The Breakdown

Well, that just happened.

Just days ago things were going great for the Boston sports fan. The Bruins, down 3-1 in their series with the Hurricanes, began to show why they were one of the two best teams in the NHL all year. The Celtics, constantly seeming to be on their last legs and down 2-1 to the Magic, fought back using heart and tenacity that hasn’t been seen since the days of Bill Russell. The Red Sox, despite struggling starters and a non-existent Big Papi, were continuing to win. To top it all off, the Sox, Bruins and Celtics all pulled off wins on the same night two times in a 4 day stretch.

Then it began to fall apart. The Sox entered their final west coast trip of the year, losing two of three to both the Angels and Mariners. The Bruins entered game 7 with all the momentum in the world, but ended with Scott Walker entering the realm of Bucky Freakin’ Dent with his game winner in overtime. The Celtics hit the bottom of their tank late in the fourth quarter of game 6, then had just enough left to tug fans along until the fourth quarter of game 7 when the Magic showed their potential.

Sterling and I witnessed that aforementioned game 7, not just from any seats but from loge box 17, 10 rows from the court. The view was great and the seats were amazing, but there was one issue that surfaced as the game went on. We were amongst all season ticket holders. While many fans were just happy to be at a game 7, these fans were mostly silent midway through the fourth as Mickael Pietrus did his best Ray Allen impersonation. They had blank faces, unsure of what to do next. This wasn’t just a game for them; this was part of their lives. For 49 games these seats were there whenever they needed a break from real life. At times they were their home, a part of their daily routine.

We've all heard of life imitating art, but last night was life imitating sports. The Sox aren't even at midseason, and although the Bruins lost they have a bright future. The same cannot be said for the Celtics. They are getting older, and their future, like their fan's expressions last night, is partially blank and unsure. They have multiple important free agents that they won't be able to afford. The big three have more miles on them than Black Beauty, my 1999 Oldsmobile Alero. And like Black Beauty you can see the rust, parts sometimes aren't working and it isn't as fuel efficient as it once was.

The good news? Right now, Black Beauty is still running fairly smooth on a daily basis. But I know the inevitable breakdown is coming and it could happen at any moment. The only question is how many road trips are left before it happens.

~Aaron Jackson

(Aaron was formerly the co-producer and writer of White Hat Sports, now Sterling's Sports. He is currently a sports reporter/anchor for an ABC/Fox affiliate in Maine.)

"Papi Stinks"

"I'm sorry guys. I don't feel like talking right now. Just put down, 'Papi Stinks.'"-David Ortiz

He's David Ortiz. Big Papi. Senor October. And right now, he stinks.

Current Batting Average: 208
"Papi Stinks"

Current OBP: 318
"Papi Stinks"

Current Slugging %: 300
"Papi Stinks"

Current Home Run Total: 0
"Papi Stinks"

Maybe his wrist is still hurting. Maybe he misses Manny. Maybe he was on steroids. Maybe the pressure of Boston is finally getting to him. Maybe he is just getting old. Maybe the hole in his swing, the hole that Minnesota cut him for, has reappeared and pitchers are taking advantage. No one really knows.

One thing I do know is there are very few people that enjoy seeing Ortiz struggle. Fans and players alike all love the big man and hope he can rebound. While I feel the same way, I am not quite as optimistic, and heres why.

Mo Vaughn went from crushing 30-40 home runs a year with a great average to completely irrelevant after 10 seasons.

Carl Everett, while he had a longer career than Vaughn, had a 9 year span during the heart of his career where he hit double digit home runs each year, then fell apart (unless you look at his one year with the White Sox.)

Danny Tartabull also had 9 years of double digit home run production, then completely fell apart (again, other than one year with the White Sox.)

Richie Sexson had 10 years out of eleven (the outlier year he only had 90 at bats with Arizona) where he had double digit home runs before his average and slugging percentage fell apart.

Tony Clark had 9 out of 10 years (the outlier year being with Boston) where he had double digit home runs every year, then fell apart (other than one year with Arizona).

Heres where all of this hits home...

David Ortiz has hit double digit home runs now for 9 years in a row.

~Aaron Jackson

(Aaron was formerly the co-producer and writer of White Hat Sports, now Sterling's Sports. He is currently a sports reporter/anchor for an ABC/Fox affiliate in Maine.)

History In The Making

Alright, so I’m about to attempt something never attempted before, at least to my knowledge. I am going to do a double jogging diary. I will switch between the USA Basketball Team and the Sox-Yankees game. Here’s the catch; once USA is up by twenty I’m done.

8:07 PM: Canada showing some early aggression. Interesting to note that the Canadian team has only one white player starting. I would have expected more.

8:10 PM: USA up by five right now, and Wade nailed a three with the announcer’s reaction being “I think Wade is already wet right now”, followed by “I don’t think Kobe is getting off right to start.” Awwwwkward. Time to switch.

8:11 PM: Top four already, and the Yankees are up one to nothing. I hate the newly minted Sox fans with a passion, because you see them all the time talking about how the Yankees suck and they aren’t scared of them. No offense, but if you were a fan of the Sox earlier than 2004 you would know better than to not be scared of the Yankees. I’ll be O.K. with the Sox when they have a 20 game lead with 30 games left. No sooner.

8:15 PM: Varitek throws out Melky Cabrera perfectly. I think we should just allow Tek to take a baseball whenever he gets up to bat and just throw it. That way we don’t have to watch him hit and his average is bound to go up.

8:18 PM: I switch back over to USA action just in time to hear the announcer say that Kobe is too cool for school. This announcer is extremely, extremely awkward. I think he should travel back about 40 years in time, he would fit in then. Also, Jesse Young for Canada looks exactly like Chris Kaman, only with black hair. Poor guy. USA still only up by five. They need to get to twenty soon, otherwise I won’t be able to use my wrists to hit in the ABC Vs. Local Merchants Softball game tomorrow.

8:22 PM: The announcer just said something about erections. Alright, seriously, he’s got to be doing this stuff on purpose. I’m looking at you, Tim Donaghy, with your prop bets.

