Game 6 was an exact replica of how the entire series has gone. The Spurs took off fast and ran out of gas during the second leg of the race.

At one point San Antonio led by 18 points and had us all fooled for a second that we were headed for a Game 7 showdown on their homecourt.

Two things happened during part two of the contest.  The Thunder started shooting better and the Spurs got tired.

There is no complicated pedestal to stand on. Kevin Durant was priceless throughout. Russell Westbrook did his thing and James Harden was the closer.

Kendrick Perkins contributed a monster slam to punctuate the whole thing and ring the bell on the Thunder’s era of supremacy in the West.

After the final seconds ran out Tim Duncan walked the court and made it a point to not only be a good sportsman and shake hands with the Thunder, but to also be an encouraging ambassador of the game to them in his words and gestures.

These days, we see a whole lot of pouting going on and it should be noted that even with his heart in knots, Duncan once again showed us how it’s done.

Durant double-doubled with 34 points, 14 rebounds and five assists.  Westbrook hosted 25 points and eight rebounds.  Harden had 16 points.

The post Kevin Durant shines as the Thunder drop the San Antonio Spurs. appeared first on Players View.

The pair are going into business together to launch their own fitness facility as part of the DI Sports chain. DI strives to give young people access to the same training facilities and regimens that Division I athletes have.

Their site will be in Orlando and will include an indoor turf field, state-of-the-art weight room and a sports medicine clinic run by Orlando Orthopaedic Center, which is also an owner according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution.

Even though these two share a lot of history and connections, they have never met. Before Wednesday’s game at Miami, Chipper was excited to talk about the venture.

“I haven’t met Tim. I hope to in the very near future,” Jones said. “He’s probably the most recognizable figure in America right now. We’re from the same area in Jacksonville. I know he comes from a good family.

“His faith is as strong as anybody you’ll ever meet. And I don’t even know him, you know? So that’s my impression of him from afar. That being said, I’m a long-time loyal Gator, and he can do no wrong in my eyes.”

“It’s one of those business opportunities that comes along,” Jones said. “D1 in Tampa has done really well. Other D1s around the southeastern United States have done well. It’s a chance for young kids to get some constructive exercise from professional athletes.”

Tebow has a chunk of other D1 locations, so the New York Jets may not be where he plans on making his real money.

Maybe he can get Mark Sanchez to go in with him on D1 West.

The post Chipper Jones goes into business with Tim Tebow. appeared first on Players View.

Scratches: Paul Konerko’s wrist will keep him out of the White Sox lineup again today. Manager Robin Ventura stated yesterday that Konerko would return today but that’s not going to happen.

After he left yesterday’s game with a laceration on his left index finger it was pretty much a given that Placido Polanco would not be on the field for the Phillies today.

He had the finger glued shut and is day-to-day as TY Wigginton shuffles to his spot allowing John Mayberry Jr.  to get the nod at first base.

Roll The Dice: Daisuke “Dice K” Matsuzaka will be activated from the disabled list to test his stuff against the Nationals.

As the header says, Boston’s really taking a risk with former phenom.  He hasn’t pitched in the majors in over a year and hosted a 3.65 ERA in his rehab assignment.

I always dug his demeanor and all of that but I’m not sure if throwing to the wolves against Bryce Harper is a nice welcome home present.

Oof: The Tigers have placed catcher Alex Avila on the 15-day disabled list. He aggravated a previous hamstring issues on Tuesday.  The Tigers are mum on how bad this is but if he’s not putting the mask on until mid-July I wouldn’t be surprised.

Adios:  The Phillies have released right-hander Dave Bush. Bush reportedly has another opportunity waiting for him in South Korea.

The Rockies released catcher Eliezer Alfonzo. Alfonso got slapped with a 100-game performance-enhancing drug suspension last year and was bounced to Triple-A in May.

Rumor Bin: Don’t read too much into it yet but Ken Rosenthal is stating that the Nationals are talking to teams about trading away pitcher John Lannan. To get it done a team must pick up the rest of his paycheck and send off a player of worth.

The post Dice K returns to face Bryce Harper in MLB Daily Digest appeared first on Players View.

A Game 6 win tonight, will give them almost a week to rest before the league finals start on June 12.

There is no win that is truly a foregone conclusion but the Thunder are one of the hardest teams in the NBA to defeat on its own turf.

The term changing of the guard has been used to describe how the Thunder have become the West’s new gatekeepers.

In the quarterfinals they swept the world champs, in the semifinals they tossed the Lakers out of the boat and in the conference finals they just might run down the number one-seeded Spurs.

Where this coronation ceremony could go wrong is if OKC takes a Greg Popovich team for granted.

They may be down but they are not out and the Spurs are painfully aware that all they need is just one win to send this thing back home for a deciding Game 7.

Popovich consistently makes adjustments. One of which was sending their heralded sixth man Manu Ginobili into Game 5’s starting rotation.

Manu played up to his ability, but his insertion threw off the team’s overall rotation and as a result seemingly threw the Spurs out-of-whack.

What adjustments will the Spurs make tonight?

That’s hard to say, they may come back out and try to coax key members of the Thunder into early foul trouble as they did in Game 5.

More concretely, they will most likely try to continue to stifle Russell Westbrook, concede Kevin Durant and now try to push James Harden off the map.

If you let the big men bang inside you have to trust that Tim Duncan will handle Kendrick Perkins.

If that does not happen, yes this one is over.

For the Thunder, they just have to be themselves and they should be fine. To be themselves they have to be the best of themselves.

Their starting five is the best in the NBA across the board and their sixth man also owns his real estate.

If they come out and fire away, get their crowd into the game and just focus on maintaining their tempo, this will be over in six.

The post What will the Spurs do to stop the Thunder in Game 6? appeared first on Players View.

After controlling the bulk of the game, somewhere in the fourth period the Heat decided to stop playing transition basketball.

On multiple occasions after throwing up a bucket, Miami failed to get set at the other end of the court often looking confused about who was assigned to whom.

The Celtics look advantage of it and with a Paul Pierce 25-foot shock to the system with 52 seconds left, the Heat were not able to regain control of the game despite their best efforts.

Dwyane Wade and LeBron James don’t need to step up. Chris Bosh was valiant in his limited return.  The rest of Miami’s line-up has to pull their weight in Boston for Game 6 or this one is done.

It’s not healthy for teams to internally point fingers at each other but the Heat’s leadership council needs to have a pow-wow.

Kevin Garnett paced the victors with a double-double of 26 points and 11 rebounds.  Paul Pierce contributed 19 points. Both Ray Allen and Mickael Pietrus scored 13.

Miami was led by LeBron James with 30 points and 13 rebounds while Dwyane Wade added 27 points.

The post Paul Pierce drains a 25 ft. death blow to sink the Heat 94-90 appeared first on Players View.

Now that head coach Mike Woodson has the interim tag removed from his title, he has started to share his plans for the team with the world at large.

As he took on the job, there was some immediate controversy in regards to how he would handle his starting point guard Jeremy Lin.

He amplified the buzz with some first-day-on-the-job style comments that seemed to justify the rumors but then he found a way to merge Lin’s style of play with star Carmelo Anthony’s.

These days Woodson is adhering to the fundamental principle of “if it’s not broke, don’t fix it.”

“Right now, he is our starting point guard, without a doubt,” Woodson said. “I’ve always believed this: When a starter goes down he doesn’t lose his job because of an injury. You welcome him back with open arms when he gets healthy and you keep it moving.”

“That’s what we’re going to do when we get [Lin] signed,” Woodson said of the unsigned restricted free agent. “We’ll get him back in uniform … and get him ready for practice and camp and throw the ball in his hands and say, ‘Let’s go.’ ”

The problem is that Lin and the club don’t have a deal in place. As a restricted free agent, the Knicks do hold a nice amount of leverage in the Lin proceedings.

The team has stated that they want him and Lin has not (at least) publicly stated that he wants to play elsewhere.

Playing the dark side of the card, for the Knicks to get boxed out of a deal that they don’t have the right to match, a team would have to offer Lin more than $5 million dollars to get him out of NYC.

If this were at the height of Linsanity, the odds on that figure being thrown around would be high. It’s funny what a torn meniscus in your left knee can do to change things.

Since Lin has not seen action since he was injured, it’s safe to say that he herd has thinned on potential high dollar suitors.

It looks like if there is any turnover in MSG, it won’t come from Lin’s direction. It also looks like Mike Woodson could not be happier about it.

The post Knicks Coach Mike Woodson will open Jeremy Lin back with “open arms.” appeared first on Players View.

Once again a kid with the world at his feet chose to do something reckless and stupid.  Once again it was alcohol related.

That this was Blackmon’s’ second DUI makes the situation even worse because even though he’s young, experience has taught him better.  He knew he could get caught and he did it anyway.

Seeing that his deal with the Jags has yet to be consummated, his people are most likely struggling to get what they can out of the team now that any hopes of a lottery sized payday has been thrown out the window.

