This chick is being honest. And it makes me sick. It makes her husband sick. It makes her family sick. It even makes the host sick. Not only can a chick be this cold but she'll reveal it all on national TV for the chance at winning cash. Not for cash, just the chance of winning cash. When I watched this I didn't know whether to laugh, throw up or do both simultaneously. This is very safe for work but if 2Pac were alive he, without a doubt, would call this bitch "scandalous".
What would you do if you were her husband? And how much cash did her ex get?
Wednesday, February 27, 2008
The Curse of the #1 Pick
Title links to the USA Today interview with Colts GM Bill Polian. He's a great interview because he's very direct and just not really a bullshitter by nature. (Note: Bullshitter is apparently in the dictionary because spellcheck was fine with it, but spellcheck is apparently not) It's short so read it, real quick.
Let's get down to how I feel about the #1 pick in the NFL Draft these days. It's a tremendous burden. When is the last time that it really worked out well for a team? The easy answer is 2004 when the Giants traded up to get Eli Manning. The actual cost for trading up (via San Diego) was Philip Rivers, Shawn Merriman and Nate Kaeding. Although the Chargers actually asked for Osi but Ernie Acorsi wouldn't give him up. 6 months ago this did not look like the Giants were gonna end up on the winning end of this deal. But ain't that a bitch, Eli just won the Super Bowl for the Giants. Believe it or not this marks the last time a team has traded up into or within the top 7 picks. Considering how well this has worked out for the Giants shouldn't this be happening more often now? The NFL is a copycat league right?
Ain't gonna happen. Well why not? Because the cost is prohibitive. Extremely prohibitive. You have to give up assets to trade up and then you have to pay the player you get like he's one of the 3 best at his position in the league immediately. There's a very good chance that this player will be the highest paid player on his team before he ever plays a single snap. Now how is that sane? No other sport even comes close to this. I just cannot see veterans in the locker room accepting this easily. All the way from the minimum salary guys to the superstars who now feel that they are underpaid. Unless the player you get is Tom Brady right from the jump things are gonna get worse before they get better. Plus the assets you give up are generally players who make less and later draft picks who also make less. This throws off the balance in a team's salary structure. Having a top 3 draft pick is the equivalent of spending in free agency the way the Redskins do every year. You just keep pushing off the salary cap disaster until one season it just can't be fixed and there's a mass exodus. Think about all the picks the Raiders have had since 2002. They got 2 extra 1st rounders and 2 extra 2nd rounders from Tampa for Gruden. The Raiders usually pick in the top 10 if not the top 5 these days. You know how much talent that should represent? But it doesn't. What happens is you have a right guard who makes $7 million a year and he's just an average player. You have a CB who makes much more than his much more talented teammate CB. You have a QB who makes more money than Tom Brady. The list goes on. It just doesn't work to pick high. But nobody will trade up to allow teams to trade back. So what do the Miami Dolphins do this April?
They basically have two options. They open up Pandora's Box by taking very little to trade down. If they traded down from say 1 to 7 and only got back a 2nd round pick this year it would be the end of Jimmy Johnson's little trade chart. This move would also be an open admission that the price of a top 5 draft pick is just too high to fathom. NFL agents will argue that they're clients should be paid like this because the NFL makes a shitload of money and their clients need to be protected from injury and/or extenuating circumstances. In other words if their client gets arrested or is a bust. But doesn't this sound suspiciously like NFL teams are required to pay players based on their play at the college level? The players can get insurance policies to help protect them from injuries. So basically teams should give these guys extra millions of dollars because they were great in college but that might not transfer to the NFL? Then you have guys picked in the 6th round who go on to be stars but they can't make shit until their 5th year really. Anyway, that's obviously how I feel about that.
