Real Deal

Not a chance. I'll eat three crows if it happens.

http://assets.sbnation.com/assets/486630/cammnewton.jpg Boss. Props to Dyer, monster runs in that last possession, just unstoppable on the field tonight when it mattered most. And, finally, the Auburn defense, that dominated Oregon for three quarters. No surprise here. I had Auburn winning the National Championship since the second or third game of the season. Cam and Dyer are too elusive, and those delayed hand-offs are great for Cam converting on those third downs.

LMAO, I have no idea how you can stay out on the court for 28 minutes and produce just one turnover, and nothing else AT ALL. I'm seriously going to consider downloading this game in a few days, just to see Joel Anthony. I'm not even kidding.

Definitely. Many didn't like him, but Bowen was a big deal in San Antonio, and the Spurs thrived off of containing, or slowing down, the superstar, while sending everyone else Duncan's way, much like what we started seeing out of Houston when Artest would take the more physical stars, and Battier would cover the star shooters and force them to the rim, with Yao awaiting (even though Houston set up so many odd defensive zones, I guess it's only similar in the way Battier sent his assignments to Yao, haha). Once you lose that elite perimeter defender, it burns a little. The Spurs have done that, but also lost a bit of Duncan as he ages, and Splitter isn't the defensive player he was made out to be (I could probably argue that McDyess is a better defender, actually). While TD is still the best defensive player on the team, he's probably playing the least amount of minutes he has ever played in his career (if he ever played less, it was last season) and he's just not the same defender he was around 2004-2006, where he seemed to be at his absolute best on that end of the court.

Well, it's just weird how they have been going away from Duncan, and yet they expect him to bail the team out when they need it. Of course, that's the idea with someone like him (the greatest PF ever)...but I don't see how this will work in the playoffs, because the system you're referring to is just so fast-paced, less going into the post and more guard-dominated. They have also sacrificed a bit of their defense, reserving some of that energy for their offense late in the game. Can a team REALLY go from running the ball, guard-dominant play, less defense...to a half-court set with a defensive intensity strong enough to solely win the most important games of the season? It's a complete 180, to be honest. Duncan isn't exactly being ignored completely, of course, but at one point, he seemed about as valuable as Richard Jefferson and George Hill, and I don't see how that will win championships.

TIME: 4:30 PM ET TV: CBS

TIME: 1:00 PM ET TV: FOX

TIME: 8:00 PM ET TV: FOX

TIME: 4:30 PM ET TV: NBC

Spurs really don't seem as good as they were to start the season lately. Duration taking its toll?

Hahahaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. You weren't here in 2006.

The 9-year old that was killed was born on 9/11/2001. :o http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7832686-rip-christina-taylor-green-born-on-911-died-today-by-a-gunmans-hand And... http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/blog/big_league_stew/post/Dallas-Green-s-granddaughter-dies-in-Arizona-sho?urn=mlb-305133

Houston's problems come in a package, of course... 1) Their three best players are their worst defenders. I could probably score on Scola in the post, over and over again. Martin doesn't play defense. Brooks is the same way...and, sad enough, it seems like he has lost his touch and can't shoot anymore. 2) Adelman is in love with Brad Miller and Luis Scola. He's always had this thing for bigs that can shoot the ball...works well in the Princeton. It's a plus if they can pass. He was obsessed with Miller back in Sactown, and now he found him another one in Scola. One can score the ball, the other really has to heat up from downtown before he makes a big impact, and neither play any sort of defense, ever...probably two of the worst bigs in the league on that end of the court. 3) Some of the best defenders on the team are a wreck on offense. Lowry is trouble...been saying that all year long, scores the ball but can't shoot worth a lick. Battier is useless if he's not spotting up. Hayes doesn't get the ball enough to make a difference. Lee really isn't polished enough on the offensive end to take over a game, if needed, and he doesn't drive to the tin as much as he should. 4) 35% of Kevin Martin's shots are three-point attempts. That's more than Ron Artest (32%), almost Ray Allen (36%) and Martin is supposed to be the team's primary scoring option that also has to create for others. Other teams that have their definitive primary options as three-point shooters? Bobcats, Cavaliers, Pacers, Clippers, Bucks, Suns (with J-Rich), Jazz and Wizards...and only one of those teams have a winning record, and that's because they are a more complete squad. 5) No Yao, which changes the way Battier plays defense, and forces everyone else to actually defend their man. Hayes is a good defender, don't get me wrong, but Yao's length, combined with his defensive skills, changes everything at the rim. Miller, Hill, Scola...none of them can do that. Hayes is trapped in a PF's body and is no Ben Wallace when it comes to athleticism (certainly talking about the young Ben). A lot to fix, not much time to fix it.

Watched this game on and off...what the hell was OJ Mayo doing? The dude wasn't trying to work his way into the offense, at all, and he just seemed lazy. Does he want traded? Durant got another 40. Good stuff...maybe he's thinking about turning it up now.

Boston sure is a different team, defensively, without Garnett and/or Perkins as their anchor. Late help, open gaps in the lane...and it's just bad timing for them to play their old defensive-minded assistant, because I'm sure Thibodeau was hungry for this win.

The Sixers are bi-polar. Their offensive strategies are so awkward...they either adjust and win games against teams they shouldn't beat, or they adjust (for no reason) and lose games to teams they should beat. Big shot, though. Austin saves the Daye.

Too many people were out for the Saints. When a team starts losing key players on offense AND defense, then they go on the road in one of the noisiest stadiums ever, it's going to be tough to win a game against a playoff team (even if that playoff team is considered the worst of all-time). I told Warren last night that, if Matt played, that was the deal-breaker for me. The spread made it a bit easier (can't fathom the Saints going into the game, with all things considered, and winning by almost two TDs), but I also won some cash from my friend by picking the Hawks to win the game.

If Manning would've had another game where he threw four picks, I'd be pointing fingers at him...but he didn't play bad at all. I just didn't like a lot of the playcalling for the Colts, and the defense was getting picked apart after those first 3-4 failed drives by the Jets.

I wouldn't be surprised if Amare and Felton score 60 points together.

The Colts should've kept throwing the ball. Can't remember the drive, maybe it was their second to last one, but they should've went to the air on third and long. I had the Colts winning, but oh well...if they won this game off of Adam's kick, I still would've lost due to the spread, so screw them. 1-1 so far.

Figures.

Both want to score 40+ in this one. Cool.

Picture of Loughner... http://bloximages.chicago2.vip.townnews.com/azstarnet.com/content/tncms/assets/editorial/e/2e/b0f/e2eb0f94-2fb9-11df-8820-001cc4c002e0.image.jpg

Whoa... http://www.blogforarizona.com/blog/2010/06/jesse-kelly-event-is-this-wording-intentional.html Written in June. WTF.