Power Rankings: Lakers rise, Celtics fall after first week

---

Blazers' Oden sprains foot in first game, will miss 2-4 weeks

---

Power Rankings: Celtics begin on top, back and ready for more

---

Floyd Mayweather Poem

---

Floyd Mayweather Poem: By Pj Magno De Best

Phillies are in the World Series since 1993

---

Does anyone really think that the Rays will beat the Redsoxs? I dont think so

---

Does anyone think the Rays can or will beat the Red Soxs

Oklahoma City will be named Thunder, wear blue, orange, yellow.

---

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Thunder can be heard from miles away, an early warning that a storm is about to arrive. So, perhaps it's only fitting that the name of Oklahoma City's NBA team didn't sneak up on anyone. Six weeks after the name first surfaced, team officials officially announced Wednesday that the team formerly known as the Seattle SuperSonics would be known as the Oklahoma City Thunder. "It's hard to keep a secret," team chairman Clay Bennett said after stepping to a podium on the ground floor of the downtown office building where the team is headquartered. The announcement had long been anticipated, but everyone knew what was coming. The local ABC affiliate reported in mid-July that Thunder had been chosen as the nickname. Then the NBA Web site listed NBA.com/thunder as a link to the Oklahoma City team's page. Then the Orlando Magic's site listed games against the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even the logo and colors leaked out over the weekend. Then, prior to the 5 p.m. announcement, Thunder merchandise started showing up on the NBA's online store. "I thought it was great fun. Maybe I have a warped sense of things," Bennett said. "I thought it was a lot of fun. I was disappointed in the image being released." [+] Enlarge Oklahoma City Thunder Logo The Oklahoma City Thunder will wear blue, orange-red and yellow colors. That left Bennett somewhat surprised that hundreds of people still showed up in the atrium of Leadership Square, watched from their office windows or leaned over a second-floor walkway to hear it for sure. "My family talked about wanting to come down, and I said, 'Well, I don't think it's that big a deal. Everybody seems to know the name already,'" Bennett said. To unveil the logo, six children joined players Desmond Mason and Damien Wilkins to pull down a curtain as the AC/DC song "Thunderstruck" blared over the loudspeaker. What was revealed was a large blue banner with the logo in the middle, and splashes of yellow at the top and reddish-orange at the bottom. Bennett said the light blue color coincides with the state flag to represent the inclusion of all Oklahomans, the yellow refers to the sun and the reddish-orange color to the sunset. With the University of Oklahoma featuring crimson as its primary color, and Oklahoma State using orange, Bennett said it was "not too red and not too orange." Thunder is a fitting moniker for the Oklahoma City franchise, not only as a reference to powerful storms in the area known as Tornado Alley. The Oklahoma City-based 45th Infantry Division carries Thunderbirds as its nickname, and that's a reference to the state's American Indian heritage. Even one of Oklahoma native Garth Brooks' biggest hits was "The Thunder Rolls." "There's just all kinds of good thunder images and thoughts, and the in-game experience of Thunder," Bennett said. "Just here was a good sense of how that evokes emotion. It's very powerful." The team name had been the most evident -- and talked about -- element missing after Bennett announced July 2 that the SuperSonics would be moving to Oklahoma City through an agreement that will have him pay the city of Seattle up to $75 million to settle a lawsuit. Bennett said the uniforms and mascot won't be unveiled for another few weeks, but T-shirts, basketballs and other Thunder merchandise went on sale immediately after the announcement. "The guys in the jerseys, if they play, the jerseys are going to look real good," coach P.J. Carlesimo said. While the team applied for trademarks to six names -- the others were Wind, Barons, Marshalls, Energy and Bison -- Bennett said the decision on the name had been made "quite some time" ago. He said the names on the trademark applications weren't finalists, and he wouldn't reveal what other names got serious consideration. General manager Sam Presti told the crowd designing a logo "takes an immense amount of work, and it does take some time. "Not that anyone was really paying attention to the amount of time it was taking," he quipped. Team officials said they hope they can make the qualities of character, perseverance, selflessness, community and winning synonymous with Thunder. "It's very unique," said Mason, a former Oklahoma State forward who the Thunder acquired in an offseason trade with Milwaukee. "It's going to take some time getting used to, just like Utah Jazz or Orlando Magic, but I think it's a great thing for the state and a great thing for the city."

