Phelps Set Single Olympics Record

Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps of the United States has won a record eight gold medals with his country's win in the 4*100 medley relay event. It was Phelps' final event of the Olympics and he has been successful in getting gold medals in every event he has participated in the 2008 Beijing Summer Olympics. Coming into this Olympics, Phelps has been the favorite to win gold medal on all events. While some events were easy for him, there were some close calls. In the 100 butterfly event, Phelps beat Milorad Cavic by a hundredth of a second to capture his seventh gold medal. In the 4*100 free relay, he almost didn't win gold when teammate Jason Lezak came back in the final moments to edge out France for the gold medal. The other races, however, have not been close at all and hasn't had any competition. Phelps has been mentioned, however, by people making comments on his spectacular run. NFL wide receiver Chad Johnson had comments on ESPN's Pardon The Interruption show where he said that he would beat Michael Phelps and know a couple others who can as well. Ian Crocker, another swimmer for the United States, also had comments about Phelps challenging him in one of the races both of them were participating. Crocker came in fourth, while Phelps, of course, won the gold medal. Is Phelps the best Olympic athlete ever? When will his record be broken, if ever?

Williams To Cavs In Three Team Deal

The Cleveland Cavaliers, Milwaukee Bucks, and the Oklahoma City franchise have been involved in a three team trade that was completed on Wednesday. In this deal, the Cavaliers received Mo Williams, point guard from the Bucks. Williams has been a good scoring point guard and the Cavaliers made the deal in order to give superstar Lebron James help. Williams averaged a career high 17.3 points per game last season with the Bucks. James spoke with the media after the deal was announced and gave his personal approval of the deal. The Bucks received point guard Damon Jones from the Cavaliers, point guard Luke Ridnour and forward Adrian Griffin from Oklahoma City. Ridnour was facing decreased playing time at the point guard position after Oklahoma City drafted Russell Westbrook out of UCLA with the fourth overall pick. Ridnour already had his starting spot taken last season by Earl Watson. Oklahoma City received forward Joe Smith from the Cavaliers, and Desmond Mason from the Bucks. Good, solid players were sent to the Bucks and Oklahoma City, but both teams viewed the trade as salary cap related. Who got the better of this deal? Does this make the Cavaliers the team to beat in the Eastern Conference?

Iguodala, 76ers Agree On Deal

The Philadelphia 76ers have re-signed free agent guard Andre Iguodala to a six year, $80 million. Iguodala became a free agent this offseason and made it clear that he would look for a long term contract with a lot of money. He turned down the 76ers offer during the regular season that was worth $57 million. The 76ers were one of few teams that was flexible financially this offseason. They went out and signed Elton Brand, who bolted the Los Angeles Clippers for a $82 million contract. After the 76ers signed Brand, they made it their priority to come to terms with Iguodala. Locking up Iguodala now gives the 76ers a good team going into the 2008-2009 season. Their projected starting lineup includes Andre Miller at point guard, Willie Green at shooting guard, Iguodala at small forward, Brand at power forward, and Samuel Dalembert at the center position. How will the 76ers do next season? Are they legitimate contenders in the Eastern Conference?

Hawks Re-Sign Smith to 5 Year Contract

Josh Smith, forward for the Atlanta Hawks, will be staying with the Hawks after the Hawks decided to match the 5 year, $58 million contract offered by the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies offered the contract to Smith on Friday and the Hawks were quick to match it. Smith demanded a bigger pay after playing an important role in the Hawks' first playoff appearance since 1999. The Hawks, who in years past have not spent a lot, said publicly that they'll do whatever they need to do to retain Smith. The Hawks, this offseason, already lost valuable sixth man Josh Childress to a Greek team after he was not happy with the offer he received from the Hawks. Smith has said that he would not even re-sign with the Hawks if head coach Mike Woodson was still around. After the Hawks' first round loss to the Boston Celtics, the Hawks gave Woodson a two-year extension. Smith and Woodson have never been on the same page a lot of the time they've been together in Atlanta. Smith, however, was more concerned with the money. The Hawks have signed Maurice Evans to fill the void left by Childress. They now have taken care of business by acquiring one of their biggest piece. Will the Hawks make it back to the playoffs next season? Will Smith live up to his contract?

Pennington Signs With Dolphins

Chad Pennington, former quarterback of the New York Jets, has signed a two year contract worth $11.5 million with the Miami Dolphins, an AFC East rival of the Jets. Pennington was released by the Jets on Thursday, after the Jets acquired quarterback Brett Favre in a trade with the Green Bay Packers. Pennington had a lot of teams pursuing him once he became available. The Dolphins already had three quarterbacks on their depth chart but none of them have been convincing enough for the Dolphins and the Dolphins saw an opportunity to pursue a quarterback who has proven to be accurate. Pennington's career completion percentage is just above 65%, which is excellent. But he has not shown the ability to throw long and put zip on his passes. He has consistently been labeled as a weak-throwing quarterback. The Dolphins have shown that they want Pennington as their starter with the kind of money they're paying him. Bill Parcells, vice president of operations in Miami, was with the Jets when they drafted Pennington back in 2000. Now, with four quarterbacks, the Dolphins are most likely to release one of them. The other three quarterbacks are rookie Chad Henne, John Beck, and Josh McCown. Will the signing of Pennington help the Dolphins? How will Pennington fare in Week 1 when the Dolphins play the Jets?

