By David K.

To justify that I am not some hack throwing out a random mock draft, consider that I got as many right in my final mock of 2008 as ESPN “expert” Chad Ford, and less than a handful of other mocks on the web had more correct than I did.  Considering I don’t have the “connections” that Ford or some other sites have, that is pretty impressive.  Team needs have not been taken into account with this mock.

1. Oklahoma City- Blake Griffin, PF, Oklahoma, 6-10, So.
-physical, can put the ball on the floor, owns the boards
Think: Amare Stoudemire

2. *Minnesota- Ricky Rubio, PG, Spain, 6-4, 1990
-great court vision, incredibly unselfish, very mature for a young point guard
Think: a mix of Steve Nash and Jason Kidd

3. Washington- â–² James Harden, SG, Arizona State, 6-5, So.
-great at attacking the hoop, solid outside shooter, can take over a game
Think: Joe Johnson

4. Sacramento- Hasheem Thabeet, C, UConn, 7-3, Jr.
-athletic for his size, tremendous shot blocker, improving as a post scorer
Think: Ben Wallace, but six inches taller

5. L.A. Clippers- ▼ Stephen Curry, G, Davidson, 6-2, Jr.     
-unbelievable three-point range and scorer, impressive in first year as point guard
Think: a sharp-shooting Tony Parker

6. Golden State- Damion James, SF, Texas, 6-8, Jr.
-very versatile, averaged 10.3 boards and shot 41% from three last season
Think: Danny Granger

7. Memphis- â–² Jordan Hill, PF, Arizona, [More …]

A weekly update of whose NBA Draft stock is rising and falling

By David “NBA Draft Treasury Secretary” K.

BUY:

Damion James, SF, Texas, Jr, 6-7

If I was an NBA scout, I would be drooling over this kid.  He has an NBA-ready body, three-point range, can put the ball on the floor, a nice mid-range game, great athleticism, and gets after it on the defensive end.  James had 18 points, 15 rebounds, and the game-clinching blocked shot in the Longhorns’ victory at Wisconsin.  I don’t see how he is not a top ten lock.

Patrick Patterson, PF, Kentucky, So, 6-9

Let’s just say I am really happy Patterson was hurt when Marquette played Ashley Judd’s boys in the first round of the NCAA Tournament last year.  Patterson is a beast, averaging almost 20 points and 10 boards a game.  Plus, he is shooting a ridiculous 72% from the field.  If these numbers continue during SEC, he doesn’t fall out of the lottery.

DeShawn Sims, F, Michigan, Jr, 6-8

I’ve given love to Wolverine sophomore guard Manny Harris, but now it’s Sims’ turn.  The junior forward has been as important to Michigan’s turnaround this season as Harris.  Sims is putting up 17.2 points and 9.2 rebounds a game which includes a 20/20 game, albeit against Florida Gulf Coast University.  Keep an eye on Sims as Big Ten play begins, he could be a first round sleeper if he keeps playing at this high level.

[More …]

By Paul M. Banks 

How DISGUSTINGLY ANNOYING was it of ESPN to CONSTANTLY show Chase Daniel’s family during the final hour of the Alamo Bowl? Every other freaking play!!!!! Laura Quinn didn’t get half this much coverage during the 2005 Fiesta Bowl- where her brother Brady and husband-to-be A.J. Hawk squared off.

Like we freakin care that much about somebody whose life just peaked last night, and is inevitable headed into an Al Bundy like downward spiral starting tomorrow morning. This is yet another example of why ESPN sucks royally most of the time and I’m naming it the Hansbrough rule. After UNC post player Tyler Hansbrough, it’s an unwritten rule of the Boo-Yah network (and the mainstream media in general) they seemingly must whore college stars possessing absolutely zero potential to make in the professional ranks. It’s almost like they feel sorry for them and decide “hey, this guy’s going to have the best times of this life right now…he’ll spend the rest of his life telemarketing or driving a fork lift, so let’s fawn on him now as much as possible. Let’s help him get laid best we can by giving him extra publicity…because you know it’s going to become really hard for him to get some booty when he moves back in with his parents next year.

