Developer: Nintendo Japan

Platform: Nintendo Wii

Rating: A (5/5)

 

It’s no secret that the Super Mario platformer has been slumping lately. The last generation gave us two good games in Luigi’s Mansion and Super Mario Sunshine, but compared to the previous two, Super Mario 64 and Super Mario World, both Mansion and Sunshine, perhaps unfairly, were seen as mediocre. So when Super Mario Galaxy (Nintendo Tokyo) was announced, the Nintendo faithful had gotten their hopes up once again, especially as rumors and previews from those who have played it called it a true successor to Super Mario 64, and easily a game of the year competitor. Does it live up to the hype? Affirmative.

 

Super Mario Galaxy is quite impressive. As the flagship game for the Wii, Galaxy was expected to make the console shine, and it delivers.  The graphics produced are just as vibrant as every other Mario game, but never have they looked so polished and pretty. Mario and company are fluid in action, maintaining a framerate that makes the game flow. The controls are just as spectacular, as the wiimote is utilized to its max potential, and no control feels loose or out of place. The music really pops, as the orchestral soundtrack pumps adventure through your speakers. The sound effects are appropriate and never overpower the music, creating a delicate balance that is rarely achieved.

 

 

 

If the ambience and controls are spectacular, the gameplay is amazing. The varying attacks and newly found abilities given by special suits power Mario through the galaxy at a pace of enjoyment. You read correctly, Mario has regained his power to switch his wardrobe, and it really adds a dimension to the gameplay. Combine this with the wacky yet fun environments that exist throughout the game, and you have a fun factor that eclipses the previous entries. From beginning to end, the game rarely has a dull moment and keeps the gamer wanting to play. The story is actually interesting, albeit standard Mario fare, a la Princess Peach is kidnapped and Mario has to save her. However, the story is presented much better than in the previous games, and isn’t a hindrance at all.   

 

    

                                                                               

For those who are waiting to find a reason to purchase a Wii, Galaxy has provided one. With the delay of Super Smash Brothers Brawl, the Wii needed something to ensure that the console didn’t collect dust from hardcore gamers, and Galaxy has provided an out. Those who haven’t bothered to enjoy a Mario game, come see what the fuss is about. You won’t regret it.

 

 

Courtesy of  The Gamer Studio at www.gamerstudio.com

I begin this new installment  by apologizing in advance for the incomplete nature of the subject matter being presented. I seek only to give brief examples and not go too in depth into slavery or racism, but more so to discuss why we were once the victims of this and other Americans still hold onto the idea of race. I correlate this stubborn inability to let go with the very way in which slavery and racism became a part of this nation. Explaining the difference between the institution’s past, present and future will hopefully help us to understand how to fight it and overcome it, as it remains alive, not just in visible places like Jena, Louisiana, but all over the world as well. We are only given a glimpse of racism when looking at black and brown issues of inequality in America. Prejudice continues to flourish globally for a variety of reasons. But to further explain how racism, which is the institutionalized belief and law-backed ideology of racial superiority, came to outlast the very condition of slavery from which most people see it originate from, we must go back to the beginning. We must go back before the times of our own empire and subsequent Corporate Republic.

Slavery originated long before what we come to read about ever so quickly in the under-funded classrooms across America. It was already an established reality by the time the Hammurabi Code of Mesopotamia (approx. 1800 BC) was created. The Code’s principles related to the relief of debt, enslavement to facilitate compensation, and for the framework of a postwar societies caste system. But even before the Code and most certainly after the glory of Mesopotamia had subsided, it continued to manifest itself differently, but always with the same economic principle. Although present day conflicts are far removed from ancient times, the people themselves as well as their resources are still commonly seen as spoils of war. Phillip II of Macedon, who was Alexander the Great’s father, received 20,000 women and countless young boys as tribute for his conquest of the ancient empire of Scythia. Instead of destroying the kingdom itself though he left Ateus, it’s ruler in charge, and continued the slave trade to re-build the empire whose resources his son would then use to conquer a large part of the Asiatic world.

But the word “slave” actually originates from the Latin word “slav,” which described the people from the Slavic regions that were conquered and sold into bondage. It was these Eastern Europeans who were sacrificed on the altar of industry that were bought and sold to serve the Empires of Old. Whether it was in the Barbarian Kingdoms of Europe who reigned after the fall of the Western Roman Empire, the Near Eastern Arab Lords or what was known then as the Imperium Romanus (Byzantine Empire), they toiled and were deprived of their lands, labor, and women for the pleasure of the strongest military forces of that era. And since it was the Latin and Arabic tongues that most of Europe and subsequently all of its colonies in the Americas adopted their language from, that created this synonymous concept of “slavs” being known as “slaves.”

During this example, I have to point out how the American version of slavery sought not only to redefine the institution, but achieved that by separating people from their history. I can remember as a teenager having had several arguments with people who most of them being white, claimed that since Africans sold their own people into slavery it wasn’t really as much the fault of the enslaver. While this is an understandable reaction to the guilt and the striving towards escapism from the actions of ones ancestors, it doesn’t lift the burden from their colonial masters. This nation and others still benefit from that and will continue to for years to come. It doesn’t make the purveyors of such malice, hatred, and deceit guilty of any less of a crime. As if me holding someone down while you rape them makes you any less guilty of what you did. I may have made your cold-blooded goal easier to attain, but I don’t carry any blame for you, I carry my own blame for myself rather than a part of yours for you. We must all carry our responsibility to whatever end… in full tow. And yet if I am, but the servant of your will then I am only doing my masters bidding in the crime and yet I share in none of the glory, and devour only the scraps from the table. It is also important to point out that the definition of slavery by other Africans was completely different from the stripping of all humanity and conversion into physical property of people by Europeans.

We would be remiss to point out though that ever since the beginning of humanity, people have always found methods of defining themselves so as to consolidate power in order to live in a state of perpetually declared and reinforced superiority. Not necessarily just in their eyes. But more importantly, to the people they conquered who were forced to help construct the nation of the victorious party. One must realize that all people who have been held in bondage by their conquerors because of their so called race, nationality, religion or supposed lack thereof were actually instrumental in building the foundation of every aspect of that culture, the scientific advancements, political framework, and economic pillars. Impossible to overlook also is the workforce that suffered to build the beautiful structures by which these civilizations are often remembered best for. The subjugated masses were not only the tool for their masters in building, but also in populating and fighting for the preservation of the very entity, be it an Empire or a Nation, that coincidentally reduced them to the form of servitude and that redefined their place in the world. A nation in other words is and has not been defined just by its citizens, but also very much so by its slaves. The purpose of this text though is not to delve so much into the complete history of slavery, but to see how racism was formed in modern times to justify it for an economic purpose and how the inability to face these facts that created the particular circumstances of continued discrimination we see it today.