8:25 PM: Back to Sox. Joba is on the mound, and so far has looked really good. Well, he was looking good till we got a close up of Luis Alicea’s crotch. Now I’m not so sure. Jerry Remy just said Joba is slowing his fastball down as a starter, then says he is hitting around 91-93. Meanwhile the radar gun is showing 98+. Now they are showing shots of the Sox bullpen band. That thing is so cool; I’m surprised it hasn’t gotten more publicity than it has.

8:29 PM: Back to basketball, and it’s a close-up of Cana-Kaman. Not the greeting I was hoping for. Score is 32-25, and the USA still has yet to pull away from Canada. This is kind of depressing. Meanwhile, Fran Fraschilla just called Beijing Beeeejing. That’s fantastic. Now it’s a ten point game. This is more like it.

8:34 PM: Tried to go back to Sox, but Youk makes a fantastic play at first to get the unassisted double play and send it to commercial, so back to NBA. The announcer for the NBA just announced he is “feeling Dwayne Wade”. To take a page out of Arrested Development, he should really just watch the tape of his game calling and see if there is anything awkward about it. I’ll be referring to him as Tobias the Analrapist from now on. Back to Sox.

8:37 PM: Breaking news, Yankees have traded four prospects for Xavier Nady and Damaso Marte. Both decent players, but not the stars we are used to seeing head to the Yankees. I guarantee this is followed by the announcement that Hideki Matsui is done for the year. And now you know why I am never comfortable with the Yankees. Meanwhile Joba’s breaking stuff is much more impressive than his fastball to me. Of course, I wouldn’t be saying that if I was in the batters box.

8:41 PM: Team USA is now up by 15, and this jogging diary has an expiration date of about 10 minutes I bet. They have expanded the lead now with Chris Paul at the helm rather than Jason Kidd. Hopefully they don’t start Kidd because of his “experience”, because Paul is the guy that will win it all for them. Tobias the Analrapist has nicknames for all the players on the team like he’s their best friend.

8:45 PM: Beckett is struggling, giving up nine hits through 5+ innings right now. Only one run, but it seems only a matter of time till he breaks down. I saw him live during the Brewers series, and I can tell you this isn’t the same Beckett we saw last year.

8:48 PM: We are one point away from the end of the jogging diary. My prediction of 10 minutes may come true.

8:50 PM: Well, I was close. USA has the twenty point lead plus some now, so this is the end of this ground-breaking jogging diary.

Till next time my friends…

~Aaron Jackson

A Dream Deferred

Picture this, if you will...
Joe is a college student at a private university, and he is getting ready to graduate. He has a bright future ahead of him, has achieved what most consider the highest level in his respective major, and is now getting ready for the real world. Joe gets rewarded for his hard work and is signed into a contract by a top level company, and is getting ready to live his dream. However, he also made a commitment when he started college that he would work for a different company. The other company at the time said they would allow him the opportunity to pursue his dreams as long as he also maintained a relationship with them, and eventually went to work for them later on. Now said other company is backing out of their written agreement, and stating that Joe must come work for them now. Joe takes it well, stating that he knew he had prior commitments, and while he wanted to pursue both dreams, he was ok with living one. Sounds like a good kid getting screwed over doesn't it?

Meet Caleb Campbell. He is a graduate from Westpoint, a military school. He also played football for their team, and excelled at his position of safety, so much so in fact he was drafted into the highest football league in the world by the Detroit Lions. His military contract stated that he would be allowed to play in the NFL if he was drafted, and could serve as a recruiter till his NFL career was over. Today it was announced the military has changed it's policies, and will not allow Campbell to play in the NFL, but will instead force him into military duty.

There are so many things wrong with this. One, the military isn't playing this correctly. After taking public relations classes I can tell you the military needs all the good press they can get, and this guy could've been a step in that direction, a guy who serves his country while living his dream. Plus, what better way to recruit new members than telling them to meet with an NFL player.

Two, they changed the policy after Campbell was led to believe he could play in the NFL. He was ready to live two dreams; to play in the NFL and serve his country. Now, he is being forced into one. The military says they will allow him to ask to be released in May of 2010, but in a league like the NFL your career tends to be shorter than most. Plus, who's to say they don't just "change the policy" at their convenience.

And three (this is what really burns me) the media is not jumping on this. It's an injustice to Campbell, and although he's taking it well he shouldn't be in this situation. The media has the power to create change, to shed light on injustices, and that is clearly what should be done in this situation.

It's an unfortunate situation, but it has shed some light on the falsities of the so-called "American dream". In the end, maybe Campbell will get his chance to pursue his dream, but maybe he won't. One thing is sure though; you won't hear Campbell complain. He, unlike his country, stays true to his word.

~Aaron Jackson

Shaun Alexander Signs With The Patriots?

Updated 11:24 AM, July 10th: Looks like we may have jumped the gun on this one, as there is still no official word on this story. I'm guessing it will happen soon if it does, but who really knows with the Patriots. They always keep things well under wraps. I'll be sure to post something more official as soon as I have it.

11:15 PM: Props to my good friend Ryan Olderman for this story. There has been tentative interest in Shaun Alexander from the Patriots for some time now, and Alexander has been not so tentative in expressing his interest in the Pats, now it seems the two sides have came together and the Pats have signed Alexander for the veteran minimum. While I have yet to find official word on this, it seems like a good match. The Pats have a decent running back core in Laurence Maroney and Sammy Morris, plus Kevin Faulk as a pseudo-reciever in the backfield, so it can't hurt to add a little depth to the position. Especially when you consider the fact that Alexander isn't too far removed from being considered an elite back in the NFL and leading his team to a Super Bowl. You've got to think the guy has something in the tank still, even if the shelf life on running backs is significantly smaller than other positions. Worst case scenario he has nothing left and is cut. In the NFL most money in contracts is non-guaranteed, so the Pats most likely won't lose much if he doesn't pan out. If he does pan out they add another good piece to what is already the best offense in the league. I'll try to get some more sources to confirm this if not tonight than early tomorrow, but I thought I would continue in the White Hat tradition of getting breaking news out even before ESPN.

