Tiger's play resembles off course journey

Tiger Woods finished 1-over-par at the Bridgestone Invitational is his first PGA appearance in three months. His recently fired caddie Steve Williams carried tournament winner Adam Scott's bag. Scott finished four strokes ahead of Luke Donald and Rickie Fowler at 17-under-par.

Despite being part of 14 major championships with Woods, Williams told the media this was one of the best weeks of his life.

"It's the most satisfying weeks of my life, there's no two ways about it," Williams said.

Tiger Woods continued his struggles on the course, finishing tied for 37th. He returned after a three-month recovery to help heal his left knee and Achilles heel.

Tiger's play on the course resembles his personal life off the course. His career and private life is a parallel line to his golf play. And he said as much after his round Sunday.

"I had it in spurts this week.Today was a good example of that. I hit it well starting out, then completely lost it there, then tried to piece it back together at the end."

Tiger was at the top, then everything completely fell apart on him for about two years, now he's trying to piece it back together at the end. Just like his play right now.

There are flashes, then it crumbles. And the frustration within Tiger builds.

The current private issues Tiger is dealing with haven't manifested themselves in razor focus on the golf course like it was in the past. Tiger used the juice of being the world's No. 1 golfer while living his secret, under-the-surface life to practice and work harder than anyone else. By being No. 1 in the world justified every other action. And it worked for him.

Now Tiger hasn't won a tournament since 2008 and Stevie Williams is shouting from the rooftops how great things are for him now that he's not with Tiger. Things need to change, or maybe there's been too much change. Tiger needs to clean the entire slate, which may be done. Stevie on the bag was one of the last connections to the former Tiger Woods.

While there's a clean slate, that doesn't mean "new Tiger" needs to change completely. He can't, nor could anyone at 35. 'We are who we are' is a saying that holds true quite often. That's the direction Tiger needs to go. Get back to the basics, personally and professionally. Instincts and natural actions only.

There's still time for Tiger. He's still got time to achieve the goals many have set. But the clock is ticking and it never stops. Eventually the wins stop coming.

If Tiger is finally back healthy, as he appears to be, he will eventually bust out of this slump.

Go back to doing what made you the 'greatest ever', Tiger, what ever that was. You're running out of time.

Bad Signs, especially for the Dolphins

Sometimes you it's so obvious you have to trust the simplicity of it. You don't need to give it any more thought. It's clear. Trust the glaring signs.

Signs your NFL team is up against it this season.

Picking up where he left off last season. 

• You're answering questions about Brett Favre. Tony Sparano "isn't ruling anything out. Ok?" I'm sure he's not, and the media is dying to talk about Favre again, but why are they asking only Sparano? Miami is also the only team who really needed a QB that didn't land one. (I guess San Fran as well.) And Henne is already hearing the boos. 
• You're reportedly working out Tiki Barber. A double play for the Dolphins. They lose Ronnie Brown to the Eagles. Ricky Williams is finally at the end of the line and can finally walk away from the NFL, a day he no doubt cannot wait for. They clearly are desperate for a running back, which they desperately need to run the offense best suited for Sparano and Henne. 
• Your head coach is already on the hot seat. Hello again, Dolphins. Sparano was surprisingly retained by Miami after a rough 2010 season, where the Dolphins went 1-7 at home and ranked 29th in scoring. To go along with the Favre and Barber questions, Miami just signed 37-year-old Jason Taylor. They need help bad. Here's Sparano on all of this (courtesy of ESPN): "I can't rule anything out. OK? So, I mean, we don't rule anything out. I don't know how you want me to answer that. That'll be all over the news now too." ... "You know Tiki's age. We signed Jason Taylor. So we're going to flip over whatever rocks we think are necessary in this process. I don't want to say something that my feet are to the fire on."

The Dolphins are shooting distress flares all over Miami very early in the 2011 season. The Dolphins will be hard-pressed all year, and Sparano may be fired before the end of the season.

• BONUS SIGN: You signed Tarvaris Jackson to start at QB. This is an immediate red flag. You wonder if Pete Carroll has bothered to watch all the film of Tarvaris. Of course Dick Bevell has shown him all the good footage, not that it was extensive. The Seahawks will be better than some but not by much. Trying to find hope in Minnesota castaways is not a good sign. Sidney Rice will not live up to the expectations of his contract. At least they brought in The Cable Guy in case somebody needs their jaw broke.

(Photo credit: miamidolphins.com)

NFL Trading Block

Two days into the official start of the NFL season, teams are frantically signing and trading players. Free agency won't open until Friday, July 29 at 5 p.m. EST, but many teams have already gotten major pieces via trades.

Big Names On Move

McNabb moves on after a tumultuous year in D.C.

Donovan McNabb to Minnesota Vikings -
The Vikings had to do it. Facing the reality of a rookie quarterback starting, Minnesota had to make a move on McNabb. It's a good fit for both teams. Washington desperately wanted him gone, and Minnesota's situation allowed to gamble on a clearly fading McNabb career. While this is a wise move for the Vikings, it doesn't ensure anything but a couple more wins. Minnesota will have a hard time making the playoffs regardless of QB.


Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco to New England Patriots - 
Bill Belichick is known as the guy who can take any player with talent, regardless of personal baggage, and put them to good use. He's proved it with Corey Dillon and Randy Moss. Now he's made a move to sure up the D-line and get a reliable receiver for Tom Brady by bringing in Albert Haynesworth and Chad Ochocinco, two guys that have been a pain in the asses of their previous coaches. The difference between Belichick and most of the league, why he can take on "problem" players and immediately get production, is communication. It's the oldest thing in the book. He knows how to deal with all players. That's why he's so good year-in and year-out. He schemes very well and he knows how to deal with an NFL locker room. Haynesworth and Ochocinco will help New England greatly this year.


Kevin Kolb to Arizona Cardinals for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and 2nd rd. pick -
Arizona desperate for a QB + Eagles with one to spare = Andy Reid worked over Arizona into sending a very good CB over for a guy he wasn't even going to use. And a 2nd-round pick on top of it. Kolb's career consists of 19 games in four years. He's thrown 11 TDs and 14 INTs. He was concussed in the first game last year. There's doubt there. However, Kolb has potential. Arizona gave him the shot he wanted. Now he must really deliver a midst pressure he's never seen before.

Tarvaris Jackson and Sidney Rice to Seattle Seahawks - 
Digging through Minnesota's castaways probably isn't the best choice for a young team with a new coach. But Pete Carroll and Seattle are going to try it. Jackson proved too many times in Minnesota that he can't be a starting QB in this league for an entire season. Rice proved nothing more than he could catch passes from a vintage Brett Favre. Rice caught 19 passes in six games last year. He was plagued by injuries, due to rushing back from a training camp surgery. As Rice should already know, there's a big difference between Favre throwing the ball and TJack. Rice went to highest bidder.

Reggie Bush to Miami Dolphins -
The writing hit the wall draft night when New Orleans drafted RB Mark Ingram. Bush sent an ill-advised tweet about how it's "been nice knowing" the Saints organization. He knew his time was up. The injuries and inconsistent play, coupled with an upcoming contract situation, suggested it was time to move on. Miami picking him up makes sense and should help both involved. Bush will have opportunities to carry the ball outside the tackles and add to Tony Sparano's rushing game, which needs to get back to where it was in 2008.

(Photo: Yardback.com, David Johnson)

Blyleven: Finally gets his Hall of Fame wish

Bert Blyleven is proof that if you harp on yourself for 15 years about how you deserve to be in the Hall of Fame, eventually the writers will put you in - as long as you have at least one notable career statistical achievement. Blyleven is 5th in career strikeouts with 3,701.

Blyleven has spent previous years on national media outlets expressing his displeasure with not being elected into the Hall. On and on he would go about not being recognized, making sure people really gave his career some thought. This year he finally got his wish. He will be inducted into the Hall of Fame, along with Roberto Alomar, on Sunday in Cooperstown.

Blyleven has waited 14 years for Sunday.

Is Blyleven a Hall of Famer? It's not just Blyleven, but others in the same category as him. For instance, Andre Dawson. "The Hawk", like Blyleven, waited an extended period before getting the number of votes for induction last year. Dawson got in on his ninth ballot, Blyleven on his 14th, second-to-last year of eligibility.

My question is: do the voters feel like 'who are we to say this guy shouldn't be in the Hall of Fame?'  I looks like that's the case for Blyleven. He would have bitched and moaned beyond belief if they would have stiffed him completely. This year the ballot was weak and the voters had heard enough from Bert, who would have taken to the Twins broadcasts with his somber if denied again.

The couple different schools of thought on Hall of Fame voting must be applied here, and for all cases. There isn't a right or wrong answer, necessarily, and both are very compelling arguments.

