NBA Season Preview 2011-12

      LeBron James said it best, "I feel like my kids on Christmas Day! So juiced!!!" Of course, he was referring to the feeling he felt when the NBA lockout officially ended. There was a sense, that this lockout really could have lasted the entire 2011-12 campaign, but luckily, after 160 days of the NBA lockout, the new CBA was finally ratified. Now the best athletes in the World get to do what they do best: play some ball. We are only five days away until the season begins, and this is going to be a great Christmas present in itself. All five games on Christmas are all great match-ups. The last five NBA MVP's will be playing (Dirk, Kobe, LeBron(2x), and D-Rose). Chris Paul and Chauncey Billups both make their debut with the Clippers. Mike Brown makes his debut as the new Head Coach for the Lake show. We get an NBA Finals re-match as Miami travels to American Airlines Arena to play the Dallas Mavericks. And, sorry LeBron your NBA Championships still remain at not 5, not 6, not 7, it is still 0. Tyson Chandler and Lamar Odom both debut for their new squads. Also, we get to see the two-time defending scoring champion, Kevin Durant, and the Oklahoma City Thunder, take on the three-time defending Defensive Player of the Year, Dwight Howard, and the Orlando Magic.

  
      Christmas Day will serve as an appetizer of what to expect from the NBA this season. The regular 82-game season is now dwindled down to a 66-game season. This could very well affect some of the older teams in the NBA, because there will be a lot more back-to-backs, and also some back-to-back-to-backs. The Celtics and Spurs better get their wheel chairs and walkers ready. There are so many question marks around so many different teams this year, and luckily, we will soon find out some answers. Will Dwight Howard get traded to Los Angeles? Or, will he be partying with Snookie and Paulie D on the Jersey Shore? Can Dallas repeat after losing their defensive leader: Tyson Chandler. Will the Los Angeles Clippers finally become a team to wrecking with? Is this the year Miami's dynasty starts? How will the Lakers bounce back after getting swept by Dallas in the playoffs last year? Luckily, all the answers are right here, as I break down what to expect from the 2011-12 NBA season. I will go division by division and break down all 30 NBA teams. So lets get this party started and start with the Eastern Conference.

ATLANTIC DIVISION

      It has been awhile since the division has been competitive, and I think we can finally say this conference is back to those days. The New York Knicks might have lost Chauncey Billups, but the acquisition of Tyson Chandler was probably the second biggest move in the off-season. Tyson Chandler showed how important of a player he can be, as he led the way defensively for the Dallas Mavericks. The New York Knicks have always had problems defensively since Mike D'Antoni took over in 2008. This is D'Antoni's final season under contract, so it will be important for him to get this team on the right track if he wants to keep his job in the Big Apple. The Knicks should be the front runner in the Atlantic Division because they have two of the most talented players in the league: Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire. Carmelo Anthony is one of the best scorers in the NBA, and he has averaged at least 20 points per game in every season during his eight-year career. Amare Stoudemire was an absolute beast last year, and he has quickly become a top-three power forward currently in the NBA. The Knicks success will be on the shoulders of two young guys who they will need to step up if they want to win the Atlantic Division. Third-year combo guard, Toney Douglas, will probably be seeing a lot of time at point guard this year. He showed glimpses of stellar play last year and he is very capable to be a good young player in this league. Also, Landry Fields showed how good of a player he can be. He played lights out during the first half of the season, but after the All-star break, and the acquisition of Melo, he seemed lost on the floor. Expect him to be back in his form that got him named to the All-Rookie first team. Furthermore, the Knicks signed two veteran point guards in Mike Bibby and Baron Davis. But, in all honesty don't expect much from them. Bibby is old. Davis is out for 8-10 weeks with a herniated disc.

      Moving on to the team who has dominated the Atlantic Division: The Boston Celtics. Since the acquisition of Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, Boston has won the Atlantic Division every year. It might be hard to make it five straight years this season though. The worst thing that happened to the Celtics this year is plain and simple: they are all one year older. Kevin Garnett's knees are running out of gas, as we saw last year whenever the Celtics had a back-to-back, KG was a no show. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen should be fine this year, but I don't think that will be enough firepower to win the Atlantic Division. Rajon Rondo has quickly become a top point guard in the NBA, but he needs to show he can knock down some 18-footers. And, he needs to knock down his free-throws so he is not hesitant to take it to the cup, because that is when Boston is at its best. Rondo sets the tone for the entire team, and it will be important for him to stay aggressive all season long. The Celtics were dealt with some horrible news that is a real sad story. Jeff Green, will miss the entire 2011-12 season because of an aortic aneurysm, and he has to get heart surgery. Also, the Celtics thought they had David West signed, but he ended up signing with the Indiana Pacers. The Celtics will depend on newly acquired Brandon Bass from Orlando to step in and play a huge role off the bench. Also, Marquise Daniels will be a vital asset to the Celtics bench. They are banking on Avery Bradley, a second year player out of Texas, to step up this year after a disappointing rookie campaign. Also, the Celtics are hoping that the two rookies they took out of Purdue, E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson, will be able to play sparingly off the bench to allow those old guys to get some rest.

      The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the best teams in the NBA last year after the All-star break. Head Coach Doug Collins is the perfect fit for a young and gifted Sixers team. Jrue Holliday, Evan Turner, Lou Williams, Thaddeus Young, and Andre Igoudala form a dangerous core. All of these guys should be even better coming into this year. Expect the 76ers to make a playoff run once again, and get one of the bottom seeds in the Eastern Conference. Especially, if Elton Brand can get back to his 20 and 10 days, this team can be a scary team in the East. Brand, played well last year, averaging 15 and 8.

      The New Jersey Nets are quietly getting better. But, they still need to make a big splash and get their hands on Dwight Howard. Superman and D-Will would be better than Batman and Robin for sure. The Nets have no chance at making the playoffs unless they acquire Howard. Their roster is not deep at all. Deron Williams and Brook Lopez are the only two things to get happy about when talking about the Nets. If Jay-Z can work his (blue) magic and get Dwight Howard, then the Nets quickly jump into the discussion when talking about playoff teams in the East, but until then, they will be towards the bottom of the pact in the NBA.

     The Toronto Raptors have a long way to go before they get back to the days when they had Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady. They have a ton of young guys capable of being good in the NBA, but none of them have proven anything yet, outside of Andrea Bargnani. DeMar DeRozan showed he can be a vital player in this league averaging 17 points per game in his second year. Furthermore, after the All-star break DeRozan was putting in 20 points a night, so expect a good year from DeRozan. Also, former first overall pick, in 2006, Andrea Bargnani, is coming off a career year. He averaged 21 points per game last season. Bargnani and DeRozan form a nice combo. But, that might be the only thing to be happy about if you are a Raptor's fan. They are hoping Dwane Casey can get Toronto on the right track as he makes his debut as the Raptor's Head Coach. Casey was an Assistant Coach, under Rick Carlisle, and the World Champion, Dallas Mavericks. He was Carlisle's right hand man for the Mavericks last year, and that should earn him some credibility right off the bat from his players in Toronto.

ATLANTIC DIVISION PREDICTIONS

1. NEW YORK KNICKS
2. BOSTON CELTICS
3. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS
4. NEW JERSEY NETS

5. TORONTO RAPTORS

CENTRAL DIVISION

       This division could easily be the worst division in the NBA. It is the Chicago Bulls and everybody else. The Pacers and Bucks have the potential to be dangerous in the East, but we will have to see it first. The Chicago Bulls have the reigning MVP, Derrick Rose, who was clearly the best player in the NBA last year. Luol Deng finally showed he can be a consistent player last year, and was arguably one of the best wing defenders in the NBA. The Bulls size inside is a huge strength. Joakim Noah, Taj Gibson, Carlos Boozer, and Omer Asik are all beasts on the boards. The one thing the Bulls were missing from last years team was a two-guard. They signed Richard Hamilton this off-season, and they hope he can get back to his old form when he actually enjoyed playing for the Pistons. Ronnie Brewer, Kyle Korver, and C.J. Watson are all good guards to have come off the bench to provide a very deep Bulls' squad. Also, remember this name: Jimmy Butler. This kid is going to be a stud, he will end up being just like his former teammate at Marquette, Wesley Mathews. The Bulls will win the Central Division by at least 10 games.

      The Indiana Pacers have the potential to be a very dangerous team in the East. Especially, since landing David West. West has been one of the most underrated power forwards in the game. He is entering his ninth-season, and his career average is 16 points and 7 rebounds a game. The Pacers are loaded with young talent to go around West. Darren Collison, Paul George, Roy Hibbert, Tyler Hansbrough, George Hill, and A.J. Price are all very talented young guys with a ton of potential. Also, Danny Granger is a very dangerous threat offensively for the Pacers. Granger has averaged 20 points a game every season over the last four years. This kid knows how to put the rock in the bucket. I really like the addition of George Hill who is a very talented, young, combo guard. Also, watch out for Paul George, I think he is going to have a break out season in his sophomore season. The Pacers should be battling for a five or six seed in the East.

     The Milwaukee Bucks were expected to have a good season last year, but that was not the case. Brandon Jennings struggled in his second year, as he battled injuries all season long. Andrew Bogut also struggled last year. The Bucks are hoping the acquisition of Stephen Jackson will help them out offensively, were they struggled last year. Also, they hope Mike Dunleavy Jr. can step up and help the Bucks off the bench, as he did with the Pacers last season. The Bucks have two young studs down in the box in Luc Richard Mbah a Moute and Larry Sanders. Mbah a Moute is a coaches dream. He does everything. He will out work anybody, and his motor is always turned on full blast. If Sanders can step up and have a good sophomore season, the Bucks could very well be battling for a playoff spot. This kids potential is through the roof. Also, remember the name Tobias Harris, a rookie out of Tennessee.

