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New Jersey Nets are on FireLast night the New Jersey Nets put on a highlight show against the Phoenix Suns and beat them by 38 points.  The outcome of the game was never in doubt, as they led for by over 30 points for the majority of the game.  This was the second of back to back games against elite opponents.  On Sunday night the Nets defeated the Detroit Pistons on the road in impressive fashion.  A key to their recent nine game winning streak is the play of C Nenad Krstic, who is turning this Nets team into the “Big Four” instead of the Big Three of Jason Kidd, Vince Carter and Richard Jefferson.  If Nets management has their eyes on Kevin Garnett for next-year, the players sure haven’t been distracted, they are focused on making noise and contending right now.


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Bruce Bowen and Ray Allen feudingLast year in the playoffs, the San Antonio Spurs were given a tough fight from the surprising Seattle SuperSonics in the second round on their way to the 2005 championship.  San Antonio’s top defender Bruce Bowen had the assignment of guarding All-Star Ray Allen.  Allen went as far to call Bowen’s defense of flopping and dirty plays “sissy basketball.”  Last night the Sonics and Spurs faced off again, and the feud escalated.  As Bowen drew an offensive foul on Allen, both players fell to the floor, where Bowen gave Allen an extra kick to Allen’s back.  Allen got the last laugh for the night as he hit a three point shot in the closing seconds to give the Sonics a close win over the Spurs 106-102.


Woody Paige, Four White Guys and the NIT get the Nelson Ha-Ha awardAlright, so I’m back in good old civilization, after being gone since Monday night and I’m glad I didn’t miss any NCAA tournament games.  On Thursday, Duke and Gonzaga both lost in the Sweet 16 round, most likely ending the college careers of both J.J. Redick (obviously) and Adam Morrison (who is a junior but may declare for the NBA draft.)  I feel saddened that four of the five white guys mentioned in Five White Guys Save College Basketball are out of the tournament.  West Virginia and Pittsnogle fell to Texas, and North Carolina were one of George Mason’s victims.  Tuesday and Wednesday, well there really wasn’t much to talk about except for NIT games.  Though on Monday night, Michigan defeated Notre Dame in a 2 OT, an ESPN instant classic game.  The NIT champion usually has the distinction of a high profile, big- time conference team able to salvage the season and ending their season with a #25 ranking.  Fans can easily remember the NIT as the “Not In Tournament” Tournament.  Yes, the National Invitation Tournament actually has a longer history than the NCAA tournament,  but come on, the casual fan doesn’t really care unless it’s to follow their favorite team or if they are a former alumni of the school.  I would also just like to give a big “Ha-Ha” to Woody Paige who swore Villanova was going to lose tonight against Boston College.  You were 100% wrong again, sir. 


George Mason Patriots stuns the UConn HuskiesThe star-studded UConn team who escaped in the Sweet 16 match-up with Washington still had luck and skill on their side again to force over time against the upstart George Mason Patriots of the Colonial Athletic Association.  UConn provided two great games in a row for NCAA fans in the role of Goliath, but George Mason was able to knock out the #1 seed.  This game will go down as one of the best ever and on caliber with the classic Duke/ Kentucky Christian Laettner buzzer beater game.  George Mason has successfully busted every single bracket across the country with a dramatic win over the UConn Huskies.  Guard Denham Brown barely missed a three point shot at the buzzer with a chance to win the game.  An absolutely outstanding game that will provide as inspiration for all underdog athletes for many years to come.


Adam Vinatieri signs with the Indianapolis Colts For the sake of team unity, the Colts will be saved from a Manning/ Vanderjagt fiasco.  The glass half full people are going to say that Vinatieri is clutch, and will finally enable the Colts to win the “big game.”  This move seems to me like pulling the trigger on drafting a weaker kicker or defense after someone starts the run in the fantasy draft and leaving a good running back on the board, or changing the defensive personnel from a 4-3 to a 3-4 in the copycat NFL league and then teams just going back to a 4-3 once again.  Sometimes teams try to keep their championship window open longer than realistically possible.  There are few things more unbearable to watch than a former title contending team slowly slipping into a second tier team.  Vinatieri was tired of the shrewd Patriots front office and signed a five-year, $12 million deal with a $3.5 million signing bonus.  Vanderjagt subsequently signed with the Dallas Cowboys.