Favre Traded To Jets

Brett Favre, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, was traded to the New York Jets on Wednesday for a conditional draft pick. Favre was the starting quarterback for the Packers since the 1992 season. He has started 253 straight games for them, which is an NFL record. He announced his retirement from football back in March but changed his mind over the course of the offseason. His wishes were to return to the Packers as the starting quarterback. The Packers were committed to moving in another direction and keeping Aaron Rodgers as their starter. Favre then requested a trade or a release. It is believed that Favre wanted to go to the Vikings. The Packers wouldn't let him go to another team in the same division. Favre sent his reinstatement papers and was reinstated. He quickly determined that the Packers were not interested in having him in training camp. He went back home to Mississippi and the Packers worked feverishly to trade him to another team. The Packers were able to work out a deal with the Jets in a trade where the Packers get a draft pick based on Favre's season performance. With that trade, the Jets determined that quarterback Chad Pennington's services were no longer needed. They quickly shopped him in a trade and were unable to find suitors. So they released him. How will Favre impact both the Jets and Packers? Will the Jets make the playoffs?

Favre Reinstated By Goodell

Brett Favre, quarterback for the Green Bay Packers, has been reinstated by the NFL and will report to training camp on Monday. Favre announced his retirement back in March, after leading the Packers to a 13-3 record and a trip to the NFC Championship game. His last pass that he attempted was intercepted by Corey Webster of the New York Giants in that game that sent the Giants to the Super Bowl. After the announcement of his retirement, the Packers announced that Aaron Rodgers would be the starting quarterback. Favre said that he was pressured into making a decision quickly. The decision he made at the time, according to him, was the way he felt about going another season. In his thinking, he felt he couldn't last another training camp and another season. That changed over the course of the offseason. He contacted the Packers about returning, in which the team wasn't so welcoming. They constantly told Favre and the media that Rodgers would be the starting quarterback and they were working out a deal in which Favre would be paid to stay retired. Favre did not accept that offer and sent his reinstatement letter to the league office. Commissioner Roger Goodell did not approve the reinstatement immediately in order for the Packers and Favre to work out a deal. Will Favre's arrival be a distraction? Who will be the starting quarterback at the start of the season?

Panthers' Smith Suspended First Two Games

Steve Smith, wide receiver for the Carolina Panthers, has been suspended for the first two regular season games by the team for his role in a fight earlier this week against defensive back Ken Lucas. In photos, Smith was seen on top of Lucas punching him in his face and being restrained by several of his teammates. After the fight, Lucas was seen with an ice pack on his eye and it was later reported that he suffered a broken nose. Smith has had a hot temper and has been in anger management classes in the past. Smith was also shown apologizing to Lucas after the fight. Smith is going to lose about $200,000 with the two game suspension. He is missing the first game against the San Diego Chargers and the second game against the Chicago Bears. Smith is still allowed to participate in training camp and all practices. After the fight with Lucas, he was sent back to his home in Charlotte. Lucas was not suspended for this fight, and he was listed as day-to-day for his injury. Is this the last straw for Smith? How will his loss affect the team in the first two games?

Ramirez Sent to Dodgers In Three Team Deal

Manny Ramirez, left fielder for the Boston Red Sox, was traded on Thursday to the Los Angeles Dodgers in a three team deal involving the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Dodgers got Ramirez and cash in the deal. The Red Sox received Pirates left fielder Jason Bay, who's a former All-Star. The Pirates received relief pitcher Craig Hansen and outfielder Brandon Moss from the Red Sox and third baseman Andy LaRoche and pitcher Bryan Morris from the Dodgers. Ramirez was acquired as a free agent by the Red Sox in 2000 after numerous successful years with the Cleveland Indians. The success with the Red Sox continued. He helped the Red Sox to their first World Series title in 86 years in 2004 when they defeated the St. Louis Cardinals in the World Series. Ramirez was the World Series MVP with impressive numbers in the four game sweep. They also won the 2007 World Series against the Colorado Rockies in a sweep also, in which Ramirez was very productive that postseason. The Red Sox, however, felt like they needed to move Ramirez quickly because he was not playing hard for the Red Sox. Ramirez's comments in recent days has suggested that he didn't want to be a part of the Red Sox any longer as well. Ramirez is in the last season of his contract he signed with the Red Sox back in 2000. Who benefits the most from this deal? What will happen to Ramirez in the future?

Griffey Jr. Headed To White Sox

Ken Griffey Jr., right fielder for the Cincinnati Reds, has been traded to the Chicago White Sox on Thursday in a deal that sends minor leaguers Nick Masset and Danny Richar to the Reds. Griffey Jr., who had a no trade clause, had to waive his no trade clause and agree to the deal for it to go through. Griffey Jr. has 608 career home runs. He is only the sixth player in MLB history to have at least 600 home runs. He hit his 600th home run earlier this season with the Reds against the Florida Marlins. There have been rumors swirling around about Griffey Jr. going to a contender. The Reds haven't been contenders since Griffey Jr. came to the Reds from the Seattle Mariners in 2001. Griffey Jr. hasn't been to the playoffs since 1997, when the Mariners won the American League West division. Ozzie Guillen plans to use Ken Griffey Jr. at the position he played most of his career at- center field. Griffey Jr. played the last two seasons in right field for the Reds because his defense wasn't as great as it was earlier in his career. But the White Sox have decided to move him there and move center fielder Nick Swisher to first base. Paul Konerko, their everyday first baseman who has been struggling, has been removed from the lineup temporarily and there is no word on what will happen to him in the near future or in the offseason. Who benefits the most from this deal? Will Griffey Jr. be able to help out the White Sox in their goal to a division title and a World Series title?