HOF criteria #1: You don't even have to think about it. Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle, Ted Williams, Nolan Ryan, Barry Bonds. Those type of players. This has been made nationally known by Skip Bayless, who teaches this school of thought. "It's not the Hall-of-Very-Good."

In order to determine if someone like Blyleven or Dawson gets into the Hall of Fame, you have to go and look at the numbers. At least I do. I know about them, but they don't shout "Hall of Fame" to me. Because of that, these guys wouldn't be in the Hall of Fame.

However, this same school of thought can be applied to Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa. Both reached the levels of "Fame" that jumps out at you. They did things never done before. I don't have to even think about what Big Mac and Sosa did.

If you did back and look you'd see Sosa hit over 30 home runs 11 times (10 consecutive), while Dawson hit over 30 homers three times in a 21-year career. Sosa hit over 40 home runs seven times. He hit 66, 63, and 64 home runs in '98, '99 and '01 and DIDN'T LEAD THE LEAGUE. (I'm simply looking at the record book, this is not commentary on steroids.)

HOF criteria #1.1: A sub-division of the first school - You can't tell the story and history of baseball without this player. Examples: Joe Jackson, Pete Rose, McGwire and Sosa, Roger Clemens, Bonds. Those are a few omissions that make it in with this argument. I think we could get all the major details of Major League Baseball history without hearing Bert Blyleven's name.

HOF criteria #2: You get in based on career numbers and overall contributions to the game. With this, you pour over stats. You compare to others in the Hall of Fame. You use common sense. This is where having the fifth most strikeouts of all time, to go along with 287 wins, nearly 5,000 innings and 22 years of service pays off. Rafael Palmeiro, Sosa and Rose come to mind with this school of thought.

Dawson and Blyleven have career numbers that, if you look at them long enough, wear you down. Blyleven more so than Dawson, based on sheer volume of numbers. Dawson was a very good player but one season with 49 home runs and 137 RBIs shouldn't put you in.

I look at all schools of thought when determining my vote. I believe I would have done what the voters did in this case with Blyleven - looked at numbers for 10+ years, waited until time was running out, and voted him in. Dawson, I'm not sure I could have gotten there, unless in the 15th year, you simply say 'Why not?'

The Hall of Fame is the ultimate career accomplishment, so I know why Blyleven was so vocal about wanting in. I understand his motives. The strikeouts got him in, which means that big breaking curveball had a big role in Sunday's induction. I hope the 14-year wait was worth it.

Casey Anthony: What's Next

The million-dollar question in the Casey Anthony saga right now is: what's next?

A million dollars is used figuritivily and literally in this sense. I heard one "expert" of sort saying she certainly could extract $1 million from this case, in various ways. Interviews, the story, a number of media-based appearances and such.

Casey Anthony defense lawyer Cheney Mason 

There's no doubt people will be lining up at every opportunity to hear what she has to say. The demand is there, without question. But it's too hot out there for Casey Anthony right now. She can't be parading out front and center because, as her defense attorney Cheney Mason said, "There are idiots everywhere."

Mason spoke candidly about Anthony's future and some trials and tribulations his client has and will encounter.

"You ask her about coming back to the state of Florida. Would you? I wouldn't. The State of Florida tried to kill her," Mason said in the USA Today video.

Mason said Anthony mentioned wanting to work in his law office after release, but Mason says that's "not realistic." He said over 350 people have offered Anthony a place to stay and hundreds have offered jobs.

Mason said he would advise against media appearances and that Anthony isn't looking for money right now, just wants to be left alone.

Mason on Anthony reconciling with family: "I think she has a better reality of some relationship with Lee (her brother)."

On whether she did it: "My soul knew she did not kill that child. I believed it when I talked to her, I looked at the evidence and knew it. She did not kill that child.

For Anthony, staying out of the public eye will be most important for the near future. The first appearance would have to be a trusted news outlet, who came to her, for a televised interview. I wouldn't recommend anything for the first year.

From reports, Anthony has received not only jobs and lodging, but also financial contributions from many people and places. Her defense team will have something set up where she is isn't desperate for money but eventually Anthony will have to earn some income to support herself.

There are plenty of jobs you can do from home and out of the public. Certainly some profit will be made on the story and media appearances, however should be shelved for the first couple of years. For everyone's sake.

(All information courtesy of USA Today Video. Image: truTV)

Jeter, Mr. 3000, skipping All-Star Game

Derek Jeter is skipping the All-Star Game due to "emotional and physical exhaustion."  Jeter's chase of 3,000 hits, which culminated Saturday with a home run off David Price, was cited as part of the exhaustion. He returned from the 15-day DL at the end of June with a calf injury as well.

Jeter doesn't want to fly to Phoenix for the All-Star Game. It's that simple. He'd rather rest and stay out of the spotlight. Many, including an anonymous Major League Baseball official, don't like it. They want him there so everyone can celebrate his 3,000th hit. It's not about "honoring Jeter". It's so more people will watch the game, so others can make a big deal out of his accomplishment. Jeter doesn't need anymore honors or celebrations of his career. He'll take brief three days rest. And with the way the system is set up, it's his right to do it.

Bud Selig came out with an statement saying it's fine for Jeter to skip the game. Selig said there isn't anyone he's more proud of than Jeter, and how he might do the same thing Jeter is doing. Okay, Bud. But the point is players can back out if they want to, if they're injured or wanting rest.

At this point, for some of the All-Stars, they don't care about going to another All-Star Game. Whether it's the right thing to do or not, whether it screws the fans or not, maybe Derek Jeter doesn't care about going to his 13th All-Star Game. Maybe, for once, Jeter is looking out for Numero Uno.

I don't begrudge Jeter one bit for not attending. If the league wants every player selected to attend, make it mandatory. But they won't because of the backlash from the players. Sure, fans would like to see Jeter play in the All-Star Game but, I'm sorry, fans don't (and shouldn't) influence stars' decisions.

And of all people, there's going to be backlash against Derek Jeter?! Stop. He's played in 12 All-Star Games. He made the choice that staying put and resting was more beneficial to him than hopping a plane, flying cross country, playing three innings, and flying back. It may not endear him to the selfish fans but that's the way it goes.

The All-Star Game will be fine without Derek Jeter. I'm sure they'll be able to adequately honor him and his accomplishment without him actually being there. I have no doubt FOX will let everyone know about it.

All the All-Stars skipping the game this year, 16 in all, proves yet again that no one cares about the winner of the ASG determining home-field advantage in the World Series. It's time for that to go. And hopefully it will be retired when Selig goes.

Strikeouts are good for the game

I stumbled upon an article how strikeouts are taking over baseball. Good, I thought. The game always can use an uptick in strikeouts. Pitchers dominating the game, which generally results in a good number of strikeouts, is a good thing.

As I started reading, I found this wasn't a pro-strikeout article at all. I could have figured when it started with a stale, tired movie reference from Bull Durham, a movie usually reserved as a "favorite" for people who have never played baseball with any type of success.

This article talks about how boring strikeouts are for the game. How they result in fewer balls in play, more pitches, less diving catches, more replays of guys walking back to the dugout, etc.

Now, if you think because I'm a former pitcher, who liked strikeouts as much as any stat, I'm biased here - you're half right. But here's the point: A pitcher dominating the game with 10+ strikeouts is just as exciting as a home run or diving catch.

The games I want to see on ESPN Classic are Roger Clemens and Kerry Wood striking out 20 batters in a game. That's boring? How about a closer coming in with the bases loaded and no outs and striking out the side? That's not exciting?

To use an analogy: Basketball players are shooting too high of a percentage. If there were more missed shots, there would be more rebounds, more fastbreak opportunities, not as many replays of a guy running down the court after a make. Doesn't make sense, does it?

Are hitters striking out too often these days? Perhaps. There's some pretty alarming stats presented in the article I'm referring to. But it's not making the game "boring." It's a compliment to the pitchers. Pitcher dominance and more strikeouts also make a game go faster, something Major League Baseball desperately needs. This article is just another example of pro-hitter propaganda by people who wouldn't know good baseball if it bit them in the backside.

Not Guilty!

The conclusion to Casey Anthony's murder trial featured the high emotion and drama the millions watching came to expect throughout the six-week trial.

After deliberating for 10 hours and 40 minutes over three days, the jury of five men and seven women returned with a not guilty verdict on first-degree murder charges at 1:15 central time Tuesday afternoon. They also rendered a not guilty verdict on aggravated child abuse and aggravated manslaughter. Anthony cried as she hugged her lawyer, Jose Baez, and the rest of her legal team after the verdicts were read.

Anthony was convicted on four counts of lying to law enforcement investigators, charges the defense all but conceded during the trial. Sentencing by Judge Belvin Perry will be Thursday morning.

