THREE EXPIRING CONTRACTS MOST LIKELY TO GET TRADED

Last week, TNT analyst Charles Barkley took a shot at LeBron James by suggesting that the superstar needs to "shut the hell up" about leaving Cleveland in the summer of 2010. While James has been fueling the speculation that he will ditch the Cavs for the spotlight of New York, nobody really knows what is going to happen in the free-agent bonanza in two years.

Some teams have already begun wheeling and dealing to free up cap space for the future. The Pistons sent former NBA Finals MVP Chauncey Billups to Denver for Allen Iverson (and his expiring contract), and the Knicks traded for Cuttino Mobley, Tim Thomas, and Al Harrington, all of whom have contracts that expire after next season.

Here is a quick look at three players with expiring deals who may get dealt before the NBA's trade deadline this February.

1. SHAWN MARION - Heat
Marion, who came to Miami in the Shaquille O'Neal trade, is making $17,800,000 this season. While it has long been speculated that Carlos Boozer might be on the club's radar, thus leading Miami to keep Marion on the books until the end of the season, that is certainly not a done deal. The Heat may want to deal Marion and take back players who's deals have another year on them. That way, when Dwyane Wade is set to leave in July, 2010, the Heat will have plenty of space under the salary cap to re-sign their superstar guard.

2. WALLY SZCZERBIAK - Cavaliers
Szczerbiak is making a ridiculous $13, 275,000 this season playing along side LeBron James. And James is the reason that Cleveland will probably deal him before February's deadline. With the speculation that King James' future will take him out of Ohio and into a bigger market, it would behoove the Cavs to load up on talent and make a push for the title now. Szczerbiak was overwhelmingly voted, in a recent issue of ESPN The Magazine, as the worst defensive player in the NBA. As the Celtics proved last season, defense wins in the playoffs, so Cleveland may want to sure up that side of the ball. And since Wally's deal is up after the season, there should be plenty of teams willing to take him back, then let him walk at the end of the year.

3. ANDRE MILLER - 76'ers
The 76'ers will really only make Miller available in trades if they fall out of playoff contention, and nobody truly expects that to happen. The point guard, who came to Philly when AI was shipped to the Nuggets, is making $10,333,334 for the year. The Sixers slow start, they are 7-9 and in last place in the Atlantic Division, as well as the team's scoring issues could push Philadelphia to shop Miller should they continue to struggle. The signing of Elton Brand this past offseason means the Sixers won't be a part of the madness in 2010, so dealing the 32-year-old for younger players might make some sense.

Other players with expiring contracts include Jason Kidd ($21,372,000), Allen Iverson ($20,840,625), Lamar Odom ($14,148,596), and Rasheed Wallace ($13,930,000). Here is a list of players with contracts that expire in 2009, and 2010.

MARK'S WEEK 13 PICKS

BUFFALO -6
baltimore -6
indianapolis -7.5
GREEN BAY -1
miami -9.5
TAMPA BAY -1
new york giants -4.5
SAN DIEGO +1
OAKLAND -5
pittsburgh E
denver +8
chicago +1.5
jacksonville +2.5

EVAN'S WEEK 13 PICKS

Just in the nick of time. Here are my picks for the week 13 slate of games.

San Francisco at Buffalo (-6)
Baltimore at Cincinnati (+6)
Indianapolis at Cleveland (+7.5)
Carolina at Green Bay (-1)
Miami at St. Louis (+9.5)
New Orleans at Tampa Bay (-1)
NY Giants at Washington (+4.5)
Atlanta at San Diego (+1)
Kansas City at Oakland (-5)
Pittsburgh at New England (E)
Denver at NY Jets (-8)
Chicago at Minnesota (-1.5)
Jacksonville at Houston (-2.5)

CAN THE BRUINS KEEP IT UP?

The Bruins debuted new third jerseys yesterday in their post-Thanksgiving thrashing of the New York Islanders. Five third period goals propelled Boston to another victory, giving the team 10 wins in it's last 12 games. At 15-4-4, the B's are six points ahead of Montreal for the lead in the Northeast division (34 points to 28), and trail only the New York Rangers, by two points, in the Eastern Conference.

Bruins fans are pleased, to say the least. But this hot start, coupled with the team's struggles in recent seasons, beg the question: can they keep it up?

While there is no doubt Tim Thomas will cool off a little bit at some point, there is no reason why the Bruins can't continue to win, and make a serious run at Lord Stanley's Cup in 2009. This year's club has something that Bruins teams of the recent past have not had: Multiple scoring threats. Last year, Boston went on long scoring droughts, unable to put the puck in the net with any consistency. Thats not the case anymore. Through 23 games this season, the Bruins have scored 79 goals, good for third in the NHL. Marc Savard's 30 points put him in a tie for the second most in the league, and his 22 assists are also the second most in the entire NHL. All this comes with Patrice Bergeron still working his way back from a terrible concussion that cost him almost all of last season, and without Chuck Kobasew and Marco Sturm for long stretches because of injury. The emergence of Phil Kessel has been huge, as has the strong play of rookie forward Blake Wheeler, who has seven goals and four assists and is a plus 10 so far this year.

Defensively, the B's are just as strong, if not stronger. Zdeno Chara, the team's captain, is a force to be reckoned with in his own end, as is Dennis Wideman, who came to Boston in a trade with the St. Louis Blues (for Brad Boyes) two seasons ago. While Andrew Ferrence recovers from a broken leg, rookie Matt Hunwick has stepped in and done a great for Boston. The black and gold have allowed just 50 goals on the season, and only a measly 2.17 goals per game. Minnesota (2.14) is the only club that gives up fewer goals per game than the Bruins.

And of course, there is Milan Lucic, who's emergence this season has been nothing short of amazing. The twenty year old winger does whatever the team needs. He fights--his bout with Mike Komisarek of the Canadiens cost the Montreal defenseman a month with a shoulder injury--and he lights the lamp as well. In last week's 3-2 Bruins win over the Canadiens, Montreal tough guy Georges Laracque shadowed Lucic the entire game, and the Bruins' winger was getting booed and jeered throughout the game (because of his KO of Komisarek). Yet when the B's trailed 1-0 in the second, Lucic was there to tip in a great pass from Phil Kessel to tie the game at one. Oh yeah, and through 23 games he leads the league in hits as well.

All of this, plus the incredible play of goalie Tim Thomas, has put the Bruins in position to get a high seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs this April. Tonight's game against defending Cup Champion Detroit should be a good measuring stick to see how far along the Bruins truly are. A win would be huge for the confidence of this young team. While it's still very early in the season, the Bruins are certainly on the right track to reclaim some of the glory of the Big Bad Bruins.

RED SOX SET TO SIGN TAZAWA

Junichi Tazawa, a 22-year-old pitcher from Yokohama, Japan, is set to sign with the Boston Red Sox. Tazawa was being scouted by the Rangers, Mariners, Braves, and Tigers, among others, but ultimately chose to join countrymen Daisuke Matsuzaka and Hideki Okajima in Boston.

The right-hander played last season with the Nippon Oil of the Japanese Industrial League, a league specifically for amateur players. He told Japanese professional teams not to draft him so he could pursue a deal with a team in Major League Baseball. In his final start for Nippon on November 21, Tazawa threw a complete game shutout.

