February 29th update

Matt Kenseth wins fiery Daytona 500

• As reported on Monday, the Daytona 500, typically held on a Sunday, was postponed for a day. When it finally took place on Monday night (after further rain delays) the fireworks started.
• Something broke on Juan Pablo Montoya's car sending him careening into the Safety Car (the irony here is not lost on anybody). The Safety Car held 200 gallons of kerosene, which went spilling out of the car. Montoya and the driver of the Safety car were able to get away unharmed but the kerosene went up in flames and delayed the race. When the fire was out, the track had to be cleaned and repaired in order for the final 40 laps of the race to be run.
• Driver Brad Keselowski live tweeted the event, effectively tripling his Twitter followers during the fire delay. Danica Patrick (and a few others) ended her race in the 162nd lap when she got caught up in an accident brought on by the aggression by drivers trying to take advantage of the restart of the race after the fire.


All-Star game injury

• In the third quarter of the NBA All-Star game on Sunday Dewayne Wade fouled Kobe Bryant on a drive to the basket, hitting him in his face. Bryant had a bloodied nose, but nobody thought anything else of it at the time.
• However, it turns out Bryant had broken his nose and suffered a concussion from the foul. Bryant will be re-evaluated by doctors to see if he can play in the Lakers next game on Wednesday, but it's unusual for this to even be an issue in the first place because generally players do not try very hard in All-Star games, especially when it comes to hard fouls. Bryant’s Lakers teammates came out in defense of their superstar. Andrew Bynum said “ It was an All-Star game, I don’t understand what that was all about. It was crazy.”
• For what it's worth, Wade has apologized, saying that what's done is done and all he can do now is say he's sorry.

February 27th update

Daytona 500 rained out for first time

• The Super Bowl of Nascar, the Daytona 500, was supposed to take place Sunday, marking the beginning of the Nascar season, but the rain came down too hard, making it impossible for Nascar officials to clear the track up in time to start the race. The race will commence at Noon on this afternoon instead, making it much tougher for fans to catch the race.
• It was the first time in more than 50 years that the race had been postponed, and Jimmie Johnson summed it up with a good quote saying, I guess the deal [Nascar owner] had with the man upstairs was put on hold this year.
• It will still be a great race with lots of fanfare but there will be significantly fewer in the stands and it's expected that teams will have a rough time getting all the way across the country to Phoenix by Thursday for the next race since they would generally have left Sunday night but instead will have to leave late Monday afternoon. Carl Edwards, who barely lost the 2011 championship to Tony Stewart, has the pole (or leading) position when the race starts.


West Wins Climactic All-Star Game

• The Western Conference won the 2012 NBA All-Star game 152-149, the highest ever combined score in an All-Star game. Both Kevin Durant (for the West) and LeBron James (for the East) scored 36 points leading their respective teams. Durant won the MVP, most likely just because his side won. This game, that usually focuses on offense, saw much better defense being played towards the very end, especially by the East.
• The West had a major lead most of the game, and had a 20 point lead in the 4th quarter, but Dwayne Wade, Carmelo Anthony and James led a furious comeback and the East had the ball with 16 seconds left and a chance to tie or take the lead. Deron Williams missed a 3-point shot that would have given the East a lead and then Wade missed a last second 3 that would have tied the game at the buzzer.
• Kobe Bryant scored 27 points to move past Michael Jordan for first place on the All Star Scoring list. His 14 All-Star Game appearances is equal to Jordan as well, but still short of Kareem Abdul-Jabbar’s record 19 games.
• On Saturday, Minnesota Timberwolves forward Kevin Love won the 3-point contest, and Utah Jazz forward Jeremy Evans won the Slam Dunk Competition.


As we approach March Madness in College Hoops, Sportico will be recapping the NCAA season.

Big Weekend in the Big 12

• Having two of the top 4 teams in the country (at least as of this weekend) the Big 12 arguably has the best chance to win a National Championship.
• We have previously written about Baylor, but the Bears have slipped recently allowing for Missouri and Kansas to jump to the top of the Conference. This past weekend these two teams played for the second time this season. Kansas avenged an earlier season loss defeating Missouri 87-86 in overtime. All three of these teams have good chances to make it through the second weekend of the NCAA tournament, and send at least one representative to the Final Four in New Orleans.
• While Kansas has been a national power for years on the College Basketball scene, Missouri is a relative newcomer, entering the top ranks for the first time in a long while. This success is built on an explosive offense and a very experienced roster. Of the 5 players who play the most, 4 are Seniors and the other is a Junior.