If the Jaguars still hand Blackmon the $20 million dollar payday he was rumored to be getting, jaws will drop everywhere.

Blackmon will still get good money so the thoughts that he will get a one-year rookie minimum deal seem far-fetched.

Let’s face it, after his time was up and he proved himself, Blackmon could bounce to another club as part of his rebirth story.

The team should secure him for the future and they should secure his future.

There are some facts in this situation that are surfacing that point to some hardcore denial.

Yesterday in court Blackmon plead not guilty to the charges against him. He allegedly admitted to the officers that stopped him doing 60mph in a 35 that he had been drinking.

After he was arrested for failing a field sobriety test, he blew a .24 at the police station; which is three times the legal limit.

Back to the point of arrest, he was said to swerving into oncoming traffic when he was pulled over.

This could very easily be a follow-up story to how a talented young man died and took a few innocent people with him.

But he pled not guilty instead of assuming responsibility for his actions and moving on.

Truth in advertising, I’m sure he was advised to do so by various lawyers, agents and publicists who are trying to salvage whatever they can out of this mess.

Still, Blackmon is not a kid that raised himself in the streets. He has two lovely parents and siblings. He has a support system whose influence should have steered him away from the words “not guilty.”

They should also work towards getting him help so that he can start to understand the impact of his actions.

Kids screw up and plenty of them do it in college. We very rarely if ever belittle somebody for getting a DUI and throwing away a career in civil engineering.

That is due to the process being much different and a lot more private.

The post Justin Blackmon pleads not guilty to DUI. What the Jaguars should do about it appeared first on Players View.

The short stop Carlos Correa certainly has the talent to go as such in this year’s pool but the Astros seemed sold on Stanford pitcher Mark Appel who ended up going eight to the Pirates.

At 17-years-old Correa has some developing to do and he will get his chance to do so. His dream is to become the next Derek Jeter although the Astros have plans for him to potentially morph into a third baseman.

The big headline attached to this one is that he’s the first Puerto Rican number one pick. This is a great achievement for Puerto Rican athletes that have a rich history within the league but there is more to this story than this.

Why did the Astros go in this direction?

Obviously Houston saw something that others saw that chose them not to choose Appel.

Appel wasn’t even the first pitcher chosen in the draft. Baltimore, Kansas City and San Diego all chose names such as Kevin Gausman, Kyle Zimmer and Max Fried ahead of him.

But what turned them away from the can’t miss prospect from Georgia Byron Buxton or Florida’s Mike Zunino?

Correa obviously has exceptional skills and all of his talent and most importantly hard work, deserve this triumphant moment.

So here is how it went down. Correa blew the Astros away during a personal workout last month during extended spring training according to MLB.com.

Bobby Heck, the Astros’ assistant general manager/scouting director, was excited to discuss what Correa can do on the field.

“We’re very excited to add a player of Carlos’ caliber,” Heck sad. “He profiles as a power-hitting middle-of-the-field guy, and to get that type of power at shortstop — his work ethic, how he was brought up and the family environment he comes from, the student he is — it’s a great pick for us, as well as a great long-term investment for the Astros.”

Correa is said to be an extreme over-achiever with a serious work ethic and unbreakable drive. Also committed to the University of Miami, the young man has quite a few choices to make although I don’t think the Astros have to anything to worry about.

The post Inside Houston’s decision to take SS Carlos Correa with their #1 pick. appeared first on Players View.

Kudos are due to Ginobili as he put the Spurs on his back in the second half of the game and single-handily put them in a position to win Game 5.

He was tough, unrelenting and focused. As mentioned, it came down to one critical shot.

The scene was that late in the fourth, the Thunder were up by double-digits and apparently cruising to a win.

Tim Duncan showed up and pushed out six points of an 11-0 run that helped the Spurs get back in position to win.

Then came “the shot.” If there is one moment that perhaps sealed this series, it will be the shot.

James Harden shook off rookie Kawhi Leonard with the shot clock simmering down to the final tick to throw up an improbable three-point gem.

Seconds later, it was Ginobili’s turn and with 4.9 seconds left, he missed a 3-pointer that could have sent the game into OT.

For Ginobili it was crushing and for the Spurs it was defining.

As he walked off the court Tim Duncan looked tired and ready to get this thing over with. After the game coach Greg Popovich acknowledged that if the Spurs don’t play with consistency in all phases of the game that “it’ll be over on Wednesday.”

The Thunder have been an impossible defeat on their home court and as Game 6 heads to their spot, hopefully they will remember that all it takes is one game and they are back in San Antonio again for a deciding Game 7.

Kevin Durant put up 27 points and Russell Westbrook double-doubled for the Thunder with 23 points and 12 rebounds.

Tim Duncan double-doubled with 18 points and 12 rebounds for the Spurs.

The post James Harden’s 3-point dagger wins Game 5 for the Thunder 108-103. appeared first on Players View.

As you’ll see in the conversation, Metta sat down and figured out how he went wrong and actually figured out what Memorial Day is all about.

The camera/paparazzi guy was ice-cold in trying to goad Ron into going along with the idea that we need a day of remembrance for slaves.

I’m sure someone from the Lakers front office or a family member will talk to Artest and fill him on exactly what the guy was trying to do.

Truthfully, the joke was in extremely poor taste for a few different reasons.

If I were TMZ guy, I’d ask the Thunder’s James Harden if it’s wise to mess with Ron. Then again you could ask the entire city of Detroit. What it’s like to mess with Ron.

The post Video: Metta World Peace/Ron Artest discusses his Memorial Day Twitter flub with TMZ appeared first on Players View.

When their promising wideout Jerome Simpson got involved with the marijuana related offenses that lead to his current three-game suspension, the Bengals cut ties and chose not to resign him.

Simpson was picked up by the Minnesota Vikings on a one-year two million dollar flyer.

Today Lewis was a featured guest on ESPN 101 St. Louis with Zach and the Coach and he spoke about how the team feels about Simpson.

“We really kind of felt it was best for Jerome to restart somewhere else and he ended up in Minnesota so you just have to wish him good luck.

He had really an unfortunate thing he got involved with last year and he got out of it and he took a hit, he took some water but I hope for his sake and for his career, he’s a wonderful person, and that was really quite a surprise and quite a shock to everyone but lesson well learned and he’s getting a restart now with the Vikings.

It’s great, he’s an extremely hard worker so you have to wish nothing but the best for Jerome and that he can reap the benefit of all that athleticism that he has.”

While the Vikings rant and rave about how great Simpson is and what he will do for their offense, they almost absolutely have team security eyeballing his moves away from the team.

To listen to Marvin’s entire interview click here.

The post Bengals coach Marvin Lewis calls Jerome Simpson situation “unfortunate.” appeared first on Players View.

We noted that the Texans backfield is loaded, so with Forsett in someone has to head out and that unlucky somebody is Javarris Williams according to the Houston Chronicle.

It stands to reason that Forsett has a certain measure of job security if he can put in special teams work.  It’s doubtful that he will unseat Ben Tate as the Texan’s back-up to Arian Foster, so as the third man in he’ll need to get his hands dirty.

As we head into the training camps portion of the show, look for guys like Jonathan Grimes and Davin Meggett to fight for what likely will be the only available roster spot at RB.

The post Justin Forsett signs with the Houston Texans after private workout. appeared first on Players View.

Here’s five quick takes on what to expect.

#1 Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes:

The new CBA’s impact will be felt for the first time.  The new rules don’t allow teams to sign prospects to MLB contracts and they place spending limits on each team.  The most obvious adjustments seem to deep-six the way that a group like the Washington Nationals have built their club up
.

The post 5 Quick Notes on the MLB Draft appeared first on Players View.

Some performers  like Cam’s Panthers back-up Jimmy Clausen fairly or unfairly falls short of their inclusion in broadcast conversations that were repeated daily for months straight after the previous NFL season ended.

Then you have the third group that becomes top-shelf talent after spending a year or two of giving their blood, sweat and tears to the game.

Here are five of these guys that we feel will do it big in 2012.

#1 Titus Young- Detroit Lions

Thanks to his recent Mohammed Ali impersonation, Young was almost left off of this list in favor of either Cleveland’s Greg Little or Kansas City’s Jonathan Baldwin.

Surveying the situation, Young is not a kid with serious legal issues. Between the influence of the front office and offensive locker room leaders such as QB Matthew Stafford and WR Calvin Johnson, Young should get his head on straight.

If so, his rookie numbers of 48 catches, 607 yards and six touchdowns will be smashed.

With Johnson always in double coverage, Stafford owning a rifle arm and Young running with hungry speed, Titus could come close to doubling his 2011 stats in 2012.

The post 5 NFL Players That Will Breakout In 2012 appeared first on Players View.

His spot as part of a Lactaid commercial is….just wow. See for yourself.

The post Video: New England Patriots WR Deion Branch can sure milk a cow. appeared first on Players View.

According to Oklahoma law, an aggravated DUI is charged when the driver’s blood-alcohol level is at .15 or higher.

