities, with 10 teams beginning training camp. To keep teams from having additional practices, all teams may begin camp only 15 days prior to their first preseason game. Teams may begin resigning their own free agents and start negotiations with unrestricted free agents and begin trade talks. However, transactions involving unrestricted free agents and trades cannot be reported to the league office until Friday the 29th, so you may have to wait a few days to see some new faces on your favorite team's roster.

Wednesday, 7/27 - Ten more teams are allowed to report to training camp, and ten more will report Thursday with the Jets and Texans reporting on Sunday.

Thursday, 7/28 - Teams can begin to cut players currently under contract to get back under the new $120M salary cap. Teams must spend at least 89% of that total in cash contracts, or $106.8M). Presently, there are 8 teams over the cap. Those teams and the amounts over are as follows:

Dallas Cowboys - $18.9M over
New York Giants - $11.3M over
Oakland Raiders - $10M over
Pittsburgh Steelers - $10M over
Minnesota Vikings - $5.1M over
Indianapolis Colts - $2.7M over
New York Jets - $1.2M over

Among some of the notable players likely to be cut due to high salaries are: Reggie Bush, Saints; Shawn Andrews, Giants; Flozell Adams, Steelers; Marion Barber, Cowboys; Vince Young, Titans; Donovan McNabb, Redskins; and Vernon Carey, Dolphins. Note that this list doesn't include players like Peyton Manning and Santonio Holmes, who are unrestricted free agents whose contracts will come off their respective teams books should they leave. Those two are unlikely, but there will be a lot of guys in flux the next 4 days.

Friday, 7/29 - All teams can file all new transactions (signed unrestricted free agents, rookie contracts, and trades) with the NFL League Office starting at 6pm.

August 4th - Deadline for recertification of NFLPA and ratification of new Collective Bargaining Agreement by the players.

As much as I hate to dole out kudos to these two, but my hats off to Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith for taking over these negotiations the last two weeks. And lastly, I think you have to ask the owners, was it worth it? I think not, and I think that's plenty evident by teams hurting badly on season ticket sales.

MLB
Just when the MLB trade deadline is approaching and some of the races are getting hot, the NFL seemingly solves its lockout issues. Buzzkill for baseball. Anyways, there are some great races going on. Here's my top 3.

1) NL Central - this one is sort of by default, as the first place Pirates, also tied with the Cardinals and Brewers, all have worse records than every other first place team in the Majors and are all also worse than 4 of the second place teams around the majors. The Reds are also 3 games back and won back-to-back games for the first time in a month last night. I'd expect some serious deals to go on in this division over the coming days.

2) AL Central - don't look now but Ozzie Guillen's White Sox are hard-charging and just two games below .500 and just 4.5 out of first after a dreadful start. Detroit holds a two game lead over the Indians, who just won't seem to go away. I think this remains a 3 horse race to the bitter end.

3) NL Wild-Card - the Braves have a 4 game lead over Arizona right now, but Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Cincinnati, the New York Mets, and Washington Nationals are all within 10 games of the Braves.

Other Sports

A lot of NBA guys are looking overseas. Deron Williams already signed with a team in Turkey, and that squad is currently in talks with Kobe Bryant. Dwight Howard has eyed teams in Europe, Turkey, and maybe biggest of all, China, in order to improve his game overseas while the NBA Lockout is in effect.

Terrelle Pryor, the former Ohio State QB, may not be allowed to be in the Supplemental Draft, which still has yet to have a date set for it, as he left Ohio State under his own volition, as opposed to being ruled academically ineligible or being kicked out of school for unforseen circumstances.

Lastly, and this one is for Chizzy, I'll go ahead and call the Eagles trading Kevin Kolb to the Arizona Cardinals for CB Dominique Rogers-Cromartie and a draft pick. Book that one for Friday night.

Bulls - Hawks Preview: DRose & Co. v. the Nobodys

I know Game 1 happened last night, and I now look like an idiot for writing this preview. However, if you want proof that I did write this prior to Game 1, click here. AND... since I don't really have time this week to get another preview up, I'm going to say Lakers in 7 (I know the Mavs won Game 1, but I just don't think they have enough of a supporting cast to get by the Lakers).

Well these two teams' respective first round series could not have gone much differently.

Bulls fans—as expected—watched Derrick Rose lead a very balanced attack (five scorers averaged double figures) in a ho-hum five game series against the Pacers. They probably would have swept had Rose not tweaked his ankle in Game 3, leading to a Game 4 loss in one of the worst games of his career (6-22 FG, 1-9 3FG).

