No Credentials Summer Recap

            I wish I had a better excuse as to why No Credentials has been less active over the pass six months, but really it boils down to two things.

1.      I was without Playstation 3 for five months.

      2.      I bought a new one, and play a game of my Madden franchise when before I would be writing blog posts.

To make up for our lack of production, we’ll take a quick peak at stories I briefly thought about tackling before deciding playing another game with my son at quarterback of the Kansas City Chiefs was more exciting.

MLB

Ryan Braun Surrenders

            There’s no other word for it, as Braun defiantly took on MLB for almost two years before essentially accepting a plea deal. One wonders if Braun backed down partially because his team is terrible, and he’s been nursing a sore thumb the past two months that hasn’t improved. He’ll come back with no marketability in 2014, but he will be healthy, and quite possibly a top-10 fantasy asset next season.

Mariano Rivera Wins the All-Star Game MVP

            Evidently, a scoreless eighth is more valuable than a scoreless ninth. This game was further proof of why an All-Star Game should have nothing to do with determining home-field advantage for it’s championship series.

The Yankees Stink

            That statement is a little strong in realistic terms (they are over .500, and would gave a one game lead in the NL West), but compared to the usual excellence produced by the Yankees, it’s an accurate one. The offense is abysmal, only generating 125 less runs this season than the Red Sox have. C.C. Sabathia looks to be in desperate need of a switch the National League, and Alex Rodriguez still hangs over the club like a black cloud. While not supporters of the Bronx Bombers, we here at No Credentials are always fans of roster building, so here’s our on the fly, not well thought out fix for the New York Yankees that they can begin implementing before the trade deadline.

1. Give up on the 2013 season – It would be one thing if they were just seven games behind the Red Sox, but they also trail Tampa Bay and Baltimore (by 6.5 and 4 games). The Rangers and Indians are also ahead of them in the Wild Card standings.
2. Trade Robinson Cano – By all accounts, it appears Cano is going to ask for eleventy billion dollars this winter. If George Steinbrenner were still alive, he would never make it to free agency, but unfortunately for Yankees’ fans his kids aren’t as willing to open up the checkbook. Rather than let him walk in free agency (and only soak up draft picks), they should try to push for a blockbuster trade now. Where could he go you ask? My money if he hits free agency is the Washington Nationals, but you could never count out the Detroit Tigers from making an aggressive trade.      
3. Blackmail Mariano Rivera into returning for the 2014 season – Sure it would be awkward after all of the retirement gifts Rivera has been getting all season (my all-time favorite “retiring” person that ended up not retiring was Mark Martin, who swore up and down 2005 would be his last season, only to return in 2006. He’s still racing a part-time schedule today) if he came back next season, but who cares. I think he could throw that ridiculous cutter until he was 65 years old.
4. Frame A-Rod, Sabathia, and Teixeira for a bank robbery – These guys are earning $75 million (!) combined this season, so coming up with some clever scheme to void their contracts would be advantageous.

NFL

Von Miller Potentially Facing a 4-Game Suspension

            It’s a good thing Miller plays a sport where it’s fans don’t give a shit about statistics, because he will not come back with the same stigma as Ryan Braun.

NBA

The Dwightmare Ends…Howard Chooses Houston

            If I weren’t so addicted to playing my Madden franchise I would’ve dropped a 4,000-word piece about Howard shortly after he joined the Rockets, but you’re going to have to settle for bullet points.

-         Shaq was wrong when he accused Howard of not being able to play in a big city. For one, Dwight was working on a way to weasel his way onto the Clippers to play with his buddy Chris Paul. The last time I checked, the Clippers still play in Los Angeles. Howard leaving the Lakers had more to do with him not wanting to put up with Kobe Bryant than him not being able to handle L.A.

-         Of all the teams that were trying to land Howard, the Rockets were the best fit for him. With Howard in the fold, they are fielding a more athletic version of the Orlando team Dwight carried to the 2009 NBA Finals. Even better for the Rockets, they still have a valuable trade asset in Omer Asik that can be used to improve the roster. You can’t make Houston the clear favorites in the ultra-competitive Western Conference, but they’ll have a reasonable chance at playing for a championship the next two or three years.

-         The Lakers are going to suck balls. It would make tons of sense for them to tank the season like the Celtics are going to do (more on that in the next bullet point), but instead, they’ll field a mediocre team based around a physically limited Kobe Bryant. Pau Gasol should be better utilized, but that won’t be enough for them to be better than .500.

Danny Ainge Blows Up the Celtics

            Is it going to suck watching Paul Pierce (a Celtic since 1997) and Kevin Garnett (the catalyst for the 2008 championship winning team) play for the Nets? Yes. Is it going to suck to watch Doc Rivers coach the Clippers? Yes. The “Ubuntu” Era was responsible for the rebirth of Celtic pride in the northeast, but it was wise to turn the page on this group of players. When you have the chance to land one of five potential franchise players in next year’s draft, the most logical thing to do is to suck as much as humanly possible and improve your lottery chances. The team implosion will be complete if they are able to showcase Rajon Rondo for a 10-game tryout after he returns from injury and then ship him off to a contending (hopefully with Gerald Wallace’s horrendous contract, but that’s probably wishful thinking).

NHL

Bruins Give Up On Seguin

            Because you know, any time you can prematurely give up on a 21-year old phenom, you have to do it. This deal will hurt when Tyler Seguin wins a Hart Trophy in Dallas.

NASCAR

Jimmie Johnson is Better at NASCAR Than Any Other Athlete is at any Other Sport Right Now

            It hasn’t been fair this season. If not for some bad luck with pit stops and restarts, Johnson could very well have eight wins right now. Unless Joe Gibbs Racing finds some durability with their Toyota engines, the Chase for the Cup could be over in eight races.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (1/4-1/6)

10. Dwight Howard Rips Teammates
            Translation…Dwight thinks Kobe is a real asshole.

9. Browns Whiff in Attempt to Land Chip Kelly

            I can’t figure out how the hottest NFL coaching prospect would turn down the chance to coach a 29-year old second year pro quarterback.

8. Some Guy Named Alan Anderson Scores 27 Points For My Fantasy B-Ball Team

            You have to love it when you strike waiver wire gold.

7. United States Wins Gold at the World Junior Championships

            Incredibly, this wasn’t the best news of the weekend for American hockey fans.

6. Johnny Manziel Destroys Oklahoma

            Should we just cancel the 2013 college football season and give the national championship to Texas A&M right now?

5. Packers Dominate Ponder-less Vikings

            For a long time, I wondered what would happen if Joe Webb got to start in a big game. Sadly for Vikings’ fans, we found out.
          
4. Arian Foster Drags Texans Into Divisional Round
            Of the four bye week teams, none is more excited than the New England Patriots. They’ll deliver the knockout blow to the struggling Texans this weekend.

