2007-08 NBA Preview (Central Division)

The NBA preview continues. But I'm also linking to a clip of George Carlin's appearance on Countdown with Keith Olbermann last night. Since Hunter S. Thompson is dead, this is pretty much as good as gets for me in the "personal heroes in one room" department.

Remember, statistics in parentheses are points per game/rebounds per game/assists per game unless otherwise noted.

Chicago Bulls
2006-07: 49-33
Beat Miami 4-0 in first round
Lost to Detroit 4-2 in conference semifinals
Coach: Scott Skiles
Starting lineup
PG Kirk Hinrich (16.6/3.4/6.3)
SG Ben Gordon (21.4/3.1/3.6)
SF Luol Deng (18.8/7.1/2.5)
PF Tyrus Thomas (5.2/3.7/0.6) or Joe Smith (8.5/6.2/0.8)
C Ben Wallace (6.4/10.7/2.4)
Bench
F/C Tyrus Thomas or Joe Smith
F Andres Nocioni (14.1/5.7/1.1)
G Chris Duhon (7.2/2.2/4.0)
C/F Aaron Gray (rookie, 49th pick)
PF Joakim Noah (rookie, 9th pick)
G/F Thabo Sefolosha (3.6/2.2/0.8)
G/F Adrian Griffin (2.5/2.0/1.1)

The team has improved, but so has its competition in the Eastern Conference. The Bulls are a contender for the conference championship, but will have to find some source of post scoring if they are to win it. Joe Smith is a nice addition in this regard, but he's 32 years old and his best basketball is probably behind him. The team would likely be better served if Tyrus Thomas has developed his offensive game enough to win the starting power forward job. Luol Deng's consistent improvement bodes well, and the all-around talent could be the team's best player. The guards are a known quantity, with Ben Gordon providing the scoring punch and clutch shooting, Kirk Hinrich running the offense and making plays, and Chris Duhon as the defensive stopper and steadying influence off the bench. Much was made of the acquisition of four-time Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace before last season, but he's not a factor on offense and his rebounding and defense slipped last year. They likely won't get any better for the 33-year-old center this year, but he still strikes fear into anyone who tries to drive to the basket. Sixth man Andres Nocioni was out for most of the second half last year, and his aggression and toughness was sorely missed. Rookies Joakim Noah (pictured, with commissioner David Stern), an athletic defender, and Aaron Gray, who has impressed in preseason, make the Bulls' power rotation one of the league's deepest.

Cleveland Cavaliers
2006-07: 50-32
Beat Washington 4-0 in first round
Beat New Jersey 4-2 in conference semifinals
Beat Detroit 4-2 in conference finals
Lost to San Antonio 4-0 in NBA Finals
Coach: Mike Brown
Starting lineup
PG Larry Hughes (14.9/3.8/3.7)
SG Sasha Pavlovic (9.0/2.4/1.6)*
SF LeBron James (27.3/6.7/6.0)
PF Drew Gooden (11.1/8.5/1.1)
C Zydrunas Ilgauskas (11.9/7.7/1.6)
Bench
G Daniel Gibson (4.6/1.5/1.2)
C/F Anderson Varejao (6.8/6.7/0.9)*
F Donyell Marshall (7.0/4.0/0.6)
PF Cedric Simmons (2.9/2.5/0.3)
PF Dwayne Jones (0.8/1.5/0.0)
PG Eric Snow (4.2/2.3/4.0)
G Damon Jones (6.6/1.1/1.6)
*-contract holdout

