NBA: Let The Freenzy Begin

By: Zack Poff

This years NBA Finals was one of the best ever and definitely the most entertaining in a very long time. It was only the fifth NBA Finals series to reach a Game 7 since 1988. LeBron James shut his haters up for the second consecutive season and did so emphatically averaging 34.5 PPG, 11 RPG, and 7.5 APG with his team facing elimination in the final two games of the series. 

As the guys from Comedy Central's Workaholics say "Get Weird" because that is exactly what happened after the 2012-13 season officially ended.

Coaches were getting canned more than freshman on the first Friday of the school year. Five coaches made the playoffs and received pink slips or weren't re-signed, including the "Coach of the Year" George Karl. Doc Rivers was traded to the Clippers, okay I'm sorry David Stern, he was "let go" by the Celtics for a 2015 first round draft pick. The Celtics weren't done there. They shipped Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Jason Terry to Brooklyn for 99 problems. That's right, Jay-Z got out of Brooklyn so he could take over the agency game, and Hova is. Philadelphia shipped out their lone All-Star from last year in Jrue Holiday for the rights to Nerlens Noel. I feel sorry for Holiday, now he has to wear a jersey that says Pelicans across his chest. Poor dude. The 2013 NBA Draft was really one of the most bizarre of all-time. Nobody had Anthony Bennett going first overall and everyone thought Noel and Ben McLemore would go first and second overall but instead went sixth and seventh respectively. 

I can almost guarantee things will continue to get even crazier as the clock ticks down and we are getting closer to finding out who will have a one-hour show making the best decision of their life. 

Okay, nobody better do that again. 

Don't get any ideas Mr. Howard. 

The NBA free agency period is hours from starting and there are some marquee names on the market. The two biggest names are Dwight Howard and Chris Paul but we won't even mention CP3 because he's staying put in Hollywood. The same can't be said for Howard but we will get to that later. 

Some other big time names include: Josh Smith, Andre Iguodala, Andrew Bynum, David West, Brandon Jennings (R), Paul Millsap, J.R. Smith, Jeff Teague (R), Tyreke Evans (R), Al Jefferson, Manu Ginobili, Monta Ellis, Nikola Pekovic (R) and Tony Allen.

(R) = Restricted Free Agent 

If your team is searching for that certain role player there are a ton of cheaper assets on the market that include: Tiago Splitter, Andre Kirilenko, Kevin Martin, Kyle Korver, Devin Harris, Nate Robinson, Gerald Henderson (R), Marco Belinelli, Marreese Speights, Darren Collison (R), O.J. Mayo, Corey Brewer, Jose Calderon, Jarrett Jack, Carl Landry, Francisco Garcia, Matt Barnes, Earl Clark, J.J. Redick, Mike Dunleavy, Al-Farouq Aminu, Nick Young, J.J. Hickson, Randy Foye and Mo Williams.

Once 12:01 ET gets here on July 1st teams can officially contact players and let the flirting begin. Better take a few shots and ease up because it is time to dish out the dollar dollar bills ya'll and sway players to come ball out for your squad. Lets have some fun and predict where these superstars and role players are heading this summer.

DWIGHT HOWARD

I think there are two teams that have a realistic chance to sign Dwight Howard: Houston Rockets and Los Angeles Lakers. Howard is set to meet with these five teams: Rockets, Warriors, Mavericks, Hawks and the Lakers. It will be near impossible for the Warriors to sign Howard because of cap space. The Rockets, Mavericks and Hawks all have enough cap space and won't have to work out a sign and trade. 

I would throw out Atlanta because for some odd reason Howard is not intrigued to play in front of his hometown. The Mavericks are the dark horse in this race but I don't see Seabiscuit coming out of the gates so don't bet on the horse from Dallas. Golden State has a very good young team and will continue to get better. They played the Western Conference Champions better than anyone in the Western Conference and if they didn't blow a 16-point lead with four minutes left in Game 1 who knows how that series would have played out. The problem is the Warriors will have to trade at least one of their young pieces in a sign and trade with the Lakers because of salary cap issues. Golden State is wishing they didn't waste their amnesty on Charlie Bell last season and saved it for Andris Biedrins $9 million he is due next season. The Warriors could throw in David Lee or Andrew Bogut and Harrison Barnes or Klay Thompson to L.A. but I don't see a trade happening between L.A. and Golden State. 

This leaves us with two teams: Houston and Los Angeles. The Lakers asked Howard to save the best for last and they get the final meeting. However, I don't think it matters. Him and the Lakers 115th coach over the last two years, Mike D'Antoni don't see eye to eye. (Isn't it time they take the D out of his last name because he is allergic to it.) You could sense last season Howard did not enjoy playing with Kobe Bryant. No offense to Howard but he is a very sensitive guy and sensitivity and Kobe Bryant go together like Kris Humphries and Kim Kardashian. The one thing the Lakers have that no other team has is an extra year and $30 million extra dollars in Howard's bank account and being able to live in Hollywood. Just please stay away from Kazaam II if you stay in Los Angeles.  