     There is one thing for certain in the Central Division: the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Detroit Pistons will be battling for the number five spot in the division. Both these teams have a long way to go. The future is looking way brighter for the Cavs as they are in rebuild mode. Detroit on the other hand, I don't know what they are thinking re-signing Tayshaun Prince, Rodney Stuckey, and Jonas Jerebko. I thought it was pretty obvious they need change, and yet they continue to waste all their money on players that have already proven they can not get it done together. The one bright side for Detroit is Greg Monroe and Brandon Knight, but with no cap space in sight, the future is not looking that good in Motown. The Cavs at least have two top five picks from this years draft to build on. Kyrie Irving is going to be a stud. We will see about Tristan Thompson, but he has all the tools to become a good low-post player in this league. With Cleveland most likely getting a top five pick in next years draft, watch out for this team in a few years. Especially, if they can land Anthony Davis or Harrison Barnes in next years draft.

CENTRAL DIVISION PREDICTIONS

1. CHICAGO BULLS
2. INDIANA PACERS
3. MILWAUKEE BUCKS

4. DETROIT PISTONS

5. CLEVELAND CAVALIERS

SOUTHEAST DIVISION

       This division is Miami's to lose. I think they will win this division pretty easily, especially with all the trade talks going on with Dwight Howard in Orlando. The Atlanta Hawks lost one of their best scorers, and added Tracy McGrady to replace Jamaal Crawford. Adding T-Mac to your team, is like getting a CD Walkman for Christmas. The Miami Heat made a HUGE pick up during the off-season adding Shane Battier. Battier will fit in perfectly with the Heat. I guess those three guys named James, Wade, and Bosh aren't that bad either. They finally got on the same page after the All-star break, and showed the World, these are three bad men on the court at the same time. It is Championship or bust with this team. They were so close last year, but LeBron struggled in the Finals, and mainly just the 4th quarter. This is the time were we will find out if LeBron will be considered with Magic, Bird, MJ, Kobe, and many other greats. Or, we will find out if he will be considered with Barkley, Ewing, Reggie Miller, and many other guys who simply could not win the big one. Also, a guy to watch out for is rookie Norris Cole, out of Cleveland State. This kid was an outstanding point guard at Cleveland State, he had one game were he dropped in 41 points, 20 rebounds, and 9 dimes. He averaged 21, 5, and 5 last year as a Senior, and also averaged over 2 steals per game. Championship or bust for Miami.

        The Orlando Magic have a ton of questions around them this year, and I think it will hurt them tremendously. I think Dwight Howard will be gone by the trade deadline because Orlando will try and get something for Howard, instead of letting him walk for nothing after this season. If it was not for all the trade rumors, the Magic would be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. If they can hold onto Dwight Howard for the entire season, they could definitely do some damage. However, there is a good chance Howard will get dealt before the deadline and it will be time to rebuild in Orlando. They have some good pieces with Jameer Nelson, Jason Richardson, Hedo Turkoglu, Glen Davis, Ryan Anderson, J.J. Redick, and Earl Clark. But, if Howard isn't their, this team will do nothing in the playoffs. Their season hangs on the shoulders of Dwight Howard.

        The Atlanta Hawks have some very talented players. Joe Johnson and Al Horford are arguably in the top 10 at their respected positions. Josh Smith is one of the most athletic and versatile players in the NBA. They are hoping Marvin Williams keeps progressing into becoming a big contributor for the Hawks. Also, their most important player could very well be Jeff Teague. He showed how good he can be in the Semi-finals against the Chicago Bulls. Teague put up 15 points a game after he was installed into the starting lineup when Kirk Hinrich went down with an injury. If Teague plays up to his expectations in his third year, watch out for the Hawks to fly past the Magic as the second best team in the Southwest Division.

       The Charlotte Bobcats have a very young team, and a playoff run would be a stretch for this team. They are going to need a big year from Gerald Henderson, who showed he can become a leader on this team as he averaged nearly 14 points a game during his last 30 games of the season. Also, the Bobcats are hoping Kemba Walker can do the same thing that he did for the Connecticut Huskies in route to the 2011 NCAA Championship. This kid was absolute money last year in clutch situations. If you watched any of the Big East Tournament, or the NCAA Tournament, you know what I am talking about. The NBA is a different animal, so we will see if the small 6'1" shooting guard can hang in the NBA. The Bobcats also got a very explosive Bismack Biyombo with one of their first round selections in the draft. The Bobcats heard great news this week too, Biyombo agreed to a buyout with his Spanish club team, Fuenlabrada, and he just signed a contract with Charlotte and should be ready to roll when the season starts. It might take this guy one or two years to get use to the NBA, but watch out for this kid in the future. The Bobcats are hoping that Corey Maggette, D.J. Augustin, and Boris Diaw can provide the leadership this team needs. However, don't expect much from the Bobcats this year, but the future is looking good for this team.

      The Washington Wizards are loaded with a ton of young talent as they are still in rebuild mode from their Gilbert Arenas days. John Wall would have won Rookie of the Year last year, if it wasn't for some guy dunking on everybody last year. Nick Young showed he can be a perennial scorer in this league last year, averaging 17 points a game. The Wizards had an outstanding draft this year, picking up Jan Vessely, Chris Singleton, and Shelvin Mack. All three of these guys have potential to be good in the NBA. Jan Vessely is known as being the European version of Blake Griffin. Chris Singleton was the best defender in College Basketball at Florida State during his career. Shelvin Mack led Butler to the NCAA Championship game two years in a row at Butler, a mid-major school. Also, the Wizards have two young studs who should continue to get better in JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche. I think the one guy to pay attention to this year for the Wiz is Jordan Crawford. This kid can score from anywhere. We all member him from having that dunk on LeBron James at James camp, and then the tape was destroyed. He won't be remembered for that anymore because he is going to be an absolute stud down the road, and it could very well start this year.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION PREDICTIONS

1. MIAMI HEAT
2. ATLANTA HAWKS
3. ORLANDO MAGIC
4. WASHINGTON WIZARDS
5. CHARLOTTE BOBCATS


WESTERN CONFERENCE

NORTHWEST DIVISION

         Oklahoma City is the favorite in this division for sure. Especially with Brandon Roy announcing his retirement from the NBA. And, with J.R. Smith, Wilson Chandler, and Kenyon Martin being stuck out in China until their seasons are over, the Nuggets will be affected for sure. This season is tailor made for the Thunder to make some noise and contend for the number one seed in the Western Conference. Kevin Durant has won back-to-back scoring titles, and very well could win his third in a row this year. However, the most important area for the Thunder is Russell Westbrook to become more of a point guard. Once he realizes that Kevin Durant is their best scoring option, this will be a scary team. Westbrook took way too many shots during the Western Conference Finals against Dallas, and that played a significant role in the Thunder getting bounced in five games. Also, James Harden is due for a breakout season. Once Jeff Green was traded, and Harden became the third option, he played the best ball of his life. Harden averaged 17 points a game after the All-star break, and that is saying a lot when Durant and Westbrook averaged 37 field goal attempts per game last season. Kendrick Perkins looks like he is ready to roll this year, after he struggled getting on the same page with his new team after getting dealt to the Thunder right before the trade deadline. Perkins is in the best shape of his life as he trimmed down and lost 35 pounds. Serge Ibaka is an absolute freak when it comes to athleticism. Last year, Ibaka averaged 10 points, 8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game. Expect those numbers to increase this year as he is starting to develop a decent offensive game. Ibaka is already one of the best defenders in the NBA. The Thunder also have a nice group of role players with Nick Collison, Thabo Sefolosha, Daequan Cook, Eric Maynor, and expect Cole Aldrich to get into the mix this year. This division is the Thunder's to win. I see Oklahoma City winning this division by at least five games.

       Despite the retirement of Brandon Roy, the Trail Blazers have a chance at battling the Thunder for the Northwest Division. LaMarcus Aldridge has quietly become one of the top power forwards in the game, and yet he gets overlooked. This guy is the most underrated player in the NBA. Last season he averaged nearly 22 points and 9 rebounds a game last year. And, Portland dealt with so many injuries last season, but Aldridge put the Blazers on his back and led Portland to a playoff berth. Aldridge is dealing with a heart condition, but all signs point that he will be close to 100% by the time the season starts, which is great news for Portland fans. Look for Aldridge to find a way to make the All-star team in the West this year, after he got snubbed last year. With Roy announcing his retirement, the Blazers knew they needed to add someone. Jamal Crawford was their guy. Crawford has been one of the top sixth men in the NBA the last five years. He can light it up quick, but inconsistency has been an issue with him in the past. Also, Raymond Felton was a nice pick up by Portland. Felton was traded for Andre Miller, which was a nice move to get younger at point guard. Portland is hoping this will be the year Greg Oden can stay healthy, but it is not looking that will be the case. Luckily, the Blazers have the Candy Man, Marcus Camby, who has been a very solid center during his 15 year NBA career. They signed Kurt Thomas, who is a savvy vet, to back up Camby at center this year. The Blazers have three solid wing players in Wesley Mathews, Gerald Wallace, and Nicolas Batum to provide plenty of depth. Also, watch out for Nolan Smith, the reigning ACC Player of the Year at Duke, to try and find a way to get into the rotation. Portland will probably have the best chance to battle Oklahoma City for the Northwest Division, but I do not see them winning it. They will still find a way into the postseason and most likely get a 5 or 6 seed in the West.