3. Holy Shit, the NHL is Back
            Like finding a $20 in the wash, hockey will return sometime after Martin Luther King Day. It’s hard to tell who’s more excited about it, Canada or the NBC Sports Network.

2. Mike Shanahan Tries to Sacrifice Robert Griffin III

            There’s no other way to put what happened Sunday afternoon in Washington. You can probably write off RGIII for at least half of the 2013 season.

1. Ray Lewis Wins Final Home Game

            Lewis delivered the goods, racking up 13 tackles in his final appearance in Baltimore. The Ravens will have to win two on the road to make it to the Super Bowl.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Weekend (9/14-9/16)

10. NHL Owners Lockout the Players
            Sadly, the one sport that No Credentials wouldn’t mind seeing go through a lockout is the only one of the major four that didn’t in the past year.

9. High School Senior Runs for 644 Yards and 10 Touchdowns

            For those of you that owned Oregon Ducks recruit Thomas Tyner in high school football fantasy leagues, he accounted for 124 fantasy points.

8. Notre Dame Wins at Michigan State

            People under 25 may not remember that Notre Dame used to be the most important college football program on Earth, but for all of the old farts out there, it’s great to see the Irish start 3-0.

7. Seahawks Smother Cowboys

            Fortunately, Seattle won the game because of special teams and their defense, not Russell Wilson (who No Credentials has been bashing for weeks).

6. Dwight Howard Says “I Never Wanted to Be Hated”

            He should’ve thought about that before dragging out his trade saga for 18 months. More on him and the terrifying Lakers in our NBA season preview next month.

5. Steelers Blow Out Jets

            As correctly predicted by No Credentials (correct predictions haven’t happened for me much lately, I deserve to gloat a little when it does), the loss of Darrelle Revis was huge. New York might’ve only lost 16-10 instead of 27-10.

4. Sam Bradford Out Duels RGIII

            Griffin was good in this one, but this game belonged to Sam Bradford. Much maligned after a solid rookie campaign in 2010, Bradford reestablished himself as one of the league’s best young quarterbacks with his performance against Washington. 

3. Cam Newton Leads Assault of Saints Defense
            New Orleans would be better off turning their play calling over to a 14-year old, acne infected Madden nerd than what they are stuck with now.

2. USC Loses to Stanford

            Couldn’t be happier that dirtbag Lane Kiffin, who rolled his 22-year old quarterback under the bus Sunday night, lost to Stanford again. No Jim Harbaugh or Andrew Luck? No problem!

1. Cardinals Try to Give Game Away, Still Shock Patriots

            Nearly 4,500 people were eliminated from Sportsbook’s Survivor Pool when Stephen Gostkowski shanked a 43-yard field goal. Glad I picked the Bengals.

Is Dwight Howard a Dumbass? An Objective Analysis

            Carmelo Anthony. Shaquille O’Neal (multiple times). Pau Gasol. Vince Carter (pathetically, but he still accomplished his goal). Kevin Garnett. Leaving the NBA for a second, John Elway. Eli Manning. Roger Clemens. Jaromir Jagr. These are all players who were A-Level talents at their professions who managed to force a trade. It shouldn’t be that hard. Superstar player utilizes the media to share his displeasure with his current situation, holds his team’s future hostage, with the team eventually blinking and moving him for anywhere from $0.25 to $0.75 on the dollar. Teams eventually have to blink because unless they are a large market that can attract free agents, they need to get back something for the loss of a superstar. Otherwise, they make one last run with their star and then watch him go (see: Cleveland Cavaliers, 2010).
            Incredibly, Dwight Howard, far and away the most talented center in the NBA, fucked this up. Everyone who followed the league for the past year knew that Dwight wanted to land in Brooklyn. With a chance to opt out after the 2012 season, it seemed like a slam-dunk that he would end up there eventually. The Nets didn’t have the necessary pieces to complete a midseason trade (thank the balky feet of Brook Lopez for that), but all Dwight had to do was wait 3 months for the season to end to leave. This could’ve happened without Brooklyn gutting half of their roster to acquire him. All that was required was patience. Unfortunately, “Superman” took one of the worst blind leaps of faith in sports history.
            Shortly before the deadline, Dwight agreed to not opt out of his contract, which would allow Orlando to obtain the rights to him through the 2013 season, and stripping him of the chance to hit the open market this summer. How does a player who has been pining for a trade suddenly opts in to another year with the trade he wanted to leave? Here’s a conversation that No Credentials is fairly certain occurred between Howard and former Magic GM Otis Smith back in March.

Smith: I can’t trade you to New Jersey. Have you seen their roster? It’s dogshit.

Howard: Ya I understand.
Smith: But here’s what I’m going to do. I want you to opt in for next season.
Howard: Why would I do that?
Smith: Because I promise I’ll trade you this summer to Brooklyn. We can make one more playoff run. It’ll be a sign and trade, you’ll get an extra year of max money, we’ll find a third team to participate to sweeten the deal…who doesn’t win?
Howard: You promise?
Smith: Promise.
Howard: Okay.

            One slight hitch with this plan…Smith got fired along with just about everyone else in the Orlando management staff (including Dwight’s best friend, Mr. Stan Van Jeremy, I mean, Stan Van Gundy). Stuck with a new GM that is hell bent on acquiring draft picks and inexpensive young talent (he’s a former member of the Thunder’s front office, so would you expect any less?), Brooklyn became an even less likely destination via trade. Stunningly, Dwight went to the NBAPA to accuse the Magic of “blackmailing” him (I thought blackmail was something that only happened in Michael Douglas movies) into opting in. Tired of building failed three and four team trades (the Cavs would’ve pulled the trigger on a deal last week if they didn’t start getting backlash for helping to build another super-team in the NBA), Brooklyn went ahead and resigned Brook Lopez for four years and $60 million (in other words, about $15 million too much for a seven-footer who can barely average six boards a game), taking the Nets’ most valuable trade chip off the table until at least January (there’s a time-period where a newly signed player can’t be traded).

            Is Dwight Howard a moron, assuming he opted in for next season under the pretense that he was going to get traded this summer? Yes. It didn’t take a rocket scientist (or for that matter, a fifth grader) to figure out that Orlando’s ownership was going to clean house. Not knowing the motives or ideals of an unknown GM, it would’ve been best for Howard to stand pat, play out last season, and then join the Nets through free agency (again, assuming that that is what he wanted all along). It’s a shame the Nets and Dwight won’t get together anytime soon. They deserved each other.

10 Awesome Things That Happened This Past Weekend (5/25-5/27)

10. Dwight Howard Claims He Had No Say On Stan Van Gundy Getting Fired
            In related news, Bill Clinton is claiming he had nothing to do with the stain on Monica Lewinsky’s dress.