 

The players fitting this rule are all exceedingly annoying because the collegiate stars who play professionally in Turkey or the Arena League (well, they’re in dire financial straits [More …]

By Paul M. Banks

It’s impossible not to eventually grow to love a team that helps your career, and the New England Patriots certainly have done that for me. And I certainly love them in return. (I’m really disheartened by them being left out of the playoff picture, despite overcoming a ridiculous amount of injuries to post a solid 11-5 record) Therefore, making my first pilgrimage to my Mecca, Gillette Stadium, was certainly one of the highlights of my 2008.  Due to “re-tah-ded” urban planning, driving out here is not an option. The stadium can only be accessed by two-lane roads and rural route one provides traffic jams that would drive a person to suicide. Foxboro (or Foxborough or Foxborro….pick a way to spell your town already!) is located halfway between Boston and  Providence, New England’s two biggest cities; so the Pats are more than just the team of Boston and Massachusetts, they are the team of all New England. 

The best way to get to Foxboro is by the express train that runs out of Boston on game days; it’s a party train and a good time. When you arrive, you might feel like you’re in the rave party episode of Friday Night Lights because you’re now out in the middle of absolute nowhere with a crowd of other football obsessed people. The train station is so remotely underdeveloped that many of the passenger cars stopping there require us passengers to climb onto the train after passing through [More …]

By David Palmer

The job of a Major League manager is not an easy one.  You have to motivate your team to play everyday for six months, you have to appease the relentless media with interesting commentary after 162 games, and you have to perfect the chewing tobacco, bubble gum, sunflower seed trifecta.  I can attest to the latter being one of the hardest things in sports.  I would pay to see Michael Phelps try this without blowing chunks.  When asked, I would wager that almost everybody close to the Twins would heap praise on our manager Ron Gardenhire or “Gardy” as Minnesotans affectionately call him.

I think very highly of Gardy as a person, and would love to go ice fishing or bar hopping with him.  With that said, I feel like he has gotten a pass by the media over the last couple of years, and criticism of him has been very light.  I attribute this to three things:

1.    His down to earth personality and uncanny ability to give good quotes to reporters on a daily basis.

2.    His on-field success since 2002, with a very limited payroll.

3.    His almost robot-like managerial style.

It is not hard to see why Minnesotans like him Gardy.  He is just like us.  He’s slightly overweight, but doesn’t seem to care. He openly talks about drinking and enjoys freezing his ass off in an ice shack or on a snowmobile.  I feel like he’s just [More …]

Paul M. Banks has an exclusive with Cornerback Jordan Mabin a member of the the 2008 Sporting News All-Freshman first team

Mabin appeared in all 12 games this year for the Wildcats, starting the final 10. He compiled 49 tackles (2.0 for loss) while leading the team with three interceptions. He also broke up an additional five pass attempts, forced two fumbles and recovered another. He was honored as the Northwestern Gridiron Network’s Defensive Newcomer of the Year at the NGN football banquet Saturday, Dec. 13. I had an exclusive with him at Northwestern’s Bowl Game Media Day and we discussed the keys to shutting down Jeremy Maclin, Chase Daniel and the high-powered Missouri attack.

PMB: This year’s improvement defensively has been astounding. A lot of that is because of Mike Hankwitz’s first year on the job. What does he bring to the table?

JM: “From the very beginning of the season he came in here and gave us a brand new mindset. To be the aggressor, we used to let plays happen to us and now we go out and try to make plays, and just fly around and be physical. Fly around and hit people.”

PMB: What do you see on film of Missouri’s all-world wide receiver Jeremy Maclin that makes him so special?

JM: “A big fast physical receiver, he’s got all the attributes that you can ask for. I’m excited I know Sherrick’s excited, the DBs are excited, we just gotta be on [More …]

Mayor Richard Daley II and the Blackhawks are raising the City’s International Sports Profile with the NHL’s Winter Classic. Which can only help for 2016

By Paul M. Banks

In Chicago, it is pretty well known that a mayor is a die-hard White Sox fan. (the President-elect as well). But as the Winter Classic draws closer, the Hawks Q rating continues moving north, as does the city of Chicago’s reputation as a sports mecca. All of this greatly helps the city’s bid for the 2016 Olympics.

Here are some highlights from Da Mare’s press conference I attended at Wrigley Field following his examination of the rink being built for the game.

