Bits and Pieces

Heat get their 15th loss- Seriously this is just getting unbearable to watch. In a related story...

ESPN has 4,000 widgets - The next widget currently in development will show a coutdown to the next heat loss with a running total of how far they are from the record of 23 losses in a row

Kevin Johnson for Mayor - Apparently Sacramento is need of an assist.

Cyclist DQ'd for 'Severe' Headbutt - I am sorry I wasn't aware there is an acceptable level of headbutting in cycling. Maybe I should give it a second chance. Ok a first chance.

Update on Ron Hunter coaching Barefoot - Coach managed to get 110,000 shoes more than doubling his goal of 40,000. See my previous posts about this here.

Suns plan outdoor preseason game - A sure sign you are moving in the wrong direction, You are copying the NHL.

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Sasha Pavlovic enrolls in the Lebron James school of sprain recovery

I wrote the following towards the end of the two weeks Lebron missed earlier this season after spraining his finger.

Written December 08, 2007 - I hate to disappoint but this is not Gilbert Arenas’
new blog. I am not a professional athlete. I cannot speak to the toil of an
eighty-two game season. But I have sprained my finger before. Either LeBron
James is very soft, or there is something more severe going on. In either case
the situation as it is currently is terrible. You can’t miss like 2 weeks with a
sprained finger on your non-shooting hand. Sam Cassel 15 years older and is only
missing two weeks with a strained calf muscle. Man up and be the leader you are
supposed to be LBJ.

Now Pavlovic is going to miss 8 weeks with a sprained foot. Really!?, 8 weeks. You are going to have to be a little tougher than that, especially in the East.

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Sports Nicknames Lists

I wrote a post the other day that I needed to find some NASCAR nicknames for. That got me to thinking of some of the best Nicknames in sports...See lists

Oakland Raiders Offseason

I know this isn't going to work. I mean I have lived in California for quite a while and I know more Raider fans than anything else. However, it is my breath so I will waste it. "Raider fan-You are not going to win the superbowl in 2008, you are not going to make the superbowl, You wont get to the playoffs, you might want to start rooting for .500."

The raiders have problems everywhere. It starts at the top, I posted earlier today about Bat shit crazy Al Davis trying to talk Lane Kiffin out of 4 million. So first off they need to get a head coach. Right now the rumor mill has ground out Dennis Green as Al Davis' choice for successor. Sounds great but doesn't Denny get a choice. I mean he hasn't sunk so low has he. I would love to hear a reason he would take this job because I can't think of one. So we'll see who ends up in that r'ole(r'ole:Initially a typo but now an abbreviated form of RAT HOLE).

On to bigger problems, the NFL carries a 52-man roster. Of that 52-man total the Raiders are facing 20 guys going into free agency, not to mention losing Warren Sapp to retirment. That's about 40% folks. I can't really decide if this is terrible becuase the new coach will have such little continuity to work with, or if it is great because who really wants a bunch of guys who went 4-12 back from last year.

A couple of the key Free agency guys are:

Nnamdi Asomugha: Easily a top 5 corner in the NFL. So don't worry about him being gone, all that really needs to be determined is can they work out a deal or is it "oakland Raider fans meet your new Franchise Tag player, Nnamdi Asomugha.

Justin Fargas: Sign him. He isn't gonna break records but he is reliable and seems relatively happy on the Raiders. There is a lot of talk about the Raiders taking McFadden if he is still on the board at thier pick. I think they will but I tihnk it will be a mistake if they do. I don't think McFadden is a bust. Quite the opposite actually I'll be shocked if he doesn't work. However there are a lot of positions where they could improve a lot more than they would at running back by taking McFadden.

Josh McCown: He turned out to be a surprisingly servicable quarterback. I mean he is no Derek Anderson(I never thought I'd be using that line), but he could be a good back-up to Russel

So if by some miracle Al Davis doesn't go for the big name. Which is something he has always done in the past. They will take Chris Long(DE-VA) if he has lasted that long or they may reach a little for Vernon Gholston(DE-OSU). I seriously doubt they would take Jake Long(OT-Mich) so soon after the Robert Gallery bust. Though knowing Al's mentality he may take him just to spite people.