2008-2009 NBA Expert Picks

---

Redemption Time: U.S. survives Spain scare to reclaim gold

---

BEIJING -- Arm-in-arm, they climbed onto the middle of the medals platform, the spot that for so long was U.S. private property. Some players flashed their Olympic medals to the crowd. One pretended to take a bite, just to make sure it was real. Sheridan: Dream Scene For the first time in eight long years, Team USA stands atop the world in men's basketball, Chris Sheridan writes. Story • TrueHoop Yep, it was gold -- the color the Americans always used to win but hadn't since 2000. Culminating a three-year mission to end years of embarrassment, the U.S. team survived a huge challenge from Spain, winning 118-107 in the gold-medal game Sunday. Order was restored in international basketball. "Much respect to Spain, but the U.S. is back on top again," LeBron James said at a press conference attended by the entire team. But not by that much anymore. After overwhelming everyone for seven games, the Americans led by only four points with under 2½ minutes to play. Then they proved they could handle a close game that it seemed would never come in Beijing. [+] EnlargeAP Photo/Eric Gay Carmelo Anthony, Dwight Howard, Jason Kidd and Chris Bosh, left to right, celebrate in the glow of their thrilling gold-medal victory over Spain. Their prize: the first U.S. gold medal since the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Argentina won the bronze with an 87-75 victory against Lithuania. Dwyane Wade scored 27 points for the Americans, who found a much gamer Spanish team than the one they humiliated by 37 points earlier in the tournament. Kobe Bryant added 20 points. In a game so devoid of defense that it felt more like an NBA All-Star Game than one with a title at stake, the Americans had too much offense down the stretch. Bryant converted a clutch four-point play with 3:10 remaining, holding his finger to his lips to quiet the rowdy Spanish crowd behind the basket. Wade added another 3-pointer that made it 111-104 with just over 2 minutes left, and only then could the Americans relax a little. They began to celebrate during a break after some technical fouls on Spain with 26 seconds left, then partied at midcourt when it was over with "Born in the USA" blaring over the arena's speakers. Dreaming Beats Redeeming Is the 2008 U.S. men's hoops team as good as the original Dream Team? Here's a look at how the Redeem Team's stats stack up to those compiled by the legendary 1992 Dream Team: Dream vs. Redeem 1992 2008 W-L 8-0 8-0 PPG 117.3 106.3 Opp PPG 73.5 78.4 Margin of win +43.8 +27.9 FG pct 57.8 55.0 Opp FG pct 36.5 40.3 APG 29.9 18.8 "We played with great character in one of the great games in international basketball history, I think," U.S. coach Mike Krzyzewski said. Nobody else had been close to the Americans in Beijing. This team's only Olympic competition had been history, in a Dream matchup with guys named Jordan, Magic, Bird and the rest of the U.S. team that dominated the Barcelona Games in 1992. Forget comparisons to those guys. The Americans were lucky to be better than Spain on Sunday. Rudy Fernandez scored 22 points and Pau Gasol had 21 for the Spanish, the reigning world champions who were hoping to win their first Olympic gold. U.S. players appreciated the challenge, hugging the Spanish players afterward. Bryant had an especially long embrace for Gasol, patting his Los Angeles Lakers teammate on the back. "They did what they were supposed to do," Gasol said. "We fought hard all the way." Seeming to appreciate the moment, after congratulating Spain, the team joined in a circle, jumping up and down at center court and waving triumphantly to the crowd as Krzyzewski applauded on the sidelines. "I know that we had a tough road ahead of us. We knew that these guys weren't going to roll over and give up that easily," U.S. forward Chris Bosh said. "So we had to be men, and that's what it takes to win." The Americans had won their first seven games by 30.3 points, including a 119-82 rout of Spain. But they never had control of this game, giving up open looks from the perimeter and plenty of points in the paint against the defending world champions, who were playing without injured point guard Jose Calderon. Bryant, who waited so long to finally wear the red, white and blue, hit two 3-pointers in a big fourth quarter to add the gold medal to his collection of basketball hardware. The three-time NBA champion and league MVP pounded his hands toward the floor in celebration at the end. James scored 14 points, while Carmelo Anthony and Chris Paul had 13 apiece for the Americans, who had won bronze medals in their last two international events, the 2004 Olympics and '06 world championships. [+] EnlargeStreeter Lecka/Getty Images Chris Paul and Dwight Howard have already said that if asked they would return for the London Games to help defend the Olympic gold. The U.S. started planning for thi