The Houston Rockets only have four players who are due to make over $3 million next season. They are sitting $19 million under the projected $58.5 million dollar salary cap for the 2013-14 season so signing Howard would not be a problem at all for Houston. They are up first to set the bar high. The Rockets have their version of the A-Team waiting in Hollywood to wine and dine Howard. They are hoping he is ready to commit to a long relationship and put out (get your mind out of the gutter) on the court. Kevin McHale, Hakeem Olajuwon, James Harden, Chandler Parsons, Daryl Morey (GM), and Les Alexander (owner) are hoping they can convince Howard to join them in Houston. The Rockets have a really good chance to sign Howard to a maximum 4-year deal worth $88 million because they have a boatload of young talent and he would get to be Superman again. Kind of hard to be Superman when you are playing with the Black Mamba. James Harden won't have a problem being Robin, the eye mask will fit perfectly with his beard. 

PREDICTION: Houston we have a problem, but signing Dwight Howard won't be one. Howard spurns the Lakers and signs a four-year maximum contract with the Rockets. 

LOS ANGELES LAKERS

This leads us right into what will the Lakers do if Howard bounces. The Lakers are already over the salary cap even without Dwight Howard. Pau Gasol and Kobe Bryant are on the books for next season right under $50 million. The Lakers are one of 15 teams who haven't used their amnesty clause and they could chose to use it on Metta World Peace or Gasol and free up some cap space. Gasol is due to make $19.3 million and MWP is owed nearly $8 million. I would amnesty Gasol but I don't see the Lakers doing that because Kobe Bryant is a huge Gasol fan. 

The Lakers look at the salary cap like women do when it comes to shopping: There is no spending limit. Sorry ladies, but facts are facts. 

I am buying into the hype and Dwight Howard is gone so here is plan B for the Lakeshow: Monta Ellis and three role players. Ellis really wants to come back to California and Hollywood would be a perfect match for him. Both parties have shown mutual interest but the same thing could happen to the Lakers that happened to the Cavaliers in the summer of 2010. Sit and wait then miss out on the other big name free agents.

The Lakers need another big man if Howard bounces and perimeter shooters. Tiago Splitter or J.J. Hickson would be a nice pickup for Los Angeles to go along with Nick Young and Kyle Korver. Young is a poor man's Jamal Crawford and could be the scoring the Lakers need off the bench. He played really well in his hometown for the Clippers two years ago in the postseason and going back to Hollywood would be a perfect home for Young. Korver would be perfect for D'Antoni's system to stretch the floor. The Lakers might not sign a center and try and go after Carl Landry to help on the defensive side of the floor. 

PREDICTION: Monta Ellis, Kyle Korver, Nick Young and J.J. Hickson call Los Angeles home. 

JOSH SMITH

While everyone is focusing in on Howard and Paul, Josh Smith is arguably the most underrated superstar in the NBA. He is one of the most athletic players in the game and is a very underrated defender. Over the last four seasons Smith is averaging 17.1 PPG, 8.8 RPG, 3.9 APG, 1.8 BPG and 1.4 SPG. The guy does it all and his game continues to get overlooked. Outside of LeBron James he is one of the few players who can really guard any position in the league. There are plenty of suitors who are ready to dish out some big-time doe to bring in J-Smoove.

The Boston Celtics want to make a deal for Smith. They will have to work out a sign and trade with Atlanta and after shipping Pierce and Garnett this has a chance of happening. Smith has shown a lot of interest to play in Boston and ball with his former Oak Hill Academy HS teammate, Rajon Rondo. Rondo and Smith hope they get the chance to do this in Boston Green. Josh Smith could help Boston get over one of the worst sports weeks in Boston history, don't worry Buckner you are still holding down the top spot. The Boston Bruins gave up two goals in 17 seconds in Game 6 on their home ice, blowing a 2-1 lead, and losing the Cup in six. Doc Rivers was sent packing to the West Coast. Aaron Hernandez had one too many pieces of bubble gum and the "Big Three Era" is officially over in Boston. So grab some tea and hope it's time to party with Josh Smith in Boston.

The Detroit Pistons are another strong suitor for Smith. They can give him a four-year max contract to build around Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond and Brandon Knight. The question is does Smith want to win now or does he care more about getting a max contract at the age of 27. He is in his prime and this could very well be the last time he gets a chance to get a max deal. 

The Bucks, Mavericks, Rockets and Spurs have all shown interest in Smith.

PREDICTION: The Celtics and Hawks work out a sign and trade deal. Smith and Rondo reunite and help Boston fans get over the "Big Three Era." 

*Dallas has a really good chance to land Smith too, it's just a matter if they want to give him a max contract or wait until the 2014 free agency period.