The arrest is the second for Blackmon who was charged with a DUI in 2010 returning home from a Dallas Cowboys game.

After the incident, Blackmon seemed remorseful during a press conference.

“I’m embarrassed to be in this position. … I look forward to redeeming myself and proving to everybody that this isn’t who I am. I’m not this guy. I’m humbled by this experience and I will grow from it.”

The Jaguars issued the typical we’re looking into the details of the case statement.

The fifth overall pick in the 2013 is still in police custody as of post-time and he is due to be arraigned on the charges on Monday at 2:30 p.m. ET. His bond has been set at $1,000.

This is the worst time that Blackmon could have picked to screw-up as he has yet to wrap-up his contract negotiations with the team.

This incident is certainly bound to impact both the dollars and terms of this deal.

Yes, the Jaguars traded up to select him and yes he has all of the talent in the world. One the thing the fifth-round selection may not have figured out is that for all of his good fortune, he is not bigger than the process and that he is not bigger than the NFL.

What the team does from here will be interesting to observe.

Check out highlights of Justin Blackmon on Players View’s PVTV-NCAA video network.

The post Jaguars first round pick Justin Blackmon arrested for aggravated DUI. appeared first on Players View.

There were several things that jumped off the page that are worth discussing.

Jacquizz Rodgers: It looks like the former Oregon State Beaver is ready to make a statement in his second season in the NFL.  Looking at the depth chart he could be surpassing the stable Jason Snelling as the understudy to Michael Turner.

Rodgers has the homerun ability that the team wanted to get out of the injury-prone Jerious Norwood a couple of years back. He darts in and out of gaps and has great hands.

Snelling is also listed second on the depth chart at the fullback position behind Mike Cox which means he should still see his fair share of time if this line-up sticks.

Sean Weatherspoon: “Spoon” has been touted as the team’s new defensive leader now that Curtis Lofton is down in New Orleans.  As recently as this week, the word flying around the team was that he was due to shift inside to play at MLB.

This chart has him repeating at OLB with the newly signed veteran Lofa Tatupu occupying the inside spot.

New DC Mike Nolan is sticking with a 4-3 defensive scheme which places a high priority on the OLBs covering their assigned pieces of ground.

This group makes the most sense. Spoon is and would be a monster at any spot, but the fact is that the Falcons don’t have anyone on the roster than can fly around in space like Weatherspoon can.

Even if Tatupu has fallen off from his glory days, physically he can mentally handle the inside and stop the run.

Dominique Franks: When Eric Weems left in free agency to the Chicago Bears, a huge void opened up in the Falcons return game.

CB Dominique Franks is penciled in as the punt returner. His shifty speed and acceleration would make him a good fit here.

Chris Owens: The Falcons has given DB Chris Owens more than a few chances to get it right and now it looks like he’s deservedly on the bubble.

At both the nickel and right corner back positions he’s sitting in the not-so-enviable third position. It would not be surprising to see the team gamble on former track star Marty Markett over Owens.

Tight Ends: The Falcons are obviously looking for their TE of the future as they are currently carrying eight players at this position.  Win, lose or draw, Tony Gonzales most likely won’t play beyond this season.

If they don’t find can’t develop a star in-house, they could opt to bring in a guy off –the-street like former Viking Visanthe Shiancoe or spend a pick in the 2013 draft.

This could all change after training camp forward but these adjustments feel like tweaks to a greater plan.

The post Breaking down the latest Atlanta Falcons 2012 depth chart. appeared first on Players View.

Oklahoma City picked up help from Serge Ibaka who threw up 26 points despite Russell Westbrook being held to two field goals.

Tim Duncan led the way for the Spurs with 21 points and eight rebounds.

As the series moves back to San Antonio for Game 5, it has to be noted that the neither team has won a contest on the opposing team’s court.

This leans the advantage towards the Spurs if this trend continues and there in fact is a Game 7 in San Antonio.

The key to a Thunder series win is to capture Game 5 and finish at home.  The key to a Spurs series win is to take it one game at a time with the feeling in the back of their mind that they own the bragging rights to Game 7.

The post Kevin Durant leads the Thunder over the Spurs to take Game 4 appeared first on Players View.

After looking torn and ragged for the first two games of the series, the Celtics delivered a dominant performance that provided them with the luxury of a 22-point lead going into the fourth period.

Dwyane Wade threw in a respectable 18 for the Heat but that number is a bit deceiving as he took large chunks of the game off.

Wade has been unstoppable when he flips the switch and plays up to his potential with his team.  It’s up to Heat coach Erik Spoelstra to keep both the mood and momentum of his team consistent.

The defeat does not mean that the Heat is throwing up the bat signal for the absent Chris Bosh. It has already been announced that he will not play in Game 4.

If the Celtics even the series on Sunday, Game 5 may just be another matter.

The post Celtics rebound to snatch Game 3 from the Miami Heat 101-91. appeared first on Players View.

Friday Santana became the first pitcher in Mets history to throw a no-hitter as the Mets beat the St. Louis Cardinals 8-0.

The team’s footnote dates back to 1962 and as it was smashed from the record books, Mets fans celebrated the moment like a pennant win on social networks such as Twitter and Facebook.

If you recall, last week Santana worked a shutout against the San Diego Padres whom is one of the only two teams remaining that has never recorded a no-hitter; the other is the Tampa Bay Rays.

Against the Cardinals the 33-year-old threw 134 pitches as he struck out seven and walked five in his 247^th start. He spoke about it all after the game.

One attending Mets fan got so lost in the moment that he rushed the field at the end of the game to join the team’s celebration and was quickly thrown to the ground by security that seemed to enjoy the process.

The Mets soaring bats will get lost in the headline as Lucas Duda sent a three-run homer over the fence in the sixth and drove another one in on a sac fly in the fourth.

With two ridiculous games in-a-row, how long can Santana stay this hot? Will durability issues start to creep up if this continues?

The post Johan Santana strikes again with a no-hitter. appeared first on Players View.

Next up to get some is Mike Tyson.  He did a radio interview today with Philadelphia’s 97.5: The Fanatic and he kept it real in regards to how Owens has handled himself, whether the public should feel sorry for him and his now notorious appearance on the Dr. Phil show.

Sports Radio Interviews, posted the transcript  below.

On T.O.’s recent appearance on Dr. Phil and T.O.’s financial woes:

“Well, listen, I can only say about myself.  It took a good 18, 20 years for me to go broke, but he got broke pretty quick. It happened quick! We saw him, heard about him signing this contract, but from what you told me, he busted his whole bill. That can happen man when you take liberties for granted.”

If he thinks the upbringing he and T.O. experienced played a role in the kind of quick rise and fall:

“Oh, man, he’s not even in my same league as far as getting blood sucked. He’s not even in my league. But we’re talking about this issue, so, yeah, they’re out there. But in order to get your blood sucked, you have to be in position to want to suck some blood too. Even the con cons the con because he wants to con somebody.”

If he thinks people should feel sorry for T.O. for his fall from grace:

“No, we should have no sympathy for him, he’s a grown man. We should be jealous and pissed off he has so much goddamned fun. Shoot! That’s what we should be jealous about. Listen, this is one thing. When you’re living that life you think you’re a big boy — and this is one thing I learned when I was rolling like a big boy — I said ‘don’t worry about it, I can handle it, I’m a big boy.’ Big boys have big responsibilities and big circumstances.”

If he thinks T.O. made a mistake by making an appearance like that where he had to have known he’d face criticism:

“I don’t know, I don’t know why he would want to do that because that’s just a bomb waiting to explode right there. But I don’t know. He did the right thing he believed for the circumstances. All I know is he did what he thought was best for him, and I know he’s not feeling good about himself right now, but you get over it and life goes on.”

Does he know Owens?

“I don’t know him. I know he can’t be broke because he’s a bad guy. He’s broke because he didn’t know what was going on.”

When people are going through hard times, it’s often called hitting a bottom. The day that Mike Tyson of all people can go on the radio and discuss how bad one has screwed up from a position of power, has to be the reddest of all red flags.

It’s a commercial cliché but really T.O, is having the worst week…ever.

Listen to Tyson’s interview here.

The post Even Mike Tyson says that we should not feel sorry for Terrell Owens. appeared first on Players View.

Today he told the New York Post that he has done what most millionaires do when they can’t get the paper that they want, he fired his representative Tony Agnone.

“It means nothing as far as a new deal but we both decided that a new approach might be necessary at this time,” Umenyiora said via e-mail.

Agnone is no longer the guy sits at the negotiating table for Umenyiora and he has been replaced by the firm of Osi & Umen &Yioara.

Yes folks, he will be representing himself as he stated “I have no plans on hiring a new agent at this time.”

How does Agnone feel about all of this? “I’m stepping aside so the Giants can do the right thing and take care of him,” Agnone also said via e-mail.

That sounds like a bitter concession speech that has played to the Giants advantage. The team and Umenyiora have agreed on undisclosed terms of a new deal according to the Miami Herald.

