Sprint Cup Power Rankings - Phoenix

1. Jeff Burton - He maintains the points lead after finishing a solid 6th on Sunday.

2. Kyle Busch - If it weren't for mechanical failures and possibly his head, Busch would probably still be the points leader. The mechanical issues will be solved and after showing a lot of patience on Sunday, Busch showed that his head is all right.

3. Carl Edwards - He's proven that he can dominate on the 1.5 mile tracks, but the flat tracks are unknown. This Saturday night in Phoenix, Edwards will have an opportunity to show everybody what his flat track program is like, and if he can run well there, you have to say he's the early favorite to win the Cup.

4. Tony Stewart - Ended Sunday's race with another top-10 finish. I'm sure he's just biding his time before he goes his usual summertime streak of two or three wins in a row.

5. Kevin Harvick - He had to deal with a bad car on Sunday, but his team never gave up and Harvick was able to manage an 11th place finish.

6. Dale Earnhardt Jr. - Jr. finished 12th on Sunday, and this season - unlike last year - 12th isn't so good. Expectations have really changed for the 88 team this time around.

8. Jimmie Johnson - Johnson finally does well at a 1.5 mile track this year. The question, though, is whether or not he can maintain this short burst of momentum into Phoenix this weekend. I think he can.

9. Denny Hamlin - Hamlin now has four top-10s in his last five races, and it looks like he's starting to return to form.

10. Jeff Gordon - The 24 team was absolutely clueless in Texas, and for just the second time in his 16-year career, Gordon finished dead last. I expect this team to rebound on Saturday night, but I also wouldn't be surprised if they struggle a little bit.

11. Ryan Newman - Okay, so maybe Newman should be a bit higher than the likes of Gordon after his fourth place finish on Sunday, but Gordon didn't fail post-race inspection like Newman did. Expect possible penalties to be announced later this afternoon.

12. Greg Biffle - He deserved to finish a lot higher than he did, if it weren't for a blown engine. I think a rebound is inevitable as Roush Fenway Racing has been running strong all year, so far.

Aaron Larsen

Show Me the Money

College basketball is over and the NBA playoffs are just about to get underway. That can only mean one thing....the NBA Draft. Seriously though, there is a debate as to who is going to be the number one overall pick. At this point it seems to be between two players; Michael Beasley of Kansas State and Derrick Rose of Memphis. Here is how I would do it if I was an NBA GM.

David Stern: "With the Number One overall selection in the 2008 NBA draft, the Seattle Supersonics select Derrick Rose, point guard, Memphis."

Now given, the Supersonics won't have the best chance of getting the #1 pick, but how often does the team with the most balls (ping pong, c'mon now) actually win the lottery? Can you imagine a nucleus of Kevin Durant, Jeff Green and Derrick Rose? That is a team that has a whole lot of potential.

In terms of justifying my pick of Rose over Beasley it's simple. Talented swing men are all over the place. On the other hand, talented point guards are tough to find. Also, you have to take into consideration the way the NBA is turning. The point guard is becoming the most important position in the sport. Just look at guys like Chris Paul, Deron Williams and Steve Nash. Each guy is the leader of his team, and each guy has a team that could potentially win the championship this year.

You can make the case that Beasley will put up the bigger numbers, and that Beasley is slightly more NBA ready in his physique. As far as I'm concerned though point guards are the future of the league, and Derrick Rose has all the tools to be one of the best.

~Aaron Jackson

Texas Reactions & Observations.

- It was clear Carl Edwards was a favorite to win the race Sunday, but I don't know if anybody thought he'd be that good. It's clear Roush Fenway has done their homework with this new car.

- It was a big rebound for Jimmie Johnson after struggling mightily on the 1.5 mile tracks earlier in the season. He looked like he had a car that could win throughout the entire race.

- On the other side of the Hendrick spectrum, Jeff Gordon finished dead last for just the second time in his 16 year career. Ironically, the first time was also in Texas, but in 1999.

- Dale Earnhardt Jr. has had good cars so far this season, but for whatever reason his team seems to lose the handle on his cars as the race goes on. He'll need to fix that issue if he wants to win a few races this season.

- Kevin Harvick may have had junk to drive with all day, but his team never gave up and salvaged an 11th place finish.

- Ryan Newman finished fourth but failed post-race inspection, so if you exclude that, Juan Pablo Montoya was the highest-finishing Dodge, in 19th. Imagine if Montoya actually got cars that drove well.

- Tony Stewart moved up one spot in the standings after his team made some changes to the car that decreased its performance from Happy Hour practice on Saturday. He was still able to manage a top-10 finish, though.

Next weekend is the race at Phoenix, and it's the first night race of the season. Expect Joe Gibbs Racing to be the team to beat when they hit the track under the lights.

Aaron Larsen

Red Sox Ring Ceremony, How it should go.

I had a dream last night and it upset me. (I realize I’m starting this column like Lance Harbor started his speech at the pep rally during the opening of Varsity Blues, stay with me I’m going somewhere.) What upset me was that I had some how missed the Red Sox home opener and World Series Ring celebration. I’m looking forward to watching this because it finally gives closure to last season, you get to see the ring finally and with the Red Sox they usually pull off a big celebration of some sort with a few chill moments mixed in. You’re thinking to yourself right now “Sterling, how could they top the ceremony for the 2004 team, they gave Pesky a ring. What’s going to top that?”
I’ll tell you what could top it in forms of cheap drama and entertainment value, and that’s a wrestling style ceremony.
(This is completely fictitious, but you have to admit it would be funny.)