~Aaron Jackson

"Bit's O' Info"

It's been awhile since a "Bit's O' Info" post, so now seems like the perfect time to do one.

Cubs trade for Harden: Originally I thought this was a terrible deal for the Cubs, as the Cubs are now just getting over the Mark Prior-Kerry Wood era, and now they bring in another pitcher with tons of talent that is always injured. Then I found out they didn't give up a whole lot (Sean Gallagher, Matt Murton, Eric Patterson and a minor leaguer), and they also acquired Chad Gaudin. Gaudin is a guy I think will have more of an impact on the Cubs than Rich Harden. He was having a good year in the AL, and AL pitchers tend to translate very well to the National League, at least at the outset.

All in all, if Harden pans out they pair him with Zambrano for a great front end of a rotation. If not they still got Gaudin, who will provide quality-high quality innings.

Elton Brand goes to the Sixers: Shades of Carlos Boozer on this one. Brand opted out of his deal with the Clippers, and stated he absolutely wanted to return. The Clippers then go out and get a verbal commitment from a great player in Baron Davis to pair with Brand, giving him some much needed help. They also draft Eric Gordon ( who may very well make an appearance in my draft notebook special that I am still working on), giving themselves a team that should contend in the West. Now Brand is reportedly going to sign with the Philadelphia 76ers. While I understand why he would do this (the Sixers are a good up and coming team in a weaker Eastern Conference), he still is breaking his word with the team after they made a good faith effort to help him. It would be one thing if the Clips did nothing to bolster the team and expected Brand to stay, but they signed a huge piece of the puzzle thinking he would be around. I'm not sure they make the Davis signing if they think Brand is going to leave. We'll see if the rumors become true, because according to multiple sources the deal with the Sixers is just about done.

Record for Maine Olympics: The state of Maine has a record 7 people making the cut for this years Olympics, including world record holder and gold medalist Ian Crocker. The state seems to be slowly but surely becoming more modernized, both in technology and in sports. I personally can't wait for the proposed NBDL team to arrive in Portland.

NFL continues crackdown on cheating: In a move reminiscent of the NBA's new hire of Major General Ron Johnson to oversee it's referees, the NFL announced the hiring of Pennsylvania State Police Chief Jeffrey Miller to oversee security, which includes both fan and team behavior. The NFL seemed eager to specify that his duties include the overseeing of teams taping other teams when the announcement was made. Personally, I don't like either hire. These guys are outsiders to the game, and will have a tough time adjusting to their new lives. personally, I think it's more of a public relations stunt by both leagues than anything. Gives them a "hard ass" new look at the top.

Wrigley Field to host next NHL outdoor game: This was some of the best news I have heard in awhile. Seriously, an NHL game at Wrigley? That will be amazing to watch. The only other baseball park I would rather see a NHL game in would be Fenway. Can you imagine watching Sid the kid and the Penguins take on the Bruins with the monster as the back drop. It would be unbelievable. Still, a game at Wrigley Field, in HD, has me more ecstatic about hockey than I have been in a long time. This outdoors idea could slowly, single-handedly, bring the NHL back to relevance.

~Aaron Jackson

The Tale Of A Hypocrite

Jemele Hill. She is an ESPN Page 2 columnist, and I use the term columnist in the broadest sense of the term. Frankly, she is terrible. If anyone has ever read her garbage you would understand, and if you haven't here is a link to read her writing. I know you'll agree. Now I'm not normally the guy to criticize someone, I have many flaws of my own. But at some point people have to be responsible for their actions. Heres what went down...

In a recent article about the Boston Celtics she says, and I quote, cheering "for the Celtics is like saying Hitler was a victim." I mean, I'm pretty sure that isn't any better than what Don Imus said. Frankly, I think that should be the end for her, but not just because of that comment. Here is why...

Jemele Hill is constantly writing about race. In fact, it is very rare that she writes about anything else. Any time there is an issue about race she manages to beat it to death. She was one of the people calling for Don Imus to be fired after his "nappy headed hoes" comment, and she manages to insert race into issues that have nothing to do with the matter. In fact, a direct quote from her is "now, the killer for me is that I'm a double-minority. On any given day, I either don't know anything because I'm a woman or I'm a affirmative action hire because I'm black." She also admits to constantly writing about race, stating "Just because I've written extensively about race doesn't render me incapable of making the same mistakes as the people I've written about." She was one of the first ones jumping on golf announcer Kelly Tilghman after her remarks about Tiger. So clearly I think I've established the fact that she puts race in just about everything, including describing herself.

She also is just a terrible columnist. After reading her articles for ESPN's Page 2 I wonder if maybe she blackmailed them into hiring her somehow, because there are so many better writers out there. And I'm not the only one who believes this. If you look at the comments readers put at the end of her drivel you'll see that maybe one out of every fifteen is actually a positive comment, the other fourteen are calling for her to just stop writing altogether. She often defends people she considers "friends" while hating on people that she doesn't. In comparing A-Rod to Kobe Bryant recently she said "say what you will about Kobe Bryant, but at least he's not a mercenary who wants all of the money, but none of the pressure, and doesn't perform in the playoffs. In other words, at least he's not Alex Rodriguez." Now, I don't enjoy defending A-Rod here, but Kobe threatened to go to the Clippers, the team playing in the same building as his own, until they upped their ante. He also ripped into his teammate Andrew Bynum during the off-season, and repeatedly stated he wanted out of L.A. By the way, he makes over 33 mil. after endorsements and salary. A-Rod makes 28 mil. He also resigned with the Yankees for what many people considered a "good deal" at the time. Never mind the fact that teams could pay A-Rod as much as they want, while teams have strict salary limits in the NBA.