LeBron James (pictured) staked his claim as the league's best all-around player when he put the team on his back and carried them to the Finals last year, but the Cavs did nothing to get LeBron James any help in the offseason. If anything, they're worse, as long as Sasha Pavlovic and Anderson Varejao continue their contract holdouts. That means playoff sensation Daniel "Boobie" Gibson brings his ability to light it up from behind the arc into the starting lineup, but leaves the cupboard bare on the bench. That doesn't bode well with a 32-year-old starting center with a history of foot problems in Zydrunas Ilgauskas. He must assert himself more on the dfensive end this year, and Drew Gooden will have to be at his best to replace Varejao's energy. If not, reserves Cedric Simmons and Dwayne Jones, both defensive specialists, will grab significant minutes. Donyell Marshall's long-range sharpshooting will be needed now more than ever off the bench. Larry Hughes still struggles as a point guard, but he, Gibson and James can split the responsibility of running the offense three ways. Backup point guard Eric Snow, a defensive option, and reserve Damon Jones, the choice for added scoring, will see minutes depending on the game situation.

Detroit Pistons
2006-07: 53-27
Beat Orlando 4-0 in first round
Beat Chicago 4-2 in conference semifinals
Lost to Cleveland 4-2 in conference finals
Coach: Flip Saunders
Starting lineup
PG Chauncey Billups (17.0/3.4/7.2)
SG Richard Hamilton (19.8/3.8/3.8)
SF Tayshaun Prince (14.3/5.2/2.8)
PF Rasheed Wallace (12.3/7.2/1.7)
C Antonio McDyess (8.1/6.0/0.9)
Bench
G Rodney Stuckey (rookie, 15th pick)
F/C Jason Maxiell (5.0/2.8/0.2)
G Flip Murray (6.7/1.6/2.7)
SF Jarvis Hayes (7.0/2.6/1.0)
F Amir Johnson (5.9/4.6/0.4)
C Nazr Mohammed (5.6/4.5/0.2)

The familiar foursome of Richard Hamilton, Tayshaun Prince Rasheed Wallace and Chauncey Billups (pictured, in order from left to right), together since the middle of the 2003-04 season, are back for at least one more run at the championship. Antonio McDyess, who has been an energetic and tactful presence off the bench, should be able to comfortably slide into the starting lineup at center. More dramatic changes have taken place on the bench, where a youth movement should allow the Pistons to run with some of the league's up-tempo teams when necessary. Combo guard Rodney Stuckey, a slasher the Pistons have lacked, has played so well in the preseason some are calling the rookie, who was picked 15th, the steal of this year's draft. Amir Johnson, who impressed the team with his work in the D-League the past two years, missed seven of the team's first eight games with an ankle injury, but he's healthy again and should still wind up in the rotation, backing up at both forward spots. Jason Maxiell is only 6-foot-7, but has learned how to use his 260 pounds to become a physical force and skilled rebounder. His leaping ability and speed belie his girth. Nazr Mohammed, who cleans up the offensive glass and can score if needed, should get a chance to redeem himself after falling all the way from starting center to out of the rotation last year. Flip Murray and former Wizard Jarvis Hayes provide bench scoring at the wing positions.

Indiana Pacers
2006-07: 35-47
Coach: Jim O'Brien
Starting lineup
PG Jamaal Tinsley (12.8/3.3/6.9)
SG Danny Granger (13.9/4.6/1.4)
SF Mike Dunleavy (12.8/5.3/2.8)
PF Jermaine O'Neal (19.4/9.6/2.4)
C Troy Murphy (10.3/6.1/1.9)
Bench
G/F Marquis Daniels (7.1/1.8/1.3)
C Jeff Foster (4.3/8.1/0.8)
PF Ike Diogu (6.2/3.4/0.4)
SG Kareem Rush (10.1/2.2/1.1)
PG Travis Diener (3.8/0.7/1.3)
PG Andre Owens (last played in 2005-06: 3.0/0.9/0.3)
C David Harrison (3.0/1.8/0.3)

