Start of Free Agency or Trade Deadline...

While there was the expected rush of free agent signings more than a few trades have gone down. First a run down on some signings. Albert Haynesworth signs with the Washington Redskins for an even 100 mill. The Skins also signed DeAngelo Hall. This should improve their already tough defense and make them a contender for the NFC East crown. The Patriots sign Fred Taylor. Corey Dillon again? After cutting most of their defense the Broncos sign Brian Dawkins away from the Eagles. Don’t see this having as big a impact for them as it will be a loss for the Eagles. Some players just excel in the right defense. The Cowboys sign Keith Booking and the Texans sign DE Antonio Smith. This should again help both defenses. Biggest name still out there is TJ Whosyourmama. He would be a great fit in Philly.

Now lets look at the trades. First let me get this off my chest. Why do people keep giving up proven players for draft picks that almost never measure up to the person they traded? Randy Moss for a fourth rounder. Are you kidding me? What fourth rounder would come close to his talent. Now the Patriots respircate by giving the Chiefs Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel for a second round pick. Maybe it was a going away present for Scott Pioli. Usually the Pats are the ones robbing others so I guess maybe Pioli was the real genius. The Bucs get Kellen Winslow Jr. from the Browns for some undisclosed draft picks. Winslow is better than any TE you could draft this year and you know it will be a 3rd or 4th round pick. It drives me crazy when my team somehow never makes these deals. Lito Sheppard was dealt from the Eagles to the Jets for undisclosed draft picks. So for a 2nd, 3rd,4th round pick your team could of added a starting DB, QB, TE and LB. To me that sounds like an unbelievable draft and you would still have a first rounder to add to that. Finally there was an actual player for player trade. The Lions traded Jon Kitna for Anthony Henry. This is a good move for the Lions. Kitna is not the answer at QB and they have holes everywhere on defense. Maybe the Lions will actually improve if they keep making good moves like this.

JD is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at jdthesportsguy@gmail.com

Random Thoughts From Across Sports…

LPGA:
Michelle Wie finishes second in her first event as a member of the LPGA after earning her way on through Q-School. She had a three shot lead on the back nine and couldn’t hold off a charging Angela Stanford. While most would say this is the latest in a long line of failures for Wie I see it as a positive. While getting bad advice while coming up and ruffling a lot of feathers along the way she needs to get in position to win to learn how and fulfill all that promise. She has one of the best swings in golf for a man or woman and will be a force for years to come. I have no problem with her teeing it up with the men as long as she earns her way in.

MLB:
A Rod, A Rod, A Rod. Just had enough of it already and it has just begun. The last thing hopefully I will say on this is how can MLB just leave him out there like a sacrificial lamb while 103 guilty people sit there unscathed. If I was the Yankees I would want them made public so the heat would die down on A Rod and other teams fans couldn’t boo as loud while guys on their team cheated as well.

Who says you can’t go home again. Ken Griffey Jr. has agreed to go back and play for the Mariners. I loved watching that swing and it will take my back watching him in that uniform again. Too bad the skill level isn’t the same.

NBA:
Tracy McGrady shuts it down. After watching him not be able to dunk the ball a few games ago it was time to quit trying to push it and take care of you. At least he doesn’t have to go to a bad Nets team that was rumored before the announcement. I think he should have told the team before the rest of the world, guess I am old fashioned.

Sometimes I hate the salary cap. As a fan I can’t stand when your team has to get rid of someone not because they can’t help your team but because they make too much. Tyson Chandler was the latest victim of this. The Hornets had to dump him and really hurt their chances of winning the title. Now they weren’t the favorite but they had a punchers chance now that chance is even smaller.

NFL:
Interesting use of the franchise tag by the Chargers. You have LT and you use your tag on Sproles. Now I know that they couldn’t lose Sproles because of the uncertainty of the LT situation but didn’t they just dig the same hole they are trying to get out of? They want to pay LT less, now you go and guarantee Sproles a top five salary and he isn’t even a full time back.

JD is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at jdthesportsguy@gmail.com

Why I turned off SportsCenter….

It felt way to much like Entertainment Tonight or E News. The three biggest current sports stories that are all over the national media have nothing to do with an actual game.

A-Rod admits to using steroids while playing for the Texas Rangers.

Miguel Tejada pleads guilty to lying to a grand jury.

Brett Favre retires. Again.

I get 30 seconds of highlights on a NBA game and A-Rod going on and on about how he took steroids. Guess what, I don’t care. Report it then let it go. 103 other players cheated and none of them was called out. Baseball should have had rules in place and testing set up and it got exactly what it deserved. Does anyone still think baseball was clean?

