NBA Playoff Standings

The NBA season is in its final week and the playoff seeding is almost set.  Some of the more familiar teams are crowding the tops of each conference.  In the east, there's the Heat, Bulls and potentially Boston.  However, the Indiana Pacers have quietly posted an impressive record with great role players, team management and an underrated star in Danny Granger.  The West is not nearly as dominant and deep compared to the East like most years.  However, their is certainly still some separation.  The Spurs, Thunder, Lakers and Clippers have remained near the top of the conference all season.  Obviously no one saw the ageless Spurs posting the impressive numbers they've put together since the lockout.  Kobe is past his prime but still one the perennial scoring threats and clutch shooters in the game.  The Thunder have been stacked for a couple years and are finally looking ready for a title run.  Even more recent is the Clippers and their success thanks to huge additions this past season.  Defense has been a question but is coming on of late, and the offense usually a guarantee to put up impressive numbers.  Still, the top teams in the West have to be weary.  Memphis, Denver and obviously Dallas are all capable of sneaking into the title hunt conversation and beating anybody. 

Metta World "Peace"

How about Metta?  Last Sunday the Lakers defensive stopper was ejected and likely will be suspended for a while after belligerently elbowing The Thunder's James Harden in the head.  Harden might be back in time for playoff action after suffering a minor concussion from contact.  World Peace was celebrating after a hard dunk on a fast break when he hit Harden.  It looked to me like he was in the heat of the moment and Harden happened to be walking by so World Peace decided to shove him, just not concuss his head.  There's no questioning World Peace new he was there and definitely wanted to stick him, but he probably wasn't aiming for the head.  Given his history of violence, (Malice at the Palace and others) there's almost no denying that World Peace did have some intentions of being physical when it happened.  I'm not going to say that he purposely elbowed his head, because I have to have some faith in humanity.  Needless to say, World Peace should be suspended as long as Harden is out with a concussion.  That's the only fair punishment in a circumstance like this one.  A star for a star.  Harden's production has been a career best for him this season, so the Lakers ought to loose their defensive star as punishment.

Former JMU basketball player 'Wes Miller" Coaching UNC Greensboro

Former shooting guard, Wes Miller, was hired a few months back to be the new head coach of the UNC Greensboro basketball team.  Miller played ball at JMU before transferring to North Carolina as a walk-on before his Sophomore year.  Miller became a pivotal role player for the Heels and started one game, in which he scored 18 points by shooting 6 for 7 from three.  After a short stint in the amateur pros and writing a book about his playing experience at UNC, he decided the only thing he wanted to do was coach basketball.  After being an assistant at Elon and High Point University for only a year at each school, he was offered the interim head coaching job at UNC Greensboro, which eventually lead to a full-time offer.  Since then, Miller posted an 11-11 record and a 10-5 conference record in the Big South.  Miller recently decided to hire former UNC defensive stopper and assistant strength and conditioning coach, Jackie Manual.  With current UNC men's basketball coach Roy Williams winding down his final years as a head coach, and Miller's ever growing resume, one might think the now 29 year old Wes Miller would be the ideal long term answer to Ol' Roy's eventual retirement.  Only time will tell, but as of now, the former JMU shooting guard is on the right path to his coaching dream at UNC.

Tebow booed at Yankees Stadium

I've always enjoyed Tebow since he was at Florida.  Seeing him criticized and picked apart by different sports analysts has been a common thing over the past few years.  He doesn't have the mechanics or he'll never last a full season with his style of play.  So seeing him booed by Yankee fans was just another piece of criticism that Tebow will have to face and eventually overcome.  Although, he was sitting next to Dwyane Wade, which can't help his reputation.  I can't rap my head around the fact that so many people dislike him.  Yes, obviously the dude takes his religion seriously, but all he ever does is help people and win football games.  So when Skip Bayless defended Tebow and bragged about his talents on "1st and 10", my respect for Bayless skyrocketed even higher, if that's possible.  I love Skip.  Anyways, Steven A. like so many "experts" have done nothing but ridicule him for his lack of talent or bad mechanics.  How can that be all you have to say for a guy that revived the energy of a football team and it's fan base over the course of half a season.  Bad form.  Good form.  Religious.  Not religious.  Who cares?  I'm excited to see what he can provide the Jets with his diverse skill set and will power.  As a Redskins fan, I'd be thrilled to have a figure like Tebow come to my city.  Now, we've got a reason to watch Jet highlights this upcoming season.