Meanwhile, the Hawks shocked the world by destroying the Orlando Magic in six games. No one gave the Hawks a prayer in that series, including myself. But similar to the Bulls, they utilized a balanced attack with five players in double figures.

My problem with the Hawks is that they don't have THAT guy. The one that they can count on to cut the throat out of the other team (and I'm not accepting that Jamal Crawford's ugly as hell bank counts as a cutthroat player).

These are two very balanced teams, so this should be a fun series...right? Not really. Not when one balanced team is a WHOLE lot better than the other.

SERIES STUD: Derrick Rose. DRose had a spectacular Game 1 and 2, earning his (probable) MVP status, and he averaged 37.5 points, 7 rebounds and 6.5 assists. Rose's penetration skills were hindered in Games 3-5 against the Pacers after tweaking his ankle early in Game 3. In those games, Rose averaged 21 points, 3 rebounds and 6 assists. Pedestrian numbers by his standards.

In Games 4 and 5 he had 11 FT attempts combined, less than any other game in the series by itself. He obviously was not taking the rock to the hole like his usual self, which is a bad thing considering he shot 21 percent from behind the arc in the first round. With six days off between the last game and Game 1 against the Hawks, I fully expect Rose to be healthy.

Combine that with the fact that there is no one—seriously, no one—to guard him on the Hawks, Rose will be running up and down the court like he's the lead bull at Pamplona this series.

DA BULLS: In a way, Rose's injury may have been the best thing to happen to a Bulls team that is inexperienced with winning in the playoffs. The Pacers didn't roll over in any game except for the finale; the first four games were decided by six points or less. The Bulls had to be focused, and were challenged by a tough Indianapolis ballclub.

Other players were forced to step up when it mattered, and this team showed what it really is—a team. That team is going to give the Hawks fits.

The mid 90's Bulls, while they had MJ, had a multitude of guys who could show up on any given night. Guys like John Paxson, Steve Kerr, Toni Kukoc, and Bill Wennington (kidding!) come to mind.

Against the Pacers, Kyle Korver knocked down threes, Taj Gibson provided a spark off the bench when Carlos Boozer proved ineffective (seriously Boozer, grow a pair), and Joakim Noah/Kurt Thomas provided an elbow throwing, trash talking presence down low that frustrated the Pacers. In particular, I was really impressed by the king of the mid-range jumper, Luol Deng. In the Bulls' Game 3 and 5 wins, he stepped up to contribute 21 points in both.

With the particular skill sets of each individual player meshing together, it's going to create matchup problems for the Hawks all over the place. Throw in Coach Tom Thibodeau's trademark lockdown defense, and this team is going to be hard to stop moving forward.
Expect more of this balanced attack in this series, but make no mistake—Derrick Rose is the star of the show. And with no one there to guard him, it should be a quick series for Da Bulls.

THE HAWKS: At 100 percent health, the Hawks' chances in this series were on thin ice to begin with. But the news of Kirk Hinrich being out for the entire series due to a hamstring injury suffered in Game 6 of the first round means the Hawks are now struggling to keep their heads above water.

Hinrich brought a stabilizing force and a feisty intensity to this team that desperately needed a leader (yes, I'm looking at you, "superstar" Joe Johnson) to spark it as it churned along toward the postseason.

Everything's going against the Hawks in this Series. In Round 1, they had to play a certain style of game—mainly a large lineup—in order to contain Dwight Howard. After Howard's 46 point, 19 rebound effort in Game 1, Al Horford and Jason Collins did what they could.

But now they're having to defend a completely different team, led by a point guard, which entails a completely different game plan and a completely different style of play. Transitioning like that is not an easy feat to accomplish, as players that you didn't rely on in Round 1 (Marvin Williams, Jeff Teague) are going to be asked to step right in.

Basically, the Bulls present a ton of matchup problems for the Hawks, and I see this team sinking fast in Round 2.

PREDICTION: I'm a little weary of saying that the Hawks don't have a prayer here, as I made the same prediction about their series against the Magic. But my friends, these Chicago Bulls are not the Orlando Magic. Comparing those two teams is like comparing a Toyota Corolla to a Mercedes Benz.

And if the Bulls are a Benz, in this series the Hawks are the pavement. Bulls roll in 5.

The Daily Rant: Will We Ever See (Physical) Dominance Again?