After all, it was Hebrews in Egypt who burned their skin even darker laboring in the hellfire of midday on the outskirts of the deserts following the orders of the Master Masons to make the wonders of the world that have stood the test of time we see today. Whereas the influence of Moors in Spain is undoubted as their dark hair and even their language is a mixture of Common Latin, with noticeable Arabic influences, they were not affected as a people the way they forcefully catechized the Indigenous population. The Native people of South and Central America not only mined their master’s gold and silver for centuries, but also built their cities and temples over their own old structures. But an even more critical acknowledgement is how they still carry on the traditions of their Spanish conquerors today. These include, but are not limited too, aspects of their music, food, and racial bias. I think it would also do a great disservice to anyone who has ever studied religion to point out that without so called Latino people, Christianity, wouldn’t have half the followers that it does today. We have carried the word of Christ who we are told from youth died horribly to save our souls into the 21st century. That itself is a structure that has lasted and will last longer than just about any building created in the middle ages or before that. And Mother Africa has always suffered in being the breadbasket for all of the people who have invaded her. From ancient times, fast forwarding not only to be sacrificed to the slave trade in what would become the United States where they built many monuments including the White House. But also under the laissez-faire mercantile aspect of primitive capitalism where they were the basis for the entire Caribbean and New World mainland economic boom that provided the rise of these countries and more specifically the institutions that still govern them today. The blueprint was set for corporate control battling to dominate government as the Church once did, but with much more effectiveness this time around. In short, it is the global Slave trade that was to be the major contributor if not the shining example of the Capital that was required and presented to found Capitalism.

(For people who always ask me for books to read, Capitalism & Slavery by Eric Williams 1944.)

These colonies and their former fatherlands owed a majority of their fortunes and the build up of their Mercantile industry to slave labor. As a matter of fact it created what was considered the “Golden Age” during the rule of Elizabeth I in England. At first it was done under the guise of needing to save the souls of the Africans, but later it became evident that plain avarice was the gospel of slave traders and their noble sovereigns.

http://www.sonofthesouth.net/slavery/history-slavery.htm (This here is by no means a complete understanding of even modern slavery, but in the beginning where it discusses the two faced nature of the Crown in its dealings, it is a suitable accurate necessity for this argument.)

This rather broad topic was the reason I wrote “Industrial Revolution” almost four years ago. It was meant to accredit our people’s unwilling, but unforgettable contribution to that. We bankrolled it over the course of hundreds of years of brutal treatment and downplayed contributions. Paid not just for the expansion of England, but also all European nations through genocide. The Natives sacrificed their land, unwillingly, just as others had before them. All this was perpetrated, so that a tired and war-torn Europe could give birth to a new Nation here. This country was then born in violence and plunder and so when it matured it took on the image that its forefathers across the seas had created her in — and like many abused children instead of growing up to resent and separate itself from the actions of its parents, it grew to associate the negative behavior and displays of raw power and violence, as trademarks of what a nation needed for strength and invulnerability.

However I must recognize the 100th US Congress for passing an amendment in 1988, which gave credit to the Iroquois Confederacy for providing fundamental ideas upon which our US government created it’s Republic. (Poverty of Philosophy on Vol. 1 mentions this briefly.)

The Eastern European slavs were the basis for a word, which the word that has coiled itself like a serpent around the neck of racism like an old school rope chain 1000 years before the first slave ship “Jesus of Lubeck” dubbed “The Good Ship Jesus” first left Africa with slaves bound for Europe and the new world. When looking at South America, Africa, and the Caribbean, one has only to examine the nations conquerors to know why these Indigenous people speak Spanish and Portuguese or why these African people here speak those languages and French was as well as a derivative of English mixed with their own native languages such as in Jamaica. I was having a discussion with a fellow Revolutionary who had no idea that his Jamaican brothers once all spoke Spanish. Its insane to actually read the history that the island of Jamaica was once full of African, Spanish-speaking slaves who were then conquered by the English after the failed attack on the island of Hispaniola… Imagine if history had seen that invasion proceed and the English hold the Hispaniola, leaving the Spanish with Jamaica. Imagine Jamaicans speaking Spanish and Dominicans speaking English… It’s okay to laugh here.

Slavery was redefined as not the condition of a person due to war or the bounty of conquest, but rather a genetic hierarchy and the idea of racial inferiority and hegemony was created, to cement it all together. However it was not something that began in America although they ran with it, but a formulated idea that began after the fall of Grenada in early 1492. This completed the European Spanish “Reconquista” militarily, but it was the beginning of their racist government policy. What followed was what would set up the early excuses for different branches of races to be given different rights. The Spaniards enslaved or expelled the Black Muslim Moors and required the excuse for enslavement by race and religion to rebuild the nation. They then instituted the “Alhambra decree,” which expelled all the Jews from Spain and also forced Muslims to convert to Roman Catholicism or face execution. This gave way to Spain’s own “limpieza de la sangre” or “purification of the blood” philosophy. This historical truth is of course contrary to Pope Benedict XVI’s fantasy-land claim that Christian’s never held forced conversions. Besides this I invite him to also read the history of South America and come to terms with the fact that all people have used the issue of religion as well as race to subjugate a people, and certainly Christianity does not escape this category. It is for this reason that I have always stated that to name any movement that deals with Immigrant Rights in the South West “La Reconquista” is pure idiocy. It is a reflection of the beginning of white European’s definition of racism. We should not emulate it in any spirit, but learn how it came to create our condition today.

To understand how all this translates into the Modern Race problems of today one has to first understand how the U.S. justified slavery in many different ways. It was not only the inability of America to co-exist with the complete hypocrisy that the slave trade was to its proclaimed Christian Values and Democracy. The US was faced with the chilling reality of the necessity to support the beginnings of a Capitalist Empire and assert its control of the region through conquest. Indian Wars, Mexican American War, Spanish American War, Banana Wars, were a necessity for its expansion and stability due to the nature of the type of Republican (the corporate state not the party) prototype, which is quite frankly the living embodiment of terrorism. Terrorism is after all, organized violence with a political and or economic purpose. It should be noted that many of the founding fathers were students of history, as most Masons are. They designed a system where they knew the truth, but purposefully denied it to the average white American racist not out of nature, but out of ignorance. The men with power in this nation who always understood the contributions of Africans and Indigenous people crafted these lies about racial inferiority and the need to purify the soul from pagan religion as the ultimate excuse for free labor, resources and land. There is something intrinsically two-faced and despicable about the difference in what they knew of the world and what they were willing to convince with their lack of argument against in the nation. As masons, all of them knew not only the history of Europe, but of Africa and therefore this is not an indictment of secret societies, but much more of men in government who were cowards in the face of true desire. If they had just coldly (or rather truthfully) said to the Africans and Natives, we wanted your land and labor and we have the force with which to take it, then after slavery was abolished the racial prejudice would have been slowly phased out, but it lingered so brutally because of the excuses made for modern enslavement. The notion that humanity had superior races and had subspecies of people that were primitive compared to others was thus carried over from Europe to America. Thomas Jefferson was one of the few Founding Fathers who (in the Virginia Papers) argued for the possible assimilation of the Native American and yet saw the African as savages and untamable.