The post UPDATED Osi Umenyiora fires agent & signs a new deal appeared first on Players View.

But did they? Spurs coach Gregg Popovich seemed to recognize late in the third period that there would be more value in resting his veterans and pulled them out of the game.

If his move was to sacrifice Game 3 since his team was not competing at the level that he wanted them to, then maybe the thumping was not so bad after all.

If the vets would have it played it out they could have at least made it close right?

There was not a single Spur that played more than 28 minutes.

Popovich played a chess match buy conceding defeat early to rest his guys for the rest of the series and perhaps beyond.

If that was the strategy, it’s incredibly ridiculous.  If that wasn’t the reason he pulled the trigger, it’s still ridiculous.

The series may show a 2-1 advantage for the Spurs but Popovich has just handed the Thunder the mental momentum.

The Thunder can obviously come out and shoot. Will their Game 4 strategy be to outgun the old guys deep into the third and force them out again to preserve them for Game 5?

Taking your warriors out during a finals series, sets a tone.  Yes, Spurs general Tim Duncan has been there and done that and he can’t be faded.

The Thunder is hungry and whereas after Game 1 they felt overwhelmed by the til-the-last-drop of execution they got from the Spurs, they feel like they can hammer them now.

Whereas after Game 2, they felt laid out by the Spurs flow and game management, they feel like they can punk them now.

Yes, the feeling in that locker room after Game 3 was ‘sit down old man. You can’t run with us after three games.’

Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook are not the type of players that you want to face when they feel like they can own you. They play a little bit sharper. They focus a little bit harder. They play a little bit tougher, if only to rub your nose in it.

When they are dormant and they feel overwhelmed, they can be had. Very few teams can put them in that space and until Game 3, the Spurs had them there.

Now, their shooting percentages will rise and the fireworks will begin again. If the Thunder wins Game 4, there will be no sweeter prize for them to drop a knockout blow to the old dudes on their home court.

For the first time Popovich may have just outmatched himself.

The post Gregg Popovich’s poor Game 3 chess move. appeared first on Players View.

Last week, Mack got a huge and we do mean huge surprise from the Atlanta school.  The team dropped 52 letters, handwritten and otherwise on the Wesleyan candidate on the same day.

According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, out of all that mail, there was not a single offer for a scholarship.

“I opened it up, and it had typed letters, hand-written letters, newsletters from the school … 52 in all,” Mack told the AJC.

“I was shocked and surprised. I started reading all of them, and I still haven’t finished.”

Mack’s father, Charles II also played fullback for Tech back in the day. He was obviously thrilled to see the package hit his doorstep.

“For them to send 52 letters through the mail in one day, including a personal letter from each coach on the staff, it spoke highly of Georgia Tech … As an alum, I was excited for my son. Of course, Georgia Tech has a wide array of things to offer. I think it would be a great fit for him. But at the end of the day, it’s going to be his choice.”

The school holds the defender and his family in high regard. The Players View question is are they pushing this hard to get a QB in the fold that can get them over the hump?

They run the option so it’s apparent that as long as they get a kid in there that can run a little bit that they are satisfied with what they have.

However, anybody that watched their crash and burn against the Georgia Bulldogs last season can tell you that their real area of need is at the gunslinger position.

It’s amazing that they will jump through so many hoops to make any young man feel special, but if they don’t produce at their biggest void what does that tell their fan base/alumni?

The post Georgia Tech sends potential recruit Charles Mack 52 letters in one day. appeared first on Players View.

They have the opportunity to lock down a true number one receiver in Dwyane Bowe. After a rocky rookie season, Bowe has grown by leaps and bounds despite having almost zero consistently from the quarterback position.

Yet…he has no deal.  Unlike running backs that are most likely done by the age of 30, a phenom wide receiver is hitting prime time at that same age. Bowe has a chance to be that guy that achieves a true mastery of his route running, ball skills and defender manipulation late into his twenties and beyond. In other words, if he’s good now, wait until you see what he can do a few years from now.

Bowe’s problem has a name and that name is Jonathan Baldwin. Baldwin is the Chief’s second-year guy out of Pitt that is a beast. He’s 6-foot-four, physical as the day is long and he is a true playmaker. The team’s actions seem to reflect that they feel that if this thing with Bowe doesn’t work out, they are covered.

Chiefs QB Matt Cassel glowed about him earlier this week after a recent practice. “He’s a guy that likes to go up and compete,” Cassel said, “and there’s not a lot of corners in the league that can go up vertically with him. “Guys like that, you have to give them an opportunity to make a play. He’s such a big target, and he’s so physical that you just kind of have to put it in the vicinity and try not to overthrow him.

Just give him an opportunity to go up and out battle somebody for the ball.” Did he say that he is better that Bowe? No. Did he say that the team views him as it’s long-term plan over Bowe? No. However, when your starting QB is in the local media praising another potential long-term option, there is often an underlying message in that.

Teams, players and agents have been using the media as a tool to spread their obvious and subliminal agenda since the dawn of time. This week in no less than three stories coming out of KC’s facilities from various outlets are all about Baldwin. Is some of that attention mean for Bowe to see as he works out on his own? Yes. And it’s deserved.

Baldwin has put the work in, placed a turbulent situation in the past and deserves everything that is coming his way. And yes, he is a guy that will completely take over games. But as this drags on with Bowe, I have to wonder how much bad blood is starting to simmer behind the scenes.

He’s on record as saying he wants a long-term deal to stay and compete alongside Baldwin. The team’s message obviously is not as clear.

The post As WR Jonathan Baldwin Emerges, Dwayne Bowe fights for a long term deal. appeared first on Players View.

Rarely could two teams look so similar, from the aggressive style of play to the ridiculously strong goaltending— both teams are even captained by Americans, ensuring that only for the second time ever will a U.S. born player be the first to hoist the cup.

While these two franchises might not have the history of bad blood like some matchups, there has always got to be a starting point, right?

It is all but guaranteed that this will be a hard-hitting, shot-blocking, low-scoring series; basically a hockey fan’s dream, as well as the reason the sport almost died in 2004.

Despite the fact LA and New Jersey were the 3^rd and 4^th highest scoring teams in post-season play, don’t hold your breath for the puck to be dropped at center—you’ll need all the air you can get to survive watching the back-and-forth battle that I predict will go the full seven.

Ah, but who will take it in seven? Rather than slip in my prediction at the end, I will state my position and defend it. Most predict the series to end in six, but these teams are too closely matched (and too well rested) to leave anything on the ice.

I think there could be no better ending for the record setting 8-straight road winning team than drinking from the Cup on enemy territory.

Hollywood is no stranger to the tale of the underdog, and this script has the 8^th seeded Kings defeating the hockey giant Devils all over it.

How will they do it? What must the Kings be wary of in their quest for the Holy Grail of hockey?

The post NHL Stanley Cup Ultimate Preview: New Jersey Devils vs. Los Angeles Kings appeared first on Players View.

Apparently according to rumors, after dating Los Angeles Dodgers hero Matt Kemp, she’s decided to make a play for another California athlete in Oakland Raiders running back Darren McFadden.

This rumor surfaced at the start of the month and was quickly denied.  However, it’s raging in full-force again, leaving one to remember the negative spin the Jessica Simpson put on Tony Romo’s  game.

Players View normally leaves the dating news alone but we have to hope that these alleged secret Hawaiian getaways and her latest fashion statements (she was spotted in a NYC nightclub wearing a Raiders jersey) don’t stray McFadden from his heavy workload which in includes a very crucial training camp.

The Raiders let his talented understudy Michael Bush walk away to the Chicago Bears.

Athletes obviously tend to date models and other entertainers, so in theory this isn’t worth writing about. But recent history has shown that Rihanna has a tendency to bring a special kind of drama to the table that can be considered to be beyond distracting.

If there is truth to this situation, McFadden obviously needs to keep his wits about him.

If he can’t, well…we understand but the fans in the Black Hole won’t.

The post Oakland Raiders RB Darren McFadden allegedly starts dating Rihanna as training camp approaches. appeared first on Players View.

MIAMI-The Dolphins have announced that will appear on HBO’s reality show Hard Knocks.

For the uninitiated, Hard Knocks provides a behind-the-scenes view into everything that goes on during a NFL training camp.

The most infamous edition of the show was the 2010 edition that featured the New York Jets. Head Coach Rex Ryan’s fits of foul language and the sub-plot of CB Darelle Revis contract status gave the public all that they wanted and then some.

Against the South Beach backdrop, the Fins will provide a glimpse into the arrival of rookie quarterback Ryan Tannehill, whatever RB Reggie Bush is into and a team that is struggling to maintain a positive grip on its fan base after a nightmarish run of ill will.

Head coach Joe Philbin told reporters that this will be a” chance for us to show a new identity.”

GM Jeff Ireland’s fight to survive alone will be worth the price of admission.

The post Miami Dolphins will appear on HBO’s Hard Knocks. appeared first on Players View.