Rapid Fire: The Best of the Top Tier Free Agents

ANDREW BYNUM: Re-signs with Philadelphia 

DAVID WEST: Re-signs with Indiana

J.R. SMITH: Signs with Chicago

BRANDON JENNINGS: Re-signs with Milwaukee

PAUL MILLSAP: Signs with Dallas

AL JEFFERSON: Signs with San Antonio

ANDRE IGUODALA: Signs with Dallas

TYREKE EVANS: Signs with New Orleans

TONY ALLEN: Signs with Detroit

JEFF TEAGUE: Re-signs with Atlanta

MANU GINOBILI: Signs with Atlanta

NIKOLA PEKOVIC: Re-signs with Minnesota

The Best of the Rest

KEVIN MARTIN: Signs with Milwaukee

DEVIN HARRIS: Signs with Cleveland

ANDRE KIRILENKO: Signs with Dallas

DARREN COLLISON: Signs with Minnesota

O.J. MAYO: Signs with Philadelphia

MATT BARNES: Re-signs with L.A. Clippers

TIAGO SPLITTER: Signs with Portland

NATE ROBINSON: Signs with Detroit

GERALD HENDERSON: Re-signs with Charlotte

J.J. REDICK: Signs with New York

MO WILLIAMS: Signs with Indiana

RANDY FOYE: Signs with L.A. Lakers



EARL CLARK: Re-signs with L.A. Lakers


JARRETT JACK: Signs with Dallas

CARL LANDRY: Signs with Portland

JOSE CALDERON: Signs with L.A. Clippers


As my boy Nicholas Xay always says, "Grab your popcorn" because this is going to be a very interesting free agency period. The Miami Heat are looking to be the first team to three-peat since the 2000-02 Los Angeles Lakers. We will have to wait and see if your team adds that last piece to the puzzle to make sure James and company don't become the sixth team in NBA history to three-peat. This is the deepest pool of free agents since James, Wade, and Bosh announced they were taking their talents to South Beach so just sit back and enjoy reading the bottom line on ESPN for the next couple of weeks. Teams can't officially sign players until July 10th but once 12:01 gets here in a matter of hours teams can officially start fishing for the biggest prizes in the game.

Yasiel Puig Has Taken Baseball By Storm

By: Zack Poff 

After one week everyone said it wouldn't last.

Two weeks went by and people started to wonder if they were believing what they were seeing.

25 days have passed and he still hasn't taken his foot off the gas pedal.

If anything, Yasiel Puig has gone way past the speed limit recklessly, for the second time this year, except this time he's doing it in a good way: on the diamond.

The 22-year old Cuban sensation was everything the Dodgers organization needed. Los Angeles was dishing out money left and right trying to build a winning franchise, surpassing the New York Yankees with the highest payroll in baseball. The Dodgers 215+ million dollar payroll is the highest in Major League Baseball history and it is the first time since 1998 the Yankees weren't the top spenders in the game. 

However, having the No. 1 payroll doesn't guarantee anything. Baseball is a very unique sport and it takes a lot more than dollar bills to have success. It's not about having the best player in the world like basketball or having the best quarterback to lead your team to destiny. Baseball is truly the hardest sport to predict and hockey is the only other sport among the major four that you could make an argument. Baseball and hockey haven't had a repeat champion in this millennium. 

Before Puig was called up on June 3rd, the Dodgers were sitting in last place in the NL West, eight and a half games out of first place. The Miami Marlins and the Milwaukee Brewers were the only teams in the National League with a worse record than Los Angeles. Matt Kemp and Carl Crawford were on the disabled list and the Dodgers were desperate for a spark. 

They reached in their "Puiggy" bank and hit the jackpot. Puig has reached base safely in all but two of the 25 games he has played in and has 13 multi-hit games. Puig has been just as entertaining to watch in the outfield as he has been in the batters box. The guy has a cannon and goes after every ball like it is the 27th out. He plays with a relentless passion for the game, something the Dodgers were lacking during the first 54 games of the season. He is built like Patrick Willis, runs like Chris Johnson and has a Brett Favre cannon for an arm. 

He did something no other baseball player has done in the live-ball era (since 1920): 32 hits and seven HR's through his first 20 career games. 

Through his first 25 games he is batting .424 with seven long-balls and 16 RBI's. He has a 1.115 OPS and most importantly the Dodgers are 13-11 in the 24 games he has started this year. 

However, the most important aspect Puig has attributed to the Dodgers doesn't show up on the stat sheet: excitement. Los Angeles has been a totally different ball club since they called him up from the minors. They weren't playing like a team, there was no excitement in the clubhouse or the stands, and they were simply not playing good baseball.

A lot has changed since the month of June begun. The Dodgers went 10-17 in May, the worst they have done in May since they moved to Los Angeles in 1958.