        The Denver Nuggets really put the meaning in team basketball. They do not have that star player, but they have a ton of good role players. J.R. Smith, Kenyon Martin, and Wilson Chandler all decided to sign overseas in China instead of waiting out the NBA lockout, so the Nuggets had to find other guys to fill their void. They acquired Rudy Fernandez and Andre Miller, and re-signed Nene and Arron Afflalo. Ty Lawson is due for a break out year. The Nuggets traded Felton to allow Lawson to take control of this offense. Last year in 31 starts, Lawson averaged 15 points, 7 assists, and nearly 2 steals per game. I would not be surprised to see Lawson take home the Most Improved Player award this year in his third season. The Nuggets could very well be the deepest team in the NBA going two-deep at every position. Arron Afflalo is going to be a huge player for Denver this year because he will be the guy the Nuggets will depend on for big buckets in clutch situations. Also, expect Danilo Gallinari to have a good year in his first full season with the Nuggets. The Nuggets had a good draft this year too. They drafted Kenneth Faried, from Morehead State, who is an absolute beast. Expect him to make his presence felt defensively right from the start. Last year, he averaged 15 rebounds (led the Nation in rebounding), 2.3 blocks, and 2 steals per game. They also drafted Jordan Hamilton, out of Texas, and this kid knows how to score the rock. Expect both of these guys to see some playing time in their rookie campaigns. Al Harrington, Chris Anderson, Corey Brewer, Timofey Mozgov, and DeMarre Carroll will also be contributors off the bench for the Nuggets. Expect Denver to get one of the eight playoff spots in the West.

       Things are finally looking good for the Minnesota Timberwolves, but unfortunately, they are still a couple years away from contending in the West. The era of Ricky Rubio finally begins. Kevin Love proved to be a double-double machine last year, ending the season with 64. He had a streak of 53 straight double-doubles, which was the longest streak since the ABA/NBA merger in 1976. Also, Love had a 30/30 game, when he recorded 31 points and 31 rebounds against the Knicks. He was the first player to record a 30/30 game since Moses Malone in 1982. Love averaged 20 points, 15 rebounds, and shot a ridiculous 41 % from 3. His 15.2 rebounds per game were tops in the NBA last season. The Timberwolves are stacked with a ton of young talent. Minnesota was ecstatic when they landed the number two pick in the draft, because that meant one thing: Derrick Williams. As a sophomore at Arizona last season, he averaged 20 points, 8 rebounds, shot 60 % from the floor, and an insane 56 % from 3. He led Arizona all the way to the Elite 8 and we all remember the Blake Griffin type of dunks he threw down on Duke, as they dominated Duke in the Sweet 16. Derrick Williams game is very similar to Blake Griffin, but he has excellent range, which is the big difference between the two. Things are looking good for the future of Minnesota basketball, something they have not even been close to since trading away Kevin Garnett. Michael Beasley, Wesley Johnson, Malcolm Lee, Wayne Ellington, Darko Milicic, Anthony Randolph, Martell Webster, and Luke Ridnour make up a nice mix of mostly young players and a few veterans. Minnesota has the potential to be a decent team towards the end of the 2011-12 campaign to build towards a good 2012-13 season.

       The Utah Jazz announced they were rebuilding once Jerry Sloan resigned and then traded Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets last year. This will be a tough year for the Jazz. I really think the Jazz will trade Paul Millsap before the season is over as they try and get Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors to be their two big guys inside for the future. Expect Enes Kanter, who was the third overall pick in the draft, to play sparingly in the first half of the season. He was ruled ineligible at Kentucky last year, so he did not get any playing time at Kentucky. So expect the Jazz to depend heavily on Al Jefferson inside. Alec Burks, their first round pick, out of Colorado, could become a very good wing player in the NBA. Also, Gordon Hayward got things on track during the last month of the season as a rookie. He averaged 17 points a game during this period. Devin Harris has proven himself in this league as being a legitimate point guard. The Jazz will most likely find themselves having a tough 2011-12 campaign, but things are heading in the right direction if they can develop Hayward, Favors, Burks, and Kanter to form a nice core group down the road. The Jazz should be one of the worst teams in the Western Conference.

NORTHWEST DIVISION PREDICTIONS

1. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
2. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
3. DENVER NUGGETS
4. MINNESOTA TIMBERWOLVES
5. UTAH JAZZ

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

       The Dallas Mavericks were the best team in the NBA last season, but the departures of both J.J. Barea and Tyson Chandler will hurt this team tremendously this year. I do not see how this team can win the NBA Championship again this year without these two guys. Barea was a spark plug off the bench last year in the playoffs and Chandler was the main cog on the defensive end. Watch out for Memphis to make a jump in the Western Conference standings this year. Also, you can never count out the Spurs with Greg Poppovich in charge in San Antonio. However, I still see the Dallas Mavericks as the favorites to win the Southwest Division. This will be the closest race in all of the divisions. Dirk Nowitzki finally got that monkey off of his back. He was known for not being clutch, soft, and overrated. All of that erased last June because he put his team on his back and showed the will of a Champion. Nowitzki's playoffs stats were remarkable. 27.7 points, 8.1 rebounds, 49 % from the floor, 46 % from 3, 94 % from the FT line, and 3 assists per game. The Mavericks have a ton of talent despite the departures of Chandler, Barea, Butler, and Stojakovic. The addition of Lamar Odom was a huge pick up. Lamar Odom and Dirk will be a great combo on the floor together. Jason Kidd returns, in which will probably be his last season. Shawn Marion, Vince Carter, Jason Terry, and Delonte West will form a nice core to go along with Dirk and Odom. Brenden Haywood is not Tyson Chandler, but he still can be a force defensively and on the glass. Expect Rodrigue Beaubois and Jeremy Randle to fill the void of the loss of J.J. Barea. Dallas should find a way to get a top 3 seed in the Western Conference.

      The Memphis Grizzlies became the third 8-seed to knock off a 1-seed in the playoffs last year, when they knocked off the San Antonio Spurs in 6 games. We will find out if this was a fluke last year, or if Memphis is for real in the West. Zach Randolph was an absolute beast last year. Randolph averaged 20 points and 12 rebounds last year. Also, with a healthy Rudy Gay coming back, this makes Memphis a very dangerous team in the West. The emergence of Mike Conley and Marc Gasol made Memphis one of the best teams after the All-star break last year. Also, if the Grizzlies hang on to O.J. Mayo, this is a very good starting five. Memphis has a deep team. Tony Allen, Darrell Arthur, Sam Young, Greivis Vasquez, Xavier Henry, and Josh Selby provide the Grizzlies with one of the deepest teams in the NBA. Expect Memphis to give Dallas all they can handle in the Southwest Division.

      The San Antonio Spurs are in the same boat as the Boston Celtics, this could very well be their last run at a title. Tony Parker, Tim Duncan, and Manu Ginobli still present a dangerous threat to the rest of the NBA. The Spurs acquired a very talented Kawhi Leonard, out of San Diego State, when they traded George Hill for him on draft day. Also, the emergence of Gary Neal last year was huge for the Spurs. If Tiago Splitter can emerge this year off the bench, that will be huge for the Spurs. Dejuan Blair has been a beast in his short career so far, and expect his numbers to be even better, with Antonio McDyess announcing his retirement after the Spurs declined to pick up his option. The Spurs are always in good hands with Greg Poppovich in charge, so expect the Spurs to be right there with Memphis and Dallas this year battling for the Southwest Division.

     Kevin McHale is new the man in charge of Houston, and expect it to be a struggle for McHale and the Rockets this season. They thought they had Pau Gasol, but David Stern voided the three-team trade involving Houston, New Orleans, and the Los Angeles Lakers. This hurt Houston tremendously, because they were going to sign Nene after this trade, because they shaved some cap space getting rid of Luis Scola and Kevin Martin. Scola and Martin are the two leaders on this team, and that is not good if you are a Rockets fan. Both of these guys are good players, but there are better as third options. Marcus Morris, their first round pick out of Kansas, could end up becoming a good player, but it might take a couple years for his game to develop. Kyle Lowry, Chase Budinger, Jordan Hill, Courtney Lee, Terrance Williams, Goran Dragic, and Jonny Flynn fill out the rest of the roster. Expect Houston to finish ninth or tenth in the Western Conference missing the playoffs for the second straight year.

    The New Orleans Hornets are in rebuild mode after sending Chris Paul to the Clippers. They made an excellent trade in rebuilding for the future. They acquired a very gifted scorer in Eric Gordon, who averaged 23 points per game last year with the Clippers. Al-Farouq Aminu was also included in the trade, and he could end up being a solid player down the road. But, the biggest piece of the trade was acquiring Minnesota's first round pick, which could end up being Anthony Davis, Harrison Barnes, or Austin Rivers. Next years draft class will be stacked. However, do not expect the Hornets to do anything this year. Which means they will probably have two top-ten picks in next Summers draft. Things are looking bright for New Orleans in the future. David Stern made the right call on voided the first trade because that would have meant the Hornets would have taken back a ton of salary cap and not get any younger. Expect New Orleans to be a scary team in a few years if they have a good draft next Summer.