The Red Sox reportedly offered Tazawa slightly less money than the Rangers, but the righty wanted the chance to play on a team with one of his idols, Matsuzaka. Reports say that the Red Sox offer was for $6 million over three seasons.

This looks like a nice signing for Boston. While they have a deep rotation as is, with Beckett, Matsuzaka, Lester, and Wakefield, more pitchers are always needed. And since Tazawa hasn't really pitched professionally before, it is looking like he will start the year in the minors. There is always a chance the Sox could use him as a reliever as well.

While this isn't the big splash that many have been expecting from the Red Sox, it is certainly a very nice signing that should help the team's chances in 2009. They are expected to announce the signing as early as December 1.

LIGHT AND CROWDER FINED, NOT SUSPENDED

Great news for the Patriots, as Matt Light will be in uniform on Sunday when New England takes on AFC rival Pittsburgh at Gillette Stadium. Light and Channing Crowder of the Miami Dolphins got into a fight during the Pats win last week, and both were ejected from the game.

The NFL elected to fine each player $15,000, but did not issue suspensions for either player. The confrontation occurred in the fourth quarter, while Light was blocking Crowder during Stephen Gostkowski's 30-yard field goal. The NFL's investigation found that while Light did punch Crowder multiple times, Crowder instigated the fight by constantly trash talking (hence the grin as he ran away from Light).

Having Light in the lineup will be huge next week against the Steelers, the NFL leaders in sacks.

SYRACUSE LOOKS LIKE THE REAL DEAL

What a week for Syracuse sports. Just days after the Orange football team knocked off 19.5 point favorites Notre Dame in South Bend, the basketball team beat 18th ranked Florida and 23rd ranked Kansas on back to back nights in the CBE Classic.

In taking down the past three National Champions (Florida in '06 and '07, KU last year), and two straight ranked opponents, the Orange are pretty much assured of a spot in the next set of rankings. Impressively, Syracuse came back from 13 down in the second half to beat the Jayhawks in front of a raucous Kansas crowd. While technically the game was a "neutral site" game, it was played in Kansas City, where KU hadn't lost a regular season game since 1983.

Syracuse won this game with smart play, good execution, and a tremendous coaching job by Jim Boeheim. He decided to switch from the club's usual 2-3 zone into man to man early in the second half and was instantly rewarded. The Orange quickly got back into the game when Jonny Flynn forced turnovers on back to back KU possessions, leading to easy baskets at the other end. Paul Harris was a monster on the glass, pulling down 14 rebounds to go with his 14 points, and Arinze Onuaku was tremendous inside, with 19 points and 12 rebounds in 39 minutes of play.

The real star for Syracuse though was Flynn. The sophomore point guard from Niagara Falls, New York is one of the most talented players in the country. While he was held in check in the first half, Flynn erupted in the second, scoring 23 of his 25 points in the second half and overtime. It was his three pointer as well that sent the game into OT. Flynn faked Kansas big man Cole Aldrich out with a great crossover, then drained a pull-up three from the wing with 6.4 seconds left to knot the game at 72, and the Orange cruised in overtime, finally winning 89-81.

The comeback was especially impressive considering Kansas' start to the year. In their first three games since winning the National Championship, the Jayhawks were 3-0 while winning by an average of 24 points, and holding opponents to a meager 27% from the field.

It looks like Syracuse is the real deal this season. They can score from the inside (Onuaku), and the outside (Rautins, Devendorf), and have plenty of slashers who can get to the hoop (Devendorf, Harris, freshman Kris Joseph). If they can improve the 2-3 zone, or play more man to man defense, they should get much better as a team. And as Jonny Flynn goes, so go the Syracuse Orange. It will be his play that dictates how far this team can go.

Last night's win has 'Cuse fans remembering another victory over Kansas, in the 2003 National Championship game. While it's too early to say Syracuse is a legitimate title contender, they are certainly a better team than they have been the past few seasons.

JE'ROD CHERRY: AUCTIONING OFF SUPER BOWL RING

Former Patriots cornerback Je'Rod Cherry, who played with the club from 2001 through 2004, is auctioning off his ring from Super Bowl XXXVI to help raise money for children in Rwanda. Cherry, mainly a special teamer in his four years in Foxborough, won titles with New England in 2001, 2003, and 2004.

It's great to see a professional athlete give back like this. Sure, a lot of athletes have charitable foundations, but it's not often you see a non-superstar player give up one of his most prized possessions for a cause.

The auction is being done through Celebrities For Charities, a foundation formed in 1997 that lists former Bruins captain Ray Bourque as a member of the board of directors. It is a group that helps out some of Boston's best charity events, such as Jason Varitek's Putt-Putt Challenge, and Kevin Faulk's Celebrity Softball Game.

The drawing date for Cherry's ring is Thanksgiving day. The website gives a description of the diamond encrusted jewelery:

"Created by Jostens, the 14-karat white gold Super Bowl ring worn by the Super Bowl XXXVI champions, the New England Patriots, features 142 diamonds. Forty-two diamonds encircle the bezel, which is the edge of the ring's face, and two larger football-shaped diamonds are on each side of the bezel. The face of the ring displays the Patriots logo made from red garnets and blue sapphires trimmed with diamonds. A figure of the Lombardi trophy is behind the logo and is made of platinum, a large marquis diamond, and two tapered baguette diamonds.)"

Tickets for the event are just two dollars, and it's all for a great cause. To make a donation, click here.

CAN 10 BIG EAST TEAMS REALLY MAKE THE TOURNAMENT?

Just like last year, the Big East is loaded. Looking at the current top 25, the conference has teams ranked second, third, fourth, eighth, and fifteenth, not to mention Villanova and Georgetown towards the bottom of the rankings (20th and 21st respectively). That's seven teams already considered among the 25 best in the nation.

Last season, the Big East got eight teams into the dance. This year, they should get nine, and could possibly get 10. Now I know what your thinking. How can the Big East get 10 teams into the field? Well, let's take a look...

In March of last year, Notre Dame, Louisville, West Virginia, Connecticut, Georgetown, Pittsburgh, Villanova, and Marquette all were included in the NCAA tournament field. Connecticut (currently ranked #2 in the nation) is a lock to make it back. As are Louisville (#3), Pittsburgh (#4), and Notre Dame (#8). Two more, in Marquette (#20) and Georgetown (#21) are not guarantees, but really have no excuses for not being near the top. Georgetown lost big man Roy Hibbert, but added freshman center Greg Monroe, who has averaged 17 points and 7.5 rebounds in nearly 30 minutes a game so far this season. They return guard Austin Freeman, now a sophomore, and forward DaJuan Summers, a junior who will be much better and more experienced this year. Marquette didn't really lose anybody, as the club's two best scorers, guards Jerel McNeal and Dominic James are back for their senior years. Theoretically, the Big East has seven teams that should already be in.

Syracuse, who's roster dwindled down to seven players last season because of injuries, should be much stronger in 2009. While freshman forward Donte Greene left for the riches of NBA glory, they bring back stellar point guard Jonny Flynn, as well as center Arinze Onuaku and rebounding machine Paul Harris. Add the return of three point gunners Eric Devendorf and Andy Rautins, who both were lost to torn ACL's last season, and the Orange(men) should be in good shape. Additionally, the team's RPI, which will be better this year, should be a positive, not a negative, for this year's club. Tough road games at #18 Florida (tonight) and #17 Memphis, plus the impossible gauntlet of Big East games, should help Syracuse make the tourney for the first time in three years.