Enter Yasiel Puig. He made playing baseball fun again for a team that was desperate for momentum. The Dodgers were pressing way too much and forgot how to play the game like it's supposed to be played: go out and have fun. Don Mattingly was on the outside looking in with a ton of pressure managing the highest payroll the game has ever seen. I really don't think his job was on the line but Puig took a lot of pressure off the shoulders of the third year skipper. 

Since Puig joined the Dodgers no one has more hits or a higher batting average than the 22-year old outfielder. He has taken baseball by storm and has been the talk of the game this month. I am still on the fence on if he should be an All-Star because he has only started 24 games and appeared in 25. I think the National League would love to have Puig on their roster. It's a win-win situation. The main purpose of the game is to please the fans and there hasn't been a more trending player in the game than Mr. Puig. Forget about "Tebowmania" it's now "Puigomania" time. 

Bruce Bochy, manager of the San Francisco Giants, said it would be extremely difficult to select Puig to the All-Star team because he hasn't played in enough games. Puig answered going 6-12 with a HR and 2 RBI in a three-game sweep against the Giants earlier this week to try and change Bochy's opinion.

Furthermore, there is a lot on the line winning the All-Star game with the winner awarded home-field advantage in the World Series. Yasiel Puig would definitely help out the National League roster tremendously. It is hard to argue there are 34 other players who are more deserving than Puig. He has been one of the best players in June and you could make the argument he has had the best individual month among anyone this season. 

The phrase "five-tool player" gets overused way too much in the game of baseball. That is not the case with Yasiel Puig. Vin Scully said it best, "I have never seen anyone do what he has done in a such a short period of time." He continued to say, "I've never seen a a player who is a five-tool player show all five tools in his first three career games." Scully has only been around the game of baseball since 1950. 

Whether or not the Dodgers rookie phenom continues his rapid pace it is amazing to just sit back and watch what he has done to start his young career. 

Exactly a year ago today the Dodgers inked Puig to a seven-year deal worth $42 million. 365 days later he has a good chance to win "National League Player of the Month." You can believe in the Puig hype or continue to say it won't last but you have to tip your cap to the remarkable start the Cuban phenom has had. 

Immaturity was a big question mark with Puig but that has been far from the truth. No one said he could continue his hot start but his 39 hits are most in the Majors in the month of June. We live in a society where it's about the now and Yasiel Puig has taken over the game of baseball and is trending more than North West. Even the 85-year old Vin Scully took over twitter for the Dodgers and was tweeting about Yasiel Puig. If Scully gets on twitter because of Puig this young Cuban phenom has truly become a major hit not just in baseball, but nationwide. 

Yasiel Puig highlights

NBA Trade Deadline Right Around the Corner

The clock it ticking by the second.

And, luckily we don't have to call Jeremy Renner to save us from any bombs but some NBA executives have to make some very tough decisions during the next 40 hours. The trade deadline is this Thursday (2/21/13) at 3 PM/ET and there are some players on the market that can help your team get to the next level. 

There has been a lot of buzz with the Los Angeles Clippers dealing away Eric Bledsoe and DeAndre Jordan to add one more star-type of player to increase their title chances.

Los Angeles Lakers' GM Mitch Kupchak insists that Dwight Howard is not on the market, but if someone offers the Lakers the right pieces, he could change his mind by Thursday afternoon. There is no guarantee Howard is staying in La-La land after this season, but he would have 30 million reasons to stay put. 

A lot of teams are interested in two ageing Boston Celtic HOF'ers. It'll be impossible to get Kevin Garnett to waive his no-trade clause, unless of course, Paul Pierce is dealt first. Garnett and Pierce are two seasoned veterans who could be the final piece to finish the puzzle for a contending team.

Josh Smith, Al Jefferson, Paul Millsap, J.J. Redick, Brandon Jennings, Carlos Boozer and former No. 1-pick Andrea Bargnani are just some of the names that have been trending on twitter when you search #NBATradeDeadline. 

I see Smith, Jefferson or Millsap, and Redick as the only big-names getting moved. Nobody wants to take on Boozer's contract and the Bucks won't deal Jennings or Monta Ellis before the deadline. 

Josh Smith is the biggest name on the market. He is one of the most underrated players in the league. He has a good all-around game and is one of the most athletic players in the NBA. Smith has finished among the top-10 in blocks in six of the last seven years. J-Smoove is a very underrated defensive player. During his nine-year career he has put up sexy numbers that'll get the ladies excited:

15.2 PPG, 8 RPG, 3.2 APG, 1.3 SPG & 2.2 BPG.

His current contract expires after this season. Luckily, for GM's that should make it easier to put together a package to acquire Smith. The Atlanta Hawks want some young guy's in return and draft picks to build for the future. They also want to clear some cap space for this summer when Chris Paul and Dwight Howard hit the open market. 

If I had to make a guess on where Smith will land I would go with Milwaukee. The Bucks are holding onto the 8th spot in the Eastern Conference but only four games back of the fourth spot, and five games behind Indiana in the Central division. 