Even modern religious excuses were created, not only the popular Bible belt preachers that spoke against integration and inter-racial marriage, but even smaller groups like Mormon sects of Christianity exhibited a form of pretentious racism in their gospel, which stated that as a punishment God painted certain people with darker skin cursed the savage “lamanites” (Native Americans) and that the “Mark of Cain” was placed upon blacks and that’s why they were cursed, until a 1978 “revelation,” which couldn’t have possibly been the overwhelming national and international pressure… And while Brigham Young’s racist rants in “Journal of Discourses” is not official LDS gospel, it reflects the age and the practice of most Churches at the time. This is not bigotry, or bias, these are facts. I have met many modern Christians of all sects, Protestants, Catholics, Evangelicals and Mormons who come to terms with this and cannot truly justify some of the more outlandish claims of their church, but who use their faith to try and better their lives. But in examining these facts, it is an actual part of the religion, it is something that cannot be skirted and perhaps that is why some people of that faith are very quick to not seek and have open discussions about these doctrines preached. The same way there are banks and companies, who directly benefited from the middle passage who refuse to open their old records to public view on the matter. But the most damaging of all these causes of ignorance is the Racial Science of Eugenics, which tried to prove through a fundamentally flawed discipline that their were sub human species exemplified by Indigenous people and of course the black African. But this was also applied lightly to other “races” of South Eastern Europeans, like Greeks, Italians, Spaniards, Armenians and Slavs who had to apply to be considered white and received benefits from being included in that group that others never did during the early 1900s.

It is because of these excuses and junk science that were actually accepted or at least not challenged in a manner which was formidable until 1935 when it was finally decided to be phased out of the scientific community and the forceful and secret sterilization programs of Native Americans continued into the 1970’s and is still the subject of great international debate.

The destruction of the outwardly racist aspects of Eugenics also became necessary as the US descended into a propaganda war with Germany during World War 2. Racial science still found support from students of Darwin’s Theory’s of “Survival of the Fittest” and interpreters of “The Descent of Man” coupled with the disgraced Eugenicists eagerness to prove the superiority of the white race. The ghost of racial science still haunts the hallways of intellectual institutions through its promotion standards of achievement based on racial heredity implicated by the Bell Curve. Eventually though, the rise of Nazi Germany would show the world what a state could do in Modern times when using science to claim the superiority of one race over another. Perhaps we could have avoided this inhuman Holocaust if we had acknowledged the existence of others before it under a similar premise.

Realistically though if those people who were caged could have been connected to the glory of their past then perhaps they themselves would not have been so easily convinced of their own proposed “heathen nature”, and could not have accepted it as if it were the essence of their true selves. And that goes for all enslaved people… all of those who find themselves oppressed throughout the globe. A people’s identity comes not only from the color of their skin and the language they speak, but also the God they whisper their prayers to or loudly proclaim their undying loyalty to with action. There is no such thing as a white man’s religion just a white European interpretation of a certain religious faith — and all religions, no matter how the zealots who love them have to understand, have been introduced to people by conquerors.

At this point, it is necessary to acknowledge that revolutionary concepts are present in both Islam and Christianity and how both have respectively created the basis for a revolutionary path to those enslaved people who were confined to a world of ignorance which is a prison darker than any man made dungeon. Judaism, Buddhism and all other faiths have built into them a mechanism to preserve themselves even under the harsh conditions and people can always find methods to convert any faith into a weapon. But the strongest weapon that one has when it concerns fighting racism is the history of all of these religions.

Both Christianity and Judaism have strong roots in Africa — and without Africa, Islam would not have traveled west past the borders of Arabia. Western and Eastern Europe were still ruled by tribal councils when these Nations in Africa had aided in bringing about the formulation, redefinition and governing ideas of these faiths. For example, it should be noted that Christianity reached Africa before it ever reached Europe. Although it was obviously not utilized as a siege weapon of conquest as Constantine was able to, it was an empowering idea for people who already understood the principles of this line of thought. If you read the Bible it mentions Ethiopia and Egypt (Kemet) over 250 times, where as Rome and Greece is only spoken of a handful of times. The actual Ark of the Covenant is still theorized by many historians to be kept hidden safe in Ethiopia, which should make you consider how a people who would later be depicted as savages and animals by their new masters could ever be the gatekeepers and originators of such a sacred aspect of humanity as the religions that we still live by today.

http://www.jewishvirtuallibrary.org/jsource/Judaism/ark.html

And while it is one of three theories, it is proof of the close connection that does in fact exist with or without the Ark. In Eastern Africa during the first Millennia even leading up to the crusades, there existed sects of Christians who showed more disciplined dedication to the faith than any other followers of Christ as they use to brand their children’s foreheads from birth with the symbol of a cross. (In their Gnostic Christian belief it was held that the Devil could only appear in the form of a spirit after Christ sacrificed himself to banish him from the physical realm but that Satan could still as a spirit infect and posses a person’s body, and the Cross branded on the forehead from birth warded him off.)

Comparing the past to the present and future requires us to take note of how Romans and Greeks of that time did not have anywhere near the same prejudice as their future generations would. Otherwise why would so many Generals, Lords, Governors, Emperors and even Popes of African origin ever be in the service of the Empire or the faith? Strange to think that these modern day European immigrants and their neighbors who all came here in America who would adopt such an ideologically backward ideology as racism but this is a study of how that happened…

The reality of what history teaches us is that religion used to matter in the old world much more than the color of our skin. Their phenotypical differences didn’t affect their marriage and or association with other people to the extent of what they preached and lived their faith to be. They simply respected their skills and abilities when they saw them, much the way America does now, because it’s interests are not that of defending the nations that we come from, but rather, exploiting them through a modernized version of capitalism. Here and now they’re willing to allow people who have been immersed and completely assimilated to American culture (no matter what color and sex,) from a conservative standpoint to represent the nation. But that doesn’t signify that we all have equal rights in this country. (And since racism reinforces classism when you have a class of people who have the economic means to deal better with the legal system than others, one immediately points to race because it’s obvious — but the class factor has gone unmentioned until more recent times.) This phenomenon simply utilizes their skill and conveniently has the dual purpose of giving the false idea that diversity in a president’s cabinet implies diversity in the nature of justice for all the nation’s citizens. We are confused about our depraved condition because of the media attention given to a few artisans and millionaire modern gladiators who amuse the Empire in Coliseums. Most of our success stories walk around being 40 million dollar slaves and poster children for capitalism. Our people, need to take their patronage away from corporations who offer us meaningless material liabilities and we need not chastise them in this process but accept them open armed as our brothers and sisters. We need to make solid investments in our own infrastructure. We are a Nation within a Nation, which is what we must never forget if we strive to escape our condition, this is but a pit stop in our destiny, after all, one cannot free their mind if they have not even the slightest inclination of it’s incarceration or colonization.