Memo to Jets fans: Don't expect ultimate payoff with Favre

---

Barring a miracle voting push for Raiders great Ken Stabler, Brett Favre will be the next quarterback selected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame four years after he officially retires. That would make him the 24th modern-era quarterback to go into the Hall. The trade to the New York Jets won't tarnish his Packers legacy. Favre's a first-ballot Hall of Famer, end of story. The potentially sad part of the Favre story is the odds are against his leaving the league on a high note, considering that all-time greats like Johnny Unitas, Joe Namath and Warren Moon all failed to duplicate previous success after switching teams late in their careers. The best-case scenario for Favre is going out like Joe Montana, a tenacious leader who added more credibility to the Kansas City Chiefs but didn't leave with a Super Bowl ring. [+] EnlargeAl Pereira/Getty Images Brett Favre's move to the Jets is similar to the path taken by Hall of Famer Joe Montana in the 1990s. First of all, it's rare for a Hall of Fame quarterback to finish on another team. John Elway, Dan Marino, Jim Kelly, Troy Aikman, Steve Young, Roger Staubach, Dan Fouts, Terry Bradshaw, Bob Griese, Bart Starr and Len Dawson all retired with the teams that made them famous, having reasonably clean endings to their great careers. Naturally, like Favre, it was hard for them to surrender to age. But the move to a new team for a quarterback in his late 30s is like a banker trying to open a new shop with devalued currency. Last week, I spent a few days at Chiefs training camp. While Favre was batting Packers management, I reminisced about the two years Montana played for Kansas City. The circumstances had an eerie similarity to the Favre situation. Heading into the 1993 season, the 49ers were ready to make the permanent move to Young at quarterback. Montana was 37 and had missed 15 games the previous season because of a bursa sac problem in his elbow. Young was 32 and coming off two seasons in which he was the league's top-rated quarterback. 49ers management wanted Montana to compete against Young, but Montana sensed the outcome. He sensed the 49ers were willing to move on. Like Favre, Montana didn't want to enter a competition he could lose. Hall of Fame quarterbacks are used to winning. The Arizona Cardinals and Chiefs were the two teams bidding the hardest for Montana. He ended up going to the Chiefs for a first-round pick and safety David Whitmore. Unlike the Jets, who are trying to bounce back after a horrible 2007 season, the Chiefs were a perennial playoff team usually frustrated by first-round playoff losses. Quizzing many of the Chiefs' front-office holdovers from the Montana trade, no one had any regrets about the experience. In his two seasons with the Chiefs, Montana fought injuries and missed games. His stats were modest. The Chiefs' points per game went down slightly with Montana as their quarterback. Change Of Scenery Brett Favre isn't the first prominent quarterback to change teams late in his career. Here are some others. ZOOM gallery What validated the trade for GM Carl Peterson and the Chiefs was how Montana put together a little of the old magic in the 1993 playoffs. Montana beat the Pittsburgh Steelers and Houston Oilers in tight games before losing to the Bills and Jim Kelly in the AFC title game. The next year, the Chiefs made the playoffs as a wild-card team at 9-7 and lost in the first round to the Dolphins and Dan Marino. That's the problem facing Favre with the Jets. Keeping Favre in Green Bay, with the same system in which he has played for 16 years, could have translated into a division title and a possible trip to the NFC Championship Game with home-field advantage for the Packers. But an aging Hall of Fame quarterback who moves to a new home this late usually translates into a wild-card spot and an uphill battle in the playoffs. Of course, if Aaron Rodgers is only able to take the Packers into the wild-card round and allows the Vikings to take command of the NFC North, Packers brass will be severely criticized for not keeping Favre. Schedule and quarterback play are the keys to success in modern-day football. Continuity in offense is also important. That's why Favre's move to the AFC should come with limited expectations. With the Chiefs, Montana had to go up against Marino, Kelly, Elway and an aging Moon in Houston. Favre has to fend for himself on a new AFC team going against Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, Ben Roethlisberger, Philip Rivers and Carson Palmer, and Favre has to do it in a division that is dominated by the Patriots. A Hall of Fame quarterback can be the wild card that turns a good franchise into a dynasty. Favre did that in Green Bay and might have been able to squeeze out another title had the Packers let him return. As Montana proved in Kansas City, it's a long shot for an aging Hall of Fame quarterb