Baez told media members after leaving the courtroom, "While I'm happy for Casey, there are no winners in this case."

The outrage throughout the nation started as soon as the not guilty verdict was broadcast. This trial has been dubbed "the first social media trial" because everyone who has an opinion has shared it on Twitter and Facebook. While millions have discussed it through these platforms, the discussions and media coverage created a strong public opinion of guilty.

The circumstantial evidence against Anthony was damning, but it didn't explain how her daughter, Caylee, died. The lack of evidence in this area is the reason Anthony was acquitted. The cause of death was never proven.

The prosecution claimed Anthony used chloroform on her child, then put duct tape over her mouth and nose to kill her. She then hid the body in her trunk before she dumped the body less than a mile from the family's home in a wooded, swamp area. While this theory could be true, there wasn't proper evidence to determine this beyond a reasonable doubt.

This theory, presented by lead prosecutor Jeff Ashton, wasn't proven anymore than Baez's theory of an accidental drowning. This is why the jurors took less than 11 hours to decide on not guilty.

The prosecution claimed chloroform and duct tape were the two culprits in the death. The expert Ashton called was Arpad Vass, an anthropologist, who said levels of chloroform were "shockingly high" in the air samples taken from the trunk of Anthony's car. Vass used a machine he invented and is trying to patent and sell to law enforcement across the world. Baez poked holes in this by calling his own FBI witnesses that countered the levels of chloroform and he pointed out how Vass would gain financially if his "sniffer machine" was patented.

Prosecution claimed duct tape as the murder weapon, based on its theory and how duct tape was found on the mandible bone of the remains. However, Roy Kronk, the meter reader who found the remains, admitted to moving the skull and picking up the bag of bones. That makes it hard to believe the duct tape couldn't have moved. There was also no DNA on the duct tape.

This trial's notoriety rivaled that of the OJ Simpson trial. Millions watched and many believed Anthony was guilty based on the circumstantial evidence. However, in our great justice system, everyone gets their day in court. Crimes and charges have to be proven beyond a reasonable doubt.

There was too much doubt in this case, too many questions still left unanswered. Casey Anthony was judged by a jury of her peers and was found not guilty. Whether you believe she did it or not, the justice system worked in this trial.

Here we go again

As the NFL seems to be heading to getting its lockout resolved (currently on Day 109), the NBA just began its own lockout, again.

The NBA announced it locked out its players at midnight Friday, and the gap between the two sides seems wide enough to cause ample concern about the length of next season, if there's a season at all.

While I never really worried about the NFL missing games because of the lockout due to the mass appeal of the league, and the revenue its generating, the NBA's lockout does concern me. We know David Stern will shut down part of the season in order to get a better deal for its teams and owners, which the league claims lost over $300 million last year, and 22 of the 30 teams were in the red. We saw him do it in 1998, which resulted in a shortened, 50-game schedule for the 1999 season.

Both lockouts don't interest me. There's too much legality I a) don't understand and b) am not interested in following that close. 

The reason this NBA lockout scares me is because I don't know how far Stern is going to go to get a better collective bargaining agreement. Yahoo's lead NBA writer Adrian Wojnarowski writes it could cost the entire season. If an entire season is lost, all-time great players, like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James miss out on 82 games to add to each's career. Those two especially will be on many all-time lists. They will be short-changed in their career accomplishments due to the lockout. And, of course, the fans, who made the NBA a very popular attraction over the past few years.

The NFL needs to wrap up its lockout and get back to work so there isn't two of these things hanging over the fans' heads. After the NFL gets going, and gets back to being the No. 1 sports attraction in the country, the NBA needs to figure this thing out. I don't want to see a longer lockout than in 1999. That's as far as I'll go. 

If the entire season is seriously threatened, start contracting teams. They can't lose money if they're not there. Drastic, but it might be necessary.

Will Casey Anthony testify?

Casey Anthony's defense team said it would rest its case on Thursday in the high-profile murder case in Orlando, Fla.

Day 31 on Wednesday featured an emotional George Anthony back on the stand answering questions from Jose Baez about sexual abusing his daughter, Casey, and his suicide attempt in January of 2009. George Anthony came off as genuine and believable....at surface level. We know what kind of liar, actress and manipulator Casey Anthony is, but how far does the apple fall off the tree?

While I don't believe George Anthony had anything to do with the actual death of Caylee Anthony, there are lingering doubts about how much he isn't telling everyone. The testimony George Anthony gave Tuesday about visiting a woman's condo, while both were helping search for then-missing Caylee Anthony, showed one secret he doesn't want in open air. He denied sexually abusing Casey again today by saying, "I would never do that to my child." Baez countered with, "You would never admit to doing that" before prosecutors objected.

George Anthony broke down into tears on the stand when talking about his suicide attempt in a Daytona Beach hotel, and the letter he wrote to his wife, Cindy, while there. Casey Anthony stared unemotionally at her dad as he cried on the stand. 'If looks could kill' came to my mind.

All of this leads up to the million-dollar question: Will Casey Anthony take the witness stand?

My prediction: NO

If she takes the stand, she will be forced to answer questions she simply not capable of answering. First reason: She's a proven liar many times over. She'll be grilled about what she was doing in the month her daughter was missing. Jeff Ashton, the lead prosecutor, will be relentless in attacking her lies.

And what will her own attorney ask? Will they really ask her to lay out this accident story, and that her dad helped cover it up after there is no proof he did? There are far too many negatives for putting Casey Anthony on the stand.

The only reason she would take the stand would be to sell the sexual abuse theory. It could be effective, but it's only one part of the testimony. Once she's up there, she's stuck.

I believe the defense will call Casey Anthony's ex-fiance, Jesse Grund, to push the sexual abuse theory further into the jury's mind. Grund testified Tuesday outside of the jury's presence that Casey Anthony told him stories that her brother, Lee Anthony, had groped her and was caught standing over her as she slept. This could raise enough doubt in that area to avoid putting Casey Anthony on the stand to sell that particular theory.

The sexual abuse theory is bold, and yet to be proven. However, because it's of the nature of the alleged offense, we may never know if it's true unless Casey herself backs off the theory. Perhaps George Anthony has that deep, dark regret he is so ashamed of he will never admit, no matter what the cost. That's why I thought Baez's question of "You would never admit that..." was appropriate. While George could certainly be lying, history has shown many times over that Casey Anthony will commit to a lie until it can be proven.

Lee Anthony's inappropriate behavior, according to Grund, led Casey Anthony to tell Lee she didn't want him around newborn Caylee. Cindy Anthony apparently agreed because Lee Anthony testified to being ignored by his parents when asked about Casey's pregnancy, and how he wasn't allowed to visit the hospital during Caylee's birth.

All signs point to Casey Anthony not taking the stand in her own defense. This has been the game plan from the beginning. I don't believe there was ever any intention of calling her, but the defense certainly wishes it had gotten further with other witnesses to provide more evidence of its theories laid out in opening statements.

The defense says it will rest Thursday. Will they have done enough?

Moment of note: Before the day's session began Casey Anthony spoke in court for the first time by responding to a question from Judge Belvin Perry. One of her attorneys, Ann Finnell, was addressing the court by phone about declaring a mistrial based on the Florida death penalty being unconstitutional. Baez and Cheney Mason hadn't arrived yet and Perry asked Casey Anthony if she wanted to answer the question or wait for her attorneys. She said, "I can answer that now. I agree with Miss Finnell. ... You're welcome."

Defense calls key witnesses - George Anthony and Roy Kronk

Day 30 in the Casey Anthony capital murder trial featured two witnesses the defense painted as key suspects in the theories presented in its opening statements.

Lead defense attorney Jose Baez called Casey Anthony's father, George Anthony, to the stand Tuesday morning to ask him about an alleged affair with a woman who helped search for then-missing Caylee Anthony.

Baez pushed George Anthony if he ever had a romantic relationship with Krystal Holloway, or River Cruz. George Anthony replied, "No, sir.....I find that very funny."

George Anthony testified for the defense Tuesday

The defense tried to bolster its theory that George Anthony, while sharing an intimate moment with Holloway, told her Caylee's death was "an accident that snowballed out of control." George Anthony denied any such conversation ever took place.

George Anthony did admit to visiting Holloway at least three times at her gated condominium complex to "console" her because she was sick with a tumor. If nothing else, it raises the question of why was George Anthony visiting a search party member's home alone.

Though his testimony was brief Tuesday, and wasn't the "home run" many thought the defense was looking for, truTV's Sunny Hostin did say it was at least a "base hit" for the defense.

George Anthony's testimony may not be done. The defense may recall him to question him on other theories they've thrown out, like that he sexually abused Casey. This was brought up in cross-examination during George Anthony's testimony for the prosecution when he testified May 24.