I am glad Brett Favre retired because I believe he got that last little itch out. He already got all of his retirement stuff out of the way last year so this time let’s just let him go out quietly. To me his legacy is not tarnished by the last year with the Jets or coming out of retirement last year. When you are a professional athlete you should get to decide when you give it up just like any other normal person can.

I don’t know if it is just me but when I was a kid all you heard about was what happened on the field and not all this other stuff. I long for those days again. I don’t need a feel good story or a police blotter to enjoy sports. I am not naïve enough to believe that athletes don’t cause trouble or do charity work just like any non-professional athlete. I just want to root for my favorite teams and athletes and I need every detail of their private life.


JD is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at jdthesportsguy@gmail.com

Which former Bull is doing a worse job?

Michael Jordan and Steve Kerr weren’t comparable on the court. MJ is arguably the greatest player ever while Kerr was a role player. In the front office they are in a neck and neck race to see who is worse. Michael’s first pick with the Wizards was Kwame Brown. Bust. Kwame is currently a part time starter with the Pistons and is a role player at best. So what does MJ follow up that great pick with when he goes to Charlotte, Adam Morrison. Bust. Today he was traded to the Lakers with Shannon Brown for Vladimir Radmanovic. Couldn’t play defense and looked like a 70s porn star. Jordan could have drafted Rudy Gay or Brandon Roy. Very bad judge of talent. Then he brings in Larry Brown who can’t work with young guys and the whole team is young guys. Larry will gut the team, get bored, burn bridges and leave. Maybe Mike should go with him.

Steve Kerr is ruining what was the most entertaining team in the NBA. First he brings in Shaq for the Matrix. While Shaq has more let in the tank than people thought he did talk about a horrible fit for that team and style of play. Shaq is one of the most dominant players in half courts sets but getting that huge body up and down the court is not what he was meant for. Like putting a huge anchor on a speed boat. Then he runs Mike D out of town because he believes that defense wins titles not fast break offense. While that may or may not be true Phoenix was arguably a few suspended players or an injured Joe Johnson for getting to the finals. This team now resembles the current Bulls. Misfit players and no true identity. Latest rumors say they are shopping Amare Stoudemire. A few years ago Amare was a beast and now he looks confused, unmotivated and stuck trying to get out of Shaq’s way. Now if it was me I would bank my teams fortune on the young stud not someone in the twilight of their career.

While neither guy is nearly as bad as Isiah Thomas both are headed down that road.

JD is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at jdthesportsguy@gmail.com

Random Thoughts from all around sports…

Kobe drops 61 on the Knicks at the Garden. The Knicks fans chanted MVP. That just seems wrong to me. What is going on with fans? Boo yours and cheer theirs. Fans seem to want to more and more a part of the game these days like it is their right. If you are passionate about your team Root hard for your guys and Boo them. That is how you help your team. Back to the 61. Kobe is going down a slippery slope scoring this much against a team they would beat if he scored 15. Bynum is down and now is the time to pump up the rest of the team not ball hog your way to 61. Zero assists says it all. When Lebron goes in there tonight he won’t try to top it not because he can’t but because he doesn’t want to win like that.

Michael Phelps taking hits from the bong. Second time he has done something really dumb and illegal and his sponsor come out and support him 100%. What does he have one of those Speedos suits for real life that reduces friction. If you missed David Letterman’s top ten list it is below and funny.


Top Ten Michael Phelps Excuses
10. Anxious to rid myself of those bothersome billion-dollar endorsements
9. Too much chlorine
8. Uh... I thought it was chapstick?
7. Asked myself, "What would Chong do?"
6. Uh... glaucoma?
5. It's my last chance to goof off before I have to settle down and get a real swimming job
4. Uh... I got bitten by a groundhog?
3. Chillax, Broseph
2. Was doing research for upcoming film "Michael and Kumar Go To the Olympics"
1. Huh?



Unemployment on the rise. Manny turns down a 25 million 1 year contract. His agent then threatens the Dodgers about playing chicken. If I was out of work and had no other offers I wouldn’t be threatening my only suitor. Maybe we need Scott Boras on capital hill to fix all the rest of the problems for unemployed people.

Nadal beats Federer at the Australian Open. Federer then breaks down in tears as he accepts the second place trophy. Wouldn’t you be mad at losing instead it seems like he was crying because he knew he couldn’t beat Nadal anymore. Maybe he should just retire now since Nadal has taken his heart.

JD is a contributor to The Sports Information Hub and can be contacted at jdthesportsguy@gmail.com