NBA Mock Draft 2.0

Despite being void of any true franchise altering players, the 2013 NBA draft is shaping up to be anything but predictable. Just hours before the draft there are still several players that could go number one overall and thats just the start of the confusion that will be the top 10.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers – Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

The fact that the first pick isnt expected to start right away should tell you something about this draft. Regardless, the Cavs take Noel and let his offensive game to continue to develop while he is able to contribute defensively from day one.

2. Orlando Magic – Victor Oladipo, G, Indiana

There are plenty of rumors about the Magic trading down in the draft but Oladipo is the one here. At a worst case, he is a better version of Tony Allen, one that can actually shoot the ball. Many question exactly what his ceiling is, but there is no question he will play up to it.

3. Washington Wizards – Otto Porter, F, Georgetown

The Wizards already have their backcourt set for the future with John Wall and Bradley Beal but theres a gaping hole at the 3 currently occupied by Trevor Ariza. He wont need to be a star and can contribute on both ends of the court.

4. Charlotte Bobcats – Alex Len, C, Maryland

The Bobcats need a big man and Len could be the best one in this year’s draft. If he slides past Cleveland he’ll join one of the worst frontcourts in the league and look to make an immediate impact on both ends of the court.

5. Phoenix Suns – Ben McLemore, G, Kansas

McLemore has been criticized for lacking that killer instinct and lazily going through workouts but his talent is too much to allow him to slide any further. He is the kind of player that you can build a team around with his scoring ability.

6. New Orleans Pelicans – Trey Burke, G, Michigan

Drafting as the Pelicans for the first time, New Orleans will hope that Burke can replace last year’s draft bust Austin Rivers. He’ll run the pick and roll with Anthony Davis and create open looks for sharpshooter Ryan Anderson.

7. Sacramento Kings – Anthony Bennett, F, UNLV

Weight issues cause Bennett to fall a little bit but the Kings happily grab him here. He possesses the ability to play both inside and outside on a King’s team that doesnt have much talent besides DeMarcus Cousins. Dont be surprised if they go after Shabazz Muhammad either.

8. Detroit Pistons – CJ McCollum, G, Lehigh

After gaining national attention for leading Lehigh to a first round upset over Duke in the NCAA tournament, McCollum struggled with a foot injury that kept him sidelined the majority of last season. The Pistons have one of the best young frontcourts in the NBA but it has been made clear that Brandon Knight is not a starting point guard. They’ll target McCollum who has the ability to lead an offense and also make a big impact on the defensive end.

9. Minnesota Timberwolves – Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

Its no secret that the Wolves desperately need wings and they sneakily find one of the best in the draft. Caldwell-Pope was a very good player on a bad Georgia team but will show off his play making ability on a team with other proven players.

10. Portland Trailblazers – Tyler Zeller, F, Indiana

Last year every starter on the Blazers played at least 35 minutes per game so they’ll look to add some depth to their bench with a backup for LaMarcus Aldridge. With Meyers Leonard still developing at center, Zeller will provide athleticism and scoring off the bench for a team that severely lacked both last season.

11. Philadelphia 76ers – Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh

Much like another center in Pennsylvania, Adams failed to make the impact that was expected of him. But this raw talent from New Zealand possesses the physical attributes and potential that has scouts drooling, forcing Philly to take him to fill the void at center a few years down the road.

12. Oklahoma City Thunder (from Toronto) – Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga

The biggest area of need for the Thunder is center as right now they start the worthless and expensive Kendrick Perkins. They’ll look to add breakout star Kelly Olynyk who can spread the floor with his mid-range jumper and will have Serge Ibaka protecting him on defense.

13. Dallas Mavericks – Sergey Karasev, G, Russia

The Mavericks really don’t want to make this pick. They were going to force themselves to take Dario Saric before he withdrew his name from the draft but now they really don’t want it. They’ll look to trade the pick but if not look for them to grab Karasev and stash the youngster overseas and stay in the hunt for Dwight Howard.

14. Utah Jazz – Dennis Schroeder, G, Germany

Schroeder tore it up at the Nike Hoops Summit and without a point guard currently on the roster the Jazz take him off the board at 14. Look for the Jazz to grab another point guard in free agency that he can learn from for a few years before taking over.

15. Milwaukee Bucks – Shabazz Muhammad, F, UCLA

And the slide finally ends for Muhammad who comes off a disappointing season at UCLA which left many with concerns about his character. He’ll have the green light to shoot with Monta Ellis out of town and could prove to be the steal of the draft.

16. Boston Celtics – Michael Carter-Williams, G, Syracuse

Pulling a page out of the Miami Marlins’ book, the Celtics enter full on rebuilding mode by having a fire sale. Already in the midst of one blockbuster trade, reports have emerged that they might look to replace Rajon Rondo with the best point guard left. Carter-Williams has the size and court vision to lead the rebuilding Celtics.