Clippers reach terms with free-agent guard Williams

---

The Los Angeles Clippers made arrangements Thursday to bring in yet another new player by reaching terms with free-agent point guard Jason Williams. Williams Williams' agent, Bob Myers, told ESPN.com that the 32-year-old -- who spent the past three seasons with the Miami Heat and who started at point guard for Miami's title-winning team in 2006 -- has signed with the Clippers. Financial terms were not immediately available, but NBA front-office sources said Williams is receiving a one-year contract. "We are excited to add Jason to our squad," Clippers coach Mike Dunleavy said in a statement. "He brings added veteran leadership and playoff experience to our backcourt." In 679 regular-season games, Williams has averaged 11.4 points, 6.3 assists and 2.4 rebounds while playing for three different teams. He has appeared in 53 playoff games, averaging 9.8 points, 3.7 assists and 2.2 rebounds. Clippers general manager Elgin Baylor called Williams "a terrific ball handler with great passing ability and court vision." Williams ranked eighth in the league last season with a 3.37 assists-per-turnover ratio, and 12th with a 0.91 steals-per-turnover ratio. He was drafted by Sacramento in 1998 following his junior year at the University of Florida and was named to the 1999 NBA All-Rookie Team after he averaged 12.8 points and 6.0 assists. He has averaged scoring in double figures and at least five assists a game in eight of his 10 years in the league. Williams moved to Memphis before the 2001-02 season and over the following four years became the Grizzlies' career leader in assists and 3-point attempts. He joined the Heat before the 2005-06 season. Williams will thus become the 10th new player acquired by the Clippers in the wake of a disastrous 23-59 season, which was followed by Elton Brand's free-agent defection to the Philadelphia 76ers. Los Angeles native Baron Davis headlines the group of newcomers, which also includes center Marcus Camby, Williams' former Miami teammate Ricky Davis, first-round draft pick Eric Gordon, veteran forward Brian Skinner and sharpshooter Steve Novak, whom L.A. landed Wednesday in a trade with the Houston Rockets. Williams is the third point guard to join the Clippers this summer, along with Davis and Jason Hart, who was acquired from the Utah Jazz in a July 23 trade for Brevin Knight. The addition of Williams -- who recently attracted serious interest from Israeli giant Maccabi Tel-Aviv before Maccabi signed Orlando Magic free agent Carlos Arroyo -- all but ensures that the Clippers will not re-sign point guard Shaun Livingston. L.A. renounced its free-agent rights to the injury-plagued Livingston on July 9 to help create the requisite salary-cap space to officially sign Davis to his five-year, $65 million contract, but the Clippers did have the option of trying to re-sign him.

Cats' Boykins latest NBA player to bolt for Europe, signs $3.5 million deal

---

After a decade in the NBA, Earl Boykins has joined the growing legion of veteran role players unable to resist the lure of European riches. Boykins' Cleveland-based agent, Mark Termini, announced Tuesday that Boykins has signed a one-year contract with Italy's Virtus Bologna. The deal, according to Termini, is worth more than $3.5 million for the 2008-09 season, which would make the 5-foot-5 guard Italy's highest-paid player. Boykins Since free agency began July 1, Boykins is the ninth player who worked in the NBA last season to bypass the tight free-agent market for role players at home and head overseas. Yet he's just the third -- following Josh Childress and Carlos Arroyo -- who played almost exclusively in the NBA before considering interest from abroad. Childress spurned a five-year offer worth an estimated $33 million from the Atlanta Hawks to sign a three-year deal worth at least $20 million from Greek power Olympiacos. With the Orlando Magic signing Anthony Johnson as Jameer Nelson's new backup, Arroyo on Monday chose to sign a three-year deal with Israeli giants Maccabi Tel-Aviv that will pay him $2.5 million net per season, with Maccabi covering Arroyo's taxes. Childress and Arroyo both have an escape provision in their contracts which enables them to return to the NBA after each of the next two seasons if they choose. All of the other players to sign with European clubs in recent weeks -- Serbia's Nenad Krstic, Spain's Juan Carlos Navarro and Jorge Garbajosa, Argentina's Carlos Delfino and Slovenia's Bostjan Nachbar and Primoz Brezec -- played for top-level teams in Europe before coming to the NBA. Boykins had a breakout season offensively in 2006-07, averaging nearly 15 points per game for Denver and Milwaukee. But an equally limited free-agent market for rotation players in the summer of 2007 -- after he opted out of the final year of his contract, worth $3 million, with the Bucks -- prompted Boykins, 32, to wait until late January before signing with the Charlotte Bobcats. Boykins wound up playing in 36 games for the Bobcats, but he averaged just 5.1 points and shot below 40 percent from the floor (.355) for the first time since establishing himself as a full-time NBA player with the Los Angeles Clippers in 2001-02. According to Termini and co-agent Andy Bountogianis, Boykins' deal includes income from Bologna's sponsorship and marketing arms, which is not an option for NBA players because of salary-cap restrictions.