It was said that Jesus Christ could cast demons out of people by calling them by their name and so we must continue in that tradition. For how can someone be cured of alcoholism or drug addiction if they don’t know they have a substance abuse problem? How can one be healed from cancer until they admit they have it and seek treatment, until they face that fight? We must call out racism’s origins, and look behind it to see the misinformation it has been spreading to hide its true inherent master. Purposeful ignorance for financial gain is perhaps one of the most devilish concepts ever invented. Institutionalized racism is classism’s greatest ally, its ground troops, for even when slavery ended the focus reverted to racism instead of the excuse for it and the capital gained from it to forge an empire.

It is because we have lost touch with our roots as a result of the colonial era genocide and global slave trade that we have not been able to connect to our past, and, to who we really are. When we mark our position in the present taking note of the past puts a trajectory on our evolution of our culture as a people. We were not just enslaved, we were brainwashed religiously, de-evolved politically and scientifically, spiritually robbed, our relationship with our women severed and our achievements lost by the rewriting of our history by our conquerors. Our greatest mistake is to fight this on only one level. We keep thinking only one thing can conquer our oppression, we think that a radical political system like Communism, or that just a religious system like Islam, a sect of Christianity or an economic system that is a farce like a free market can improve our situation collectively. And what we really end up doing is playing a game of “mercy” with one finger against an entire hand of repressive indoctrinations. We must conduct a Revolution on all fronts. One in the arts, music, poetry, legal work, teaching, theology, medicine, childcare & development, all forms of Media, science, math, and engineering, etc., all in order to fight centuries of purposeful ignorance. My work with youth and with gangs especially has shown me what difference there is in a child when he realizes who his ancestors were and what scientific and mathematical concepts they are the inventors and originators of. We should not run from our intelligence or our potential but seriously accept our responsibility to find the cause and to lift ourselves out of it because the forces that crushed our Rebellions in the past will not help us. While some have criticized my work in building this Army, I have dispatched all who have come looking for knowledge to a front in this war that has nothing to do with random acts of physical violence but rather and aggressive reclaiming of our history, politics, spirituality, and so forth. I was once sent on this sort of mission myself by my former teachers who passed their knowledge onto me. I while I am by no means a Master teacher or a General, I apologize that I cannot offer the expertise of such a person at this time in my life. I am just the Captain of my own unit, I do what I can for my people, (regardless of race or faith,) those who would believe in the promise of what America could be and not the broken promise of what it is now… I wish I could do more. But this is where we begin to address Racism, global racism, and the evolution of the slave trade by putting it into historical context. Continue it until we are free when I am gone.

Con Amor de Revolucion,

Immortal TechniqueImmortal Technique is a Hip-Hop artist that has released albums Revolutionary Vol. 1 and Revolutionary Vol. 2.The views expressed inside this editorial are not necessarily the views of AllHipHop.com or its employees.

This is it.  Patriots vs. The Indianapolis Colts.  Bill Belichick vs. Tony Dungy.  Tom Brady vs. Peyton Manning.  These are the type of games that a sports fan lives for.  With the history between the two teams and the stakes that are on the line, this makes for an exciting match-up.  .

 

The winner of this game will be the front-runner to win it all in February by most of the analyst and sports’ writers and I don’t agree with that.  Let’s wait and see.  Will the winner of this game have an edge on the majority? Yes.  Does it necessarily make them the champs before the season’s ends?  No. 

 

1pm games:

 

San Francisco 49ers (2-5) vs. Atlanta Falcons (1-6)

Location: Georgia Dome, Atlanta, GA

 

Dear Coach Nolan,

My name is The Rowdy One and I have been a 49ers fan since I was 4 years old.  The 49ers are the reason why I love football.  So it saddens me to see our beloved 49ers in a state of flux.  On that note, if you’re going to win this game, you have to use RB Frank Gore.  You need take advantage of the fact that the Falcons have a hole in their D-line when they released DT Grady Jackson. 

 

Also, you need to find some kind of offensive spark.  The 49ers are last in the league in total offense.  You have some solid weapons on offense and you need to try to let them loose. Your players on offensive are starting to question your Offensive Coordinator’s play calling abilities and that’s not good for a team who has been struggling this season on offense.  Stay with your game plan, but spice it up a little

 

Since you’ve been known for you defensive intellect, then you should already know that all you have to do is stop the Falcons passing game.  The Falcons have the 25th ranked team in rushing.  Since their run game has been stagnant for the majority of the season, you should be able to force the Falcons to throw the ball and force them to make mistakes with your pass coverage.  None of the Falcons’ RBs have rushed for 100-yards this season and they only have 2 TDs between them.

 

Offensively, the Falcons will throw the ball all day.  With QB Joey Harrington returning to the starting role for the injured Byron Leftwich, the Falcons are going to test the 49ers Secondary and look for the big plays in the air.  If you want to win Coach Nolan, set the tone early in the game on the defensive side of the ball and shut down the Falcons’ WRs and bring the heat to Harrington.  This fan believes that you can pull off the win this Sunday and possibly get the ball rolling in salvaging a team that looks to be in the basement of the NFC for the remainder of the season.

 

Gold Rush for Life,

The Rowdy One

 

 

My Pick: 49ers

 

Cincinnati Bengals (2-5) vs. Buffalo Bills (3-4)

Location: Ralph Wilson Stadium, Buffalo, NY

 

 

The Bengals need to find their run game.  With RB Rudi Johnson back, the Bengals have a three-pronged running attack with Johnson, Kenny Watson and DeDe Dorsey.  We won’t know who will start at RB for the Bengals, but whoever gets the start will have to come out of the gates early and force the Bills to stop the run. 

 

We already know the Bengals can throw the ball, Carson Palmer is the 11th ranked QB in the league.  His numbers would suggest that the team would have a better record, but with no defense and a one-sided offense, there’s not much Head Coach Marvin Lewis can do.  All he can do is pray that his team finds a way to turn things around on the field and find some life for a team that has the tools and the “know-how” to get the job done.

 

The Bills are a ray of sunshine in a weak AFC East.  They may not have the best record, but they have come out each week with the testicular fortitude of a champion.  You can’t tell the bills that their record is 3-4 because they play each game like it’s their last.  Those are the type of teams you’ve got to respect.  Their record may not be the greatest, but they make you want to cheer for them because they give you their all.

 

The Bills have the better defense and the better RBs than the Bengals.  RB Marshawn Lynch is a work horse and he likes to grind it out on the field when he’s running the ball.  He can wear down a defense just as good as any other RB in the league.  J.P. Losman is back in the starting QB role for the injured Trent Edwards.  Hopefully, Losman paid attention to what the Bills have been doing on the offensive side of the ball and can come into Sunday’s game ready to keep that momentum flowing.  Defensively, the Bills have a solid Secondary that has been playing very well and will shut down the Bengals WRs from making big plays.  It looks like this is the week the Bills get to .500.