Rodriguez Traded To Yankees

Ivan Rodriguez, catcher for the Detroit Tigers, was traded on Wednesday to the New York Yankees for relief pitcher Kyle Farnsworth. The Yankees, who just lost their catcher when Jorge Posada opted for shoulder surgery that will end his season, were quietly looking for help at that position and they got it. The Tigers desperately needed pitching help, especially out of the bullpen with Fernando Rodney being injured. Joe Girardi, manager for the Yankees, was emotional when talking about the deal that was made. He and Farnsworth had a good relationship to their days when Girardi was a catcher with the Chicago Cubs when Farnsworth was a relief pitcher there. Rodriguez was not happy in Detroit because he was splitting catching duties with Brandon Inge. Rodriguez is a 14 time All-Star and he won the American League MVP award in 1999 when he was with the Texas Rangers. When he was with the Rangers in the late 1990's, they played the Yankees several times in the playoffs. The Rangers were never able to beat the Yankees, and the Yankees won 4 championships in 5 seasons. Farnsworth previously played for the Tigers in the 2005 season, in which he was involved in a brawl against the Kansas City Royals that season. Who benefits the most from this deal? What happens in the future for Rodriguez and Jorge Posada?

Teixeira Traded To Angels

Mark Teixeira, first baseman for the Atlanta Braves, was traded on Tuesday to the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. Angels' first baseman Casey Kotchman was moved to the Braves in that deal along with minor league pitcher Stephen Marek. The Braves recently sent a memo to all major league teams that they were serious about dealing Teixeira and were fielding offers. Teams that were talking to the Braves for Teixeira were the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Boston Red Sox. Most people thought that the Diamondbacks were the front runners to acquire Teixeira and bolster their lineup. The Braves didn't like the offers being made by the Diamondbacks for Teixeira. The Angels came in and made a couple offers and the Braves accepted an offer from them. The Angels, who own the best record in the MLB with a 65-40 record, have been pitching well up to this point but they were not hitting among the best. They have good hitters in Vladimir Guerrero and Torii Hunter. However, the rest of the lineup have not been hitting and management felt the need to add another explosive bat in the lineup to compete for a World Series title. Teixeira was traded at the trading deadline last year to the Braves from the Texas Rangers. Now he's moving back to the American League West division with this move. Will this trade automatically put the Angels in the World Series? How long will Teixeira be with the Angels, considering this is the final year of his contract?

Donaghy To Jail For 15 Months

Disgraced former NBA referee Tim Donaghy was sentenced on Tuesday to 15 months in federal prison for his participation in a gambling scandal that has scarred the NBA. Donaghy also will serve three years of supervised release. Donaghy, who was a referee in the NBA since the mid 1990's, has admitted to gambling and giving tips on NBA games, including the games that he was the referee for. This has been arguably the NBA's biggest scandal and NBA Commissioner David Stern has said that Donaghy is the only referee to have been doing illegal things. A lot of people say otherwise, saying that other referees can be involved as well. This entire situation has put a setback to the NBA's reputation, just like recent scandals involving the NFL and MLB has put setbacks on their respective sports. Donaghy gave investigators information that most likely reduced his prison sentence. He told investigators that two specific playoff series were being rigged by referees because of instruction from the NBA office. Numerous people from the NBA have denied that claim, but some people believe it may have happened. Now that Donaghy is locked up, the NBA now has to bring back respectability and trust in the game. Will another scandal like this one happen in the NBA? Has David Stern done his job with the referees?

Posada To Have Season Ending Surgery

Jorge Posada, catcher of the New York Yankees, has decided to have shoulder surgery, effectively ending his season. Posada, who signed a four year extension to stay with the Yankees this past offseason, was battling shoulder problems this year that has limited his productivity defensively. Posada's initial plan was to rest and rehab the shoulder so he can come back this season for the Yankees' playoff run. The Yankees recently made a deal acquiring Xavier Nady, who is another good bat in the lineup. With that move, Yankees' management and Posada decided to go ahead with the surgery in hope of returning at full strength for next year. Posada has failed to throw out baserunners stealing bases because of his weak and ailing shoulder. Jose Molina, the backup catcher, has been effective defensively. However, he doesn't possess the offensive power that Posada does. That has been a concern for the Yankees because of Posada and outfielder Hideki Matsui being gone for a long period of time. How will Posada's absence affect the Yankees? Can the Yankees make the playoffs without him? Will he be able to play the catcher position again?

Yankees Acquire Marte, Nady From Pirates

The New York Yankees have acquired pitcher Damaso Marte and outfielder Xavier Nady from the Pittsburgh Pirates for pitcher Ross Ohlendorf and three minor leaguers. This deal happened as the Yankees were playing their rival Boston Red Sox. The Yankees won that game 1-0, and it was confirmed that the deal was made. The Yankees have been inquiring about a bat in their lineup and another relief pitcher or starting pitcher. In this deal, they got a bat and a nice relief pitcher. Nady is batting .330 for the Pirates, while Marte has been a lefty specialist who was being courted by many other teams. The Yankees gave up little to acquire these players. They gave up an ineffective reliever in Ohlendorf and three minor leaguers who are not top prospects in the Yankees' minor league system. With the injuries to outfielders Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui, in addition to catcher Jorge Posada, the Yankees were slumping offensively. They needed another bat in the lineup and that is why they got Nady. The Yankees bullpen have been solid this year, but they didn't have a lefty specialist to get outs against left handed batters. They got that in Damaso Marte. The Yankees, who are currently in third place in the American League East division behind the Tampa Bay Rays and the Red Sox, are pushing for a playoff berth for a 14th straight season.