Ranking the best available free agents

---

At midnight Wednesday, NBA free agents finally could change teams. As you might have noticed, there already has been plenty of action. Baron Davis stunned us by agreeing to a five-year, $65 million deal with the Clippers. Then, Elton Brand one-upped his buddy by bolting the Clippers for a five-year deal with the Sixers. Then, Corey Maggette bolted the Clippers for the Warriors, agreeing to a five-year deal worth about $50 million. Also, Chris Duhon is leaving the Bulls for the Knicks, DeSagana Diop is saying goodbye to New Jersey and returning to Dallas, Mickael Pietrus is jumping from the Warriors to the Magic, and James Jones is leaving Portland for Miami. So much for the sleepy, uneventful free-agency period we predicted. Only a handful of free agents have agreed to re-sign with their teams. Gilbert Arenas agreed to a huge six-year, $111 million deal with the Wizards. Jose Calderon quickly agreed to re-up with the Raptors. And Beno Udrih agreed to a five-year, $33 million deal to remain with the Kings. It's the restricted free agents who have struggled to get deals done. Though the Hawks' Josh Smith has earned some interest, it's been uncomfortably quiet for a number of restricted free agents, such as Emeka Okafor and Luol Deng. Teams are hesitant to offer big deals to restricted free agents because once the player signs an offer sheet, his former team has seven days to match -- which thus ties up cap space for a week. However, with all of the top unrestricted free agents off the market, the focus should shift to the restricted free agents. Now that Brand is leaving the Clippers, Los Angeles becomes one team flush with cash to spend on free agents. Even with Baron Davis' deal in the books, the Clippers should have $13.8 million to spend given the new $58.68 million salary cap number. The Warriors also have significant room, even after signing Maggette. Assuming the Warriors keep restricted free agents Andris Biedrins and Monta Ellis, the team should have roughly $9 million to $10 million of cap room to spend, depending on Maggette's starting salary. The Grizzlies got under the cap by trading away Pau Gasol for expiring contracts at the trade deadline. But Memphis GM Chris Wallace has been sending signals that the team might not spend its estimated $14.5 million in cap room this summer. The Grizzlies are hinting that they will wait until the summer of 2009, when they'll have more cap room. Meanwhile, the Sixers will use virtually all of their cap space on signing Brand. Here's a look at who's left on the market: Group I: Restricted free agents Only six first-round draft picks from the 2004 draft were signed to extensions last fall. That means some serious young talent is available this summer. These players' restricted status makes it likely they'll stay with their current teams, but at least they'll be in play: Smith1 .Josh Smith, Hawks: Smith has been the hottest restricted free agent, drawing interest from the Sixers, Clippers and Warriors. He's a freakish athlete who can score, rebound and block shots. What holds him back is his questionable attitude. Right now, only two teams, the Clippers and Grizzlies, are far enough under the cap to give Smith an offer sheet big enough to potentially scare the Hawks. Given Atlanta's messy ownership situation, would the Hawks match a huge offer from L.A. or Memphis? That's the big question right now. 2. Andre Iguodala, Sixers: Iguodala's decision to turn down a $57 million deal last summer is tough to justify. At the time, the Sixers appeared to be the only team with significant cap room; I'm not sure where he thought his next paycheck would come from. Now that Elton Brand's on board, expect the Sixers to do everything possible to lock him up. Okafor3. Emeka Okafor, Bobcats: Okafor turned down $13 million per season to hit free agency this summer. He's not the best player on this list, but he's the best young center on the market and one of the few guys in the league who's a lock to average a double-double. It sounds as if the Bobcats are open to a sign-and-trade if the right deal were to come along. 4. Luol Deng, Bulls: Everyone loves Deng's talent, including the Bulls. At least they used to. Injuries and a poor season have hurt his value around the league. Still, it's hard to see the Bulls not matching any offer Deng gets next summer. He declined a $57.5 million extension in October, so if he makes more than that, he'll come out ahead. It will be interesting to see whether the budget-conscious Bulls will take advantage of the market conditions and offer him much less. Biedrins 5.Andris Biedrins, Warriors: Biedrins didn't get the lucrative contract offer that several others did. He was looking for something in the five-year, $50 million range but got an offer that reportedly was substantially

Madden Monday: 2008 Season Simulation:IGN.com predicts 2008-09 Season...