February 24th update

Ryan Braun’s Suspension Overturned

• Ryan Braun, the embattled Milwaukee Brewers outfielder, became the first player in Major League Baseball to win an appeal against the MLB over a failed drug test. Braun, who tested positive for Performance Enhancing Drugs in October, was facing a 50-game suspension until baseball’s arbitrator ruled in his favor.
• Braun, who won the National League MVP award in 2011, was facing a verdict that would have tainted not only his phenomenal season but his career in general. There were apparent questions about the chain of custody of the sample that tested positive. Nobody was sure that another factor didn’t taint the sample.
• This decision was not applauded by all. Travis Tygart the CEO of the US Anti-Doping Agency called the decision “a real gut-kick to clean athletes.” However, Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers tweeted: “MLB and cable sports tried to sully the reputation of an innocent man. Picked the wrong guy to mess with. Truth will set u free #exonerated.” No reason was given for the reversal, further confusing the situation.


NBA All-Star weekend begins in Orlando

• The NBA's all star weekend begins tonight and unlike the All-Star events of the other sports, the NBA's has taken on a life of its own, almost like the Super Bowl, in the amount of buzz it creates and the number of major stars who show up. Entertainers and celebrities show up en masse and even take place in a celebrity game on Friday night. The other Friday event is the Rising Stars challenge, which used to called the Rookie-Sophomore game but has since undergone a bit of a change. In the past it was simply a game between the best first year players and the best second year players but this season Shaquille O'Neal and Charles Barkley are the "captains" and they took turns drafting players to their teams, playground style.
• Saturday houses the most events including the Slam Dunk Contest, and the 3 Point Contest , two hallmarks of the All-Star weekend. Also included are the skills challenge (similar to NFL comibne's shuttle drill, but on a basketball court), the D-League All-Star game and the Shooting Stars competition, which pairs a NBA player, a former NBA player and a WNBA player from the same city on teams together.
• Then finally, the game itself is on Sunday. There's not much to say about the game other than that you should watch and expect very little defense to be played, a lot of scoring, and if we're all lucky, a dunk like this or a shot like this.


NFL Combine this Weekend in Indianapolis

• This weekend marks a major point in the NFL draft process. The NFL Rookie Combine, held annually in Indianapolis, is an event that can basically be described as a meat market for football players. A few hundred potential future NFL players will compete in a variety of athletic and intellectual drills designed to give scouts and front office personnel measurable data. Doing well in these drills can make or break a player's draft position and possibly his career as members from all 32 NFL teams show up and all take the combine very seriously.
• Players will display their abilities in 8 events. The bench press (the maximum repetitions of bench pressing 225 lbs), the Vertical Jump, the broad Jump, the 3 cone drill (which tests speed and agility) the 20 and 60 yard shuttle and the all important 40-yard dash (aka the quickest way to become an Oakland Raider). Those who counted closely noticed I only listed 7 events, the 8th is the Wonderlic test. This secretive test gives a score out of 40 to test intelligence.
• In past years, many top level prospects skip the workout aspect of the combine in favor of meeting with teams off the field. These prospects wait in favor of their individual school’s pro day. A day when all the prospects at a certain school put on a performance for NFL scouts. Even without the top level prospects at the combine, the event will be an opportunity for many, lesser known prospects to showcase their abilities.

February 22nd update

Wednesday Spotlight: Manny Ramirez

• Major League Outfielder Manny Ramirez signed a small, one year contract with the Oakland Athletics to make his return to baseball after retiring soon after the beginning of last season. Ramirez, who retired at least partially due to a positive drug test, will have to serve a 50-game suspension before he is allowed to play.
• Ramirez made his Major League debut for the Cleveland Indians in 1993. In 2001 he signed as a free agent with the Boston Red Sox for one of the biggest contracts in baseball history at the time. In his 8 years in Boston, Ramirez helped the Red Sox win 2 World Series Championships and made the All-Star team all 8 years (8 of his 12 appearances). Ramirez was known for being extremely talented but a bit aloof and he has done some pretty bizarre stuff (including leaving the field to go to the bathroom in the middle of the game and high-fiving a fan while making a catch) that led to the saying “Manny Being Manny.”
• Ramirez was traded to the LA Dodgers in 2008. After a solid 2008 campaign, Manny was discovered to have taken Performance Enhancing Drugs (PEDs) and was suspended 50 games in 2009. In 2011, Manny, after 5 games, was again found to be using PEDs. Instead of serving another suspension, Ramirez retired.
• Ramirez will be remembered for his aloof attitude, his prodigious skills at the plate (winning 9 Silver Slugger Awards) and the 2004 World Series MVP award. His achievements will also be potentially tainted by his drug use. However this season with the Athletics ends Ramirez will go down as one of the most memorable players in the history of the league.