SOUTHWEST DIVISION PREDICTIONS

1. DALLAS MAVERICKS

2. SAN ANTONIO SPURS

3. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
4. HOUSTON ROCKETS
5. NEW ORLEANS HORNETS

PACIFIC DIVISION

       This division will come down to two teams who play in the same arena. The city of Los Angeles has been waiting for this for decades and decades. The Los Angeles Clippers are finally relevant and will give the Lakers a big challenge at winning the Pacific Division. Lob city officially begins in Los Angeles with the acquisition of Chris Paul. The Los Angeles Clippers made the biggest move of the offseason in a blockbuster deal to land Chris Paul. Also, the Clippers were busy signing Chauncey Billups and Caron Butler during the offseason. Chris Paul, Chauncey Billups, Caron Butler, Blake Griffin, and DeAndre Jordan present one of the best starting fives in the NBA. Chris Paul is going to have the time of his life playing with Griffin and Jordan. This is by far the most exciting team in the NBA, sorry Miami. Chris Paul is the only player in the history of the NBA to average 18 points, 9 assists, and 2 steals for his career. Blake Griffin is licking his chops to get a chance to play with CP3. Blake Griffin had one of the best rookie campaigns in NBA history. He averaged 22 points and 12 rebounds a game. Now he gets the best point guard in the game to make his job that much easier. If he can develop that 12-15 footer he will be one of the top power forwards in the game. The Clippers are one of the deepest teams in the NBA with Randy Foye, Eric Bledsoe, Mo Williams, Ryan Gomes, Brian Cook, Travis Leslie, and Trey Thompkins on their bench. They still need to sign a back up center, and then they will be set for the 2011-12 season. Watch out for Thompkins, their second round pick out of Georgia, to get some playing time this year and be a contributor off the bench. The Clippers will win the Pacific Division if the Lakers do not acquire Steve Nash or Dwight Howard. The one thing the Clippers were weak in last year, was experience, and with the additions of CP3, Mr. Big Shot, and Caron Butler, they filled this area. Chris Paul has had knee injuiries in the past so it will be huge for the Clippers for him to stay healthy. However, if he did get hurt, Chauncey Billups can just move over and play the point and they could put Randy Foye or Eric Bledsoe starting at the two-guard. The Billups signing was one of the most underrated moves of the off-season.

       The Los Angeles Lakers are still a top team in the Western Conference, but with Mike Brown, the new Head Coach in Laker town, it will take some time for the Lakers to adjust to a totally different scheme. The lockout hurt the Lakers tremendously because they could not get comfortable learning a new system. Also, with the loss of Lamar Odom, it will hurt the Lakers. Still, the Lakers are not done, they are still trying to get their hands on Dwight Howard. If they find a way to land the second edition of Superman, things change in Los Angeles. The Lake show are always going to be one of the top teams in the NBA with Kobe Bryant in charge. There is not a player in the NBA that is more determined than Kobe. He has that Michael Jordan determination, and there is not anyone in the NBA who hates losing more than Bryant. A lot of people are quick to write off Pau Gasol, which is a huge mistake. He is still a top 5 power forward in the NBA. Remember after the 2008 Finals against Boston, when everyone said Gasol was soft, then he came back and shut all of those critics up. The same thing will happen again this year. The Lakers will need Andrew Bynum to stay healthy this year if they want to win the Pacific Division. This is were the departure of Odom kills the Lakers. When Bynum was out, Odom could step in and start at power forward and move Gasol to center. They do not have this option anymore. Bynum has never played more than 65 games in a season, so him staying healthy all season, is highly unlikely. Metta World Peace needs to find his confidence. Ok, it feels crazy saying that name, Ron Artest is very capable of being a force, he just needs to stop thinking so much and just do what he loves: play ball. The Lakers still have a deep squad with Matt Barnes, Derek Fisher, Steve Blake, Josh McRoberts, Troy Murphy, Devin Ebanks, Jason Kapono, and Darius Morris. Morris, a second round pick out of Michigan, is young and raw, but if he can get some confidence this year, watch out for this guy.

     The Sacramento Kings have a ton of young talent, but they are still a couple of years away from contending in the Western Conference. The biggest question about the Kings is will they stay in Sacramento after this year or will they be moving down to Anaheim. They have a very entertaining back-court with Tyreke Evans and Jimmer Fredette. Jimmer Nation was one of the biggest stories in all of sports last season, and expect their to be a lot of hype behind him in his rookie campaign. We will soon find out if he is ready to shine in the NBA. I really think he is going to end up having a good NBA career, and I think he will be one of the more entertaining rookies to watch this year. The addition of J.J. Hickson was a nice pick up for the Kings. DeMarcus Cousins could end up being a good power forward, but he needs to get his head on straight because the talent is there. Marcus Thorton, Francisco Garcia, Tyler Honeycutt, Jason Thompson, and Travis Outlaw are all nice pieces for this Kings team, but don't expect much from Sacramento this year. Jimmer and Tyreke will be fun to watch, but the playoffs are way out of the picture for this squad.

    Mama there goes that man. Mark Jackson is now the new Head Coach of the Golden State Warriors. I like this hire, but the Warriors do not have a ton of talent, so it will take a couple of years before the Warrior fans are rocking the "We Believe" shirts again. Stephen Curry and Monta Ellis provide one of the most dangerous back-courts in the NBA. However, they can score with anybody, but when it comes to defense they are both liabilities. Curry sprained his ankle in the Warriors final preseason game against Sacramento, which is not a good way to start the year for Golden State. Curry has had ankle problems the last couple of years. The Warriors are hoping their first round pick, Klay Thompson, out of Washington State, can come in and be a big contributor off the bench. The only move the Warriors made this offseason was giving Kwame Brown 7-million for a one-year contract. The Warriors are hoping Ekpe Udoh will have stellar sophomore campaign. He showed signs last year that he can be a good player in this league. Also, the Warriors are hopeful that David Lee will get back to his double-double days from when he played in New York. Dorell Wright was a bright spot for Golden State last year as he was one of the best long range shooters in the NBA. The Warriors will hang around the bottom of the playoff race, but I expect the Warriors to finish ninth or tenth in the West this year.

      The Phoenix Suns are on the cusp of starting to rebuild. I expect Steve Nash to get traded before the trade deadline this season. However, if the Suns come out strong, they will definitely hang onto Nash. Steve Nash has been one of the best point guards in the NBA over the last decade. Channing Frye, Jared Dudley, Robin Lopez, Mickeal Pietrus, Markieff Morris, Grant Hill, Hakim Warrick, Marcian Gortat, and Shannon Brown fill out the rest of the roster for the Suns. There just is not enough firepower in this team to hang with the two L.A. teams. I expect the Suns to make some trades at the trade deadline as they head towards rebuilding for the future.

PACIFIC DIVISION PREDICTIONS

1. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS

2. LOS ANGELES LAKERS

3. GOLDEN STATE WARRIORS

4. PHOENIX SUNS
5. SACRAMENTO KINGS

PLAYOFF PREDICTIONS

EASTERN CONFERENCE
1. MIAMI HEAT
2. CHICAGO BULLS
3. NEW YORK KNICKS
4. BOSTON CELTICS
5. ATLANTA HAWKS

6. ORLANDO MAGIC

7. INDIANA PACERS

8. PHILADELPHIA 76ERS

WESTERN CONFERENCE
1. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER
2. LOS ANGELES CLIPPERS
3. DALLAS MAVERICKS
4. LOS ANGELES LAKERS
5. SAN ANTONIO SPURS
6. PORTLAND TRAIL BLAZERS
7. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES
8. DENVER NUGGETS

NBA FINALS PREDICTION

MIAMI HEAT vs. OKLAHOMA CITY THUNDER

NBA CHAMPIONS
MIAMI HEAT (6 GAMES)
 

A Legacy Now Tarnished

           A legacy, which seemed untouchable, has now took a 180-degree turn. Joe Paterno has been well known for being one of the best coaches College Football has ever seen. A man, who has had one of the highest graduation rates among former and active college football coaches, will not be remember as that. Joe Paterno never broke any major NCAA-violations during his 46-year tenure as the Penn State Head Coach. Which, has been rare in the last quarter-century, when we have seen USC, Miami, Ohio State, and many other top programs break numerous NCAA-violations. He has donated millions and millions of dollars to the University of Penn State to help hundreds of thousands of young adults to get the best education possible. He has more wins than any other Head Coach in the history of Division-1 Football. Yet, he will simply be remembered as not going to authorities to report an incident that occurred with former Defensive Coordinator, Jerry Sandusky, and an innocent, young boy. He did what he was suppose to do when he heard about these incidents, he told the people above him at Penn State. Shockingly, Tim Curley, the Athletic Director, and Gary Schultz, the school Vice President, did not do anything when Joe Paterno told them what Mike McQueary had told Paterno in 2002. However, Joe Paterno is the man to blame in many peoples' eyes. I understand Joe Paterno is Penn State football, and he could have made a moral decision to go to authorities. However, he was unsure of exactly what went down, and he told the people above him at the University that are responsible to act on these allegations. If these reports could have been false, then Joe Paterno could have been in trouble with the law with reporting false information. He did what he was suppose to do and told the Athletic Director and the Senior Vice President of Penn State University. Yet, they put what Joe Paterno told them under the rug, and were more concerned about the name of the University, and not these innocent children. The three people that should take blame in the most severe scandal in the history of sports are: Jerry Sandusky, Tim Curley, and Gary Schultz. But, the two men that could have ended this before this 2002 incident were Centre County District Attorney Ray Gricer and Detective Ronald Schreffler.

           In 1998, campus police and local law enforcement authorities investigated an allegation that Defensive Coordinator Jerry Sandusky, had engaged in inappropriate and perhaps sexual conduct with two boys in the football facility's showers. A lengthy police report was filed, the two boys were interviewed along with their parents, and even Jerry Sandusky admitted to showering with these boys. Yet, District Attorney, Ray Gricer, did not prosecute Sandusky. Ronald Schreffler, the lead detective in this case, did not do what he should have done in this case. He should have done a better job of making sure Jerry Sandusky was charged, and yet all Schreffler told Sandusky was to not shower with boys anymore. The only thing that resulted in this case was what Schreffler told Sandusky and he was forced to resign as the Defensive Coordinator at Penn State. This is when this could have ended. There could have been a countless number of young boys saved from this horrific act by a sick old man. Nobody is talking about this issue, and yet, Joe Paterno is the man to blame in peoples' eyes. We are talking about people that work for our law enforcement that knew Sandusky was showering with young boys, and yet all they did was tell him not to shower with young boys. Are you kidding me! You should never even have to say this to anybody, and it was treated like this was something that was normal in society. Jerry Sandusky should have been behind bars at this point. If this would have been a regular guy he would have been prosecuted hands down! Yet, Jerry Sandusky was a well-known figure in Pennsylvania, regarded as being one of the top Defensive Coordinators in the nation, and this played a huge roll. DA Ray Gricer made the worst decision possible. He put football above children, which is NOT ACCEPTABLE!! He did not want to be the guy who prosecuted a well-known figure, and allowed this sick old man to keep preying on young, innocent boys. This should have been over with in 1998, and who knows how many boys would have been saved from Jerry Sandusky.