Heres the last part of my rant. Her apology was terrible and hypocritical. She couldn't even go one article without contradicting herself. " Real apologies don't mix with rationalizations, so I won't insult your intelligence by offering you any." Later in the same article; "it doesn't matter that my intent was to use hyperbole to bolster the humor." Sounds exactly like a rationalization to me. Then she actually takes another shot at the same people she is supposed to be apologizing to when she says "I learned some good and some not-so-good things about people during the week of my suspension. I've learned who my friends are. I've learned Boston Celtics fans sure do know how to make the most out of e-mail." By saying that right there, in her apology article no less, she shows she is not apologetic at all. She then goes on to say that "when it comes to race, uncomfortable is best." No Jemele, it's the opposite. The world will be the place we want it to be when we are all comfortable with each and every race, with each and every person. People being uncomfortable with race is exactly what is wrong with our society. But, I guess if we were all comfortable with each other you would have nothing to write about would you Jemele. Your writing oftentimes isn't even good enough to get into my local newspaper in Maine, let alone be posted on "the worldwide leader in sports." If ESPN was smart, they would cut ties with you here and now. And not because of your comment. No, because, even if you were a good writer at one point, you are not anymore. The comment you made may be racist, it may not be, it doesn't matter. I guess it's all in your perspective. As far as I'm concerned, it doesn't matter. You don't deserve the position you are in, never have, and if this is what it takes to justify your release then so be it.

So there it is. Count me among the "haters" if you want Jemele, but the only thing you ever had going for you is playing the race card, and now that the race card is coming right back at you you don't know how to deal. You aren't a good writer, very few people read your articles and the ones who do mostly hate them. Furthermore, you have just proven yourself to be a hypocrite multiple times in one article.

I'll leave you with this from Ms. Hill; " I'm not going to stop writing about race. It's just that the next time I do, I'll be carrying an enhanced perspective." And the one trick pony trots on...

~Aaron Jackson

Look At The Stars...NL Edition

Alright, while I'm waiting on your input about the hottest sportscasters contest, I decided to do a run down of who's most deserving of your votes for the upcoming MLB All Star Game. I'll start with the NL, then go to the AL later.

Catcher-Ryan Doumit, Pittsburgh Pirates: You can make a case for Brian McCann of Atlanta, Geovany Soto of Cubs, Russell Martin from the Dodgers and Bengie Molina from the Giants, but they just don't compare to Doumit. Heres why: Doumit has 9 home runs even though he spent a decent amount of time on the DL. He also is slugging .609 and is hitting .341 with a .387 on base percentage. All three of those percentages are higher than any other guy on that list. If he hadn't been injured he would be a shoe in, but the injury caused his non-percentage numbers to suffer some.

1st Base-Lance Berkman, Houston Astros: This guy is clearly the pick for the first base slot, especially after Albert Pujols injury. He is the best hitter in the NL hands down right now at first, and is headed towards an amazing statistical season. If he isn't the starting first baseman on this team it's a travesty.

2nd Base-Chase Utley, Philadephia Phillies: Despite his recent struggles, the nod still has to go to Utley. He is on the verge of giving his team their third straight MVP, an unbelievable feat. For him to be hitting the ball as hard as he has from the second base position is a huge boost for the Phillies.

3rd Base-Chipper Jones, Atlanta Braves: Yes, his average has dropped below .400 now to .390. He is still the all star at third base by a long shot. The last three guys have been absolute shoe-ins, with Dan Uggla at second base being the only player even approaching similar production to the player I've listed.

Shortstop-Hanley Ramirez, Florida Marlins: Everyone talks about the trade this year that gave the Rangers Josh Hamilton and the Reds Edison Volquez, but how about the Sox-Marlins deal a few years ago that got the Marlins Ramirez and gave the Sox Beckett and Mike Lowell. That was a deal that was great for both teams. Hanley has been everything the Sox expected when he was in the minors and more, and is becoming one of the great young players in the game.

Outfielders-Ryan Braun, Milwaukee Brewers; Matt Holliday, Colorado Rockies; Ryan Ludwick, St. Louis Cardinals: Braun is the class of this group. Watching him live I can tell you he is one of the best hitters in the game, and hits the ball extremely hard. Holliday should be a perennial All Star at this point, his numbers are always great and he is continuing that this year despite his injury. Ludwick could be around to stay, or he could be a guy that doesn't have staying power, but right now he is the reason the Cardinals are still in the playoff race. He has been great this year, and that is what the All Star game is all about.

I'll get to the NL pitchers later in the week, then do the AL in the same format. Also, you better believe I'll be doing a running diary of the NBA draft comparing my selections to what teams actually did. That is, as long as I don't have to work late that day...I may actually just DVR it in case I am working late. Also, I'll be giving you my picks that I put in my draft notebook as the best players relative to their draft position in the draft. In case you wanted to see the past years success I've had, you can go right here.

~Aaron Jackson

And She's Hott Too....

Alright, here it is, the first annual hottest sportscaster awards from White Hat Sports. Heres the catch; the girl must actually know her sports. She can't just be extremely hott and know nothing. Therefore, girls like Jillian Barberie do not count. I only will choose girls that would still have their jobs if they were extremely ugly bald men, because they also have knowledge of sports and/or reporting skills. I'll start with number 5 and work my way towards number 1.

#5.Stacey Dales, ESPN: This girl goes on the list because not only does she know sports, she played sports. Formerly Stacey Dales-Schuman, the now divorced Dales was a very talented WNBA player (not that anyone would know that, who watches the WNBA). Now she does some sideline reporting for college football, and is also a college basketball analyst for ESPN. She goes on this list because, at six feet tall, she must have some really long legs, and you know she's in shape because she was a former athlete. She also seems to know her stuff, so that means she certainly qualifies for this list. She very slightly beat out Summer Sanders for the #5 slot, and really only beat her because I haven't seen Summer do anything for a long time now.




#4. Melissa Stark, (formerly) ESPN: The now NBC sideline reporter is definitely up there on my list. She used to do sideline reporting for Monday Night Football, and, at last check, was doing reporting for NBC for skating. I do believe we will be seeing her during the Olympics coverage on NBC, so that is at least one reason to watch the Olympics this years. Well, that and the fact that there won't be any other sports on for the most part.


There's number 5 and number 4 in my opinion. I already have a top 3 lined up, but I'm sure there are girls I am missing. Please send me e-mails, leave comments, do whatever you need to do to let me know of the girls you think are the hottest knowledgeable sportscasters. Something like this is always up for debate, and you guys can absolutely change the list.