17. Atlanta Hawks – Mason Plumlee, C, Duke

The Hawks have always been short on frontcourt depth but with the departure of Josh Smith and Zaza Pachulia they grow even thinner. Plumlee lacks much upside but will at least provide a big body down low.

18. Atlanta Hawks (from Houston) – Giannis Adetokunbo, F, Greece

With their second consecutive pick look for the Hawks to draft a player to stash in an attempt to save money in their hunt for Dwight Howard. Adetokunbo has plenty of talent and should make an impact after a little more seasoning overseas.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers – Jamaal Franklin, F, SDSU

The Cavs will explore all possibilities to swap this pick and move up in the draft but if not Franklin is the smart choice. He lead is team in scoring, points, assists, and steals last year and should slot in very well on a team without a small forward.

20. Chicago Bulls – Allen Crabbe, G, California

The Bulls will be looking to add perimeter shooting and grab perhaps the best in the draft here at 20. He showed elite scoring ability during his last year at Cal and should get plenty of open looks once Derrick Rose is back out on the court.

21. Utah Jazz (from Golden State) – Gorgui Dieng, C, Lousivlle

The only player from the champions drafted in the first round, the Jazz will look to add depth to their young frontcourt will Al Jefferson and Paul Millsap on their way out. He’ll provide length and defense off the bench.

22. Brooklyn Nets – Shane Larkin, G, Miami

With CJ Watson expected to walk in free agency and a blockbuster trade bringing in Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett in the works, the Nets need to draft a backup for Deron Williams. Larkin wowed scouts at the combine with his speed and shwoed the ability to run a pro-style offense.

23. Indiana Pacers – Reggie Bullock, F, North Carolina

The Pacers are another team rumored to be interested in adding a knockdown shooter and Bullock is one of the best in the draft. After having one of the worst benches last season, Bullock and Stephenson look to provide a nice scoring combo from a reserve role.

24. New York Knicks – Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas

Mitchell comes off a very disappointing sophomore season that saw his numbers and the Mean Green’s as a whole fall off. Once projected as a lottery pick, Mitchell has the potential to be one of the steals of the draft if he plays hard.

25. LA Clippers – Tim Hardaway Jr., G, Michigan

Hardaway will provide athleticism and depth on the wing for a Clippers team that desperatley needs help at the 2. His 3 point shooting should garner minutes early on.

26. Minnesota Timberwolves (from Memphis) – Tony Snell, G, New Mexico

After already adding one wing earlier in the first round, the Wolves look to add another who has drawn comparisons to former teammate Kawhi Leonard. He can knock down threes while also contributing lock down defense.

27. Denver Nuggets – Rudy Gobert, C, France

The Nuggets are happy with the young core of players they have now and won’t mind stashing Gobert overseas until he can contribute. He’s far away from that point now but after a few years of development, Gobert has the chance to be a dominant shot blocker thanks to his 7’9” wingspan.

28. San Antonio Spurs – Lucas Noguiera, C, Brazil

The Spurs love drafting foreign talent and letting it develop before coming to the NBA and contributing. Look for that trend to continue here as the Spurs take Noguiera to replace Tim Duncan and play alongside fellow countryman Tiago Splitter in a few years.

29. Oklahoma City Thunder – Jeff Withey, C, Kansas

Despite adding a center already, the Thunder draft another one who specializes on the other side of the ball. With little to no upside, Withey is no more than a shot blocking insurance policy should Serge Ibaka get injured.

30. Phoenix Suns (from Miami) – Ricky Ledo, G, Providence

Ledo was forced to sit out his only college season at Providence due to academic issues but has the talent to create his own shot at the next level. He can provide a scoring punch off the bench for ta Suns team without a viable shooting guard.

2013 NBA Mock Draft

By Nathan Goldenberg

Just a week after the Miami Heat won their second consecutive NBA championship; the attention of basketball fans across the country has been turned to the Barclays Center for the 2013 NBA draft.  In one of the weaker drafts in recent memories there isn’t a can’t miss prospect or a consensus number one pick. Without immediate contributors, only time will tell who will walk away from Brooklyn a winner.

1.  Cleveland Cavaliers – Nerlens Noel, C, Kentucky

The number one pick has come down to a two horse between a pair of bigs coming off lower body injuries but at the end of the day the Cavs take Nerlens Noel out of Kentucky. Noel’s thin stature and lack of a polished offensive game have many worried but his ability to be a defensive force right away forces Cleveland’s hand as they get an athletic big man to run the pick and roll with star point guard Kyrie Irving.

2.  Orlando Magic – Ben McLemore, G, Kansas

Despite poor showings in pre-draft workouts and lack of a killer instinct at Kansas, McLemore can fill it up whether it be from downtown or using his speed and driving to the lane. He’s the kind of two-way player the Magic will need as they continue their rebuilding process. With rumors of Arron Afflalo on the way out, look for Orlando to find the future of their franchise here.

3.  Washington Wizards – Otto Porter, F, Georgetown

With their backcourt set for the future in John Wall and Bradley Beal, the Wizards turn to the versatile forward from Georgetown to replace the injuries and ineffectiveness that Trevor Ariza and Martell Webster have been providing them.