Kemp doesn't want MVP by default

• In 2011, Matt Kemp was arguably the best player in the National League. In an otherwise forgettable season for the L.A. Dodgers (remember this and this?), their center fielder hit .324 with 39 Home Runs and 40 stolen bases, which are phenomenal numbers.
• Most years, that would be good enough to win the MVP, but in 2011, voters awarded the honor to Ryan Braun who had slightly better totals. The issue is, Braun has been notified that he failed a drug test and unless he wins an appeal, he will have to serve a long suspension and suffer the indignity of being the latest star to test positive for steroids.
• Interestingly enough though, Kemp says that he does not want the MVP award even if Braun has to give it back, saying that he wishes the voters had awarded it to him in the first place, but that he does not want to win it by default. This situation is not without precedent and Mike Greenwell, who finished second to one of baseball's most unabashed steroid users, Jose Canseco, has said that he would like his MVP from the year that Canseco beat him out (1988).
• Regardless of what ends up happening, I'm sure many voters wish they had simply voted for Kemp in the first place and he continues to be a bright spot in an otherwise dismal L.A. baseball scene.

February 20th update

ESPN's racist headline dampers incredible NBA weekend

• The Jeremy Lin train finally hit a bit of a bump for reasons both on and off the court. On Friday night the Knicks finally lost under the purview of their superstar rookie, surprisingly to the lowly Charlotte Hornets. While nobody thought the Knicks would never lose again, the Hornets have been downright awful and its possible the Knicks overlooked them as they prepared for the NBA Champion Dallas Mavericks on Sunday.
• This is when ESPN’s mobile division got into some hot water. The Mobile site of ESPN had the headline “Chink in the armor” with a picture of Lin above it (Chink being a very derogatory term for Asian people). Lin had said that he was called that while playing at Harvard as a way to get under his skin. ESPN has apologized and fired the employee as well as suspending another for 30 days.
• Lin obviously was not adversely affected by the issue, going off for an incredible 28 points, 14 assists and 5 steals in a win Sunday vs. the Mavs. He's the only player ever to put up those totals against a reigning NBA champion.
• In other NBA games, the Oklahoma City's young core had a monstrous game against the Denver Nuggets. Kevin Durant scored a career 51 and Russell Westbrook did his best to keep up, scoring 40. Serge Ibaka only scored 14, but also had 15 rebounds and 11 blocked shots, giving him the first triple double in the Thunder's team history. Durant and Westbrook's 91 combined points were more than 6 teams scored on Sunday, including the Miami Heat, Orlando Magic, Boston Celtics and L.A. Lakers.
• Rising stars Kevin Love of the Timberwolves and Kyrie Irving of the Cavaliers each made two free throws with less than a half-second remaining to win their respective games by 1 point.
• Speaking of the Lakers, Kobe Bryant scored 32 but was forced into 10 turnovers, 1 off his career worst in an ugly loss to the Phoenix Suns.


American taking the bobsledding world by storm

• Steve Holcomb is not a household name. He doesn’t have a big Nike endorsement, he hasn’t been hit on by Kim Kardashian and he probably wont be visiting the White House anytime soon. That doesn’t mean he’s not one of the most dominant Americans in his sport.
• Two years ago in Vancouver he lead the American 4-man bobsledding team to their first gold medal since 1948. The year before that he lead the American 4-man team to their first gold medal in the Bobsled World Championships.
• This past weekend Holcomb did the unthinkable (you know, in the bobsledding world) and captured the gold medal in the 2-man competition, despite being known more competing with a team twice as large. A strong second day surge pushed Holcomb and his partner Steve Langton past the Canadian team that had been holding the record.
• While we at Sportico realize this is not a Summer Olympic game, as we approach that season we will be doing a full preview, blow-by-blow and recap of this year’s events in London and will be featuring more and more Olympic athletes as we get ready for the 2012 games.


Gary Carter dies

• Former Montreal Expos and New York Mets star catcher Gary Carter passed away late Thursday night from complications from brain cancer. He was 57.
• Carter played 19 seasons and was part of the 1986 “Amazin’” Mets team that defeated the Boston Red Sox in the World Series. His 9th inning single in game 6 sparked one of the most famous comebacks in sports history (aided by a defensive laps by Red Sox 1st baseman Bill Buckner). Carter was known for his infectious smile and his durability. Playing a position that usually wears a player down quickly, Carter was unflappable playing the second most games all-time at the Catcher position.
• Carter later went on to become a baseball coach and mentor. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 2003.