Two dark-horses: Dallas Mavericks & Brooklyn Nets

The Utah Jazz will make at least one move involving Al Jefferson or Paul Millsap. They both are on expiring contracts and Utah can't keep them both after this season. The Jazz have two young studs inside in Enes Kanter and Derrick Favors to build on for the future. They are sitting in the seventh spot in the Western Conference playoff race and they need some backcourt help, badly. 

Expect Utah to ship one of their bigs, or both, and add some backcourt help. The number one guy on their list is Eric Bledsoe. Bledsoe showed how dynamic he can be in this league when he started at point guard during Chris Paul's absence. 

In 12 starts he averaged: 14.2 PPG, 5.3 APG, 4.8 RPG, 2.5 SPG and 1.3 BPG. 

The rumors are swirling with a deal involving Millsap and Bledsoe but the Clippers are still hesitant to deal the 23-year old without Chris Paul being signed long-term yet. 

I see the Jazz holding onto Al Jefferson but watch out for the San Antonio Spurs to make a last minute push at "Big Al." Jefferson would be a perfect fit in San Antonio for a two-month rental. The big question is though, would the Spurs be willing to deal Tiago Splitter and some draft picks for a rental? 

I can guarantee that either Millsap of Jefferson won't be wearing a Utah jersey after Thursday. I think Jefferson is staying put and Millsap is going to ball for Jay-Z in Brooklyn. The Clippers won't pull the trigger on Bledsoe and stay quiet during the deadline.

Two dark-horses: Boston Celtics & Denver Nuggets

J.J Redick is rumored to be on the open market. The Orlando Magic don't want to give him a big-time contract after his contract expires this summer. Redick would be the perfect addition to a team that needs another wing scorer. The New York Knicks can never have too many 3-point shooters, they only average 29 attempts from behind the arc a game. (Mike D'Antoni wishes he was back in New York.)

The Knicks need to find a way to land Redick. The best way to beat the Miami Heat is to spread them out and Redick would add more depth on the perimeter. They are a 2-0 vs. Miami this year and they made a combined 25 3's in both contests. They beat the reigning champs by 20 points in both games. 

The Magic want Iman Shumpert in return, and the Knicks don't want to deal the 22-year old. However, they could quickly change their stance and become the clear front-runner in the East to dethrone Miami in the playoffs. They have had success against Miami this year and adding Redick would only increase their chances to shocking the reigning champs in the playoffs. 

I think the Knicks will jump on the opportunity to land one of the best 3-point shooters in the NBA. 

Two dark horses: Milwaukee Bucks & Chicago Bulls

Those are the major moves I see being made by the deadline but don't be shocked if the Celtics decide to rebuild and trade Pierce and KG. The Clippers are close to trading two of their youngsters but they would be wise to stay quiet during the deadline. The Lakers will stand pat and hold onto Howard and focus on making a push for one of the bottom spots in the Western Conference playoff race. 

There is so much uncertainty when it comes to the NBA trade deadline. Nobody really knows what deals we could potentially see. This time of year can help a team win an NBA Championship. The 2004-05 and 2005-06 Detroit Pistons and the 2009-10 and 2010-11 Los Angeles Lakers are prime examples. Rasheed Wallace helped the Pistons win the 2005 NBA Championship and helped the Pistons reach the NBA Finals in back-to-back years. The Lakers acquired Pau Gasol during the 2008-09 deadline and helped the Lakers reach three-straight finals and was a major contributor when the Lakers won back-to-back Championships three years ago. Get your popcorn ready because during the next 44-hours anything can happen. 

UFC 157: History in the Making

The UFC is one week away from breaking more than one barrier inside the Octagon. It will be the first time in the organization's 20-year history that women will be throwing down inside the cage. Former Strikeforce Bantamweight Champion, Ronda Rousey, puts her belt on the line against Liz Carmouche in the main event. 

Women fighting inside the Octagon is not the only hurdle the UFC is jumping over next Saturday night. Carmouche is the first openly gay fighter to ever compete in the UFC. It is a huge step for the UFC, and more importantly, for the rest of the sports world.

"Rowdy" Ronda Rousey is an absolute beast, if you don't believe me just check out her highlights http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rf-eNVAeC0U. She became the first American woman to take home a medal in Judo when she won a bronze in the 2008 Summer Olympics. She's a perfect 6-0 in her MMA career and none of her opponent's made it past Round 1. She isn't just the best submission artist among women, but arguably the best submission artist in the world, including men. Only one fighter made it longer than a minute against Rousey. 

In 2011, UFC President Dana White said, "Women would never fight in the UFC." 

Rousey quickly changed the bosses mind. Not only are women making their debut next Saturday night at the Honda Center in Anaheim, CA, but Rousey vs. Carmouche is the evening's main event. 

