NBA trade deadline thoughts

The team that may have fared the best after the NBA trade deadline may have been the Los Angeles Lakers, who did not make a move. They had the best team in place and sometimes standing pat is the best way to go. They just need to be concerned for the health of their players.
The Lakers' eastern conference counterparts, the first place Cleveland Cavaliers, made a big splash by picking up Antawn Jamison from the Washington Wizards. Clearly Jamison is the best player that was dealt just before the deadline. But so far he has not been as good as he was in Washington. With the Wizards, Jamison was one of the league's most consistent players and one of the hardest workers. He is still a hard worker, but he has had off nights in two games already for the Cavs. It will be interesting to see how he works with LeBron James. I've always been a fan of Jamison. I'm sure he will be a team player and go with whatever role Coach Mike Brown has planned. His main objective is winning a title, and he has a good chance in Cleveland.
Tracy McGrady's career was summed up trade week. First he was dealt to the Knicks. In his first game in NY, he had a monster game but the team lost. In his second game, he got injured. That seems to be the Tracy McGrady story everytime.
The Bulls did some nice things at the deadline, getting rid of Tyrus Thomas and John Salmons. They did not get a real good player in return but it seems like they are going after one of the top free agents this year, possibly adding a Chris Bosh from Toronto.
Right now the Bulls are the sixth seeded team in the East. With the separation between teams 1-4 and 5-8 being so vast, it's likely the Bulls' seed won't matter in a first round defeat against Cleveland, Orlando, Boston or Atlanta.
Now that the NFL is gone, I can't wait for the NBA playoffs. It's the next best thing and only a month and a half away. The Lakers and Cleveland seem to be on a collision course for the Finals. That would be a dream match-up, but don't count out some of the other contenders.
The Magic and Celtics have experience and could give Cleveland a rn for their money. The Hawks are young and talented and could be the sleeper out east.
In the west, the Jazz are on a roll and the Denver Nuggets will play inpired for two reasons: 1. George Karl battling throat cancer and 2. Chauncey Billups always plays inspired.
It will probably be LA-Cleveland, but it will be a fun couple of months finding out.

Super Bowl XLIV thoughts

So I'm finally getting around to discussing the Super Bowl. Being a huge Colts fan, it's important to realize what a great season it was.
A great season filled with record breakers, thrilling come from behind wins and a pursuit of perfection, came to a bitter end on February 7 when the Colts fell to the New Orleads Saints 31-17 in Super Bowl XLIV in Miami.
I was confident about the Colts chances heading into the big game. The media was hopping on the Saints bandwagon, but the Colts had dealt with that before when everyone backed the Jets in the AFC title game. Plus Manning was going to eat up that 26th ranked Saints defense.
When the Colts took a 10-0 lead in the final minute of the first quarter, I was all but sure they were going to win. The Defense was playing well and always relishes playing with a two score lead.
But the unit never faced anyone as good as Drew Brees in 2009. Brees would go on to be the MVP of the game, moving the ball up and down the field as if he were Peyton Manning. The short passes killed the Colts.
The momentum of the game changed with the onside kick Saints coach Sean Payton called to open up the second half. The Colts had a four point lead and thought they were getting a chance to add to it with the ball in Peyton's hands.
But New Orleans recovered (maybe, no way to know for sure under the pile, but the refs called it that way) and the Saints took their first lead on a Pierre Thomas touchdown run.
But the Colts responded with a Joseph Addai touchdown and it looked as if they weathered the storm. They just needed to close them out.
The Saints dominated from then on out, scoring the game's final 15 points, incuding a Tracy Porter pick six that all but put it out of reach for Indy.
It still would have been nice if the Colts could have scored a touchdown at the end and at least forced an onside kick attempt.
New Orleans deserved it, no doubt. But I still think that if these teams were to play ten games, the Colts would win seven. Remember that Dwight Freeney was hobbled all night and Reggie Wayne was clearly not himself after tweaking a knee injury in Friday's practice.
It was the toughest loss a Colts fan could take. To come so close, only to be disappointed in the end. Colts fans aren't even used to losing regular season games, let alone a Super Bowl defeat.
As disappointing as the ending was, 2009 was a memorable year. In no year (not even 2006), was it so fun to be a Colts fan from week to week. Every week you knew they would be met with a tough challenge, and every week you knew they were going to find a way to win.
November 15's triumph over New England will always be one of my favorite sports memories since I was at Lucas Oil Stadium when it happened.
The team proved the critics wrong by winning two playoff games after a long layoff. Jim Caldwel did a phenomenal job.
Before the year began, experts forcasted the Patriots, Steelers and Chargers to be stronger than the Colts. After all, Indy lost a Hall of Fame coach and receiver.
But coming out of the AFC, it was the Colts, the good old reliables. The model of consistency.
2009 was great, but in 2010, they need to take it just one step furthur.