Shockey Traded To Saints

Jeremy Shockey, tight end of the Super Bowl champion New York Giants, has been traded on Monday to the New Orleans Saints for a second round draft pick and a fifth round draft pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. The Saints have expressed their desire to acquire Shockey in the past this offseason. They initially offered only a second round pick to the Giants for him, thinking that the Giants would accept because of Shockey's feelings toward the team. The Giants, meanwhile, thought he was too valuable to give up for only a second round pick. The Saints later offered a fifth round pick as well but the Giants still were not accepting the offer. The Saints stayed with the offer and were only going to acquire Shockey with that offer. The Giants finally gave in and accepted that offer. Shockey was a starting tight end for the Giants since his rookie season in 2002. Shockey was the starter last year until he broke his leg in Week 15 of the regular season against the Washington Redskins. Backup tight end Kevin Boss took over and the Giants offense flourished in the last regular season game against the undefeated New England Patriots and the four playoff games against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Dallas Cowboys, Green Bay Packers, and the Patriots in the Super Bowl. Some have said that Shockey was upset to see the Giants succeed without him, while not succeeding with him healthy in years past. Does this trade work for both teams? Will the addition of Shockey make the Saints' offense the best in the NFL in the 2008 season?

Dolphins Trade DE Taylor

The Washington Redskins have acquired defensive end Jason Taylor from the Miami Dolphins for a couple of draft picks. Taylor has played all of his 11 seasons with the Dolphins. Things between the organization and Taylor has not gone well this offseason. Taylor publicly demanded a trade, adding to the miscommunication between the two parties. Taylor has repeatedly stated since that he did not demand a trade and that he would love to play for the Dolphins. The Redskins, meanwhile, became aggressive in pursuing Taylor when Redskins' defensive end Phillip Daniels injured his Achilles tendon in practice. He will most likely now have to miss the rest of the season, which would leave the Redskins thin at the position. Taylor is now on a team who made the playoffs last year and has a chance to contend this season. The Redskins have a new head coach in Jim Zorn, who previously was the offensive coordinator for the Seattle Seahawks. Will this move solidify the defensive end position for the Redskins? Are the Dolphins happy they finally was able to get rid of Taylor? How long will Taylor stick around in the NFL?

Camby Traded To Clippers

Marcus Camby of the Denver Nuggets was traded to the Los Angeles Clippers on Tuesday night for virtually nothing in return. In this deal, the Clippers give the Nuggets the option of swapping second round picks in the 2010 NBA Draft. This move was made by the Nuggets to shed high salary. Camby is due to make $10 million this season and next season. The Clippers were able to make this move because they had money, which they were probably going to use to sign a restricted free agent. The departure of Elton Brand, who signed with the Philadelphia 76ers, gave the Clippers extra motivation to make a move of this nature. Camby is 34 years old, and although he is a solid defensive player, he was not able to solve the Nuggets' defensive woes this past season. He also didn't perform well in the playoffs either, when the Nuggets were swept by the Los Angeles Lakers in the first round. Camby did not score in Game 3 and his defense against Pau Gasol of the Lakers was not good. For the Clippers, they add another big man to their starting lineup who will replace Brand. Chris Kaman is already the center for the Clippers and he may be staying at the center position or moving to the power forward position with the arrival of Camby? Was this a smart move for both teams? How much does Camby have left in the tank?

American League Wins All-Star Game

The final All-Star game in Yankee Stadium will be considered a classic. The American League win the game 4-3 in 15 innings to win their 11th consecutive All-Star game. The last time the National League won was in 1996, the year the New York Yankees defeated the Atlanta Braves in Yankee Stadium for the World Series. Michael Young of the Texas Rangers provided the game winning RBI with his sacrifice fly. The game started around 8:45, and ended at nearly 2:00 the next morning. The scoring got underway when Matt Holliday of the Colorado Rockies hit a solo home run in the 5th inning. Lance Berkman of the Houston Astros provided another run for the National League with a sacrifice fly, giving them a 2-0 lead. But that lead would not hold up. J.D. Drew of the Boston Red Sox hit a two run home run off of Edison Volquez of the Cincinnati Reds. The National League took the lead again when Adrian Gonzalez of the San Diego Padres hit a sacrifice fly off of Jonathan Papelbon of the Red Sox. The American League tied it again when Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays hit an RBI double off of Billy Wagner of the New York Mets to tie the game. Mariano Rivera, long time closer for the Yankees, got a loud standing ovation when he came into the game in the 9th inning. He pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings. The game could've been over in the 11th inning off of a base hit from Young but Dioner Navarro of the Rays was caught out at home. The game would go on for four more innings with both teams out of pitchers. That's when Brad Lidge of the Philadelphia Phillies gave up the game winning sacrifice fly to Young, with Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins scoring the game winning run. Is this the best All-Star game ever played? Will this be an All-Star game remembered for years to come?