4.  Charlotte Bobcats – Alex Len, C, Maryland

After almost going number one to Cleveland, Alex Len gets snatched up by a Bobcats team desperate for a game changing big man. Len showed a skilled low post game during his last year at Maryland and can develop his defense under the tutelage of recently hired assistant coach Patrick Ewing who spent years working with Dwight Howard in Orlando.

5.  Phoenix Suns – Anthony Bennett, F, UNLV

Despite weighing in almost 20 pounds overweight after recovering from an elbow injury the Suns look to add the talent and vast upside Bennett brings to a roster firmly in rebuilding mode. He showed in college that he has the ability to play the perimeter and also bang down low with the bigs.

6.  New Orleans Pelicans – Trey Burke, G, Michigan

Drafting as the Pelicans for the first time, New Orleans looks to make up for last year’s blunder of picking Austin Rivers by selecting national Player of the Year Trey Burke. Burke is the point guard of the future and should succeed running the pick and roll with Anthony Davis and finding open threes for sharpshooter Ryan Anderson.

7.  Sacramento Kings – Shabazz Muhammad , F, UCLA

It’s simple, the Kings need scoring and Muhammad can provide it in bunches. A highly touted recruit who fell short of expectations due to off the court and character issues should fit in nicely right next to the league’s biggest firecracker DeMarcus Cousins. First year head coach Mike Malone will have quite the task in taming these two hot heads.

8.  Detroit Pistons – CJ McCollum, G, Lehigh

After gaining national attention for leading Lehigh to a first round upset over Duke in the NCAA tournament, McCollum struggled with a foot injury that kept him sidelined the majority of last season. The Pistons have one of the best young frontcourts in the NBA but it has been made clear that Brandon Knight is not a starting point guard. They’ll target McCollum who has the ability to lead an offense and also make a big impact on the defensive end.

9.  Minnesota Timberwolves – Victor Oladipo, G, Indiana

Flip Saunders hasn’t attempted to hide his infatuation for Oladipo and is able to land him in a spot where we wouldn’t have expected to. The Wolves need to replace out of position Luke Ridnour and do so with an elite defender who has room to grow on the offensive end.

10.  Portland Trailblazers – Cody Zeller, F, Indiana

Last year every starter on the Blazers played at least 35 minutes per game so they’ll look to add some depth to their bench with a backup for LaMarcus Aldridge. With Meyers Leonard still developing at center, Zeller will provide athleticism and scoring off the bench for a team that severely lacked both last season.

11.  Philadelphia 76ers – Steven Adams, C, Pittsburgh

Much like another center in Pennsylvania, Adams failed to make the impact that was expected of him. But this raw talent from New Zealand possesses the physical attributes and potential that has scouts drooling, forcing Philly to take him to fill the void at center a few years down the road.

12.  Oklahoma City Thunder (from Toronto) – Kelly Olynyk, C, Gonzaga

The biggest area of need for the Thunder is center as right now they start the worthless and expensive Kendrick Perkins. They’ll look to add breakout star Kelly Olynyk who can spread the floor with his mid-range jumper and will have Serge Ibaka protecting him on defense.

13.  Dallas Mavericks – Michael Carter-Williams, G, Syracuse

The Mavericks really don’t want to make this pick. They were going to force themselves to take Dario Saric before he withdrew his name from the draft but now they really don’t want it. In all likelihood, they free themselves of this pick on the quest for Dwight Howard but if not Carter-Williams is the pick. Standing 6’6” and possessing outstanding court vision, he has the tools to one day be the leader of a team.

14.  Utah Jazz – Dennis Schroeder, G, Germany

Schroeder tore it up at the Nike Hoops Summit and without a point guard currently on the roster the Jazz take him off the board at 14. Look for the Jazz to grab another point guard in free agency that he can learn from for a few years before taking over.

15.  Milwaukee Bucks – Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, G, Georgia

A great player on a horrible Georgia team, Caldwell-Pope took home SEC player of the year honors last season. He has shown the ability to create his own shot and should more than fill the shoes of the recently departed Monta Ellis.

16.  Boston Celtics – Shane Larkin, G, Miami

After dazzling at the combine, Larkin comes to Boston to back up the oft injured Rajon Rondo and perhaps take over in a couple years depending on if the C’s go into full on rebuilding mode and deal Rondo. Larkin’s athleticism should provide a solid contribution off the bench for the near future.

17.  Atlanta Hawks –Mason Plumlee, C, Duke

The Hawks are all in on the Dwight Howard sweepstakes but will need to grab a center here allowing Al Horford to slide to his natural position at the 4. Plumlee may not be starting caliber but look for him to play quality minutes early on.

18.  Atlanta Hawks  (from Houston) – Giannis Adetokunbo, F, Greece

This is nothing more than a money saving move by the Hawks as they try to make a big splash in the free agent market .They’ll look to stash Adetokunbo in Greece as he continues to develop offensive skills.