Pro Bowl not likely a success

There is a problem with the NFL Pro Bowl. Even though Commissioner Roger Goodell called the new format, in which the game is played the week prior to the Super Bowl, a success, the game really seemed like a waste of time.

The decision to play the game a week before the Super Bowl ensured that some of the games biggest stars like Peyton Manning and Drew Brees would not get to play since they have the Super Bowl this week. What kind of All-Star game does not include players from the best teams? Either play the game after the season (anti-climactic) or not at all.

The game was also played at the same stadium as the Super Bowl a week later. This was done clearly to generate more media coverage for the event since they would only have to arrive a few days earlier to cover the game. But why not preserve the field for the biggest game of the year? Instead, they roughed it up with a meaningless contest. Not to mention that media day was held inside partly to the field being worked on. 

I like the idea of having the AFC and NFC name players as Pro Bowlers, but the actual game has little meaning. Does anyone really have a strong attachment to the NFC or AFC? Is anyone in the country seriously cheering for either of the teams? The players themselves do not even care. 

Growing up I loved the idea of the Pro Bowl. The best players playing the best sport. Having the game in Hawaii after the Super Bowl became somewhat a tradition. It is the only logical way, regardless of how little attention it gets after the big game. It always signaled the end of football. 

The NFL also forced the Saints and Colts to send their pro bowlers to Miami for the game even though their teams weren't leaving until Monday. Why take away the thrill of going to the Super Bowl with your team away? Just to put on a better dog and pony show?

The game is going to be a joke either way, let's not mess with the Super Bowl teams' preparations. If they do keep it the way it is, do not force the AFC or NFC champion to participate. The Super Bowl is more important and there is nothing that is going to change that. 

Colts headed back to Miami

They've done it. The Indianapolis Colts beat the New York Jets, 30-17 Sunday, to qualify themselves for Super Bowl XLIV in Miami. It is the second time in four years in which the Colts are headed to the Super Bowl. Both times, it has been in Miami. 

I was very nervous before Sunday's game. Not that I didn't think they were going to win, but because the Jets were sure that they were. Every match-up seemed to benefit the Colts. They had the home field, the better quarterback, and they had been prepping for the Jets since they lost to them December 27 in the infamous "pull your starters" game.

But the Jets had fate. Every time the Jets and Colts had previously met in a big game when the Colts were big favorites, the Jets would pull the upset (See Super Bowl III). They had confidence. Rex Ryan was already planning the Super Bowl parade route. They were cocky and they were on a roll, winning four games in a row and seven of eight. They had the league's  number one defense and running game. 

Reasoning was for the Colts, but karma was certainly for the Jets. Which would win out?

Thankfully, reason would. 

The first half was pretty nerve wracking. Indy was unable to capitalize on good drives, settling for a pair of short range Matt Stover field goals, while the Jets had a big play touchdown from Mark Sanchez to Braylon Edwards. 

A Joseph Addai fumble put the Jets in prime position to take a commanding 21-6 lead, but were held to a field goal. 

The turning point in the game came on the Colts' last drive of the first half when Peyton Manning connected with Austin Collie four plays in a row, including a 15-yard touchdown throw. Manning was quickly figuring out the Jets defense.

The Jets missed a field goal in their first second half possession and the Colts responded with a Manning TD pass to Pierre Garcon, who broke an AFC championship game record with 11 catches. 

From then on out, the Colts defense held on. Another Manning TD pass to Dallas Clark with just over eight minutes to go pretty much clinched it for the Colts. Sanchez was having a good game, but there was no way he was going to conduct a 10-point comeback in eight minutes. Not against the Colts defense. Not this year. 