9. Jon Beason Defends Cam Newton, Blasts Alex Smith

            It’s a great sign to see someone from the opposite side of the ball defend their quarterback. Buy stock in the 2012 Carolina Panthers.

8. Landon Donovan Nets a Hat Trick

            Apparently, this still means something even though it happened against Scotland.

7. Junior Dos Santos Destroys Frank Mir

            Mir had no chance against Dos Santos Saturday night. Equally impressive was Cain Velasquez, who demolished Antonio Silva in a first round bloodbath.

6. Spurs Take Control Late, Snag Game 1 Win Over Thunder

            A 39-point fourth quarter for the Spurs spelled doom for Oklahoma City.

5. Kasey Kahne Wins Third Career Coca-Cola 600

            The start of Kahne’s 2012 season (his first driving for Rick Hendrick) was a complete disaster, but that is all forgotten now. Kahne put on a show with 70 laps to go, rocketing from seventh to first in less than ten laps.

4. Josh Hamilton, in Need of IV and Oxygen, Hits Walk-Off Homer

            With as dominant as Hamilton has been this season, I could read “Hamilton hits three home runs despite left arm falling off” and not be surprised.

3. New Jersey Devils Advance to Stanley Cup Finals With Game 6 Overtime Win

            I had to do a little digging, but I was able to find a paragraph some idiot blogger posted in response to an e-mail back in January.

Please make the case for Martin Brodeur to hang up his goalie pads. – Claude R., Berlin, NH

Sadly, it’s not a hard one to make. If Brodeur were to finish the season with his current .893 save percentage, that would be a career low (other than when Brodeur had a four game cup of tea back in 1991-92). Getting pelted with shots behind a shoddy Devils defense hasn’t helped (he doesn’t have the luxury of having guys like Scott Stevens taking care of business for him), but the fact remains that the team looks better when Johan Hedberg is in net. Remember this paragraph in June when a red-hot Brodeur is carrying the eighth seeded Devils to the Stanley Cup Finals.

            Man that guy was a dumbass…oh wait that was me! Further proof that this blog is called No Credentials for a reason.

2. Stubborn Celtics Outlast 76ers, Earn a Date With Miami

            Will Boston get slaughtered by Miami in the Easern Conference Finals? Probably, but the 2011-12 Celtics will be remembered as one of the more resiliant Celtics clubs of the post-Bird era.

1. Dario Franchitti Wins Third Indianapolis 500

            Dario recovered from getting spun out on pit road, and then survived a last-lap dive bomb attempt by Takuma Sato to claim his third 500 trophy. A great finish to a great day filled with multiple tributes to the late Dan Wheldon (who remember, was the defending champion of the 500).

            This post will be the final review of the weekend until the week after Labor Day (aka Week 1 of the NFL season). I typically will run these through the end of the NBA Finals, but I have a wedding to go to this weekend followed by two weeks of new job training out of town (believe it or not, I'm still not paying the bills writing these uninformed columns). We’ll still be posting throughout the summer (although it could be a little quiet the next few weeks) about a variety of different topics, so continue to stay tuned to “No Credentials At All” all summer long. Drive on.

Super Bowl Mail Bag, Prop Bets, and a Prediction

            As always, these may or may not be actual e-mails from real or fake people.

What’s my greatest accomplishment, winning a Super Bowl, or overshadowing a Super Bowl I’m not even playing in? – Peyton M., Indianapolis, IN

            I’m leaning toward overshadowing this year’s game, as your one Super Bowl win came against Rex Grossman. Other than the original Desert Storm invasion of Iraq in 1991, has there ever been a bigger non-Super Bowl related news story during the week leading up to the game? I’ll give any reader who comes up with one a fake prize if you message me with one.

So I’m back in the yellow scivvy, what do you think? – Greg P., Sydney, Australia

            I’m guessing most of you aren’t up to speed on The Wiggles, so let me try to make an analogy that will explain what a big deal it is for the original yellow Wiggle to return. In terms of children’s music, it’s like if Jim Morrison came back from the dead six years after his heroin overdose to sing for The Doors. Greg Page (aka Greg Wiggle) is a big f***ing deal (we’ll bleep it because we’re talking about a kid’s group). I didn’t really learn about The Wiggles until my son was born (because you know, it would be pretty strange if I was rocking out to “Hot Potato” while driving around in high school), but it didn’t take long what this guy meant to a lot of kids (and parents) all over the world. Greg left the group in 2006 because of a disorder that basically doesn’t allow enough blood to flow through his body (I always thought Sam Wiggle was a time traveler from the future who came back to poison Greg so he could be the yellow Wiggle), but now he’s back to kick ass and chew bubble gum, and of course, wiggle. 

I have a two-part question. First, is it ok to have a man crush on Tim Tebow? Second, on average, how many puppies do you think Tom Brady kicks in a day? – Colin Tuttle, Bozeman, MT

            Question 1: Michael Vick was (and is still to a few members of the population) a much-admired quarterback who also couldn’t complete a quick slant, so I’m totally cool with anybody on the Tebow bandwagon.
            Question 2: Brady thinks about kicking 100 puppies a day, but Giselle holds him back.

(EDITORS NOTE: “The New York Post” has never been a model of professional journalism, but their “exclusive” breaking of Gisele Bundchen’s private e-mail to friends and family asking for prayers for Brady this Sunday has to rank as one of the dumbest front page stories I’ve ever seen. Is it really news that a wife would ask for support before her husband’s big game? No wonder newspapers are bleeding money)

Is it reasonable for a big-time recruit to have his choice of school be partially swayed by the proximity of a fast food chain? – Dan V., Montpelier, VT

            This question is relevant after linebacker Cassanova McKinzy revealed that one of the reasons he picked Auburn over Clemson was because there wasn’t a Chick-fil-A in sight. As someone who likes Wendy’s and Chili’s way too much, I can’t fault the kid for letting him pick one school over the other for that reason. If I were a big-time college prospect, my ability to efficiently order and eat a Spicy Chicken Sandwich would probably rank second behind the likelihood of ending up in the NFL.   

Should I be bitter about getting dumped by The Wiggles, or grateful for the opportunity I was given? Sam M., Sydney, Australia

            When the news first broke, I would have to say grateful. It would be one thing if you got canned so some random guy to replace you, but there’s no shame in being replaced by the original singer. However, the smear campaign being led by Anthony Wiggle would piss off. Watch this interview to see poor Sam being referred to like he was the janitor at the Wiggles complex.

            I think Charlie Sheen was more prepared for his interviews last spring while sky high on cocaine than Anthony Wiggle was. I can’t wait for ex-Wiggle Sam’s tell all book about how much of a dick Anthony Wiggle was/is. 

