The NBA’s Summer Vacation

Unity. When I’m asked about the summer of 2010, that’s the first word that comes to mind. During South Africa’s World Cup, the international community briefly united around Ghana as the African nation suffered an agonizing, ill-fated quarterfinal defeat. The World Cup also featured Landon Donovan and co. hijacking American hearts for a tumultuous, two-week affair (which also ended prematurely). But this was not the end of the “togetherness”. In fact, the spirit of unity translated to this summer’s NBA free agency period, culminating in an infamous telecast on July 8th, 2010. All together, 13 million Americans witnessed Lebron James “decide” to continue his NBA career in Miami with good friends (and fellow All-Stars) Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh. And although Cleveland was obviously “The Biggest Loser” of “The Decision”, I can’t go forward in this post without addressing my own views from another city in the Midwest.

As a Bulls fan that grew up in the Michael Jordan era, I empathize with Lebron’s choice to stay out of Chicago and avoid living in the shadow of the Michael Jordan. I really do. (Forget trying to live up to his legacy, I’d be afraid to play MJ in Horse). That being said, Chicago has all the pieces for a dominant, cutthroat player to win multiple championships. Keyword: Cutthroat, like MJ or Kobe. But Lebron, at this point in his career, seems to value having fun over building his own legacy. And I don’t think its fair to criticize his way of life- He’s only 25 years old.
Sidenote: Rather than play in the shadow of Michael Jordan, Lebron chose to work under the legacy of another Chicagoan- Dwyane Wade.

That being said, the Miami Heat instantly won the 2010-11 NBA Free Agency Championship by signing the Big Three. Only the Lakers rival their combination of elite star power and showmanship. But how did the rest of the NBA turn out? Let’s look at some other successful mergers:

-While “The Decision” left the Bulls seeing red, Derrick Rose’s crew gained the “Little Three” -Carlos Boozer, Kyle Korver and Ronnie Brewer- from their former NBA Finals rival, the Utah Jazz.

-The Boston Celtics kept it in the family when they reunited Shaq with Glen “Baby Shaq” Davis. While Bill Simmons explains why it happened, I still have my concerns- specifically, how will the Boston Celtics hardwood court endure an entire season with two Shaqs lumbering around on them?

-The unlikely duo of Amare Stoudemire and Anthony Randolph found themselves on the New York Knicks. While both of these forwards are tremendous athletes with All-Star potential, Mike D’Antoni’s squad is missing a crucial component- (see Nash, Steve)

Curious about the rest of the teams in the NBA? Take a look at this.

Thanks for reading and if you’re looking for another entertaining union to watch before the NBA season tips off, try another newly formed dynamic duo- NFL wide receivers and reality show stars Chad Ochocinco and Terrell Owens of the Cincinnati Bengals.

-CK

Are You Ready For Some Football!

Well it's almost that time again. Once we get past the practice scrimmage that is the NFL preseason, we'll have America's favorite sport back in full effect.  Today we'll take a look at the biggest story lines in each division in the NFC and try and predict where each team will end up at the end of the year.


NFC East
1. Dallas Cowboys 2a. New York Giants 2b. Philadelphia Eagles 4. Washington Redskins

Major Storyline: Youth. OK full disclosure: I am a die hard Eagles fan. But that does not change the fact that the infusion of new talent as well as the growth of the younger players in this division will probably spell its fate. Three of the four teams in this division will probably see big returns from their young talent this season and it shouldn't be surprising when the Redskins, being the odd one out, are at the bottom of the division. Trent Williams still needs time to develop and while Shanahan will make this team better, I don't think the big turnaround will happen this season (unless they get Haynesworth far away from the locker room). The Cowboys have a real gem in rookie receiver Dez Bryant and many sports writers seem to be excited about what Felix Jones will give to this team this season possibly supplanting Marion Barber as the top running back in that three-headed system. The Eagles are all-in with their youth movement, shipping Donovan McNabb off within the division and getting rid of injury-prone Brian Westbrook. But honestly, besides the quarterback position, I don't think there is an appreciable drop-off in this team's talent and one could make a case for Kevin Kolb as the perfect QB for Andy Reid's West Coast offense. With one of the top trio of wide receivers in the league (Jackson, Maclin, and Avant) and Shady McCoy in the backfield, this team might be able to overcome their tough schedule. The Giants added another piece to their already stacked line in Jason Pierre-Paul and should see a big year out of Hakeem Nicks and Steve Smith. New York really underperformed last year and I think we will see them play to their potential in 2010.


NFC North
1. Green Bay Packers 2. Minnesota Vikings 3. Chicago Bears  4. Detroit Lions 

Major Storyline: Quarterbacks. This division will be dictated by the play of the men under center. I think Aaron Rodgers is finally poised to surpass his predecessor especially with the growth of the Packers on defense. I think if Rodgers can replicate his success from last season we will see this team form into a true Superbowl contender. Even though the Vikings were one throw away from the Superbowl last season, you have to wonder if Brett Favre will be able to replicate the best year of his career with a banged up receiving core. Percy Harvin and his migraines are an even more serious problem than last year and Sidney Rice is banged up. We also can't forget about Favre's surgically repaired ankle. The Bears hope that Cutler has exorcised the interception demons that he seemed to have last year because without him this offense will fall flat. If preseason can be any indicator of things to come (which is doubtful) the introduction of Mike Martz's system will help Cutler greatly this season but the Bears still have a long way to go. The Lions will e the bottom feeders of this division. Matthew Stafford will make some steps forward this season but the team still isn't that good. Anything is better than 0 and 16 though.