GMU to the A-10

There's been recent news regarding the likely deportation of GMU, VCU and Butler to the A-10 from their respective conferences.  For Mason and VCU, the move is certainly in upgrade in competition and conference prestige.  The CAA has been impressive to some degree as a mid-major but has its limitations.  Apparently the A-10 feels that Mason and VCU are solid additions to an already deep basketball conference.  I don't see Mason competing very well against A-10 competition, at least during the first few years of the move.  Xavier, Temple, St. Josephs, Dayton, Richmond and St. Louis are all mid-major basketball teams with rich history and experience in the NCAA Tournament.  Dayton in particular is a mediocre program in the conference, and has given Mason fits the past couple years.  However, Mason has been finishing at the top of CAA for over a decade, so the adjustment may be beneficial in the long term  There's no telling when or how the players will fully adjust to Paul Hewitt's system.  Until then, lets hope we remain at the top of our current conference so the transition to the A-10 can be as smooth as possible.  Mason had an impressive recruiting class last year lead by Eric Copes and another one seems to be on the way, lead by local guard Patrick Holloway.  They'll be the first generation of Mason players to experience the A-10 competition if the move goes as planned. 

The Capitals Bandwagon

I've always been a Wizards and Redskins fan growing up mainly because I was raised in Virginia and my dad followed the Skins back when they had the hogs and were winning super bowls.  Unfortunately, I was born right when the glory days ended.  Since then it's been tough watching any Washington sports.  That's why I immediately hopped on the Capitals band wagon a few years ago when Alexander Ovechkin was drafted out of Russia.  Normally, I'm not a fan of those who start liking a team because they're the hot commodity at the time.  However, being as I am from the area, I couldn't help myself.  Like many others, I didn't know how entertaining hockey was because its never been popular in the southeast.  Once the Capitals started streaking, I became fascinated.  Ovechkin is hilarious in interviews and in recent years, the Caps have been a fast-paced, high scoring and physical team.  All the elements of a hockey team someone sitting in the stands would want to see in person.  The atmosphere in the Verizon Center is loud and covered in a sea of red these days.  I've only been to one game a few years back, and they lost to Edmonton, and I still had a blast.  Until RGIII starts some revolution in Washington or the Nationals continue to play like they have been, I feel very obligated to start introducing myself as a Capitals fan, not a Skins fan......... probably won't though.

Twitter in College Sports

I made a Twitter account...... then I deleted it less than one month later.  I don't think Twitter accounts are something college and high school athletes should possess.  Professional athletes can't even seem to control what they say to the public and publish for everyone's viewing convenience.  The social maturity of most young athletes is not very high.  They seem to feel as though they can say whatever they want to whenever they feel like it.  As a result, athletes have lost scholarships and gotten into trouble with the public quite often.  Some of the recent Tweets that have gotten athletes in trouble have been racially offensive (See Maryland football recruit, Stefon Diggs), threatening and ignorant.  Diggs is only a Senior in high school and has an opportunity to move on past his poor upbringing and get a college education, while opening up the possibility of playing in the NFL one day.  Tweets like the one Diggs published about Jeremy Lin are the easy way out of starting a successful football career.  Having a Twitter account means one can publish his or her opinion any time of day.  So if an athlete is drunk or out with friends, their egos can easily take over their general thought process.  This can blind them and make them say something they normally would never speak of or mention.

Tiger Woods

I don't know much about golf other than Tiger Woods is really good and Phil Mickelson is pretty good as well.  I've never sat down for more than 30 minutes and watched a meaningful amount of golf to understand why players hit the ball with a certain club a certain distance away from the hole.  However, I have been around long enough to know that Tiger Woods made golf very popular, even though its always been a popular sport around the globe.  His dominance since joining the games elite has been unmatched for years.  At least until his eventual divorce with his wife after a cheating scandal that involved numerous different women.  Since this event, his popularity has dropped significantly.  He still maintains a massive fan base, and for good reason.  As fans, we shouldn't be looking so much into Tiger's personal life.  Golfers and fans should continue to look up to Tiger as a tremendous golf player.  His personal life is his own business, and we shouldn't be concerned with what he does off the golf course. It is because of Tiger Woods that golf has reached new heights in terms of competition and media attention.  Other golfers are driven to improve their games because of players like who raise the bar for standards on the golf course.