Hamilton Puts On A Show, But Morneau Wins Home Run Derby

The Home Run Derby at Yankee Stadium was a competition that was unforgettable. The participants for the Derby were four players from the American League and four from the National League. Grady Sizemore of the Cleveland Indians, Evan Longoria of the Tampa Bay Rays, Justin Morneau of the Minnesota Twins and Josh Hamilton of the Texas Rangers represented the American League. Dan Uggla of the Florida Marlins, Chase Utley of the Philadelphia Phillies, Lance Berkman of the Houston Astros, and Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers represented the National League. Berkman, Braun, Morneau and Hamilton advanced past the first round but no one did it like Hamilton. Hamilton hit a single round record 28 home runs in the first round, surpassing the Phillies' Bobby Abreau's accomplishment of 24 home runs in the first round in the 2005 Home Run Derby in Detroit. What made Hamilton's accomplishment even better for the fans was the hardships he went through to get to this point. Only a couple of years ago, Hamilton was on the verge of killing himself because he was tied up with drugs. Hamilton is now leading baseball in RBI's with 95 at the break and has been selected a starter at the All-Star game. Despite Hamilton's feat in the first round, he ended up losing to Morneau in the final round when Morneau hit five home runs to Hamilton's three. Should Hamilton have been awarded the Home Run Derby crown for hitting the most total home runs? Will anyone remember that Morneau won this Home Run Derby competition?

Brand Signs With 76ers

Forward Elton Brand has signed with the Philadelphia 76ers with a five year deal worth about $80 million. Brand opted out of his contract with the Los Angeles Clippers. It was widely reported that Brand would resign with the Clippers. He said that he was giving the Clippers financial flexibility to go out and get other free agents. But to many people, Brand spurned the Clippers to go after more money. Brand now gives the 76ers a much needed scoring option at the four position. Rookie Thaddeus Young saw a lot of time at the power forward position and his scoring is questionable. Brand, along with Andre Miller and possibly Andre Iguodala, can be a much improved scoring team and a threat in the Eastern Conference. Iguodala is a free agent also and is currently exploring his options. Brand missed the entire 2007-2008 season because of a torn Achilles tendon. Will this move propel the 76ers to the Eastern Conference championship? Will Brand have an injury-free season?

Davis Signs With Clippers

Baron Davis has officially signed with the Los Angeles Clippers for $65 million over five seasons. Davis opted out of his last year of his contract with the Golden State Warriors with what some called differences between him and head coach Don Nelson. Davis was owed $17 million in the final year if he didn't opt out. He has agreed to this contract which will pay him $13 million a season on average. Davis is only the fourth former All-Star to sign with the Clippers since 1984. The history of the Clippers' franchise has been filled with disappointments. They had a very successful season in the 2005-2006 season. They were eliminated in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs by the Phoenix Suns in Game 7. They were expected to contend after that season also but injuries and inconsistencies put them right back in a familiar position. The Clippers still have Elton Brand and Corey Maggette to try and resign. It is unlikely both will be resigned but Brand told the team he opted out to give the team financial flexibility. The Clippers are expecting Brand to resign with them now that they have Davis. Will Davis make the Clippers a better team? Is Davis overrated? Will the Clippers be able to bring in other players?

Sabathia Traded To Brewers

Starting pitcher C.C. Sabathia was traded to the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday for four minor league prospects. Sabathia, the reigning Cy Young award winner in the American League, has not posted the dominant record he did last year. He still was posting a good ERA this season but a lack of run support has his record worst than expected. The Indians, who lost Game 7 of the ALCS last season to the Boston Red Sox, were expected to duplicate their success from last season into this season. But that hasn't happened. They have been doomed by injuries and inconsistent play and are now in the midst of a losing streak. The Indians, after witnessing the bad play this season, placed Sabathia on the trading block. Sabathia will be a free agent after the season is over after refusing to negotiate a contract extension during the season. The Brewers ace, Ben Sheets, is also a free agent after the season is over. The Brewers are clearly showing that they're trying to go for the NL Central championship this season. They gave up four highly touted prospects for Sabathia, and Sabathia is not guaranteed to last with the Brewers beyond this season. Was this a good or bad move for the Brewers? Will the prospects the Indians got in the deal help the team soon?

Former Chargers' Safety Kiel Dies

Former San Diego Chargers' safety Terrence Kiel died on Friday night when he got into a car accident. Kiel, 27, was driving home in San Diego from a party when his car slammed into a wall. Kiel was all alone in his vehicle, and others have said that they tried to prevent Kiel from driving alone because he was not fit to drive. Apparently Kiel had a couple of drinks that may have made him impaired. Witnesses say that Kiel was driving in the wrong direction when the car slammed into a wall, throwing him from the car. Kiel was a second round pick of the Chargers in the 2003 NFL Draft out of Texas A&M. He was the starting safety for them until 2006. During a practice in the 2006 season, Kiel was led off the practice field and arrested by DEA agents for felonies that involved him shipping drugs. After Kiel plead guilty later on, the Chargers released him and he has not gotten back with an NFL team since. He got three years probation for the incident. Is this latest death by a young player in the NFL worrisome? What should happen to prevent things like this? Do you think Kiel would have gotten back with the Chargers or any other NFL team if he wasn't killed?