We open up with a live shot of Fenway Park with the camera panning around to the team waiting in the dugout eager to get their hardware. For some reason we spot former Red Sox manager and Fox personality Kevin Kennedy in the dugout. Must be covering the event for Fox……radio perhaps? Way too much is made of this by Jerry Remy who just can’t let it go as to why he’s here and starts hurling insults at him over the air. In a strange electronic malfunction Kennedy gets Remy’s broadcast in his ear and starts firing back all live on NESN. The ceremony starts and the feud continues. Beckett, Lowell, Pedroia and Papelbon get their rings and are standing on the field. Kennedy is now making his way to the podium to interrupt the speech; by the way did I mention that the player introductions today are being made by Luis Tiant? (How great would that be? Thick Cuban accent, Fu Manchu mustache, usually rocking a sweet pair of shades and a cigar. He pretty much is a wrestler, in fact, I think the WWE might have stolen his identity and called him Estrada. John W. Henry might want to look into this.) Kennedy goes into a rant about how he would take his 1995 AL East Championship team over the 2007 World Champions anytime and that the Indians team that his team got swept by would have beaten them too. Dusty “The American Dream” Pedroia charges Kennedy and challenges him to a fight right there in the middle of the field

Remy has had enough, he runs down onto the field to a standing ovation and steps between the two and says as President of Red Sox Nation he has an idea. Today, in this very ball park there will be a Steel Cage Match between the two sides. Kennedy insists that it should be a 6 man tag match. Pedroia is ready and he and Remy says he’s in too. Kennedy takes the microphone and wants to introduce his tag team partners…………

Jim Ross takes the microphone upstairs replacing Remy (could be a good idea for the season too, just a thought) and starts to talk about Kennedy when something starts playing from the speakers of Fenway Park.

“WWWWHAT THE HELL IS THAT? OH, GOOD GOD. TH-THAT’S JOSE CANSECO’S MUSIC!!!!!” Yells Ross as Mr. Vindicated strolls out towards the field wearing his 1995 AL East Championship shirt, twitching the whole way (kind of like if The Rock had turrets). Half way there Jose stops and points towards the stands where Roger Clemens is making his way down onto the field. “OH MY GOD, THAT’S ROGER CLEMENS!!! CANSECO AND CLEMENS ARE GONNA FIGHT IN A CAGE. THEY’RE ON STEROIDS, THEY’RE GONNA TEAR YOUNG DUSTY APART!!!”

As the two monsters stand next to a smug looking Kennedy, Pedroia grabs the microphone from him and prepares to announce his tag team partner.

“Our tag team partner, (dramatic pause) hails from Venice Beach, California. (Crowd starts to buzz again) He is weighing in at 303 lbs, (crowd knows who’s coming out) The Immortal, HULK HOGAN!”

Hulk comes out of the dugout and the crowd erupts in the stands. A wrestling ring complete with steel cage is brought out onto the field from the cage area underneath the centerfield bleachers. To be fair, the only member of both teams is scheduled as the special guest referee. Tim Wakefield pulls open his jersey to reveal a striped referees shirt. The match starts with a bang, all four me in the ring slugging it out. The Roiders as they are called by Ross double team on Pedroia till he makes the tag to Remy and “Marlboro Red Remy” gets the “tar” (that’s a pun, ha-ha) knocked out of him. Till he can finally make the tag to Hogan, who proceeds to give right hands and body slams to Kennedy, Clemens and Canseco. A double close line ends with all 6 men laying on the ground and the crowd on its feet as 1995 MVP and member of the ’95 team, Mo Vaughn makes his way out to the ring carrying a steel chair. Kennedy thinks he’s going to help them because he was on that team, Canseco and Clemens thinks he’s going to help them because he was named in the Mitchell Report. Vaughn breaks into the cage and clocks Clemens and Canseco with the chair knocking them both unconscious. While he does, Pedroia has climbed to the top of the cage.

“GOOD GOD, WHAT IS THIS YOUNG MAN GOING TO DO NOW? Belts Jim Ross. “Pedroia is standing on top of the cage, GOOD GOD, SHADES OF JIMMY SNUKA, PEDROIA FLYYYYYYYSSSS”

Dusty flies off the top of the cage and lands on top of Clemens and Wakefield counts the 1……2……….3!!!!!!! Dusty’s theme music the American Dream plays over the loudspeaker and crowd is standing and chanting while Pedroia, Remy and Hogan pose in the middle of the ring.

Yeah, now that would be a great ceremony.

One that nobody would expect, except for me that is.

~Sterling Pingree

No Love for Brady Quinn

GM Phil Savage just doesn’t want to play nice. After publicly crowning Derek Anderson the 2008 starter, he’s continuing to push his agenda. Read his latest comments as published in the Cleveland Plain Dealer:

"Coach Romeo Crennel reiterated there is competition at every position, including quarterback, at this year’s training camp. But Savage clarified those remarks. “The reality is you don’t give a guy $8 million and expect him to be in an open competition,” Savage said of incumbent starter Derek Anderson. “He would have to play really poorly and Brady (Quinn) would have to play lights out (to beat him out).”

So Phil what happened to that “quarterback of the future” talk from last year? How quickly we forget. Brady I guess should just take it easy. Just sit back and be complacent. Derek