~Aaron Jackson

Schilling's Career Over?

Curt Schilling announced today that he will undergo season ending surgery, and that it may spell the end of his career. This comes as a very, very, very sad moment for me. I still remember Theo wining and dining Curt, and it was a defining moment in Red Sox history. Noone can convince me otherwise. The guy was a proven winner, someone that everyone knew was clutch. What we didn't know is, as Colin Cowherd likes to put it, that he had IT. IT is something that is very hard to find. Players with IT take teams to another level, something that only the greatest of the great can ever do. Now, Schillings numbers may not back up my assertion that he has IT, but his other credentials do. Schill changed the atmosphere of the Sox. He was part of that group that took the team from good, but rarely great, and turned them into great when they needed it most. The entire attitude of the team changed because Schill helped change it. No ifs, ands, or buts about it. He deserves to go into the hall of fame regardless of what his numbers say. And normally if my favorite team wasted a big chunk of change on a guy who never pitched in the season I would be upset, but with Schilling I'm not.

I'll leave you with this note. When Schilling was brought into the Sox organization, I went out and immediately bought his jersey, something I had never done before. When my favorite team acquires a new player I will not buy their merchandise, because you never know how it's going to turn out. I bought his jersey because I new, before he arrived, that he would only leave a positive legacy with the team. I had no idea they would win two World Series in his very short time with the team, but I could just tell he was going to take the team to another level, not just with his play on the field but also with his attitude off it.

~Aaron Jackson

Green, Ellington and Lawson set to return

Updated as of 6:oopm: Ty Lawson has announced he will also stay at UNC for another year. I am ecstatic, and it makes this next seasons team by far the top ranked team in the land. I could see them losing less than two games all season. He will join Wayne Ellington, Danny Green and Tyler Hansbrough as the backbone of this North Carolina club, who will only lose Quentin Thomas and Surry Wood off last seasons roster. Other players announcing they will not enter the draft are Texas' A.J. Abrams, Memphis' Robert Dozier, UAB's Robert Vaden, Jannero Pargo's younger brother from Gonzaga Jeremy Pargo and Alabama guard Ronald Steele.

Yeah, once again something I wrote came true. Both Wayne Ellington and Danny Green will be coming back for another season at UNC. No word yet on Ty Lawson, but I'm expecting him to go after having decent camps. Should be interesting to see where Carolina is ranked now. I'm guessing they should be at the top in the first polls. Definitely a huge win for a program that is almost always towards the top. The deadline for players to undeclare for the draft is 5pm, it will be interesting to see how many other players pull out after learning they won't go in the first round.

~Aaron Jackson

First Annual NBA Draft Part 3

Alright, so this one has been a long time coming, but with the amount of work I've been putting in I haven't had time to continue such an in depth thread, so I decided to just write nothing. The good news is this is the last part of the preview, and after this I can write smaller posts that require significantly less research. This last section particularly is difficult, because it is where foreign players start to get picked by contenders. That means two things...I have no clue who some of these guys are, because unfortunately I don't have foreign scouts to go by, and I can't fly out to watch them. Obviously. The second problem is that you never really know what contenders are thinking. They could be looking for a polished foreign player to play right away, or they could be happy with their current roster and pick an unpolished guy that will stay foreign for a few years to develop. I will still project the picks, but for some of these foreign guys I can't provide much of my own analysis, I can only rehash what other people have written. While I don't mind doing that some, expect the analysis of those players to be much less in depth. Here we go...

21. New Jersey-Kosta Koufos: This pick is from Dallas, and I think they stick with picking for need and take Koufos here for the same reasons I had them taking Darrell Arthur earlier.

22. Orlando Magic-Chris Douglas Roberts: The biggest hole for this team is the two guard slots, and I consider this a toss up between Roberts and Mario Chalmers from Kansas. I give Roberts the edge only because I think they can live with Jameer Nelson, but their shooting guard slot really needs help, and Roberts certainly provides that. This pick really comes down to how much they have J.J. Reddick in their plans, and it seems like he isn't on the best of terms with the team.

23. Utah Jazz-Nicolas Batum: I don't know much about this guy, other than most people seem to think he can do just about anything on the basketball court. With Andrei Kirilenko being so hit or miss now, it seems like time to find someone to potentially help at the forward position, and certainly Batum could provide that.

24. Seattle Supersonics-Serge Ibaka: The GM of the Sonics comes from the Spurs, and while I think they could use a guard here, they may very well take Ibaka and let him develop overseas. The only guard left worth taking at this point is Mario Chalmers, and they already have him in Earl Watson. They know they are a year or two away from competing, so they will be more than happy to wait for a guy with lots of potential.

25. Houston Rockets-Bill Walker: This is the other guy from Kansas State that has a lot of talent. He didn't get much publicity because of the fact that he played alongside Michael Beasley, but I think he can definitely be a good pro. He can provide more offense when needed over Shane Battier, and can play in place of McGrady when he has his inevitable injury.

26. San Antonio Spurs-Robin Lopez: Unfortunately for the Spurs, I think their run is over. They have become obsessed with only acquiring players they think fit their system mentally, and while it worked for a while, the type of player they want just doesn't work in the NBA anymore. They probably take Lopez here because he's a big body with a very small ego that doesn't need the ball, but I don't think he ever amounts to anything.

27. New Orleans Hornets-J.J. Hickson: This guy has plenty of potential, and will provide a talented player to come in and play when David West needs a rest. They need big bodies and he certainly provides one, and is a good value late in the draft.

28. Memphis Grizzlies-DeVon Hardin: Another big guy with tons of potential, which is what the Grizzlies need. They know they aren't going to contend for awhile, and Hardin probably won't be a regular contributor for awhile either. He is a good pick for the future.