 

My Pick: Bills

 

Denver Broncos (3-4) vs. Detroit Lions (5-2)

Location: Ford Field, Detroit, MI

 

The Broncos must like giving their fans heart attacks.  With the exception of the 18 point loss to the Colts and the 38 point stomping by the Chargers, the Broncos have won or loss by an average of 4.4 points.  They have the 7th ranked offense in the league, so they can make things happen with the ball.  But with WR Rod Smith out for the season with a hip injury, the offense will have to rely on their running backs to make it happen on offense. 

 

If the Broncos win this game, it’s going to have to come down to stopping the Lions passing game. Jon Kitna has been leading the charge by airing out the ball all season long to WRs Calvin Johnson and Roy Williams.  Johnson is returning this weekend from a back injury and will help give the Broncos’ Secondary headaches at Ford Field.  The Broncos have the 31st ranked passing defense. 

 

The Lions are a surprise this year with the way they have been playing on offense.  Kitna is at the half-way point with his promise of 10 wins and with 8 weeks of football left to play, it looks as though he may cash in that promise.  The Lions don’t have the greatest defense in the league right now.  They’re ranked 28th in the league and have to face off against the 11th ranked rushing offense.  It’s going to be a challenge for the Lions, but I see them pulling out the win this weekend.  

 

My Pick: Lions

 

Carolina Panthers (4-3) vs. Tennessee Titans (5-2)

Location: LP Field, Nashville, TN

 

Titans Head Coach Jeff Fisher is doing a good job in managing a Titans’ team that has been under the radar this season.  Their defense is ranked 1st against the run and their offense is ranked 3rd in rushing. The Titans have been able to find ways to win when they have had their backs against the wall and their defense has steeped up big time in big moments. 

 

The Titans need to use their top ranked rush defense to stop the Panthers’ 10th ranked rushing offense.  They have to find a way to stop RBs DeShaun Foster and DeAngelo Williams.  David Carr will probably get the start this Sunday due to Vinny Testaverde injuring his ankle last Sunday against the Colts.  With Carr coming back from his back injury, he may be a little rusty and it will benefit the Titans if they can make him throw the ball and force mistakes. 

 

The Titans must also find a way to shut down WR Steve Smith.  Smith is always consistence year in and year out.  Despite the fact he’s ranked 21st among the Top 25 WRs in the league, his numbers are still good. Smith has 37 catches for 514 yards and 6 TDs.  He’s averaging 73.4 yards per game.  The Titans have the better QB and the better O-line in this game; those two factors give them an edge against the Panthers this weekend and will help keep them close in the NFC South.

 

My Pick: Titans

 

Green Bay Packers (6-1) vs. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3)

Location: Arrowhead Stadium, Kansas City, MO

 

If Brett Farve could play all of his games on Monday Night Football, he would definitely go down as the greatest QB in the history of the NFL.  MNF to Farve is like the sun’s energy to Superman.  It gives him energy and it showed with the game winning touchdown in last Monday’s win in overtime.

 

Farve has to have the same magic this weekend against the Chiefs.  The Packers are 2nd in the league in passing, but last in the league in rushing.  With RB DeShawn Wynn out for the year with a calf injury, and Vernand Morency’s status up in the air, the Packers will have to turn to rookie RB Brandon Jackson to run the ball.  Thankfully, the Packers get back WR Koren Robinson for his suspension for violating the league’s substance-abuse policy.  If the Packers are going to live by the pass, the addition of Robison will make it easy for the Mississippi Gun Slinger.

 

The Chiefs have to do the opposite of the Packers and run the ball.  With RB Priest Holmes back in the line-up, the Chiefs have a run game that can possibly end up as the best in the league with Holmes and RB Larry Johnson.  It all comes down to how healthy Holmes can stay.  If Holmes can remain strong through the remainder of the season and there are no major injuries, the Chiefs may have the best chance of winning the AFC West crown.  I just don’t see the chiefs winning this game.  The Packers have the better WRs matching up against the Chiefs secondary.  It looks like it’s going to be a long day for the Chiefs this Sunday.

 

My Pick: Packers

 

San Diego Chargers (4-3) vs. Minnesota Vikings (2-5)

Location: Metronome, Minneapolis, MN

 

The theme for this year in the NFL is “Pick a QB, any QB” and the Vikes have fallen right down that “rabbit hole”.  Tavaris Jackson is hurt and Kelly Holcomb is hurt.  It looks as though Jackson will play injured.  Not a good move.  Jeff George (Yes, that Jeff George) offered his services and Brad Childress made jokes about it.  He’s using a “QB by committee” game plan and you play down the possibility of signing a Free Agent QB as a precautionary measure.  Good Luck.

 

The only way I see the Vikes having a chance in winning this game depends on how well RB Adrian Peterson run the ball.  The Chargers defense is looking alive and it will be interesting to see what the Chargers D-line has in store for the rookie RB.  The odds of Peterson having a big game this Sunday are “slimmer than that chick in Calvin Klien pantses”.    

 

The Vikes defense has been nothing to brag about, so I won’t delve into what they need to on that side of the ball.  The only thing I can say is that the Chargers are starting to find their groove on offense and if Philip Rivers, LaDainian Tomlinson, and the newly acquired Chris Chambers get the ball rolling, it’s a wrap for the Vikes.       

 

My Pick: Chargers

 

Jacksonville Jaguars (5-2) vs. New Orleans Saints (3-4)

Location: Superdome, New Orleans, LA

 

The Saints have won 3 games in a row and are looking to get to .500 this weekend.  The Jags pulled off a close win against the Bucs, so they’re feeling good and riding high.  Both of these teams look to make a statement this weekend.  The problem is only one team will make a statement and I’ll give you a hint which team won’t: their name rhymes with “The Ain’ts”.

 

As much as the Saints have somewhat turned the start of their season around, it won’t be enough to stop the Jags this Sunday.  The Jags have a better defense than the Saints and they have the capability to stop the Saints’ offense.  Plus, with the addition of Grady Jackson to the D-line, he will fill in nicely for the Jags if DT Marcus Stroud is suspended for violating the league’s steroids and related substances policy.  Stroud is facing a 4 game suspension.  That’s not good for a team who’s in the thick of a playoff hunt at the midway point of the season.

 

The Saints have to try to stop the Jags running game.  Quinn Gray will start again for the Jags this Sunday.  Although they won last week against the Bucs with Gray under the center, the Jags still have to rely on their running game with their passing game being below par.  I believe it shouldn’t be a problem for the Jags to score on the ground.  Chalk this one up the Jack Del Rio and the Jags.