NFC West
1. San Francisco 49ers 2. Seattle Seahawks 3. Arizona Cardinals 4. St. Louis Rams

Major Storyline: The Next Step. I feel like this division is just the muck of the NFL. Whatever team that comes out is probably destined for an early exit in the wild card round. The 49ers seem to me the most complete team in this division. Their receiving core seems poised to make steps forward and the defense under Mike Singletary should be better than last year. Quarterback is still a concern but they should have enough to win the division. The Cardinals lost a lot of key pieces in the off-season. With the retirement of Kurt Warner and the departure of Karlos Dansby and Antrel Rolle this team seems destined for a big drop off. Hopefully Matt Leinart is ready to step up, but I have my doubts. The Seahawks look like a sleeper team that could take advantage of this shake-up under new head coach Pete Carroll. They won't make the playoffs but they should surprise a few people and take a step toward being relevant once again. The Rams are still bad but their next step involves trying to manufacture a way to protect their franchise quarterback.

NFC South
1. New Orleans Saints 2. Atlanta Falcons 3. Carolina Panthers 4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 

Major Storyline: Question Marks. For the past few years this division has had a different winner every season. Since the NFL divisional realignment in 2002, the team that finished in last place in the NFC South the previous year went on to make a postseason appearance the following season, with the last place team winning the division in 6 of the past 7 seasons I think this will be the first time that trend does not come to fruition but I still have some pressing questions about each team in this division. The Saints should be division leaders again though even with increased pressure from the Falcons as they shake off the injury problems from last year to be a very formidable foe. But will the Saints be able to repeat as Superbowl Champions? The Falcons defense inspires a yawn, so are Matt Ryan, Michael Turner, Roddy White, and veteran Tony Gonzales ready to carry this team? The Panthers are a very skilled team but with questions at quarterback and the loss of Julius Peppers are they going to be left behind in a league that stresses the pass over the run and emphasizes the need for elite pass rushers?  And finally is Josh Freeman able to reward the vote of confidence from the Buccaneers' brass with a successful season? Because any success that Tampa Bay can hope for starts solely with him.


Tomorrow, we'll follow up with the AFC breakdown.

NL Playoff Picture as of August 20th

I figured I'd get my feet wet with this new gig. Uh, hi. Hope you read my posts.

-JohnnyC

For many teams in Major League Baseball, their records August and September usually determine whether or not they make the postseason. That being said, here's my take on who will be there in October based on the current standings in the National League Divisional and Wild Card Races.

East

The Braves hold a 2.5 game lead over the Phillies. Ryan Howard began a rehab assignment this weekend and reinserting him into the Philadelphia lineup will definitely give the Phillies a shot in the arm even though they have scored the second-most runs in the NL. But with the acquisition of Derrek Lee, the Braves are starting to look like one of the mid-90s editions. Their pitching has been superb, and the young talent of sluggerJason Heyward and fireballer Tommy Hanson give the team a strong nucleus to build around for years to come.

Prediction: Braves

Central

While the Cardinals have become the perennial power in the division, a new team has risen from the ashes. The Reds have a 3.5 game lead and look more legit this year than in years past. They've crashed and burned at the All-Star break a few times before but they finally have put it all together with MVP candidate Joey Votto leading them in almost every offensive category. Ace Aaron Harang is on the disabled list but their pitching has been paced by solid performances from Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Cueto and rookie Mike Leake. Nothing against the Cardinals, but it's time for the Big Red Machine to march back into October.

Prediction: Reds

West

The Padres are quietly the best team in the NL to this point with a .608 winning percentage. They've won 5 in a row and 9 of 10. Granted, they play in the NL West, once known as baseball's weakest division (I believe that the torch has since been past and it's a toss-up between the AL and NL Central), but they have really put together an impressive run thus far. Their bullpen is the best in baseball, hands down. There isn't much to their lineup after Adrian Gonzalez, but adding Miguel Tejada was a smart move by General Manager Jed Hoyer. They have the best team earned run average in the bigs at 3.18. I don't think there is much that the Giants can do to catch them.

Prediction: Padres

Wild Card

The Fightin Phils currently hold a 1 game lead over the Giants and are 2 up on the Cards. As much as I would love to see the Giants make it with their excellent pitching staff, the games down the stretch against their division opponents will probably knock them out of the race. The Rockies at 6 games out and the Dodgers at 7 will both try to close the gap and in doing so, the three will beat the hell out of each other while the Padres run away with the division. That leaves the Phillies and Cards to duke it out. I think the keys to these two teams are their pitching (as is the case with most NL teams). Doc Halladay hasn't been the lights-out ace that the Phillies thought they acquired and he'll need to be if he wants to play in October. The Cardinals know what it takes to make the postseason and Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday can lead them offensively while Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright have been one of the best 1-2 pitching combos this season. As much as I like the Phils, I gotta give this one to the Cards based on a coin flip. It wouldn't surprise me if it takes a one game playoff to decide the Wild Card winner. I realized earlier even though I bashed on the NL Central they might have two teams playing in October. Go figure.