West Virginia, who knocked off second seeded Duke in the second round last year, has a chance to get back in despite losing star forward Joe Alexander. Alex Ruoff returns as the only senior on the roster, and a talented group of newcomers will help as well. The four sophomores on this team gained valuable experience being a part of last season's Sweet 16 team, and could help the Mountaineers make it back this March. ESPN's Joe Lunardi, on his bracketology page, currently has West Virginia as an eight seed in the tournament.

Those nine should all make it. But who will be the tenth? Providence, Cincinnati, Seton Hall, and DePaul are all young teams, and all have a chance. With the Big East currently as strong as any conference, arguably ever, playing those top 15 teams will be an advantage. Furthermore, with every team making the Big East tournament this year, a tenth team that may be on the bubble could get hot and squeeze into March Madness.

It's definitely a long shot, but there is certainly a chance we could see the Big East make history in just a few months.

TIME FOR JOEY PORTER TO JUST SHUT UP

Finally. The Patriots shut up Joey Porter. The Dolphins linebacker and NFL sack leader loves to run his mouth, and has no love lost for New England, or head coach Bill Belichick for that matter. In an interview with Keyshawn Johnson on ESPN's Sunday NFL Countdown, Porter says that he thinks the Patriots were cheating in all of the playoff games that he faced them in as a member of the Pittsburgh Steelers. "Two times we could have blown those people out easily" said Porter. "Man, that's my dyansty, know what I mean?"

No, Joey. We don't know what you mean. Your insane psycho babble just needs to stop. Of course, Porter talked a big game before Miami came to New England in week three, but that time he backed it up. The Dolphins rocked New England on September 21, 38-13 in front of a very unhappy crowd at Gillette Stadium.

Today, Porter and the Dolphins had no such luck. After a closely contested first half, the Pats blew the doors off, crushing Miami and putting up 48 points on Porter's defense.
Matt Cassel was spectacular again, as he became the first Patriots quarterback to throw for 400 yards in back to back games. Cassel finished the day 30/43 for 415 yards, three touchdowns and one unlucky interception. Randy Moss caught all three of those TD passes, picking up 125 yards on the afternoon.

Porter drew the ire of the referees late in the game with an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that gave New England the ball inside the Dolphins 20. While the penalty didn't mean much (the game was pretty much over at that point), it was a fitting end to this one.

Now that Cassel and the Pats have beaten Miami, hopefully Porter will just stop talking. Unfortunately for everybody though, he probably won't. And we'll all have to roll our eyes again at something crazy that Joey Porter has said.

EVAN'S WEEK 12 PICKS

Houston at Cleveland (-2.5)
San Francisco at Dallas (-6)
Tampa Bay at Detroit (+8.5)
NY Jets at Tennessee (-2)
Buffalo at Kansas City (+4)
Chicago at St. Louis (+5.5)
New England at Miami (-1.5)
Minnesota at Jacksonville (+2)
Philadelphia at Baltimore (-1.5)
Oakland at Denver (-9.5)
Carolina at Atlanta (E)
NY Giants at Arizona (+4)
Washington at Seattle (+5.5)
Indianapolis at San Diego (+3.5)

MARK'S WEEK 12 PICKS

Home teams in caps

CLEVELAND -2.5
DALLAS -6.5
DETROIT +7.5
TENNESSEE -2
buffalo -4
chicago -7
MIAMI -1
JACKSONVILLE +2
philadelphia +1.5
oakland +9.5
ATLANTA E
new york giants -4.5
SEATTLE +5.5
SAN DIEGO +4
green bay E

8-8 last week
74-66-2 season

CELTICS REMAIN TEAM TO BEAT IN THE EAST

Last night's dominating performance by the Celtics reminded everyone in the NBA world just how good the defending champs are. While it was the C's second game against Eastern Conference foe Detroit since the Pistons acquired eight time All-Star Allen Iverson, it was the first in which the Pistons were truly playing well as a team. The chemistry issues that come with bringing a new starter in hampered Detroit in their 88-76 loss to the Celtics at the Palace on November 9.

The Pistons were finally playing well as a cohesive unit, having won four of five- including a win at Staples Center against the Western Conference champion Lakers (LA's first loss of the season), and a home win against LeBron James and Central Division rival Cleveland.

Boston came into the game fatigued, having just finished off a greuling stretch of eight games in 11 days, of which they won seven. They won a hard fought overtime game in Milwaukee in which the Bucks made up a 13 point deficit in the fourth quarter, and then a chippy affair with the Knicks without Kevin Garnett, who was suspended for a slap to the face of Bucks center Andrew Bogut.

Everything early seemed to suggest it would be a long night for the Celtics. Detroit came out hot and Boston was flat, as the Pistons flew out to a 13-2 advantage. But that was it for Michael Curry's club, as the defending champs took over from there. Within moments the score was tied at 14, and the first quarter ended with the teams knotted up at 21.

The second quarter was all Celtics, who took a nine point lead into halftime. Boston outscored Detroit 56-36 in the second and third quarters combined, ensuring this one was a laugher going into the final frame.

Rajon Rondo outplayed Iverson, and despite a low scoring night from each member of the Big Three (Garnett had 15 points, Pierce had 9, and Allen 12), Boston won easily. Rondo finished with 18 points and 8 assists and, more importantly for the Celtics, Doc Rivers was able to ensure that nobody played more than 30 minutes.

This was a statement game for the Celtics, who reminded everyone that they remain the team to beat in the Eastern Conference. Dominating defense (they have held Detroit to their two lowest point totals this season) and a potent offense make the 11-2 Celtics favorites to at least reach the NBA Finals once again this June.

GREATEST COLLEGE BASKETBALL DUNKS OF ALL-TIME

Now that College Basketball is underway for the 2008-2009 season, let's take a look back at some of the greatest dunks in NCAA hoops history. All of these dunks took place during games, so you won't find anything from a dunk contest in here. While I won't say that these are necessarily the 5 greatest dunks of all-time, they are five of my personal favorites.

5. Russell Westbrook can fly--UCLA


4. Dahntey Jones above the rim--Duke

Extra points for the unnecessary celebration.

3. Jarvis Basnight jumps over a defender--UNLV


2. Send it in Jerome!--Pittsburgh

Love the commentary from Bill Raftery just as much as the dunk.

1. The Helicopter Man posterizes Notre Dame--Syracuse

Complete with a friendly reminder from Raftery to "bring your lunch!"

Agree? Disagree? Leave a comment or send us an e-mail, wntnsports@gmail.com and be sure to listen to Saturday Morning Sports: Saturdays from noon to one on 1550am WNTN and WNTN.com.

GOODBYE COCO: CRISP DEALT TO KC

One day after Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia was announced as the American League's Most Valuable Player, the team dealt outfielder Coco Crisp to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for reliever Ramon Ramirez.

Many expected the Sox to trade Crisp before last season, but holding on to the veteran center fielder turned out to be a prudent move. Jacoby Ellsbury struggled mightily at times last season, and Crisp ended up starting 98 games for Boston.

At times, Crisp looked like a superstar for the Sox, hitting extraordinarily well for brief stretches. Between those times, however, Crisp had monumental struggles at the plate. He was one of the Red Sox streakiest hitters, but was consistently great out in center field. Who can forget his ridiculous catch to rob the Mets David Wright of extra bases during a game in 2006? He made another tremendous catch to end the 2007 ALCS, running full speed into the bullpen wall in the triangle to help preserve a (large) Boston lead and move the Red Sox into the World Series.