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Al Davis doesn't want to open the coin pouch

Al Davis made small moves suggesting that his current head coach, Lane Kiffin, should resign. Most notable of these hints was the fact that he kept defensive coordinator Rob Ryan despite Kiffins desire to get rid of him.

We have now moved past the stage of hints and suggestions. According to ESPN Al Davis has drafted a letter of resignation for Kiffin. I wonder does Al think so much of himself and so little of Kiffin that he figures the only reason Kifin hasn't bowed to him yet is the fact he is incapable of writing his own letter. No Al, I am guessing the reason he hasn't fired off that letter just yet is that it would free you of the $4 million you would otherwise owe him if you did the firing. Al if you want to be done with him go head and squeeze that little coin pouch and pull out that thing you pass of as a head coaching salary and move on.

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Kansas City Chiefs Offseason

Kansas City has a lot of work to do this offseason. Probably a lot of work to do over the next few seasons. Unlike most teams that are in such bad shape (See: Dolphins, Ravens, and Falcons), the Chiefs are at least keeping the head coach, and have already made huge progress in one key area.

They hired Chan Gailey to be their offensive coordinator. Herm Edwards gave Gailey high praise saying "Wherever he’s coached, he has designed dynamic offenses to take full advantage of his players’ skills." Bill Cowher also piled on the praise saying "Of all the coordinators that I’ve had work for me, Chan Gailey was, if not the best, one of the best, and as resourceful an offensive mind that I’ve been around" It will actually be a combination of the two mens praise that will make or break Gailey (and possibly Edwards) in 2008.

The Chiefs have had a reputation under Edwards of being to flat and predictable on offense, so that dynamic offense sounds like just what the Doctor ordered. That isn't a turn key fix though because the Chiefs don't have dynamic talent so Gailey is going to need to be resourceful in order to get the most out of his talent. Both Edwards and Cowher took time to mention his teaching ability. Which chould come in handy with the amount of young players they will need to step up in 2008.

As far as the draft the first real question will be what holes do we need filled. A lot of them, so much so that the Chiefs will be in a postion to draft the best player since it is most likely a position of need. One spot they wont need to fill is that of 2007 NFL sack leader Jared Allen. His contract is up this offseason, but the team has already said if they can't work out a new deal they will franchise tag him to keep him in Kansas City.

The Chiefs will pick between 3-5 depending on the results of coint toss that will be held prior to the combine. It will only half matter since the other two teams in the 3 way tie are Oakland and Atlanta. While Oakland and Kansas City could compete for some of the same prospects, Atlanta needs a quarterback a position both the Chiefs and Raiders aren't looking to draft at (though in my opinion the Chiefs are a lot more confident in their QB than I would be). This will all be solved if Jake Long(OT-Mich) makes it past the first two picks. Oakland is not about to repeat the Robert Gallery expirement with Long. Long, on the other hand, fits the Chiefs number one need. Without Willie Roaf and Will Shields, that offensive line needs a serious upgrade.

Everything changes if Long goes off the board in the first two picks, which is possible depending on who ends up with the #1, to some one looking to get Darren McFadden(RB-ARK). If Parcells is unable to move the first overall pick he is more likely to take a big man on either side of the ball. Either Jake Long, Chris Long(DE-VA) or Glenn Dorsey(DT-LSU). With the Rams at the second pick they would likely take one of the three left, they desperately need help on thier offnesive line but probably need defense even more. The Chiefs then would be looking at who ever remains between the two Longs(not related), Dorsey, and Mcfadden. If the Raiders select before them Mcfadden will be gone if not that will be their second choice after Long.

No matter what they do at the drafte expect the Herm Edwards on the hot seat talk early and often. He will most likely be coaching for his job next year.

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