NBA Draft

With the NCAA Tournament coming to its final weekend of madness, players are beginning to declare for the NBA draft or will be making their decisions soon enough.  The big names to declare so far are Kentucky's Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Duke's Austin Rivers.  Two players with loads of potential that aren't ready for NBA competition.  I've always felt that the one and done rule the NBA implemented is a joke.  They did it only to shut the college basketball world up because of all the players who leaped from high school to the NBA and fell off the face of the earth.  Two years of college would be better and would force players to do their school work for at least one full year.  However, three years is most appropriate because it still allows players to declare early and gets them close enough to graduating that they're likely to finish school during the NBA off-season or sometime shorty after entering the league.  This would not only benefit player education, but would also assist in developing players on the court and ready them for the physically demanding NBA playing level.  Sure there are the occasional freaks like Lebron James that can make the leap from high school no problem, but the overall and best scenario for the vast majority of players would be to allow them three years of academic focus before basketball and then give them the final year to decide on making the leap.  Sure, some players might hurt their draft stock, but once they've joined the NBA and are playing better then they would've if they'd declared out of high school or nowadays after one year of college, their long-term success will make up for any loss of draft stock or money.

Peyton to Mile High

I was a little surprised to see Peyton choose Denver over Tennessee last Monday.  I figured Denver had to be the favorite but not once Tennessee entered the picture.  Manning is loved just about everywhere, but especially in Tennessee because of his remarkable stint in Knoxville before being drafted by the Indianapolis Colts.  Having gone to school there and being from the southeast, I would've put my money on Manning ending up in Nashville playing for the Titans.  On top of his history there, Manning would be playing behind a tough offensive line that allowed few sacks last year and have an all-pro running back to relieve him of constant pressure.  Manning never had a great running back in Indy, with a possible exception to Edgerrin James for a year or so.  It seems though the competitive nature of John Elway once again prevailed, as Manning announced he was gonna be throwing for the Broncos this upcoming season.  Like Tennessee, Denver certainly has promising talent and a lock down defense, especially in the secondary.  Peyton should enjoy not having to throw five touchdowns per game to guarantee a victory.  Throwing to Demytrius Thomas will be a bright spot, despite losing wideout Brandon Lloyd to the New England Patriots.  I'm sure by the end of this season, Manning will turn some no name receiver into a household name like an Austin Collie or Pierre Garcon.

Redskins Draft Pick

The Redskins traded their 6th pick, two future first rounders, and this year's second round pick for one draft pick.  A lot of people keep telling me the Skins are nuts for trading so many picks for just one.  Their case is that the pick could easily be a bust and that Robert Griffin III will just end up being another mistake under the watch of much hated owner Daniel Snyder.  I do understand their logic and with the Skins' recent years of unsuccessful teams, picks, coaches, coordinators and of course arguably the worst owner in the NFL as of today.  But, the Redskins haven't ever drafted a proven quarterback with this much potential and skills so early in the first round of the NFL draft in the past 20 years.  Griffin's complete arsenal consists of a powerful and accurate arm along with an impressive burst of speed outside the pocket.  With a new coach and an abundance of potential talent, Griffin could grow up really fast under Coach Mike Shannahan.  The Skins signed stand out Wide Reciever, Pierre Garcon, who could prove a reliable target for Griffin, and allow wideouts, Santana Moss and Anthony Armstrong to thrive in a less compressed aerial attack.  The offensive line is a work in progress but their are bright spots and Trent Williams is one of them at Left Tackle.  The Running Back attack of Roy Helu, Ryan Torrain, and Tim Hightower should also provide Griffin relief during his learning curve in D.C. over the next couple of years.