Why doesn’t McD's sell hot dogs? – Megan L., Silver Lake, NH

            Ray Kroc, who purchased the brand from the McDonald brothers, stated in his 1976 autobiography that he banned chains from carrying hot dogs because he felt they were unhygenic (because you know, a Double-Quarter Pounder with Cheese is). McDonald’s restaurants in the UK, Japan, and Toronto have carried hot dogs at various times over the years, but they have followed the word of their most important executive with their locations in the U.S. since his death in 1981.  

Are the starters for the NBA All-Star Game further proof that the general public shouldn’t be allowed to vote for anything? – Finn, Bismark, ND

            Great question. Let’s review each one starting with the Eastern Conference, grading each selection on a 1 to 10 scale.

PG: Derrick Rose, Bulls – The defending MVP is having another MVP-type season despite dealing with turf toe. Grade = 10

SG: Dwyane Wade, Heat – He’s been banged up, but this pick is defensible because there has been no other 2-guard even close to him in the East. Grade = 9

SF: Lebron James, Heat – 30, 8, and 7 on 55% shooting is ridiculous. If it weren’t for the national media bias against him, he’d be the clear favorite for league MVP. Grade = 10

PF: Carmelo Anthony, Knicks – Voted in because of name alone, Anthony should’ve been passed over for Chris Bosh. Can’t believe I just typed that last sentence, but it’s 100% true. Grade = 3

C: Dwight Howard, Magic – Howard still dominates despite being surrounded by constant trade rumors and sub-par teammates. Grade = 10

Now for the West…

PG: Chris Paul, Clippers – The quarterback of Lob City, Paul has delivered the goods for the Clipers. Grade = 10

SG: Kobe Bryant, Lakers – Kobe’s scoring average is only 0.3 higher than Lebrons, but the degree of difficulty for Kobe to get his 30 points is three times higher. It’s amazing what he’s doing at his age. Grade = 10

SF: Kevin Durant, Thunder – His scoring is down, but his overall stat-line is up across the board. Grade = 10

PF: Blake Griffin, Clippers – I heart Griffin, but this is the most egregious mistake the fans made. Kevin Love is average 27 and 14, while also shooting almost 40% from 3. Stats don’t lie. Love should’ve been the pick here. Grade = 1

C: Andrew Bynum, Lakers – You could make a decent case that LaMarcus Aldridge (who isn’t a true center) could’ve filled this spot, but Bynum’s breakout season is worthy of an All-Star start. Grade = 9

            All in all the fans did a decent job. Score one for democracy.     

So I threw in an extended break during practice to try to simulate the Super Bowl halftime. Further proof I’m a genius right? – Bill B., Foxboro, MA

            I guess so, but I’ll be more impressed if you figure out a way to remove the horseshoe out of Eli Manning’s ass. 

I would like to formally request some No Credentials thoughts on this Lee Evans catch/no catch/should have reviewed the play/didn’t need to debacle. Personally, I think it was probably worth reviewing, although I don’t think that it was a catch according to the new rule. I think he sealed his fate by trying to keep taking steps instead of just falling to the ground and holding on for dear life. Also, I know I’m not alone on this, but I think Harbaugh sealed Cundiff’s fate by not calling a time out. Why lose a game with a time out left? Why make your kicker run out on to the field and rush through a kick that important? Either way I’m not too excited about this Super Bowl match up as a Patriots fan I can tell you that. – Mike S., Keene, NH

            I had no problem with that catch not getting reviewed. Both of his feet hit the ground after his hands were on the ball, but I don’t think he established clear possession before Sterling Moore knocked the ball out (quick aside, not nearly enough credit has gone to Moore for that play. A lot of DBs would have just tried to tackle him instead of punch the ball out. Cowboys corner Terrance Newman would’ve already fallen down at the five yard line before this pass was thrown, but that’s another topic of discussion).

I’ll give 65% of the blame to Harbaugh, Cundiff 30%, and whoever was operating the scoreboard at Gillette Stadium 5% (remember that the scoreboard was showing it was third down when it was actually fourth, which apparently is part of the reason why Cundiff was so confused). A NFL kicker should have the presence of mind to kick a relativly short field goal in rushed circumstances, but it’s pretty pathetic that a rushed kicked could’ve been prevented by a timeout. They didn’t even snap the ball until there was only one second left on the playclock. Harbaugh makes a lot of money to manage situations just like that.

You cool with Les Miles mocking an eighteen year old kid? – Steve A., Pittsboro, IN

I normally support the turf-eating coach, but can’t back him up here. For Christsake, the kid is 18 years old! To turn a kid just barely old enough to vote into a punch-line at your alumni dinner (aka: gathering of grumpy, ignorant, and delusional old men) is moraly deplorable.

Coming from a Pats fan, are you as tired as I am of hearing about Gronk? – Kyle H., Sacremento, CA

Coming from someone who isn’t a Pats fan, I am tired about hearing about Rob Gronkowski’s ankle. However, it’s not Super Bowl week if the media doesn’t beat one or two stories into the ground. At least this one is related to the game (unlike the Peyton Manning saga). Also, if Gronk is ineffective (which No Credentials predicts will not be the case), the Patriots have no chance of winning. So it is a big deal.

Paula Deen. Paula Deen. Paula Deen. Where do I start? I'm not a Paula fan, and this question is not intended to show my affection or lack of it. Is PD a healthy cooking chef? No. Is she entertaining? To some. Should her show be removed from television because of what and how she cooks most likely caused her health problems? Is there anything wrong with making "a" cupcake with 2 sticks of butter, 5 lbs of sugar and a gallon of whole milk? Why not chicken fry a steak, pour the fat into a shot glass, take a hit and chase it down with a 12 oz glass of maple syrup? We are Americans. I personally had the luxury to defend this great nation. The fat, thin, healthy, sick, rich, poor, disabled, able, fucking stupid, and insanely intelligent. Watch any sporting event and you WILL see a beer ad. What happens if we later find out that one of the actors was an alcoholic? Can he no longer make beer commercials? Now what about the Cialis commercials? He's got a problem, admits to it, goes on TV and talks about it, and yet his broken penis won't get his face time pulled. So I ask you this...if some fat, rebel flag waving, puts her dentures in lard at night and her definition of eating pork is eating the entire swine, should have her program removed because its not healthy? Maybe if she had a more acceptable problem like Mr. Cialis (who may or may not have abused his penis while alone or with others) she might still have the dignity that we are trying to take away. I say, let the fat lady sing (cook while televised), you? – Ryan B., Kearsarge, NH

After that magnificent rant, I’ll keep my reply short and simply say that I concur.

Before we get to my Super Bowl pick, here’s some prop bets that I like that I’m sure will lose.