The Dolphins do have another option. You have to figure that they have at least 5 players on their board that they really like but none worth of the first pick. There is no rule that says they have to pick first. There's a time limit on the picks. If you miss it you get skipped. Just ask the Vikings. So the Dolphins could just chill. 10 minutes passes and the Rams are up. Now the Rams have to make a decision. Technically they are making the #1 overall pick but their rookie salary pool was calculated assuming they would have the #2 overall pick. Plus do they have anybody on their draft board rated high enough to take #1 overall? So what if the Rams elected not to pick? Considering this round is now in primetime, Roger Goodell's head would explode. So that should help keep the ratings up. What if teams really did this? In reality it probably wouldn't work. It would make a statement but it wouldn't work. Say every team in the first round opted not to exercise a pick. All that would happen is the Dolphins would still pick first overall and teams would be going crazy trying to jump over each other. But I could argue for the Dolphins to not use the first pick. Even if the Rams passed at that point somebody would either trade up or get ready to pick first if it passed to them. Then the Dolphins could just back in line, get a player they would've taken first overall for half or maybe a third of the cost. You might not add any additional assets but you would get the player you wanted at a much more reasonable salary and you would be sending a message to players and agents that you are not to be taken lightly as an organization and you will stick to your principles. (See Patriots, New England)
Let's get down to how I feel about the #1 pick in the NFL Draft these days. It's a tremendous burden. When is the last time that it really worked out well for a team? The easy answer is 2004 when the Giants traded up to get Eli Manning. The actual cost for trading up (via San Diego) was Philip Rivers, Shawn Merriman and Nate Kaeding. Although the Chargers actually asked for Osi but Ernie Acorsi wouldn't give him up. 6 months ago this did not look like the Giants were gonna end up on the winning end of this deal. But ain't that a bitch, Eli just won the Super Bowl for the Giants. Believe it or not this marks the last time a team has traded up into or within the top 7 picks. Considering how well this has worked out for the Giants shouldn't this be happening more often now? The NFL is a copycat league right?
Ain't gonna happen. Well why not? Because the cost is prohibitive. Extremely prohibitive. You have to give up assets to trade up and then you have to pay the player you get like he's one of the 3 best at his position in the league immediately. There's a very good chance that this player will be the highest paid player on his team before he ever plays a single snap. Now how is that sane? No other sport even comes close to this. I just cannot see veterans in the locker room accepting this easily. All the way from the minimum salary guys to the superstars who now feel that they are underpaid. Unless the player you get is Tom Brady right from the jump things are gonna get worse before they get better. Plus the assets you give up are generally players who make less and later draft picks who also make less. This throws off the balance in a team's salary structure. Having a top 3 draft pick is the equivalent of spending in free agency the way the Redskins do every year. You just keep pushing off the salary cap disaster until one season it just can't be fixed and there's a mass exodus. Think about all the picks the Raiders have had since 2002. They got 2 extra 1st rounders and 2 extra 2nd rounders from Tampa for Gruden. The Raiders usually pick in the top 10 if not the top 5 these days. You know how much talent that should represent? But it doesn't. What happens is you have a right guard who makes $7 million a year and he's just an average player. You have a CB who makes much more than his much more talented teammate CB. You have a QB who makes more money than Tom Brady. The list goes on. It just doesn't work to pick high. But nobody will trade up to allow teams to trade back. So what do the Miami Dolphins do this April?
They basically have two options. They open up Pandora's Box by taking very little to trade down. If they traded down from say 1 to 7 and only got back a 2nd round pick this year it would be the end of Jimmy Johnson's little trade chart. This move would also be an open admission that the price of a top 5 draft pick is just too high to fathom. NFL agents will argue that they're clients should be paid like this because the NFL makes a shitload of money and their clients need to be protected from injury and/or extenuating circumstances. In other words if their client gets arrested or is a bust. But doesn't this sound suspiciously like NFL teams are required to pay players based on their play at the college level? The players can get insurance policies to help protect them from injuries. So basically teams should give these guys extra millions of dollars because they were great in college but that might not transfer to the NFL? Then you have guys picked in the 6th round who go on to be stars but they can't make shit until their 5th year really. Anyway, that's obviously how I feel about that.