I can't believe this team didn't trade Jermaine O'Neal (pictured) during the offseason. Since they didn't, they're caught between mediocrity and rebuilding, and the franchise isn't going anywhere fast. O'Neal has established himself as a very good player, but not outstanding in any way, and far below the level of contemporary greats at his position like Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. If third-year man Danny Granger's development continues he could be one of the league's better shooting guards. Aside from O'Neal and Granger, the rest of the team is mediocre at best. Jamaal Tinsley is capable of directing the offense, but little more. Mike Dunleavy knows what to do on the floor but lacks many of the physical gifts necessary to get it done, at least to the level required of an NBA starter. He'd be better off on the bench, but the Pacers have little other choice. His backup, Marquis Daniels is a versatile talent, but his lack of shooting touch keeps him on the bench, where his ability to play all three perimeter positions is more valuable anyway. It's a Faustian choice at center, where starter Troy Murphy can score but doesn't play defense, and backup Jeff Foster protects the basket but can't seem to put the ball inside of it.

Milwaukee Bucks
2006-07: 28-54
Coach: Larry Krystkowiak
Starting lineup
PG Maurice Williams (17.3/4.8/6.1)
SG Michael Redd (26.7/3.7/2.3)
SF Bobby Simmons (last played in 2005-06: 13.4/4.4/2.3)
PF Yi Jianlian (rookie, 6th pick)
C Andrew Bogut (12.3/8.8/3.0)
Bench
SF Desmond Mason (13.7/4.6/1.5)
PF Charlie Villanueva (11.8/5.8/0.9)
G Charlie Bell (13.5/2.9/3.0)
C Dan Gadzuric (4.8/4.6/0.5)
G Royal Ivey (3.0/1.0/0.8)

Shooting guard Michael Redd, the league's fifth leading scorer last season, got little recognition on a team that compiled the third worst record in the NBA. He may get his due this year, if a young roster can deliver on some of its promise and learn to play defense. Point guard Maurice Williams is a microcosm of the team, which gave up 112 points a game in 2006-07, second only to the league doormat Grizzlies. His court vision, ball-handling and ability to score are among the best in the league, but he's a poor defender. He'll be joined in the starting lineup by Yi Jianlian (pictured), who'll be getting plenty of minutes whether or not rumors he was promised playing time by Sen. Herb Kohl, D-Wisc., who moonlights as the team owner and made a special trip to China to secure the services of the sixth pick in this year's draft. Yi's quickness, agility and jump shot are his strengths, but he's not a great defender and has no low-post game, two reasons he's at power forward instead of center. Small forward Bobby Simmons, who missed last year after surgeries on his ankle and heel, also won a starting job in training camp, beating out Desmond Mason. Simmons' all-around game trumped the athleticism of Mason, who isn't an outside shooting threat and is undersized at 6-foot-5. Mason is a better fit with an athletic bench, which includes center Dan Gadzuric, a change of pace from the more offensively oriented starter Andrew Bogut.

2007-08 NBA preview (Atlantic Division)

The Red Sox are going to the World Series after rallying from a 3-1 deficit against the steroid-enhanced Indians, the top two college football teams could be headed for a fall (again), and there were plenty of goodies from another fat Sunday of professional football.

But who cares about all that? The NBA season starts a week from Tuesday, and even though the refs are corrupt, it's still my favorite league. I'll be rolling out a preview, division by division, on an irregular basis between now and the first tip. We'll be starting with the Atlantic Division, and like the great explorers Lewis, Clark, and the Oregon Trail families, we'll be making our way westward across the country while trying to avoid cholera, diphtheria, and the dreaded mad ox disease. Enjoy!

(Statistics in parentheses are points per game/rebounds per game/assists per game in 2006-07)

Boston Celtics

2006-07: 24-58

Coach: Doc Rivers

Starting lineup

PG Rajon Rondo (6.4/3.7/3.8)

SG Ray Allen (26.4/4.5/4.1)

SF Paul Pierce (25.0/5.9/4.1)

PF Kevin Garnett (22.4/12.8/4.1)

C Kendrick Perkins (4.5/5.2/1.3)

Bench

F James Posey (7.7/5.0/1.3)

G Tony Allen (11.5/3.8/1.7)

C/F Glen Davis (rookie, 35th pick)