Marshall's Wrist

Going into the NCAA Tournament, UNC was considered a heavy favorite to win the national title, behind only Kentucky.  In terms of talent, the Heels were the only team that seemed to have a legitimate shot at knocking out the Wildcats in the title game.  That was all before point guard Kendall Marshall broke a bone in his wrist in a third round match up against the Creighton Blue Jays.  Marshall played through the pain and finished the game.  However, it wasn't until after the victory that Marshall realized something was wrong and the pain kept getting worse.  Later the night of the victory, he'd be diagnosed with a broken right wrist.  In the midst of a title run, the Heels have potentially lost the most irreplaceable player on their roster.  The general that averages nearly 10 assists per game and leads an offense that ranks second in the country in points per game could potentially miss the entire rest of the tournament and devastate any hopes a title Carolina fans around the country had hoped for after all the returning talent from last year's team.  While they may be able to take out Ohio in their Sweet 16 match up, I doubt Carolina has any hopes of a title as much as the next analyst you've likely seen talking about the subject on CBS and ESPN's family of networks. 

Bounty Scandal

An article on ESPN by writer, Ashley Fox claimed that Sean Payton deserves to be fired for not doing anything about the pay players to injure opponents bounty.  I think she's wrong.  This is simply another idea a coach had to motivate his players.  It was only a few years ago that football didn't have all this injury conservation protect the quarterback at all costs because he's more important than others rules.  Goodell has done a great job of sucking the fun out of football and fining players for tackling the opponent.  In the 90's, there was none of this.  Just football players hitting each other like they did every other play.  If there was a facemask it was called, that was it.  Now, if you grab it to hard or someone decides your hit wasn't gentle enough, then you get fined and suspended for playing football. I thought that's what the facemasks and helmets were for?  If you don't want players getting hit, take away the pads and we can all play touch football together for the Super Bowl.  Players know the dangers of playing football, especially in the pros.  They are getting overpaid millions of dollars because they take that risk everyday.  It bothers me that all these player and administrative complaints are making the NFL soft.  Sean Payton shouldn't be fired for this player coach bounty, in fact, no one should.  Gregg Williams was motivating his players, and unlike in college sports, coaches can give and buy whatever they feel like rewarding to a player.

NCAA Tournament #1 Seeds

March Madness is great so I'm going to write about it again.  There's nothing better in sports at all...... if you ask me.  With conference tournaments wrapping up for mid-majors and Big 6 conferences beginning their tourneys later this week, there are a number of NCAA seeds at stake and up for grabs.  As of now, Joe Lunardi has the number one seeds being Kentucky, Syracuse, UNC and Kansas.  These seeds could change as easily as they could stay the same.  There is a significant drop off in talent from the 1 to 2 seeds, but that's not saying they're capable of knocking out one or multiple of the one seeded foes.  Missouri beat Kansas twice already this season, so one more shouldn't be anything Frank Haith and his guard heavy line up is scared of.  In fact, Kansas is probably a lot more worried because of the match up problems Missouri poses.  Kentucky is really the only seed that will remain the same know matter what happens.  Their 30-1 record leaves little room for discussion that they don't deserve the overall #1 seed.  Syracuse is in the Big East, which is why they'll need to be careful in the conference tournament.  In the Big East, multiple teams can play with anyone in the country.  Marquette, UCONN (though not as of late), Notre Dame and West Virginia all have solid line ups with star players leading the way.  As for North Carolina, they earned their seed this past weekend by throttling dook (that's not a typo I'm just a UNC fan) in nearly every aspect of the game.  However, dook thrives in the ACC Tournament and tends to care about it more than any other team in the league.  UNC Coach Roy Williams regards it as some what as an annoyance before the real tournament begins.  But nevertheless, UNC must come prepared to fight if they want to hold on to the #1 seed, because dook is right behind them waiting to strike.

