Lil Wayne Letter to Sports Illustrated

I must admit, i was a bit surprised about the knowledge that he displayed about tennis in this letter. Great articulation on the letter have to give him that. He has to be the best pen pal from prison ever.

Jordan would have not won 6 rings in this era

Michael Jeffrey Jordan, his airness, flight 23, simply put  the greatest player to grace the court ever. In my opinion that is not up for debate, however I do question in this time and era would he be able to dominate opponents as he did that are just as athletic and some just as talented as he. Please don't get me wrong on this, its not an indictment on MJ. His on the court ferocity and tenacity is what most set him apart from his foes. No one stepped on the throats on his opponents like Jordan. He was going for the jugular in the second quarter of most games. I just believe that the competition in today's league would be much more fierce. Rather if you agree with me or not, I think we can all agree that the NBA's talent pool has been raised over the last decade, from the AAU circuit and the impact of international players. With likes of Kobe Bryant, Dwayne Wade, Lebron James, Paul Pierce, Joe Johnson, and Brandon Roy to name a few the league is as deep and talented as its ever been at the wing position. It also has its share of long and strong defenders like Ron Artest, Trevor Ariza, Thabo Sefolosha, and Shane Battier. Now I know Jordan would have his way with a few of these guys, but thats not all what I am debating. It would be harder facing this competition day in and day out.

For the sake of argument, lets take a look at the competition Jordan faced during his title reign. The names don't jump out at you: Alex English, Clyde Drexler, Joe Dumars, Kevin Johnson, Dominique Wilkins, and Reggie Miller. I will say that those are Hall of Fame players, but would also argue that aren't capable of checking Jordan. In the six tittles that Jordan won these are the teams he faced in those finals: 1991 defeated LA Lakers with Byron Scott as main defender, 1992 defeated Portland Trail Blazers with an Danny Ainge and Cliff Robinson trying to defend, in 93 defeated the Phoenix Suns with Dan Majerle, Xavier McDaniel and Jeff Hornacek in platoon defense. That was MJ's first three year run. After that little baseball thing he came back for a second round of terror defeating Seattle in 96 being defended by Nate McMillan and Xavier McDaniel (again). His last two titles came against Utah and we all know they had no one to contain "His Airness".

Furthermore and to reiterate I am huge Micheal Jordan fan. I had his jersey, cards, shoes and anything else you can think of. Jordan changed the game in so many ways, from the style he implemented (baggy shorts anyone?) to his pitch man status for endorsements and to his charismatic personality and his determination and drive. If you put all of those things together you get a brand of its own, as Jordan proved. No one has been able to market themselves as well as Jordan then and arguably now. Only Lebron James comes close, and he didn't add many fans with the whole "Taking my talents to Miami" thing.

There is no doubt in my mind that MJ was the best player to ever play, there also no doubt in my mind that he came into the game in a perfect timing of sorts. His talent was above and beyond those who he played with in his generation. To his credit, none of that is his fault. He played that cards that were dealt to him to the fullest. But again, in this new generation of players that are just as athletic and skilled (although none are of the level of sheer will to win) as he was. He was the first of the new breed of wing player in the NBA.

What do you guys think? I know many will disagree with me on this one but i will debate with anyone on this subject? As a matter of fact I always say what if you put Kobe on the Bulls teams that MJ won his titles with? Do you think Kobe with those same teams would win as many rings as MJ? Always good to hear different views on that.

Weekend Dunkface

Each weekend I plan on to provide the best dunk face dunks in history. This week, in honor of Scottie Pippen's induction to the hall of fame, I present to you my favorite (possibly my favorite of all time) Scottie Pippen dunk for your enjoyment.

Such force on a 7"1 tall Patrick Ewing. The true epitome of a dunk face dunk.Ewing had to hate facing the bulls, how many times can you count MJ or Pippen throwing down on him. Not to mention he never beat those Guys. Congrats Scottie on your induction and the first dunk face in Sportaholic history.

Your favorite sports story

Everyone has a personal favorite sports story if you played organized sports at one time in your life. There has been plenty of incidents that i can think of in my head. It was a time i played middle school basketball and our team was undefeated going against we will just say a less than average team. The look on those boys faces when they saw us was priceless. My school produced some major talent in our area of the city but we also looked look grown men at the time. We had guys with facial hair and big muscles, i can remember one of the moms in the crowd asking to see some our birth certificates. As game went on as we begin to pull away the guys on the other team just started to hand us the ball to see what we would do to it. Could not believe that.