The Dolphins do have another option. You have to figure that they have at least 5 players on their board that they really like but none worth of the first pick. There is no rule that says they have to pick first. There's a time limit on the picks. If you miss it you get skipped. Just ask the Vikings. So the Dolphins could just chill. 10 minutes passes and the Rams are up. Now the Rams have to make a decision. Technically they are making the #1 overall pick but their rookie salary pool was calculated assuming they would have the #2 overall pick. Plus do they have anybody on their draft board rated high enough to take #1 overall? So what if the Rams elected not to pick? Considering this round is now in primetime, Roger Goodell's head would explode. So that should help keep the ratings up. What if teams really did this? In reality it probably wouldn't work. It would make a statement but it wouldn't work. Say every team in the first round opted not to exercise a pick. All that would happen is the Dolphins would still pick first overall and teams would be going crazy trying to jump over each other. But I could argue for the Dolphins to not use the first pick. Even if the Rams passed at that point somebody would either trade up or get ready to pick first if it passed to them. Then the Dolphins could just back in line, get a player they would've taken first overall for half or maybe a third of the cost. You might not add any additional assets but you would get the player you wanted at a much more reasonable salary and you would be sending a message to players and agents that you are not to be taken lightly as an organization and you will stick to your principles. (See Patriots, New England)
Friday, February 22, 2008
NBA Trade Deadline Update (Everybody Loves LeBron)
Of course right after I finished my trade deadline bit yesterday LeBron got his wish half-granted. He wanted a play-making point guard. He got four solid-to-decent rotation players, including one with some Finals experience. In case you live in a cave the Cavs got Ben Wallace, Joe Smith, Delonte West and Wally World. That might not sound great but they were acquired for Larry Hughes, Drew Gooden and belly button lint. Yes the Cavs added salary but none past two seasons from now, which, incidentally, is when LeBron becomes a free agent. So they added for now without cramping their long-term plans. Larry Hughes has his own horrible contract (Danny Ferry - 5 years $60 for Hughes? Seriously? Did Billy King help you on that deal? We're y'all working off of Kenny Thomas' contract? The fuck?) and Drew Gooden was gonna need a new contract this summer. Got that?
While I don't think the Cavs added the point guard they needed or the secondary scorer that they needed but they got 4 useful players while giving up only two and not surrendering any first round picks. That's good enough for me but I suspect in the grand scheme of things, it won't be enough to win. Especially now that Daniel Gibson (Boobie!) is gonna miss the dreaded 4-6 weeks with a bad-ass ankle sprain. Wally World welcome back to the pressure cooker. Playing the role of Kevin Garnett will be LeBron James. The 8 o'clock show is always different than the 3 o'clock show so make sure you tune in for both.
The other couple of deadline deals amount to the usual trading of spare parts. Although the Rockets did get Gerald Green on the cheap. I'm just not sure that his athleticism is ever gonna translate to basketball skills. The problem is somebody will throw some millions at him anyways and he'll never learn.
At the end of the day it's the same story for me. From the jump I liked the Pistons and Spurs. I'm not gonna back down now. The Pistons need to avoid the Cavs and the Spurs need to avoid the Lakers. Although those would be some great games to watch. I'm not gonna make full predictions now or anything but we will roll with the Pistons and the Spurs still.
Check out John Hollinger's breakdown of the trades at the deadline. He does some excellent work for the Worldwide Leader.
While I don't think the Cavs added the point guard they needed or the secondary scorer that they needed but they got 4 useful players while giving up only two and not surrendering any first round picks. That's good enough for me but I suspect in the grand scheme of things, it won't be enough to win. Especially now that Daniel Gibson (Boobie!) is gonna miss the dreaded 4-6 weeks with a bad-ass ankle sprain. Wally World welcome back to the pressure cooker. Playing the role of Kevin Garnett will be LeBron James. The 8 o'clock show is always different than the 3 o'clock show so make sure you tune in for both.
The other couple of deadline deals amount to the usual trading of spare parts. Although the Rockets did get Gerald Green on the cheap. I'm just not sure that his athleticism is ever gonna translate to basketball skills. The problem is somebody will throw some millions at him anyways and he'll never learn.
At the end of the day it's the same story for me. From the jump I liked the Pistons and Spurs. I'm not gonna back down now. The Pistons need to avoid the Cavs and the Spurs need to avoid the Lakers. Although those would be some great games to watch. I'm not gonna make full predictions now or anything but we will roll with the Pistons and the Spurs still.
Check out John Hollinger's breakdown of the trades at the deadline. He does some excellent work for the Worldwide Leader.