19.  Cleveland Cavaliers (from LA Lakers) – Sergey Karasev, F, Russia

The Cavs have four picks in the top 33 and don’t have minutes for all of them. They target the sharpshooting prospect who will likely stay in Russia for the next few years. At just 19 years old, Karasev has the potential to make a real impact down the road.

20.  Chicago Bulls – Allen Crabbe, G, California

The Bulls will be looking to add perimeter shooting and grab perhaps the best in the draft here at 20. He showed elite scoring ability during his last year at Cal and should get plenty of open looks once Derrick Rose is back out on the court.

21.  Utah Jazz (Golden State) – Tim Hardaway Jr., G, Michigan

Despite already grabbing a guard, the Jazz attempt to fortify their backcourt with Hardaway. His athleticism should get him open looks to knock down 3s which he has shown the ability to do, at times.

22.  Brooklyn Nets – Gorgui Dieng, C, Louisville

The only player form the Championship team drafted in the first round, Deing can provide necessary length off the bench. Especially with Kirs Humphries on the way out, he should be able to carve out a nice role off the bench.

23.  Indiana Pacers – Reggie Bullock, F, North Carolina

The Pacers are another team rumored to be interested in adding a knockdown shooter and Bullock is one of the best in the draft. After having one of the worst benches last season, Bullock and Stephenson look to provide a nice scoring combo from a reserve role.

24.  New York Knicks – Tony Mitchell, F, North Texas

Mitchell comes off a very disappointing that saw his numbers and the Mean Green’s as a whole fall off. Once projected as a lottery pick, Mitchell has the potential to be one of the steals of the draft if he plays hard.

25.  LA Clippers – Jamaal Franklin, G, SDSU

The Clippers could very well fill their need at the 2 with Arron Afflalo but until that happens, they need someone to take the place of Willie Green. Franklin is a high energy player that can play defense out on the wing and score when he needs to. Oh yea, and he lead his team in scoring, rebounds, assists, and steals last year.

26.  Minnesota Timberwolves (from Memphis)  – Tony Snell, G, New Mexico

Even after adding Oladipo earlier in the draft the Wolves still need help on the wing. Cue Tony Snell who has recently drawn comparisons to former teammate Kawhi Leonard due to his athleticism and defense. Snell is also an underrated scorer who can knock down open 3s for a Minnesota team desperate for some shooting.

27.  Denver Nuggets – Rudy Gobert, C, France

The Nuggets are happy with the young core of players they have now and won’t mind stashing Gobert overseas until he can contribute. He’s far away from that point now but after a few years of development, Gobert has the chance to be a dominant shot blocker thanks to his 7’9” wingspan.

28.  San Antonio Spurs – Lucas Noguiera, C, Brazil

The Spurs love drafting foreign talent and letting it develop before coming to the NBA and contributing. Look for that trend to continue here as the Spurs take Noguiera to replace Tim Duncan and play alongside fellow countryman Tiago Splitter in a few years.

29.  Oklahoma City Thunder – Jeff Withey, C, Kansas

Despite adding a center already, the Thunder draft another one who specializes on the other side of the ball. With little to no upside, Withey is no more than a shot blocking insurance policy should Serge Ibaka get injured.

30.  Phoenix Suns (from Miami) – Erick Green, G, Virginia Tech

The Suns nabbed Anthony Bennett earlier in the first round and look here for a scorer in the backcourt. Green lead the nation in scoring last season and could be a nice spark plug off the bench for a Phoenix team that currently starts underwhelming PJ Tucker at the 2.

Khalif Wyatt is Worth the Gamble

By Aron Minkoff

The reigning Atlantic 10 and Big 5 player of the year, Khalif Wyatt is ready for the NBA Draft tonight, however he has been left off of most experts mock drafts.  Wyatt averaged 20.5 points in the 2012-2013 regular season while leading the Owls to the third round of the NCAA tournament, and one Victor Oladipo shot away from the Sweet 16.

Throughout the season Wyatt proved himself capable of running with the best of them.  Wyatt has been matched up with potential NBA players such as, Victor Oladipo, Ben Mclemore and Seth Curry.  In the NCAA tournament Wyatt scored 31 points against both North Carolina State and Indiana University.  The 6’4 guard proved himself to be one of the most clutch players in the country, leading the Owls to numerous wins in the closing seconds of the game.

Wyatt possess a crafty arsenal, while he is not the quickest player on the court he is able to change his tempo at an instant and is able to find a way towards the hoop.  It appears as if he has every possible move in his bag of tricks and when you put that with his fairly accurate jump shot, he is pretty hard for college teams to find an answer to.

Now there are numerous examples of college success not equaling pro success, Adam Morrison and Sean May just to name a couple.  Wyatt is only 6’4 and does not possess the quickness necessary of a point guard.  He does not have the flawless jump shot necessary of a shooting guard.  But what Wyatt does have is heart and the will to succeed.