On another note i played on a semi pro summer league team in my city one of friends was on. He begged and begged me and reluctantly i agreed to play. Needless to say that had to be one the worst teams assembled.We sucked so bad that when other teams figured out who they were about to play some players packed up and went home and let the guys who didn't get much playing time some burn. I know it was just a summer league that meant much of nothing we just won t-shirts for winning the title but we went a whopping 1-11 in that league. Yep we won all of one game. We never gave up or quit we played it out as hard as was going in and expecting to lose. One of the teams we played had 4 players to our 5 and we still couldn't beat them! The ironic part of the story is that we won our last game of the season (probably because the other team didn't care they went on to the playoffs) and after the victory to celebrate i bought my own 16 oz bottle of Gatorade and poured it all over my head just like the coaches get when their team wins a championship. Yep that's right, it was my time to shine and nobody was going to take that victory away from me. The guys thought it was hilarious but i really felt like we accomplished something that deserved some type of reward even if i had to take it into my own hands.

What is some of your favorite stories playing? Rather it be from grade school, college, or professionally i would like to hear them, unless its some type of sad, injury sustained, life changing for the worse event. Those stories should left in your own memory

Finally Friday edition

The weekend is finally upon us after a long week of work, well for most us anyway here are my thoughts and analysis from Thursday

Packers 59 Colts 24- Wow! Aaron Rodgers I was totally mistaken on you and i'm big enough of a person to admit that. This guy is a player, have you seen his preseason stats 20 of 24 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns with no interceptions, good for a passer rating of 154.0, just 4.3 points short of the highest possible mark.( trying not to get to excited its just the preseason). He looks very confident and composed in the pocket and his throws are almost always exactly where they should be placed. He makes the decision GM Ted Thompson made about him or Brett look pretty good now. As for the Sheriff Peyton Manning he did what he always does. I would love to pick his brain and ask him what does he see on the field before the snap and during the play. I have always imagined that his brain is like a computer processing numbers looking for the perfect plays and just processing with the precision of a Mac. The throw he made to Pierre Garcon was a thing of beauty and not just the pass but the way he rushed to the line to catch the defense off guard. That is the thing that sets Peyton apart: Great mind, Great work ethic, Great Talent = Peyton. Joesph Addai looked good trying to revive that awful run game of the colts until he went down with a concussion

Rams 36 Patriots 35- Sam Bradford your in for a long rookie season but there is something about this guy that tells me he will be OK. In his first career start Bradford went 15 of 22 for 189 yards and two touchdowns, that's not bad that's not bad at all. Now on the other hand what does that say about the Pats D? A team with a rookie QB, a receiving corps of no names (although Donnie Avery looked good until the injury hopes he can come back this year) and limited Steven Jackson? Golden boy Tom Brady arm will only win you so many games and that offense is not really that great from the looks of this year. Randy Moss is in a contract year so you can expect a big season from him but after those two names who really strikes fear in a team on that offense? Wes Welker coming off injury can't expect much from him, their running back quartet means that they really don't have a true number one back (what ever happened to Laurence Maroney). I don't trust this team, it seems they have lost their identity on defense and that happens when you lose so many leaders and veterans on that side of the ball (Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Willie Mcginest, Ty Warren to injury). Tom Brady did make an awesome play falling down and delivering a perfectly thrown ball to Alge Crumpler who made a beautiful catch going out of bounds.

Tiger pounces at the barclays- For a man who just went through a divorce Tiger sure looked happy. It seemed to take the weight off his shoulders and just let him loose to play some Tiger as we know golf. You should be happy for the guy, here he is 200 million less in the pocket and he goes out and fires a 65 round. That's like me losing 20 bucks and going to the gym and dropping 30 on a team in a game of 36. I said earlier in the week that i thought the divorce would ease the pressure off of Tiger but wasn't thinking it would come together this soon. Hopefully he can keep this going because golf needs him. There is no other sport right now that needs one person more than golf needs Tiger. Not just because of his game but also his culture, his race and his records. Keep it going Tiger I'm in your corner

I will be talking about Carmelo Anthony impending trade later today. If you don't get to check that out have a nice weekend and take two shots of what ever your drinking this weekend for me.

