Shows
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 39: Panic Time For Best of the West?The Spurs and Lakers both lost their respective Game 1s on Sunday. New Orleans handled L.A. 109-100 in a game where Pau Gasol struggled big time for the two-time defending champions. Meanwhile, Chris Paul exploited the Lakers' weakness, its backcourt, yet again in a stellar performance. The Hornets' gameplan was simple: Take the Lakers' perimeter defenders off the dribble and create mid-range or close-range opportunities. San Antonio seems to be even more beatable than L.A. The Spurs aren't healthy and the hungry Grizzlies are licking their chops. Now, Memphis, which just picked up its first playoff win...2011-04-1910 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 38: NBA Playoff Reaction: Help WantedAfter Saturday's Game 1s, it's clear that Dwight Howard and Derrick Rose need more help from their teammates. Rose finally got some as Chicago survived 104-99 against an Indiana team that led almost the entire game. Meanwhile, Superman never got it. Jameer Nelson scored 27, but no one else scored more than 6 points. The rest of the team shot 8-for-34 from the field for a combined 20 points as the Hawks beat the Magic, 103-93. These trends will have to change if either of these teams is to make a serious run at the NBA title.
The Heat played a lackluster...2011-04-1709 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 37: NBA Playoff Preview: The Ridiculous EastWhen the Celtics play the Knicks, massive egos will collide. None bigger than Kevin Garnett and Amare Stoudemire. Whoever wins the matchup between two of the biggest trash-talkers in the NBA may determine who advances. No series has more star power or history, but no series has more questions. In the end, Boston's defense will once again transform into a different monster (as if already being the No. 1 defense in the NBA isn't monstrous enough). Meanwhile, Amare and Melo aren't crafty enough to get KG and Paul Pierce in foul trouble.
Some analysts have the Sixers giving the Heat...2011-04-1509 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 36: NBA Playoff Preview: The Wild, Wild WestI give my predictions in this series-by-series breakdown of the matchups in the West. Tomorrow's episode will focus on the East.
Although the East has more NBA title contenders, the West will have more competitive first-round matchups. I've had my eye on the series between the Thunder and Nuggets for a long, long time. It features the highest scoring offense in the NBA, Denver, which has eight (yes, eight) players that average in double figures. It also has the fifth highest scoring team in the league in Oklahoma City, which is led by the league's individual scoring leader, Kevin...2011-04-1510 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 35: Tiger's Mental Battle Has Relevance To UsTiger Woods is in a mental struggle for the ages, trying to regain his hold on golf. There's no doubt golf needs Tiger Woods just likes Cycling needed Lance Armstrong. A sport will always benefit from a gold standard. After all, that's how I gained interest in all the sports I follow so closely today. Barry Sanders, Michael Jordan, Muhammad Ali and Roger Federer have showcased the best their respective sports have to offer. And at one point, so did Tiger.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of Tiger, but I am a fan of anybody who...2011-04-0810 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 34: The Day Basketball DiedThe UConn players you see there are not celebrating. In fact, they're mourning the death of basketball, which happened at 9:23 p.m. Eastern time when UConn and Butler tipped off for the national title. Somewhere, James Naismith is rolling in his grave. I point out some incredulous stats that reveal why I think this was the worst basketball game ever played, and arguably the worst game in sports history. Here's one stat as an appetizer: The Butler player with the highest shooting percentage? Andrew Smith, who went 2-for-9 from the field...
I also discuss the future of college basketball...2011-04-0506 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 33: Who Is Top Dog? Huskies or Bulldogs?March Madness brought us an incredible tournament, and an unprecedented amount of madness. Tonight, the national champion will be crowned in a matchup where the best player will face off against the best team. Can UConn's Kemba Walker and his sidekick Jeremy Lamb do enough offensively against Butler's brutal defense to come out on top? And can Butler, which seems to always have the right stuff down the stretch, pull one out against Kemba, a player who's made a name for himself by making clutch shots?
I give my take on each team, including why Butler is successful and...2011-04-0408 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 32: Lakers, Celtics Still Have Their SwaggerLast night, the Lakers and Celtics played like they had something to prove, and they did. Especially the Lakers, who blew out the Mavericks in a chippy contest that saw five players and one fan ejected. I talk about how all three of the two-time defending champions' question marks before the All-Star break have been answered in a big way after the break.