PF Leon Powe (4.3/3.5/0.2)

G Eddie House (8.4/1.6/1.2)

F Brian Scalabrine (4.0/1.9/1.1)

The Celtics made the biggest move this offseason, acquiring 2004 league MVP Kevin Garnett (pictured, center), still one of the league's top-10 players, along with seven-time All-Star Ray Allen (pictured, right). They team with mainstay Paul Pierce (pictured, left) to make arguably the league's top threesome, but it remains to be seen whether that's enough to carry an otherwise unimpressive roster deep into the playoffs. The signing of James Posey, who started at small forward on the Heat's 2006 championship team, provides the team with a valuable sixth man who could see time as a backup for all three superstars. The viability of second-year man Rajon Rondo as a competent starting point guard is a question. Kendrick Perkins will be asked to carry the load in the post, given Garnett's aversion to playing close to the basket and the diminuitive height of 6-foot-8 backup Glen Davis. That might be too much to ask from Perkins, who's never held down a starting job for a full season.

New Jersey Nets

2006-07: 41-41
Beat Toronto 4-2 in first round
Lost to Cleveland 4-2 in conference semifinals

Coach: Lawrence Frank

Starting lineup

PG Jason Kidd (13.0/8.2/9.2)

SG Vince Carter (25.2/6.0/4.8)

SF Richard Jefferson (16.3/4.4/2.7)

PF Nenad Krstic (16.4/6.8/1.8)

C Jamaal Magloire (6.5/6.1/0.4)

Bench

C Jason Collins (2.1/4.0/0.6)

PF Josh Boone (4.2/2.9/0.2)

PF Malik Allen (4.0/2.0/0.3)

PF Sean Williams (rookie, 17th pick)

F/G Bostjan Nachbar (9.2/3.3/0.8)

SG Antoine Wright (4.5/2.8/0.9)

PG Darrell Armstrong (5.6/1.7/2.4)

PG Marcus Williams (6.8/2.1/3.3)

While most of the attention in the Atlantic Division has been focused on the Celtics' big off-season moves and the surprise first-place finish of the Toronto Raptors, the Nets quietly bolstered a team that's been the last team Atlantic team standing in the playoffs five of the last six years. Jason Kidd (pictured, center) is 34, but he's missed only four games over the past two seasons and is still one of the premier point guards in the game. Health is of greater concern for Richard Jefferson (pictured, left), who has missed significant time two of the last three years but combines with leading scorer Vince Carter (pictured, right) to make this team one of the most exciting offensively when they're together on the floor. Nenad Krstic returns after missing most of 2006-07 with a torn ACL, and the team hopes he can return to form as an all-around scoring threat. Veteran free-agent signee Jamaal Magloire, a classic, in-the-paint post player, is the best guess at center, as the Nets have a glut of power players, an area where they were thin last year. Jason Collins, Josh Boone, Malik Allen and Sean Williams are all in the running for post minutes. Sharpshooting swingman Bostjan Nachbar was a spark off the bench late last year and in the playoffs. Darrell Armstrong, 39, likely in his final season, will be the backup point guard for at least the first month of the season while Marcus Williams recovers from a broken foot.

New York Knicks

Coach: Isiah Thomas

2006-07: 33-49

Starting lineup

PG Stephon Marbury (16.4/2.9/5.4)

SG Jamal Crawford (17.6/3.2/4.4)

SF Quentin Richardson (13.0/7.2/2.2)

PF Zach Randolph (23.6/10.1/2.2)

C Eddy Curry (19.5/7.0/0.8)

Bench

F David Lee (10.7/10.4/1.8)

F/G Renaldo Balkman (4.9/4.3/0.6)

PG Nate Robinson (10.1/2.4/1.4)

G/F Fred Jones (6.5/1.8/1.7)

C Randolph Morris (0.8/1.8/0.2)

PF Malik Rose (3.0/2.7/1.0)

F Jared Jeffries (4.1/4.3/1.2)