February 17th update

Wakefield calls it a career

• Starting pitcher Tim Wakefield, one of the only pitchers to prominently feature a knuckleball left in the majors, is retiring after 17 seasons and 184 wins with the Boston Red Sox (He spent a couple years with the Pittsburgh Pirates before he signed with Boston). The 184 wins are only 6 short of the all-time Red Sox record, shared by Roger Clemens and Cy Young (for whom the award is named), but Wakefield decided not to pursue that record by playing in 2012.
• Wakefield's 17 years of service with the franchise is exceeded by only three players: Carl Yastrzemski (23), Ted Williams (19) and Dwight Evans (19), and the amazing thing is that when he was drafted, it was as a position player not a pitcher. But when he learned that he probably would not have much of a future as a position player, he developed the quirky knuckleball and spent the better part of 3 decades befuddling hitters.
• He was a vital part of the Red Sox World Series teams in 2004 and 2007, winning 17 games in 2007 (he won 17 in 1998 also) and even serving as the team's close from time to time. But this past year, while Boston was collapsing in one of the biggest debacles of the modern era, Wakefield tried, and failed, to stop the bleeding.
• His teammates felt that even though he still gave it his all and didn't seem to be burned out, it was a good time to hang up the cleats so he could be with his family. He won his 200th game last year, an impressive mark for anyone, much less someone who was never supposed to pitch.


Last big NBA free agents sign

• Power Forward Kenyon Martin and Shooting Guard J.R. Smith, teammates for the last few years with the Denver Nuggets and two of the biggest players to sign guaranteed contracts to play in China this year (they did so when it was still questionable whether or not the NBA would play their season due to the lockout) finally signed over the past week, Smith with the New York Knicks and Martin with the L.A. Clippers where they will play with arguably the two most exciting players in the NBA right now, Jeremy Lin and Blake Griffin respectively.
• The Clippers, who also feature Chris Paul are the second best team in the West and the Knicks are barely in the top 8, but since Lin has started playing, they are 7-0. Martin, who is a former #1 overall pick but will be starting his 12th season, is mostly known as a defensive player now after seeing his offensive stats slip over the past few years. Smith, on the other hand, is still trending upwards and will possibly be the starting SG, making a starting 5 of Lin, Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Amar'e Stoudemire and Tyson Chandler, all of whom are veterans with impressive NBA resumes (except Lin, but you already know about him)!

February 15th update

Wednesday Spotlight: Randy Moss

• One of the most talented, but frustrating players in NFL history, wide receiver Randy Moss, announced his unretirement on Monday (his 35th birthday). Moss has played for 4 teams throughout his 12-year career (including 2 stints with the Minnesota Vikings). Considered the prototypical physical specimen for a pass catcher (6’ 4” 210 lbs, running a 4.25 second 40-yard dash) in the NFL, Moss’ skills are only matched by his mercurial behavior.
• Moss was drafted in the first round by the Vikings, dropping dropping in the draft due to a number of off-the-field concerns during his college years. After a freshman year at Florida State in which he was arrested for smoking marijuana, Moss transferred to Marshall University in West Virginia. At Marshall, Moss along with future NFL quarterback Chad Pennington, combined to form a feared combination that took a Mid American Conference title.
• Moss played for the Vikings from 1998 until 2005 when he was traded to the Oakland Raiders. As a rookie Moss trained with Vikings superstar Cris Carter, who took Moss under his wing and together, helped form one of the most feared offenses in NFL history. After the 2006 season the Raiders traded Moss to the Patriots and in 2007 Moss combined with WR Wes Welker and QB Tom Brady to once again create one of the highest powered offenses in the history of the NFL.
• After the 2007 season Moss’ production began to slip. During the 2010 season the Patriots traded Moss back to the Vikings. After only 4 games the Vikings cut Moss who finished the season with the Tennessee Titans. At the end of the season, with no takers for his services, Moss retired. Although he is back now there's no promise he will be signed, as the closest player to him, Terrell Owens, went unsigned in 2010 despite having a very respectable 2009 season. Moss will be fondly remembered for his one liners, including saying "Straight Cash, homie" when asked how he would pay a $10'000 fine, and this one that was turned into a fantastic remixed video.


NBA Western conference review

• So here I am, writing about the Western conference but all I want to do is talk about Jeremy Lin. I can't though. So I won't mention that he scored 38 points against Kobe Bryant and the Lakers, made a game winning 3 last night against the Raptors, that he was named NBA player of the week, that he has at least 20 points, 7 assists and a steal in all 6 games he's played substantial minutes in (all Knicks wins) or that even Lin's high school coach never thought he'd be a good college player, much less an NBA star. Nope, won't mention that stuff. Stop the Lin-Sanity! The Western Conference awaits!
• The West has been the better conference for what seems like decades now, and the reason for the is the depth of good teams on that side. The Oklahoma City Thunder and the revamped Clippers are the class of the conference, although losing Chauncey Billups for the season will hurt the Clips.
• The Spurs, Mavs and Lakers are hovering a but behind, but until those veteran teams lose to the young inexperienced squads led by Durant and Westbrook (Thunder) or Paul and Griffin (Clips) in the playoffs, they have not proven anything.
• Steve Nash's Phoenix Suns would be in the thick of the playoff hunt in the East but are the 3rd worst team in the West at 12-17. Kevin Love's T-Wolves are much improved and really any team other than the miserable Hornets or the slightly less miserable Kings could realistically fight into one of the last two playoff spots.