First score of the game will be Any Other Score (+155)

Longest touchdown of the game will be Over 49.5 Yards (-115)
No team (+130) will score 3 straight times without other team scoring
New York’s total rushing yards will be Under 107.5 (-115)
Eli Manning Over 2.5 Rushing Yards (-120)
Hakeem Nicks Over 85.5 Receiver Yards (-130)
Tom Brady Will Not Throw an Interception (+115)
Ben-Jarvis Green-Ellis Over 47.5 Rushing Yards (-115)
Danny Woodhead Will Score a Touchdown (+300)
Wes Welker Over 81.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
Deion Branch Over 40.5 Receiving Yards (-115)
Deion Branch Over 3 Receptions (Even)
Wes Welker will have More Receptions Than Free Throws Attempted By Lebron James (-115)
Victor Cruz will have More Receptions Than Combined Goals By Rangers and Flyers (-115)
Super Bowl MVP will Thank His Teammates First During Award Acceptance Speech (+200)

Now for the moment everyone (okay, no one actually) has been waiting for, the official No Credentials Super Bowl XLVI pick…

Patriots (-3) over Giants

I don’t hate another NFL franchise more than I hate the New York Giants, so perhaps this pick is biased, but I don’t care. You pick the Patriots in this game if you believe in things like “Tom Brady can’t lose two Super Bowls to Eli Manning”, or “I want to bet against the most over-confident 9-7 team that needed to win it’s last game of the regular season to make the playoffs”. I think Gronkowski plays, and he plays well. I expect Eli Manning to turn it over at least two times. Lastly, I expect Robert Kraft to lift the Lombardi Trophy in honor of his wife Myra.

New England 30, New York 21

Blow-Out the Budget 2011-12 NBA Preview

            No Credentials spent (way too much) time reviewing every roster in the NBA. Here are the qualifications for the three levels of players we assigned.

A-Level = A man capable of being the best player on a championship contending team with the right personal around him, or a player with the potential to be that type of guy.

B-Level = A man capable of being the second, third, or fourth best player on a championship contending team, or a player with A-Level talent that has personality traits that prevent them from reaching that level.

C-Level = Players capable of delivering 15-25 solid minutes off the bench, or former A and B-Level players that have slight chances of bouncing back.

30. Charlotte Bobcats

A-Level = None
B- Level = SF/PF/C Boris Diaw
C- Level = PG D.J. Augustin, SF Corey Maggette
Rookies = PG Kemba Walker, C Bismack Biyombo
Reason for Optimism = Probable top-5 pick in loaded 2012 Draft.
            Michael Jordan wasn’t a hard-line owner in the lockout because he cared about the economics of the NBA. I think he just wanted to cancel the season so no one would have to see his crappy team attempt to play basketball. It would be wise for Charlotte to give plenty of minutes to Kemba Walker to see if he is a viable NBA player. His size forces him to play the point, but he doesn’t have the natural passing instincts of Stephen Curry to make the transition be as smooth.

29. Cleveland Cavaliers

A-Level = None
B-Level = PF Antawn Jamison, C Anderson Varejao
C-Level = PG/SG Ramon Sessions
Rookies = PG Kyrie Irving, PF Tristan Thompson
Reason for Optimism = New foundation is under construction.
            I don’t see Kyrie Irving developing to a point where he is on the level of a Paul/Rose/Williams type player, but Irving could eventually be the second or third best player on a contending team. Odds are Cleveland will end up with another high first round pick for 2012. A core of Irving, Tristan Thompson (who looks like a project player at this point, but could be a force in two or three seasons, and one of the top rookies from the 2012 class will be something for Cavs fans to look forward too. Flipping Varejao and Jamison to contending teams for future draft picks would speed the rebuilding process even more.

28. Detroit Pistons

A-Level = None
B-Level = SG Ben Gordon, C Greg Monroe
C-Level = PG/SG Rodney Stuckey, SF Tayshaun Prince, SF Austin Daye, PF Charlie Villanueva
Rookies = PG Brandon Knight, C Vernon Macklin
Reason for Optimism = They have to fire Joe Dumars soon…right?
            If the NBA title were awarded to the team that acquired the most mediocre players that play the same positions, Detroit would easily be the championship favorites. Joe Dumars is like the owner in your fantasy football league who drafts two quarterbacks in the first four rounds. Resigning Tayshaun Prince will only take away minutes from promising youngsters like Austin Daye. 

27. Toronto Raptors

A-Level = None
B-Level = SG DeMar DeRozan, PF Andrea Bargnani
C-Level = PG Jose Calderon, PG Jerryd Bayless, SG Leandro Barbosa, PF Amir Johnson, C Ed Davis
Rookies = None
Reason for Optimism = The Maples Leafs are back!
            My wife loves DeMar DeRozan. She drafted him in the sixteenth round in our fantasy draft last year. She loves that he has two capital letters in the middle of his first and last name. She loves that he didn’t use props or gimmicks in last years dunk contest, and then called out the people who did. Needless to say, it wasn’t surprising that she took DeRozan about 25 picks earlier than she needed to in our draft this past Sunday.

26. Washington Wizards

A-Level = PG John Wall
B-Level = C JaVale McGee
C-Level = SG Nick Young, SF Rashard Lewis, PF Andray Blatche
Rookies = SF Jan Vesely, PG Shelvin Mack, SF Chris Singleton
Reason for Optimism = Jan Vesely’s girlfriend.
            John Wall should take a major step forward in his development, but there isn’t enough talent around him to fully take advantage of it. Washington would be wise to tank the season in order to get a second banana for Wall (think a Harrison Barnes, Anthony Davis type player).

25. Phoenix Suns

A-Level = None
B-Level = PG Steve Nash, PF Channing Frye, C Marcin Gortat
C-Level = SG/SF Jared Dudley, SG Shannon Brown, SF Grant Hill, C Robin Lopez
Rookies = PF Markieff Morris
            This looks like the year the Phoenix Suns will finally hit rock bottom. Nash still has the ability to make everyone on the court with him better, but it’s going to be a challenge for him to hold up through the condensed schedule. I don’t see a guy on this roster that will be able to get his own shot (unless Shannon Brown has some skills we don’t know about). Hopefully for the sake of Nash the Suns have the decency to ship him to a contender.

24. Milwaukee Bucks

A-Level = None
B- Level = PG Brandon Jennings, SG Stephen Jackson, C Andrew Bogut
C-Level = SG Mike Dunleavy, SF Carlos Delfino, SF Luc Richard Mbah a Moute, PF Drew Gooden
Rookies = SF Tobias Harris, PF Jon Leuer
Reason for Optimism = Greg Jennings will be back after the bye!
            Milwaukee plays real hard defense, but had a terrible time trying to score last season. I’ll be polite and say that Brandon Jennings’ shot selection was questionable. He’ll benefit from having Stephen Jackson on the team, which hopefully well allow him to stay out of hero mode on a nightly basis. The only thing that will save the Bucks from lottery-ville will be Andrew Bogut returning to his 2009-10 form (pre-elbow injury).