---

Preseason We started the simulation in the preseason, which resulted in two key injuries, one of which dramatically derailed the team of the player involved. Both players hurt were wideouts. The first was Randy Moss, who went down in the first week of the preseason with a torn pectoral muscle that would keep him out of the Patriots lineup until Week 10; the other was star returner Devin Hester, who broke his collarbone in the final preseason game and was placed on Injured Reserve by the Bears. This automatically ended his season without a single regular season game. NFC North It would be the Chicago Bears who saw their team laid to waste by the injury to their star wide receiver. A Bears team that was unable to move the ball ended up a woeful, NFL-worst 1-15 on the year. It would not be the only surprise of the year. The Vikings claimed the NFC North by virtue of a 10-6 record, with the Packers retreating to 8-8 following Brett Favre's retirement. The Lions actually won seven games, meaning that whenever Jon Kitna predicts that the team will win ten games, they'll actually win seven. NFC South It came down to a tiebreaker, but the Buccaneers used a Pro Bowl season from Jeff Garcia to claim their second straight NFC South crown with a 10-6 record. Joey Galloway was named to the All-Pro team by virtue of a league-leading 107 receptions for 1438 yards and 10 touchdowns. They narrowly beat out the Saints, who claimed one of the two Wild Card spots. The Panthers continued to be mired in mediocrity at 8-8, while the Falcons didn't start Matt Ryan for most of the year, but still went 7-9. Michael Turner finished second in the league in rushing with 1,408 yards. NFC West In a division that no one wanted to win, the Rams returned to the playoffs with merely an 8-8 record. The Seahawks, 49ers, and Cardinals all finished at 6-10, with the Cards struggling following injuries to both Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, while the Seahawks lost four games by three points or less. NFC East In perhaps the biggest shocker, the Super Bowl champion New York Giants actually finished in last place, only months removed from their miraculous run. Losing Michael Strahan hurt, but what hurt even more was a tough schedule; the Giants finished 8-8, but were in the wrong division for that to matter. Every other team had a winning record; the Cowboys took the division with an NFC-best 13-3 record, the Redskins claimed the other Wild Card by winning 11 games, and the Eagles finished in third at 9-7. ------------------- ------------------------- ------------------------- ----------- Nocheating in Madden; we think. AFC East The NFL MVP for a second straight year was Tom Brady, as the Patriots quarterback threw for 4,075 yards and 41 touchdowns despite only having Moss for the final six games of the season. Rodney Harrison was also named Defensive MVP, as the punishing safety stayed healthy all year and picked off six passes. The Pats finished with the best record in the AFC at 13-3. The Jets' spending spree paid off, as they won ten games and picked up a Wild Card spot, while the Dolphins returned to respectability at 8-8, and the Toronto/Buffalo Bills held up the rear at 6-10. AFC North The Steelers retained their AFC North title by winning twelve games, with the Browns taking a step backwards and finishing at 8-8. The Bengals could only win five games, and despite a Offensive Rookie of the Year performance from quarterback Joe Flacco, the Ravens went 4-12 to finish in dead last and pick up a top-three pick in the 2009 NFL Draft. AFC South You'll never guess who won the AFC South. Wait, did you guess the Colts? Oh, maybe you can guess it then. Peyton Manning threw for an NFL-high 4,465 yards and 34 touchdowns to help push the Colts to twelve wins, although tiebreakers meant that they wouldn't have a first-round bye for the first time since their Super Bowl win. The Jaguars went 9-7 and picked up the other AFC Wild Card berth. The Titans were sitting pretty at 8-5, but lost their final three games to go 8-8 -- that's what happens when you finish with the Steelers and the Colts. The Texans remained irrelevant at 6-10. AFC West Speaking of the status quo, the Chargers dominated the AFC West and went 12-4, winning the division by five games. A Denver team desperately in need of fresh blood went 7-9, while both the Chiefs and Raiders went 4-12 despite a 100-catch season from Dwayne Bowe and 947 yards (and nine touchdowns) from Darren McFadden. The playoffs were as full of surprises as the regular season was. That's the magic of having parity in a league, as well as teams run by young quarterbacks who can either step up their game or panic come playoff time. Wild Card The Jaguars went on the road and upset the Chargers, 23-20, by virtue of 147 rushing yards from Fred Taylor. Tampa Bay blew out New Orleans, 37-13, with Drew Brees throwing five -- count them -- five interce

With new acquisitions such as Beasley, Brand and J O'Neal what will the playoff picture look like in the east?