“My recent actions have not always been up to the standards the Lions expect or the standards that I expect from myself. I am truly sorry for those times when I didn’t meet those standards.

“My absence from the practice facility and the OTAs last week was necessary for both myself and the team.

“The time away from the team afforded me the opportunity to reflect and come to the realization that by putting those incidents behind me I will be able to focus on becoming the best teammate and player that I can be.”

That’s great and all, but the second-year man out of Boise has a chance to really step-up and claim a spot as the best slot guy in the NFL.

His actions moving forward need to reflect this carefully prepared statement.

As for the other piece of negative business that the franchise is attending to, despite his DUI arrest over the weekend, DT Nick Fairley will also be on the field today.

The arrest is the second for Fairley this off-season as he is awaiting a July arraignment in regards to an April situation where he was charged with possession of marijuana.

Both of Fairley’s issues occurred in his home state of Alabama while he was away from the team.

The post Wayward Lions Titus Young and Nick Fairley return to OTAs appeared first on Players View.

On Wednesday according to Adam Schefter, they will visit the Houston Texans.  Of the two, Sims-Walker stands to have the best chance to thrive in this system.

After being drafted in 2008 by the Jags, Sims-Walker never quite broke out and has never played a complete 16 game season. His career highs came in 2009, where posted 63 receptions for 7 TDs and 869 yards.

After a brief 2011 stint with the Rams and a yo-yo return to Jacksonville, in 2012 Sims Walker could have a unique opportunity with the Texans.

Whether he can or whether he can’t, what Sims-Walker has shown is that he’s not a number one receiver. In Houston, he can replace a guy like Kevin Walter in the number two slot opposite Andre Johnson.

Without all eyes being on him, the Texans could be the perfect fit for Sims-Walker.

As for Forsett, he’s visiting a situation that is loaded with running backs.  The odds on him seeing the field with Arian Foster and Ben Tate locked in as Houston’s core running game is nil.

Elsewhere the Texans have younger backs like rookie Davin Meggett, who could land a spot on the depth chart based on his return ability.

The post Mike Sims-Walker could resurface with the Houston Texans appeared first on Players View.

The Heat jumped all over them in the first period, watched them come back to tie the contest going into the half and then tore them up like tissue paper the rest of the way out.

Will it be this easy for the Heat the rest of the way out? Absolutely not, the Celtics have too much talent and too much pride to let that happen.

The problem is as predicted and as they displayed, the Celtics are worn down from two brutal series against the Hawks and 76ers respectively.

LeBron James was dominant than his double-double of 32 points and 13 rebounds suggests. Once again he took on the role of the leader and the aggressor and last night the role of the comedian.

Towards the end of the game, the Celtics Kevin Garnett hard fouled James and as James handed the ball off to the official, Garnett gave James that Mr. T intimidation stare thing that he does when he’s trying to scare somebody. The only thing that James chose to do was laugh in his face.

Garnett has bullied people for his entire career and now it seems that he’s being pushed him off the playground.

Still, he paced his team with a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds.

The Celtics most likely won’t win this series but make no mistake about it, they will not go quietly. The controversy may start as early as Game 2.

The post Lebron James paves the way as the Miami Heat dominate the Celtics 93-79. appeared first on Players View.

Besides proclaiming that veteran safety Ed Reed will return this year, Pollard recently told the Ravens website that he’s not concerned at all about facing a multitude of the league’s best QBs this year.

“You’ve got so many people saying what we can’t do, who we’re facing, how many quarterbacks can do this, what offenses do that,” he said.

“It does not matter, because when the whistle blows and you’re between those white [lines], you can’t stop us.”

This front office has done a great job as far as getting players in here to help this team win, and obviously, that’s what we’re about,” Pollard said.

Well, looking at the Ravens schedule, I can see why he has to get amped up now, to handle his business.

In the regular season the Ravens will face, Andy Dalton, Mike Vick, Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers, Matt Schaub, Peyton Manning and Tony Romo amongst others.  The closest thing to aerial relief that they will face will be a date with Matt Cassel.

I can see why Pollack is politicking for Reed’s return.

The post Baltimore Ravens S Bernard Pollard brushes off facing 11 Pro Bowl QBs in 2012 appeared first on Players View.

He did just that during the fourth period of Game 1. Just as it looked like the Thunder was set to take Game 1, Ginobili ripped off 11 points to push his team into the winner’s circle.

Early on both the Spurs Tony Parker and Tim Duncan shot horribly.

Though the Thunder didn’t exactly have their way with the Spurs moving into the second period, they looked very confident against them.

What the playoffs have shown us this season if that the team that is behind going into the fourth still has a chance to pull it off.

Despite losing the close one, Kevin Durant double-doubled with 27 points, 10 rebounds and three blocks. Russell Westbrook closed with 17 points.

For the victors, Ginobili finished with 26 overall, Parker with 18 points and Tim Duncan double-doubled with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

The post Manu Ginobili helps San Antonio Spurs edge Thunder appeared first on Players View.

Match-Up: Miami Heat vs. Boston Celtics

Breakdown:  The Miami Heat has played 11 games in the post-season. The Boston Celtics have played 13.  Those two games can and probably will make all of the difference in the world in this finals series.

Boston has been the veteran gladiators knocking off each of their foes with the kind of unrelenting desire that can drain a team both mentally and physically.

They have all of the pieces in place to take this series from the Heat but they are beat-up. They toyed with the Heat during the regular season but now in the post, their recent battles have taken too much from them.

Rajon Rondo had to put the entire team on his back for the last three minutes of Game 7 of the semis to squeak them into the conference finals.

This is not a diatribe against the Celtics. The trio of Ray Allen, Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett is a group of living legends.

It’s just not very likely that after all that they have been through that they have another legendary performance left in them.

All of the LeBron James jokes on the internet will not change the fact that we saw him emerge as a true leader during the Heat’s series against the Pacers.


In lifting Dwyane Wade out of his funk, he was unselfish, unrelenting and to the Pacers unkind.

His numbers were remarkable but his character was even more so.

That makes him much more dangerous than he has ever been. Mike Miller, Udonis Haslem and maybe even a potentially returning Chris Bosh know how to strike up the band.

This post-season has been very telling for both of these teams and this series will be competitive but it will not be dramatic.

For the third year in a row the East will be decided by these two franchises. That in itself, for each group is to be celebrated. But…

Prediction: Heat in a triumphant five.

The post NBA Eastern Conference Finals Preview: Celtics vs. Heat appeared first on Players View.

Match-Up: Oklahoma City Thunder vs. San Antonio Spurs

Breakdown: The number one and number two seeds in the West are about to get it on in what may prove to be the best series of the post-season.

These teams run at different speeds so it will in theory come down to a battle of wills.

The billboard showdown is Russell Westbrook vs. Tony Parker. Of course how they face-off against each other will be a huge factor in how this series plays out.

If they cancel each other out then regardless of position you have to look at whether or not Kevin Durant or Tim Duncan is playing better basketball.

Those numbers will most likely always favor Durant and down where the dirty work gets done Boris Diaw will have his hands full with Kendrick Perkins.

Throughout this process the Spurs haven’t really been tested having taken out the lowly Jazz and a weary Clippers team.

The Thunder on the other hand rolled over both the Mavericks and the Lakers and have the hot hand.

As for the x-factors James Harden should produce more for the ghostly Manu Ginobili who hasn’t really done much since the regular season.

Prediction: Thunder in a tight six.

The post NBA Western Conference Finals Preview: Thunder vs.Spurs appeared first on Players View.

When their number one man Hakeem Nicks went down last week with a broken foot, suddenly heads turned towards LSU’s Reuben Randle.

Let us be clear, Nicks will make big contributions in the Giants offense in 2012. The evidence suggests that.

His surgery on May 25^th was successful and a screw was inserted in his right foot to “hasten the healing process,” according to the New York Post.

Here is the thing, even the casual fan knows that even with the 12-week prognosis being downgraded to 4-6 weeks (per Adam Schefter), that there is a difference between Nicks being cleared to step on a football field and Nicks being able to play up to his previous standard.

So as Nicks works back up to being at least 95%, Randle has to forget the rookie learning curve and prove to his doubters that his less-than-jaw-dropping numbers were a result of misuse at LSU and not a reflection of what he can do.

Nicks will be on the field, but if there is a potential setback or he has to ease back into the line-up into a rotational role, how will this play out for the Giants in the first three to four games of the year?

If Randle does not step up and draw attention away from Victor Cruz then who will? Ramses Barden is not going to be that guy. Previous standbys such as Mario Mannigham are gone.

The newly recruited TE Martellus Bennett is more than up for the job and should see a lot of targets.

It still comes down to this. Rueben Randle is a talented kid. If his heart and his desire can match his talent, he can walk directly into a golden opportunity.

At OTAs last week, ESPN’s 32 Chris Mortensen stated that “they thought he was the most NFL-ready receiver in the draft.” What they’ve seen so far has justified that.”