Crisp was 20 for 27 in steals last season, his third straight season with at least 20 swipes. Coco ended up with a .283 average in 2008, with seven home runs and 41 RBI. It was smart to move his more than $5 million salary, with other holes emerging that need to be filled.

Coco Crisp is now a Royal. And we hope that when Kansas City visits Fenway Park for a four game set from July 9-12, the Sox faithful will stand and cheer for him, remembering the outstanding defense he played here for those three years.

PEDROIA WINS AL MVP

The writers got this one right. Red Sox second baseman Dustin Pedroia won the American League Most Valuable Player Award today, receiving 16 of a possible 28 first-place votes. Twins first baseman Justin Morneau finished second.

Pedroia carried the Sox offensively for much of the season, and his defense was a tremendous asset as well. The scrappy second baseman led the American League in runs (118) and multi-hit games (61). He also tied Ichiro Suzuki for the Major League lead in hits with 213. Additionally, Pedroia finished only four points back of Joe Mauer's .330 average (Pedey hit .326) for the AL Batting Title, and came in fourth in total bases (322) and seventh in extra base hits (73).

He made only six errors in 733 total chances, good for a fielding percentage of .992, which was second only to A's second baseman Mark Ellis (.993), who had 165 fewer chances.

Pedroia hit 17 homers and drove in 83 runs, and stole 20 of a possible 21 bases. Without his incredible play, the Red Sox would not have been only one win from another trip to the Fall Classic.

Pedroia is the first Red Sox player to win the MVP since first baseman Mo Vaughn in 1995, and he may have a hard time finding room for all the new hardware he'll be receiving. Pedroia can add the AL 2B Silver Slugger award, the AL 2B Gold Glove award, and now the MVP to last years Rookie of the Year trophy on his mantle.

Red Sox teammate Kevin Youkilis finished third in the voting. Pedroia became the tenth MVP in the history of the club, following Jimmy Foxx (1938), Ted Williams (1946, 1949), Jackie Jensen (1958), Carl Yastrzemski (1967), Fred Lynn (1975), Jim Rice (1978), Roger Clemens (1986) and Vaughn (1995).

PUNISHMENT FAIR FOR KG, SHAQ

John Karalis of the Boston Examiner, and founder of the Celtics blog Red's Army recently wrote an article about Kevin Garnett's suspension as being unwarranted for his slap of Andrew Bogut last week. While Karalis does make some good points about Pat Riley and the Heat's thuggish basketball in the 1990's forcing the NBA into the current flagrant foul system, he is wrong about KG.

KG was clearly hit on the play and then reached out and gave Bogut a little slap in the face. Saying that Garnett wasn't looking at Bogut and therefore didn't mean to hit him is ridiculous. Watch his face after he reaches out at the Bucks center, he stares him down. Looks like he meant to hit him to me. While Garnett may have "just been hit twice", that isn't an excuse to respond. In hockey players who retaliate often get penalties for the response rather than the original hit. Garnett should have kept his cool and then he'd be playing tonight against the Knicks.

Furthermore, the article argues that Shaq shouldn't have been ejected for his hit on Rodney Stuckey because it was accidental. I agree that Shaq shouldn't be suspended or anything like that, but the ejection was warranted. It was similar to Marvin Williams' hit on Rajon Rondo in the playoffs last year, and Williams was ejected from that--a decisive playoff game. O'Neal clearly didn't mean to hit Stuckey in that fashion, but accident or not Shaq deserved to go.

WEEK 11 PICKS RECAP

Well, I made my picks on time this week, and look what happened! I rebounded to extend my lead over Evan back to six games. Take note of the six straight games I picked correctly in the latter half, I guess I do better in the 4 pm games?

New York Jets 34, New England 31 (NE -1.5) Evan: NE / Mark: NE
Denver 24, Atlanta 20 (ATL -2.5) Evan: ATL / Mark: ATL
Philadelphia 13, Cincinnati 13 (PHI -7) Evan: PHI / Mark: PHI
Chicago 3, Green Bay 37 (E) Evan: GB / Mark: GB
Houston 27, Indianapolis 33 (IND -10.5) Evan: HOU / Mark: IND
New Orleans 30, Kansas City 20 (NO -5) Evan: NO / Mark: KC
Oakland 15, Miami 17 (MIA -8) Evan: MIA / Mark: MIA
Baltimore 10, New York Giants 30 (NYG -5.5) Evan: NYG / Mark: NYG
Minnesota 13, Tampa Bay 19 (-1) Evan: TB / Mark: TB
Detroit 22, Carolina 31 (CAR -12) Evan: CAR / Mark: DET
St. Louis 16, San Francisco 35 (SF -3.5) Evan: STL / Mark: SF
Arizona 26, Seattle 20 (ARI -6.5) Evan: ARI / Mark: SEA
Tennessee 24, Jacksonville 14 (TEN -7) Evan: TEN / Mark: TEN
San Diego 10, Pittsburgh 11 (PIT -4) Evan: PIT / Mark: SD (thanks, officiating crew!)
Dallas 14, Washington 10 (E) Evan: WASH / Mark: WASH
Cleveland 29, Buffalo 27 (BUF -2.5) Evan: BUF / Mark: BUF

Evan: 6-10 this week, 68-72-2 season
Mark: 8-8 this week, 74-66-2 season

THOMAS SNUB ANOTHER ERROR FOR THE NHL

Bruins goalie Tim Thomas was spectacular in 2007, leading a team with low expectations to the playoffs and nearly shocking the rival Canadiens in the first round. The netminder's tremendous play earned him a spot on the Eastern Conference All-Star roster last February, the journey man's first ever All-Star appearance.

This season, Thomas has been even better, helping the Bruins get off to their hottest start in quite some time. The team currently sits in first place in the Northeast division with a record of 10-3-4 (24 points), and has a two point lead over highly touted Montreal. Thomas is 6-2-3 on the year, with a goals against average of 1.76 (first in the NHL) and a save percentage of .945 (also first in the NHL).

But alas, when the NHL's All-Star Ballot came out a few weeks ago, Thomas' name wasn't on it. The Eastern Conference goalies include Martin Brodeur, who is out 3-4 months with an elbow injury, Vesa Toskala, who's .878 save percentage puts him 40th in the NHL, and Rick DiPietro, who has played a grand total of three games this season, with a record of 0-2. Now I understand that Thomas has split time with Manny Fernandez this year, but Tomas Vokoun is on the ballot, despite splitting time with backup Craig Anderson (Vokoun and Thomas have each played 11 games) for the 6-9-1 last place Panthers.

This is a ridiculous snub by the NHL, a league that, let's face it, is pretty screwed up. It is by far the least popular of the four major sports, has too many teams, and is run unbelievably poorly. Ticket prices are too high and the talent pool is watered down (again, because there are too many teams). Fans were turned off by the lockout, and the NHL still hasn't truly recovered.

The League apparantly decided that Tim Thomas, who plays for a historically significant team (compared to the Atlanta Thrashers, for example) that is exceeding all expectations due in large part to his stellar play, is not one of the ten best goalies in the Eastern Conference. The NHL is missing a golden opportunity to spotlight a blue-collar, hard working player, someone the few fans the League actually does have might be able to relate to.