Thursday, February 21, 2008
The NBA Trade Deadline
Click on the title to go over to The Worldwide Leader's up to the minute coverage of the NBA trade deadline. They event had a "Sportscenter Special" from 2-3 ET. Trades can come in late because they have to be submitted by 3 PM ET but sometimes the approval process can take awhile. Any who, there have been no blockbusters today. The Spurs acquired Kurt Thomas from the Sonics last night and the Hornets and Rockets traded spare parts today. So we're ready to break down our winners and losers for the trade deadline.
WINNERS
Lakers - Everybody knows they stole Pau Gasol and gave up nothing. But giving up first round picks always catches up with you. But the price was right for this one. If they don't make the conference finals it's because of injuries.
Hawks - Mike Bibby might not be a franchise player but the Hawks needed a point guard, a veteran starter and somebody with playoff experience. Bibby fits all those needs and they got him for nothing. Too bad they gave up way too much for Joe Johnson but what the hell.
Spurs - Kurt Thomas might not be exactly what the doctor ordered but given the Spurs track record I'll go ahead and say that he'll work out great. Again, the Spurs basically gave up a first round pick for him. He's got an expiring contract so he's an expensive level but he offers veteran production for the playoffs and cap relief after.
Suns - This was a tough call to make but I looking at it from the perspective that they were gonna lose Marion for nothing after this season or next and they managed to dump Marcus Banks and his contract. Plus I think Shaq gives them a dimension they sorely lacked as well as leadership, confidence and Finals experience. If they could just swing a trade for Ron Artest they'd be significantly better.
Sonics - Because of the way they acquired and traded away Kurt Thomas they acquired 3 extra first round picks and added zero salary obligation past this season. Outstanding.
Miami - It ain't perfect but they managed to move Shaq. Marion is an asset either as a player, trade bait or cap relief. Marcus Banks, once upon a time, scored a whole bunch of points playing for a bad Minnesota team. The Heat need to make some other deals though or D-Wade will walk in two years.
LOSERS
Dallas - Yes they got Jason Kidd. But it cost them about $18 million, their second best big man, 2 first round picks, and their point guard of the future, who also happened to be their best young player and best defender. Even if they win a championship they're gonna end up just like the Heat in two years.
Cleveland - King James is walking in 2 years. They have way too many bad contracts. Something has to give.
Sacramento - They're on this losers side strictly because they failed to use Bibby or Artest to move Kenny Thomas and his albatross of a contract. And they didn't get a first round pick for Bibby. The going rate these days is 2 first round picks.
Minnesota - You ain't attracting any free agents. You couldn't do that when you had KG. Walker, Jaric and Gerald Green all want out and have some value. And they have Ratliff's humongous expiring deal. Y'all should've done SOMETHING. Expect season ticket renewals to drop. Again.
Philadelphia - Decide if you're building or making a playoff run. Iguodala is going to get paid and soon. There goes all of your precious cap room. If they do trade Andre Miller they have to move Willie Green and/or Reggie Evans and their contracts to actually have cap room after signing AI2. Needless to say trade Dalembert as well but who wants him and his deal. How bad does Indy want to move Jermaine O'Neal. Speaking of.....
Indiana - Shit or get off the pot Larry Bird. Trade Tinsley and O'Neal an blow it up or try to move a couple of pieces around and make 1 last run with them. Just pick one and do it.
Clippers - Why can I believe that they'll just let everybody jump shit next year and reap the cash savings and luxury tax checks. Cassell is a free agent, Maggette is gonna opt out and most likely so will Elton Brand. But they already have Kaman, Mobley and Tim Thomas who all have big deals and they have to re-sign Shaun Livingston (good luck with that problem) so they're not going to be flush with cap space anyway. In other words they should have used Cassell and/or Maggette to move Thomas and/or Mobley.
Knicks - Isiah this was the one time you were actually supposed to make a deal. Anything is better than what you've got. Everybody should be on the block. If you're willing to take back some more bad contracts the stars can come back to MSG.
Bucks - Same deal as the Knicks basically. They have a whole bunch of overpaid players who play the same positions and have similar skills. Move some of them, somewhere, somehow.
Toronto - They needed to make some kind of move to give them the ability to hang with the Pistons or Celtics come playoff time. They didn't do it.