          Yet, people are still putting all the blame on Joe Paterno. No one is saying anything about current Penn State Wide-Receivers Coach, Mike McQueary. He was the guy who actually saw Jerry Sandusky with his own eyes in the shower with a young boy, and he turned around and walked out. Put yourself in this situation, how could someone make a moral decision to turn around and leave. This is where he should have went into the shower and beat Jerry Sandusky's ass and then dragged him to the police. Yet, all he did was go tell Joe Paterno that he saw some inappropriate behavior with Jerry Sandusky and a young boy in the shower. Nobody knows exactly what McQueary actually told Joe Paterno. Yet, we are all jumping to conclusion that Joe Paterno knew everything that went on in the shower, when in reality we have no clue what he was told. Still, Joe Paterno did what he should have done. He told the two people above him about what he heard from McQueary, and yet the AD, Tim Curley, and the School VP, Gary Schultz, did absolutely nothing. These two men, should be held just as responsible as Jerry Sandusky, because they could have stopped any other potential young boys from getting sexually abused after 2002. All they had to do was report these incidents to authorities and let authorities take it from there. A few days after McQueary told Joe Paterno about the incident, McQueary told both the AD, and the Senior VP, what he told Joe Paterno, and yet they still did nothing. I understand Joe Paterno could have done more and call authorities, but his job is to coach Penn State. He did what he should have by telling both the AD, and the Senior VP, it was their job to tell authorities. They are responsible for dealing with off the field situations that involve anyone involved with the athletics of Penn State, and they put this information in their back pocket. This is a horrific tragedy that could have been over in 1998 and in 2002, and it continued well beyond after that because the people who could have ended this, did not act appropriately.

         On Wednesday night, Joe Paterno received a call from one of the members of the Board of Trustee and was told he was fired. Joe Paterno, a coaching legend, was fired over the phone. That is 100 times worse then getting dumped over the phone. Show the guy some class and have the dignity to do it in person, and don't be a coward and do it over the telephone. Yet, Wide-Receivers Coach, Mike McQueary, will still be out coaching on Saturday afternoon. He should be held with the same standards that Joe Paterno was. Joe Paterno will now be remembered with this scandal involving Jerry Sandusky. The University of Penn State is trying to pin this all on Joe Paterno and have him be looked at as the scapegoat, when it should be the University that should be taking the criticism. When in reality, he should always be remember as one of the best College Football coaches in the history of Division-1 Football. This guy made Penn State football, but more importantly, he has made the biggest influence on the University. Kids want to go to Penn State simply because of Joe Paterno. He has made this University one of the top Universities in the Nation. College football players from Penn State have always been in the top ten when it comes to graduation rates per year since Joe Paterno has been in charge. Find me another coach who cares more about their kids future than Joe Paterno. In all honesty, I do not think he knew exactly what was going on with Jerry Sandusky. People do not realize how much work coaches put in and I really do not think he knew Jerry Sandusky was doing these types of acts. When he heard about it in 2002, he did what any other Coach would have done. He told the people above him, and they were the ones who chose not to act on this situation, not Joe Paterno. This case could have been solved in 1998, yet the DA, Ray Gricer, did not act responsibly. Joe Paterno is the main target to blame, when in reality he should be the last. I admit, he could have done more, but he still told the AD, and the Senior VP, and they made the decision to not say anything. They were the ones who put the school's brand name ahead of poor, innocent, young boys. Paterno won two-National Championships, three-Big Ten Championships, 409 games, and yet he will be remembered for none of this. He will simply be remembered for not calling authorities, when in reality he made the correct decision by telling the two men who handle these type of issues. In my eyes, Joe Paterno's legacy will be remembered for everything else, but I am one of the few that will remember Joe Paterno for everything he did for the University of Penn State. His legacy is tarnished now, but for me, Joe Paterno will be remembered for everything he did for the University, the football program, and the community of Happy Valley.

2011 NFC Preview and Predictions

             Less than a week to go until the last two Super Bowl Champions meet up in Green Bay for early bragging rights. This game is tailor made to be a shoot-out, so that means one thing: expect the final score to be something like 17-13. The NFC has produced the last two NFL Champions, and three of the last four. The NFC has finally put themselves back on the map as the leagues best after the AFC won the Super Bowl from 2004-2007. There are a ton of talented NFC teams this year, starting with the reigning Super Bowl Champs, the Green Bay Packers. Also, the Philadelphia Eagles were busy during the off-season acquiring Nnamdi Asomugha, Steve Smith, Ronnie Brown, Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie,  Cullen Jenkins, and Jason Babin. The NFC South might be the best division in football with the Atlanta Falcons, New Orleans Saints, and the up and coming Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Chicago Bears surprised a lot of people last year making it all the way to the NFC Championship. Also, the Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions should be better this year. Lets not even talk about the NFC West, we should just move them to the Pac-12 and call it the Pac-16. Last week, in my blog I had the Baltimore Ravens winning the AFC, so lets find out who they will be playing in Super Bowl XLVI.

NFC WEST

I really would not be surprised to see 7-9 be good enough again this year to win the NFC West. The Seattle Seahawks are the reigning NFC West Champions, but I don't think they will be going back to back. For some odd reason Pete Carroll thinks Tavaris Jackson is a better fit for the Seahawks than Matt Hasselbeck. Hasselbeck is definitely not at the same caliber he once was at, but he has proven himself as a veteran, and Jackson has not done anything in his career. I am a huge Pete Carroll guy, but he is made to be a successful college coach, not an NFL coach. I expect a 5-11 year for Seattle this year. The San Francisco 49ers are a good quarterback away from winning the NFC West. For the seventh straight year, Alex Smith is not the guy! Colin Kaepernick struggled in the pre-season and handed Smith the job. The Niners have a lot of talented players, including the best middle linebacker in the NFL in Patrick Willis, but not having a good quarterback leads to one thing: failure. The Niners are hoping that Frank Gore can stay healthy and ride him into the playoffs. However, I see another missed post-season for the Niners, which would be their ninth straight year missing the playoffs. This leaves us with two teams battling in the NFC West. The Arizona Cardinals made some nice moves during the off-season. Last season, Arizona's quarterback play was atrocious. They gave up a second round pick along with former pro-bowler Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie to acquire Kevin Kolb. Kolb still has not proven himself, but Arizona gave him a ton of cash to be their quarterback of the future. Also, having Larry Fitzgerald makes his job a lot easier. The Cardinals also had Patrick Peterson fall in their laps with the fifth selection in the 2011 NFL Draft. Peterson was named SEC Defensive Player of the Year in 2010, and also was an All-American. This kid is a beast, and expect him to be in the running for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. He might end up being the best player from the 2011 NFL Draft. However, I see Arizona improving this year, but I think the playoffs are a little out of reach. The St. Louis Rams will be the 2011 NFC West Champions. Sam Bradford threw for 3,512 yards last year, and was named Offensive Rookie of the Year. I expect him to have an even better year in his second year. He got himself a new toy in wideout Mike Sims-Walker, who is a very underrated receiver. Mark Clayton is currently on the PUP list so he won't be able to until after week six, so it will be crucial for Danny Amendola to step up in the first half of the season. Also, the Rams drafted one of the better tight-ends in Lance Kendricks out of Wisconsin, who is a very talented tight-end with excellent hands. They also snagged Anthony Pettis from Boise St. and Greg Salas out of Hawaii to help a weak receiving corp from 2010. The Rams also have a new offensive coordinator in Josh McDaniels, who has proven himself as a good play-caller from his days as the New England Patriots offensive coordinator. Also, Head Coach Greg Spagnoulo is an outstanding defensive coach, so the Rams young defense should improve from a decent 2010 season. Things are looking good for the Rams, and I see them finding a way to win nine or 10 games this year. They have a murderous schedule to begin the 2011 season, but things get a little easier after week eight. If they can go 3-4 in the first eight weeks (Bye Week 5) they will win the NFC West. Thinks are looking bright for the Rams future.