Roy Kronk testifies

Roy Kronk, a meter reader who found Caylee Anthony's remains, also testified Tuesday. Baez called Kronk "a morally bankrupt individual" who thought he found "a lottery ticket" in opening statements. The defense claimed Kronk hid the body to cash in the reward money.

During his testimony, Kronk said he first noticed something that "looked like a skull" when he went to relieve himself Aug. 11, 2008, while working in the Anthony's neighborhood. He tried to get co-workers to check it out but they were too busy looking a dead rattlesnake.

Kronk called police in August about the skull, but essentially was ignored, or wasn't taken seriously. The defense claims Kronk called his estranged son a month before the body was discovered on Dec. 11, 2008 and told him to watch the news because he was going to be famous.

Defense attorney Cheney Mason didn't get Kronk to admit he hid the body but Kronk did admit to poking the skull and rotating it with his meter-reading stick, and to picking up the bag that contained the skeletal remains. This does raise questions as to how much that movement contaminated the crime scene, and to what else Kronk was doing in the four months before the authorities found the body.

The defense team continues to voice its theories on what happened, yet haven't been able to get any corroborating testimony from its witnesses.

SIDE NOTE: Casey Anthony's former fiance took the stand Tuesday afternoon outside of the jury's presence. James Grund spoke on conversations between he and Casey about her brother Lee Anthony's past behavior. Grund told Judge Belvin Perry Jr and both sets of attorneys that Casey told him Lee Anthony had groped her while she was sleeping, and on a separate instance, she awoke to find him standing over her. He also said Casey said she didn't want Lee Anthony around then-newborn Caylee, a statement proved by Lee Anthony's own testimony when he said he wasn't allowed to ask questions about Casey's pregnancy or be present during the birth.

Prosecutors claimed Grund's testimony is hearsay and not admissible. Judge Perry has not ruled if Grund can testify in front of the jury yet.

(Photo credit: Creative commons)

Casey Anthony trail: Competent to continue

The mysterious recess taken Saturday that cancelled seven hours of scheduled testimony was due to a motion filed by Casey Anthony's defense team challenging that their client is competent to stand trial.

It was another shocking twist in a trial filled with bizarre circumstances and testimony. After Judge Belvin Perry granted the recess, Anthony was examined by three psychologists over the weekend, who declared her competent to continue the trial.

Experts have speculated this motion was based on private conversations between Anthony and her defense team. Some believe it was due to an emotional breakdown. Casey Anthony's mother, Cindy, and brother, Lee, both gave emotional testimony on Friday.

Experts also suggest it could be due to a psychotic breakdown, or that she is hindering the defense's case, or that she isn't aware of what's going on in the case and courtroom. All is speculation. The psychologists findings were sealed by Judge Perry.

Another theory is this motion could be tied to whether or not Casey Anthony will take the stand later in the trial. Perhaps Casey Anthony is demanding to take the stand, against the defense's wishes, causing defense attorneys Jose Baez and Cheney Mason to file this motion to see if she is competent and fully understands the preceedings.

Speculation has ran rampant over the past few days in the most-watched and discussed trial of the decade. The defense is expected to rest its case later this week. George Anthony, Casey's father, will most likely be called back to the stand in what will be riveting testimony based on the accusations Baez made against him in his opening statements.

And the question of whether or not Casey Anthony will take the stand remains the hottest topic moving forward.

The defense continued its case today, the 29th day of the high-profile case, by calling the lead police investigators to the stand in the morning session. Casey Anthony has been seen smiling and laughing in the courtroom with the jury not present. Her stoic look returned in front of jurors.

Switching it up

I'm changing up this page. Things at this blog have slowed to a crawl since I began working full-time at the Spencer Daily Reporter. The opposite should be the case. I'm looking at stories even more these days, and creating content on a daily basis. Just not here. Over at the Daily Reporter, I'm doing high school game recaps on the daily, and working in a feature story every week. I write a column for the Saturday edition every week.

In this business, you have to keep pushing. I've got things to say, and as an editor, I need to be able to find the biggest stories each day. Most of my interest involves sports, in particular professional sports. Other current events have peaked my interest lately, however.

The Casey Anthony trial is the biggest thing going right now. I've been following it closely. This is a place to put those type of stories that I find interesting. Every day I find something I'd like to share, or find interesting enough to share. Twitter is good, but this provides more space.

I'm adding another deadline to my life. Deadlines and pressure are what make the journalism industry move. You have to be able to thrive with deadlines and pressure attached to your work. I said over two months ago this page wasn't dead, and I stand by that. Not for a while at least. Not until I get a couple more rungs up the ladder.

Don't expect perfection here. Simply information and thoughts on the stories I feel are most interesting each day. Weekends are optional for posting. This is a case study for my own personal research - to see if I can add something else to my plate.

So I introduce "The Jevne Journal." Technically, it's always been the Jevne Journal, it's been in the url line since the start.

By definition, a journal is a) dairy; or b) periodical, esp. on a learned subject; c) book for recording each day's business. All of those descriptions are used as the basis here. Current events is the criteria, not just sports. I'm sure sports will be the most discussed, but look for topical news items as well. I'm trying to expand my horizons and mind.

It won't always be rants and column-type work. Opinion will be featured more than likely but objectivity is always stressed, as are facts. That's the foundation. Continue checking out my re-modeled project here. I still need the practice.

PGA needs Tiger back

New Daily Reporter column: PGA needs Tiger back. Published Thursday, April 7.

I'm not that interested in golf without Tiger Woods. I cheer for greatness. Tiger is the only golfer going now that I put in that category. Mickelson is good. He's great at times but he doesn't move the meter for me. I find it hard get into golf without Tiger.

I probably would be considered a "casual golf fan." As that, I can speak for other casual fans in saying Tiger is necessary on the leaderboard for any viewing or interest.

I've tried to be patient while he gets his head right after his personal life disaster. It's time to get it back on track though. During the Lakers/Warriors game Wednesday night Mark Jackson was discussing the Masters and Tiger's struggles since his drama. Comparisons to Jordan and Kobe were brought up. Jackson said, "I wouldn't put him in that category because Jordan and Kobe would have figured it out by now."

I would have to agree with Mark.

It's Not Dead

This was a temporary break, not a death.

The Jevne Sports Journal, which one day will have an improved name, is still on the list of things to update. I thank anyone who's ever read one word on this site.

Over the last month I've been able to secure and start a position as sports editor at The Spencer Daily Reporter. I started March 22 and things have been progressing nicely. The staff I'm working with has been helpful as I get accustomed to the daily ins-and-outs of the job. The Daily Reporter is released every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

The gig will consist of local coverage of Spencer, Sioux Central and Clay Central-Everly school districts. There will some fringe coverage of Spirit Lake, Okoboji and Storm Lake events. Iowa Lakes Community College is also in the area, as well as Buena Vista University. Iowa Lakes receives more coverage from us than BV, as Storm Lake has its own paper.

There is also Associated Press material included in the paper. This allows me to include important regional or national stories that may be of interest. The AP is a wonderful source of information.

But as you can expect from a community paper, local coverage is the focal point. Spencer is a 3A school for most sports. The Tigers suffered a 0-9 football season this past fall, which jumps out at you. Football is obviously a major sport for any high school and community so hopefully they improve next year.

As I hit the ground running with on-the-job training, I'll be deep into spring sports - soccer, track and field, tennis, golf. Spencer was runner-up in boys soccer two years ago and have started 3-0. There's a strong soccer program in town and the coach knows the sport very well. Spencer boys golf have been runner-up two consecutive years and have a senior who is one of the top golfers in the state. Clay Central-Everly has a kid who's already high-jumped 6-06 this year. There will also be some strong track performances from Spencer.

I'll be working with a professional photographer, Michael Fischer, who's background includes taking photos for Dolphin Digest, a Miami Dolphins publication, and the Associated Press. I've worked with him a few times and I know I'll be able to learn a lot about photography, headlines and general tricks of the trade from him.

My writing duties will include game coverage, feature stories, columns and blogs. This content will be available in the print newspaper, which is the flagship product, the website and a free quarterly magazine called Sports Source, which focuses on local athletes and teams.

The paper's online presence is a work-in-progress. I hope to add new ideas and improve the online product as I continue to become more involved in the company. Right now, I have two columns posted online. The first one simply introduced myself to the reading community. The second featured some criticisms of the NCAA. I haven't gotten a blog up and running but I'm looking forward to getting that activated. I'll be directing you there from here with any new posts. I hope you begin to make spencerdailyreporter.com a frequent stop in your online browsing.

I will continue to post here because I like the outlet, I need a place to continue working on the craft of writing and editing, and I enjoy the occasional comments from readers. (You know who you are.) Of course I'm always able to write whatever I want here and I've gotten the impression that's encouraged for my columns and blogs for the paper and website. I'm excited about that.