Orlando - Yet another team in the East that needed one more piece. And Orlando had the goods to do it with a boatload of expiring deals. You can't use the high dive if you're scared to jump into the deep end fellas.
Chicago - Are they really going to pay Deng and Gordon? If they can't win now does Wallace (Ben) have any value to them? They went in the loser column last year when they had pieces people wanted and they stood pat. Now nobody wants their pieces, partially because they might just be able to sign them as free agents soon. Y'all blew it Chicago, fucking Kobe was a pipe dream and y'all bought it. Although it is kind of amazing how much Memphis wanted from Chicago for Gasol and what they ultimately got for him from the Lakers. Credit Jerry West with the assist.
Memphis - They're on the losers side because I don't think that they're gonna spend very much of this cap room they're accumulating. And they backed down off of making whoever got Gasol take Brian Cardinal and his contract. If you're gonna have a fire-sale remember, everything must go.
Charlotte - This team is fatally flawed. They don't really have any assets that anybody wants and they show no signs of developing into a playoff caliber team. So be it I guess, but shouldn't they have tried something? Feels like the NBA will be leaving Charlotte for a second time at this rate.
Denver - You already have the 3rd highest payroll, a crazy coach and the original AI. Camby and Martin are relatively healthy so this is your best shot. They'll end up regretting not making a move when they get bounced in the first round. Again. If they make the playoffs.
Warriors - Your big move was signing Chris Webber? That won't get it done. Why didn't they make an inquiry about Shaq? You could argue they need him for the same reason the Suns did.
INCOMPLETE, N/A or NOT NEEDED
Detroit - Don't mess with success and try to avoid LeBron in the playoffs.
New Jersey - The Kidd deal was great but this is an incomplete until the move Vince Carter.
Boston - Same as Detroit plus they really don't have anything else to trade away.
Washington - With all of their injuries it was impossible for them to make any kind of a good deal.
Utah - They already made their deal when they got Korver.
Portland - No deal worth making until next year.
Houston & New Orleans - They traded spare parts which is about all these teams can do, they really don't have any assets that they would part with that anybody else would want.
Wow I wasn't actually going to go over every team but what the hell. Updates coming later tonight when the dust settles.
WINNERS
Lakers - Everybody knows they stole Pau Gasol and gave up nothing. But giving up first round picks always catches up with you. But the price was right for this one. If they don't make the conference finals it's because of injuries.
Hawks - Mike Bibby might not be a franchise player but the Hawks needed a point guard, a veteran starter and somebody with playoff experience. Bibby fits all those needs and they got him for nothing. Too bad they gave up way too much for Joe Johnson but what the hell.
Spurs - Kurt Thomas might not be exactly what the doctor ordered but given the Spurs track record I'll go ahead and say that he'll work out great. Again, the Spurs basically gave up a first round pick for him. He's got an expiring contract so he's an expensive level but he offers veteran production for the playoffs and cap relief after.
Suns - This was a tough call to make but I looking at it from the perspective that they were gonna lose Marion for nothing after this season or next and they managed to dump Marcus Banks and his contract. Plus I think Shaq gives them a dimension they sorely lacked as well as leadership, confidence and Finals experience. If they could just swing a trade for Ron Artest they'd be significantly better.
Sonics - Because of the way they acquired and traded away Kurt Thomas they acquired 3 extra first round picks and added zero salary obligation past this season. Outstanding.
Miami - It ain't perfect but they managed to move Shaq. Marion is an asset either as a player, trade bait or cap relief. Marcus Banks, once upon a time, scored a whole bunch of points playing for a bad Minnesota team. The Heat need to make some other deals though or D-Wade will walk in two years.
LOSERS
Dallas - Yes they got Jason Kidd. But it cost them about $18 million, their second best big man, 2 first round picks, and their point guard of the future, who also happened to be their best young player and best defender. Even if they win a championship they're gonna end up just like the Heat in two years.
Cleveland - King James is walking in 2 years. They have way too many bad contracts. Something has to give.
Sacramento - They're on this losers side strictly because they failed to use Bibby or Artest to move Kenny Thomas and his albatross of a contract. And they didn't get a first round pick for Bibby. The going rate these days is 2 first round picks.