NFC NORTH

The Chicago Bears surprised a lot of people last year by winning the NFC North. However, the Green Bay Packers did not win the NFC North, and won something even better: The Lombardi Trophy. The North is one of the better divisions in football. The Detroit Lions are a very talented young team, but they are hoping their young stud quarterback can find a way to stay healthy. Stafford has missed 19 of 32 games since being selected number one overall in the 2009 NFL Draft. And, he only started in three games last season. The Minnesota Vikings said goodbye to one old quarterback and said hello to another. The Packers pretty much won the Super Bowl with half of their roster on injured reserve, so expect the Packers to be healthy and ready for a run to repeat as Champs. The Minnesota Vikings made a good move to acquire veteran quarterback Donovan McNabb to mentor their first round selection, Christian Ponder. They had a horrible season last year, and will look to erase those memories. Anytime you have Adrian Peterson, you have a good chance to win. They will need Bernard Berrian to step up this year because Sidney Rice followed Tavaris Jackson to Seattle. I see the Vikings improving this year, but their weak secondary will be one of the main factors why they will be happy to go 8-8 this year. The sexy pick for a lot of people this year is the Detroit Lions. Ndamukong Suh was an absolute beast last year, and was the first rookie defensive tackle to be named to the Associated Press All-Pro Team. Nick Fairley, the Lions' first round selection, was a great pick to go along with Suh and Kyle Vanden Bosch on the defensive line. If the Lions secondary can step up their defense will be one of the better defenses in the NFC. Calvin Johnson is an absolute monster, and is one of the best receivers in the game. However, the key for the Lions' offense this year comes down to one thing: staying healthy. Matthew Stafford and Jahvid Best both need to stay healthy if the Lions want to get back to the playoffs for the first time since 1999. In my opinion, I do not see Stafford playing more than 10 games and Detroit will finish 8-8 this year. The Bears have one of the best defenses in all of football, and they just got that much better with the Brandon Merriweather signing. The Patriots waived the two-time pro bowl safety, and the Bears signed him up the next day. The Bears defense is great at all three levels. Julius Peppers is one of the best defensive ends in all of football, and Brian Urlacher is one of the best linebackers in the NFL. The one question mark with the Bears is Jay Cutler. Also, the Bears are hoping that two Dallas cast-offs (Roy Williams & Marion Barber) will step up for them this year. I think trading Greg Olsen will hurt the Bears offense significantly this year. He was Cutler's favorite target. I see the Bears finishing 9-7 this year, and since the NFC is so good this year, it will not be enough to get back to the playoffs. The Packers are stacked, and winning the NFC North will not be a problem. Aaron Rodgers had one of the best post-seasons ever. The Packers defense has been one of the best since Dom Capers took over in 2009. His 3-4 scheme has been one of the best in the NFL, and they know how to force a ton of turnovers. Clay Mathews, Charles Woodson, Nick Collins, BJ Raji, Tramon Williams, and Desmond Bishop flourished in Capers system last year. The Packers have one of the best offenses in all of football, and if they can stay healthy expect big thing from the Packers once again this year. They will be battling for the top seed in the NFC this year, and will try to be the first team to repeat as Champions since the 2004-2005 Patriots.

NFC SOUTH

The South is the best division in football. No other division can say they produced three 10-win teams in 2010. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the youngest team in the NFL, but that didn't stop them from going 10-6 last year. The New Orleans Saints and the Atlanta Falcons both have two of the top offenses in the game. And, for the Carolina Panters it is Lights, Cameron, Action. They hope the reigning Heisman Trophy winner can lead the Panthers back to their winning ways. Cameron Newton won every big award in College last year, as he led Auburn to the National Title, but that means one thing in the NFL: ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! A lot of people think Cameron Newton is going to be a bust. However, I am not one of those people. I think he will have a good NFL career. He has good leadership qualities, a strong arm, big, fast, physical, and is a hard worker. He needs to work on his accuracy, and also it will take a couple years to adjust to the NFL. He only played one year of college football and it was in a college-style offense. Luckily, for Cam Newton he gets to hand the ball off to Deangelo Williams and Jonathon Stewart so that will make his job a little easier. The Panthers will be lucky to win six games this year, but more importantly, for them it will be huge for Newton to get some NFL experience. There is another young quarterback down in Tampa that made a name for himself last year. Josh Freeman, in his first full year as a starter, led the Bucs to a 10-6 record. He threw for 25 TD's and only six interceptions. He also had six game winnings drives last year. This kid has the moxy, and Head Coach Raheem Morris knew how much potential he had from back in his days working with Kansas State, when Josh Freeman was their quarterback. Also, the Bucs are hoping wideout Mike Williams and running back LeGarrette Blount can have huge sophomore seasons. Watch out for Dezmon Briscoe to make a name for himself and get in the mix as one of the starting wide receivers this year. The question mark is going to come on the defensive side for Tampa Bay. They are hoping their top three draft choices Adrian Clayborn, Da'Quan Bowers, and Mason Foster can come in and be impact players for this very young defense. Tampa Bay is expecting a big sophomore year from Gerald McCoy, who was the third overall selection from Oklahoma in the 2010 Draft. Ronde Barber is the leader on this defense and he will have a crucial job being the vocal leader on and off the field. I see the Bucs finishing the season 9-7, missing the playoffs just barely. I think both the Falcons and Saints will get back into the playoffs this year. Once again, the Saints will get one of the wild-card spots. Drew Brees is one of the top five quarterbacks in the game and he has a ton of guys to get the rock to. Mark Ingram was a great pick for the Saints in the 2011 NFL Draft. He will be in the mix for Offensive Rookie of the Year. Jimmy Graham is going to have a really good year as the teams number one tight-end, and will quickly become one of Bree's favorite red-zone targets. The Saints problems will be on the defensive side, but if their defense has a big year, expect big things down in New Orleans. The Atlanta Falcons trading up to get Julio Jones was the best draft move made in the 2011 NFL Draft. I am guaranteeing Julio Jones as the 2011 Offensive Rookie of the Year, if he stays healthy he will get it. He has something that most top ten picks don't have in their rookie campaigns: a good quarterback. Matt Ryan is one of the better quarterbacks in football and he has a ton of guys to get the ball to. Roddy White led the NFL in receptions last year. Tony Gonzalez is one of the better tight-ends in football and Harry Douglas will be a name to remember in 2011. Michael Turner is one of the top running backs in the game. Atlanta has a very good chance at being the number one offense in the game. Their defense added Ray Edwards to line up one the other side of John Abraham, and their defense should improve in 2011. Atlanta has a good chance to repeat as the top seed in the NFC.

NFC EAST

The NFC East has a ton of talent, and it all starts with the Philadelphia Eagles. The Cowboys are hoping for a better 2011 season, after they struggled in 2010. The Giants lost some key guys from last years team, so they will hope to plug in some new guys. The Washington Redskins elected to go with Rex Grossman as their starting quarterback in 2011, so that means one thing: no playoffs for Washington. The Redskins will be a mess in the NFC East this year. I think Tim Hightower will have a solid 2011 campaign, but besides that their offense will struggle. Roy Helu, out of Nebraska, might have a good rookie campaign, and could very well be the future running back for the Skins. Brian Orakpo, LaRony Landry, and London Fletcher are good pieces on the defense, but their defense should struggle in 2011. They are hoping Ryan Kerrigan, thier first round selection out of Purdue, can help a weak pass rushing defense. The New York Giants are hoping Eli Manning can back his claims as being in the same class as Tom Brady. He has some talented young wideouts in Hakeem Nicks and Mario Manningham to get the ball to. Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs provide a nice one-two punch in the backfield. However, I think the problems for the Giants will be on the other side of the ball. Terrell Thomas tearing his ACL in the pre-season will hurt their defense tremendously. The Giants have always had one of the best front fours in football, but I think their linebacking corp and secondary will be the reason why the Giants will finish the season around 8-8. The Dallas Cowboys will bounce back after a horrible 2010 season. Tony Romo is one of the better quarterbacks in the NFL, and he has three talented guys to get the ball to in Jason Witten, Miles Austin, and Dez Bryant. The key for the Cowboys offense will be in the backfield. They are hoping Felix Jones can be the featured back and have a big 2011 season. If he doesn't, watch out for DeMarco Murray, the rookie from Oklahoma. This kid is explosive and as the season progresses I expect him to be involved in the Cowboys offense a lot more frequently. I expect the Cowboys defense to bounce back and have a great year. Rob Ryan will be the perfect defensive coach for Dallas this year. He is just like his twin brother, Rex Ryan, who is a players coach, and guys love playing for him. The Cowboys defense will regain the swagger they had in 2009. Dallas will find a way to win 10 games this season and get back into the playoffs. The Philadelphia Eagles will win the NFC East. They are stacked on offense and defense. Even if Mike Vick gets hurt, Vince Young will be a capable quarterback to fill in. They have two good running backs in LaSean McCoy and Ronnie Brown. They are stacked with receivers: DeSean Jackson, Jeremy Maclin, Steve Smith, and Jason Avant. Brent Celek is a very capable tight-end. Their problems on offense will be the offensive line, but I expect their O-line to be good enough for Philly to win at least 10 games. The Eagles probably have the best secondary in football with the addition of Nnamdi Asomugha. Also, the additions of Cullen Jenkins and Jason Babin will help out their defensive line. Casey Mathews has had a solid pre-season and it looks like he will be their starting middle linebacker, and if he is anything like his brother, watch out NFC East. The Eagles will finish the season 12-4 and be in the mix for the top seed in the NFC.

NFC PLAYOFF PREDICTION

1. ATLANTA FALCONS (14-2)
2. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (12-4)
3. GREEN BAY PACKERS (11-5)
4. ST. LOUIS RAMS (9-7)
5. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (11-5)
6. DALLAS COWBOYS (10-6)

NFC WILD-CARD

6. DALLAS COWBOYS vs 3. GREEN BAY PACKERS

5. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS vs 4. ST. LOUIS RAMS

NFC DIVISIONAL ROUND

5. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS vs 1. ATLANTA FALCONS

3. GREEN BAY PACKERS vs 2. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES

NFC CONFERENCE CHAMPIONSHIP

2. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES vs 1. ATLANTA FALCONS

NFC CHAMPIONS: ATLANTA FALCONS

SUPERBOWL XVLI

BALTIMORE RAVENS vs ATLANTA FALCONS

SUPERBOWL CHAMPIONS: ATLANTA FALCONS

2011 AFC Preview and Predictions

           Three days to go until the last two Super Bowl champs meet up at Lambeau Field for the Opening Kickoff on Thursday night. Who cares about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and all of the other holidays, because it is officially the best time of the year with the College Football and the NFL seasons getting underway. There are some exciting story-lines heading into the 2011 season. Will Peyton Manning streak finally end at 208 consecutive starts? (227 if you include the playoffs.) Will Chris Johnson be able to stay healthy after holding out until two weeks until week one? What young team will make a run to the playoffs? Can Bill Belicheck get the careers of Chad Ochocinco and Albert Haynesworth back to relevancy? What rookies will make impacts for their teams? This is just a small percentage of all of the big story-lines heading into the 2011 season. We will take a look at the AFC this week, and next week before Opening Night we will take a look at what to expect from the NFC. All of these questions will be answered as we preview and predict each division in the AFC. Lets start this off by beginning with the AFC West.