29. Detroit Piston-Mario Chalmers: I fully expect a big trade from the Pistons, and it could very well be the rumored deal with the Nuggets. That would mean they would trade off Rasheed Wallace, Tayshaun Prince, Chauncey Billups and this pick for Carmelo Anthony, Marcus Camby, Kenyon Martin and Chucky Atkins. If the Nuggets pick here they will definitely take Chalmers, and if the Pistons keep the pick and don't make that deal they still may take Chalmers as a back up guard to go with Rodney Stuckey.

30. Boston Celtics-Alexis Ajinca: The only thing I know about this guy is that he is foreign and would absolutely not be playing this coming year in the league. That's fine with the soon to be defending NBA champions, who don't need someone to play right now unless it's a point guard, and unless Chalmers falls to here they won't find that.

On a personal note, I fully expect that both Danny Green and Wayne Ellington will not stay in the draft, and will play at UNC another year. Lawson may or may not go, it depends on what he is hearing from teams. Regardless, the Heels have one of the best incoming freshmen classes, and keeping around those two and Hansbrough should propel the to the top this coming season.

~Aaron Jackson

First Annual Draft Preview Part 2

Heres the second part of the three part series on the NBA draft. Lets get right into it.

11. Indiana Pacers-D.J. Augustin: I absolutely love this guy. He led the Texas Longhorns deep into the tournament, and really didn't have a whole lot around him. That is the first thing I look at when I look at point guards. He certainly showed maturity compared to his first year, and went from effectively wild to just plain effective. If I was drafting for an NBA team he would be the third guy on my draft board. I believe in him that much. Not only is he a great leader, but he can also score, and is a very good shooter. It's too bad he could go to a team like the Pacers that no one watches, but I have a feeling his name will be a household name in a couple of years.

12. Sacramento Kings-Russell Westbrook: Westbrook probably isn't going to ever be a scorer, but he can become a top of the line defender, and should be able to lead a playoff caliber team. I think this is a little high for him because of the fact that he struggles at times to score, but I've always said that you can survive in the NBA by doing one thing great, and he can certainly do that with his defense. I wouldn't ever expect much more than a 15 and 7 from him, but in this spot you could certainly do worse.

13. Portland Trail Blazers-Joe Alexander: If this was two years ago, the Blazers would take Donte Green from Syracuse here, a player who has plenty of talent but is very raw. It isn't, and the Blazers have really had some good drafts lately. I expect Alexander to help them continue down that path. This guy really impressed me last season, especially in the tournament. He can shoot, although he does need to work on his range, and he has plenty of athleticism. He also fits this team perfectly, and will work with Travis Outlaw well. I definitely have him as one of my sleepers in the draft this year.

14. Golden State Warriors-Tywon Lawson: ESPN has Kevin Love going here, and that makes me laugh. Could there be a player that fits the Warriors style of play less? Maybe Roy Hibbert, as at least Love throws good outlet passes. For me, this pick makes so much more sense. Baron Davis may or may not be staying around, but even if he does he is always an injury risk. Why not get a guy like Lawson who can come off the bench and actually run the team faster than Davis? This is a match made in heaven as far as I'm concerned.

15. Phoenix Suns-Brandon Rush: I really thought this guy was overrated his whole career, but then I watched him during this years tournament and went completely the other way. I now think he's underrated, and he is a guy who can contribute right now. For the Suns that is gold. They can't afford to wait for a guy to develop, but they also can't afford to continue to be complete idiots and trade their draft picks away. They probably should have won an NBA championship already, but they keep getting rid of their draft picks for cash. I expect this year they finally change that trend.

16. Philadelphia 76ers-Kevin Love: This is a good spot for Love, because he his weaknesses on defense won't be exposed as much with Samuel Dalembert at center and Andre Iguodola at the other forward. He can also step right into the starting rotation for the Sixers, who need a good power forward. If Love can play well I expect this Sixers team to really contend in the East, as AI2, Dalembert, Andre Miller and Louis Williams are really coming together.

17. Toronto Raptors-Chase Buddinger: This guy is a pure athlete and can really put the ball in the hoop. He's listed as a shooting guard, but I consider him more of a small forward at 6-7. The Raptors could really use a center, but at this slot I really don't see one worthy of their pick. They make take Kosta Koufos from Ohio State here, but I don't see it.

18. Washington Wizards-Marreese Speights: This guy has plenty of potential if he could just take the time to work at it. He is similar to Elton Brand in that he has a very wide frame, but the comparisons end there. He doesn't have the range of Brand, and he doesn't have the work ethic of Brand. If he can work at his game and his athleticism he can be a good player.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers-Roy Hibbert: I don't think Hibbert will ever live up to expectations, and he certainly didn't in college. That being said, he can be a productive NBA player. If he can work with Zydrunas Ilgauskas to improve his range and use the athletic ability he has to be effective then he can be a good player. He isn't ever going to wow you with his athletic ability, but he can become a smart player that starts in the league. I never thought he would amount to anything in college, but I'm starting to come around to the belief that if he is willing to work hard he can become a decent NBA player.

20. Denver Nuggets-Javale McGee: I'll be honest here, I don't know much about McGee. I do know that he is long and athletic, and at 6'10" that is what the Nuggets need. Two months ago I would have said they needed a guard here, but J.R. Smith really came on strong, and I think he can come in as the starting shooting guard next year. McGee is raw, but he should be able to help some off the bench for a team really needing defense.

~Aaron Jackson

First Annual NBA Draft Preview

Alright, here it is, the 1st annual White Hat Sports mock draft, as brought to you by Aaron Jackson. I've decided to make this a mix of two things; what I think the team should do and what I think the team will do. I'll do the series in groups of tens, and I'll start with the #1 pick.

1. Chicago Bulls-Michael Beasley: Yes, I am the guy that wrote a post saying Derek Rose should be the number 1 overall pick. And for just about any other team I would stick with that. But the Bulls need low post scoring, they have none at all. Beasley, worst case scenario, is probably Derrick Coleman, and even Coleman would be an improvement over just about anyone the Bulls currently throw out there. I do think Derrick Rose is a guaranteed superstar, and that Beasley isn't. But the Bulls have good guards already, and adding Beasley brings them to another level.