The challenger, Carmouche, is 8-2 in her MMA career and has won two-fights in a row. She takes on her toughest opponent next Saturday night in Ronda Rousey. 

This is a huge night for the organization. The UFC has made huge strides over the last few years and this is just another step in the right direction for The Ultimate Fighting Championship. The organization inked a 7-year $700 million deal with FOX in 2011 and women fighting in the UFC will continue to get more fans interested in the fastest growing sport in the world. 

If you would like to learn more about the two women fighting next Saturday night just check out the UFC's "Primetime Special" on Rousey/Carmouche. 

And, don't forget to follow me on twitter @zpoff13 for more information on the UFC and mixed-martial-arts. 

UFC Primetime: Episode 1:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSRjHK4S9qs

UFC Primetime: Episode 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YAb5HgtYeM0 

This is how the rest of the fight card lines up next Saturday night:

                                 UFC 157 - Honda Center (Anaheim, CA)

                               MAIN CARD ON PAY-PER-VIEW (7 PM/PT)

Ronda Rousey (6-0, 0-0 UFC)               vs.     Liz Carmouche (8-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Dan Henderson (29-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC)    vs.     Lyoto Machida (18-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC)

Urijah Faber (28-6 MMA, 2-2 UFC)          vs.     Ivan Menjivar (25-9 MMA, 4-2 UFC)

Josh Koscheck (17-6 MMA, 15-6 UFC)   vs.     Robbie Lawler (19-9 MMA, 4-3 UFC)

Court McGee (14-3, 3-2 UFC)                 vs.     Josh Neer (33-12-1 MMA, 6-8 UFC)

                                PRELIMINARY CARD ON FX (5 PM/PT)

Brendan Schaub (8-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC)     vs.     Lavar Johnson (17-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC)

Michael Chiesa (8-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC)       vs.     Anton Kuivanen (17-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC)

Sam Stout (18-8-1 MMA, 8-7 UFC)         vs.     Caros Fodor (7-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Dennis Bermudez (9-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC)   vs.     Matt Grice (15-4 MMA, 2-4 UFC)

                  PRELIMINARY CARD ON FACEBOOK (3:30 PM/PT)

Kenny Robertson (11-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC)  vs.     Brock Jardine (9-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC)

Neil Magny (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)               vs.     Jon Manley (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

Nah-Shon Burrell (8-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC)     vs.     Yuri Villefort (6-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC)

12/14/12: Sad Day To Be An American

December 14th, 2012, will always be a day our country will never forget.

It was the day a young-delusional individual took the life away from 20 innocent children, six adults, and his own mother. He killed his mother before going to Sandy Hook Elementary school in Newtown, CT., and murdering 26 other innocent people.

These young children will never get the opportunity to chase their dreams, have families of their own, or even get to spend one more Christmas with the one's they love the most.

It's bull shit. 

It's time our country does something about this!

It was the second-deadliest school shooting in the history of the United States and one of the deadliest mass-shootings around the world. 

Enough is enough. 

Our country needs to take a stand together and work towards fixing this epidemic. 

We can't depend on the government to solve gun control. 

That is never going to happen. 

We can't wait for the government to fix this. 

It is up to us to take a stand and do something.

First it is time the media fixes their enormous fault in covering mass-shootings. 

Why do you think individuals like Adam Lanza commit these crimes? 

They want to be heard, even when it is for something as sick and disturbing as what we witnessed this past weekend. 

In 1999, Eric Harris and Dylan Kiebold murdered 13 innocent people and wounded another 21 at Columbine High School.

In 2005, Jeffrey Weise killed his own grandfather and 10 more people at Red Lake High School.

In 2007, Seung-Hui Choi committed the deadliest school shooting in our history. He gunned down 56 people on the campus of Virginia Tech University, taking 32 innocent life's.

In 2008, Steven Kazmierczak opened fire in a lecture hall on the campus of Northern Illinois University. He murdered six innocent people and wounded another 21. It was the fifth-deadliest university shooting in U.S. history.

Early this year James Holmes killed 12 people and wounded 58 when he went into a midnight premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises" in Auroa, CO. 

These are just a few of the horrific tragedies that our country has suffered through since Columbine.

According to an ABC News report, there have been 31 school shootings since the Columbine shooting in 1999.

Since 1982 there have been at least 61 mass shootings in our country, and this continues to skyrocket each year. 

In 2012 there have been nine mass shootings alone.

The rate of people killed by guns in the United States is 19.5 times higher than similar high-income countries in the world. 

This is not acceptable. 

I understand there is no way possible to eliminate gun violence, but our country is failing miserably at taking the right steps on taming one of the biggest problems in our nation. 

I believe the single biggest mistake our country continues to make is the level of media attention that mass-shootings get. 

Kids like Adam Lanza have gone through their entire life being a loner, not having any friends, being socially awkward and they just want to be remembered, even if it is for something as sick as what we witnessed on December 14th, 2012.