AFC WEST

Last year the Kansas City Chiefs shocked everybody by winning the AFC West. They have a ton of talented young players, but the San Diego Chargers handed them the West. The Chargers became the first team in NFL history to lead the NFL in total offense and total defense and not make the playoffs. Special teams for the Chargers were pathetic last year, and it single handily cost them three games. I see the AFC West coming down to the Chargers and the Chiefs this year. The Raiders have some talented young players but the loss of Nnamdi Asomugha will hurt their defense tremendously. Also, Jason Campbell is not the guy to lead the Raiders back to the post-season. It has been nine straight years since the Raiders have made it to the playoffs. Things are looking up for the Raiders down the road, but they are still a couple years away. They have some very talented young wide receivers to pay attention to in Jacoby Ford, Louis Murphy, and Denarious Moore. However, they do not have a quarterback they can depend on, so it will be another tough year for Raider Nation. Don't expect the Raiders to run the table in the AFC West again this year, and 8-8 would be another good year for Oakland. The Denver Broncos will be a mess this year. The whole Tim Tebow and Kyle Orton situation will be a distraction for a team that has way more issues than just their quarterback situation. The addition of Von Miller will be a bright spot for Denver, but that very well could be the only one. They are hoping Elvis Dumerville can stay healthy this year after missing all of the 2010 season. Dumerville and Miller will be a nice tandem down the road for the Broncos, but they have a ton of other issues on the defensive side. I see Denver winning seven games at best this year. This brings us back to the Chargers and Chiefs. Kansas City has a lot of good young players, but I see Phillip Rivers leading the Chargers back to the postseason in 2011. Rivers led the NFL in passing last year, and that was with Antonio Gates, Vincent Jackson, and Malcom Floyd only being on the field together for only one quarter. Rivers will be one of the leading candidates for MVP this year. Their defense should be amongst one of the better defenses in the league again this year. They replaced Special Teams Coach Steve Crosby with Rich Bisaccia, which should help fans quickly forget about all of the special team woes in 2010. Bisaccia was with the Buccaneers as their special teams coordinator for the past nine years, definitely a good hire by the Chargers.

AFC NORTH

The AFC North has the best rivalry currently in the NFL. When the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers play each other you better have your popcorn ready. Last year, they played in three epic games, all of them close. The Ravens still have that awful taste in their mouth after blowing a 21-7 halftime lead in the AFC Divisional game in Pittsburgh. Before we get into the discussion about the two top teams in the North, lets discuss the two bottom teams briefly. If you are a Bengals fan I feel sorry for you this year. Andy Dalton is not the answer. I expect AJ Green to have a good rookie season, but it might be hard with a rookie quarterback trying to get him the rock. Expect the Bengals to lock up the number one pick going into the 2012 NFL draft. (Andrew Luck heading to Cincy!) The Cleveland Browns are still a couple years away from being relevant, and that is if Colt McCoy is the answer. He has looked stellar in the pre-season, but it is just the pre-season. They have some good young talent, and also with Mike Holmgren in charge, things are finally heading in the right direction. I expect both the Ravens and the Steelers to be in the playoffs this year. It always seems like the Steelers find a way to win the North, and I do not see that changing this year. Joe Flacco has never beaten Big Ben in his young career yet. I still expect the Ravens to be a scary team in the playoffs with the additions of Ricky Williams and Lee Evans to the offense. Their defense will always be amongst the best with Ed Reed, Ray Lewis, Terrell Suggs, and Haloti Ngata on the field together. The Steelers are a very talented team and they will try come into this season hungry after losing to the Green Bay Packers in Super Bowl XLV. Expect the Steelers to do what they do best, run the ball, and hit you in the mouth on defense. They might have the best defense in football, and also have one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL. Everyone talks about Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Drew Brees, but I think when you mention these quarterbacks you have to mention Big Ben. He is a proven winner and has made big time plays in his career. The Steelers have a well balanced attack on offense, with Rashard Mendenhall running the ball, and Mike Wallace on the outside. Also, Emmanuel Sanders and Antonio Brown have looked good this pre-season. And, we can not forget about Heath Miller and Hines Ward who have proven to be great chain movers. Pittsburgh will be battling for the number one seed in the AFC this year.

AFC SOUTH

This division has a lot of question marks about it. Will Peyton Manning's streak at 208 consecutive regular season starts come to an end? Can the Texans finally find a way to get into the playoffs? Will Chris Johnson be able to stay healthy after holding out for so long? Regarding Peyton Manning, I expect him to be behind center before week three for the Colts. Personally, I think the Texans will go 9-7 this year, but miss out on the playoffs once again. The Jaguars shocked a lot of people by battling the Colts for the AFC South last year, but I do not see that happening this year. Sorry Tennessee Titan fans, Matt Hasselbeck is not the answer. I see a struggle for the Titans this year. This division will come down to the Texans and the Colts. Until I see Peyton Manning not make the playoffs, I am not going to bet against him. Especially, with Houston always finding a way to miss the playoffs. I do love the additions made to their secondary in the off-season. Jonathon Joseph and Daniel Manning were big acquisitions to a weak secondary. Also, drafting JJ Watts, with their first round selection out of Wisconsin, was a great pick for their front seven. Brooks Reed, their second round pick from Arizona, might end up being like one of Brian Cushing's teammates when he was at USC (Clay Mathews). Wade Phillips was an outstanding hire for a weak defense in the past few years. Wade Phillips has proven himself to be one of the best defense coordinators in football, it is easy for him when he just has to focus on the defensive side of the ball. The Texans did all the right things in the offseason, but it will matter what they do on Sundays. The Texans also have a very explosive offense with Matt Schaub, Arian Foster, and Andre Johnson. However, the Colts' have made the playoffs nine straight years and it will be 10 after this year. The Colts' skill position players are healthy heading into 2011 so that is a good sign for the Colts' offense. But, if Peyton Manning can not stay healthy the door is wide open for the Texans, and their might be a problem in Indy.

AFC EAST

Things are not looking great for fans out in Miami and Buffalo, but if you are a Jets' fan or Patriots' fan you are juiced for this season. This very well could be Tony Sparano's last year as the Miami Head Coach after they tried to give Jim Harbaugh seven million last year, while Sparano was still under contract. They are hoping Reggie Bush can be the Reggie Bush he was back at USC. The Bills are making all the right moves into becoming a good team in the future. They have added some nice pieces on defense, especially selecting Marcell Dareus third overall. Dareus was a monster at Alabama, and could end up being in the running for 2011 Defensive Rookie of the Year. The Jets did not get Nnamdi Asomugha, but they did re-sign Antonio Cromartie to keep their secondary amongst the best. Also, the addition of Plaxico Burress will be a solid addition if he can stay healthy. He hasn't been on the football field for over two years so it might take him a few weeks to get comfortable. Also, Derrick Mason was a nice pick up because he has always been an excellent possession receiver during his career, and is a great third down receiver. If Shonn Greene can step up after a sub-par 2010 season, the Jets will be a scary team. The Patriots added a couple of veterans to an already talented team. It seems like Ochocinco is taking longer than expected to get use to his new team, and Albert Haynseworth has only been on the practice field a handful of times. However, New England won 14 games last year with a great quarterback, decent skill players, and a very young defense. Man, that Bill Belicheck is a pretty good coach. However, the Patriots have not won a playoff game since 2008, and Brady is only 3-3 in his last six playoff games. I think this will be the year the Jets find a way to win the AFC East. I still think the Jets and Patriots will both make the playoffs this year.

AFC PLAYOFF PREDICTION

1. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS (12-4)
2. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (11-5)
3. NEW YORK JETS (11-5)
4. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (10-6)
5. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (10-6)
6. BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-6)

AFC WILD-CARD (Winner is high-lighted)

3. NEW YORK JETS vs 6. BALTIMORE RAVENS

4. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS vs 5. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

AFC DIVISIONAL ROUND

1. SAN DIEGO CHARGERS vs 6. BALTIMORE RAVENS

2. PITTSBURGH STEELERS vs 5. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS

AFC CHAMPIONSHIP

2. PITTSBURGH STEELERS vs 6. BALTIMORE RAVENS

2011 AFC CHAMPIONS: BALTIMORE RAVENS

UFC 134 Preview: The Main Card

             The UFC is finally making its return back to Brazil this Saturday night. It has been nearly thirteen years since the UFC has been back, and this wait was long overdue. This card is going to set the tone for the upcoming UFC events coming up before 2011 is over. This is also the first card after the UFC announced their new partnership deal with FOX. UFC 134 features a ton of talent, both young and old. There are exciting match-ups throughout the card, and we get a chance to see the best fighter in the world display his talent. (Sorry Chael Sonnen, Anderson Silva is the best fighter in the world, his 13-0 record in the UFC proves it.) Also, anytime Forrest Griffin is on a fight card it's awesome. Shogun Rua gets a chance to show that he is back as one of the top 205-pounders in the world after his lackluster performance against Jon Jones. Old timer vs. new timer when Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Brendan Schaub lock horns as Big Nog tries for one last run at the Heavyweight title, and Schaub tries to establish himself as one of best up and coming fighters in the world. Don't blink during the Ross Pearson and Edson Barbosa fight because this is going to be a stand up war and should be a very exciting fight. Luiz Cane and UFC newcomer Stanislav Nedkov will start UFC 134 in Rio on the pay-per-view card. The HSBC Arena in Rio de Janiero will be off the hook, and once Big Nog, Shogun, and The Spider are entering the cage, the energy in the Arena will be nuts! All 14,000 tickets sold out in 74 minutes once the tickets went on sell, and that just shows how excited the fans of Brazil are for the return of the UFC.