2. Miami Heat-Derrick Rose: Obviously, this draft is a two player draft at the top. While I wouldn't be surprised if the Heat traded this pick, I also know that Pat Riley is in love with Rose. A backcourt of Dwayne Wade and Rose will almost certainly be able to contend in the East, and they should have no problem adding more talent that want to play in Miami with such a talented duo. Personally, I would trade the pick if I was them because I think Rose is much more like Wade than people think, and having two similar players doesn't always work, but it'll be tough to find equal value.

3. Minnesota Timberwolves-O.J. Mayo: After the first two players in the draft the talent drops considerably. Mayo may have all kinds of talent, but he didn't wow me at any point at USC, and he doesn't seem to have a great attitude. The Wolves already have a player exactly like him: Rashad Mccants. That being said, if Mayo pans out and becomes what he potentially can, the Wolves look like idiots for not taking him. That, in the end, will force their hand into taking Mayo.

4. Seattle Supersonics-Eric Gordon: I think this guy will really do well in the NBA. A lot of scouts have the Sonics taking Jerryd Bayless here, but that is a huge gamble for them. I think Gordon has the higher upside, and I also think he is more likely to succeed in general. The problem is that Bayless is becoming the flavor of the month, and that may hurt Gordon, who's stock was higher earlier this year.

5. Memphis Grizzlies-Brook Lopez: You know how I feel about Stanford. I am the guy who said "I can't wait for the Lopez twins to be knocked out of the tournament, get drafted twenty spots too high, then go down the long road of underachieving big men." This was before they lost to Texas, and the first two parts of my prediction are right. Lopez is a lower first round talent trapped in a huge body, and his brother Robin is a guy that really probably shouldn't be drafted all together. I'll be the first one to admit I was wrong if he does well, but I don't see it happening.

6. New York Knicks-Danilo Gallinari: I haven't seen much of anything from this guy, but reading reports about him he sounds unbelievable. He may be good, he may not, but I think he will drafted here because of Mike Dantoni. I would like to see him play first, but if any of the reports are true this guy could be a great one. He will definitely fit in to Dantoni's system, and that's why he gets drafted here.

7. Los Angeles Clippers-Jerryd Bayless: I still think this is too high for him, but again, he's the flavor of the month. He could definitely be a good player, and he's shown flashes of developing into that. However, he lead Arizona almost nowhere, and that means something to me. Point guards are supposed to be leaders, and he didn't do that for Arizona. I could understand if a premier forward prospect can't lead his team far, but for a point guard to lead a very talented team nowhere shows me he doesn't have IT.

8. Milwaukee Bucks-Anthony Randolph: I don't really know where the Bucks go here. They have decent talent at every position, but besides Redd they don't have a genuine star at any position. I guess they are hoping Yi Jianlian turns into one, but I don't see it. If I was them I would've taken D.J. Augsustin here, but I think they go with Randolph because he's tall and has a lot of potential.

9. Charlotte Bobcats-Deandre Jordan: It's a toss-up for me here between Jordan and Kevin Love, but I give Jordan the advantage because of the failure so far of Sean May. May was built similarly to Love, and while Love has more range as a player, May has more athleticism. Jordan has a mix of both, and while he is all potential at this point, he could certainly pan out to become a good player.

10. New Jersey Nets-Darrell Arthur: This is basically a pick of needs only. They are set in their backcourt and small forward slots, but could use some front court depth. Sean Williams and Josh Boone are both young guys that are developing, and Arthur would fit right in with them. Arthur isn't the top player available, but he fits a need, and he isn't so far off the top slot that they can't take him here.

~Aaron Jackson

White Hat Sports

As we mentioned in the first post, this blog started as a class assignment. The semester is now closing out, and most of us will be going on to either our next school year or the "real world". However, I plan on keeping the blog running. It may not be updated as much as other blogs, as I am working as a full time reporter now (you can watch my work on ABC-7 out of Bangor and Bangor's Fox affiliate), but I will strive to continue to provide quality material to the 5 people actually reading this blog. As far as I know, I will be the only one running it, although Sterling has expressed some interest in sticking with it. What I need from anyone that regularly reads this is ideas. The name of the blog is pretty obscure, and I've considered changing it, but don't really have any ideas as to what to change it to. I'm thinking something more interesting would be helpful in getting more people to view the site. Any other ideas would be great as well, just leave them in the comments. I really want to promote this and get more people reading it, so any suggestions you have for improvements to the blog are very helpful. I've noticed that we don't have many people commenting on most of the posts, and really would like to change that. There is no point in writing something if noone is reading it and having a reaction to it. On a personal note, it will also help me become a better writer.

Thanks for your time, and keep reading
~Aaron Jackson

Resting Easy

It seems like every year the San Antonio Spurs have a decent regular season and then "turn it on" come playoff time. I'm here to tell you that's not the case. The Spurs don't just glide through the regular season and then play ridiculously harder when the playoffs start. At least, no more than any other team would. Obviously, people play harder come playoff time than they would in game 13 of an 82 game season. But that isn't why the Spurs have so much playoff success. There is another reason altogether, one that is so obvious I am amazed no "experts" have looked into it. Here it is...

The San Antonio Spurs are one of the older teams in the league, both in actual age and in style of play. They also rely on two players in Manu Ginobili and Tony Parker who's style of play involves them throwing their bodies around, leading to smaller injuries that can be annoying over the course of an 82 game season. All this leads to one thing. The NBA playoffs take an extremely long time, and that is because there is always a break in between games. During the regular season the Spurs may be forced to play 5+ games in a row, and that is when the small injuries and overall age show up. Give these guys a couple days off between each and every game and they are able to play at their highest level night in and night out.

It's really a simple idea. Anyone that has played some level of basketball in their lives knows that there are small injuries and aches all the time. If you are forced to play multiple days in a row those injuries don't have time to rest, and it affects the way you play. If it's a shoulder injury your shot is off, if it's a sore ankle your lateral movement is off, if it's a knee everything is off. These small aches and pains aren't overly serious though, and given a day to heal, especially with all the modern technology NBA trainers have, these small injuries can go away pretty quickly. That is the real reason the Spurs have playoff success, not the "turning it on" factor.