Last night while I was watching the Magic vs. Hawks game, Dwight Howard put on another show with 33 points and 19 rebounds and threw down some thunderous dunks. Say what you want about Howard's abilities or how much/little improvement he's shown in his offensive game, I think there's one thing we can all agree on. He's the most dominant center the NBA has seen since Shaquille O'Neal's glory days.

With O'Neal on the mend in Boston, I started to wonder if we've seen the last of Shaq. While his roles as Kazaam and Neon Boudreaux (Kazaam and Blue Chips) weren't dominant, his play in the paint for Orlando, Los Angeles, and Miami was. He still showed flashes in Phoenix and Cleveland, and for a time this year, Boston.

My question is, will we ever see someone as physically dominant again? Dwight Howard stands 6'11" and 265lbs. Shaq stood 7'1" 302lbs when he entered the league in 1992 and started ripping down backboards. O'Neal averaged at least 23.4 ppg his first 11 seasons in the NBA, including three times having an average over 29 ppg, and no fewer than 10.7 rebounds per game in those 11 seasons. Has career totals are very impressive as well, averaging 23.7ppg, 10.9rpg, and 2.3bpg, for totals of 28,596 points, 13,099 rebounds, and 2,732 blocks. Respectively those totals are good for 5th, 12th, and 7th all-time.

No one could guard him, and Hakeem Olajuwon stands as the only center who ever really took it to Shaq. Olajuwon hit jumper, fadeaway, and hook after jumper, fadeaway, and hook in the 1995 NBA Finals. That was the zenith of Olajuwon's career while O'Neal's was just starting to peak.

O'Neal will probably be the only 7'1" man capable of driving the entire length of the floor. Don't believe me, watch this. He was able to post-up against anyone. He had a powerful drop step move; he could shoot a hook over you; execute an up and under; or just simply go through you on his way to the rim. He could power 340lbs into the air and thunder home an alley-oop that shook not only the rim, but the entire arena. He took out nearly the entire Rockets team in this brawl, and probably would've ended Brad Miller's life had he connected on this haymaker. He threw around Andrew Bynum, and even wrestled the Big Show. Plain and simple, Shaq was a beast. If he could've learned to shoot foul shots, he'd probably have a shot at overtaking Kareem Adbdul-Jabbar or Karl Malone for 1st or 2nd all-time in points scored.

Yeah, his rap career flopped (Fu Shnickens), and his clothing line, T.W.I.S.M. (The World Is Mine - stolen from Scarface) failed. But, Shaq will remain the most physically imposing athlete of all-time, and I don't think there's a real comparison. Bo Jackson was the most physical and athletic running back I've everseen, and the Giants' Brandon Jacobs stands at 6'4" 264lbs. Frank Thomas was the biggest baseball player I've ever seen standing 6'5" 270lbs, but neither of them were as dominant as O'Neal for as long a stretch of time. Dwight Howard might be close, but I'll always remember Shaq. If this is the last we've seen of him on the hardwood, so be it. He got his rings, he left a legacy, and there's probably evidence of a bloodtrail in the paint on NBA floors around the league. Shaq is a living legend. Seriously, who else could do this? And no, I'm not talking about Mark Madsen dancing. Shaq, if this is the last of you, you'll be missed.

***An update to the Shaq blog, as my roommate gave me this little gem yesterday. Shaq gives the DDT to Sir Charles Barkley. Enjoy!***

Sports Quick Hits

Some plans got changed around for me this weekend, and I ended up at the Reds games on Saturday and Sunday. I didn't have time to come up with a specific article on one topic, so consider this our version of ESPN's bottom line...just more descriptive.

A quick aside here, but after attending 4 Reds games in this young season, I think I can say that Reds fans might be some of the worst foul-ball catchers out there.

- First up, Chizzy and I have our alternating mock draft underway. I'll be handling the odd numbered picks, and he'll take care of the even numbered picks. We should have that up in the next couple of days.

- Sticking with the draft, I can't provide you with full disclosure, but what I can tell you is that Chris Kouffman, from the "Draft Winds" series I mentioned in my mock draft, will have his "Path to the Draft" episode aired sometime early this week. Obviously some of it will be scrubbed out due to time constraints, as you have in any interview. If you'll remember he was asked to come on the show for their piece on Arkansas QB Ryan Mallett...and let's just say that at some point this week a bomb is going to be dropped. And I'm not talking a conventional 500lb bomb, or even a MOAB (Mother of all bombs - considered to be the most powerful non-nuclear weapon)...it's going to be full nuclear. I'll give you a heads-up on what to look for when it happens, if you can't tell.