I wouldn't be surprised if Lanza got an idea from seeing all the media coverage James Holmes received from his mass shooting during the premiere of "The Dark Knight Rises." 

It is a way for them to finally make a name, even if it is for all the wrong reasons. 

The media needs to realize they are not helping the situation by all of this media attention, they are making it much worse. I wonder if Holme's wouldn't have received all the media coverage for weeks on in after "The Dark Knight Rises" shooting spree, if this tragedy might not have occurred this past weekend. 

It is an answer we will never know but all of the media coverage is not helping one bit.

By allowing this story to take over all the media outlets, Internet discussions, and all over social media sites it is playing right into what Adam Lanza wanted: to be heard. 

Nobody knew who Adam Lanza was. He didn't have any close friends. No one outside of his family knew who he was.

He knew if he just took his own life, he would be one of 30,000 Americans who take their own life each year that no one ever hears about.

Lanza lived his life as not being recognized. He was always ignored. He was a loser. 

The same could be said for Holme's. They didn't know how to act socially. They wanted to finally be heard, and by taking their own life, it would not solve their sick need in being recognized.

They had to take 38 innocent life's just to be heard. 

It is time our media grows the fuck up! Who cares about having the best ratings. Life is much more than making the most money and being the most popular news station. I hate our country sometimes because it is OBVIOUS that money trumps life in the United States of America. It might be the land of opportunity, but it is also the land of being selfish and not doing what is best for the majority of people.

I just sit here and wonder why the media does not get any flack for all of the media coverage. It plays right into what the sick, delusional, lost individuals like Adam Lanza want. 

Nobody knew who Adam Lanza was on December 13, 2012.

Now, a day later, everyone in the world knew who Adam Lanza was. 

It is time we urge news stations, media outlets, any type of media to eliminate their coverage of any mass-shootings. It will eliminate these sick individuals of being made famous, they don't care that it is for the wrong reason, they just want to be recognized for once.

By eliminating all of the media coverage it will eliminate these individuals from being recognized in the public.

I understand that their should be media coverage, but they should eliminate the attention of the person in-charge of these disturbing acts of violence. 

I can almost guarantee more people heard about Adam Lanza from the media than the 27 innocent victims who lost their life. The same goes for all of the other mass-shootings that have occurred over the past 30 years. 

Also, it is important our young generation takes a stand at school. We all remember young kids being bullied and picked on in middle school and high-school.

Instead of walking by ignoring a kid getting picked on, TAKE A STAND. Say something and don't be like everyone else. 

Be the kid that takes a stand to befriend the kid getting bullied. Sometimes that is all they need, they just want to be like everyone else and have friends. 

I wonder if things might have been different if someone would have been there for Lanza when he was getting picked on every day of his life. 

Teenage bullying is one of the biggest epidemics in our nation that continues to get pushed aside. 

"Close to 30% of kids between the ages of 12-18 are bullied during their teenage years. 14% of them have a severe or bad reaction to the abuse." - bullyingstatistics.org

This plays a big part into the next big problem in our country.

There is not enough money that goes into the non-Medicaid state mental health budget. 

"One in 17 people in America lives with a serious mental illnesses such as schizophrenia, major depression, or bipolar disorder." - National Institute of Mental Health

"About one in 10 children live with a serious mental disorder." - U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

From 2009 to 2011, $1.6 billion was cut from the non-Medicaid state mental health system. In 2011 and 2012 those cuts were even more significant. 

While our country continues to fund wars going on all over the world, we continually see budget cuts that are worsening our nation. 

Education, health, and many other budgets continue to get cut and we can see how this is deeply affecting our country.

It is time our country stops worrying about solving other countries problems, and fix the epidemics that continue to occur on our soil. 

Our government, media outlets, and us, the people of the United States of America, need to take the proper steps to stop these epidemics that are occurring at an alarming rate. 

It is equally on all of us to take a stand. 

Adam Lanza is clearly to blame, but the fault is on us as a country too. We need to work on making this the best country in the world and it starts with keeping our future generation in good hands. We have a long way to go, but the proper steps can be made to help keep our young generation in safe hands. 

My thoughts are prayers go out to every single person affected in this horrific tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary school, the other 61 mass-shootings that affected families since 1982, and all of the other tragedies that have occurred in our history. 

We need to take a stand as a nation and do everything possible to make sure these type of mass-shootings do not occur on our soil. 


-To help donate to those who suffered in the Sandy Elementary school shooting you can donate money to the "My Sandy Hook Family Fund" to help the individuals that are grieving through this horrific tragedy.

Replacement Referees Hurting Integrity of NFL

The National Football League has become a laughing stock over the first two weeks of the season. (And, no I am not talking about the Oakland Raiders.)

The NFL replacement referee's are too busy following their fantasy football teams (LeSean McCoy on replacement refs and fantasy football) or trying to referee their favorite NFL teams. 