By the way, don't say no one predicted the Hawks couldn't win in the playoffs...just look right here and you'll see I did exactly that. For what it's worth, I've been on the Hornets bandwagon all year as well, as you probably know by reading one of my many posts on them. I'm sticking with them all the way, and picked them to win it all in the end. Probably in the minority here, but I'll be looking pretty smart when I'm right.

~Aaron Jackson

For The Love Of Madden

It was recently announced that Brett Favre would be on the cover of the new Madden game. This comes as a surprise, as Madden's covers have always been current players, and unless they know something we don't, Favre is retired. I can think of two reasons this occured.

1. Frank Caliendo: This guy is hilarious. He does some of the best impersonations out there, and his John Madden is second to none. And he hits the nail on the head by saying that John Madden is in love with Brett Favre. Whenever John Madden talks about Brett Favre he just gushes. This leads me to believe that Madden forced EA Sport's hand on the matter, making them put Favre on the cover as a retirement present. Imagine that discussion between Favre and Madden.

Brett Favre: Well, gosh, I really do appreciate it John.
John Madden: I just hope it shows you how I truly feel for you.
Favre: What do you mean?
Madden: Well, I think it's better if I just sing you this song to show you how I really feel when I'm around you...
Favre: Uhhhh, John? I gotta go.
Madden: Wait, wait, wait...(cues music) One, you're like a dream come true....Two, just want to be with you...
Favre: (hangs up phone)
Madden: Three...Brett it's plain to see that you're the only one for me..and four...Brett, are you there? Brett?

2. The Madden Curse: I urge you to click on that link and see the list that is compiled of NFL players on the cover. I get that superstitions are that and nothing more, but this is beyond superstition. As far as I'm concerned after an event occurs 6 or more times in a ten year period, especially when it can only occur at a rate of one per year, it is no longer a curse. It is a fact. And wouldn't it make sense that all the current NFL stars refused to be put on the cover and they had to have some star power, and Favre was the obvious choice. Now, if somehow Favre gets injured within the next year we should just start putting people we want to get hurt on the cover. For what it's worth, heres my first nominee for the cover.

~Aaron Jackson

Masterson Gets First Career MLB Start

Justin Masterson, starting pitcher for the Red Sox farm team the Portland Sea Dogs, will get his first start today with the Red Sox. This comes after Josh Beckett and Dice-K were both scratched from their starts, and gives the fans their first look at one of the top pitching prospects in the organization.

Masterson will look to follow a long line of succesfull major league players coming from the Sea Dog's organization. The list includes players like Jonathan Papelbon, Dustin Pedroia, Jacoby Ellsbury, Jon Lester, Clay Buccholz, Hanley Ramirez, Josh Beckett and Kevin Youkilis.

"He's one of the nicest kids you'll ever meet," manager Terry Francona said in an interview with boston.com. "I think his future is very bright. Hopefully we'll get a chance to glimpse some of that."

So far this season Masterson has allowed only two runs and 14 hits over 19 innings, and although he has never pitched above double A it seems clear now is the right time to give him his shot. From watching him personally I can tell you he has great control, and a sinker that reminds people a lot of Derek Lowe.

When asked about the start by the Portland Press Herald Masterson stated "I'm just real excited. It's hard to put into words, but I just want to put together a quality performance."

~Aaron Jackson

The Value Of It All

The NBA MVP has been something that is always contested, with multiple players always being able to make a case for the trophy. This year Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Lebron James and Chris Paul all can make a bid for the prize, and to me only one stands out.

Chris Paul is the 2008 NBA MVP. He is the MVP because he lead his team that no one thought could win to a top seed in the Western Conference. He is the MVP because he averaged 21 points and 12 assists a game. He is the MVP because his team was one of the only teams not to make a significant trade, yet he didn't say anything and continued to lead his team. He is the MVP because he took a team in New Orleans that no one cared about and made them care. He is the MVP because he was the Most Valuable Player in the league.

I get it. Kobe Bryant was "snubbed" for a few years in a row. Kevin Garnett took a team that was horrible last year and helped make them the best team in the league. Lebron James almost averaged a triple double and led the NBA in fourth quarter scoring. All these guys have claims to the MVP trophy. But none of them took a bunch of role players and led them to the top of a conference that is probably one of the toughest conferences ever in the NBA. Kobe didn't make his teammates all that much better, and he has much more talent around him than Paul. Garnett had two other superstars playing along side him, and his numbers are not overwhelming. Lebron's numbers are amazing, but his team wasn't that great and played in the weaker conference. Combine all those things and it means one thing; Chris Paul deserves the MVP. Kobe, you're going to have to settle for second place again.

~Aaron Jackson

"Bits O' Info"

Couple of quick things to get to in this post:

~Roger Federer made it to his first final in the year 2008. It seems like tennis stars fade as quickly as they come, and while Federer was certainly more dominant than most it seems as though his days of being a finals shoe-in are over. It'll be interesting to see if he starts to become dominant again, or if he will continue to fall back towards the pack.

~The NHL playoffs have been amazing so far. I am by no means a huge hockey fan, but the sport definitely seems to be on a slow crawl back into the spotlight. It still has a long way to go, with getting off Versus being the first step, but if they can continue with the exciting play I've seen so far in the playoffs they should be able to rebound.

~Colin Cowherd ripped into the Seattle Supersonics on his show this week, saying that they don't deserve an NBA team. He says they made their choice when they gave new stadiums to multiple other teams before giving the Sonics one. He also said that it's ridiculous that the former owner of the Sonics, Howard Schultz, is upset with Clay Bennett (who bought the team from Schultz). He believes that Schultz should have known Bennett would want to take the team to Oklahoma City as Bennett is from there and has his business based there. I understand where he is coming from, but I completely disagree with what he is saying. Seattle deserves a team, and the Sonics are rich in tradition. Just because one idiotic owner sold it to another one doesn't mean the fans of the Sonics should suffer. And seriously, if David Stern is considering putting teams overseas, wouldn't it make sense to put a new team in Oklahoma City while he is at it.

~Aaron Jackson