                                                                                                                 

My Pick: Jaguars

 

Washington Redskins (4-3) vs. NY Jets (1-7)

Location: Giants Stadium, East Rutherford, NJ

 

The Jets have made the switch.  Chad Pennington out, Kellen Clemens in.  I’ve got some extra stamps here in the house for the Jets that I sent to the Rams and the Dolphin.  They might as well find some envelopes and mail in the rest of their season also. To quote my man Stephen A. Smith, “They’re terrible!”

 

 

The ‘Skins need to keep doing what they’ve been doing to get them to 4 wins.  Have a solid mix of run and pass.  The Jets defense is weak and it doesn’t look like it’s going to get any better.  The ‘Skins defense has been solid and their Secondary will shut down the Jets WRs. 

 

 

My Pick: Redskins

 

Arizona Cardinals (3-4) vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-4)

Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, FL

 

The Cards had the week off.  They needed it.  Like most of the league, they’ve been banged up pretty bad this year.  Kurt Warner has to be 85-90% healthy in order to give the Cards a chance.  They also have to get Edgerrin James, Larry Fitzgerald, and Anquan Boldin involved in the offense early to get a feel of what the Bucs plan to throw at them. The Bucs are the 2nd ranked pass defense in the league.  So, Warner and the Cards have a tall task ahead of them.

 

On the defensive end, the Cards need to stop Jeff Garcia and their passing game.  The Cards need to put pressure on Garcia in the same way the Jags did last week and force him to make mistakes.

 

The Bucs need to make sure Garcia is protected and give him time to execute the play.  That’s it.  He’s the key to success for the Bucs.  Since he can move in the pocket, he’ll be able to avoid pass rushers and hopefully draw the defense to him.  That allows his WRs to be open for big plays.  The Cards have a good chance of winning, but the Bucs are probably still upset after last week’s loss and are ready to get the “Pirate Ship” back on track in Tampa.

 

My Picks: Buccaneers

 

 

4pm games:

 

Seattle Seahawks (4-3) vs. Cleveland Browns (4-3)

Location: Cleveland Browns Stadium, Cleveland, OH

 

Wow, what a difference a year makes.  The Browns have the 6th ranked offense in the league.  The Browns’ Derek Anderson is the 6th ranked QB in the league.  They have had big plays from WR Braylon Ewards and TE Kellen Winslow, Jr.  The Browns still have their work cut out for them.  They are worst ranked defense in the league and should be thankful that they are in the thick of the AFC North.  They know they are hanging on by a string and they have to find a way to stop the Seahawks offense.

 

Despite the fact that RB Shaun Alexander is having a lack luster season; the Seahwks still have the lead in the NFC West. It’s been the Seahawks defense that has kept them alive and it’s going to have to be there defense if they plan on winning this Sunday.  The Seahawks have to pressure Anderson from jump. 

 

The Seahawks can’t allow any wiggle room for the Browns to get back in the game.  Their offense is good, but not that good.  The one advantage the Browns have this weekend is that they have the “12th man”.  Since they’re playing at home this weekend, you know the “Dog Pound” is going to be live.  If anyone knows the importance of the “12th man”, the Seahawks know. It looks as though the Seahawks are about to get a taste of their own medicine.     

 

My Pick: Browns

 

Game of the Week: New England Patriots (8-0) vs. Indianapolis Colts (7-0)

Location: RCA Dome, Indianapolis, IN

 

This is by far the best rivalry in pro-football right now. This is also the hardest game to pick a winner for in this season thus far.  A fan can pick either team and they wouldn’t be wrong.  Here’s my assessment:

 

1)      The Pats have the #1 ranked offense in the league

2)      The Colts have the #2 ranked offense in the league

3)      The Pats and the Colts are ranked #3 and #4 in total defense in the league in that order

4)      The Pats are 41-26 All-Time against the Colts

5)      The Colts have won the last 3 games against the Pats.  That’s including last year’s AFC Championship game.

 

With all of that in mind, there was one thing I didn’t mention; motivation. In that case, I’m picking the Colts.  As I mentioned in the opening at the top, we have all been so mesmerized by the Pats, and Brady’s numbers and the addition of Randy Moss; we have forgotten that the Colts are the defending champs and they’re going to come out Sunday and show the world why they are still the champs.  To me, that’s the best bulletin board material any team can have.    

 

My Pick: Colts

 

Houston Texans (3-5) vs. Oakland Raiders (2-5)

Location: McAfee Coliseum, Oakland, CA

 

Matt Shuab is out this Sunday.  Sage Rosenfels gets the start for the Texans at QB.  Daunte Culpepper is out; Josh McCown is back in the starter’s role for the Raiders at QB. Throughout all of this, JaMarcus Russell is still on the bench and is 4th on the Raiders’ depth chart behind QB Andrew Walter.  If that was the case, pay me $61 million dollars to ride the pine. 

 

As weak as the AFC West is, the Raiders will still remain in the basement.  They might as well play this kid now.  I still got some stamps left to mail in the season.  I do think the Raiders will win this game.  The Raiders have a better defense than the Texans and with Rosenfels starting this Sunday, the Texans might as well add another “L” in the loss column. 

 

 

My Pick: Raiders

 

 

Sunday Night Game:

 

Dallas Cowboys (6-1) vs. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4)

Location: Lincoln Financial Field, Philadelphia, PA

 

The Eagles need to win this game and they need to win it bad.  Not just for the numbers, the stats, and the standings but for themselves.  This season had started with turmoil with Head Coach Andy Reid and his family.  Most of you are already aware of what’s going on in the Reid household, so there’s no need to get into that.  You add that with the comments Donovan McNabb made on HBO’s Real Sports and the plague of injuries the Eagles have gone through, and sometimes as a fan you wish their season was over right now so that they can start fresh next year.

 

 

The Cowboys had a very busy bye week with the team’s owner, Jerry Jones, extending QB Tony Romo’s contract.  Romo’s new contract is for 6 years, $69 million dollars.  Not bad for a 2nd year starter. So what does he do, goes out and parties with Britney Spears.  Ace of Spades bubblin.  Hopefully that will have no effect on his game play. 

 

The Cowboys have the better offense and it’s too explosive for the Eagles injured defense.  With Romo, T.O., and Barber; the Cowboys will try to embarrass the Eagles defense.  The Eagles just need to try to make it happen on offense.  McNabb’s injured knee is improving and it will be a factor this Sunday as he tries to fend off the Cowboys’ pass rush. The ‘Boys have too much to bring to the table this Sunday and should beat the Eagles easily.  This is the Cowboys’ game to lose.

 

My Pick: Cowboys

 

 

Monday Night Game:

 

Baltimore Ravens (4-3) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)

Location: Heinz Field, Pittsburgh, PA

 

I love the AFC North.  Everybody just hates each other in this division.  This division has their far share of rivalries and each year, they get better and better. 

 

First of all, don’t look for either team to run up the score board.  We’re looking at the Top 2 ranked defenses in the league.  The Steelers are #1, the Ravens are #2.  There won’t be a whole bunch of TDs in this game.  The TDs that will be scored on offense will come from the Steelers’ side of the ball. And that’s who I’m going with to win.