Wyatt impressed many with his tough play and would surely be a nice guy to have on any NBA team.  I think that he would fit in very nicely with the Philadelphia 76ers.  Playing a few miles south of Temple’s campus and 30 minutes away from his hometown of Norristown, PA, Wyatt would help energize a Sixers fan base that has had little to be excited about in recent times.  While I do not think that the Sixers should draft Wyatt as high as 42, they could trade for a later pick and scoop him up at the end of the draft.

Khalif Wyatt has done it all for the Temple Owls, he deserves a chance to prove himself and shine in the NBA.

The New York Jets Situation Heading into the 2013 NFL Season

By Peter DiPaola

The Jets have been nothing short of a mess the past two seasons, and this year they decided to help right the ship by going out and taking Geno Smith in the 2^nd round of the 2013 NFL draft to help their struggling offense and not to mention help out that less than stellar quarterback spot.  The Jets claim to have a 4 way competition going between Mark Sanchez, Geno Smith, Greg McElroy and Matt Simms, but honestly it will go down to Sanchez and Smith.  The Jets are not sold on Sanchez anymore and you can tell by how Rex has been reacting to Sanchez’s poor play in practice.  Jets offensive coordinator Marty Mornhinweg has claimed Sanchez has had great accuracy, well sorry it is only June and he is in shorts… I don’t trust him in the game.

Now what I find hard about this situation is what the Jets will actually do, because I don’t think there is a definitive answer to what will be done.  Sanchez is on a short rope and Smith seems like he will only rise up to the top of the depth chart, the only reason Sanchez could possibly start is because he is a 4 year starter for the Jets.  However I think it is obvious he will struggle early and often, he is a horrible decision maker, he has 52 turnovers the past two seasons, that is 26 a year AND he introduced us to the butt fumble as well.  I think that is enough to keep him from being a starter in the NFL, but we all know the Jets, they are so stubborn it isn’t even funny.   I think this battle will go down to the end of the pre-season because I don’t think they should make a definitive decision until they play in a game, however if Sanchez or Smith struggles they should make a choice a little earlier.

What I think the Jets should do is start Smith, yes he will struggle but is expected as a rookie, he needs the experience and I think he could play well here and there but he won’t have a year like last year’s rookies did.  I like Smith, I think he would give the Jets a far better chance to win then Sanchez, and I think Sanchez needs to be cut.  Some don’t like that idea because he is owed a fair amount of money but he isn’t worth it anymore, I don’t think he should be on the roster because something tells me that if he stays and is put in games that will still be naïve to the fact that he isn’t a quality quarterback.  The next best thing would be to bring in a quality veteran free agent QB like a Vince Young because I think he can be a good mentor to Geno and has a lot to offer still in the event Geno is benched.

The Jets are a good distance away from being a playoff team again, and the best way to rebuild is with a young and hungry QB.

The Best and Worst of the 2013 NFL Draft

By Peter DiPaola

The best team draft in 2013 is the St. Louis Rams.  When you look at how they have played on the offensive side of the ball the last few years it is not hard to see that they have not been playing too well.  This year the Rams have added some nice pieces around Sam Bradford via the draft including West Virginia wide receivers Tavon Austin and Stedman Bailey and also adding Guard Barrett Jones in the 4^th round.  This team helped Bradford in many ways by doing this; he needed pass protection and desperately needed some offensive weapons, especially in the very competitive NFC West.  I also the liked the defensive player picks as well, I truly think this team is finally headed in the right direction.

Now for the worst…

The Cowboys draft not only confused me but really made little to no sense.  I didn’t understand drafting Travis Frederick the center out of Wisconsin, he had a third round grade on him, granted this team needs some help on the offensive line but to take a player that really should not have gone until the third round is confusing.  Next they took a tight end in the second round a receiver in the third round, again why did they need to take those players in those spots?  Personally they should have gone o-line in the third round again if not again in the second round, they drafted some defensive players but I am not impressed with where the players were taken or the fact that they were drafted late in the third all the way into the 6^th round.  They also skipped over their needs on the defensive line.  Jerry Jones, the 21^st century Al Davis has probably not helped Romo or the Cowboys at all with this draft…

I believe in the 2013 Pittsburgh Pirates

By Aron Minkoff

The Pittsburgh Pirates had Monday off after they completed a sweep against the Los Angeles Angels, the first sweep of an American League team on the road in franchise history.  The team won each game in convincing fashion, and has caused many Pirates fans, including myself, to really believe that this is the year that the Pirates break the streak of losing seasons.

Just when you thought the Pirates were going to lose to the Angels on Sunday, they put together something magical.  The Pirates were trailing 6-3 in the ninth inning and not only came back to tie it, but won 10-9 in ten innings.  The Pirates batters are all hitting their stride at the same time and it’s quite the site to see.

Pedro Alvarez is finally partially realizing his potential.  Alvarez earned the National League Slugger of the week award after hitting four home runs in four games to boost his numbers to a respectable .237 batting average with 19 home runs and 51 RBI’s.  The only third baseman in all of baseball with more home runs and RBI’s than Alvarez is none other than Miguel Cabrera who is off to a freaky pace again this year.