Meanwhile, the Celtics handled the Spurs in San Antonio to stay within striking range of Chicago for the top seed in the East. Rajon Rondo was the difference in that game, but I also explain why...2011-04-0108 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 31: LeBron Has To Join The Dark SideLeBron James was a no-show during pregame introductions in his second return to Cleveland last night, which resulted in a 102-90 loss. The King can't continue to hide from the hate. He's a villain, and that's not changing any time soon. Not only does he have to accept that, he has to embrace that the same way the Black Mamba has. Kobe Bryant's hometown of Philadelphia hates him, too. Yet Kobe has "ripped their hearts out" a few times, including once in the NBA Finals. Kobe is not only hated on the court, but off the court as well...2011-03-3008 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 30: What Is "It" And Why Some Don't Have ItWhat does it mean when you hear someone say, "He just doesn't have...it"? Why do some players or teams have it, but others not? The phrase tends to be used in a universal way, and I think the word does come back to universal elements as I explain.
But "it" is used in the same context no matter what sport that athlete or team is in. Allen Iverson, Dan Marino, the Boston Red Sox, more recently LeBron James, and many more. Those players or teams all fell just short of winning a championship on multiple occasions. Either that...2011-03-2907 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 29: Too Much Madness For My Pro TasteI really like college sports, but I simply love pro sports. And don't get me wrong, I really like me some March Madness. I put it third behind the NFL Playoffs and NBA Playoffs. However, March Madness always reminds me why I can never like college sports more than professional sports. I explain how although College Basketball's excitement comes from its unpredictability, that same unpredictability undermines the eventual national champion. Not that they aren't deserving because any team that goes the distance in a tournament/playoff will always be deserving in my opinion. But the bottom line is, NCAA...2011-03-2910 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 28: Sweet 16 Showcases Top 3 TalentsLISTEN TO THIS EPISODE OVER AT BottomLineSports.net
The Sweet 16 put the nation's 3 best players on display for us: Jimmer Fredette, Derrick Williams and Kemba Walker. But which player had the best game? And which player has the best NBA prospects? I get into that after going in-depth with each Sweet 16 game from Thursday.
I also give some thoughts on the NBA, including Magic head coach Stan Van Gundy's claim that the media has already pegged the Bulls' Derrick Rose as the MVP, and the Celtics struggles. I also give my take on Deion Sanders' rift with his ex-pupil...2011-03-2512 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 27: NFL: No Fun LeagueOne of the most exciting plays in football, the kickoff return, took a big hit after rule changes were made in the NFL. In an era where so many incredible athletes like Devin Hester, Joshua Cribbs, Leon Washington, Brad Smith, Dexter McCluster, Dante Hall, just a name a few, this rule change has a significant impact. I explain how kickers now have two viable options to prevent kick returners from making a play. Nonetheless, one of the new wrinkles added alongside this new rule could be a saving grace. But I also discuss how it's not just kickoff returns...2011-03-2407 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 26: Nadal and Federer Have CompanyThe Joker is no joke anymore. After being ranked No. 3 in the world for a record period of time, unable to challenge Rafael Nadal or Roger Federer, 23-year-old Novak Djokovic finally broke through and overtook Roger Federer to become the world's No. 2. He beat Federer and Nadal in consecutive matches to take home the Indian Wells title. That's only the latest triumph for the Serb, who won the first Grand Slam of the year, the Australian Open, and stands 20-0 on the year.
Djokovic already possesses superior groundstrokes, outstanding defense and the best return of serve in the sport...2011-03-2210 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 25: Youngest Champ Is Crowned at UFC 128For Jon "Bones" Jones, UFC 128 was supposed to be his toughest test. But after stopping Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in the 3rd round and becoming the youngest champion in UFC history, the question becomes is there anyone that can test Bones? The answer may come from his former sparring partner, Rashad Evans. After all, Lyoto Machida was looked at as unbeatable before his former sparring partner, Shogun, had the answer for him. Nonetheless, Evans, who was originally supposed to fight Shogun for the belt, recently fired the trainer that coached both him and Jones for a good while. And Evans...2011-03-2107 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 24: Best, Worst of Madness After First RoundAnd yes, it's First Round, not Second Round 2 to me. I don't care what they officially call it.