 

The Ravens have had too many issues with their offense at the QB position.  This week, Steve McNair gets the start.  Not a good week to come back from injury and start at QB if you’re the Ravens and Steve McNair.  Like the Ravens, the Steelers like to hurt people and with the rash of injuries McNair has sustained in the past, it’s not looking good for the Ravens.

 

Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers know how to move the ball on offense.  The Steelers are the 4th ranked offense in the league.  They have the better WRs, RBs, and O-line.  The Ravens can run the ball with RB Clinton Portis, but that’s about it. In terms of the Ravens WRs, it’s not looking like the greatest right about now.  The Ravens are the 15th ranked offense in the league.  You tell me who has the upper hand in this game.

 

My Pick: Steelers

 

 

Teams with Bye weeks: Chicago Bears (3-5), Miami Dolphins (0-8), St. Louis Rams (0-8), NY Giants (6-2)

 

 

To finish up our NBA Preview, we look at the star studded Pacific Division.

 

Phoenix Suns

 

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

C   Amare Stoudemire

PF Shawn MarionSF Grant Hill

SG Raja Bell

PG Steve Nash

Coach: Mike D’Antoni

 

The good: A focused Nash, Amare and Marion give them the tools to win a championship.

 

The Phoenix Suns left the postseason with a semi-final loss to the San Antonio Spurs, most memorable for the altercation in which Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw left the bench, netting them a suspension for Game 5, costing them the series in six games. The Suns were in the headlines all summer, most notably for being in the hunt to acquire now Celtics forward Kevin Garnett. The bait? Shawn Marion, who has been the subject of trade rumors all summer. Although the rumors haven’t calmed down, Marion is still a Sun, and that means trouble for the rest of the league. 

 

Two-time MVP Steve Nash nearly won a third one last season, being the glue that helps this team work. He’ll have many weapons at his arsenal, including Sixth Man of the Year Leandro Barbosa, who scored 18 PPG off the bench, becoming a major spark off the bench. Amare Stoudemire in his first full season back from microfracture surgery returned back to dominance and was on the All-NBA First Team. This team is not short of depth with draft picks Alando Tucker and D.J. Strawberry there to provide defense and complement All-Defense First Teamer Raja Bell.  This is a team that, when on all cylinders, looks like a team destined for greatness.

 

The bad:  Not being able to get to the Finals is becoming a mental hurdle. Those are the toughest obstacles to overcome.

 

As great as Steve Nash is, he has not been able to lead his team to the NBA Finals, leading some to question his validity as a former MVP.  The defensively challenged point guard isn’t exactly getting younger, so time is running out on their opportunity to win a championship.  If he wants to be compared to the greatest PG’s of all time, then he needs to be the facilitator to this championship team come playoff time. Amare Stoudemire and Shawn Marion need to coexist together in the same locker room and head coach Mike D’Antoni has to become peacemaker in that rift. Also, D’Antoni has to implement a sense of defensive urgency within this team. 

 

Relying on offense will not help when teams like the Spurs play suffocating defense.  Most of all, Shawn Marion cannot be worried about trades and about money.  He’s the most overrated player in the NBA. He benefits off of a great point guard as much as Mikki Moore did off Jason Kidd last season. If he wants to make $15 mil per season, tell him that Lamar Odom is Lamar Odom, not the second coming of Larry Bird. Marion needs to recommit to defense and attempt to create his own shot. If he does that, then the Suns are a lock to win a championship. 

 

The outlook: 1st in the West, 1st in the Pacific, my pick to win it all. Steve Nash finally gets his due from haters everywhere.

 

Golden State Warriors

 

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

Golden State Warriors

C   Andris Biedrins

PF Mickael PietrusSF Kelenna AzubuikeSG Monta EllisPG Baron Davis

Coach: Don Nelson

 

The good:  Nellie ball will continue to be a huge success. The pieces will just be different. 

 

The Golden State Warriors crept up on everyone last season and made the playoffs for the first time since 1994.  They didn’t stop there as they proceeded to have perhaps the biggest upset in the history of the NBA’s First Round as they upset the Dallas Mavericks in six games.  They managed to do spark the rebirth of the franchise by making a big trade that January where they acquired troubled guard Stephen Jackson and forward Al Harrington for forwards Troy Murphy and Mike Dunleavy. That trade transformed a team mired in mediocrity to a team fun to watch and with a mean streak. 

 

Baron Davis was healthy for the first time in years and it showed in his play averaging 20 PPG.  Monta Ellis will now get a chance to start and improve on his Most Improved Player status. The best thing about this team is that they can plug in almost anyone at certain positions.  Head Coach Don Nelson, not a believer in the traditional offense, will go with three, maybe four guards on the court at the same time in hopes of pushing the ball.  With rookies Brandan Wright and Marco Belinelli on board, this team will be a highlight reel waiting to happen.

 

The bad:  Losing Jason Richardson will hurt. Not being able to match up well with slower teams will hurt more.

 

The Golden State Warriors on draft night traded Jason Richardson, the star forward who had become their franchise guy, to the Charlotte Bobcats for North Carolina forward Brandan Wright.  Letting go of J-Rich will hurt because you knew what you were getting from him.  Always good for 20 PPG, the Warriors are now faced with the task of having to replace that production with their bench and rookies. Monta Ellis could provide that as a starter, but who’s going to replace him on the bench? A revolving door at certain positions means there is more opportunity for a player to fail. For a team that came off of that playoff appearance, tinkering with success might not be a good thing.

 

It’s usually too early to say if a first round player is a bust after one year, but center Patrick O’Bryant has no fit on this team. If they see he has some value, they should move him for a forward who can run up and down the court quickly. The Warriors need to play their style of basketball because if they are ever in a position where they cannot play their up-tempo style, they will not have the personnel to adjust, making their offense gimmicky at times. Don Nelson will have to make the team a bit better-rounded before they get to the next level of the postseason.

 

The outlook: 6th in the West, 2nd in the Pacific, this time a first round loss. The inexperience of the new guys will hurt.

 

Los Angeles Lakers

 

 

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

C   Kwame Brown

PF Ronny TuriafSF Lamar Odom SG Kobe BryantPG Derek Fisher

Coach: Phil Jackson

 

The good:  As long as Kobe Bryant is there, the Lakers will always have a chance.

 

Well, much has been made clear over the last few months.  For starters, the Lakers cannot beat the Phoenix Suns. Next, no reputable journalist could get the inside scoop on how superstar guard Kobe Bryant really feels about his team, but an amateur guy outside of a supermarket could.  Lastly, Kobe wants out of L.A., the team he has been on his entire career.  After a summer of questions and outrage on the part of Kobe, the Lakers front office, and fans everywhere, it all leads back to the present moment, where Kobe Bryant is still a Laker. The team can count on Kobe Bryant good for at least 30 PPG each time he is on the court. He is that prolific of a scorer to the point where he alone is the biggest game changer in league. 