23. New Jersey Nets

A-Level = PG Deron Williams
B-Level = C Brook Lopez (out 4-10 weeks), PF Kim Kardashian’s Ex-Husband…oh I’m sorry he has a name…Kris Humphries
C-Level = PG Jordan Farmar, SG Anthony Morrow, SF/PF Shawne Williams, C Mehmet Okur
Rookies = SG Marshon Brooks, C Jordan Williams
Reason for Optimism = A couple of months of Dwight Howard trade rumors before he ends up with the Lakers.
            I wrote a couple of flattering things about the Nets a couple of nights ago (and a joke about how they could trade Brook Lopez and a bag of dog poop for Dwight Howard), but now Lopez will probably miss at least half of the regular season. Ouch.

22. Philadelphia 76ers

A-Level = None
B-Level = PG Jrue Holiday, SF Andre Iguodala, SF Thaddeus Young, PF Elton Brand
C-Level = PG Louis Williams, SG Evan Turner, SG Jodie Meeks, C Spencer Hawes
Rookies = PF Lavoy Allen, C Nikola Vucevic
Reason for Optimism = What will they get when they move Andre Iguodala?
            I’d like this group a lot more if this were a normal season, but can’t see Elton Brand holding up long. He’s not a guy that’s capable to survive a nine games in twelve days type stretch. My two main objectives this season if I were running the 76ers would be to see if Evan Turner can morph into a franchise player (he didn’t appear to have that potential last season), and then find a suitor for Andre Iguodala. Iguodala would be a valuable defensive force on a playoff team, but isn’t suiting to being your squad’s best player. He’s the classic “B-Level Guy Being Asked to be an A-Level Guy” example.

21. New Orleans Hornets

A-Level = SG Eric Gordon
B-Level = C Emeka Okafor, PF/C Chris Kaman
C-Level = PG Jarrett Jack, SF Trevor Ariza, SF Al-Farouq Aminu
Rookies = None
Reason for Optimism = David Stern is going to rig the draft so the Hornets end up with the top-2 picks next year.
            Gordon is poised for a monster season (think 27 points per game), but unfortunately there just isn’t enough around him this season for the Hornets to make the playoffs. Expect guys like Ariza or Kaman to eventually get flipped for future assets, and also expect the Hornets to look very scary going into the 2013-14 season. 

20. Minnesota Timberwolves

A-Level = None
B-Level = PF Kevin Love
C-Level = PG J.J. Barea, SG Wes Johnson, SF Michael Beasley, PF Anthony Tolliver, PF Anthony Randolph, C Darko Millcic
Rookies = PG Ricky Rubio, SF Derrick Williams, SG Malcolm Lee
Reason for Optimism = Plenty of assets to attempt to trade for star players that want nothing to do with playing for the Minnesota Timberwolves.
            GM David Kahn has taken a page out of the Joe Dumars playbook, and acquired all sorts of players that do the exact same thing. Most seasons that would be a problem, but in the 120 sprint the NBA has scheduled, an over abundance of depth might not be a bad thing. The Timberwolves will have no problem trotting out guys with fresh legs every night. Would you bet on the Celtics back-ups to beat Minnesota’s second unit (which will feature Williams, Barea, Tolliver, and Randolph to begin the season)? I wouldn’t.

19. Sacramento Kings

A-Level = None
B-Level = PG/SG Tyreke Evans, SG Marcus Thornton, C DeMarcus Cousins
C-Level = SG Francisco Garcia, SF John Salmons, PF J.J. Hickson
Rookies = PG Jimmer Fredette (JIMMER!), PG Isaiah Thomas, SF Tyler Honeycutt
Reason for Optimism = Fans get to watch the oddest collection of characters since “Arrested Development”
            I could probably write 3,000 words about how crazy this roster is. Jimmer must’ve thought he accidentally arrived at a halfway house when he showed up for Kings training camp. I’d like to see the go small with Jimmer and Thornton in the backcourt, Tyreke at the 3, and Cousins and Hickson working down low. None of those five guys would play defense, but the team would put up 115 per game. 

18. Utah Jazz

A-Level = PF/C Al Jefferson
B-Level = PG Devin Harris, PF Paul Millsap, PF Derrick Favors
C-Level = SG C.J. Miles
Rookies = C Enes Kanter, SG Alec Burks
Reason for Optimism = Great skiing!
            Utah is stuck with the same issue that screwed the Lakers up last season. Their three best players (Jefferson, Millsap, and Favors) usually can’t be on the court together. Things are even more complicated when you throw rookie Enes Kanter (who is a project player) into the mix. Millsap will reportedly see a lot of time at small forward, but that would be a disaster defensively. Look for Utah to move Millsap before the trade deadline, whether they are in contention or not.

17. Golden State Warriors

A-Level = PG Stephen Curry, PG/SG Monta Ellis
B-Level = SF Dorell Wright, PF David Lee
C-Level = None
Rookies = SG Klay Thompson, C Jeremy Tyler, PG Charles Jenkins
Reason for Optimism = The “sent” folder on Monta Ellis’ cellphone.
            Golden State will never be a contender until they move either Curry or Ellis. Neither of them can guard opposing 2-guards, which is tough when there is no one behind them to defend the rim (sorry Kwame Brown, there’s 10 years of evidence that you are not that guy). Ellis has a hint of Marbury, so he would be the guy I would try to move. 

16. Denver Nuggets

A-Level = None
B-Level = PG Ty Lawson, SG Arron Afflalo, SF Danilo Gallinari, PF Nene Hillario
C-Level = PG Andre Miller, SG Rudy Fernandez, SF Corey Brewer, PF Al Harrington, C Timofey Mozgov, C Chris Anderson
Rookies = SF Jordan Hamilton, PF Kenneth Faried
Reason for Optimism = Wilson Chandler is tearing it up right now…in China…until March…
               It’s amazing that Denver traded it’s franchise player away ten months ago, and lost three guys who decided to play in China, still looks this competitive on paper. If Gallinari or Lawson make the leap to A-Level status, we could be talking about a club that lands the third seed in the western conference.    