If that is the case, expect Randle to take first team reps when training camp starts to prepare to step onto the big stage to face his former college ally Mo Claiborne when the Giants face the Dallas Cowboys Week 1.

To watch videos featuring Rueben Randle head to the SEC area of our PVTV-NCAA Network.

The post Rookie WR Rueben Randle steps up with Nicks temporarily out of Giants lineup. appeared first on Players View.

The strategy most likely is most likely in play by the team. By keeping it a local issue instead of national issue, the closed door back-and-forth can remain just that.

A recent article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, catches team owner Arthur Blank in an awkward statement that can perceived the wrong way.

Their current digs the Georgia Dome is located deep in the heart of an urban area.  There has been some static from the fan base that if the team is to move that perhaps it should move further North to accommodate the team’s suburban fan base.

Make no mistake about it, for those that have ever attended a Falcons game, the tailgating experience can often be more rap show that sporting event.

Still, the team has to be very careful about how they address this area of concern.  The proposed new facility will remain downtown, yet it seems like the team’s answer to this area of concern is to potentially economically skew the percentages.

“The important thing … is that we want to make sure that inside the stadium reflects the same distribution of population that we have on the outside of the stadium,” Blank said. “We want to make sure we represent all of Atlanta, not just a certain level of Atlanta. That’s going to take a tricky design, a thoughtful design, but we are committed to doing that.”

That was the statement that was mentioned earlier as can be taken the wrong way.

When Blank bought the team, one of his first goals was to fill the cavernous bucket by lowering ticket prices.

Then came the Mike Vick Experience and the team’s demographic make-up swung to a certain end of the pendulum.

I understand what Blank is trying to say.  He’s trying to get a deal done and he wants everyone on board with it.

By and large to sell that package he will have to convince the city that he can draw fans from other counties to his new open-air extravaganza.

But they cannot out price the fans that have provided numerous sellouts over the years either.

The issue of personal seat licenses (PSLs) have meet with sticky resistance in other markets and it looks like they could be headed to Atlanta.

How much the right to buy a ticket will cost is another matter and the team is tip-toeing greatly around providing hard numbers.

If the Falcons can pull this off, they will write a blueprint for other clubs that have similar issues and they need to handle them with dignity and class.

The post Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank talks about proposed new stadium. appeared first on Players View.

BOSTON –The Philadelphia 76ers danced dangerously close to eliminating the Boston Celtics in Game 7 of their Eastern Conference Semifinals series.

The banged-up Celtics group saw their season flash before their eyes when Paul Pierce fouled out with 4:16 left in the game and a young Sixers group sniffing blood.

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Philadelphia has made their money this series by outlasting the veterans in the last five minutes of the fourth and Game 7 felt like it was slipping away from Boston.

The normally riotous Boston Garden was unusually quiet during Pierce’s exit.

In his absence, Rajon Rondo stepped up and walked the Celtics into the lion’s den down in South Beach by putting up 11 key points to seal the game.

Rondo’s triple double was one for the ages and has undoubtedly been the highlight performance of Boston’s playoff run thus far.

Kevin Garnett double-doubled 18 points and 13 rebounds, Brandon Bass provided 16 points and Pierce finished with 15 and nine rebounds.

For the Sixers, Andre Iguodala scored 18 points and has asserted himself as one of NBA’s marquee players.

Players View will preview both the Eastern and Western conference finals tomorrow.

The post Rajon Rondo rescues the Boston Celtics to win game 7 appeared first on Players View.

According to the New York Daily News, Sanchez looked sharp, polished and has already established a chemistry with rookie WR Stephen Hill .

For his part of the show, Tebow threw two interceptions as he struggled to grasp the offense.

Sanchez is no stranger to throwing picks himself, but it seems as if Tebow’s mere presence has lit a fire underneath him to make sure that he maintains both his job and his dignity.

When asked about the attention that Tebow’s addition to the roster has affected him Sanchez was confident both in himself and how he deals with the pressure.

“(Tebow’s) popularity drives a lot of that,” Sanchez said. “At the same time, I wouldn’t be in this position if I couldn’t handle it. And I’m prepared for it.”

“We’ve been to the playoffs around here,” Sanchez said. “We know what it’s like to have different media outlets. When you get a guy as popular as Tim it’s just natural. It’s good exposure for our team.”

On his erratic performance during OTAs that were attended by his former college coach Urban Meyer, Tebow took it all in as a learning process.

“It’s definitely frustrating,” Tebow said. “But it’s 7 on 7. Those plays… were the first time I ran them. So I’ll learn from it. Honestly, it won’t bother me again. When you make the bad play, you got to put it behind you and move on. I felt like I did.”

It looks like round one is being handed to Sanchez as all that attended labeled it “ his day.”

The post Mark Sanchez slays Tim Tebow during OTAs appeared first on Players View.

Players View has been critical of Santana in the past, so today we will tip our hat to the Mets lefty.
Although it was against a less-than-dominant San Diego Padres group, Santana had the stuff to only give up four singles in his first shutout since August, 12 2010.
Today’s outing keeps his ERA under 3.0 at 2.75 which at this juncture of the season is a feat unto itself.
Santana gave up not a single walk in an efficient 96 pitches that also struck out seven.
Offensively, Santana had help from Mike Nickeas who hit the Mets first grand slam of the season, and Scott Hairston and Vinny Rottino who also homered.
Today’s affair had to give him even more momentum going into next Friday’s start against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The post New York Mets lefty Johan Santana pitches first shutout since 2010 appeared first on Players View.

Going into his fourth year as a pro, it appears that Moreno could be one of those performers that sits not-so-nicely between the NCAA ranks and the NFL.

Since coming to Denver, he has had some nice spurts, but overall, he has not played up to all of the noise that was a part of his entry package.

Injuries perhaps may have anchored him but in three previous years he hasn’t broken the 1,000 yards milestone.  He has a total of 12 rushing TDs, none of which came in 2011. Of his six career receiving TDs one of those came in 2011.

When you compare each season, his rookie season by far was his best year and his numbers have plunged ever since albeit he only played in seven contests in 2011.

So when Lindsay Jones of the Denver Post makes a statement like he’s “fighting” for a roster spot, it’s easy to buy into.

The Broncos are smitten with rookie Ronnie Hillman and Willis McGhee is the type of back coach John Fox has always relished.

The hope for Knowshon is that he’s putting the work in to reestablish his game and perhaps he can remerge in one of the many cities that need a stable RB.

Numbers aside, this young man is only 24 years old, plays reckless when he’s healthy and can has the potential to mark his territory elsewhere.

If not, he could fade to black much to early and with none of the fanfare that got him to this point. That would be a shame.

The post Is Knowshon Moreno done in Denver? appeared first on Players View.

These are our projected top 5 QBs/Stat Monsters.

#1 Tom Brady- New England Patriots

Wes Welker’s bungled “catch” is the answer that is widely given as the reason why the Patriots lost the Super Bowl. The truth is that it was the team’s lack of a running game that failed to close it out.

But it true Patriot fashion, the game film of the championship game shows what it shows and they went out and upgraded their receiving corps. In 2012, Brady not only has his two favorite tight ends Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez, he has a smorgasbord of targets that have specific functions.

Brandon Lloyd has emerged as the consistent go-to-guy for circus catches. Deion Branch is still good to turn possession catches into homeruns. Contract situation or not, Wes Welker will ball out-of-control to prove his various points.

That’s five outlets before we get into the Chad Ochcocinco project which in year two should start to pay dividends.  Now throw in Julian Edelman, Jabar Gaffney, Donte’ Stallworth and Anthony Gonzalez.

Believe it or not, there’s still three other names in that group.  When all is said and done, Brady won’t just have a talented group to work with, he’ll  have one that’s born of fire as the team can’t carry this many guys into the season.

Cross that much talented with Brady’s ability to be well… Brady and he stands to have a monster year statistically.

The post Top 5 Projected QBs for 2012. appeared first on Players View.

After all, the last four years of his career has seen more than one observer wonder whether or not Moss still has “it.”

Others ( such as myself) have looked towards the erratic carousel of QBs, offensive coordinators and head coaches as the reasons why Moss has not put up the numbers that he is capable of.

But none of that matters now as Moss stated not only that RG3 has a long way to go but he also has love for Rex Grossman according to an interview he did with WTEM-AM.

“It’s one of those situations where he is a young guy and at the end of the day regardless how much his skill level is better than other young guys like himself he still has to learn a lot day by day,” Moss said.

“So that’s one thing I want everyone to understand that he comes here with the big hope of turning everything around. We are all hoping that. We all want that, but I don’t want that pressure on him as if he has to be the one.”

“Rex is a guy you can always count on,” Moss said. “I think most definitely he can be a great attribute to RG3. I feel like both of them are RG3-I and RG3-2.”

I think the tag-team concept is beyond a far stretch seeing that Grossman and Griffin don’t have very much physically in common.

Professionally speaking, you certainly have to look a Grossman’s track record of inconsistency and ask yourself if that’s the guy you want passing along tips to a dynamic rookie QB.