Dunk Contest

This year was the first year in probably the last ten that I didn't watch the NBA slam dunk contest.  Why?  Nobody does it anymore.  The guys out there now use it as a way to get their name to the fans, but most of them hardly ever play.  Very few new dunks are being done.  I know it's not easy to think of four original dunks, but at least one per player should be required.  Players don't spend enough time prepping and perfecting their dunks either.  If this continues, the dunk contest mine as well be canceled for good.  For some reason players like Lebron must think they're too good to be doing the dunk contest.  Not sure why, but that's the vibe I get from them.  If they participated, ratings would soar and the dunks might be a lot more exciting and original.  The greatest moments in dunk contest history all involved the best players in the game at the time, with the exception of Spud Webb.  Michael Jordan, Dr. J, Clyde Drexler, Dominique Wilkins, Vince Carter, etc.  When I saw the field for this year's event, I didn't even bother considering watching the snoozefest.  That glow in the dark dunk was one of the cheesiest things I've ever seen on television.  I hope in the next few years the event at least sees some upgrade in talent and originality.  Maybe some new rookies we'll spice things up for next year's All-Star weekend.

Pat Knight

I've always been a big fan of Bobby Knight and his antics.  As a coach I love that he didn't take less than 100% and the fact that he would always roast a journalist if they asked a specific question they knew he wouldn't want to be asked.  There are numerous youtube videos online showing his rants full of cussing and other offensive language.  But at the same time, he's an all around good guy and a knowledgeable commentator.  When I heard about Lamar Head Coach Pat Knight (Bobby Knight's son) ripping into his seniors, my eyes were immediately fixed upon an ESPN article about the rant.  Knight was quoted calling his senior class, "We've got the worst group of seniors right now that I've ever been associated with."  He also went on to criticize their work ethic both on and off the court.  Personally, I love these comments.  Hearing about a bunch of college athletes who are going to college for free and not putting a great effort on the court is disturbing.  It's bothersome to think that Division I college athletes aren't making the best of their great situation.  There are so many kids who would do anything to be in their shoes who would make the best of such a great opportunity.  I think having a coach with Pat Knight's expectations of discipline and effort both in and out of the classroom would do wonders for a program like George Mason.  Watching our basketball team the past 2 years has made we wonder if we need a coach who doesn't tolerate whining and complaining on the court so much.  Major programs and their players are usually told to let the coach do the complaining.

Redskins Free Agency

The Skins have a number of notable free agents this offseason.  Including Linebacker London Fletcher, who continues to lead the NFL in tackles year after year.  Not re-signing him at least another year or two would be a mistake.  Fred Davis has also done a nice job filling in for Chris Cooley, who seems to be injured more than he's available.  He displayed a play-maker mentality last year many times.  If Skins fans know one thing, its that every offensive weapon is a must on this team.  Every year the Skins seem to rely solely their stout D, while the offense puts up a meager 14-17 points every game.  Maybe 20 with an overtime.  While Fletcher and Davis I think should certainly be resigned, other should go.  This includes Grossman and one of our very many kickers that end up being terrible until they leave Washington.  Grossman is not cutting it if the team ever wants to make the playoffs and compete again in the always deep NFC East.  Relieving Dante Stallworth would add significant cap room for another younger receiver who could develop with whoever the Skins pick up at quarterback.  I've seen a few other articles writing about LaRon Landry and why he should go after two injury plagued seasons in a row.  I disagree to some extent.  Yes he's been injured, but when he's playing he adds another dimension to the defense.  He instills fear into receivers running over the middle because of his hard-hitting ability.  The death of Sean Taylor really destroyed something that could've been great with him and Landry together playing the safety spots.  

March Madness

For me best post season event in all of sports in terms of everything, is March Madness.  More upsets, last second buzzer beaters and drama occur during this 2-3 week event every year than anything else in college or professional sports.  Every team plays at their absolute best and wants only to survive every week.  Unlike pro basketball or any other pro sport really, any team in the NCAA Tournament is capable of beating a #1 seed at anytime.  Maybe with the exception of a 16 seed beating a one seed.  As the 0 and forever record indicates.  However, just look at the rich history.  Almost every year a #12 seed beats a 5 seed, and a 15 seed has beaten a 2 seed before.  Last year UCONN won the entire thing as a #8 seed.  You don't have to be an avid fan to enjoy this drama either.  At any time you can flip the channel over to a game in its waning minutes to see some mid-major (maybe George Mason) in a close game with some major basketball program.  In fact, Mason's 06 Final Four run is a perfect example of how anything is possible during March Madness.  During their run, Mason took down UNC, UCONN and MSU before losing to eventual national champion Florida.  VCU did the same thing last year and I'm sure most people remember Stephen Curry leading Davidson to within one missed three pointer of the Final Four a few years back.  It's for these reasons that I'm excited for Spring Break to hurry up and get here, so we can all kick back and watch college basketball 12 hours straight everyday for 4 days without being judged.  Why?  Because everyone else is filling out their brackets and watching with you.