Teams That Made the Most Noise
-North Carolina and Florida. All the No. 2 seeds played well, but these two teams made their presence felt. The Tar Heels racked up 102 points on big efforts from Tyler Zeller (32), John Henson (28) and Harrison Barnes (24). Meanwhile, Florida put on a show, revealing the most balanced offense in the tournament.
The Biggest Surprise So Far
-The early exits of a pair of Big East teams, Louisville and Georgetown. The Cardinals did lose their best player, but...2011-03-1907 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 23: Irving's Return May Cause Duke's DemiseKyrie Irving, one of the best guards in the nation, will return for Duke in its NCAA Tournament opener against Hampton on Friday. Coach K and the rest of his Blue Devils say his return will not ruin the chemistry the team has built in his 3-month absence. After all, Duke only lost four games without him, won the ACC Tournament and claimed a No. 1 seed in the tournament.
But I explain two reasons how I think Irving's return could lead to Duke's downfall. 1) It's one thing to try to incorporate a role player, but Irving is not a...2011-03-1707 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 22: Now Top Seed, How High Will Bulls Fly?The Bulls just keeping surpassing all of our expectations, and they did it again last night. Chicago claimed the top seed in the Eastern Conference with its win over Washington. What does this mean for Chicago? A lot. The Bulls are 30-4 at home, which is second best in the NBA.
Regardless, the Bulls are playing championship basketball, boasting the best defense in the league. Plus, Derrick Rose has put himself in the same sentence with the best players in the game. But does all this add up to an NBA Finals appearance? I explain how I think there's...2011-03-1608 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 21: Time To Experience The MadnessCollege Basketball's orgasm-inducing tournament is back, everyone. Prepare to witness more buzzer-beaters in a 21-day span than you can keep track of, and get ready to lose most of your hair while trying to fill out your brackets.
On Selection Sunday, it was announced that the four No. 1 seeds are: Ohio State (overall), Duke, Kansas and Pittsburgh.
I give my opinion on what really makes March Madness the incredible sporting event that it is, one that makes up 9o% of the NCAA's revenue. I also talk about what my deciding factor is when it comes to games that seem...2011-03-1407 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 20: Heat Rediscover What Made Them HotIf a team ever needed a regular-season win, it was Miami last night. The Heat got it with a 94-88 win over the Lakers at home. They did it with great defense, which hadn't been anywhere near what it was earlier in the season when the team was at its most confident. But last night they sealed the game with the type of defense that causes turnovers. Dwyane Wade stole the ball from Kobe Bryant late and threw the ball ahead to a streaking LeBron James for the decisive jam. However, the Heat have struggled to force other teams...2011-03-1111 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 19: Tiki Will Surprise His HatersTiki Barber, who turns 36 in April, filed his papers to unretire on Tuesday. As a Giants fan, I don't like the way he left the game in 2006, and then used his new job in the media to criticize the team first chance he got. I don't think anyone does. But there's 3 reasons why I think Tiki, one of the best pass-catching running backs in history, can still be a productive player in the NFL: 1) He has a massive chip on his shoulder after what happened in N.Y.; 2) He has the blueprint: LaDainian Tomlinson, who has the same trainer...2011-03-0909 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 18: UFC Superfight Could Cause An AftershockA fight for the ages could be on the horizon in mixed martial arts. UFC President Dana White has said that if George "Rush" St. Pierre defeats Jake Shields at UFC 129 on April 10th in Toronto, St. Pierre could make a move to Middleweight for a superfight with Anderson "The Spider" Silva, pitting arguably the two greatest fighters in mixed martial arts history against each other in the octagon.
I explain how making dream fights like this a reality has helped the UFC separate itself from Boxing, which tends to disappoint in that department. Even if Boxing does make...2011-03-0807 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 17: NBA Showdown Sunday Showed Us PlentyThe Lakers emphatically ended the Spurs' franchise-record 22-game home winning streak on Sunday with a 99-83 win. L.A. was up by more than 20 points in the first quarter, and went up by as much as 32 in the third quarter.
The Bulls beat the Heat 87-86 to sweep the season series with Miami. The late-game woes for the Heat continue as the team is now 1-for-18 from the field when they're down by 3 points or less with 10 seconds left in fourth quarter or overtime. Supposedly, members of the team were crying in the locker room after the game.