Wily Mo PenaBronson ArroyoWith pitcher David Wells blabbing his mouth off non-stop about not pitching until late April when the season starts because of the Red Sox deep pitching staff, maybe he will now get his wish.  The Red Sox will receive outfielder Willy Mo Pena, who is 24 and will most likely replace Trot Nixon as he declines because of age and injury.  Willy Mo Pena just came back from the World Baseball Classic on the Dominican Republic team.  Arroyo had just signed an extension in the off-season, a three-year contract worth $11.25 million.


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Missouri Valley Conference logoGreat ghost of Hershey Hawkins and Xavier McDaniel, the Missouri Valley Conference is for real.  Two teams are going to the Sweet 16, while the other two played tough in their losses.  Wichita State surprised and knocked off Tennessee, which was a #2 seed, and Bradley just defeated Pittsburgh of the Big East to reach the Sweet 16.  The only basketball player I ever knew to come out of Bradley was Hershey Hawkins who played on the 76ers and Seattle Supersonics.  The other Missouri Valley teams that were in the tournament were Southern Illinois, who lost to West Virginia, and Northern Iowa who lost in a close game to the Georgetown Hoyas.  Billy Packer and Jim Nantz who are currently commentating on the UConn versus Kentucky game, should be eating crow and apologizing to Craig Littlepage.


Hasim Rahman defeats James ToneyThis must be the biggest fight in the ho-hum heavyweight division since Lennox Lewis retired in 2004.  The fight was a snooze-fest resulting in Hasim Rahman defeating James Toney and hanged onto the Heavyweight Championship.  During the fight last night in Atlantic City, N.J., there were no knock-downs and it did not appear either fighter was in jeopardy at any point in the fight.  Toney was predicted by most boxing experts to come out victorious despite the fact he came into the fight at a heavy 237 pounds.  The other heavyweight contenders are Chris Byrd, Nicolay Valuev and Lamon Brewster, all whom do not have the box office appeal as the boxers in other weight classes.  The only bright side of the fight was that it was televised on HBO and not on PPV.


Japan Vs Cuba in World Baseball Classic finals Cuba defeated the Major League star-studded lineup Dominican Republic team, and Japan finally defeated Korea after losing in their first two attempts.  Team Korea had a familiar goat in Byung-Hyun Kim, who gave up a home run in a scoreless tie.  Kim is best known for blowing saves in the 2001 World Series for the Arizona Diamondbacks versus the New York Yankees.  With Cuba defeating the strong Dominican team, the MLB must be drooling for more Cuban defectors such as Livan and Orlando Hernandez.  The finals will be played on Monday 9 P.M. in San Diego’s Petco Park.


Terrell Owens signs with the Dallas CowboysTerrell Owens got the long term deal he was looking for, signing a three-year $25 million contract.  Dallas made some other moves by releasing WR Keyshawn Johnson and adding OT Jason Fabini, who is terrible I might add.  Everyone should make a prayer for QB Drew Bledsoe and see if he survives this relationship.  Bledsoe didn’t entirely mesh with a productive, yet outspoken Keyshawn Johnson as Johnson would scream at Bledsoe incessantly for not delivering him the ball.  Hopefully this will prepare Bledsoe in dealing with the sure to come incidents with Terrell Owens.  Dallas who has missed the playoffs for the last two seasons, are looking to end that streak next season.  If Owens produces, Dallas management should not worry about the Dallas fans embracing Owens.  Some fans are bitter towards Owens’ because of his touchdown celebration as a member of the 49ers against Dallas a few years ago.


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