15. Houston Rockets

A-Level = None
B-Level = PG Kyle Lowry, SG Kevin Martin, SF Chase Budinger, PF Luis Scola
C-Level = PG Goran Dragic, SG Courtney Lee
Rookies = PF Marcus Morris, SF Chandler Parsons
Reason for Optimism = If we suck, we can blame David Stern from preventing Pau Gasol and Nene joining our team.
            For years, Houston has been hoarding assets. The hoarding of those assets finally appeared to pay off when the Rockets facilitated the Chris Paul trade to the Lakers. Alas, Stern vetoed the trade, Houston didn’t get Pau Gasol (and Nene, who apparently was set to join if Pau was acquired), and is now stuck with a bunch of pissed off players. As it stands now, Houston is a decent center away from being a contender in the west.

14. Orlando Magic

A-Level = C Dwight Howard
B-Level = SG Jason Richardson
C-Level = PG Jameer Nelson, SF Hedo Turkoglu, PF Ryan Anderson, PF Glen Davis
Rookies = SF DeAndre Liggins, PF Justin Harper
Reason for Optimism = Local amusement parks.
            No wonder Dwight Howard wants to leave Orlando. Big Baby was there big off-season move so far, which is even crazier when you factor in that they gave up a better player (Brandon Bass) to get him. It’s hard to tell if Orlando will stay strong in attempting to convince Howard to stay. If he does, they are looking at a four through sixth seed in the east. The earlier they trade him, the better chances of acquiring a top lottery pick. My advice for Orlando is to ship Howard out now to the highest bidder.

13. Atlanta Hawks

A-Level = SF/PF Josh Smith
B-Level = SG Joe Johnson, PF/C Al Horford
C-Level = PG Jeff Teague, SG/SF Tracy McGrady, SF Marvin Williams,
Rookies = PF Keith Benson
Reason for Optimism = If the world ends next year, we won’t have to pay Joe Johnson anymore money!
            I’d like Atlanta much more if they found a live body to play center, which would allow Smith and Horford to switch to the four and three. They don’t have enough size to exploit a team like Miami, and not enough athleticism to hang with Chicago. The only hope for the Hawks is Jeff Teague. If he becomes a consistent top-15 point guard, Atlanta has the big guns to hang with the elite teams of the east.

12. San Antonio Spurs

A-Level = SG Manu Ginobili
B-Level = PF/C Tim Duncan, PG Tony Parker
C-Level = SG Gary Neal, PF Matt Bonner, C DeJuan Blair, C Tiago Splitter
Rookies = SF Kawhi Leonard, PG Cory Joseph
Reason for Optimism = Due to end up with the top pick in the draft and pick a seven-footer that will be a cornerstone of the franchise for 15 years.
            If there was ever a team that was not constructed to play 66 games in 120 days, it would be this one. San Antonio is going to need major contributions from Gary Neal and Tiago Splitter to hang in the playoff race out west. That’s the only way the burden can be taken off of the very old foundation. Don’t be surprised if the long rumored Tony Parker trade finally comes to fruition this season.

11. Los Angeles Lakers

A-Level = SG Kobe Bryant, PF/C Pau Gasol
B-Level = C Andrew Bynum (suspended first four games)
C-Level = PG Derek Fisher, SF Matt Barnes, SF Metta World Peace, PF Josh McRoberts, PF/C Troy Murphy
F-Level = SF Luke Walton
Rookies = PG Darius Morris, SG Andrew Goudelock, PF Ater Majok
Reason for Optimism = Stem cells.
            Here’s another team not constructed to play a sprint schedule. Los Angeles has slowly morphed into one of the least athletic teams in the league. Losing Lamar Odom (one of the most versatile players in the league who could also handle the ball) is a killer for a club that has a gaping hole at point guard. They’ll be dangerous in the playoffs regardless of seed. It’s just a matter of keeping Kobe, Pau, and Bynum healthy.

10. New York Knicks

A-Level = SF Carmelo Anthony, PF Amar’e Stoudemire
B-Level = C Tyson Chandler, PG Baron Davis (out for probably the first month with a back injury)
C-Level = PG/SG Toney Douglas, SG Landry Fields
F-Level = PG Mike Bibby’s Rotting Corpse, I Mean, PG Mike Bibby (it’s hard to tell he’s still alive sometimes)
Rookies = SG Iman Shumpert, C Josh Harrellson
Reason for Optimism = No point guard, no problem! (they hope)
            I’d like the Knicks so much more if they had Lebron James instead of Carmelo. Anthony will be asked to be primary distributor of the ball (at least until Baron Davis is healthy), which is a role he has never had. For the most part, he’s been a ball-stopping isolation player his entire career. It will be interesting to see if he has the ability and mind-set to do it. He’ll need to shoulder the load in order to keep Amar’e and his shaky knees healthy through the season.

9. Portland Trail Blazers

A-Level = PF LaMarcus Aldridge
B-Level = PG Raymond Felton, SG Wesley Matthews, SF Gerald Wallace, C Marcus Camby, PG/SG Jamal Crawford
C-Level = C Kurt Thomas, C Greg Oden, C Greg Oden’s Penis
Rookies = PG Nolan Smith, SG Jon Diebler, SF Tanguy Ngombo
Reason for Optimism = Brandon Roy (may his basketball career R.I.P.) is no longer being paid $1, much less $18 million.
            I really like Portland’s top-6, but have concerns about the rest of the bench. Nolan Smith needs to give 15 Eric Maynor-like minutes a night to stabilize the second unit. If they can get anything out of Greg Oden come playoff time, Portland will boast the deepest group of bigs in the western conference.  

8. Boston Celtics

A-Level = SF Paul Pierce
B-Level = PG Rajon Rondo, SG Ray Allen, PF Kevin Garnett
C-Level = SG Marquis Daniels, PF Brandon Bass, C Jermaine O’Neal, C Chris Wilcox
Rookies = SG E’twaun Moore, PF JaJuan Johnson
Reason for Optimism = The Patriots beat Tebow!
            Boston failed to trade for Chris Paul, and pissed off Rondo in the process (not sure how he’ll react to that, although things have gone well in the pre-season so far). David West spurned them and instead signed with the Pacers. The only positive move for the Celtics was upgrading from Big Baby to Brandon Bass (and saving a few bucks in the process). The Celtics would be wise to take it easy in the regular season to keep the Big 4 healthy, and then run at full strength during the playoffs. They will need all four guys playing at their best to have any shot of winning the title.

7. Indiana Pacers

A-Level = SF Danny Granger
B-Level = PG Darren Collison, SG Paul George, PF David West, C Roy Hibbert
C-Level = PG/SG George Hill, PF Tyler Hansbrough, C Jeff Foster
Rookies = None
Reason for Optimism = Pieces are in place
            I’m predicting that the Pacers will be my NBA version of the Milwaukee Brewers (I loved them in my MLB preview last spring). There isn’t an overwhelming amount of depth, but I really like their 8-man rotation. David West’s arrival filled a gaping hole in the post, and allows Roy Hibbert to focus more on playing tough defense and cleaning up on the offensive glass. The only things that could derail them is a Danny Granger injury (he’s had a few during his career) and a David West injury (he’ll be a season removed from an ACL tear while trying to play 66 games in 120 days). If health is in their favor, watch out for the Pacers.