February 13th update

NBA Eastern conference review

The NBA season is only 30 games old, but since this year is being shortened due to the lockout, we're near to the halfway point and now's as good a time as any to review the season so far, by conference. East today, West on Wednesday.
• Derrick Rose and the Bulls have picked up where they left off last season, compiling a 23-7 record so far, best in the East. Close on their heels are the Miami Heat led by the triumvirate of James-Wade-Bosh (or the duo of Wade and James if you feel as many around the league do).
• The biggest surprise however, is that the Philadelphia 76ers, not the Magic or the Celtics, seem to be the next in line. They sport a balanced squad that has 8 players scoring 9 points per game or more and their stifling defense is #2 in the NBA.
• The Atlanta Hawks are still around and the Indiana Pacers are playing better than expected after a hard fought first round playoff loss to the Bulls last year, but the team everyone's talking about is Jeremy's Lin's Knicks, who would not be in the playoffs if the season ended today but have won 5 straight and are gaining confidence by the day.
• At the other end of the spectrum, the Washington Wizards have only won 6 games but have some hope for the future with John Wall, Jan Vesely and Javale McGee while the Charlotte Bobcats have only won 3 games and are rumored to be asking Cam Newton to start playing for them now that the Carolina Panthers' season is over (OK, not really).


Lefty Surges Late

• Phil Mickelson won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am tournament this weekend, storming ahead of Tiger and a few other big named golfers to take a $1.1 million dollar purse.
• Woods shared the lead going into the last round on Sunday, but Mickelson shot 8-under par while Woods struggled with his worst round of the tournament to finish in a tie for 15th.
• Woods is still looking to regain the Tiger dominance that was a staple of the PGA tour for much of the 2000s. He seems to be getting closer and closer after winning his first tournament in over 2 years in December. Woods has been in contention in every other tournament he has played but has failed to capitalize on some great performances.


Pitchers and Catchers Start to Report

• Pitchers and Catchers reporting is the official start to the Major League Baseball preseason schedule. Teams generally have these two positions come to camp before the rest of the team to help build rapport and learn each other's tendencies.
• The Seattle Mariners were the first team to have their players begin to go to camp (in Arizona) because they are one of the first two teams to begin the regular season, in Tokyo, on March 28. This was a big story as Hisashi Iwakuma joined the Mariners for his first season in the Major Leagues. Iwakuma was a prized free agent from Japan so it's a bit ironic that he will begin his MLB career in the country that he's played his entire career anyway. The Mariners were able to land him to help strengthen their grip as the favorite MLB team in the Japanese market, a position they have held for many years as they are the home team of former Japanese superstar Ichiro Suzuki and the former home of All-Star reliever Kaz Sasaki.
• Pitchers and Catchers reporting is one of the first signs of spring, and a welcome sign to those of us who missed baseball. Other teams will begin to report over the next few days in preparation for the mainstream Opening Day which is March 31st.

February 10th update

Lin taking Big Apple by storm

• Of all the big stars to make a splash in New York, absolutely nobody was predicting that Jeremy Lin would add himself to that list. If you haven't followed the NBA for the past week, you'd be completed justified in asking, "Who is Jeremy Lin? I've never heard of him."
• Lin, a end-of-the bench backup for the New York Knicks before this week started who played in the Developmental League and was released by the Houston Rockets, was inserted early into the Knicks-Nets game on Saturday because they've had inconsistent play at the guard spots and immediately made an impact. He's started 2 games since then and made a few highlight reel plays already, had the MSG crowd chant 'MVP' for him and has scored at least 23 points and dished out 7 assists in all 3 games the Knicks have played, stringing back to Saturday. He's the only player to do that in his first 2 starts other than Lebron James in the past 9 years.
• Lin is probably the least likely NBA star possible, a short Chinese-American who was born in Palo Alto, California (where Stanford is) and going to Harvard for college, you would think he'd be an academic not an athlete. But here he is, making a giant splash in a city where anything less is unacceptable. He has a long way to go to equal the likes of Derek Jeter or Eli Manning for the heart of New York but he's already gone a long ways toward passing the disappointing Carmelo Anthony and Amar'e Stoudemire in terms of being the most loved Knick. Let's wait to see if he can keep it up.