Alvarez’s play has increased so much recently that he is in consideration for a bid to the all-star game along with teammates Andrew McCutchen, Jeff Locke and Jason Grilli.  McCutchen leads all National League centerfielders in RBI’s with 38, and is fourth in batting average at .289.  Locke boasts a 6-1 record and leads all NL pitchers with a 2.01 ERA; and Grilli is tied for the Major League lead with 26 saves.

Those four all-star candidates along with the consistent play of catcher Russell Martin, second baseman Neil Walker and leftfielder Starling Marte, the Pirates offense is blossoming into one of the premier offenses in baseball.  The offensive blast combined with the dominant pitching of Gerrit Cole, Francisco Liriano and the bullpen the Pirates boast the second best record in baseball, and certainly seem to be on pace to not only have a winning season but seem to be poised to make a playoff run.  Buckle your seatbelts, the fun has just begun.

The Pittsburgh Pirates and Giancarlo Stanton

By Aron Minkoff

On Friday, the Pittsburgh Pirates were rumored to be the potential landing spot for Giancarlo Stanton of the Miami Marlins via trade.  The 23 year-old power hitter is potentially on the trade market and could prove to be a valuable asset for the Pirates who rank last in the National League in OPS out of right field.  Stanton has been the object of numerous rumors recently and the Pirates are just the latest team to be tossed into consideration.

The price for Stanton is going to be high as he is under contract through the 2016 season.  So who would the Pirates potentially give up in exchange for Stanton?  Highly touted prospects Jameson Tallion and Gregory Polanco as well as Tony Sanchez are rumored to be possibilities in the trade.  Tallion, a 21 year-old pitcher was the number two overall pick of the 2010 MLB draft, and is considered by many to be a top 20 prospect in all of baseball.  Polanco, a 21 year-old outfielder was a foreign singing and is considered to be a top 60 prospect in all of baseball.  Both are currently stationed in AA Altoona.  Tony Sanchez is a 25 year-old catcher who has put together a pretty nice season in AAA this season which led to his call-up to the Majors on Friday.

With Gerrit Cole, Pittsburgh’s top prospect, in the Majors, the Pirates top two minor league prospects are Tallion and Polanco.  Parting ways with both players would be quite a price to pay.  This brings us to the question: Is Stanton worth it?

Stanton is no doubt a rare talent. At the age of 23 he already has 100 career home runs and threatens to go deep in every at bat.  However, Stanton is highly injury prone, having spent a large portion of his career on the disabled list, missing over 80 games in the last two seasons. 

I say do it.  The Pirates need to win now.  The Pirates cannot afford another losing season and seem to have a lot of necessary tools to be a successful team.  Adding another bat for a few years would immediately make them playoff contenders.  They have enough young pieces in Alen Hanson, Josh Bell and Gerrit Cole, that if they give up a few marquee prospects they will still be in great shape for the long term.  In addition, if the Pirates deem him to be too costly to resign when his contract runs out, they can always trade him for a few premier prospects and not lose too much.

The time is now for the Pittsburgh Pirates.  They need to seize the moment and make a trade like this that makes sense.  This is the year for the Pittsburgh Pirates. 

My Top 4 Quarterbacks with Something to Prove in the 2013 NFL Season

By Peter DiPaola

1.)    Michael Vick

I had him on this list last year as well, and here he is again… the 2012 season was nothing short of awful for an Eagles team that was stacked with so much talent.  Vick went 3-7 this past season and 7-6 in 2011 the year that he signed a fat contract extension following his surprising 2010 season.  That means he has only played in 23 of 32 games since signing his big deal and his win-loss record is no 10-13 that is inexcusable.  Sure he had a poor offensive line but he was trying way too hard to make plays, he has lost 9 fumbles the past 2 seasons and his touchdown to interception ratio is 30-24.  That means in 23 games he has 33 turnovers that will not get you wins, he is lucky to have won any games in 2012, the three wins he had were by a total of 4 points and the teams he beat had very good chances of being able to win.

Since Chip Kelly has taken over for Andy Reid he took a 1 year deal and this season he must prove his worth, he first must stay healthy and be better with the ball, he cannot afford to keep taking the risks that he has been.  What worries me most about this situation is if he falters from the start because I do not think Nick Foles will be on the roster due to the fact that he is not the type of quarterback for Chip Kelly’s offense.  Dennis Dixon was signed not too long ago and he played at Oregon while Chip Kelly was the offensive play caller leading me to believe that he will be the second string quarterback.

Prediction: Vick either gets injured in week 3 or 4 or losses his job just short of the midway part of the season.