I...2011-03-0710 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 16: Duke-UNC: Today's Greatest Rivalry?There's 3 key ingredients to a truly great rivalry. I call them the 3 H's: Hatred, History and High Stakes. Duke-North Carolina has every one of those. And this is the fifth straight year these teams have provided us with a regular-season finale with a league title up for grabs.
Tonight's game is gonna be very interesting, because Duke has been getting more attention all year. After all, they are the defending national champs, and they've only lost 3 games this year. Meanwhile, North Carolina has been flying under the radar a little. Early non-conference losses, a blowout at the hands of...2011-03-0508 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 15: The Magic Will Always Be A MysteryThe Heat led the Magic 73-49 early in the third quarter. A 24-point lead...that was until Orlando went on a 40-9 run and pulled off the second-biggest comeback in Magic history, winning 99-96.
What makes the Magic such a mystery? What is their key to success now? I'll explain another key, which could lead to their ultimate success. And I'll also explain why last night's win isn't exactly the kind of win Orlando needs heading into the playoffs.
As far as the Heat go, the trend with the late-game collapses continue. That's due to Dwyane Wade relinquishing his...2011-03-0406 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 14: Owners Have NFL's Best Interests In MindUPDATE: NFL and NFLPA agree to 7-day extension on expiration of collective bargaining agreement.
We may be in for a long summer, not knowing whether fall will bring us our football. It's hard to imagine, but it seems very likely that we won't know until at least September.
Although both sides have good points to make, the owners have the league's best interests in mind:
1) A rookie wage scale (that way unproven players aren't taking proven players' and retired players' money)
2) Two preseason games instead of four (although I don't think it's in the best interest of players to...2011-03-0406 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 13: Gators the Biggest Sleeper of Them AllNo. 14 Florida is the biggest sleeper team in the nation right now, and lived up to that in an incredible second-half display against Alabama on Tuesday night. This group of Gators didn't become a sleeper team without shaking some nightmares first. The two years following the program's back-to-back national championships brought turmoil, underachievement and embarrassment. Now the tight-knit group is playing for one another, and playing with a chip on its shoulder. A deadly combination. With a share of the SEC regular-season title already clinched, this deep and talented Gators squad seems prime to bite a few teams when...2011-03-0208 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 12: Heat Flaming Out Without Their LeaderHow do the Heat plan on beating the Celtics without nearly the same clutch capabilities? And we can safely assume LeBron is not a clutch player, because first of all, he said so himself. And second of all, he's never proven he can be trusted with the ball in his hands late in games. So why do the Heat keep giving him the ball?
The key to their success is giving the keys to the car back to its rightful owner, Dwyane Wade. After all, he's the one that deferred to LeBron from the moment he arrived in Miami...2011-02-2808 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 11: Rex Needs a Reality CheckAlthough I can't criticize Rex Ryan as a coach, I do see a problem with his third Super Bowl guarantee in 3 years.
Some people say he doesn't care about what the media says. Well, if this is meant for his players and coaches, why does he feel the need to make a Super Bowl guarantee to the media? He says he doesn't feel the weight of the players or fans on HIS shoulders, but what about the weight he's putting on young quarterback Mark Sanchez's shoulders?
He also said, “Somebody tell me why I shouldn't believe that we deserve to...2011-02-2607 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 10: Rose, Bulls, Rise to the OccasionThe Bulls win over the Heat last night revealed a lot about both teams. And if he hadn't already done it before, Derrick Rose proved that his game has reached a whole different level now.
Also, the new-look Nuggets, now with a very talented roster from top to bottom, showed awesome potential in an impressive win over the Celtics last night. Can they show us the same thing tonight against the other sleeper in the West, the Blazers?
Plus, with the Thunder trading for Kendrick Perkins and Nate Robinson, does that make them a legit contender in the West...2011-02-2507 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 9: The Combine's Cream of the CropT's Top 5 NFL Prospects
1) Nick Fairley
2) Da'Quan Bowers
3) Patrick Peterson
4) A.J. Green
5) Cameron Newton
Auburn DT Nick Fairley came up huge for his team in big games, including the national championship game. That's unlike Bowers, who was a non-factor in Clemson's last two games of the season.