Of course, it doesn't really matter to Thomas. All that matters to him is keeping the puck out of the net, and keeping the Black and Gold on top of the standings.

SATURDAY MORNING SPORTS ALL-AMERICA TEAMS

With the College Basketball season officially kicking off this week, now seems like a logical time to predict the All-America teams, as well as Player of the Year, for the upcoming season. Also, check out 5 Freshman to Watch, and be sure to listen to our College Basketball Preview next week on Saturday Morning Sports, noon to 1:00pm every Saturday on 1550am WNTN and WNTN.com.

ALL-AMERICA FIRST TEAM
G- Darren Collison- Senior, UCLA
G- Stephen Curry- Junior, Davidson
F- Blake Griffin- Sophomore, Oklahoma
F- Tyler Hansbrough- Senior, North Carolina
C- Hasheem Thabeet- Junior, Connecticut

ALL-AMERICA SECOND TEAM
G- Jonny Flynn- Sophomore, Syracuse
G- Ty Lawson- Junior, North Carolina
G- James Harden- Sophomore, Arizona State
F- Luke Harangody- Junior, Notre Dame
F- Patrick Patterson- Sophomore, Kentucky

PLAYER OF THE YEAR
Everybody seems to be picking Tyler Hansbrough of UNC as their pre-season Player of the Year. Saturday Morning Sports, however, is picking...

BLAKE GRIFFIN- Sophomore, Oklahoma
Griffin averaged 14.7 points and 9.1 rebounds in 28.4 minutes per game last season. With another year under his belt, he should be one of the best in college hoops this season. In his first game this year (Friday night vs. American University), Griffin scored 24 points with 18 rebounds in 33 minutes of action.

MBAH A MOUTE IS NBA'S MOST IMPRESSIVE ROOKIE

Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, OJ Mayo, Kevin Love. Picking any of these players to win Rookie of the Year would seem fairly obvious. Of course everyone expects tons of points from Mayo, playing with the lowly Grizzlies, or Love putting up great stats on a bad Timberwolves team. But who would have thought that in a draft class this loaded, the most impressive rookie would be a second round pick who was far from the best player on his college team?

Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, second round pick (37th overall) of the Milwaukee Bucks has been the most important rookie to his team so far this season. Mbah a Moute, a three year starter for UCLA, was the first player since current NBA teammate Charlie Bell to start in three straight Final Fours. The 6-8 forward from Cameroon was the 2006 Pac-10 Freshman of the Year, and hit the winning shot in a comeback victory for UCLA over Gonzaga in the Sweet Sixteen. So his success hasn't exactly come out of thin air. But in a draft class this stacked, few would have honestly believed Luc Richard Mbah a Moute would be able to help the Bucks so greatly.

In 11 games for Milwaukee, Mbah a Moute has three starts and is averaging 10.6 points per game. He is playing 30.4 minutes per night, and has been spectacular on the glass, pulling down 7.5 boards per game. On Friday night, Mbah a Moute scored 19 points and had 17 rebounds in the Bucks 101-96 win in Memphis. 10 of those 17 boards, by the way, came on the offensive end. Last night, with Milwaukee trailing 71-59 after three quarters to the World Champions, Mbah a Moute helped propel the Bucks to a huge fourth quarter and forced overtime against the Celts. The Cameroonian forward had 10 of his 14 points in that period, including a monster dunk (plus the foul) with 2:58 left that gave Milwaukee a one point lead. While the Bucks did eventually lose the game, it wouldn't have been close without the efforts of the rookie.

In addition to his hoops prowess, Mbah a Moute is a prince in the village of Bia Messe, Cameroon, where he is originally from. His father, Camille Moute a Bidias, is the chief of the village and is a high ranking government official, making the Bucks rookie nothing short of royalty. With Mbah a Moute's help, the Bucks were oh so close to knocking off the kings of the NBA.

THE TOP 5 FRESHMAN IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL

Next week on the show, Mark and I will have our 2008 College Basketball Preview. Until then, here's a quick look at the top five freshman on campus this season. Last year, top first year players included the likes of OJ Mayo, Kevin Love, Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, Eric Gordon, Anthony Randolph, and Jerryd Bayless, all top 15 picks in the NBA draft.

1. DeMar DeRozan--F, USC, 6-7, 200 lbs
The Compton, California product (pictured) will pick up right where OJ Mayo left off when he bolted for millions of dollars and the thrill of playing for the Memphis Grizzlies. DeRozan is ridiculously athletic and can score from anywhere on the floor. Maybe he won't score 30.6 points per game, like he did his senior year at Compton High, but he'll certainly be a focus in the USC offense.

2. Jrue Holiday-- SG, UCLA, 6-3, 190 lbs
Holiday has been called the best UCLA freshman since Baron Davis, and the season hasn't even really started yet! He dominated the McDonald's High School All-American game last year, putting up 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals, and 3 assists. The return of point guard Darren Collison helps Holiday because he won't have to handle the ball as much and can play at the 2 instead of running the offense for the Bruins.

3. Samardo Samuels--F, Louisville, 6-8, 240 lbs
Rick Pitino's Cardinals will get a huge boost from Samuels, who is set to play a ton of minutes this season. The 6-8 Jamaican is a tremendous rebounder, and was named USA Today's National Player of the Year. He may, however, take some time to get used to the college game. Plus he is the only player on this list, or any of our lists for that matter, with the first name of Samardo.

4. Kemba Walker--G, UConn, 6-0, 175 lbs
Walker is the now rarely seen pass-first point guard. The former Rice High (Bronx, NY) star is extremely quick and is very good handling the rock. If Jim Calhoun wants to pressure the ball and press more this season, he certainly got the right guy for the job. Walker also has the best nickname of any player coming into college hoops this year: EZ Pass.

5. Tyreke Evans--SG, Memphis, 6-6, 219 lbs
Not a great jump shot. That's really the only knock on Evans' game coming into his first (and probably only) year at Memphis. He has a quick first step and is a strong passer, so he should be able to drive and kick, or throw it down. He has a 6-11 wingspan, and will fit in well in John Calipari's system. He should give a nice boost to a team that lost three of it's starters--Derrick Rose (Bulls), Chris Douglas-Roberts (Nets), and Joey Dorsey (Rockets)-- to the NBA.

EVAN'S WEEK 11 PICKS

Denver at Atlanta (-2.5)
Philadelphia at Cincinnati (+7)
Chicago at Green Bay (E)
Houston at Indianapolis (-10.5)
New Orleans at Kansas City (+5)
Oakland at Miami (-8)
Baltimore at NY Giants (-5.5)
Minnesota at Tampa Bay (-1)
Detroit at Carolina (-12)
St. Louis at San Francisco (-3.5)
Arizona at Seattle (+6.5)
Tennessee at Jacksonville (+7)
San Diego at Pittsburgh (-4)
Dallas at Washington (E)
Cleveland at Buffalo (-2.5)

MARK'S WEEK 11 PICKS

Well I got shellacked last week - that's what happens when you wake up at 1:15 on Sunday and realize you still haven't made your picks yet. I promise to do a much better job this week. I'm talking to you, EVAN.