As always, thanks for the support and I'll see you back here soon. And I know I'll see you over at spencerdailyreporter.com.

Problems "Heat"ing Up

They can't close out games. They cry after losing those games. They blow 24-point leads in the second half. They're 1-9 versus the top five teams in the league. They're shooting 1-for-18 in the final 10 seconds of games within three points. They self-gloss themselves the "Heatles." And those are just the surface problems for the most hated team in sports these days.

Although all of the above issues are cause for concern, there are underlining, root causes to those problems that are the main reason for Miami's struggles.

No. 1: The Roster

There's no depth. The front court is soft, old and injured. Pat Riley got James and Wade together but really dropped the ball putting anything around them. Chris Bosh is a jump-shooting 4 who rarely plays in the paint. Miami doesn't need someone to score from the wing, that's why they have James and Wade.

Celebrating the signings like a championship - bad move.

They need bigs who body and bang opponents. Some protectors and bruisers. Kurt Thomas is the type of guy they needed. He was available and Chicago smartly scooped him up to provide toughness, enforcement and experience to its front court. It's paying off. Erick Dampier is that type to a certain extent, but they only pick him up after Udonis Haslem went down early in the year.

Just a reminder: Miami started the season with Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Joel Anthony, Jamaal Magloire, Juwan Howard, Haslem and Bosh as its bigs. It's questionable that Magloire and Howard are still in the league, much less on the same team.You don't have to be Red Auerbach to see this isn't going to get it done throughout the season, and certainly not in the playoffs. Damp has provided some grit inside, he even flagranted Tony Parker during Friday's blowout, but he's no spring chicken and certainly can't carry it by himself inside.

Bosh could be listed as a whole separate problem but I'll include him in this roster section. As mentioned before he shoots nothing but jumpers. He's putting up 15+ shots per game because he needs to get his numbers up so people think he's good. Maybe in Toronto just getting 20 and 10 was good enough but in Miami, with James and Wade, Bosh needs to forget about his stats and jump shooting ways. The only way he will benefit them is to do some dirty work. Unfortunately, that's not his game, never has been, never will be. You don't get the nicknames "Bosh Spice" and "Rupaul of Big Men" by mixing it up inside. He's soft and is holding back LeBron and Wade.

Riley's biggest mistake was giving Bosh a max-contract. Did you know he's getting paid more than Dwyane Wade? That makes me sick. It's not a "Big 3." It's LeBron and Wade dragging Bosh along for the ride and trying to win in spite of him much of the time. Don't be fooled by the All-Star selection and 18 ppg and 8 reb (not that 8 rebounds a game is good for a 6'11" All-Star.) If I'm in the Miami front office, I'm trying to trade Bosh for anything. Actually if I'm in the front office, Bosh isn't on the team in the first place.

Bibby isn't adding what the Heat needed

A couple more signings that made no sense: Mike Miller's $25 million deal. He's not stretching the floor, he's not making plays, and he's been hurt for most of the season. Signing Ilgauskas, as mentioned, was just silly. Why do you need another jump-shooting big? And one who can barely move to boot. Mike Bibby is the newest addition and is just as ludicrous as the others. What is Mike Bibby going to do for you? There's a reason he was traded, bought out of his contract and available after the deadline. How many inconsistent three-point shooters do you need? Miller, Eddie House, James Jones weren't enough, I guess. Better add another "shooter" instead of trying to sure up the middle, not that there was anything available in the post anyway.

What goes unmentioned much of the time is how well Dorell Wright is playing. He's second in the league in three pointers made and is having a breakout year in Golden State, averaging 16, 5 and 3. He was drafted out of high school by Miami in 2004 and after developing for six years, he was sent packing after the signing of James and Bosh. Wright is doing more this year than House, Miller and Bibby combined. Another swing-and-miss by Miami management.

No. 2: The Coach


It's easy to blame the coach. Man, it's easy. But sometimes there's a reason for blaming him. When your team is 5-13 in games decided by 5 or fewer points, a lot of that falls on the coach. When you consistently blow double-digit leads late in games, sometimes by 20+ points, the coach is going to take some blame. When you have an overhauled team, which features three All-Stars, yet you get out of the gate 9-8, the coach has to step up his game.

Spoelstra might not be up to the challenge with this team

Erik Spoelstra seems to be a decent young coach in the NBA. He's done some nice things in turning around Miami over the past few years. I believe he can have a nice career as an NBA coach. But this challenge is too big for him. That become clear again this past week during Miami's losing streak. After Sunday's one-point loss to the Bulls he said there were "players crying in the locker room." I believe it was an effort to illustrate how bad the players "want" to win.

I didn't see the purpose of volunteering that bit of locker room info. And then, to make matters worse, Spoelstra back-tracked on the comments and claimed media "sensationalism" and they took his quote "out of context." He's not helping his cause with these explanations.

The Heat need a coach that can take charge of the team,and to a certain extent, the media. I'm sure James, Wade and Bosh respect him in terms of "he's-the-coach" respect, but they don't really RESPECT him. Because what's he done? He doesn't have the hardware, rings or experience. We've seen this already in Miami. Riley brought in Shaq, the Diesel clashed with Stan Van Gundy, Riley took over, Heat won championship. As Phil Jackson put it months ago, it "looks like a Van Gundy thing again."

In summary, the Heat have some problems and they're not complicated. It's the players and the coach. They don't have the roster to truly compete for a title this year, and it's causing a few more regular season losses than they planned on. They don't have a coach who can control two superstars and another All-Star who thinks he needs to shoot a lot of jumpers. And the combination of these players and this coach are having a hard time dealing with the constant scrutiny and pressure they face as the new villains of the NBA. They need to embrace it, not play the "woe is me" card like Wade did after the Bulls loss.

"Everyone is getting what they want, the Heat are losing games." Wade said. "The world is a better place now that the Heat are losing."

Poor, Dwayne. Use it as motivation and quit feeling sorry for yourself. Miami is still a good team. They're still third in the Eastern Conference. They're 43-20 and can easily go on another run. But the underlying root problems won't allow for a championship this season. It's a work in progress and this is year one of the movement in Miami.

Here's the way I see it playing out for the Heat: They simply have to ride out this year and take all the vitriol that comes with it. They'll get a top seed in the Eastern Conference. Maybe not the one seed but possibly two or three. They'll win one, maybe two playoff series. They don't make the Finals. In the off-season: New roster. Get some bigs that want to do dirty work. Get role players who want to play a role. Riley takes over. They shop Bosh around, hoping for a taker. They'll have a new outlook for the following season and how they are viewed by the public. They embrace their role as the "Hated Heat." They begin their quest for "five, six, seven" championships.

Not everyone is hoping the Heat fail and lose every game but most are. Only the guys in the locker room can do anything about it. And we all know there is only one way to get people off your back and in your corner: Win.

Early Injuries for Cards

The Cardinals may want to change its off-season conditioning and throwing program. Both aces for the Cardinals have been sidelined within first two weeks of spring training, one for the season.

STL Aces: Early injuries, one lost for season

Last week, Cy Young runner-up Adam Wainwright needed Tommy John surgery after a bullpen session. Yesterday, Chris Carpenter left the game with a hamstring injury after 2 2/3 innings. He felt a "twinge." The following inning reliever Mitchell Boggs left the game after straining his back.

Injuries happen. At times they're unavoidable. But these injuries have me a bit confused.

"It was kind-of head scratching," Tony La Russa said.

I'll say. I don't want to question a major leaguers workouts or preparation for the season but I'm just wondering how someone blows out an elbow ligament in a spring training bullpen session. An injury requiring Tommy John surgery typically doesn't happen on one pitch, especially during a bullpen.

Wainwright has been one of the best in the game over the past two years. Perhaps the innings logged over the past few years caught up with him. It just seems like this type of injury shouldn't sneak up on you after one bullpen session.

Carpenter, a Tommy John patient himself, tweaked his hamstring, which happens, but I can't help but wonder about his off-season training.

Nothing is longer than a Major League baseball season. Pitchers report mid-February and can possibly play into November. Spring training is a time to get ready for the season, I get that, I've done that. Why not use the six weeks of training to prepare? Use the three-month off-season to relax from the grind that is baseball.

In my experiences, going from inactivity to practice is the leading cause of soreness and injuries. During one spring training I had to battle through what may have been a strained/pulled groin muscle because I wasn't going to acknowledge I'd "tweaked" a muscle during the first few weeks of practice. To me, that's admitting you haven't properly prepared yourself for spring training. I got through it and was fine. That's why I've raised an eyebrow at some of these injuries. But as I've said before, injuries can happen to the most in-shape, best-trained athletes in the world. Both Cardinals injuries could have been coincidental.