2.)    Mark Sanchez

Look who is back!  Another poor season for the Jets starter, he only won 4 games, his record as a start in 2012: 4-10 (I don’t count the Jets win over Arizona a win for him because McElroy was the one who came in at the end and won the game).  Since having won his first four playoff games in his first two seasons and reaching the AFC title game those years he has fallen off, his record since 12-18 that is not what a franchise QB should have as a record.  He has also in those two seasons had 52 turnovers, 36 interceptions and 16 lost fumbles, and in those two seasons he has only thrown for 38 touchdowns, 12 in 2012.  That means 36 touchdowns to 52 turnovers that is not what a franchise quarterback should have numbers wise, I don’t see why he was signed to a contract extension following his pathetic 2011 season.  He has had back to back 26 turnover seasons and 2012 was worse because he had 12 passing touchdowns to 26 turnovers meaning that he had twice as many turnovers as he did touchdowns.

Rex Ryan has stated that Sanchez has to earn the right to start in the 2013 season, and I am glad that he has finally decided to make this decision; he really should have done this last season.  However, Tebow and McElroy are not great passers either, but at least Tebow would have been able to run a better ground and pound attack.

Prediction: Sanchez losses out the starting job in the preseason

3.)    Philip Rivers

The only quarterback with more turnovers the past two seasons other than Rivers is Mark Sanchez, which is some pretty bad company considering how Rivers has had success in Sand Diego before the woeful 2011 and 2012 seasons.  It is hard to pinpoint what exactly has caused this to happen, I think Norv Turner does not know how to handle Rivers who is known for being a trash talker and also a hot head which I have been saying for years.  The lack of a run game or any decent pass catchers could be the reason, but I think Rivers is also partial to blame as well.  The game against the Broncos in which he managed to aide in blowing a 24-0 lead in a loss in the 2012 season, it just seemed like week in and week out he was making poor decisions and lost games.

I think with a new regime in place in San Diego he can flourish and post numbers like he once did before, but considering that he has had little success in winning in recent years it could be a while before he turns around if he even does.

His stats over the last two seasons:

2011 27 touchdowns 20 interceptions and 5 lost fumbles

2012 25 touchdowns 16 interceptions 7 lost fumbles

Meaning a  total of 52 touchdowns and 48 total turnovers

Prediction: Chargers go 8-8, still lacking talent to help out Rivers and his decision making has yet to improve

4.)    Tony Romo

Yup, this may come as a surprise to some, but it should not, especially given his performance in the game against the Redskins to determine who would go to the playoffs, all I have to say on that is how the game was lost, on another pathetic Romo interception.  I have heard people blame other aspects on his bad luck this season; well I can tell you one thing I don’t feel bad because with another big game on the line he chocked yet again.

This is not the first time this has happened, same thing happened in the 2011 season when they could have eliminated the Giants from making the playoffs and actually made it themselves, but yet again they came up short.  I am tired of hearing about the “bad luck” this guy has, he does it to himself, and for those that say he gets put in the spots to win games because of his team’s poor play should look at Eli

Manning. That man has had some pathetic play from his team from time to time but has found a way to win games, hey Romo you see him two times a year… maybe learn from him.

Prediction: Cowboys falter again….

Will the Hernandez Situation and Gronkowski Surgery Hurt the Patriots Offense?

By Peter DiPaola

Ever since Gronkowski had his back surgery and Hernandez’s ongoing saga involving the police investigation in a murder less than a mile away from his home people have been asking questioning how effective the Patriots offense will be. I believe there is not a need to panic at all, while some can disagree with that statement I think the Patriots will be fine, Tom Brady always knows how to work with what he has and will make the most with it. The Patriots do have new addition Danny Amendola and returning receiver Julian Edelman, they also have Jake Ballard and Daniel Fells as back up tightends. Sure these players are not Hernandez, Gronkowski or even Brandon Llyod (who played receiver for the Patriots last season) but they can produce. The Patriots like players who can contribute to the team in any way, and if they don’t the Pats will always find someone else, they have always made off well with what they have.

Last season the Patriots had one of the best offenses in the NFL, and we always heard how great Brady, Gronkowski, Hernandez, Wes Welker and the other pass catchers on the team were, but I feel the run game was overlooked. The Patriots ranked 7th in the NFL last season in yards and ranked 1st in the NFL with 25 rushing touchdowns, so the Patriots do have a solid run game to lean on. The Patriots have also added some new running backs to help with their rushing attack, they picked up Leon Washington and Legarrette Blount which will only help their offense.

When you factor in a strong running game to any offense it will help, an example of this was the Vikings last season when Adrian Peterson ran the Vikings into the playoffs with Christian Ponder as the quarterback. The Patriots have Tom Brady so that only helps the Patriots that much more, and with the Bills still trying to find their groove and the Jets completely rebuilding, leaving the Dolphins as the only team that could threat the Patriots.

And the Patriots could get Gronkowski back in the first few games of the season which will of course be a huge help, and it should be noted that Brandon Lloyd is a free agent and could resign and help out as well. The Patriots already have pieces in place but they can always add familiar faces to help.