Prediction: Cardinals

There you have it. The current division leaders will make the postseason and the Cardinals will make a push at the end and defeat the Phillies in a single elimination game. We'll see how it ends. Next time I'll tackle the American League.

We're Back!

After a month long leave of absence, Every Day is a Sports Day is back to business. Just like Jordan after his gambling suspension baseball hiatus, we are back and better than ever, here to provide you with fresh looks at your sports world.

We have a new design and new blood on the writing staff as well. We're adding baseball, hockey and soccer to our coverage for the upcoming year. We're also adding a new aspect through a more in depth analysis of some our our favorite sports teams, providing a home to both sport's homerism and objective commentary alike.

You'll notice in the coming weeks that with our new writers in tow there will be a lot more activity in terms of the number of posts going up. We want to make sure to provide numerous voices offering some fresh perspectives on the hot topics in sports on a daily basis. In this first week back we are starting strong recapping the biggest stories over the tumultuous summer vacation for the NBA, giving a midseason review for the MLB and offering previews for the new NFL season as well as the other football league, the Premier League.

Needless to say there are some big things on the horizon for this blog. If you're just starting to read us, welcome. If not, welcome back. Either way, we are in for some exciting days, because from now on Every Day is a Sports Day.

New & Improved

Every Day is a Sports Day

Coming...

August 23rd
 

World Cup 2010 Recap

The most popular sporting event in the world is nearing a close so I figured it was time to give it some time on the site. I am sure you have seen the recent World Cup craze taking over your office killing productivity from 9:30-11:30 and then again from 2:30-4:30. If you think that is bad it is nothing compared to Brazil whose country nearly shuts down during the World Cup causing the country to lose millions on game days.

South Africa the Host Nation

All the talk has been about Africa finally getting to host a world cup. After the stampede problem just before the beginning of the Cup things have gone off without many noticeable glitches. Unfortunately for the continent, however, only one team made it out of the group stage leaving a few of the countries most notable names (Drogba and Eto) on the sidelines. At the same time that makes Ghana's progress to the quarterfinals that much more impressive as their superstar Essien has been out since injuring himself during training for the Africa Cup of Nations.

Poor Referees

Another talking point during this Cup has been the quality of officiating. The first scandal dropped when the US' game winning goal was wiped away without any explanation from the ref. Soon after Kaka was thrown out of a game versus the Ivory Coast for a phantom foul call. Then in the knock out stage England lost a goal against Germany that completely changed the tide of the game. All of these calls should not be happening during the biggest sporting event in the world. Things have gotten so bad FIFA is now talking about installing instant replay.

Play on the Field

The United States was finally put out of their misery by Ghana after their tendency to start slow finally cost them a game. Some will question the coach's lineup decisions, but at this level if a person is on the team they should be able to step up to the occasion.

Across the board goals have been few and far between. Due to this the sport is unlikely to gain any sustainable momentum in the US. However, for the games excitement a lack of goals creates a tense environment where any goal can be the game winner.

As for the teams remaining it is much to be expected. Brazil has walked into the quarter finals toying with their competition. Spain outlasted Portugal in a blockbuster 2 vs 3 matchup. Overall the field has shaken out as expected with 5 of the remaining 8 teams being ranked in the top 10 of the world.

Final Prediction

Brazill vs. Argentina

Where In the World is ... Lebron James?

GOOD MORNING GOOD MORNING. Today is the day that people have been talking about for 2 years. It is July 1st 2010. The date hardly matters, but what can occur starting today does. Today is the first day of free agency or as it is called this year the first day of the Lebron sweepstakes. Over the next few weeks he will most likely be wined and dined by every NBA team that has any prayer of signing him. Not since MJ made his move to Washington have I heard such buzz about what one person can do for a city.

But where will Lebron end up? As I am moving to Chicago you can imagine my excitement when I found out that the Bulls were a front runner only to find out the next day that according to another source that Miami Heat were the new number 1. Then I wake up this morning and New York is leading the race because Lebron was seen checking out Bill Joel's old apartment. Who knows what tomorrow will show, possibly the New Jersey and Dallas billionaires will be battling it out to see who can spend the most money on impressing King James. And what if, I know it sounds crazy Lebron decides to stay in Cleveland, talk about the most anticlimactic ending ever.

Now I will throw in my 2 cents projection about where I believe Lebron will end up, but even as a betting man I wouldn't put any money on this. And if you were wondering how one could put money on this sweepstakes, the answer my friends, season tickets! Right now season tickets for all teams bidding for Lebron are at a reasonable price, BUT on the day of the signing or just before the signing the ticket prices will go through the roof and your resale of the tickets would provide a nice kickback.

Projection Percentages:

Chicago 35% New York 25% New Jersey 25% Cleveland 10% Miami 5%.