Rockies and Marlins Score 35 Runs

The Florida Marlins played the Colorado Rockies in the second game of their four game series on Friday night in which turned out to be an epic offensive duel. The Rockies, who are the defending National League champions who have struggled this season, defeated the Marlins 18-17. The Marlins at one point led 13-4. The Rockies started to come back on home runs from Ryan Spilborghs, Matt Holliday, Chris Iannetta and Garrett Atkins. The home runs by those four players cut the Marlins lead to 13-12 and they built it into a five run lead by scoring four more runs, leading 17-12. But in the seventh inning, with the bases loaded, Matt Holliday hit his second home run of the game. That home run was a grand slam, once again cutting the Marlins lead to one at 17-16. The Rockies then scored two more runs in the bottom half of the ninth inning to win the game. This was a game where pitching was horrible on both sides. Matt Holliday and Ryan Spilborghs hit two home runs. Hanley Ramirez hit a leadoff home run in the first inning to start the wild affair. There were 43 hits in the game as well. The Marlins had 22 hits, while the Rockies had 21 hits. With the dramatic victory, the Rockies have climbed in the NL West standings, despite being over 10 games under .500. The Marlins, with the lost, lost a little ground on the NL East race. Was this the best game this year? Was this the best regular season game ever?

Rose, Beasley, Mayo Go In Order

In the NBA Draft, which was held in Madison Square Garden in New York City on Thursday, there weren't many surprises. Derrick Rose, a freshmen point guard out of the University of Memphis, was selected #1 by the Chicago Bulls. After speculation of who the Miami Heat will pick at #2, they stuck to the obvious and selected Michael Beasley, another freshmen out of Kansas State University. The #3 pick, which was owned by the Minnesota Timberwolves, was used to select freshmen guard O.J. Mayo, who went to USC. The next day, Mayo was traded along with current Timberwolves' players Marko Jaric, Antoine Walker, and Greg Buckner to the Memphis Grizzlies for their #5 pick, which turned out to be UCLA freshman star Kevin Love, current Grizzlies' players Mike Miller, Brian Cardinal, and Jason Collins. The Seattle Supersonics at #4 took UCLA's Russell Westbrook, who is excellent defensively at the position. The New York Knicks at #6 took Italian player Danilo Gallinari. Gallinari has ties with head coach Mike D'Antoni because D'Antoni was teammates with Gallinari's father in Italy in the 1970's. Darrell Arthur, forward from Kansas who was expected to be a lottery pick, fell to the New Orleans Hornets at #27. Which team made good picks in the NBA Draft? Who didn't do a good job in the players they selected? The Denver Nuggets didn't have a single draft pick in the NBA Draft; is this bad?

Chacon Released By Astros

Shawn Chacon, who was recently demoted to the bullpen by Houston Astros' manager Cecil Cooper, has been released after gettting into a scuffle with team general manager Ed Wade. Earlier this week, Chacon and Wade got into an altercation in front of the team in which Chacon apparently jumped on top of Wade and tried to choke him out. Both men were restrained and Chacon was suspended immediately. He was on indefinite suspension, where the Astros would determine what to do with him in the future. They didn't take long to decide. They decided to release him a couple of days after the incident. Chacon now has to look to sign on with another team. A lot of major league sources say that's probably not going to happen, considering Chacon's skill level and his character. This may mean the end to Shawn Chacon's career, which has ended very tumultously. Chacon turned down other teams this offseason so he can be a starter. He signed with the Astros because he was guaranteed to fill a starting spot. He later lost that spot because of inconsistent pitching and became very disgruntled. The final blow for Chacon came with the altercation with Wade. Has Chacon pitched his last game with the Astros? Why is the Astros' clubhouse so disgruntled themselves? Will Wade be the next one to go if the Astros don't start winning?

O'Neal Traded To Raptors

Former All-Star forward Jermaine O'Neal of the Indiana Pacers was traded today to the Toronto Raptors for point guard T.J. Ford, center Rasho Nesterovic, and the Pacers first round draft pick. Ford, who was the Raptors' starting point guard the past two seasons, is unhappy with the Raptors' organization and the Raptors began to shop Ford around. Jose Calderon, the Raptors' other point guard, proved to be a capable starting point guard when Ford had a neck injury and missed 13 games. The Raptors are now ready to install Calderon as their permanent starter. O'Neal has gone through his problems with the last couple of seasons as well. In the 2004-2005 season, O'Neal was involved in the worst sports brawl in NBA history when Ron Artest, who was with the Pacers then, got into a fight with a fan. O'Neal got involved and was suspended for 15 games. The Pacers never recovered from that moment. Artest was suspended for the entire season and his future in the NBA was in doubt. Stephen Jackson, who was a guard for the Pacers during that season, was suspended for 30 games for punching fans as well. The Pacers never recovered as they missed the playoffs twice since. In the season before, they had the Eastern Conference #1 seed and 61 wins. Now the Raptors, who have been to the playoffs twice in two seasons with T.J. Ford, now have a good frontcourt with O'Neal and Chris Bosh. Which team will be better from this trade? Will O'Neal and Ford be happy with this deal?