Brian Stropolo was scheduled to be part of the crew as a side judge for the New Orleans Saints vs. Carolina Panthers game, but there was one problem: HE IS A SAINTS FAN!

Thank god for facebook or he would have called the game. The NFL became aware Stropolo was a Saints' fan hours before kickoff. They saw a picture of Stropolo posing with Saints' gear on when they checked his facebook page. This all started because Stropolo revealed his game assignment on facebook, which is an NFL violation. The NFL heard about this, and checked his facebook page and noticed him in Saints gear.

The replacement refs showed how inexperienced they really are this past Monday. (Just turn on ESPN, the game is still going on.) Okay, not really, but it sure felt like the Denver Broncos and Atlanta Falcons played for hours upon hours. 

Towards the end of the first quarter, Broncos' running back, Knowshon Moreno, fumbled and then things spiraled out of control. A Bronco came up with the ball out of the pile, yet the Falcons were awarded the football. It took the refs nearly ten minutes to sort out everything. Players from both teams got into a melee and players from the sidelines were on the field shoving each other. 

Atlanta Falcons' defensive end, Ray Edwards, accidentally shoved a ref when he was getting into it with a Bronco and was not thrown out of the game. He was called for a 15-yard personal foul penalty, which was quite entertaining when the ref made the call. 

He called a 15-yard penalty on 93-red. Red?? Are you kidding me, are you calling plays or are you calling penalties? 

So far this year, including the pre-season, the Atlanta Falcons have been called red and Arizona. (Go to :08 of this video)

On top of this, the referee's misplaced the football on two separate occasions after penalties on Monday night. 

In two weeks we have seen teams get four-timeouts in a half. Penalties get marked off incorrectly. Refs being intimidated by opposing players and coaches and losing total control of the game. 

Okay, enough throwing the replacement refs under the bus. 

This is not on them. 

These are guys who were either retired, refereeing division-two, division-three, or community college football. 

This is on the National Football League. 

It's a joke. 

Roger Goodell talks about player safety. 

Yet, he allows refs who are clearly inexperience to be in charge of what goes on from goal-line to goal-line. We have already seen players get injured because they were not clear of what was going on. 

In week one, Tennessee Titans quarterback, Jake Locker, hurt his shoulder making a tackle after an interception. The play was called for illegal procedure, but was not whistled dead. As Monday Night Football's Countdown crew says, "COME ON MAAAAAAN!"

The NFL is not going to budge on a new agreement with the regularly used officials because ratings are still as good as they were last year. 

It's sad because Goodell always talks about player safety and the integrity of the game, which are both going out the window with the replacement refs. 

Hall of Fame quarterback and current NFL analyst Steve Young said it right after Monday's game. The NFL doesn't care about any of that, all they care about is the ratings and the popularity of the game. 

That is not going to take a hit with or without the original referees. 

The National Football League has the money to pay the original refs. All they are asking for is an additional $50,000 to the average $150,000 salaries. 

That is chump change for the NFL. 

According to Forbes Magazine, the bump in pay for the refs would account for right around 1% of the league's revenue. 

The National Football League doesn't care. They love having the power because there is no question the NFL is the most popular sport in America. It continues to boast the best ratings on national television every Thursday night, Sunday, and Monday night.

There are only two things that will fix this problem. NFL fans' must not watch football, which is NOT going to happen. The other is the refs need to budge and accept what the NFL is offering.

As fans, we better get use to seeing the replacement refs for at least the next few weeks. The replacement refs are scheduled throughout week five, and I would not be surprised to see them make it past week five this year. 

NFL players and coaches will continue to intimidate the replacement refs every week. 

You can't blame them. 

The players and coaches are already at a disadvantage with inexperienced officials. Calls are being missed left and right. 

The Baltimore Ravens are still wondering where the offensive interference was when Jacoby Jones caught a touchdown to put Baltimore up by two scores with under six minutes left in the game (they lost 24-23 to Philadelphia). 

The San Francisco 49ers are wondering why an obvious block in the back penalty was picked up in the fourth quarter. Randall Cobb took a punt to the house in week one to cut the deficit to a one-score game. Even Cobb thought it was obvious he didn't waste his time doing a Lambeau Leap.

(Maybe the officials just don't like the Harbaugh family, hmmmm.)

We will continue to see easy calls missed. Refs saying a five-year penalty on the offense (Go to :14 of video.) They will continue to not even look the right way when making a call (Referee looking wrong way when announcing penalty.) 

I feel sorry for the replacement refs because they are the laughing stock on social media sites and on radio talk shows. They are trying their hardest, but it is not close to good enough.

It's not on them, it's on Roger Goodell and the National Football League. 

So when you hear Goodell talk about player safety and integrity of the game, it is a flat out lie. 

If Goodell really meant what he preaches, the original refs would have been on the field during the first week on the regular season.