ATLANTA -2.5
philadelphia -7
GREEN BAY E
INDIANAPOLIS -10.5
KANSAS CITY +5
MIAMI -8
GIANTS -5.5
TAMPA BAY -1
detroit +12
SAN FRANCISCO -3.5
SEATTLE +6.5
tennessee -7
san diego +4
WASHINGTON E
BUFFALO -2.5

Last week: 5-8
Season: 66-58-2

FIXING THE BCS

President-Elect Barack Obama told ESPN's Chris Berman that he thinks College Football should switch to a playoff system instead of the ridiculous computer based system that is currently in place. Many have been calling for this change for years. How can you really decide who is the best team without playing it out on the field? It's crazy and flat out stupid, but from the NCAA's perspective, it actually makes sense. First and second round games of a playoff won't bring in the revenue that five major BCS bowl games would. So they leave it alone and let the computers decide who the best team is.

Now I admit, there are many questions with the playoff format. For one, how do you decide who gets in? Who gets home field? Are all playoff games held at neutral sites?

Here is my proposal for a playoff system in College Football:

The playoff bracket should have eight teams comprised of the champions of the six major "BCS" conferences, and two wild card spots. These spots, as well as the seedings, are determined by the BCS Standings.

Taking a look at the current BCS Standings, here are how the seeds would look if the season were to end today.

1. Alabama (SEC Champions)
2. Texas Tech (Big XII Champions)
3. Texas (Wild Card)
4. Florida (Wild Card)
5. USC (Pac-10 Champions)
6. Penn State (Big 10 Champions)
7. North Carolina (ACC Champions)
8. Pittsburgh (Big East Champions)

So the matchups would be 1. Alabama vs. 8. Pitt, 2. Texas Tech vs. 7. UNC, 3. Texas vs. 6. Penn State, and 4. Florida vs. 5. USC. The first round games would be played at the home stadium of the higher seeded team. The semi-finals and finals would be at neutral sites and would rotate each year between the five BCS Bowls.

So you could see something like Alabama vs. Florida in the semi-finals from Tempe, Arizona, in the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl. Then Texas Tech vs. Texas at the Orange Bowl in Miami for a chance to play for the National Championship at the Rose Bowl.

As for the question of when to play all these games, the answer is quite simple. Don't have a month off between the regular season and the post-season. Have two weeks off to rest, and then let the playoffs begin. Problem solved.

The current BCS system is flawed and stupid and needs to be changed. This idea may not be perfect, but it sure is a hell of a lot better than what we have now.

EVAN'S THURSDAY NIGHT PICK

New York Jets 12
New England Patriots 19

New England is favored by 1.5 points.

5 REASONS THE CELTICS CAN REPEAT

Paul Pierce turned his back to the hoop and jogged back down court, joyously yelling and skipping in the air. The Celtics captain and reigning NBA Finals MVP had just hit a beautiful fallaway jumper over Al Horford to give Boston a 103-102 lead with half a second left. The C's did of course hold on to win by that score, knocking off the pesky Hawks and handing them their first L of the season.

Last nights Celtics game demonstrated the passion and desire to win that everybody knows this C's club has. The Garden was rocking like it was mid-June, and when Pierce hit the shot it nearly brought the house down. The building's atmosphere was tremendous, and the TD Banknorth Garden can be a damn near impossible place to play on the road in the playoffs. But what else makes this Celtics group so special? Here are five reasons that the Celtics have a shot to repeat as NBA Champions:

1. Defense
The Celtics defense last season was one of the best all-time. Despite losing James Posey in free agency to the New Orleans Hornets, Boston's defense should be at the top of the league again this year. Kevin Garnett is the perfect player to remind the team of it's defensive priorities. So far this year, the Celts have posted a Defensive Efficiency Rating of 92.1, second to only the undefeated Lakers (88.9). The C's are giving up a measly 88.4 points per game, again second only to the Lakers 86.7. And Boston is tops in the NBA in opponents field goal percentage (38.9%), meaning they force other teams to take difficult and oftentimes contested shots.

2. Desire
It's pretty clear from watching this team that complacency won't be a problem. Not only will the Big Three not let them relax, but the entire roster of players is up to the challenge of having the target on their back. Even early in the season when teams are looking to see exactly how they measure up to the rest of the field, the Celtics are all about picking up those W's. After a disappointing loss in Indiana last week, the C's rebounded well, posting big road wins against Western contender Houston and Eastern powerhouse Detroit. Then they came home and beat Atlantic division rival Toronto (despite a slow start), and the previously undefeated Hawks.

3. Scoring
The Celtics have been mediocre at best to start this season on the offensive end of the floor. So why will that help them raise banner number 18? Because at some point, they will hit their stride. So far, the Green are 21st in the NBA in points per game (94.4), 14th in field goal percentage (44.1), and second to last in three point percentage (27.1). That means a team with Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Eddie House is struggling big time to hit shots from deep, yet they are 8-1 on the season.

4. Who's Gonna Stop Them?
Seriously. The East is no doubt more talented than last year, but which teams in the conference have a legitimate shot to deny the Celtics a chance at back to back titles? Detroit and Cleveland are the only two that really come to mind. Detroit could be shaky. They haven't really meshed since acquiring AI, and Rip Hamilton looks lost out there. While the (possible) return of Antonio McDyess will give their bench a huge lift, the lack of a true point guard could hurt them come June. Cleveland added Mo Williams to run the point, but he is really the only addition to the Cavs' rotation this season. On opening night, the Celtics knocked off Cleveland 90-85 in an emotional win at the Garden. The team received their rings from last season's run to the top, and Paul Pierce had tears in his eyes right up until tipoff. The team came out flat and had no flow offensively. And they won. Besides Detroit and Cleveland, no teams in the East are good enough to eliminate Boston. The Celtics essentially have a one in three shot to reach the NBA Finals once again.

5. Rest
Now in the second year of the Big Three, the Celtics know what it takes to win in the playoffs. Last year's team played the most post season games in NBA history. This time around, they will be even more ready in preparing for a playoff run. I expect the starters to play a little less close to the end of the regular season, and the team should be more willing to hold players out of the lineup just to be safe in resting various injuries and ailments throughout the year. One more year of experience means the Celtics know what they need to do to raise number 18 next year.

MARK'S THURSDAY NIGHT PICK

New York Jets 13
New England Patriots 16

(spread is Patriots -1.5)

BOSTON: SPORTS CAPITAL OF THE UNITED STATES

Loserville. That was the nickname graciously given to Boston by sports fans across the country because of the Red Sox continued futility, the Celtics fall from grace, and the Patriots constant mediocrity. Since the start of the new millennium however, Boston teams have been able to shed that horrid title and create a new image for the local teams: Champions.

Since 2000, the Patriots have won three Super Bowls, beating the Rams in Super Bowl XXXVI, the Panthers in XXXVIII, and the Eagles in XXXIX. The long suffering Red Sox are now a semi-dynasty, reaching the playoffs in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2007, and 2008, and winning two World Series in that span. And while the turn of the century didn't change the Celtics fortunes, the arrival of Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen made the Green NBA Champions once again.

Now of course, we have all four major sports teams in the hunt for post season berths. The Red Sox made the playoffs again this year, and were just one game short of reaching the Fall Classic for the second consecutive year. The Patriots are 6-3 and tied for first place in the AFC East despite the losses of Tom Brady, Laurence Maroney, Adalius Thomas, and Rodney Harrison for the season. The Celtics are 8-1 and leading the Atlantic division again in 2008. Paul Pierce's fallaway at the buzzer lifted the C's to a 103-102 win over previously undefeated Atlanta last night at the Garden. And finally, the black sheep of the group, the Bruins are finally playing up to their potential and at 9-3-3, are tied with Buffalo for first in the Northeast division with 21 points.