This win was as sweet as they come. Although I didn't have the overjoyed feeling that I had when they beat the Patriots in the AFC title game three years ago, this was as sweet in a number of ways.

ESPN praised the Jets all week. NFL "experts" were saying that they matched up well with the Colts and that Indy blew it by not eliminating the Jets when they had a chance. "Experts" picking against the Colts is nothing new. I actually hope they continue the Colts-hate because it has worked for us so far. 

When the Colts were ahead 20-17, Reggie Wayne caught a pass from Manning and was headed up the field before fumbling the ball and then quickly recovering. Immediately, I thought of the AFC Championship Game three years ago, when Wayne had a similar play with just two minutes to go in a game where the Colts trailed. Parallel? Yes. Maybe fate was on the Colts side. 

The Colts are a well-oiled machine. The model of consistency in the NFL. What a decade it has been. 115 wins, Manning's four MVPs, playoffs in nine of ten seasons and two Super Bowl trips. 

What they are missing is that second Super Bowl ring. That's all that's on their minds right now. The Saints are the best team the Colts will face all year. It will be a challenge. But it's a challenge the Colts are certainly up for. 

If the game is close, there is no QB I'd rather have than #18. There is no defense I'd rather have than the Colts' fast and furious. And there is NO coach I'd rather have than Jim Caldwell. The question before the season was if Caldwell could fill Tony Dungy's shoes. With one more win, he outgrows them. 

SXU wins with Barone out

CHICAGO - The Saint Xavier women's basketball team beat Indiana-South Bend 69-53 Saturday at the Shannon Center. With the win the NAIA's third ranked Cougars put themselves in second place in the CCAC. 

SXU had a relatively tough stretch before the win as they lost to conference rival St. Francis the week before in Joliet. But the Cougars responded with a big win over a good Titan team.

The most impressive aspect of the win was that they did it without point guard Alex Barone, who missed the game due to an illness. The team is clearly not as sharp without her in there. They seem to be less organized, but the defense carried them through Saturday.

Erin Hannemann had another big game, shooting 9-for-11 for 24 points. It didn't seem like she had that kind of a game, but you come to expect these types of performances from her. She quietly gets the job done each night. 

Sholanda Young has improved greatly over the last two years. She may be the hardest worker on this team. With Barone out, Marissa Young did a nice job finding open shooters. 

SXU is 20-1 and still ranked third in the NAIA. This very well might be the best Cougar team Head Coach Bob Hallberg has ever had. It seems like we say that every year, but it's true. 

I do not see SXU losing until Jackson, Tennessee. But nothing matters until then. The Cougars have to put together there best games that week in Mid-March. If they do that, they may not lose a game the rest of the way. 

Maroa-Forsyth 60, Clinton 36

Photo: Maroa-Forsyth's Wyatt Washburn (13) and Clinton's Aaron Ennis (25) are about to battle for a rebound during the Trojans' 60-36 victory over the Maroons Tuesday night in Clinton. 

Trojans dominate Maroons

CLINTON - It seems like any time a Clinton sports team has an opportunity to take down their rivals six miles to the south, they simply cannot do it. 

The Maroons lost to the Maroa-Forsyth Trojans, 60-38 Tuesday night in Clinton.

Clinton head coach Shawn Leischner admitted to the Decatur Herald and Review after the game that his team came out and played lackadaisical. Maroa jumped out to a 10-2 lead and held a 17-6 advantage after the first quarter. 

The Trojans led by 10 and halftime and really  put away Clinton in the third quarter, outscoring the Maroons by 10 in the frame. 

The Maroons are most successful when Aaron Ennis has a big game from beyond the arc. He did not have that kind of impact Tuesday as the Maroons hit only one of eleven shots from long distance. 

Wyatt Washburn had 18 points to lead the Trojans, who improve to 2-1 in the Okaw Valley Conference. 

Leischner also admitted that Maroa dominated the game offensively and defensively. 

Both teams are very much improved from last year. But it is apparent that the Trojans have made the greatest strides. 

Clinton should take the approach Lovie Smith did when he took over as head coach of the chicago Bears in 2004. Goal Number 1: Beat Your rival, Goal Number 2: Win conference.

Before the Maroons can put themselves on the list of Okaw contenders, they must defeat Maroa-Forsyth.