However, the facts remain. If you barely throw for a couple months, then try to hit spots in a bullpen, you're arm is going to get sore. If you've barely ran in two months, then start doing conditioning drills, you're legs and muscles will be sore and more susceptible to injury. If you get injured during spring training, you've cost your team time and money. You have to be in shape enough to allow yourself to get ready.

Other Injuries:

Padres closer Heath Bell appears to be a prime example of the inactivity theory. He strained a calf muscle during the FIRST DRILL on the first day. That's impressive. As a closer, no one expects Bell to be in tip-top shape but that's taking it to a new level.

He was on Jim Rome is Burning a couple weeks ago and even said about the injury, "It gives me an excuse not to do any running and just hop on the exercise bike." That's what got you in this position, Heath. But Bell, like many pitchers, isn't concerned with being ready for spring training, especially when you've reached the level of high-performing closer. If he goes down with a minor injury like the calf strain, or Carpenter's hamstring, it's just less work and travel during spring training. In a sense, he played it perfectly. Do little-to-nothing during spring training. Checkmate.

BP Injury: The Red Sox should be in the market for a new coach to hit fly-ball fungos during batting practice after Josh Beckett got drilled in the back of the head by a Boston assistant coach, causing a mild concussion and at least one missed start. That's bad luck. Shagging balls in the outfield is how a pitcher spends most of his time during spring training. Rule one is pay attention. Nothing is more embarrassing or painful than getting hit, unexpectedly, by a batted ball. It's just you're usually paying attention to the batter, not the coach. Beckett will keep an eye on him from now on, I guarantee it.

(Photo credit: Dave Einsell, USA Today)

Boston Shakeup

Danny Ainge made a very bold move at the NBA trade deadline last week. The Celtics GM decided to trade the team's starting center, Kendrick Perkins, an integral piece of Boston's chemistry and defense, to Oklahoma City for Jeff Green and Nenad Krstic. Boston also moved back-up Nate Robinson in the trade.

Teams across the league were very active at the deadline this year, including 20 of the 30 teams being involved in some kind of trade or acquisition. Carmelo Anthony to the Knicks was the biggest name to move but the Celtics' was the most surprising.

Perkins provided the force in the paint

Doc Rivers and Boston fans were quick to point out over the past three seasons, which featured a title in 2008 and another Finals appearance last year, that its "original starting five" (Rondo, Allen, Pierce, Garnett and Perkins) had never lost a playoff series. That's what is so puzzling about the move. That starting five will remain undefeated.

Perkins is recovering from a torn ACL, suffered in game six of the Finals last June, and played in 12 games this season. He recently strained an MCL prior to the trade and will miss the next week or so. Maybe Ainge and the Celtics know more about his knee than the rest of us. Maybe that's what caused the move. Maybe it Perkins' upcoming extension that Boston knew it wasn't going to pay. Regardless, it brings up whether or not Boston can now beat some of the league's bigger front courts, like the Lakers. The Thunder aren't concerned with his knee; they quickly inked Perkins to a four-year, $34 million extension.

Perkins' interior defense, widely regarded as the league's best one-on-one post defender, was critical to the success of the Celtics versus the Lakers and its trio of 7-footers. If Perkins hadn't gone down last year the Celtics may have been able to hand the Lakers its second Finals loss in three years. That didn't happen and now they must relay on a very limited and aging Shaquille O'Neal to supply the minutes, defense and rebounding during this year's playoff run.

Shaq hasn't played since Feb. 1 and is averaging 9.3 points and 4.9 rebounds in about 20 minutes per game. Right now he's "rehabbing" and his return is uncertain. He'll, no doubt, be giving plenty of time to heal up and recharge for an important role in the playoffs. Glen Davis will be counted on in crunch-time, much as he was in 2009 when KG went down. The Celtics were unable to get by Orlando that year.

Krstic will provide a big body but won't produce much in the middle. Green is a nice player but plays the 3 or 4 position, doesn't provide much in interior defense and can be inconsistent. Picking up Green is a good move for the future of the Celtics but will it help this year? Boston's other off-season acquisition, Jermaine O'Neal, is even more uncertain than Shaq. He hasn't played since Jan. 10 and is recovering from a knee injury "in hopes" of returning for the playoff run.

Prior to the Perkins deal, Boston was the front-runner for the title again this year. With the new look, I'm not so sure. They face two much improved teams that weren't a factor last year, Miami and Chicago, and Orlando will provide plenty of problems for them as well in the Eastern Conference. We can no longer assume Boston is the favorite in the East. If they are able to get past those three teams and make the Finals, how will they be able to match up with a team like the Lakers? They always had the edge on LA due to its physical-style of defense provided by Perkins. Now it's a whole new ball game.

The move Ainge made was aggressive and questionable. The veteran staff and roster will provide the backbone they need to once again hoist the O'Brien Trophy but can they do it without Perkins in the middle?

Griffin Simply Given Dunk Title

Blake Griffin could have just showed up, done run-of-the-mill, recycled dunks and been handed the Dunk Contest trophy Saturday night. And that's exactly what happened.

In today's dunk contests, it's rare to do anything - ANYTHING - that hasn't been seen before. Creativity is essential but now it's all props and gimmicks. JaVale McGee's two-basket, double-dunk was impressive but when you have to wheel in another basket, it's not a true dunk. Dwight Howard's from 2009, with the extended 11-foot basket, was also new but very gimmicky. And that's what the dunk contest has become. 

DeRozan should have made finals

Maybe that's why I felt DeMar DeRozan got hosed on his scores. A between-the-legs dunk from the baseline off a pass off the support system deserves higher than 44. Missing the first few attempts probably hurt that particular dunk and the fact it was the first dunk of the night didn't help his score. McGee and Griffin missed even more attempts yet weren't dinged on their scores. 

DeRozen didn't need any props for his attempts. He was the only one that didn't use any, or he was saving them for the final round. DeRozan scored one of the two 50s in the first round with his second attempt, yet didn't make the finals. That's not a surprise when Griffin had already been penciled in for one of the spots.

Griffin's dunks weren't anything new or impressive. He moved on through the competition based on the fact everyone wanted to see him win. His first dunk attempt looked like it was going to be very impressive. However, after two misses he modified it to a standard 360 cock-back dunk. Every person in the contest can do that dunk. His second attempt was even more run-of-the-mill. A baseline windmill from a pass off the side of the backboard.....after seven attempts. And the worst part is it got a 46, better than DeRozan's between-the-legs dunk. It was clear at that point, the fix was in. No matter what Griffin did he was going to win. He shouldn't have even made the finals. DeRozan and McGee were the two best dunkers of the first round.

The one Griffin dunk I did like was his rendition of Vince Carter's arm-in-the-rim dunk. Griffin tossed it off the backboard before powering it through. Even though we've seen that type of dunk before, I'll take it because he tweaked it and added some of his power to it. 

Good idea but jumping the hood isn't that great

And that brings me to maybe the most overrated dunk there's ever been. When you say "he dunked over a car" it sounds impressive. Unfortunately it wasn't in this case. The small Kia they wheeled out was placed under the basket so he didn't have to jump far. Going over the hood meant he didn't have to get very high. The whole thing was set up long before the event even started. They would use the "official car of the NBA" to bring down the house with everyone's "favorite dunker", Blake Griffin. Cue the choir singing "I Believe I Can Fly." (Another low-light.) 

Of course Griffin would have to be in the finals. Sorry, better dunker, you're gone. The Blake Griffin cash cow must be milked. It's been set up for months now.

At least Chuck called it like he saw it.

"I hate to say this but that's not the greatest dunk," Barkley said. 

"But the presentation was pretty fun," Kevin Harlan said. 

"Yeah, but that's like when you have a pretty girl. If she's dumb, it don't matter."

The other dunker, Serge Ibaka, didn't 'wow' me with his rendition of the "free throw line" dunk. He took off right at the line, which is further back than we've seen, but he's 6'11" so it cancels out. Brent Barry could take off from near the free throw line. Grabbing the toy with his mouth hanging at the rim, and especially the kid actor, was silly. 

I watch the dunk contest every year. I get what the league is trying to do with it - get people watching and create a spectacle. However it's getting a bit out of hand at this point, which is hurting the event. The contestants don't need "coaches", especially yelling at the crowd and commentators, and pumping up the crowd. No more bringing extra baskets out. No more cars. It's time to eliminate the props. 

The real "best ever"

Maybe I'm a stick in the mud but I know what I'm looking for and I haven't been seeing it lately. Maybe I'm not embracing the new-school dunk contests. But I saw the highlights of MJ and Dominique battling. There were no props there. Just high-flying, power dunks.