Supermodel Splitting a Team

• As we reported on Monday the New England Patriots lost the Super Bowl on Sunday when a last minute drive fell just short. In the last couple of drives, two of their receivers (Wes Welker and Deion Branch) dropped very catchable balls that Tom Brady threw. Had these players caught the passes, as they have done for most of this season, the outcome could have been very different.
• To make matters even worse for New England, Tom Brady’s wife, supermodel Gisele Bundchen, was taped calling out Welker and Branch. Even though she was supposedly provoked by Giants fans who were trash talking Brady, Bundchen’s comments could possibly cause a rift amidst the Patriots a la Yoko Ono (who she has been compared to by more than one analyst).
• The Bundchen controversy is just one that is effecting the Patriots after the Super Bowl. Injured Tight End Rob Gronkowski was taped dancing (if you can call it dancing) at a team sponsored after party on an injured ankle. Given his performance in the Super Bowl in which he hobbled around, some fans wondered how he was able to jump around with seemingly no pain, and others wonder why he was dancing in the first place, as athletes who lose their title game are unofficially expected to briefly "mourn" for lack of a better term after losing the championship game.


Former Pitcher claims use of cocaine while playing

• Former Boston Red Sox Pitcher Dennis “Oil Can” Boyd claimed that he was high on cocaine for approximately two thirds of the games he pitched. Boyd pitched for 10 seasons from 1982 to 1991.
• He claimed that he used cocaine all over the nation in clubhouses. He also said that all of his teammates knew of his addiction, and a few even made a few attempts to get him help. Boyd claimed that he was able to get away with it because he was never drug tested throughout his career.
• Boyd, whose nickname makes it seem as though he played in the 1880's, not the 1980's (the nickname comes from a slang term for a beer can from his native Mississippi) was known for his use of illicit substances. Boyd is not the only pitcher to claim pitching under the influence of illegal substances. Former Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dock Ellis claimed to have pitched a no-hitter on LSD.

February 8th update

Tobacco Road Rivalry Renewed Tonight at 9:00

• Some of you may be aware that the University of North Carolina and Duke have a bit of a basketball rivalry. And by a bit, I mean the way there was a bit of an international conflict between 1941 and 1945 and the way Coca-Cola sells a bit of product every year. Carolina, the best rebounding team in the nation is predictably led by the three headed frontcourt monster of formidable post presence Tyler Zeller, shotblocking/rebounding phenom John Henson and Harrison Barnes, who's drawn comparisons to a young Kobe Bryant due to his size, agility and scoring ability.
• Duke on the other hand, features two sons of former NBA players in the backcourt; super-agile Austin Rivers (Son of Celtics coach Doc) and the long range shooting Seth Curry (Son of Dell, brother of Stephon). They also feature 3 Plumlee brothers, although only Mason and Miles have contributed much this season, their younger brother Marshall still being a freshman.
• The Heels are ranked #5 and the Blue Devils are ranked #9, both teams being ranked in the top 10 seeming almost like a forgone conclusion. Duke has lost 2 of its last 3 at their homecourt, Cameron Indoor Stadium and will hope to fare better in Chapel Hill. North Carolina is tied for the lead in the ACC with Florida State and leads the all time series with Duke 131-101.


NBA Injuries taking toll

• There have been a pretty decent amount of injuries in the NBA lately and many teams are being adversely affected. Just to name a few:
- Manu Ginobili of the Spurs broke his hand a month ago and hasn't returned.
- Andrew Bogut of the Bucks is probably out for the year with a leg injury.
- Chauncey Billups tore his Achilles tendon this week and will probably be out for the year.
- Eric Gordon (the main piece of the Chris Paul trade) has only played parts of 2 games this year because of a variety of injuries, the main one dealing with his knee).
- Al Horford of the Hawks is probably done for the season with a torn pectoral.
- Zach Randolph experienced a career resurgence last year but has been out for a while this year with a knee injury.
- Brook Lopez of the Nets has missed the whole season and is still a little while from returning because of a knee injury.
- Carmelo Anthony is out for a few weeks with a groin injury.
- Former #1 pick Andrea Bargnani has been among the NBA top's scorers this season but is out for about another month.
- Another #1 pick, Greg Oden, is out for the season... again... but at least the guy drafted after him isn't possibly the best player in the NBA right now. Oh wait...
- Kevin Love isn't hurt but will be suspended for two games after kicking Luis Scola in the face during a game. Just call him this decade's Christian Laettner.