C Jerome James (1.9/1.6/0.1)

The team's sexual harassment lawsuit surrounding Isiah Thomas (pictured, left) notwithstanding, there's reason for optimism for the first time in a while at Madison Square Garden. The team acquired Zach Randolph (pictured, right), instantly one of the top post performers in the Eastern Conference, in a draft night deal with Portland. Much has been made of the similarity between his game and Eddy Curry's, but two capable big men are better than none. Thomas will be challenged to design a system that gets the most out of both, but for once has a clear option at point guard with Stephon Marbury. Stability could benefit Jamal Crawford, the team's second leading scorer behind Curry, who has the job at shooting guard after vacillating between the bench and the starting lineup the past two years. Three-point bomber Quentin Richardson hasn't been the same since a stellar 2005 with Phoenix, but is the starting small forward for now. Fan favorite David Lee and Renaldo Balkman, who surprised as a rookie last year, provide depth at the wings, along with Thomas favorite Fred Jones. There's not much behind Curry and Randolph, particularly as Jerome James struggles to play with a bad knee that may require surgery.

Philadelphia 76ers

Coach: Maurice Cheeks

2006-07: 35-47

Starting lineup

PG Andre Miller (13.4/4.4/7.8)

SG Rodney Carney (6.6/1.9/0.4) or Willie Green (11.3/2.1/1.5)

SF Andre Iguodala (18.2/5.7/5.7)

PF Reggie Evans (4.9/7.0/0.7)

C Samuel Dalembert (10.7/8.9/0.8)

Bench

SG Willie Green or Rodney Carney

G/F Kyle Korver (14.4/3.5/1.4)

F/C Jason Smith (rookie, 20th pick)

SF Thaddeus Young (rookie, 12th pick)

PG Kevin Ollie (3.8/1.4/2.5)

C Shavlik Randolph (4.5/4.2/0.3)

G Louis Williams (4.3/1.1/1.8)

What a mess. The rebuilding process after the Allen Iverson trade is bottoming out, and this team could make a run at the worst record in the league. Athletic Andre Iguodala (pictured, right) is the go-to guy, and must show progress this year or he could become the second AI shipped out of Philly. Veteran Andre Miller is one of the league's better point guards, and deserves a better fate than to be stuck with this bunch. Reggie Evans is not a threat offensively, but his defense and rebounding was enough for him to start for a division champion Seattle team in 2005. Samuel Dalembert (pictured, center, with Kyle Korver, left) won't score much either, but he's a team mainstay and a viable option at center, particularly in the Eastern Conference. Rodney Carney and the undersized Willie Green are battling for the shooting guard spot, but the team must hope Carney can overcome defensive shortcomings and inconsistency after spending a first-round pick on him in 2006. This year's first-rounders, small forward Thaddeus Young and forward/center Jason Smith, will likely get plenty of minutes to prove their mettle off the bench. Third-year guard Louis Williams has impressed in heavy preseason minutes.

Toronto Raptors

2006-07: 47-35
Lost to New Jersey 4-2 in first round

Coach: Sam Mitchell

Starting lineup

PG T.J. Ford (14.0/3.1/7.9)

SG Anthony Parker (12.4/3.9/2.1)

SF Jason Kapono (10.9/2.7/1.2)

PF Chris Bosh (22.6/10.7/2.5)

C Andrea Bargnani (11.6/3.9/0.8)

Bench

F Jorge Garbajosa (8.5/4.9/1.9)

PG Jose Calderon (8.7/1.7/5.0)

C Rasho Nesterovic (6.2/4.5/0.9)

PF Kris Humphries (3.8/3.1/0.3)

SF Joey Graham (6.4/3.1/0.6)

G/F Carlos Delfino (5.2/3.2/1.1)