LUIZ CANE (11-3, 4-3 in the UFC) 
VS STANISLAV NEDKOV (11-0, 0-0 in the UFC)

Just about every fight that Luiz Cane is in is always full of excitement. Cane does one thing, he comes in to knock you out or to be knocked out. Only one of his seven UFC fights have ended up in the judge's hands. Cane is looking to start a two-fight winning streak after he beat Eliot Marshall at UFC 128. Before that, Cane dropped two fights in a row so this will be a big fight for Cane if he wants to stay relevant in the 205-pound division. He is going to have his hands full against UFC newcomer Stanislav Nedkov. Nedkov brings a perfect 11-0 record, but he has not fought the same caliber of fighters that Cane has. The toughest guy Nedkov beat was Kevin Randleman at Sengoku 8, back in May 2009. Cane will definitely be the toughest fight that Nedkov has had in his young fighting career. The 30-year old Bulgarian fighter will look to start his UFC career with a bang and become someone to wrecking with. Nine of his 11 career fights have either ended in submission or (T)KO, so do not expect this fight to go to the judges. Luiz Cane is the 2:1 favorite in the Vegas betting odds, and in my opinion I think that is a safe bet. I think Nedkov will have his hands full in his first UFC fight, and especially with it being in Cane's backyard in Brazil. Cane will look to set the tone off with excitement in the first fight of the pay-per-view card. I think Cane will get the TKO in the first round, but Cane could very well get caught, because he is going to be willing to stand and trade with Nedkov.

ROSS PEARSON (12-4, 4-1 in the UFC)
VS EDSON BARBOSA (8-0, 2-0 in the UFC)

This fight has fight of the night written all over it. Both of these guys are going to come in and stand and bang. Pearson has shown how good of a fighter he is when he dominated Dennis Siver back in March 2010, but in his next fight Cole Miller submitted him. It is hard to tell how good Pearson is going to be, but one thing is for sure the ceiling is very high for the young lad from England. Pearson bounced back after his loss to Miller, and won a unanimous decision against Spencer Fisher in his last fight. Pearson has shown to be a very capable striker, but he lacks the power as three of his four UFC wins have been by decision. The Ultimate Fighter Nine winner looks to get another win streak as he tries to capture his second straight win against a very game opponent. Edson Barbosa might be the best fighter in the world that no one has ever heard of. This kid is an absolute beast. Barbosa looked very impressive in his last fight against a very tough striker in Anthony Njokuani in route to his unanimous decision victory. All of the other seven fights Barbosa has not made it to the judge's scorecards. He has six wins by (T)KO and one win by submission. This is going to be an exciting back and forth fight, and I am calling this one for fight of the night honors. I have Barbosa winning this fight by a decision, and I think it will be a close fight. I am giving Pearson a better chance at winning than Vegas is, because Barbosa is nearly a 3:1 favorite. I think Barbosa will win via split decision, but do not count out the tough kid from England. Both of these guys are both very talented young fighters in the stacked 155-pound division, and the winner will move up the rankings significantly and probably get a top ten lightweight next.

BRENDAN SCHAUB (8-1, 4-1 in the UFC)
VS ANTONIO RODRIGO NOGUEIRA (32-6-1-1 NC, 3-2 in the UFC)

This is a huge fight for both of these fighters. Schaub wants to prove himself as one of the top tier Heavyweights in the world. Big Nog wants to stay relevant in the Heavyweight division and make one last run at the Heavyweight belt. Rodrigo Nogueira has fought the best in the world during his tremendous career. He has beaten the likes of Mark Coleman, Dan Henderson, Heath Herring (3x), Mirko Cro-Cop, Sergei Kharitonov, Randy Couture, Josh Barnett, Tim Sylvia, and Fabricio Werdum. Plain and simple Big Nog has been around fighting the best in the World for a long time. However, a lot of these wins came back in Big Nog's Pride days so we will see whaw Big Nog shows up. The one against Randy Couture at UFC 102, or the one against Cain Velasquez at UFC 110. On the other hand, Brendan Schaub is a young up and coming fighter who is looking to add another signature win to his resume. He has won four fights in a row since his KO loss to Roy Nelson in TUF 10 Finale. Three of his four UFC wins have come by (T)KO and has shown tremendous striking. Schaub has some of the best hands in the Heavyweight division and his power can end the fight at anytime, just ask Mirko Cro-Cop what happened. Also, Schaub looked very impressive against a very game Gabriel Gonzaga in route of a dominating unanimous decision victory. If Schaub can add Big Nog to his hit list expect him to quickly jump in the mix for the Heavyweight belt. This fight is 50-50 in my eyes and I can see this going either way. Schaub continues to say his jiu-jitsu is right there with Big Nog, but that would be a huge mistake if he really thinks that. However, Schaub definitely has the advantage in striking so this fight will be very intriguing. Schaub is better than a 2:1 favorite in Vegas, and I would put my money on Schaub. I think Big Nog is on the downhill of his career, but still he is a guy that is hard to count out. I could see Big Nog pulling out a submission victory, especially since this fight is in his backyard in Brazil. This should give Rodrigo some extra energy to work with and might push him towards victory as he tries to get back in the Heavyweight title picture. In my opinion, I see the road coming close to an end for Big Nog and I think Schaub will get a second round KO victory with one strong right hand that puts Big Nig out cold.

FORREST GRIFFIN (18-6, 9-4 in the UFC)
VS MAURICIO "SHOGUN" RUA (19-5, 3-3 in the UFC)

Nobody gave Forrest Griffin a chance to beat Shogun at UFC 76 when Shogun made his Octagon debut, but Griffin pulled off the upset with a rear naked choke in the third round. Even if Griffin did not pull out the submission victory he was dominating the fight and would have won on the scorecards. (Most likely I should say, because there have been some head scratching decisions from the judges in the past.) For some odd reason Forrest Griffin always seems to win when he is the heavy underdog. Griffin is a lot more talented than people give him credit for. He is a well rounded fighter and is comfortable wherever the fight ends up. Ever since his back to back losses to Anderon Silva and Rashad Evans, Griffin has bounced back and looked good against Tito Ortiz, and then dominated Rich Franklin in his last fight. Shogun is looking to bounce back after a lackluster performance against Jon Jones when he lost his Light Heavyweight belt. However, Jon Jones has made everyone look bad in every fight he has had in the UFC. Rua has been on of the hardest fighters to predict, mainly because of injuries. Word is Shogun is 100% for this fight, so will see if the Shogun that knocked out Chuck Liddell and Lyota Machida shows up. Also, with the fight being in Brazil you would think that the real Shogun would show up and immolate the Shogun we saw run through Pride. Shogun is a 2.5:1 favorite in Vegas, but I have a funny feeling that if you bet on Forrest you will have some money coming your way. Forrest Griffin always seems to pull out wins when he is the underdog, and I see him doing the same on Saturday night. I see Griffin pulling out a close fight, and I think it will come down to the third round. Shogun has always had an issue with cardio, and Griffin seems to always be ready to fight the full 15 minutes. I see Griffin taking down Shogun in the third round in route to a unanimous 29-28 victory on the scorecards. However, I definitely would not be surprised to see Shogun win this fight either, but I think Griffin will find a way to pull out a grueling decision on the judge's scorecards. This is a huge fight for both fighters as they both try and get closer to getting in a position to capture the 205-pound belt once again.

MAIN EVENT

ANDERSON SILVA (30-4, 13-0 in the UFC)
VS YUSHIN OKAMI (26-5, 10-2 in the UFC)

There are not many people giving Yushin Okami a chance to win this fight, and I am one of those people. Anderson Silva is 13-0 in the UFC and only one man ever was close to beating Anderson Silva in the UFC. Chael Sonnen was two minutes away from becoming the first guy to beat Silva in the UFC. Okami has been training with Sonnen ever since Sonnen beat Okami in 2009. Sonnen is definitely the right guy to be training with preparing for Anderson Silva because he clearly knows how to give Silva his run for his money. However, I think Sonnen and Okami are not in the same class. Okami has always done well against B level fighters but against the top guys in the Middleweight division he has not performed that well. I do not see that changing against Silva. Okami definitely has a good wrestling pedigree and is one of the strongest, if not the strongest, 185-pounder in the world. Okami was the last guy to beat Silva, but Okami was the one who was rocked in the fight and could not continue. An illegal up kick from Silva got him the DQ in the fight with a vicious up kick to the face. This time around Anderson Silva knows the rules and we will not see this again. Okami wants to prove he can beat Silva the right way, and Silva wants to prove he can beat Okami the legal way. I see Silva dominating this fight and getting the KO victory in the first round. I think Silva will get an even better KO victory than the one he displayed on Vitor Belfort with a nasty front kick to the face. I am going on a limb and saying Silva will either win with a KO victory with a spinning back fist or a spinning back kick. Anderson Silva will improve his undefeated UFC record to an impressive 14-0 and will be praying for Chael Sonnen to beat Brian Stann at UFC 136 for one of the most anticipated rematches in UFC history. Hopefully this time around Silva won't be fighting with cracked ribs. Anderson Silva will prove once again that he is the best fighter in the World.