Hometown team VS Your Favorite Team

I get into this argument a lot with my friends and in some cases its fair to rib me a little bit about my favorite teams. I 'm from Nashville home of the Titans,Predators and Vanderbilt University also the University of Tennessee (who i do support go vols!) and the University of Memphis. Now here is the thing, I have always been a big Vols fan even amid a tough stretch for us here in football but our basketball programs are doing very well. When it comes down to the rest of those named teams no so much. I tend to follow more branded teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Boston Red Sox, and the North Carolina Tar Heels. For some reason those are just my teams I defend those teams like I am from those towns. You guys should see me with either my Tony Romo jersey at the Titans games or my Carolina blue jersey at the Vandy games, talk about awkward ( i will upload those pics when i get a chance). I have been called more than a few four letter words (nothing worse in my opinion than a drunk Titans fan) but something has to be said for a person that sticks by their team. Even if your in a place that will despise you every time you make it known.

What do you guys think? I know i am not the only one who has favorite team outside of his hometown. What is a team that you support despite not being in that city? Please let me know if your a big time rivalry city going for the other team example in Michigan going for Ohio State ( These types are always the best!)

Hot topics of the day Aug 26 2010

NFL owners ready to set up 18 game schedule- Word coming out of Atlanta is that Roger Goddell and NFL owners are moving closer to setting up for a 18 game schedule.

With the current collective bargaining agreement expiring, Goddell and NFL owners are processing parameters for a history making change to the league. The new set up for the schedule would be for two preseason games and Eighteen regular season games. "Eighteen games, you got to ask yourself, how many people are truly healthy for 18 games, so will you get your true football, will you get your real football?" Baltimore Ravens Pro Bowl linebacker Ray Lewis said.

While i think this is inevitable, I don't necessarily know if it will translate to a better product on the field. Most fans will agree that preseason games suck. You get to see the superstars for maybe two or three series at the most, after that the games become a snooze fest. I understand that the personnel men and coaches have to evaluate the talent and potential of their rosters but does it really take four meaningless games to decide that? Most coaches know by week two who is going to be on the rosters, spending another two weeks on those conerbacks battling for the 5th DB spot sucks to watch on T.V. and to top it off if you paying for tickets for these games your paying full price no discounts here! That's like going to see a new movie at full price starring Brad Pitt and ten minutes into the movie he is replaced by Micheal Richards.

I hear a lot about how this would effect late season games when teams who have a good enough record to rest it starters exerts that option. For an example the Indianapolis Colts ( They always start off at least 10-0 seems like) lets say for the sake of argument they are 14-0 going in to week 15, if your coach Jim Caldwell would you rest you starters? I unequivocally would under those circumstances, its no point of taking chance of Peyton catching the wrath of say Julius Peppers or Mario Williams just because you want to see him in a game . At the end of the day this is a business and making sure the players are protected should the top priority.

Ending with this, I believe that this will get done. To much money involved not to but both side will have to make exceptions more so on the owners. The players concessions will come on the field with more games so the owners have to be willing to offer more money and also expanded rosters. In the end it seems like the lesser of two evils, either play four meaningless games upfront or have a few more meanlingness games at the end of the season.

Hot topics of the day Aug 25 2010

Tiger tamed- As the world turns Tiger edition, I mean who didn't see this one coming, we all knew it was just a matter of time before Elin bolted for the door on Tiger (Just look at this picture!). In her tell all interview she just blasting away at Tiger as much as she can. In my opinion and this is just mine i believe she had to know of some type of infidelity was going on in their marriage. The ol woman intuition thing, i thought all women have that sixth sense about these type of thing! If i don't call my Girlfriend at certain times or do the things that have become normal in our relationship you better believe she is going to have something to say about it. Lastly, hopefully this help Tiger's game round back into form. I get the feeling thinking about a divorce and the money that your about to lose has a lot to do with his performance but he should bounce back with all the behind him, Hopefully anyway.