 

Head Coach Phil Jackson has never missed the playoffs, and doesn’t plan to with this group of guys.  Ronny Turiaf will get a chance to start and maximize the energy he puts forth.  Forward Lamar Odom will be out for the first couple of weeks recovering from a bum shoulder, but once he’s back, he has shown that he is one of the more versatile players in the league when he is not scared. They are banking their future on center Andrew Bynum and guards Jordan Farmar and 2007 first round pick Javaris Crittenton.  In the meantime, Derek Fisher has returned to the Lake Show to give them much needed leadership.  Kobe alone will give the Lakers a chance every night.

 

The bad: As long as Kobe continues to whine and complain and Phil refuses to play the future stars, this team will be in disarray until the other shoe drops.

 

The one man army that is #24 on the Lakers does have pieces around him if he utilizes them.  The problem is, Kobe is not too fond of his teammates.  In many ways, neither is Phil Jackson, who has lobbied for trades in the past to acquire more veteran talent since he is horrible at developing talent on his own. Kobe averaged over five assists a game, but at many points last season, the team played a lot more cohesively when Lamar Odom was leading the team and Kobe was not playing.  Odom is talented, but he is the most scared star I have ever seen play. He needs to be assertive on the court. Also, Phil Jackson needs to trust the young guys. Bynum, Farmar, and Crittenton need to be thrown into the fire in order for their development to steady out. By benching them and giving playing time to the likes of Kwame Brown and Maurice Evans is just not smart, especially for a team building for the future while trying to win now. 

 

What will ruin this team more than anything will be the constant speculation about Kobe possibly moving to another team. He has become their biggest distraction and ultimately it just seems like Kobe will never win in L.A. The team looks determined to build around youth and Kobe is trying to win while he is in his prime. They have failed to get players such as Kevin Garnett, Ron Artest, and Carlos B#####. Instead, it looks like Kobe will not be long for the City of Angels.

 

The outlook: 9th in the West, 3rd in the Pacific. They will miss the playoffs, but Kobe will not be traded during the season. However, this will be Kobe’s last season as a Laker.  I got my money on him going to the Atlanta Hawks. Your guess is as good as mine.

 

Sacramento Kings

 

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

C   Brad Miller

PF Shareef Abdur-RahimSF Ron Artest

SG Kevin Martin

PG Mike Bibby

Coach: Reggie Theus

 

The good:  Kevin Martin is ready to become one of the best pure scorers in the NBA.

 

The Sacramento Kings missed the playoffs for the first time since the 1997-98 season.  It’s funny that a team associated with futility was able to turn it around and become a constant in the playoffs. Although things may look bleak for this team, Kevin Martin has become a pleasant surprise for this team. Draft #27 overall in 2004, no one was really expecting much from him. Since then he has improved every year to the point that he is now the primary scorer on the team. Signing an 5 year extension, Kevin Martin looks to be the franchise here for a long time. Also, the Kings drafted the heir apparent at the center position held by Brad Miller in Spencer Hawes out of Washington. Mikki Moore who made his career last season off of playing alongside Jason Kidd will now be paid to play alongside defensive stalwart Ron Artest and guard Mike Bibby. This is a team that can be a playoff contender if everything clicks.

 

The bad: This team is the epitome of mediocrity. Until they figure out what to do with some of their players, they have no plan.

 

The Sacramento Kings are like a runner in a treadmill.  They’ll exert energy but they really won’t be going anywhere. First year Coach Reggie Theus will soon learn that this is not his old show Hang Time. This will be an uphill battle for him. The names on the team do not yell “really good team” to you. Kenny Thomas. Orien Greene. John Salmons.  Mikki Moore. Am I lulling you to sleep with these names? 

 

Mikki Moore will show everyone this season that Jason Kidd basically feeds a good population of big men in the NBA as Moore signed a 3 year, $10 mil deal to sign there.  Moore will show like former Net Kenyon Martin that Moore will miss Kidd. They have young pieces such as Francisco Garcia, Quincy Douby, and Justin Williams, but they all sound like role players on good teams, not potential stars on a team that can’t just get by with Kevin Martin for the future. The status of Mike Bibby is in the air and don’t be surprised if he and Ron Artest get traded if the Kings get off to a slow start. Their best bet is to play the role of spoiler come March and April.

 

The outlook: 12th in the West, 4th in the division, and a pull of the plug on whatever they have going on as they finally begin to start rebuilding themselves.

 

Los Angeles Clippers

 

 

Projected Starting Lineup:

C   Chris Kaman

PF Al Thornton

SF Corey MaggetteSG Cuttino Mobley

PG Sam Cassell

Coach: Mike Dunleavy

 

The good:  Al Thornton may not be Elton Brand, but when you see him play, you might very well confuse the two.

 

Al Thornton may be one of the biggest steals in the draft.  Questions about his size and his age (note: he will turn 24 this December) at Florida State caused his stock to slip. Luckily for the Clips, he fell to them at #14. Thornton will be able to fill the void left by Elton Brand who is out for most this season with an Achilles injury. Sam Cassell is back healthy and for reinforcements signed veterans Brevin Knight and Dan Dickau. This is going to be the breakout season for Corey Maggette. Alternating between starter and bench player for most of his career, Maggette will now have the small forward job all to himself. He is capable of being a consistent 20 PPG scorer in the league and he has incentive to do so. He’ll be up for a new contract soon.

 

Another player signed to help offset Brand is forward Ruben Patterson. The Kobe-Stopper himself will now be playing in the same building as #24 (maybe not for long), but Patterson adds a veteran presence on this team that will be needed to bring upstarts like 2006 second round center Paul Davis along.

 

The bad: The injuries to Elton Brand and Shaun Livingston ended their playoff dreams before fans had a chance to dream.

 

When the news of Elton Brand suffering a ruptured Achilles surfaced, I knew their season was over. This is their franchise player and team MVP. Without him, they will have to rely on Tim “I play hard when I have a contract to get” Thomas to help them get through this.  Also, let’s not forget the injury that occurred to PG Shaun Livingston last season. That gruesome injury caused his knee to be everywhere except where it should have been. He’ll be out as well, and questions will arise as to whether he will ever play in the NBA again. 

 

Sam Cassell is getting old and injury prone and someone will have to come in for him long term. Chris Kaman signed a five-year extension last season to be their center for the future.  He has to start earning his pay because last season was very underwhelming. The caveman look may have worked for Johnny Damon, but Kaman looked complacent and slow. He needs to be more assertive offensively to not dump too much of the scoring load on Thornton. After a great 2005-06 season where they made the semi-finals in the West, the goal is to not revert back into the Clippers we all know and make fun of.

 

The outlook: 13th in the West, 5th in the Pacific, rooting for the Minnesota Timberwolves to do well so they can get their first round pick as well and retool some more for next season.