---

Duhon picks Knicks over Magic; agrees to two-year deal. Good or Bad Idea?!

---

Who on here has the Blazers being a champioship team this year???

---

The best draft picks in NBA history, Nos. 1 through 10

---

Despite a diminished fastball, Mussina has been a rock for Yankees

---

It wasn't so long ago that Mike Mussina was practically a ghost in the Yankee family, referred to in the past tense as he slogged along in his eighth and (seemingly) final year in pinstripes. Mussina's ticket out of the Bronx was punched, all right: At 39, his calling card featured an 86 mph fastball and an $11 million contract, not to mention 2007's 5.15 ERA. The door was open, and Hank Steinbrenner indelicately placed his shoe on Mussina's backside when he suggested on April 20 that the aging right-hander, who was 1-3 with a 5.75 ERA at the time, "just needs to learn how to pitch like Jamie Moyer." Steinbrenner wasn't praising the Phillies' 45-year-old lefty as much as he was insulting Mussina. The Yankees' co-owner since has apologized for the remark, and Mussina says the wound has closed. But you wouldn't blame him for enjoying a private last laugh at those who thought he'd been crushed in the war with time. Mussina is tied for second in the American League with 10 wins, on his way to an All-Star berth. In the process, he has blown up the axiom that says a diminished fastball is a guarantee for disaster in the AL. Instead, Mussina's 3.96 ERA -- lowest among Yankee starters -- underscores how wrong everyone was in assuming his career was over and, more importantly, that the Bombers could pin their hopes on rookies Phil Hughes and Ian Kennedy. "I think it's kind of funny that me and Andy [Pettitte] are the only ones still out there," Mussina said. Point taken: Chien-Ming Wang likely is done for the season with a torn tendon in his foot, and it's been well documented how many victories Hughes and Kennedy totaled before heading to the disabled list -- zero. Just where would the Yankees be without their two oldest starters? Together, Mussina and Pettitte have 18 wins, and while it's still hard to believe the duo can get the Bombers to the World Series, the wild card isn't out of the question. Mussina and Pettitte aren't just the front of the rotation; they are the rotation until Joba Chamberlain's transition from the bullpen is complete. Chamberlain took a positive step in that transition Wednesday by earning his first win in his fifth start this season. [+] EnlargeBrett Davis/US Presswire Mike Mussina has won 10 or more games for 17 straight seasons. Mussina might or might not be dropping a subtle hint to the Yankees about getting another contract in 2009, but he says hopefully Steinbrenner and general manager Brian Cashman have learned a lesson about overreliance on youth. "To have those two kids [Hughes and Kennedy] shoved into a tough situation, with very little experience, and then be asked to win 30 games between them, that's a lot," Mussina said. "It's a lot, especially for two of them at the same time." He's right, of course, although his wisdom wouldn't resonate if he weren't getting hitters out. Somehow, he's flourishing, even if every game -- every at-bat -- feels like a flirtation with disaster. Hitters look as if they're ready to destroy his arsenal: a fastball, knuckle-curve and changeup, all delivered at three speeds. Slow. Slower. And Bugs Bunny time warp. Mussina just smiles when asked what it would be like to have Chamberlain's fastball for a day, even for an inning. "Obviously, it would be nice to throw that hard," he said. But Mussina has discovered excellence in reverse: He wants hitters to practically leap through their skin as they load up on one of his meatballs. The more aggressive they are, the greater the likelihood that Mussina will drive them crazy. He rarely throws his four-seam fastball on the first pitch and never challenges hitters when he's behind in the count. Instead, Mussina pitches backward, using his soft stuff when hitters are less likely to look for it, especially at 2-1 and 3-1. The right-hander's greatest strength, though, is control and getting ahead in the count. This year, Mussina is throwing his first pitch for a strike 67 percent of the time, according to Baseball-Reference.com. Overall, 67 percent of the pitches Mussina has delivered in 2008 have been strikes. It's an impressive ratio, considering Mussina is overpowering absolutely no one; hitters are making contact 90 percent of the time when they swing at Mussina's offerings. Compare that to the major leagues' current strikeout leaders, C.C. Sabathia and Edinson Volquez, against whom hitters make contact only 72 and 71 percent of the time, respectively. It goes to show what brains and self-confidence can mean. While doubters keep looking at Yankee Stadium's radar-gun readings and think Mussina's magic carpet ride has to eventually end, the righty shakes his head and says: Think again. "I've learned a lot over the years," he said. Mike [Mussina] is one of the more remarkable pitchers of this generation. That's a fact. --Yankees general manager Brian Cashman It's no