I get it, Moss probably likes Grossman. But he should look at what Cam Newton did for Steve Smith’s career in Carolina and ask himself ‘did I really just say that?’

The post Washington Redskins WR Santana Moss calls Griffin and Grossman “RG3-I and RG3-II” appeared first on Players View.

So for those of you out there that are anxiously awaiting news from OTAs about how explosive RB Jamaal Charles is or how safety Eric Berry is back to back to his ball-hawking ways, you’re out of luck according to Chiefs Coach Romeo Crennel.“We’re going to do everything we can to get them as healthy as they can get before we put them back out there,” Crennel said.

“They’re still rehabbing. They seem to be making progress, but they’re just not on the field with us yet.

“They’re involved with practice. They’re keeping up with the calls, they’re talking to the guys on the sideline about the plays and what to expect, so all of that is good.”

Will they be available in time for training camp?

“I hope so, Crennel said.  If they continue to make progress, they should be cleared by camp time.”

You don’t win championships during OTAs with the exception of working with high profiles rookies that need as much time as possible to assimilate into the regimen.

Taking it slow while keeping them somewhat involved is the smart way to go. As you will see in our upcoming 2012 predictions, the Chiefs might just might get into the playoffs this year.

The post Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry amongst Kansas City Chiefs stars to skip OTAs. appeared first on Players View.

The spring was not kind to former Tampa Bay Buccaneers great Warren Sapp.  His first misfortune was quietly being pushed off the analysts’ panel for a minute at the NFL Network for labeling TE-for-hire Jeremy Shockey the “snitch” in the New Orleans Saints Bounty Gate scandal.

Next up was having all of his personal business put in a transparent case after he declared bankruptcy. During those proceedings we were made privy to the fact his contract with the NFL Network is due to expire in August.

Now according to the Miami Herald, comes the announcement that Showtime has dropped him from the cast of their weekly Inside The NFL broadcast.

Is this a sign of things to come?  The NFL Network has some time to make their move but don’t be surprised if they cut bait with him as well.

That would be too bad as Sapp as an announcer is a lot more entertaining and knowledgeable about defensive play than most.

The post It’s no longer showtime for Warren Sapp appeared first on Players View.

Part one of the formulas was to find away to remove Chris Bosh from the mix.  Part two was to get inside of Dwyane Wade’s head and limit his numbers.

Part three was…wait there was no real part three because as we have seen parts one and two didn’t really work.





Yes, the Heat had an implosion of sorts but that had nothing to do with the Pacers. Their two game skid could have happened during the Knicks series.

Seeing LeBron James step up in Game 4 and assume the leadership role and set the stage for Wade to get back on track was the difference maker in this series.

From the second half of Game 4 on the Pacers played the team that should have swept them and not the team that became to preoccupied with themselves to remember that they were playing a great basketball team.

Regardless of what happens from here, let’s note this piece of history as the segment when James matured directly in front of us and learned that to be the man you sometimes have to help the man.

As for last night, with the exception of the first five minutes, it was clear that the Pacers could not hang with the Heat even without Bosh or Udonis Haslem. Shout out to Mike Miller who stepped up and drained four 3-points buckets to force the Pacers to watch the perimeter while the maestros worked the paint.

Despite some of the Pacers refusing to shake hands with the Heat afterwards, there were solid performances from  David West  with 24 points and George Hill had 18.

The Heat now await either the Boston Celtics or the Philadelphia 76ers who will play their game seven in Boston tonight.

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There were several teams that stepped up and queried his availability sending trade rumors through the roof. He was humbled during a brief stint in the minor leagues.

So what does he do as the month comes to a close? He accepts being moved to first base and homers in his first game back against the Orioles in the 4^th inning yet he strikes out during his other two at bats.

At the start of the season Youkilis was bathing in controversy after being tossed in the bathwater by manager Bobby Valentine.

Valentine was publicly critical of Youk yet his .224 batting average by and large would merit such a thing if he was not such a revered figure in Boston.

Unless Will Middlebrooks takes a drastic turn for the worse, the 3B job will not revert back to its previous owner.

It seems that fan favorite or not, Kevin Youkilis won’t be able to get by on just his popularity if he’s to remain in the Red Sox starting line-up.

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Earlier today we quoted Pacers president Larry Byrd’s current feelings on his team. They just might speak for a lot of the NBA community.

With so much on the line the leaders must stand up.
Pacers star Danny Granger is vowing not to let his team down in Game 6. Regardless of his injury he will play according to Fox Sport’s Chris Tomasson.

He said it would “take his foot to fall off” to not play and he went on to state “this is the playoffs; I’ll just take a bunch of pain medication.

That type of grit and courage can inspire a team and make them extremely dangerous. The media is also taking shots at them as today analyst Skip Bayless labeled them “fake tough guys” on ESPN’s First Take.

The next two days will tell the tale.

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The NBA has a second tier league. Major League Baseball has the minors and the NHL has an extensive developmental system in place that grooms such players and gives them a chance to shine.

The stories about the Pro Bowlers that went undrafted are legendary and finally the league is hearing the call and catching up with the rest of the sports world.

If league commissioner Roger Goodell ‘s legacy involves creating a feeder league for the 32 NFL franchises, forget stern discipline and Bounty Gate, his legacy as the G.O.A.T. will revolve around how his administration improved the quality of the game.

His thoughts were recalled in the Minnesota Star Tribune.

“We have talked a great deal about the idea of a developmental league. We actually think that there could be a role for that. Particularly with the changes in the Collective Bargaining Agreement — the limited amount of time the younger players have to either be evaluated or develop their own skills — should we have some sort of developmental league?

It is something we will continue to pursue. If we do it, my personal view is it should be defined what the actual objective is. If it is a developmental league, let’s call it a developmental league. Let’s design it as a developmental league. If it is going to be a commercial league that is trying to generate fan interest or generate revenue, we should also be clear of that objective. I think our general view right now is to make it a developmental league.”

Every fan of every team currently has a guy like former Atlanta Falcon DE Jamal Anderson who got the right shot and did all of the wrong things with it.

In the current system, teams can either pick from a very limited pool of practice squad players or hit the street in pursuit of free agents that have not been in a system for some time.

There’s a big difference between staying in shape and getting quality reps.

If Goodell can pull off the feat of creating a true developmental league that will allow teams to work with a complete roster of players that are competing daily and weekly under their system,  a guy like Anderson won’t linger on a roster for years doing just the bare minimum to get by.

The NFL has their own network.  The NFL’s website is a high traffic portal. The NFL has the ability to extend the tentacles of its star-making machine and pound-for-pound truly ensure that the hungriest guys in the country are getting a shot.

Thank you commish.

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Then came Games 2 and 3 and the Pacers stood up for decisive wins.

After tying the series in Game 4, Miami finally came out as the aggressors that we have not seen since their opening series against the New York Knicks.




There was never a moment in this game that anyone in the global viewing audience felt as if Miami was losing control.

Their grip was firm right out-of-the-gate and as the Pacers tried to muscle the Heat off their own court, the Heat fought back and with a little bit extra.

The physical play of both teams will unquestionably be the story of the game. In retrospect, this may also be the game that is considered the contest that turned the series in Miami’s favor.

The Pacer’s Tyler Hansbrough landed the first blow as he caught a flagrant-1 for drawing blood on Dwyane Wade.  It was a move that the Heat’s Udonis Haslem is familiar with as he has been dealing with a similar injury that he took on.

In what appeared to be a retaliatory move, Haslem took it to the street and drew a flagrant-1 of his own after he double downed on Hansbrough as he went up towards the basket in a scoring attempt.

Hansbrough decided that it was a good idea to put the dirty tricks back in his pocket after that.

Another situation that will scrutinized will be the Heat’s Dexter Pittman showing the Pacer’s Lance Stephenson his Ric Flair impersonation.

Stephenson if you remember, taunted LeBron James earlier in this series by making a choke sign that was caught on live TV.  For good measure, Pittman was caught winking after the blow, in what might be one of the stupidest missteps in NBA playoffs history.

For all of this action, there will definitely be fines and if the Pacers lucky there will consequences.

If those consequences involve a Haslem suspension, it may help even the score in the event that the injured Danny Granger is not ready to go for Game 6.

It’s doubtful that the Pacers higher-ups will push for such action. The team’s president is the living legend Larry Byrd who has his own take on the situation that he gave to the Indianapolis Star after the game.

“I can’t believe my team went soft. S-O-F-T,” Byrd said. “I’m disappointed. I never thought it would happen.”

If that’s how Byrd really feels he’s more likely to address that issue in the locker room.

If Miami have learned anything, it’s that the Pacers should not be taken as a joke.

If the Pacers have learned anything, it’s that the Heat will get down and do it as dirty as they want to take it.

Miami can deliver the final blow on the Pacers court on Thursday.

LeBron James had 30 points, 10 rebounds and eight assists. Dwyane Wade delivered 28 point and Shane Battier chipped in 13 points for the Heat.