Minnesota - You ain't attracting any free agents. You couldn't do that when you had KG. Walker, Jaric and Gerald Green all want out and have some value. And they have Ratliff's humongous expiring deal. Y'all should've done SOMETHING. Expect season ticket renewals to drop. Again.
Philadelphia - Decide if you're building or making a playoff run. Iguodala is going to get paid and soon. There goes all of your precious cap room. If they do trade Andre Miller they have to move Willie Green and/or Reggie Evans and their contracts to actually have cap room after signing AI2. Needless to say trade Dalembert as well but who wants him and his deal. How bad does Indy want to move Jermaine O'Neal. Speaking of.....
Indiana - Shit or get off the pot Larry Bird. Trade Tinsley and O'Neal an blow it up or try to move a couple of pieces around and make 1 last run with them. Just pick one and do it.
Clippers - Why can I believe that they'll just let everybody jump shit next year and reap the cash savings and luxury tax checks. Cassell is a free agent, Maggette is gonna opt out and most likely so will Elton Brand. But they already have Kaman, Mobley and Tim Thomas who all have big deals and they have to re-sign Shaun Livingston (good luck with that problem) so they're not going to be flush with cap space anyway. In other words they should have used Cassell and/or Maggette to move Thomas and/or Mobley.
Knicks - Isiah this was the one time you were actually supposed to make a deal. Anything is better than what you've got. Everybody should be on the block. If you're willing to take back some more bad contracts the stars can come back to MSG.
Bucks - Same deal as the Knicks basically. They have a whole bunch of overpaid players who play the same positions and have similar skills. Move some of them, somewhere, somehow.
Toronto - They needed to make some kind of move to give them the ability to hang with the Pistons or Celtics come playoff time. They didn't do it.
Orlando - Yet another team in the East that needed one more piece. And Orlando had the goods to do it with a boatload of expiring deals. You can't use the high dive if you're scared to jump into the deep end fellas.
Chicago - Are they really going to pay Deng and Gordon? If they can't win now does Wallace (Ben) have any value to them? They went in the loser column last year when they had pieces people wanted and they stood pat. Now nobody wants their pieces, partially because they might just be able to sign them as free agents soon. Y'all blew it Chicago, fucking Kobe was a pipe dream and y'all bought it. Although it is kind of amazing how much Memphis wanted from Chicago for Gasol and what they ultimately got for him from the Lakers. Credit Jerry West with the assist.
Memphis - They're on the losers side because I don't think that they're gonna spend very much of this cap room they're accumulating. And they backed down off of making whoever got Gasol take Brian Cardinal and his contract. If you're gonna have a fire-sale remember, everything must go.
Charlotte - This team is fatally flawed. They don't really have any assets that anybody wants and they show no signs of developing into a playoff caliber team. So be it I guess, but shouldn't they have tried something? Feels like the NBA will be leaving Charlotte for a second time at this rate.
Denver - You already have the 3rd highest payroll, a crazy coach and the original AI. Camby and Martin are relatively healthy so this is your best shot. They'll end up regretting not making a move when they get bounced in the first round. Again. If they make the playoffs.
Warriors - Your big move was signing Chris Webber? That won't get it done. Why didn't they make an inquiry about Shaq? You could argue they need him for the same reason the Suns did.
INCOMPLETE, N/A or NOT NEEDED
Detroit - Don't mess with success and try to avoid LeBron in the playoffs.
New Jersey - The Kidd deal was great but this is an incomplete until the move Vince Carter.
Boston - Same as Detroit plus they really don't have anything else to trade away.
Washington - With all of their injuries it was impossible for them to make any kind of a good deal.
Utah - They already made their deal when they got Korver.
Portland - No deal worth making until next year.
Houston & New Orleans - They traded spare parts which is about all these teams can do, they really don't have any assets that they would part with that anybody else would want.
Wow I wasn't actually going to go over every team but what the hell. Updates coming later tonight when the dust settles.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Lindsay Lohan Topless
You'd think this was the greatest thing to happen in the history of the Internet. They have the Internet on computers now? Click the title to see Lohan's funbags. Every other site or blog on the planet has linked to them somewhere so I figured I'd be cool like everybody else. Just like smoking or calling somebody when you see that everybody else is on the phone. You're cool.
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