Redskins Quarterback Situation

I've been following the Redskins since I was born and they've been losing ever since that happened.  But like all Skins fans think, every year could be the year.  So, I'm sticking with that again this season.  Grossman is not the answer and he never was, we all agree on that.  I'm not a fan of giving Peyton a chance simply because of his age and all the unsuccessful year we've had in this organization.  I would hope we'd draft a quarterback who will be here to stay for many years and turn the organization around for a long while.  RGIII could easily be that quarterback, but like Luck, he'll likely go before the Redskins are able to pick.  I think Matt Flynn is the most logical pick for the team at this point and fits our needs.  He attended LSU and won there during his stint, and even had a great game (400+ yards) in place of Aaron Rodgers earlier this past NFL season.  He's a standard pocket passer with great vision and pocket poise.  Which is exactly what Jason Campbell, Todd Collins, Rex Grossman and Mark Brunell late in his career never possessed.  A fresh start is needed in Washington, and Matt Flynn is on the market to aid a team in need of a field general.  Because of Manning's age and the availability of Luck and RGIII I predict and hope Matt Flynn will arrive hear soon.  Until then, we'll see how the scenario unfolds for our loyal fans who after all these years of losing, deserve a winning team. 

George Mason Basketball

Things aren't looking as comfortable for GMU Hoops as they were last year around this time of year.  The CAA seems to be down this season but the usual top teams are hanging around right where they should be.  ODU currently stands in fourth place after crucial losses to both VCU and GMU.  Mason, Drexel and VCU are all tied at 13-2 for 1st place in the conference with a number 1 seed in the CAA Tournament and potential NCAA at-large bid on the line as the regular season winds down.  Two big games remain for GMU against VCU.  The loss earlier in the season against Delaware was unexpected and will probably bite Mason in the coming weeks with so many teams fighting for NCAA bids.  On top of this, the CAA Tournament will be held in Richmond as usual, giving VCU a leg up on the other contenders.  I'm not a big fan of this location, especially as it is home to one of the top teams in the conference every year.  It just doesn't seem fair to not have it in a neutral location.  For instance, the ACC usually holds their tournament in Greensboro, NC.  Therefore, creating a fair advantage for every team competing in the event.  Anyways, Mason needs to step up their play as the season winds down, particularly at guard.  Guard play becomes particularly important during post season play.  Recent success in tournament play is almost always dictated by solid guard production and lack of turnovers.  Luckily Mason has a few young guards who are only going to get better in Bryon Allen and Corey Edwards.

Collegiate Recruiting and Player Violations

I'm curious as to how others feel about players and their actions regarding recruiting violations and the choices they make knowing the potential consequences, even though many of them have such bright futures in professional sports organizations.  You can think of examples like Cam Newton stealing a laptop the year before he signed a multi-million dollar contract with the Carolina Panthers or Alabama's Mark Ingram driving around in a blacked out Chevy Tahoe with custom rims.  Yes he didn't buy that with his own money unless........... you can fill in the rest.  Why steal a laptop one year before you could buy 1,000 of them?  Why did UNC football players go clubbing and take free flights and other gifts so they could enjoy one night or a weekend of fun?  I don't know.  But it seems they all think they can get away with it.  Records are capable of tracking anything these days.  Cell phones, mail, tweets, facebook etc. are all ways the NCAA can track down players and catch them getting into this kind of trouble.  It's very simple.  Don't except free stuff from coaches or agents, just like any other college student.  But they do it anyway.  The numbers seem to keep rising every year in terms of coach and player allegations, and I'm glad they do.  Technology is enabling the NCAA and other organizations to catch this cheap and unethical behavior from benefiting powerful teams who already have a history of dominance.  If they can't keep winning fairily, then great.  That leaves room for other teams to rise and win fairly for their schools.