6. Dallas Mavericks

A-Level = PF Dirk Nowitzki
B-Level = PG Jason Kidd, SG Vince Carter, SG Jason Terry, SF Shawn Marion, SF/PF Lamar Odom
C-Level = PG Delonte West, C Brendan Haywood
Rookies = None
Reason for Optimism = We’re the defending champs bitch!
            The more I think about it, I really like how Mark Cuban and his people put their title-defending team together. There’s the ability to play big or small (having Kidd-Terry-Carter-Dirk-Odom out on the court at the same time could be the fastest bunch of old dudes in NBA history), and have tons of shooters to surround Nowitzki. The Mavericks’ chance at a title hinge largely on how well Brendan Haywood can fill the void left by Tyson Chandler. A repeat is unlikely, but look for the Mavericks to be stronger than the experts think. Either way, Dallas has done a nice job building a competitive team along with cap space for next year’s free agent class.

5. Los Angeles Clippers

A-Level = PG Chris Paul, PF Blake Griffin
B-Level = PG/SG Chauncey Billups, PG Mo Williams, SF Caron Butler, C DeAndre Jordan
C-Level = PG/SG Randy Foye, PG/SG Eric Bledsoe, SF Ryan Gomes, C Reggie Evans
Rookies = SG Travis Leslie, PF Trey Thompkins
Reason for Optimism = Blake Griffin, Year 2: Lob City.
             The Clippers are a really good that are a minor tweak or two away from being great. Their Achilles heal appears to be the ability to guard opposing 2-guards. Asking the combination of Paul/Billups/Williams/Foye do it for 48 minutes is a tall order. Moving Mo Williams to a team for a guy like O.J. Mayo would make a whole lot of sense. In addition, shipping Eric Bledsoe out for an additional big-man (Bill Simmons talked about how Anderson Varejao would be an excellent back-up for both Griffin and Jordan) would give this team depth across the board. Look for the Clippers to be very active before the trade deadline. Even after the Chris Paul trade, they have plenty of moveable parts left. 

4. Memphis Grizzlies

A-Level = PF Zach Randolph
B-Level = SF Rudy Gay, C Marc Gasol, PG Mike Conley, SG Tony Allen, SG O.J. Mayo
C-Level = PG Greivis Vazquez, SF Sam Young, PF Darrell Arthur (injured to start the year), PF Mikki Moore
Reason for Optimism = The return of Rudy Gay to a club that nearly made the Western Conference Finals last year without him.
            There isn’t a more underrated front-line in the NBA than Gay-Randolph-Gasol. All three are athletic, all of them can hammer the glass, and all three can score when the opportunity is there. The ceiling of the Grizzlies will be decided by whether or not they move O.J. Mayo, and what they get back in return. Personally, I think they should keep him as their sixth man and try to have him fill a Jason Terry-like role. Last year’s playoff run wasn’t a fluke. The Grizzlies are for real.

3. Chicago Bulls

A-Level = PG Derrick Rose
B-Level = C Joakim Noah, PF Carlos Boozer, SF Luol Deng, SG Richard Hamilton, PF Taj Gibson
C-Level = SG Ronnie Brewer, SF Kyle Korver
F-Level = PF Brian Scalabrine
Rookies = SF Jimmy Butler
Reason for Optimism = We finally have a 2-guard that can do stuff!
            The reason Miami overwhelmed the Bulls after Chicago’s Game 1 win in the Eastern Conference Finals was the inability of anyone other than Derrick Rose to create their own shot. Chicago has two potential sources of alternate offense this season. The obvious first choice is Richard Hamilton, who has spent the past two seasons in purgatory on the putrid Pistons. It’s unclear how much (if anything) Hamilton has left in the tank, but the early returns in pre-season have been good. The other source is the return to form of Carlos Boozer. Boozer battled injuries all last season, which eventually led to a loss in confidence during the postseason. By the time the Bulls entered the playoffs Taj Gibson was a much more effective player. Boozer has also looked great so far in pre-season, giving hope to Bulls fans that they will finally have the interior scoring they thought they were getting when they signed Boozer in the summer of 2010. 

2. Miami Heat

A-Level = SG Dwyane Wade, SF Lebron James
B-Level = PF Chris Bosh
C-Level = PG Mario Chalmers, SG-SF Shane Battier, SF Mike Miller, PF Udonis Haslem
Rookies = PG Norris Cole
Reason for Optimism = Not as much of the country hates the Heat as they did last year.
            The same depth issues Miami dealt with last season still exist today, but this appears to be the team in pole position to benefit from the return of the players stuck in China. Joel Anthony doesn’t strike fear in anyone (except Lebron when he sets up Anthony with a perfect look-pass only to see Anthony fumble it out of bounds), but imagine if they can add Kenyon Martin for the final month of the year and the playoffs? One of the China guys is going to take less money for a shot at a ring. The only thing that will keep Miami out of the Eastern Conference Finals is the health of Dwyane Wade.

1. Oklahoma City Thunder

A-Level = SF Kevin Durant, PG Russell Westbrook
B-Level = SG James Harden, PF/C Serge Ibaka, C Kendrick Perkins
C-Level = PG Eric Maynor, SG Thabo Sefolosha, SF Daequan Cook, PF Nick Collison, C Nazr Mohammed
Rookies = SG Reggie Jackson (not the MLB Hall-of-Famer)
Reason for Optimism = If there ever was a team prepared to play 66 games in 120 days, it’s this one.
            Oklahoma has so many things going in it’s favor this season that I’ll list all of them in their own bullet point.

-         If James Harden makes the leap to superstardom (which a few experts think is a possibility), the Thunder will be the only team with three elite scorers on its roster.

-         Except for Perkins, Collison, and Mohammed, there isn’t a dude over 25 years old on this team. Young legs will take you far this year.

-         There isn’t a more flexible team in the league right now. These guys can beat you big or small.

-         Eric Maynor would be starting for at least 10 other teams. I’d like to see the Thunder put him and Westbrook in the same backcourt. Imagine a small-ball line up of Maynor-Westbrook-Harden-Durant-Ibaka? Yikes.

-         A full-season of Perkins means a full-season of Serge Ibaka racking up vicious weak-side blocks.

            The only underlying plot that will prevent Oklahoma City from reaching it’s potential is the alpha dog battle between Durant and Westbrook. At some point, Westbrook has to accept that he is Robin to Durant’s Batman. If they can get to the point where they are running the pick and roll together, there will be no stopping Oklahoma City from winning the 2012 NBA Championship.