February 6th update

Giants Nick(s) Patriots in Thrilling Game

• The New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots 21-17 in a game that met most expectations laid upon it. Eli Manning cemented his place amongst the elite quarterbacks by winning his second Super Bowl MVP trophy while completing 30 passes for 296 yards and a touchdown. Hakeem Nicks had dreamlike game, with 10 catches for 109 yards, while Victor Cruz and Ahmad Bradshaw each scored a touchdown.
• The game got off to an interesting start after the Patriots were called for a penalty in their own end zone on their first offensive play, giving the Giants a 2-0 lead. Still, the Patriots stormed back and were in front for the entire second half, except for the final 57 seconds. Bradshaw’s touchdown with 57 seconds to go in the game gave the Giants the lead for good, even though the Patriots had a chance to win the game with a last ditch hail mary that just missed.
• This is the 4th Super Bowl for the Giants franchise, and the second for Manning and his head coach Tom Coughlin. After 12 games the Giants were 6-6, winning 3 of their remaining 4 games, the Giants entered the playoffs on a hot streak. They rode that streak all the way through the playoffs and can now once again call themselves Super Bowl champions.


Super Similarities

• There were remarkable similarities between this year's Giants team and the Giants team that won it all in 2007. It's pretty remarkable when you look at some of these coincidences, check them out:

- In December 2007 the Giants lost 38-35 to the undefeated Patriots in the regular season and in December 2011 they lost 38-35 to the undefeated Packers in the regular season.
- In 2007 they lost 22-10 to the Redskins in Week 15 and in 2011 they lost 23-10 against the Redskins in Week 15.
- In 2007 they defeated the #1 seed Cowboys in the Divisional Playoff Round and in 2011 they defeated the #1 seed Packers in the Divisional Playoff Round.
- In 2007 they won the NFC Championship game on an OT FG by Lawrence Tynes against the #2 seed Packers and in 2011 they won the NFC Championship game on an OT FG by Lawrence Tynes against the #2 seed 49ers.
- The defining play of the 2007 Super Bowl was a 32 yard catch by David Tyree in the 4th quarter and the defining play of the 2011 Super Bowl was a 38 yard catch by Mario Manningham in the 4th quarter.
- In 2007 the Giants scored a TD in the final minute, beat the Patriots by 3 and Eli Manning was the MVP. In 2011 the Giants scored a TD in the final minute, beat the Patriots by 4 and Eli Manning was the MVP.
- In 2007, the Giants stopped the Patriots 18 game winning streak in the Super Bowl and in 2011 the Giants stopped the Patriots 10 game winning streak in the Super Bowl. On a side note, the Giants stopped the Patriots 20 game home winning streak in November of 2011.


Doleman, Roaf lead 2012 HOF class

• Since this weekend has pretty much been dominated by football, we might as well stick with the theme right?? On Saturday the NFL announced its 2012 Hall of Fame inductees who are as follows:
• Chris Doleman: Defensive End
• Willie Roaf: Offensive Tackle
• Curtis Martin: Running Back
• Dermontti Dawson: Center
• Cortez Kennedy: Defensive Tackle
• Jack Butler: Cornerback

• Doleman was one of the greatest pass rushers of all time, his 150.5 sacks are 4th on the all-time list. He was named to 8 Pro Bowls in his 15 year career and was named to the 1990's all decade team.
• Roaf, who played for the Saints and Chiefs is considered by many to be one of the top 5 offensive tackles of all time and helped pave the way for Priest Holmes' record setting 27 touchdowns in 2003.
• Martin was a workhorse, piling up terrific stats with the Patriots and Jets. He had:

• 3,518 career rushing attempts (3rd all-time)
• 14,101 career rushing yards (4th all-time)
• 17,430 career yards from scrimmage (7th all-time)
• 90 career rushing touchdowns (12th all-time)
• 100 career rushing/receiving touchdowns (19th all-time)
• Was also the oldest player to win a rushing title (age 31) in 2004

• Dawson, Kennedy and Butler also had terrific careers but Roaf, Doleman and Martin will probably be the ones you'll hear the most about.

February 3rd update

Super Bowl weekend is here

• After a summer-stealing lockout, 17 weeks of regular season games, and 4 weeks of the postseason the 46th Super Bowl is finally here. The New England Patriots and New York Giants will take the field at Lucas Oil Field in Indianapolis.
• The Patriots, who are slight favorites, will rely on their high powered offense to defeat the Giants. Led by Quarterback Tom Brady and tight end Rob Gronkowski, the Patriots will try to avoid the dangerous pass rush of the Giants defensive line. Gronkowski is currently nursing a high ankle sprain but is expected to play. His health status will play a huge role in how this game turns out.
• The Giants will rely on a devastating pass rush to get to Brady. Their chances to win the game will hinge largely on whether Justin Tuck, Osi Umenyiora, Jason Pierre-Paul and the rest of the gang can harrass Brady. Additionally, Giants quarterback Eli Manning will look to cement his claims made in the preseason that he should be considered an elite quarterback along with Brady. Eli will be looking to take score early and often against the Pats, who feature a wide receiver (Julian Edelman) playing defense.