Yes it is a great time to be a fan of Boston sports. Will it last? Of course not. Never does. So enjoy it while it lasts. Soon enough we may see that old moniker put to good use once again.

GP NEEDS SOME CHEESE WITH THAT WHINE

Former Sonics great Gary Payton had some ridiculous comments on a recent appearance on NBA-TV. Payton essentially asserts that Celtics point guard Rajon Rondo did not deserve a ring last season for Boston's run to a record 17th NBA title.

I don't know if "The Glove" is jealous that Rondo won a championship in just his second NBA season, or any other pre-existing feud between the two, but these comments are wrong and just plain stupid. Rondo started 77 games last season, scoring 10.6 points and dishing out 5.1 assists per game. Defensively, Rondo was stellar all year long. He was 10th in the NBA with 129 steals, and sixth in the league with 4.8 defensive win shares per game, and had a total defensive rating of 98.4, good for eighth in the NBA.

Payton, of course, is one of the greatest NBA point guards of all time. Other than his defensive abilities, he is perhaps best known for leading the Sonics to one NBA finals appearance, a loss in six games to MJ and the Bulls, and then bouncing around the NBA in search of a ring. GP finally did win the big one, as a backup with the 2006-07 Miami Heat. Ironically, Payton was not the starter for that Heat club (that was White Chocolate himself- Jason Williams), so when they finally did close the book on Dallas, he was probably on the bench, waving a towel.

WEEK 10 PICKS RECAP

New England 20, Buffalo 10
Atlanta 34, New Orleans 20
Tennessee 21, Chicago 14
Jacksonville 38, Detroit 14
Miami 21, Seattle 19
Minnesota 28, Green Bay 27
NY Jets 47, St. Louis 3
Baltimore 41, Houston 13
Carolina 17, Oakland 6
Indianapolis 24, Pittsburgh 20
San Diego 20, Kansas City 19
NY Giants 36, Philadelphia 31
Arizona 29, San Francisco 24


Evan was 9-4 this week. Mark was 5-8.
Mark now leads our season long debate by four games.

MARK'S WEEK 10 PICKS

NEW ENGLAND -1
ATLANTA -2
tennessee -2
DETROIT +3.5
MIAMI -7
MINNESOTA -1.5
st. louis +7
HOUSTON +1
OAKLAND +9
PITTSBURGH -6
SAN DIEGO -4.5
new york giants -2
san francisco +9

9-5 last week

61-50-2 on season

EVAN'S WEEK 10 PICKS

The Broncos beat the Browns 34-30 last night. Oops, forgot to pick that one. Here are the rest of the games on the week 10 slate. My picks are in bold.

Buffalo at New England (-1)
New Orleans at Atlanta (-2)
Tennessee at Chicago (+2)
Jacksonville at Detroit (+3.5)
Seattle at Miami (-7)
Green Bay at Minnesota (-1.5)
St. Louis at New York Jets (-7)
Baltimore at Houston (+1)
Carolina at Oakland (+9)
Indianapolis at Pittsburgh (-6)
Kansas City at San Diego (-4.5)
New York Giants at Philadelphia (+2)
San Francisco at Arizona (-9)

7-7 Last Week

53-58-2 This Season

8 Games Back of Mark

GOLD GLOVE WINNERS ANNOUNCED: PEDROIA WINS FOR AL 2B

The 2008 Rawlings Gold Glove winners have been announced, and Dustin Pedroia is the only Red Sox player to take one this season. Hopefully, this won't be the only award given to the Sox second baseman this off-season. Here is the complete list of winners:

NATIONAL LEAGUE
P- Greg Maddux (Padres/Dodgers)
C- Yadier Molina (Cardinals)
1B- Adrian Gonzalez (Padres)
2B- Brandon Phillips (Reds)
SS- Jimmy Rollins (Phillies)
3B- David Wright (Mets)
OF- Nate McLouth (Pirates)
OF- Carlos Beltran (Mets)
OF- Shane Victorino (Phillies)

AMERICAN LEAGUE
P-Mike Mussina (Yankees)
C- Joe Mauer (Twins)
1B- Carlos Pena (Rays)
2B- Dustin Pedroia (Red Sox)
SS- Michael Young (Rangers)
3B- Adrian Beltre (Mariners)
OF- Torii Hunter (Angels)
OF- Ichiro Suzuki (Mariners)
OF- Grady Sizemore (Indians)

I can't believe Jacoby Ellsbury didn't win a Gold Glove this year. He had great range all season, made some spectacular plays with the leather, and didn't make a single error all season. What else does he need to do to win a Gold Glove? At least Jeter didn't win it...

C'S DEFENSE PICKING UP WHERE IT LEFT OFF

You have heard the expression by now, uttered during the NBA playoffs each and every year: Defense wins championships. The Celtics, led by Tom Thibodeau's tenacious tactics, proved the famous phrase true, and ensured pundits will continue saying it for generations to come.

The 2007-08 Celtics' championship capped off an amazing run, and of course, defense was the main reason why. Boston had one of the best team D's off all-time last season, and it was the team's defining characteristic that allowed them to raise banner number 17.

The team was able to retain Thibodeau this past offseason, and along with the intensity of KG and Co, the Celtics appear to be picking up right where they left off last June. In last night's 96-83 victory at the Ford Center in Oklahoma City, Boston's swarming D held the lowly Thunder in check. After a slow first quarter in which OKC took a 29-21 lead, the Celtics defensive intensity really picked up. The Thunder scored only 15 points in the second quarter, and just 11 in the third. Boston's transition defense was spectacular as well. While the C's were able to score twenty points off OKC turnovers, the Thunder only scored eight points off of 14 Boston TO's. When the Green got it going offensively at the start of the second quarter, their defense never let up. Oklahoma City went 1-17 to begin the second, and Boston pulled away from there.

The Celtics proved the old saying true last year, and are looking to do it again. If Boston can keep up the pressure at the defensive end of the floor, it is a phrase we will be hearing many times again this June.

OBAMA WINS, AGENTS CRY

ESPN.com had a hilariously ridiculous article on their headline list this morning, talking about the implications that the Obama tax changes will have on Major League Baseball free agents. How tragic! This means when Manny Ramirez inevitably signs his $20 million per year deal, he could have to pay $800,000 more in taxes! This is, of course, assuming he doesn't already have an offshore holding account in the Cayman Islands.

It's hard to tell if the total absurdity of this article should be blamed on the agents for bringing it up, or ESPN and the AP for even reporting it as a story. The quotes look like the kind of vague, boring, made-up quotes I used to throw into articles for my high school journalism class.

Will the new tax policies affect how soon free agents are signed, and when signing bonuses are distributed?
"It's something we'll consider."

Scott Boras, will the tax increase result in you asking for a larger signing bonus for your clients?
"There's some consideration to be had..."

Will agents consider the new taxes when negotiating for their clients?
"I'm sure it will be kicked around."
"It's not off the wall..."
"We'd certainly be open-minded to it."

The bright side? Manny Ramirez and Gerry Callahan will finally have something to agree on.