Three Managers Fired This Week

In Major League Baseball news, three managers were fired this week. The firing started with the New York Mets firing manager Willie Randolph early Tuesday morning. The move was anticipated for weeks by the media, especially after Randolph's meeting with ownership a couple of weeks ago. Randolph was fired after the Mets victory over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, which was weird. Jerry Manuel, the bench coach for Randolph, now takes over as the manager. He was previously the manager of the Chicago White Sox from 1998-2003, winning coach of the year in 2000. A couple of days later, the Seattle Mariners fired manager John McLaren. The Mariners owned baseball's worst record at 25-47, despite a payroll of $100 million. The Mariners had expectations to contend this year, especially after the trade that brought in pitcher Erik Bedard. But they didn't and McLaren is another scapegoat for their problems. The Mariners also fired general manager Bill Bavasi for creating this underachieving roster. Bench coach Jim Riggleman is now slated to take over as manager of the ball club. On Friday, the Toronto Blue Jays fired manager John Gibbons because of their performance on the field. The Blue Jays were expected to be in contention in the AL East, but they are now currently in last place at 35-39 and have lost 13 of their last 17 games. The Blue Jays have been considered underachievers as well, with good hitters such as Vernon Wells and Alex Rios. They also have good pitching in Roy Halladay and A.J. Burnett. But they haven't been able to get it done. The Blue Jays have turned to a familiar face to manage the team. They have decided to bring back former manager Cito Gaston, who was the manager of the team from 1989-1997. Gaston was the manager when the Blue Jays won two consecutive World Series in 1992 and 1993. Which coaching change will be the most significant? Will any of these teams improve this season or will it improve in the future? Who is next on the hot seat?

Celtics Win 17th Championship

The Boston Celtics have won their 17th championship Tuesday night by defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 131-92. They won the series four games to two, after winning all three of their home games. The three All-Stars on the team; Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett, have won their first championship of their careers. Pierce, who was the Celtics best player in the playoffs and the team leader, won the NBA Finals MVP. Kobe Bryant for the Lakers, who was the regular season MVP, did not have a good game. He was effective early, knocking down several three pointers in the opening quarter. But he was not good after that. He missed 15 of his 22 shot attempts and the supporting cast did not help Bryant either. The Lakers knocked down 42% of their field goals attempted, but only managed to grab two offensive rebounds, a NBA Finals record low. The Celtics shot 49% from the field, with Garnett and Allen scoring 26 points. Ray Allen knocked down seven three pointers in the game, with most of them coming in the fourth quarter. The Lakers also committed 19 turnovers in the game, which did not help their cause. With the Celtics winning the championship, will they be able to repeat next year? Phil Jackson has lost his last two NBA Finals series. Should he retire? Will Kobe Bryant ever get a championship without Shaquille O'neal, who he won three championships with?

State of the NBA

Tim Donaghy, earlier this week, stated in a letter cooperating to investigators that the 2002 Western Conference Finals Game 6 between the Sacramento Kings and the Los Angeles Lakers was fixed by NBA officials. The letter also said that the 2005 Western Conference 1st Round series between the Houston Rockets and the Dallas Mavericks was fixed as well. In the Kings-Lakers Game 6, the Lakers went to the line 27 times in the fourth quarter. Centers Scot Pollard and Vlade Divac of the Kings both fouled out in that game. The Kings were not happy with the calls made in that game, and the Lakers would go on to win the series in Game 7 in overtime to advance to the NBA Finals, where they would sweep the New Jersey Nets. That would prove to be the Kings best chance, as they would never go to the Western Conference Finals again since. In the series between the Rockets and Mavericks, the Mavericks lost the first two games of the series at home. It was stated that the referees then started targeting Yao Ming for illegal screens and the Mavericks would come back to win the series in seven games. There have been a lot of people in the media who have said that Donaghy is lying and is untrustworthy. I believe that there is truth to Donaghy's letter because I believe there have been other games that have been fixed. The 2006 NBA Finals between the Miami Heat and the Dallas Mavericks has been controversial due to the fact that Heat superstar Dwyane Wade shot more free throws in the last two games than the entire Mavericks team. There is something wrong in the NBA and it is due to television ratings. It is hampering the NBA and teams who deserve to win are not. Is the NBA under a crisis now? What can be done to fix this?

Celtics Take Game 1

The Boston Celtics defeated the Los Angeles Lakers 98-88 in Game 1 of the NBA Finals to take an early series lead. Kevin Garnett led the Celtics with 24 points and Paul Pierce chipped in 22 points. Pierce was injured early in the third quarter and it looked like he wasn't going to be able to return. He returned shortly thereafter and knocked down some key shots for the Celtics. Ray Allen, another player that is part of the Celtics' Big Three scored 19 points in one of the few productive games for him in this playoffs. Kobe Bryant, the regular season MVP, scored 24 points for the Lakers, but he missed 17 of his 26 shots attempted. Pau Gasol, the Lakers' midseason acquisition, scored 15 points. Derek Fisher chipped in with another 15 and Lamar Odom had 14 points. The Lakers went into halftime with a 51-46 lead. But the second half was completely different, especially after Pierce's return. They outscored the Lakers by 15 points in the second half. Game 2 is on Sunday night. If the Lakers lose Game 2 as well, does that mean they will lose the series?