Danny Granger scored 10 and Paul George got 11 points for the Pacers.

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After being traded away from the Tampa Bay Buccaneers for a mere conditional 7^th round draft pick, the temperamental TE is not guaranteed to play a starting role.

Seattle also imported former Raider Zach Miller who is a better blocker and red zone target.

Winslow might be a better vertical threat on intermediate to deep routes but he has a tendency to drop the football when he is not in the right place mentally.

Nobody knows that better than Buccaneers QB Josh Freeman who visibly experienced a great deal of tension with Winslow last season.

Behind closed doors, it’s hard to envision that this did not play a part in Winslow’s exit as the Buccaneers are rolling the dice with the consistently injured former Colt Dallas Clark.

In 2011, Winslow’s 75 catches look nice, but some of those catches did come in garbage time when games were out of reach.

The city of the 12^th Man is going through a serious QB competition at the moment and the TE has his choice of three guys to endear himself to.

The problem is that playing nice with others has never been his thing and that trait may now prove to be the downfall of a career that should have been incredible.

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Cribbs value has fallen thanks to the new kickoff rules that are curtailing the amount of kickoff returns that you take place in each game.

Moving forward as the league’s competition committee continues to move towards potentially eliminating kickoff returns all together; players such as Cribbs will have a hard time getting a job let alone a premium salary.

According to the New Herald, He’s due to make $1.43 million dollars this year and now that the Browns have upgraded their receiving corps, Cribbs has potentially become the odd man out.

The Browns and the playmaker recently fought very publicly over money so its hard to believe that Cribbs will back away from a seven figure salary.

This is especially true seeing that it will be hard for him to get that much money anywhere else.

The Wildcat offense is no longer en vogue.  There are not a lot of slot receiver options available at the moment.

This one sounds like that old Steve Miller Band song “Take The Money And Run.”

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His career runs semi-parallel to the NFL’s Dan Marino in the sense that he was physically gifted, did some amazing thing and sputtered out down the last leg of his career only to never win a championship.

That won’t stop him from being remembered as one of the team’s greatest and as such he’s on his way to life in front office.

After his official retirement ceremony at Wrigley field on Saturday Cubs president Theo Epstein spoke to the Chicago Sun Times about handing Wood the keys to a corner office.

‘‘Those discussions started last year,’’ Epstein said. ‘‘We talked about it last year, what player development looks like, scouting, the front office. And, obviously, he still has a role to play in the community. But right now, he has to take time to just be a dad. . . . When the time is right, we’ll talk about it.’’

Wood confirmed that he will return to the organization ‘‘I’m not real concerned about it. I think they know I want to be here. I think they want me to be around. So we’ll get to that point.’’

The way it sounds that point won’t materialize this season.  When it does, will Wood be simply a face that the team parades in front of the public or will he be a true decision maker in Epstein’s administration?

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If the Thunder move on to win it all, the obligatory DVD will be titled The Art of the Comeback.

With just 8 minutes left the Lakers appeared to have their foot on the Thunder’s throat with a 13-point lead.

This series was set to be tied 2-2 with the momentum trending towards Kobe Bryant and his surrounding cast.

There are no ties, there is only a pit and in that pit lie a Lakers team that is one game away from elimination.

Bryant is hyper aware of this and after the game he served up some tough love directed at his teammate Pau Gasol.

“Pau has got to be more aggressive,” Bryant said of Gasol, who managed just 10 points and five rebounds while committing three turnovers. “He’s got to be aggressive, got to shoot the ball, drive to the basket, and he will next game.”

Russell Westbrook paced the Thunder with 37 points and five assists.  Durant double-doubled with 31 points and 13 rebounds. Serge Ibaka walked away with five blocks.

Kobe Bryant led the Lakers with 38 points, eight rebounds and five assists. Andrew Bynum was pivotal in support until the fourth period with nine rebounds, two steals and three blocks.

The Thunder can put the Lakers away on their home court Monday night.

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LOS ANGELES – The end result may have been the same but the manner in which the Clippers were beat varied greatly from the first two games of their semifinals series with the San Antonio Spurs.

Coming out of the shoot ,the Clippers were clearly in control and they even took a 10-point lead into the locker room at the half.

Blake Griffin especially played closer to his regular season form versus the battered and bruised edition that started this series off.

The Spurs countered Griffin and his 28 points and 16 rebounds with Tim Duncan’s 19 points and 13 rebounds.

The numbers individually favor Griffin however 11 of Duncan’s 19 points were tendered in the second half as part of the Spurs comeback effort.

The Spurs were paced by Tony Parker who had 23 points and 10 assists. His double-double by far showed up the Clippers Chris Paul who only put together 12 points and shot 5-of-17.

The Spurs can eliminate the Clippers in a sweep on Sunday. In doing so, they will buy themselves at least a couple of days rest as the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Los Angeles Lakers fight for a spot in the Western Conference finals.

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#5 Deion Branch  

If anybody knows how Welker feels right now it’s Branch. Branch was Tom Brady’s original BFF and he too felt that the Patriots offense would struggle without their star wide receiver.

In Branch’s case he was coming off a record-breaking Super Bowl performance as the game’s MVP in 2005.

In Welker’s case he’s coming off a Super Bowl performance of his own, one that included a dropped pass that could have put the game away for the Patriots. He was publicly voted LVP by Tom Brady’s wife.

Branch was in the prime of his career at 26 years-old when he went to war with the Patriots over the contract extension that they offered him which had a total value of $18.45 million dollars over three years.

In Welker’s case he’s entering the third and perhaps final act of his career at 30-years-old and has suffered a dual MCL/ACL injury.

For Branch he and his team asked for permission to seek a trade, they got it, craziness ensued and Branch was traded to Seattle Seahawks for a first round pick in the 2007 draft.

Branch did end up getting his multi-year big money contract extension for $39 million dollars and his departure made way for the entrance of “The Freak” Randy Moss.

So far Welker only has a $9.5 million dollar franchise tag to hold on to as speculation swirls that this will probably his last year as a Patriot.

Although Branch is back to practicing the “Patriot Way,” at his age, its doubtful that Welker has time to leave and come back. Besides for the bulk of his time in the Pacific Northwest, Branch did not have the temptation of taking to Twitter to air out his grievances.

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Should we really have to speculate on how this went down?  Rosenhaus is still actively making deals for players such as LeSean McCoy and Yeremiah Bell.

Owens appears to be embarking upon his second season without a team no end in sight.

You factor in that T.O. would have no problem announcing that his situation is a result of having bad representation ( i.e. poor financial management) and the light bulb kind of goes off that Rosenhaus did everything that he can do for Owens but even he feels that all hope is lost for him in the NFL.

To see the pair split and watch Owens state that he currently does not have a representative is horrifically sad.

What you are witnessing is the slow fall of an athlete that has burned a lot of bridges, lost a lot of money and that only seemingly knows how to do one thing.

Terrell Owens can play football. He is not at that stage yet where he cannot perform at a high level.

The term blackballed comes to mind but his situation has more synergy with the word karma.

As he stews in his own juices, he makes his situation worse as he creates negative attention (i.e. going on Dr. Phil with his *sigh* baby mamas) for himself.

No, I am not that man and I am not walking in his shoes, but I have up until now privately said that when Rosenhaus leaves his side, it will be the true death knell for his career.

I could be wrong and as someone who respects what he does on the field, I hope that I am.

But Drew was biggest cheerleader and he stuck through Terrell throughout some of his darkest days.

When he was cut by Dallas and Buffalo he fought for him to get new digs. When his one-and-done was up with the Bengals, he still fought for him through the knee injury and all trying to convince the world that there were mystery teams interested in Owens that obviously were not.

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Verlander narrowly missed joining a club of only five other pitchers that have produced three no-hitters in a single career.

Nolan Ryan (7), Sandy Koufax (4), Bob Feller (3), Cy Young (3) and Larry Corcoran (3) are the only other pitchers to do it.

Verlander struck out 12 and walked two on his way to throwing 109 pitches in the 6-0 victory for the Tigers.

Don’t be shocked if Verlander achieves the feat and it might just be this season.

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DENVER—It’s taken him almost nine years but Seattle Mariners right-hander Kevin Millwood pitched a complete game against the Colorado Rockies.

His no-hitter was reduced to a shutout in the sixth when third baseman Kyle Seager could not complete a sensational yet makeable play that popped out of his glove two outs deep into the inning.

Millwood will take it as not only was the 37-year-old happy to take the game all-the-way but he did it against a Rockies team that he started nine games for last season. He refused to gloat verbally after the game.

“It doesn’t matter where you pitch,” Millwood said. “If you make good pitches, you can get people out. The most important thing was for this team to get a win.”

The 4-0 victory stopped a four game losing streak for the Mariners.

The effort was the sixth of his career and his first since 2003. Through eight starts this season his ERA is 4.17 rendering him mediocre at best unless he can use this one as a turning point.

His start next week against the Rangers will definitely be a sink or swim scenario.

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