Sportico’s Predictions
• Anirudh: This game will be won and lost depending on if the Giants defensive line can get to Tom Brady. The Giants offense should be able to score a lot of points against the Patriots patchwork defense, so the ability of the Patriots offense to keep up should determine the game. I do not believe the Patriots will be able to contain the Giants defense, and this will be a repeat of Sl.uper Bowl 42. Giants 38 – Patriots 31.
• Alex: The Patriots are too good to lose to this team again and Bill Belicheck will do the right things at the right time to give his team the edge (he even gave his team a break during practice to simulate halftime. Whether or not the team was forced to listen to Madonna during that break is uncertain). Brady will outduel Eli, who's had a great season but just isn't on Brady's level. Patriots 27 – Giants 17.


NBA names All-Stars

• Less than a week after the NHL and NFL had their All-Star games, the NBA (who was obviously feeling left out) named their All-Star starters on Thursday.
• L.A. will get 4 starters as Chris Paul will and Blake Griffin of the Clippers will join Lakers Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum. Kevin Durant takes the other spot. In the East, leading vote-getter and de facto host Dwight Howard (The game is being played in Orlando, the first time an Eastern conference team has hosted the game since 2003) will be joined by Miami Heat duo Dwayne Wade and Lebron James as well reigning MVP Derrick Rose and Knicks forward Carmelo Anthony.
• The always entertaining game which features dunks-a-plenty and only the occasional lick of defense will be played on February 26th. The Dunk Contest, which many people look forward to more than the game, will be held on February 25th at 8:30. Odds are no one will attempt a car over a parked vehicle (as Blake Griffin did last year) but it should be great nonetheless. The above link will show the participants as soon as they are announced, although they have not been as of the writing of this article.
• Last year Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant combined for 71 points en route to a 148-143 West win and MVP honors for Bryant.

February 1st update

Wednesday Spotlight: Tom Brady

• The golden boy Tom Brady seems to have the perfect life. Quarterback of the best team in the NFL over the past 15 years, married to a Victoria’s secret model, and a lucrative spokesperson position for Uggs' Men's footwear (OK, well 2 out of 3 isn't bad). However, he has come from relative obscurity to be arguably the best QB in the NFL.
• Born and brought up in California, Brady attended the University of Michigan. In Ann Arbor, Brady was a backup for former NFL player Brian Griese, and then battled for two years with Drew Henson (a former major league baseball player who went back to college). Coming out of Michigan, Brady was lightly regarded. Drafted 199 overall in the 2000 draft at the end of the 6th round, Brady spent most of his rookie season as the 4th quarterback on the roster.
• Entering his second season, Brady worked his way up to second on the depth chart. In the second game of the season, the starter Drew Bledsoe suffered a big hit and had some internal bleeding. This gave Brady the chance he needed and he never relinquished the job (other than 2008, when he missed nearly the whole season with a knee injury).
• Brady has won 3 Super Bowls, and will go for his 4th on Sunday in a rematch of the only Super Bowl he has lost, against Eli Manning and the New York Giants. Brady is a 7-time Pro Bowler, a 2 time NFL MVP, and was named the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the year in 2005. Married to Giselle Bundchen, Brady has two children (one with Bundchen). Brady will be a sure fire hall of famer when his career is over, and he will go down as one of the best Quarterbacks in the history of the league.


The sad story of Sid the Kid

• It wasn't too long ago the Sidney Crosby was riding as high as possible, considered the best player in the NHL despite his extreme youth (even now he's only 24) Crosby has already led his Pittsburgh Penguins to two Stanley Cup Finals (the first when he was the ripe old age of 21) and one championship. Crosby also led the league in points in just his second season and won the Hart Trophy (the NHL's MVP at the age of 19). Additionally he scored the winning goal for Canada in the 2010 Winter Olympics against the U.S. making him a hero in Canada, likely for the rest of his life.
• However, recently injuries have done what many thought was impossible, derailing his can't-miss, all-time great career. He suffered a bad concussion last year that caused him to miss nearly the whole season and now he's dealing with another concussion as well as soft tissue damage in his neck that is keeping him out of action, much to the chagrin of Pittsburgh fans and fans of the NHL as a whole.
• Crosby still could make it back and become one of if not the best player in the game today, but with the amount of time he's missed some people wonder if he'll ever return to his past form or if he'll simply become a shadow of his former self. Some are even saying it's time for him to retire because he's dealt with too many injuries and that he's endangering his future quality of life by exposing himself to the violent nature of professional hockey.
• Despite not being huge hockey fans here at Sportico, we can't help but feel bad for Sid and the league as a whole and for the good of both, we hope the Sidney Crosby can skate to the fullest of his abilities as soon as possible.