Celtics Reach NBA Finals for First Time in 21 Years

The Boston Celtics have reached the NBA Finals for the first time since 1987, by defeating the Detroit Pistons 89-81 in Game 6 Friday night. The Celtics have now reached the NBA Finals, where they will play the Los Angeles Lakers. The last time the Celtics reached the NBA Finals in 1987, they lost to the Lakers. Since that last Finals appearance, the Celtics have not been very good. The Lakers, meanwhile, have won championships in 1987, 1988, 2000, 2001 and 2002. The Celtics, led by Paul Pierce for many years now, have added All-Stars Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to their team through trades after receiving the fifth pick in the NBA Draft despite the worst record in the Eastern Conference. They were able to make a turnaround and have the best record in the NBA at 66-16. Garnett won the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award at the end of the season. Kobe Bryant for the Lakers won the MVP award also so two participants in the NBA Finals have won major regular season awards. In the regular season, the Celtics beat the Lakers twice. Those two wins, however, came in December. To many, those wins do not predict what will happen in this series because both wins came without Pau Gasol. Gasol was acquired from the Memphis Grizzlies in February. Who will win the NBA Finals? Who deserves the championship more; Bryant or Garnett, Pierce and Allen?

Lakers Advance To NBA Finals

The Los Angeles Lakers have advanced to the NBA Finals for the first time since 2004 on Thursday with their 100-92 victory over the defending champion San Antonio Spurs. The win on Thursday completes the series, which the Lakers won in five games. Kobe Bryant of the Lakers led the game with 39 points. 17 of his 39 points came in the fourth quarter. The Spurs jumped out to a 17 point lead early in the game but the Lakers started to chip away. They eventually took the lead in the second half and kept it for good. This has been an eventful season for the Lakers. This season started with rumors that Kobe Bryant getting traded. Bryant voiced his displeasure with management over the lack of moves being made. The Lakers refused to accept any offer for Bryant and Bryant stayed with the Lakers. Then, in January, young starting center Andrew Bynum injured his knee, forcing him to miss the rest of the season. A couple of weeks later, the Lakers acquired Pau Gasol from the Memphis Grizzlies. Bryant was happy with the trade and him and Gasol, along with other like Lamar Odom and Derek Fisher, became forces in the Western Conference. They ended the season as the #1 seed in the Western Conference and as the favorites in the West to make the NBA Finals. Here they are now. The Lakers will face the winner of the Eastern Conference Finals between the Detroit Pistons and the Boston Celtics. Will the Lakers win the title? Will Bryant retire as a Laker? Will the Lakers thrive with the addition of a healthy Andrew Bynum next year?

Former Pitcher Gonzalez Killed By Lightning

Geremi Gonzalez, a former baseball pitcher who has pitched for five major league teams, has died on Sunday night. He died from getting hit by a lightning strike in Venezuela. He was 33 years old. Gonzalez last pitched for the New York Mets and the Milwaukee Brewers in 2006. He won 11 games for the Chicago Cubs when he was in their starting rotation in 1997. He also played for the Boston Red Sox and the Tampa Bay Rays. Gonzalez was the pitcher on the mound with the Rays when Cubs' slugger Sammy Sosa was found to have cork in his bat. Sosa was a former teammate of Gonzalez. Gonzalez was a current player in major league baseball, since he never announced his retirement. There is no word if Gonzalez had a wife and kids. Gonzalez started in the major leagues with the Cubs. Is Gonzalez's death a shock, considering the way he died? Should teams remember him by putting his uniform number on their jerseys?

Defending Champs Move On

The defending champion San Antonio Spurs have defeated the New Orleans Hornets 91-82 on Monday to win the hard fought series four games to three. The win for the Spurs was the first road win for any team in the series. The Hornets won Games 1, 2, and 5 in New Orleans, all by double digits. The Spurs won Games 3, 4, and 6 in San Antonio, all of which were double digit victories as well. Game 7 was in New Orleans, and the Spurs didn't have a third quarter meltdown like the previous three games in New Orleans. The Spurs outscored the Hornets 20-14 in what seemed to be the most important quarter in the entire series for both teams. Manu Ginobili, guard for the Spurs, led all players with 26 points, even though it didn't come easily. Ginobili missed 13 of his 19 shots attempted, but was able to make 10 of his 11 free throws attempted. Chris Paul, All-Star guard for the Hornets, had a good game with 18 points and 14 assists. But the youthful Hornets, who did not qualify for the playoffs since 2004, end their season after what seemed to be a successful playoff run. The Spurs will now face the Los Angeles Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. The Lakers clinched their spot in the Western Conference Finals with a victory over the Utah Jazz on Friday. The Lakers' record in the regular season was 57-25, while the Spurs posted a 56-26 record. Who will win this matchup? If the Lakers make it to the NBA Finals, will that quiet the critics who say Kobe Bryant couldn't win a championship without former Lakers' center Shaquille O'neal?

Celtics Win Second Game 7

The Boston Celtics have defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 97-92 in Game 7 to win the Eastern Conference Semifinals series four games to three. Paul Pierce, forward for the Celtics, scored 41 points to lead the Celtics. Pierce was efficient from the field, making 13 of his 23 attempts from the field and making 11 out of 12 free throws. He was deadly from the three point line as well, shooting 4 of 6. Lebron James, superstar forward for the Cavaliers, had a game high 45 points in a losing effort. The game was close throughout, but the Cavaliers simply could not make shots in the final minutes. The Celtics trapped James and made him take difficult shots. The role players for the Cavaliers did not make any shots and that contributed to their loss as well. The Celtics move on to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time since 2002, when they played the New Jersey Nets and lost in six games. The Celtics will face the Detroit Pistons, and because of their record, they will have home-court advantage in the series. This is the second straight seven game series the Celtics have had to endure. In the first round, the Atlanta Hawks, who possessed a 37-45 regular season record, took them to seven games until they got blown out in Game 7. Will the Celtics win this series? If the Pistons take a game in Boston, will the Celtics be in trouble?