Plenty of people assumed NBA Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell won the Atlantic Division last year with smoke and mirrors, and that theory was backed up by a first-round playoff exit. It will be tougher to repeat as division champs this year with Boston, New Jersey and New York all improved, but the Raptors should be better, too, as long as Italian center Andrea Bargnani, the first overall pick in the 2006 draft, continues to develop. He needs to be more willing to mix it up inside and grab more rebounds. If he does so, he and Chris Bosh (pictured) could be the league's most fearsome post duo. The team is looking for repeat performances from last year's pleasant surprises, Anthony Parker and Jorge Garbajosa. The loss of Garbajosa to knee and ankle injuries late last year was a key reason behind the team's playoff defeat. Jason Kapono, the league's three-point shooting percentage leader with Miami last year, will likely inherit Garbajosa's small forward spot. T.J. Ford is one of the league's best point guards, and perhaps the most underrated at that position, and has a quality backup in Jose Calderon. Free-agent signee Carlos Delfino began the preseason with a chance to start, but played so poorly he might be out of the rotation.

Why can't we be virtual friends?

It's never fun dealing with Rupert Murdoch. He's probably the only person who can challenge Dick Cheney in the Douche of the Year contest (for which he is hereby nominated), and the chief reason why he might win is the size of his gargantuan and ever-growing sphere of influence, with which he's attempting to swallow reality whole. Perhaps the most surreptitious of these assaults is his MySpace empire, which he acquired in 2005. If you're 25 or younger, chances are you have a MySpace page, and are therefore subject to loud, flashing advertisements, a mountain of spam and fraudulent come-ons, and random encounters with strangers. There are other popular "social networking sites," most notably Facebook, but MySpace has remained the gold standard. There are plenty of older folks, like myself (OK, I'm 28, so I'm not that much older, but so it is) who have MySpace pages, too, and I believe most of them, like myself, lament the corporatized, audience-tailored replacement for the face-to-face encounter the site has in some way become.

Perhaps the most glaring and obvious example of MySpace- fueled societal decay can be encountered when someone you have never met decides to ask if you would like to become their friend. I've found that the most fruitful friendships I've had in life have begun organically, without a defined moment when strangers became acquaintances and acquaintances became friends. It never starts with a cloying "Will you be my friend?" query. But that's how it's done on MySpace. There are no acquaintances -- only friends and un-friends. You're either with somebody or against them, just as in Murdoch's black-and-white, maverick politics.

Your first duty upon receiving one of these requests is to find out whether it's a real person or a spam- spewing robot -- an easy determination in real life but a bit trickier on MySpace. The best way to find this out is by clicking the link to the potential friend's profile and examining their page for prominently displayed nude pictures of themselves, feverish promotion of their favorite consumer product, or a combination of the two. Another tell-tale sign are the person's friends and their comments -- on MySpace you are who you befriend -- which, if they are filled largely with male rednecks in their 30s who seem quite happy to have been added, are a sure indication that this is one request to ignore.

But then, therein lies a hard-to- resolve dilemma -- if you are actually engaged by a real human being and accept their request to become friends, what should your first words to them be? Common etiquette dictates that you comment on their page with a "thank you for the add," but as this has become widely used it has become even more distant and didactic in tone, leaving the friend requester to wonder if they have just committed the cardinal sin of inviting a spam robot to their page. A warmer approach can be made by including one of the vast multitude of graphics with "Thanks for the add" imprinted on them, usually along with a kitten and twinkling sparkles. These are perfect for teenage girls and particularly effeminate men, but, alas, no good for anyone else.

There is, as I have discovered, the witty approach. You can take the popular "Thanks for the add" phrase and have some fun with it, but the risk of misunderstanding is great. For instance, take this exchange of comments from a pair of MySpace pages:


Me, commenting on my new friend's page: Thanks for the a-d-d! Better go take my Ritalin!

My new friend, on my page: What?

Me: Oh, sorry. I was making a joke. I meant ADD, as in attention deficit disorder.

My new friend: I don't have ADD.