I saw the best dunk contest ever in 2000 with winner Vince Carter and Steve Francis and Tracy McGrady. There were no props used. Vince Carter didn't miss one of his dunks. They were fresh and incredible. Jason Richardson did some amazing dunks that hadn't been seen before when he won back-to-back titles. The closest thing to those two is DeMar DeRozan. He is doing some dunks no one else playing right now can do, and he's doing them so easily I think it's hurting his scores. And he doesn't have the name recognition, that's his biggest problem. And being a good player should factor in to it. 

I'll keep watching All-Star Weekend, always. The dunk contest has the ability to be great. It just wasn't Saturday night, and it hasn't been great in the past few years. Maybe my standards are too high. 

(Photos: ESPN, Getty Images)

Phil Jackson on Dan Patrick Show

I don't listen to the "DP Show" too often. I won't go into a diatribe here about how his comedy stylings and talkative crew turn me off to the program, I'll just say he does a nice job with interviews. Phil Jackson called in this morning. Thanks to my twitter feed (from @AndrewSiciliano), I got the rare national interview by Phil on my radar. I needed an appointment to catch the appearance because he's rarely, if ever, on the shows I frequently listen to (The Herd, The Jim Rome Show). Any Phil interview, at any time, is intriguing. Including those in-game interviews.

Phil Jackson's thoughts on the Lakers and league, courtesy of the Dan Patrick Show, Feb. 16 [AUDIO].

Some excerpts:

On Blake Griffin: "He's going to be a multi-dimensional player, and doesn’t look like he’ll be content just doing those whirly-twirly dunks he can do. We all hope he’ll have the ability to monitor when it’s important to do that type of slam because there’s a reason his knee gave out last year. You can only exhort and expend that body that way so often and sometimes it’s going to get you in trouble…. You learn that as you grow and age in this league.”

Last season? "I'm fully determined to end my career as a coach. (pause for laughter) Did you like that?"

Another Quotable: "I have to watch Modern Family. That's what my kids tell me I have to watch."

Jackson says the only thing the Lakers need to add is Matt Barnes back to the lineup, who's been out 4-5 weeks with a knee injury and his absence has affected the second unit. Jackson also talked about the long road trip and Jerry Sloan.

The Lakers have one more game tonight at Cleveland, which will be a nice break after two bad losses, before resting for the All-Star break. I don't read too far into the losses at Orlando and Charlotte. Four games in five day, three on national TV. The Bobcats "have the Lakers' number", whatever that means. Los Angeles has dropped 8 of last 10 in Charlotte.

Lakers Won't Trade Bynum for Melo

The report of discussions to trade Andrew Bynum for Carmelo Anthony is purely gamesmanship on the Lakers part. They can't give up Bynum this year and win an NBA Finals. Letting this "rumor" out serves them two purposes. 

1) It lets Carmelo know when he becomes a free-agent in the off-season, the Knicks aren't the only major market team interested. 

2) It motivates Bynum. He picks up his play to prove how much they need him and it gives the team, who had been in another lull, a boost with all eyes and doubters focused on them.  

Melo isn't going to be a Laker....this year

Both things will serve them will moving forward. I believe Chris Broussard was hoodwinked again by Lakers or Nuggets executives and his "sources." The Lakers wanted the rumor to get out. Not because they were actually going to make the trade, but to put the image of Melo in a Lakers uniform in everyone's head. And what a sight that would be.

Can you imagine? You wanna talk "Big Threes?" Try Kobe, Melo and Pau. "Big Four" like Boston is boasting these days with Rondo? Just add Lamar.

But that's only if Melo decides to sign up with Los Angeles in free-agency. The Lakers aren't going to trade for him, and they shouldn't. They can't give up Bynum and expect to beat Boston in the Finals. Boston a serious road block on the path to another Phil Jackson three-peat. Right now, Boston is the favorite to win the Finals. 

While adding Carmelo adds a top-3 player in the league, he doesn't play center. An unquestioned talent and the most effortless scorer in the league, Carmelo can add so many things it's worth making a sacrifice.  But this year's Lakers cannot give up Bynum's size, power, presence and expect to compete with Boston's bruising frontcourt.

If Bynum isn't there, Pau is forced to bang on fives and play center. That's not where he lives. This was proved in the 2008 Finals. Bynum was injured and LA got worked over physically and overall. You can't replace Bynum with Carmelo based on size and position. 

The Lakers know this, but they still would like Carmelo to consider playing for them. They'll be needing a three next season to replace Ron Artest, who helped get them one ring and possibly another but is near the end of the line. 

If the Knicks  become contenders if they can simply sign Carmelo without giving up some of their young talent, the Lakers would become an unstoppable force. It's a long shot for the Lakers but a shrewdly played by the front office. Knowing Broussard will report anything and ESPN will make it a top story, it caused a stir. More "motivating through the media" from Phil and Lakers brass. But if they could land the biggest free-agent since, well, last summer, that might even make Phil pull a Favre and renege on his "last season" statement.

Class Act

He waited through nearly the entire first round in the green room on draft day. He rode the pine for three years behind a legend, amid doubts. When he finally got his shot to take over the team, fans cussed at him and wanted to fight him. He went 6-10 in his first season as starter, creating more doubt and animosity. When he took the Packers to the playoffs last year, he lost and got the unfair rap of being "unable to win in the playoffs."

Rodgers reached the pinnacle by staying classy

He's answered a thousand questions about Brett Favre. He continued on, putting in the work to be the best, though not many noticed. He got back to the playoffs. He won the Super Bowl. And one thing remained a constant through his first six, turbulant years: Aaron Rodgers handled it all with class.

It's a trait often forgotten about in today's world but when you see it, you realize how great an asset it is. No one could blame him if he took a Shaq moment. No one deserves to call out all the doubters, haters, Favre-worshipers, disloyal Packer fans more than Rodgers. But he's too classy. That's not where he lives. He lives up on the high road, far above the negativity that tried to bring him down for so many years. Now he lets his ring speak for itself.

After his Super Bowl performance, which some have called one of the greatest by a quarterback in the big game, he is officially in that "elite group" of NFL quarterbacks. His ring and Super Bowl MVP trophy confirm  it. He needed to play a flawless game versus Pittsburgh and he did just that. He's one of the best playing the position right now and he's one of the classiest professional athletes in any sport.

Rodgers deserves to let people know they wrongly doubted him. But don't expect him to anything of the sort. He's too grounded, puts in too much time, works too hard to succumb to that pitfall. He'll continue on the way he always has: with class.

Cy Young Got How Many Votes?

Seaver: Highest percentage

USA Today showed the highest and lowest baseball Hall of Fame voting percentages this week in its "Snapshots" corner on page one of sports. It blew me away. Voting for the Hall of Fame can be tough, especially now with so many "PED" and "cheating" scandals to wade through. There are certain people, however, who need no thought at all.

Let's look at the top five highest percentages:

1. Tom Seaver (1992) - 98.84%
2. Nolan Ryan (1999) - 98.79%
3. Cal Ripken Jr. (2007) - 98.53%
4. Ty Cobb (1936) - 98.23%
5. George Brett (1999) - 98.19%

All no-doubt Hall of Famers, for sure. But this list (complete list of votes and percentages here) raises so many questions. 

First, why aren't there any receiving 100 percent of the vote? There was really a writer out there with the balls to think Nolan Ryan didn't deserve to be in the Hall? In fact, there were six who didn't include him on their list.

Some people didn't vote for Ruth

Why isn't Babe Ruth at the top with 100 percent of the votes? Ruth received 95.1 percent of votes in 1936, the first year of voting, the same as Honus Wagner but less than Ty Cobb. (Both Cobb and Ruth should have gotten 100 percent.) Eleven of the 226 ballots excluded Ruth that year. He must have pissed a few of the writers off at some point because not voting for him just doesn't make sense. Not only were his 714 career home runs more than some franchises at the time, he also hit .342 for a career, in case you forget. And we shouldn't forget his 94-46 pitching record with a 2.28 ERA in 1,221 innings pitched. 

Let's move to the next year, 1937. Only three players were elected that year, Nap Lajoie, Tris Speaker and Denton True "Cy" Young. You know, the guy who holds unbreakable pitching records like career wins (511), innings pitched (7,355) and games started (815). Well, he barely made it. Young is sixth from the bottom on percentage of votes all-time - 76.12 percent. Ryne Sandberg got a better percentage in 2005. Only 153 of 201 voters thought Cy Young should be in the Hall of Fame. And that was an INCREASE from the first vote the previous year when he got less than 50 percent. 

It's amazing to see the voting of players that are, without question, the greatest players in the history of the game. Joe DiMaggio? Only 88 percent. Maybe the almighty Baseball Writers' Association of America had some sort of grudge against these guys like there is today. I don't know, it was 50, 60, 70 years ago. I also don't care. The only thing I know is what they did on the field and the stories that have been told. 