- One last NFL nuggett for you. Judge Nelson's "a few weeks" ruling will be at two this Thursday. It remains to be seen on whether or not she'll end the lockout, thus allowing the players to return to working out at their facilites. No word yet on free agency or the trading of players. Mediation begins again tomorrow, and DeMaurice Smith's hat collection will be there.

- If you remember Chizzy's article about Bryan Stow, it's regrettable to hear that he was put back into a medically induced coma over the weekend. Please remember to keep him in your thoughts and prayers.

- Thanks to Schwendy's NHL Preview, I found myself watching some hockey in the past few days. I guess if I had to pick a favorite team, it'd be the Rangers, as that was my dad's team (we used to live near New York City when I was 3). They lost to the Captials in OT despite being ahead late into the 3rd period. I got up after the game, and when I came back to the TV, the Canucks - Blackhawks game was about to start. A fat guy started singing "Oh Canada", with a more than raucous crowd joining in to the point the fat guy stopped and simply held the mic up for the crowd. This video isn't from the playoff game, and I'm not sure if this is how "Oh Canada" traditionally works in Vancouver, as the same fat dude is singing in every YouTube video I could find, but to give you a sense of how much Canadiens love hockey, watch this. Keep in mind this is from 2009, but it was the same last week. I doubt we'll be seeing something like this in the States, eh?

- Barry Bonds was convicted on obstruction of justice. And you expected something else to happen? I think it'd be better for baseball history if Bonds, McGwire, Sosa, Palmierio, et al just came out and admitted they used steroids. I mean, really, you're telling me this guy became this guy by hard work in the gym? Please.

- If Dwight Howard were on any other NBA playoff team, that team would win the championship hands down. He scored 46, Jameer Nelson scored 27. No other player on the Magic scored more than 6 points. You do the math.

- Chizzy's NBA Preview was pretty in line with my NBA Playoff fantasy picks. I'm part of a league called the "Fantasy Heptathlon", where we bet on seven different sporting events each year. As defending champion of the NBA Playoff picks, let me just say that I felt very, very shaky with my selections this year. Here are my first round picks (we must correctly identify the winner and the length of the series. 1 point is lost for each game you're off. For instance, if you picked the Bulls to sweep, and they do, you get 8 points).

Eastern Conference:

Bulls over Pacers in 4 - I went ballsy with that one.
Heat over 76ers in 5 - Yeah, I think Philly could steal one.
Celtics over Knicks in 6 - I regret picking this series to last that long already.
Magic over Hawks in 6 - To quote Homer J. Simpson, "Doh!"

Western Conference:

Spurs over Grizzlies in 7 - Feeling pretty good about this after Game 1.
Lakers over Hornets in 4 - Damn you Chris Paul.
Portland over Dallas in 6 - I got nothing.
Thunder over Nuggets in 6 - I've got the Thunder going to the West Finals.

- I'll keep you posted on how I'm doing. Hard to tell after each series has only 1 game played. That said, how do the NBA Playoffs last so long? I mean really, these teams all play back-to-back home and away games half the year. Just for an example, Orlando and Atlanta won't play their Game 3 until this Friday. It's no wonder people watch March Madness more, though I'll make one guarantee however. All games in the NBA Finals, however many there are, will ALL be better than Butler vs. UConn.

That's it for now, keep on the lookout for our Alternating Mock Draft, and for the bomb that's about to be dropped regarding Ryan Mallett.

NBA First Round Preview - Part 1B

Now that I'm back from the freezing cold Cincinnati Reds/Pittsburgh Pirates game, which was completely not worth it (including a ridiculous $15 parking fee), I'm ready to finish up today's games.

(4) Orlando Magic v. (5) Atlanta Hawks: Neither of these teams is a “sexy” pick. The Magic have Dwight Howard and a cast of solid players. The Hawks have Al Horford, Joe Johnson, and Josh Smith, players that should be given more credit for their skills but can’t really carry a team by themselves. Both teams are extremely solid, and are compiled in a manner that makes sense. Overshadowed by some of the other matchups, this one may fall behind the wayside. Instead of letting that happen, let’s dive right in.