UNC - Duke

If anyone saw last Wednesday's Carolina/Duke basketball game, you pretty much saw what seems to happen at least once every other season.  Although UNC leads the all-time series 131 - 102, recent years have shown a much more even trend.  At least one team is always in the top-10, last week's game included both teams in the top-10.  Home court seems to never be a factor, even in the feared Cameron Indoor Stadium.  Over the years rumors have swirled that Duke doesn't air condition the arena so it gets incredibly hot, which opponents aren't used to.  Fans have even suggested they tighten the rims because Duke is always one of the better shooting teams in the NCAA, which also gives them an even greater home court advantage.  Are the rumors true?  Probably not, but only Duke players and coaches know.  But last week's game took place in the Smith Center, which is often criticized for have a "whine and cheese" audience.  It didn't seem that way when Duke executed one of the greatest comebacks ever in the rivalry, which is saying something considering how many there have been.  The crowd was loud and out of their seats for most of the game, which Carolina lead for most of time until Duke rallied in the final 2 1/2 minutes with a barrage of threes and lucky opportunities.  It was a situation where everything had to happen a certain way for Duke to win, and it did.  UNC center, Tyler Zeller, even tipped in what looked like a clear missed three pointer by Duke's Ryan Kelly.  That and missed free throws by the big man lead to Austin River's opportunity to shoot a game winning three right over Zeller as time expired.  One couldn't help but feel bad for the big man who was a huge reason UNC was up three at halftime.  Fans because of his unfortunate series of mishaps quickly forgot his 23 points and 11 rebounds in the waning minutes of the rivalry game. 

Success in Mile High

Last season the Denver Nuggets were a solid playoff team with a superstar, in Carmelo Anthony, who was traded to the Knicks late in the season.  Critics and fans began to wonder if the team would succeed with no superstar and a coach recovering who'd just fought off cancer a few months earlier in the season.  What they didn't predict was how much depth they'd gain from trading Melo.  The Nuggets currently have the second highest scoring bench in the NBA because of additions like Al Harrington and free agency signee Andre Miller.  The New York Knicks probably didn't realize the value of the players traded to the Nuggets for Carmelo Anthony.  Not to understate the value of having a scorer like Carmelo, but the likes of Danilo Galinari and Timothy Mozgov.  Not to mention Raymond Felton, although he was later traded to Portland.  Denver is currently sitting in second place in the Western Conference and has seemingly unlimited depth.  While they may lack star power, Ty Lawson has proven to be the fastest point guard in the league with the basketball, while leading the team in assists and only behind Galinari in scoring.  Galinari's scoring continues to rise as the season progresses.  Nene Hilario returned from injury and has gotten back to his usual ways of dominating the rebounds and eating up space in the paint.  The season is still young, but the Nuggets are proving that you don't need a superstar to have great success.  Depth, a great coach in George Karl and a run and gun offense that leads the NBA in scoring is a proven recipe for wins in this now guard heavy association.  If they remain healthy, don't be surprised to see Denver in the conference finals, or even the NBA Finals.

Where will Peyton Manning go?

A lot of speculation has been going around the NFL and sports media the past few weeks about where Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning will land his next contract.  The Colts owner, Jim Irsay has money, fan approval and the future of the organization relying almost solely on his decision to either retain or say goodbye to the franchise quarterback.  Manning has been such a huge part of the success the Colts have had for over a decade.  His talent and poise has helped turn mediocre wide receivers into the pro bowlers and even won a Super Bowl.  Despite the recent series of spinal fusion surgeries, Manning has stated he plans on continuing his football career.  Whether he'll be in Indianapolis or not, only time will tell.  For Irsay, there are still some issues that may likely lead to Manning's eventual departure from the Colts.  One is how he recovers from the surgeries and if he'll ever be 100%.  The other worry is his ability to be as efficient and produce the remarkable numbers he's posted in recent years.  For instance, Manning threw for 4700 yards and 33 touchdowns during the 2010 campaign.  As of now, Irsay's biggest concern is Manning's health, which is not a good sign.  Resigning him for another contract would mean spending a ton of money, which may be better invested in players for the future and rebuilding the team.  Whatever the decision may be, the team plans on choosing Manning's successor in April, which will likely come down to Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck or Baylor's Robert Griffin III.