Johnny Damon turns down the Red Sox- Say it ain't so Johnny?Can you just imagine ol Johnny boy ever in his life going back to Beantown? I mean if you turn down the Red Sox in that city that's just blasphemy not to mention you was on the 2004 championship team that finally ridded the so called curse. I just don't get why he wouldn't want to go back, its not like the tigers are setting the AL central on fire, not with that starting pitching ( what happened to Rick Porcello?). Yes i understand they called him a Judas for going to the hated Yankees but if he came back he would have been forgiven and made Red Sock for life (who can forget the captain caveman look).Oh! i get it now i guess he doesn't want to be.

Just funny- Did anyone see this guy? Bad luck or just an idiot? You judge i m inclined with the latter answer http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/08/24/rangers.sky.diver.ap/index.html

Hey Jim  get some sleep man its pretty important http://blogs.golf.com/presstent/2010/08/jim-furyk-dqd-at-barclays-for-missing-proam-tee-time.html

Even the man of steel can be pranked http://sports.yahoo.com/nba/blog/ball_dont_lie/post/Shaquille-O-Neal-as-salted-by-girlfriend-at-a-Wa;_ylt=Ajll55DJX5wG4BvMonfhJiq8vLYF?urn=nba-264731

Who will take the Super Bowl this year?

Fresh grass and the cooling of the summer at last football season is under way and with that in mind now is a good time for Super Bowl picks. I have a poll with the top 5 contenders for this years crown if you don't see your team their probably not a contender. Of course i am going with my Dallas Cowboys which is a good year to pick them with the addition of Dez Bryant i think we have one the deepest teams in the league just one problem: Tony Romo or as Jim Rome refers to him : Tony Oh-No!

Summer of Bummer

Ahh, Sports in the summer of 2010 or should i say the summer of bummer 2010. Rather if it was the scandal that rocked Tiger's world, the Brett Favre saga, Lebron a thon, Big Al in D.C., Big ben in Pittsburgh this has been one of the more entertaining sport summers in past memory but for the most part for all the wrong reasons. I knew that faithful day in November when the details were starting to emerge from Tigers escalade that something was going on there. Any man could fish out that something Tiger did was about to get him into some trouble but as the kids say OMG! Did anyone see this coming? You could pencil the guy in for at least 3 PGA victories and 1 major a year and now he is struggling just make cuts?? Talk about what goes around comes around, Which leads to the story that never dies in the summer of bummer, Yep you guessed it Brett Favre. How many times has this guy retired? I will not bore you with the details as any sports fan knows this guy is cut from a different breed. Anyone who can make wranglers look good is ok in my book. But how about the way the Vikes are just catering to the man. I mean i know he is great, but whatever happend to the team first. I wonder what four grown men were doing my three days. And now to Lebron, How much more can Sh** on your team than 1. Entertain all teams interested (Why did the clippers even waste there time) 2. Subject them to a just god awful made for T.V broadcast to tell them you going to Miami 3. Doesn't bother to tell the owner until minutes before ( my favorite of the entire saga which infuriated Dan Gilbert). I mean how would you feel if the one guy from your favorite team done all of this right in front of your face. Lebron did give us one the best line of the summer with the whole taking my talents to Miami thing. I now use that for any place of importance that i go to i.e. I m taking my talents to my summer league team the Rude boyz! I just love that phrase. All of the bummers so far have been entertaining but the funniest of all has to be Big Al Haynesworth in D.C. I mean this guy is basically making the rules as he goes and doing it to one of the known authorian figures in NFL history. I don't Mike Shananhan personally but from my sources they say this is a small man who can command a room. He has always run a tight ship (OK so he slipped a bit of that towards the end in Denver) and now you have this big jerk who just got a major pay day and is in no rush to justify it. Its comical to see this guy say that he has a headache and is not practicing. A headache really? I m from Tennessee, i ve seen Big Al since his UT days with coach Fulmer. Nobody can control this guy, the only person who can is himself but hasn't did that since his college days with a big contract and guaranteed money why would he i mean would you? As for Ben, not even going to touch that one. He just has to know better than that, Enough Said. Once maybe but twice your pushing it. Seems likes he is trying a bit harder this time to learn from his mistakes. All in all a great bummer of a summer in sports this year we can only hope next summer will be as entertaining as this one was.