Series Stud: Dwight Howard. I didn’t want to put him here. I really didn’t. But neither team has anyone else who let me think about leaving him out of this spot. I just have a problem with Dwight. Bill Simmons pointed out in either an article or a podcast recently that Dwight should without a doubt be the game’s most dominant player. Just look at the man. He’s a beast. He has the body of a center but the hops, speed and agility of a guard. So why isn’t he better? He reminds me of the kid we all knew that studied for 10 minutes and got a decent grade on the exam. Why doesn’t that kid work just a little bit harder to get the 100? Because he’s content with the 92. With Howard, I understand that 22.9 points and 14.1 rebounds a game isn’t exactly slacktastic, but it seems like he’s not getting better. I want to see him push to attempt a 30-15 season. I want to see him work to shoot better than 60% from the line. I want to see him really develop a low-post repertoire rather than just try and overpower everyone.

The Magic: I think that this team should be great. But when you have the Celtics, Heat, and Bulls in your conference, it makes it difficult. The Magic are like the really good looking girl lost in a the group of supermodels. Stack her up against some better competition, and she’d be a 10. Orlando dumped Vince Carter and Rashard Lewis (great moves), and added Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, and Gilbert Arenas to a solid core of Howard, Jameer Nelson, Brandon Bass, Ryan Anderson, and J.J. Redick. When the Magic made the trades, I loved them and thought they would challenge for the Eastern Conference title. Now, I just don’t see it, but they will dominate the Hawks. No one is going to stop Dwight Howard from scoring or getting the rebounds, and I don’t see anyone on Atlanta’s roster being able to contain Jameer Nelson and Gilbert Arenas (assuming Arenas is healthy). The Magic shoot the ball well, and have the 4^th best defensive FG%. Let’s see how they react in later rounds.

The Hawks: The Hawks chances just don’t look good. I’ve been impressed with this team’s ability the last few years after two decades of non-relevance, but they just haven’t been able to take that next step. Led by overpaid non-superstar Joe Johnson, the team was searching for an identity until the acquisition of Kirk Hinrich. He added a little feistiness to a team that needed it, but they stumbled into the playoffs losing the last six games. If forwards Josh Smith or Al Horford turns into kryptonite and shut down Superman (Dwight Howard), they could push the series deep. But here’s the two stats that jump out at me. The Hawks are 28^th in the league in rebounding, and are 26^th in the league in points per game. When you’re going up against the 4^th best defense and 6^th best rebounding team, it just doesn’t bode well for the team. Better luck next year.

Prediction: Magic in 6. I like the Hawks. I think they have a great core of young talent. But that core isn’t going to get it done against an experienced Magic team that is trying to recapture the magic (no pun intended) from the 2009 Finals run. Howard dominates, Nelson/Arenas controls the ball, and the Magic move on to fact the Bulls in round two.

(3) Dallas Mavericks v. (6) Portland Trail Blazers: This is going to be a good one. A series full of contrast. The Mavs: an older team led by one 7-foot forward superstar; backed up by veterans seeking their first rings; rely on offense and can’t really guard anyone unless they’re playing a zone defense. The Blazers: a younger team led by a young, injury-plagued guard; a balanced attack; leading, hardened veteran role players; rely on tenacious defense and pushing the pace on offense. This series can go either way.

Series Stud: Dirk Nowitzki. Can somebody tell me how Dallas won 57 games? Seriously. I mean, Dallas has a washed up cast of complementary players. Jason Terry, Caron Butler, Shawn Marion, Tyson Chandler, Peja Stojakovic, Jason Kidd. Five years ago, that team is winning championship after championship. So it makes you appreciate the job that Dirk did this season that much more. He shoots 51% from the field, astounding for a person who shoots a ton of 3’s, which he makes at 39%. With one of the prettiest offensive skill sets in the game, the surefire Hall of Famer deserves another star to complement his play. Nowitzki’s averaged 25 points and 10 rebounds throughout his career in the playoffs. That’s pretty damn good. Mark Cuban’s gotta make it happen before Dirk follows up Karl Malone, John Stockton, Charles Barkley, and Clyde Drexler on the list of “Great Players to Never Win a Title.”

The Mavs: The Mavs aren’t great at any one thing, but they don’t suck at anything either. That’s to me how I describe this team. They’re “Meh.” They’re not “nice,” they’re just “Meh.” Dirk is the catalyst, and Jason Kidd can still pass the ball with the best of them even though he basically is now a figurehead on the defensive end of the court. The midseason addition of Peja Stojakovic gives Dallas another 3-point threat to spread the floor, and the acquisition of Corey Brewer shores up the perimeter defense since Kidd can’t guard a scarecrow. There’s a lot of parts to this team that I really like. But like I said a minute ago, when I see this roster I can’t help but think I wanted to see it five years ago. I loved Shawn Marion. I loved Peja. Kidd was one of my favorite players growing up. Throw in Caron Butler, and I just see a roster of players on the downsides of their careers. Where’s the potential? Where’s the young guns? I want to see Dallas make some moves this offseason to give Dirk a playmate on the court. In the playoffs, teams are going to hone in on your best player. If no one else steps up, it’s game over.