I can only imagine people in another 50 years who are looking back on, what can only be assumed, ridiculous voting percentages coming up for greats like Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens, two of the best players to ever play. If it took Lefty Grove, a 300-game winner, three tries and then only got 76.4 percent, it's not hard to see voters trying to make a point on Clemens.

It's either yes or no when it comes to the Hall of Fame. The philosophy that seems to fit best is "if you even have to think about it, no." (Thank you, Skip Bayless.) It's just a quick yes or no. No thought, no debate. Ted Williams? Yes! Joe DiMaggio? Yes! Cy Young? Yes! Bert Blyleven? Well, I don't know, let me look at his ---- No! Barry Bonds? Yes!

Maybe it's a lost cause to think people will get the voting "right" during the much-debated "Steroid Era." I mean, 20 voters didn't think Ted Williams should be in the Hall of Fame his first year. And that's unacceptable. So is not letting in the greats of the game. 

*I also feel Joe Jackson should be in the Hall of Fame. Despite what the courts may have said and testimony there may have been, he still performed at a high level during that Black Sox World Series and was an all-time great. 

**And yes, Pete Rose should be in, too. 

Jay Cutler in "The Injury and The Backlash"

We get spoiled by NFL players. We see these modern-day gladiators banging their heads into each other week after week. We see them dragging around broken ankles and legs and playing with a club hand. We're so used to seeing players sacrificing their bodies that when someone doesn't play with an injury, we're all taken aback.

The immediate reaction to Jay Cutler and the Bears coaching and medical staff's decision to sit out the second half of the NFC Championship game due to a knee injury cut deep. Cutler's toughness, mentality, desire, effort and body language were all called into question as soon as he didn't re-enter the game. With no specific play highlighted to account for the injury, it was easy for people to jump down Cutler's throat about not finishing the game.

In the NFL, we expect these guys to do whatever it takes to win the game. Seeing Cutler on the exercise bike for about five minutes and seeing him standing on the bum leg on the sidelines, people questioned what Cutler was all about.

Cutler's reputation took a hit

Lovie Smith confirmed Monday Cutler suffered a sprained MCL during the first half. Can we call Cutler's toughness into question now that we know what the injury he suffered? Should everyone have waited for the MRI before getting on their Twitter accounts and calling him out? The answer is no, to both.

Most would agree Cutler is tough. He's got to be playing QB in the NFL, behind that line, which gave up 57 sacks this year. But he's not "Favre-tough" or "Big Ben-tough." People are going to rush to judgement about Cutler because they know guys like Favre and Roethlisberger would still be out there, dragging that leg around, trying to make a play. That's Cutler's only fault. And no one knows, except Jay Cutler, how much pain was in that knee.

Smith also said it was his decision to pull Cutler. "He was hurt, he couldn't go, so we moved on." That sounds like a "Vince Young" to me. (def: The QB gets dinged after playing awful. He "tries" to give it a go but doesn't really want to go back in. The coach says enough is enough, this guy's not helping us today even if he is healthy. Let's put the next guy in, regardless of how awful he might be.) Maybe effectiveness played a role in the decision to sit him.

Which brings us to the Bears' back-up quarterback situation. Has to be worst in the NFL. Todd Collins has a chance to go legend and instead throws four incomplete passes before being pulled for emergency-QB Caleb Hanie. It would seem Cutler on one leg, having a bad day, would be more effective than Collins. Hanie did better than anyone could have hoped and actually made a game of it. Nice job by him, despite a couple ill-advised throws (B.J. Raji).

While watching the game Sunday, I was critical of Cutler, like so many others. I felt if he could stand, he should be out there. Only a broken leg should keep someone out of a game to go to the Super Bowl. But I've been spoiled watching the NFL. I've seen Phil Rivers play two games on a torn ACL and I said "If he can do it, why can't you?"

Each player and each injury is different, however. The backlash on Cutler went over-the-top but I understand why it happened. I won't label him a quitter but he's reputation will need some recovery. But unlike his sprained knee, it will take longer than three to four weeks.

Packers or Bears? Tough Call

Best game of the year

Bears vs. Packers with a Super Bowl trip on the line is a dream match-up for more than just the great people of NFC North country. This is NFL history. The first playoff meeting for these storied franchise since 1941. Only the fourth time they've made the playoffs in the same year. As great as it will be to watch, it's even tougher to pick the winner.

If you pretend to know who's going to win this game, you're just kidding yourself. There's a laundry list of reasons why each team should win or lose. It's setting up for a memorable NFC Championship game. I can't recall a game I've personally been more intrigued to watch.

Why the Bears Will Win:

• Soldier Field. In a match-up this close, the home team will have an edge. While the Packers have spent much of the week saying the field conditions are the "worst in the NFL," the Bears are used to it. Put on the right cleats.
• Bears Defense. Clearly one of the best in the league, again. The ability to pressure with just the four down linemen will cause problems for Aaron Rodgers, who has exploited teams who must blitz all year. Julius Peppers could be MVP of the game. Briggs, Urlacher and Co. will stop the run and put even more pressure on Rodgers to do it himself in cold, windy conditions. The Packers struggled to move the ball on them both time they played this year, once when the Bears had nothing to play for.
• Jay Cutler and Mike Martz. This combo continues to impress with good play-calling and excellent execution. Chicago's screen game, with Matt Forte, will keep the hard-blitzing Packers' defense off balance. A veteran like Martz will be able to scheme on the Dom Capers' defense better than most.
• Special Teams. Devin Hester is the best return man in the history of the game. The Packers are known to give up big plays on special teams. A lot of pressure falls on the Packers' coverage teams.
• They seem to have the Packers' number. Beat them at home on a late field goal and shut them down in the last game of the season before giving up a late touchdown on the road. The Bears' strengths match up well with against the Packers.
• Underdog. No one outside of Chicago and Bears fans think they can win. Vegas has Packers by 3.5. People haven't given the Bears credit all year (I'm guilty). They proved everyone wrong by making the playoffs, winning the division and being in this position. The masses will be against them again with Green Bay and Rodgers playing at such a high level right now. As we continue to see in the NFL, the team people don't give a chance rise up and shoves it in their face.

Will the stellar play continue?

Why the Packers Will Win:

• Aaron Rodgers. No one is playing at a higher level right now. After the Atlanta beat down, people were saying how it was the greatest game ever by a Packer QB. Rodgers is driven by the need to prove he can do it better than Favre, and Packers fans want that just as bad. He dismissed the foolish rap of not being able to win a playoff game with two huge road wins. The accuracy, athleticism, scrambling and composure are putting Rodgers into the top-tier level of NFL quarterbacks. With a Super Bowl win, or even appearance, no one will doubt he belongs in that category.
• Packers Defense. The blitz will be in Cutler's face all game long. The Bears must account for Clay Matthews on every play because he is coming and he is relentless. Cutler was sacked nine times in the two meetings in the regular season. With less time to throw, Cutler will have to avoid Tramon Williams, who single-handedly crushed the Falcons' hopes with two back-breaking interceptions. The Packers were second in the league in points allowed and the Bears were 21st in points scored.

Green Bay must turn Cutler into "Bad Jay"

Wildcards:

• Cutler. Could be due for a stinker. Consistency has always been the issue. He's only got one playoff game under his belt and it was against a sub-.500 team that shouldn't have been there. It's a feast-or-famine situation with Cutler. It wouldn't surprise anyone if he had three picks, or if he throws three touchdowns. I'll need to see it to believe it with him.
• Mike McCarthy. He's been known to come with a dud in big games too many times. His clock management skills have widely ridiculed. His special teams will give up huge plays and his offense and play-calling have already been shut down by the Bears D twice.
• Motivation. I have to think the Bears have more with everyone picking against them and being at home. But the Packers have plenty in their own right. This is the true wildcard to the game. When everyone is going with one team (Packers), I cringe. Never seems to work out that way, i.e. Seahawks v Saints, Patriots v Jets.

I've debated the winner of this game all week. It seems after that breakdown I would be favoring the Bears. Not necessarily but I know they can win this game for those reasons. I've doubted the Bears and thought the Packers were the better team all year. The Bears had an easy road, but if you look at it, the Packers regular season road wasn't much tougher. However, they've proven themselves in the playoffs. The Bears beat the Seahawks. Despite my doubts, the Bears have proved me wrong time and time again. And they will have to do it one more time. I'm going with my head instead of the feeling that's been creeping into my gut this week. Packers 17 Bears 16. Prove me wrong again, Chicago.

AFC Championship prediction: Steelers 20 Jets 13. I really like the Steelers here. Big Ben, the defense and I don't see the Jets beating them twice at Pittsburgh in the same year.