Re: the Hawks

“people are watching it on tv, they’re excited about it and they’re connecting with the players”

Re: hockey

“Hockey’s a great game, a fast game and the more exposure it gets on TV the better off it will be. That has a huge impact. And we’re looking to the future to build more hockey rinks. More indoor hockey rinks. That’s one thing we eventually have to expand in Chicago. The kids want to play the sport and we’ve got more and more high school aged kids who never played hockey more involved in the sport because it’s a great sport for young people

“That’s what sports is all about, The resurgence of hockey, that is the hottest ticket, the Blackhawks for this upcoming new year….We’re very excited about the national hockey league having [More …]

Paul M. Banks chats with Hawks Owner Rocky Wirtz

As the countdown to the NHL Winter Classic 2009 continues, Mayor Richard M. Daley, joined by Blackhawks Chairman Rocky Wirtz, Blackhawks President John McDonough, and Cubs Chairman Crane Kenney came to subzero Wrigley Field on Monday for a special press event in advance of the much-anticipated outdoor regular-season NHL game on New Year’s Day.

Daley and the execs toured the current field infrastructure led by the NHL’s Don Renzulli, Senior Vice President of Events, and Dan Craig, Facilities Operations Manager — the team transforming baseball cathedral Wrigley Field into a hockey venue.  Following the tour, the fedora-clad Mayor and executives chatted with us journalists in a nice WARM press room. After the speeches, Rocky presented Hizzoner with a special Winter Classic jersey with “Daley 09” stitched on the back. 

Rocky talked about the team’s recent resurgence in the Chicago sports scene….

“Dale Tallon the GM has done a great job of finding the right makeup of a player and players that want to play with each other, that’s as important as the talent.”

His plans for watching the Classic…

I’ll be moving around and you see what my uniform will be: as warm a wool suit as I can wear and maybe some long underwear if it’s like this.

We want everyone to have a good time: the fans the front office, the players. It’s a sport, but it’s not so serious. When times are tough we want to forget about [More …]

By Peter Christian

thecallouts@gmail.com
Paul Kinzer and Arn Tellem

A sports agent has one job: to get their client paid. Paul and Arn went all out to get Rafael Furcal paid. They openly admit taking a signed offer from the Atlanta Braves to then shop it to other teams. Sure, there isn’t any rule prohibiting this type of activity, however it isn’t exactly what those involved would call “kosher.” The Braves president John Schuerholz was so upset that he went as far to say that the Braves will never do business with any of  Wasserman Media Group’s (headed by Tellem) clients. It might not seem like a big deal, but think about it this way: There are only 30 MLB teams, there are hundreds of agencies a player can be represented by; any player that signs with Wasserman effectively eliminates one potential team he can play for and one potential team to drive up his contract value down the line. Who is going to make that decision?

C.C. Sabathia & A.J. Burnett

Yes, C.C. did get called out last week. This week he, along with A.J., is getting called out because they stood up and said that signing with the Yankees wasn’t about the money but it was the fact that the Yankees gave them the best chance at a title.

Really? REALLY??

Forget that this team has gotten progressively worse every year since they won their last title (2000), forget that this team still is old and forget [More …]

David K. vs. Rikki Greenberg 

(DK) When Lovie Smith held his first press conference after being introduced as the new head coach of the Chicago Bears, he immediately won over the hearts of Chicagoans by saying his number one goal was to beat the Packers.  To date, the Lovie-led Bears have done exactly that, compiling a 6-3 record against their rivals to the north.  This time around, their second meeting is lacking in terms of importance, at least from a Packer fan standpoint, since Green Bay is 5-9 and was officially eliminated from the playoff picture last weekend.  Does this game carry the same firepower in terms of the rivalry considering the Packers aren’t playing for anything?
(RG) Of course! What makes this game so great is the fact the Bears were publicly embarrassed earlier in the season by the Green and Gold. If the Bears hadn’t played so badly, this game wouldn’t matter nearly as much. Obviously, the postseason opportunity adds some juice to the affair, but the real immunity booster is the chance at showing up a rival who has a better chance statistically (5-3 in Monday night editions of the series) at coming out victorious.

(DK) You touched on the Bears having a slight chance of making the playoffs, needing a few different scenarios to happen in Sunday’s games.  I am still slightly baffled that a team who entered the season with Kyle Orton and Rex Grossman as their quarterbacks is even in the playoff hunt [More …]