LSU CB Patrick Peterson is the best athlete in the draft. Shutdown corner. Great tackler. Difference-maker with the ball in his hands.
Georgia WR A.J. Green reminds me of Jerry Rice with his slender build, smooth route-running, leaping ability and incredible hands. People are probably gonna criticize his 40-speed, but...2011-02-2511 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 8: The Biggest Sports Spectacle Doesn't ExistI explain why everyone from schools AND fans should all want what I think would become the mother of all sports events.
For fans opposed to it, don't you want more than one meaningful game a year? Don't mistake the regular season for being a playoff.
How do we determine after a whole season is over that only TWO teams are worthy of playing for a national title? Mighty Auburn won 7 games last season by only one possession, beating Clemson, Mississippi State and Kentucky of all teams by only 3 points.
Don't give me the argument that some teams can't...2011-02-2308 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 7: Knicks Get Melo, East Gets RidiculousAs if 5 contenders wasn't enough to make these playoffs ridiculous already. Now we've got half a dozen contenders for an NBA title.
With the Knicks' addition of Carmelo Anthony and Chauncey Billups, New York will be a tough out in this year's playoffs and many more to come.
Three-team trade breakdown
-The Knicks get Carmelo Anthony, Chauncey Billups, Shelden Williams, Anthony Carter and Renaldo Balkman from the Nuggets. New York also gets Corey Brewer from the Timberwolves.
-The Nuggets get Wilson Chandler, Raymond Felton, Danilo Galinari and Timofey Mozgov, along with a 2014 first round pick, some more undisclosed picks...2011-02-2206 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 6: Duke is No. 1, But Not the Best TeamWith No. 2 Texas, No. 3 Ohio State and No. 4 Pitt all going down this past weekend, Duke rose to No. 1. The Blue Devils have looked dominant, but they're feasting on a weak ACC.
Meanwhile, Pitt has proven itself to be the best team in the nation's best conference. Ashton Gibbs, Brad Wanamaker, Gilbert Brown and co. have shown the defense, versatility and execution that I think makes them the team to beat under head coach Jamie Dixon.
T's Top 5:
1) Pittsburgh
2) Ohio State
3) Duke
4) Kansas
5) Texas
Photo from washingtonpost.com2011-02-2205 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 5: Why the Dunk Contest Needs To Be RevivedSerge Ibaka's dunk from the FT line was legit and stood tall against worse attempts from legends in the past. JaVale McGee may have solidified himself as the best 7-foot dunker in history with his Reverse Windshield Wiper from under the rim. And DeMar DeRozan's One-handed Reverse Windmill off the bounce was the dunk of the night.
Nonetheless, the Slam Dunk Contest is one of the NBA's most untapped resources for gaining popularity. We can't simply forget the hype that "Michael Jordan vs. Dominique Wilkins" generated over 3 battles in the event.
If anything, superstars need to return in order...2011-02-2104 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 4: Blake Griffin or Kevin Love?Which one of these young stars has had the more impressive season halfway through the NBA season?
Scoring
Kevin Love: 21.1 points per game
Blake Griffin: 22.8 points per game
Rebounding
Kevin Love: 15.5 rebounds per game (1st in the NBA)
Blake Griffin: 12.6 rebounds per game (4th best in the NBA)
Photo by uk.eurosport.yahoo.com2011-02-1903 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 3: College Football Recruiting's Growing IntrigueIt's gotten to the point where more people pay attention to whether Ohio State's five-star quarterback Braxton Miller even PUTS the hat on rather than watching to see what Terrelle Pryor DOES with his helmet ON.
There's also 2 growing trends in recruiting that I don't like.
Photo from topics.cleveland.com2011-02-1803 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 2: Lakers still have 2 aces in the holeL.A. hit a new low in its 104-99 loss to Cleveland. But there's still 2 things that should keep Lakers fans calm.
Photo by lakersblog.latimes.com2011-02-1703 min
Bottom Line Sports Talk w/ TEpisode 1: Who do you take in a 7-game series? The Magic or Bulls?A lot of people feel both of these teams could be a threat to the Celtics and Heat in the playoffs. But which team would prevail in a playoff series?
Photo by newshopper. sulekha.com2011-02-1602 min