AI TO DETROIT: CAP SPACE IS THE NAME OF THE GAME

The Denver Nuggets traded guard Allen Iverson to the Pistons today for former Boston first round pick Chauncey Billups, Antonio McDyess, and Cheick Samb. While Detroit probably won't be as formidable this season, the deal sets them up wonderfully for the future.

By shipping out the aging Billups and McDyess, the Pistons are drastically changing the roster on a team that has been in the Eastern Conference Finals every year since 2002. I assume they will be starting Iverson, Hamilton, Prince, Maxiell, and Wallace, and bringing in the talented, young duo of Rodney Stuckey and Amir Johnson in off the bench. Probably not as good as the team the Celts beat last June, right? But look past the 2008-09 season and the Pistons are set up for the long haul.
Iverson is set to make $20,840,625 in 2009, and is only signed through this season. That means Detroit, a contending team, will have something really only seen at the bottom of the standings: cap space. If they decide against re-signing volatile big man Rasheed Wallace, who is making nearly $14 million this season, the Pistons are looking at quite a spending spree. Looking at ESPN's list of potential free agents after the season, the Pistons should be all set. Maybe they will go for a player like Carlos Boozer. Maybe Shawn Marion. Somehow I don't see Ron Artest playing home games at the Palace though.

The smart money is to hold onto that space until 2010. That is when the cream of the crop free agents will be available. Unrestricted free agents will include Joe Johnson, Ray Allen, LeBron James, Dirk Nowitzki, Josh Howard, Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming, Dwyane Wade, Michael Redd, Tyson Chandler, Amare Stoudemire, Shaq, Steve Nash, Manu Ginobili, and Chris Bosh. Or they could go for restricted free agents Rudy Gay or Brandon Roy. Can you imagine a Pistons starting lineup of Rodney Stuckey, Dwyane Wade, Tayshaun Prince, Jason Maxiell, and Amare Stoudemire? Scary.

For the Celtics, it really isn't that big of a deal. By that time, the Big Three will be winding down, and the C's will (hopefully) have money to spend as well. I really like this trade for the Pistons because they will be able to sign great free agents in the future. I like it for the Celtics because it worsens the Pistons for this season. The Celtics time is now.

Q AND A WITH JOHN BUCCIGROSS OF ESPN

Winner winner chicken dinner! John Buccigross, Sports Center anchor and hockey writer for ESPN.com answered some Saturday Morning Sports hockey questions (via email). Here are his responses.

Saturday Morning Sports: Phil Kessel now has seven goals on the young season. Do you think we are finally seeing the Kessel people were expecting after he was picked 5th by the Bruins in the 2006 draft?
John Buccigross: No doubt. He is an explosive, agile skater. World Class. Also, he has a great release. Some players are great skaters like Radek Dvorak. Some have great releases like Michael Ryder. Kessell has both.

SMS: Tim Thomas has looked very sharp recently. Do you think he has finally beaten out Manny Fernandez for the number one goalie job?
JB: Tim Thomas is the heart and soul of the Bruins. His personality rubs off the rest of the team. Goalies like that are such a bonus.

SMS: Would you consider Jonathan Toews or Patrick Kane to be in the same class as someone like a Crosby or an Ovechkin?
JB: No I would not.

SMS: What do you think is the best division in the NHL?
JB: The Atlantic Division is the best Division.

SMS: Do you think the fireworks in Boston's 5-1 win over Dallas will bring the Bruins closer together as a team?
JB: The Bruins were already close as a team. That's why they made the playoffs last year despite giving up more goals than they scored. I'm not sure what the reason is for this, but they clearly play for each other.

SMS: The NHL is the least popular of the four major sports here in the United States. What do you think they can do to put more butts in the seats?
JB: Charge less for tickets and make the nets bigger.
*Editor's note: I couldn't agree more. The Bruins haven't won a playoff series since 1999, yet their average ticket price is $56.

SMS: If you were starting a team and could have either Bobby Orr or Ray Bourque in their prime, who would you take?
JB: I refuse to answer that question. God Bless You.

BRUINS MIX IT UP WITH STARS IN 5-1 WIN

Last night, the Boston Bruins defeated the Dallas Stars 5-1 in one of the hardest hitting games of the season. Dallas center Steve Ott tried to hip-check Boston's Stephane Yelle at the knees midway through the second period, and the fireworks started from there.

Andrew Ferrence had a huge hit on Ott at center ice, and the game started to get feisty. In the third period, Ferrence fought Stars instigator Sean Avery and then Shawn Thornton beat down Krys Barch. When things didn't go Dallas' way they started cheap shotting the Bruins, further amping things up on the ice. With the game well out of reach for the Stars in the third, Avery boarded Bruins centerman Marc Savard from behind, starting an all out brawl between the two teams.

This is a great sign for the Bruins. Not only did they put the puck in the net, something they struggled to do a year ago, they also proved that they aren't afraid to get physical when teams go after them. When Savard was hit from behind in the third, three other Bruins players instantly grabbed Avery and began pounding away on him. Players who are not known for their physicality, like Phil Kessel, even mixed it up with the Stars. Furthermore, they showed a willingness to defend their own players, something that should benefit the team's chemistry all season long.

All in all, seven players were handed game misconducts and ejected, and the team's combined for 146 penalty minutes. Tim Thomas was tremendous again for the B's, as he stopped 35 of the 36 shots he faced. If the Bruins continue their physical play, and keep putting points on the board, there is no limit to what they can accomplish this season.

MARK'S WEEK 9 PICKS

(Home teams in caps)

BUFFALO -3
Detroit +8.5
Jacksonville -4
Baltimore E
Green Bay +1.5
KANSAS CITY +6.5
ST. LOUIS -3.5
MINNESOTA E
DENVER -1
Atlanta -4
NEW YORK GIANTS -8
Philadelphia -5
INDIANAPOLIS -1
Pittsburgh E

Last week: 8-5-1
Season: 52-45-2

Q AND A WITH MIKE REISS OF THE GLOBE

Mike Reiss is the Patriots beat writer for the Boston Globe. His Reiss' Pieces blog on the Globe's website gives a behind the scenes look at the daily happenings of the team. Reiss answered a few questions for us at Saturday Morning Sports via e-mail. Here are his responses:

Saturday Morning Sports: What exactly is wrong with Sammy Morris? How long do you think he'll be out for?
Mike Reiss: I saw Sammy Morris on Tuesday and he still looked to be in pain from his knee injury. He said he hurt the knee on his final carry, a 29-yarder, against the Broncos at the end of the second quarter.

SMS: When do you see LaMont Jordan coming back?
MR: I think Jordan will be playing this Sunday night against the Colts. He's missed the last three games with the right quad injury, but barring a setback, I think we'll see him this week.

SMS: Is Laurence Maroney done with the Pats for good?
MR: I don't think so. He has two years left on his contract (through 2010), so I think the way the Patriots will approach it is by building depth around him and not expecting much of him -- and whatever they get would be a bonus.

SMS: Do you think Rodney Harrison's career is finished?
MR: I do. Watching Harrison leave the field on a cart, I sensed it as a final moment in which he was soaking it all in. I'd never count Harrison out, and he hasn't said anything yet, but my hunch is that he won't be playing again.

SMS: Do you think, in light of their recent injuries/struggles in the secondary, the Pats will look to add someone like John Lynch?
MR: I thought Lynch would be back, but unless there is another injury, I'm now leaning against the possibility. It seems the Patriots aren't as sold on him as I thought they were.