The Blazers: I see a lot of similarities in the Mavs and the Blazers. But I see the youth, I see the fire in the vets, and I see the chemistry. They rely on each other. LaMarcus Aldridge has blossomed into one of the game’s best players this year. His All-Star snub was inexcusable, and he’s used that as motivation, posting 21.8 PPG and 8.8 RPG. He’s been able to take over games at times, which the team needed once Brandon Roy went down with an injury. Veteran Andre Miller has been the best teammate he’s been in his career, giving up shots and focusing on distributing the basketball. Fellow geezer Marcus Camby has been his usual defensive presence under the hoop, forcing people to alter their shots. Since his acquisition from Charlotte, Gerald Wallace has provided a shot in the arm on both sides of the floor. Throw in team leader Brandon Roy’s return from injury to the perimeter lineup of Wesley Matthews, Nicolas Batum, and sixth man Rudy Fernandez, and this is a team that no one wants to see in the playoffs. Too bad Greg Oden isn’t playing, because this would be a scary team. Then again, Oden seems to have been a distraction during his Portland tenure, both on (through injury after injury) and off (cough… naked pics… cough) the court. If the Blazers can break down the Dallas zone defense by knocking down some threes, Dallas is in trouble.

Prediction: Blazers in 6. The Blazers can shut down Nowitzki (and by shut down, I mean contain) on the perimeter with their depth, length and speed. Marcus Camby and Aldridge can contain Dirk down in the post. Who else is going to step up for the Mavs? No one. The balanced attack led by Andre Miller goes "Boom-shaka-laka" and takes down the Mavs in the most entertaining series we've seen in awhile.

Part 2 of the preview tomorrow, followed by by picks for the rest of the playoffs.

The Daily Rant: LeBron Not for NFL

Prior to this offseason's lockout Miami Dolphins WR Brandon Marshall said he'd like to try out for the Miami Heat if the regular season is cancelled. We saw Chad Ochocino make a reserve MLS team in Kansas City. Ravens S Tom Zbikowski is 3-0 in his professional boxing career. Though it may not seem like it now, the NBA is headed towards a lockout is well, and despite the child-like arguing we've seen between Roger Goodell and DeMaurice Smith (whose hat collection is atrocious) the NBA's situation is worse.

Out the other night, I overheard someone say, "LeBron James will just play football and dominate in the NFL". I hope this was a delusional Cavs/Browns fan, let's face it they're one in the same, hoping he'd play back in Cleveland. Lord knows I'd hate it if he were in a Dolphins uniform. Which brings me to my rant, LeBron James would be an absolute failure in the NFL.

While some might point to the fact he was an All-American WR at St. Vincent St. Mary's High School...so where a hundred other kids that never made the NFL. Heck, even Heisman Trophy Winners have had a rough go of it as of late.

Charlie Ward, Florida State - played for the New York Knicks (not a typo)
Eric Crouch, Nebraska - switched to S by St. Louis, then out of the league
Jason White, Oklahoma - never played a down
Matt Leinart, USC - I'm sure he's living it up at a kegger somewhere
Reggie Bush, USC - he'd be an all-time bust if not for his special teams abilities
Troy Smith, Ohio State - career backup at best
Tim Tebow, Florida - John Elway's already looking at QBs in Denver

So please, don't tell me LeBron's skills would translate. We don't know how LeBron would've made it through at least 3 years of college football (the NFL's rule states you must be 21 or three year's removed from your high school graduation date). I don't see any 6'8" wide receivers roaming the league. LeBron's certainly got some athleticism, but he's a long-strider, which wouldn't behoove his frame. LeBron whines at getting knicked on the arm nearly every play - he's not tough. Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum constantly get held by two and three guys in the paint and don't whine half as much as LeBron.

How's it going to look when he's got to catch a slant or post over the middle and Ray Lewis or Troy Polamalu breaks him in half. This assuming he could even get off the line of scrimmage versus somebody who eats weights like LaMarr Woodley or Tamba Hali. If I have to watch another special of Todd McShay breaking down LeBron's football skills when McShay can barely breakdown a normal college football player, well, I'll probably call up Danny McGrath to take out LeBron and Todd McShay (yes, that was a Billy Madison reference). But seriously, just stop. LeBron won't be dominating the NFL. Ever.