Me: I know you don't have ADD. I was just bringing it up because I was trying to say "thanks for the add," but noticed the word add is also the acronym for that syndrome. Just trying to switch things up a bit and lighten the mood.

My new friend: You really have got to be careful ... you shouldn't make fun of people with ADD.

Me: I never meant to make fun of anyone with ADD. I'm very sorry you took offense.

My new friend: You better be.


My guess is I won't be getting an Evite to any of that guy's holiday parties this year. Which is just as well, I suppose, since I probably wouldn't feel very comfortable and wouldn't be my usual jovial self at the affair, given our initial encounter. I suppose that would be the ultimate effect of MySpace -- to discourage one from seeking out face-to-face encounters, the kind of meet-up that lacks advertising space and very often entails conversations that are difficult to document for the purpose of government surveillance.

But hey, I just got some good news! A bunch of strangers named Beverlie, Daniel, Brianna, Sydney, Taylor, Trinity, Samantha and Darryl all want to be my friend! I hope none of them suffer from any attention-span related disorders.

Just a little more Windex on the ol' crystal ball

Two days, two extra-inning playoff games, two big-time college football upsets, two undefeated NFL teams meeting on Sunday, and a two-point, three-overtime, 69-67 win on the blue turf for Boise State. That's one great sports weekend.

Granted, I lost my NFL picks contest and, barring one the un-retirement of Lawrence Taylor and one of the all-time great defensive performances for the Giants on Monday night, the Rural Virginia Pit Bulls are suffering their second loss of the season. So it hasn't been the ultimate sports weekend, but it'll do. It was, at the very least, enough to inspire the following bold predictions:

Arizona will become the second team in baseball history to come back from down 0-3 and beat the Rockies: Colorado is throwing rookie Franklin Morales on the mound for his 10th career start in Game 4. They lose that, and they face the last pitcher to beat them, NL Cy Young candidate Brandon Webb, in Game 5. Lose that, and they go back to Arizona for Game 6. Lose that, and they face proven big-game pitcher and former World Series MVP Livan Hernandez in Game 7.

Sure, the Rockies won for the 20th time in their last 21 games Sunday night. Before they went on this run, they were 76-72. That's a .514 winning percentage. The winningest team of all-time, the 1954 Cleveland Indians, won at a .721 clip. The winning percentage of the Rockies during their 20-of-21 streak is .952. That is absurdist baseball theater. You don't have to be Eric Byrnes to see that Colorado has been lucky. They've played well, yes, but you don't win 20 of 21 Major League games without a great deal of luck, whether you're the 1954 Indians, the 1927 Yankees, the 2001 Mariners or the 1976 Bad News Bears. And luck is fickle. Just ask the 1954 Cleveland Indians. The Giants swept them in the World Series.

The top two teams in the initial BCS Standings will play for the National Championship: That means I think those two teams, Ohio State and South Florida, will win out. The Buckeyes' biggest test will be at Penn State in two weeks, not at Michigan on Nov. 17. But they will pass them both. The Bulls have a tough month ahead, starting at Rutgers on Thursday and continuing with games at Connecticut, home to Cincinnati and at Syracuse. But they are up to the challenge. Their blowout of a Central Florida team that Texas only beat by a field goal proved they're capable of winning the rest of their games.

The Patriots will finish the regular season 16-0: This isn't exactly an unpopular sentiment, particularly after Sunday's defeat of the previously unbeaten Cowboys in Dallas. But it is nonetheless a stretch to think anyone in the free-agent, 16-game season era can go unbeaten when only one team, in a 14-game season will no free agency, was able to do it. But the Patriots are simply the greatest team in the history of football. Never has there been a collection of talent so focused and so well-coached. A motivated team on a run could jump up and knock them off in the postseason, but I don't see anyone, even the Colts, on their regular season schedule that will be able to beat them.