NBA Finals Game 6: How to Slow a Rapid Heart Rate

By Sam Basch

Increase your intake of fish oil, empty your bladder regularly, breathe slowly, and get a good regular sleep pattern. You now have 36 hours to practice such routines before the single greatest event in all of sports takes place on Thursday night: Game 7. After the most entertaining and exhilarating NBA basketball game in recent memory, Miami survived to force Game 7 Thursday night in Miami. LeBron James took over in the fourth quarter, as we all knew he needed to, without his headband I might add, and Ray Allen made his paycheck in one miraculous shot with under 6 seconds left in the 4th quarter. While the story was the Ray Allen 3-pointer, which sent the game to overtime and the fact that the world had waited 5-plus games for an “NBA Classic”, there are several key factors that led Miami to come back in the waning seconds of regulation in Game 6 to force a winner-take all game Thursday night.

For the San Antonio Spurs, the game came down to fundamentals. The “Big Fundamental”, Tim Duncan, carried San Antonio through much of the game with 30 points and 17 rebounds. He started the game on fire, shooting 7-7, and kept the tempo up for the Spurs. With Tony Parker having a rough shooting night (6-23), it seemed almost as though Duncan was having his “marquee” game that Parker, Ginobli, and Green had in San Antonio’s previous 3 wins, respectively. Duncan worked the offense from the post and San Antonio’s previous success shooting in the series forced Miami to defend Duncan with only one defender. Advantage Duncan.

Despite Duncan pulling the weight for San Antonio for much of the first three quarters, with some help from Kawhi Leonard, the rest of the Spurs were unable to close out Miami late in the 4th quarter with the Larry O’ Brian trophy just beyond arm’s reach, literally. The post-game staffers were on the sidelines prepared to rope off the stage, and commissioner David Stern had all but left his seat for the trophy presentation.

Perhaps the most significant insignificant fundamental in the sport of basketball took it all away from San Antonio: free throws. San Antonio’s inability to make free throws with the game on the line is the sole reason that this column isn’t titled “2013 NBA Finals Wrap Up.” Free throws gave life back to Miami when fans began to leave the arena. Free throws are the reason that the Larry O’ Brian trophy remains finely polished and untouched for 48 more hours. In the final 30 seconds of regulation, San Antonio missed two critical free throws, one by Manu Ginobli and the other by Kawhi Leonard, to deliver the final knockout blow to this resilient and battle-tested Miami Heat team. With 19 seconds in regulation and Kawhi Leonard at the line, Miami’s chances at a comeback were resting in his hands. You could sense the anxiety and agony in the building leading up to that first free throw with San Antonio already ahead 94-92. Miss. A collective cheer/exhale/defibrillating moment ensued from the Miami crowd as there was life in the American Airlines Arena. With Leonard making the 2nd free throw, the lead was stretched to a reasonable 3-points and Ray Allen did the rest with an unbelievable corner three to tie it up with 5.2 seconds remaining. The San Antonio Spurs pride themselves on being that “team’s team”, but their inability to focus on the moment and remain cool under pressure, 30 seconds away from the franchise’s fifth NBA title, gave Miami life and all the momentum leading up to Game 7 tomorrow night.

On Miami’s end, it seemed that everything went right when it needed to, subsequently went downhill at the last minute, only to somehow go right again when the clock read 00:00. We were all waiting for “that moment” from Miami to push the tempo and play with the desperation of knowing that their season was coming to an end unless they did something to stop it. At the beginning of the 2nd half, we did not see it. As the third quarter was coming to a close, we were still waiting. Fourth quarter begins: game on Miami. The Heat started the 4th quarter shooting 4-4 from the field and showed San Antonio and the world that this was not going to be a championship countdown as it was for Miami in the 4th quarter of Game 5 in the 2012 Finals.

San Antonio fought hard and aggressive throughout the game but the iconic image from Game 5 occurred on a seemingly irrelevant aspect of the game. LeBron James went up for a dunk in the low post and in an attempt to block the shot, Tim Duncan ripped off his headband. Due to several mysterious reasons including feeling relieved that the tight headband was finally off of his head, no longer showing a lack of insecurity about his receding hairline, or a multitude of other headband-related reasons, LeBron James turned it on and refused to watch the San Antonio Spurs hoist the Larry O’ Brian trophy on his home court. LeBron entered the 4th quarter with 13 points shooting an abysmal 3-10, but finished the night posting up his fourth triple-double in the playoffs with an impressive 32 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds. LeBron proved to the world that he is no longer “too small” for any moment and that all that matters today is putting ring #2 on his finger.

With a quick turnaround of under 48 hours total between Games 6 and 7, San Antonio needs to focus on resting after playing a grueling Game 6. Game plan and strategy are not nearly as important leading up to tomorrow night as every team has shown its true colors at some point in this series. San Antonio needs to focus on getting past the devastation of losing Game 6 with the championship in their sights, and rest their stars for one final, winner-take-all, last hoorah for these San Antonio Spurs tomorrow night in what is to be a great follow up to a classic NBA Finals Game 6.