Al Gore will enter the Democratic presidential race: Let's depart from sports for this bombshell I've seen coming for several months now. I was mentioning to friends back in the summer that I thought Gore would wait until Hillary looked almost invinceable and jump in, creating a compelling, down-to-the-wire horse race for the nomination. Now, it's closer to happening, as Hillary has opened up a lead in fundraising as well as in the polls, and a Draft Gore movement has taken out a full-page ad in the New York Times. He knows, as plenty of other rational thinkers do, the one Democrat the Republicans are capable of beating in 2008 is Hillary. He knows, as plenty of other rational thinkers do, that he won in 2000, and no one disputes that he won the popular vote. He knows, as plenty of other rational thinkers do, it would be a drain and largely a waste of time for him to campaign for two years before a presidential election. He's done more good for his campaign doing Nobel Peace Prize-winning work than shaking hands in Iowa and New Hampshire. The people know who he is. The people know what he can do. And, given the chance, the people will put him in the White House.

A scandal by any other name ...

A short but noteworthy addendum to the last post ... check out the fourth paragraph in this New York Times story. The name of the supervisor of elections in Palm Beach County, Fla., the epicenter of 2000 presidential election voting hijinks, is Arthur Anderson!

The Un-Democratic party

I never gave much thought to my party affiliation until I moved to Florida. I've voted mostly Democratic, of course, but I rather (in)famously supported Ralph Nader's Green Party run for president in 2000 and felt no need to officially tie myself to the Democratic Party, either in ideology or official paperwork. But when I moved here I realized I had to, or I wouldn't be allowed to vote in a primary, as per state law.

I'm still a registered Independent, as a quick Lexis-Nexis search could tell you. I'd planned on changing that status to Democrat before the primary, but it's starting to look like it won't matter. That's right ... in the great spirit of American democracy, it's one person, one vote that doesn't get counted.

This is happening in Florida, appropriately enough, but other states are having their run-ins with the DNC, too. Barack Obama, Joe Biden, Bill Richardson and my man John Edwards withdrew from the Michigan primary Tuesday, after the state Democratic party decided to move the state's primary to a date that conflicts with Iowa and New Hampshire laws (not to mention the very Constitution of New Hampshire) that dictate their caucus/primary be first.

While I'm not opposed to the idea that there is inherent inequity in the staggered-primary system, this is the wrong fight for the wrong time. The Democrats look like a party that is so racked with infighting that it can't even decide when to hold its elections. The Republicans are having their troubles with this issue as well, and indeed it is not simply a in-party matter when The Detroit News starts referring to Iowa and New Hampshire as "pipsqueak states" in an editorial.

But the hue and cry over this issue is no louder than within the Democratic Party itself, which is in danger of alienating voters not just within in the states involved but everywhere that people can see a political party in disarray, focused not on using Congressional power to end a pointless and debilitating war in Iraq, not on curbing a president run amok, and not even on preventing the same party that spawned George W. Bush from electing another of his ilk, or worse.

And now you understand I've waited so long to affiliate myself with the Democrats.

Phillies (are) dead blog

To be honest, I didn't have the heart to live-blog Game 3 of the NLDS last night, and that's fitting, since the Phillies clearly didn't have the heart to play in that game. There was really no point in screaming a minute-by-minute recap of the end of my favorite team's hopes into the void of Saturday night on the Internet, which is precisely where you wind up when you've hitched your wagon to one too many empty promises and find yourself at home, alone, drunken and empty like the 20-some bottles of Yuengling strewn on the carpet.

Is that morose enough? It'll have to be. If it's not, I blame it on Manuel. Even though I know he didn't cause it, just like he didn't cause the offense to suddenly morph from the NL's best into the Padres. Eight runs and 16 hits should have been the Phils' production in one game, not one series. What didn't happen for the Phillies in this series is what had happened all season long. In short, the Phillies we had known had played their final game of the season a week ago. The next day, they held a downtown rally in commemoration of their run to the playoffs. That same Monday, the Rockies were playing baseball, and winning baseball at that. While the Phillies looked back, the Rockies never took their eyes off the ball.