Pierce took the long road to greatness

---

He is not a tidy superstar. You cannot neatly wrap the career of Boston Celtics captain Paul Pierce, the newly minted NBA Finals Most Valuable Player and first-time champion, in a perfectly symmetrical box with a corresponding matching ribbon. His path to greatness has been far too gnarly for that. "You're right," he said, still gleefully gripping his championship hat in the wee hours Wednesday morning. "Life has so many hurdles. Some of them I've hopped over, and some of them I've tripped over. The key is to get back up and finish the race." Pierce is the first MVP to survive a nightclub stabbing so severe that wounds a half inch closer to his lung would have been fatal. It has been eight years since he lay bleeding in former teammate Tony Battie's car, his friend imploring him to "Hang on, man, hang on!" as he raced toward a Boston hospital. Yet, as Banner 17 was secured just before midnight Tuesday with a clinching Game 6 thrashing of the Los Angeles Lakers, coach Doc Rivers found himself harking back to that incident. "I was watching him hold that trophy, and I was thinking to myself, 'Paul Pierce was not just almost out the league. He was almost dead,'" Rivers said. "And now he is the Finals MVP. You tell me. Who else has had a turnaround like that?" Pierce's skills were a constant; the bull strength and deceptive quickness and the devastatingly hard drive with the left hand and the 3-point range that improved as he became more seasoned and grew to discern the difference between a killer 3 and one that strangled his own team. He was always capable of gaudy All-Star numbers, but he was a reluctant captain, alternately passionate and withdrawn, charming and raw with frustration. He lacked talent around him and, at times, maturity within. As each season passed without playoff success, more pressure was heaped on No. 34. Pierce lurked in the shadows of a championship city bedazzled by quarterback Tom Brady, a dime novel hero with dimples and a blessed arm of uncanny accuracy, and David Ortiz, a charming baseball icon with a captivating smile, an imposing bat and a moniker -- Big Papi -- that was infinitely cuddly. Pierce was not cuddly -- nor was he a champion. Boston alternately embraced and rejected him as his fortunes rose and fell with alarming frequency. There was the shocking altercation in a Boston nightclub in September 2000 that left him with multiple stab wounds, fighting for his life. Pierce underwent surgery and was told by his physician that his life likely was spared by the heavy leather jacket he wore, which softened the blow of the knife. Details of the attack were sketchy, and questions persisted. Why not call 911? Why did Pierce seem unwilling to prosecute? The case drifted away, prompting speculation the basketball star knew his assailants. He was always capable of gaudy All-Star numbers, but he was a reluctant captain, alternately passionate and withdrawn, charming and raw with frustration. He lacked talent around him and, at times, maturity within. In time, Celtics fans may have forgotten all about the attack, but the captain did not. The scars were permanent, along with the memories. The nightmares didn't help, either. Even as he hoisted his first championship hardware Tuesday, Pierce conceded that his mind drifted back to that night gone horribly wrong. "I think about it all the time," he confessed just hours after the last pieces of confetti finally had stopped floating from the Garden rafters. "You don't ever forget something like that. It changes you." Magic Johnson, who played summer ball with Pierce in L.A., was troubled enough by the altercation to counsel "his little brother" about making better decisions off the court. "I told Paul he was on the verge of greatness. But I also told him he had to leave the street behind," Magic said. "I know how hard that is. When I drive my car through my hometown of East Lansing [Michigan], I know every cat on the block. I slow down and I wave, but they know I've got to keep on going. They understand. "I told Paul, 'Your boys will understand, too. You don't have to cut them out completely. You can check in with them once in a while. But those choices will decide how far you go in this league.'" Pierce's career seemed boundless when, in the 2002 Eastern Conference finals against New Jersey, he led Boston on an improbable fourth-quarter comeback with 19 points in the final frame. The coaching staff of Team USA tabbed him as a regular in the 2002 World Championships, but by the time the team finished in a humiliating sixth place, coach George Karl had branded him as a selfish player who contributed greatly to the team's failure. [+] EnlargeNathaniel S. Butler/NBAE/Getty Images Pierce sacrificed parts of his game to mesh with Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. And so it went. Pierce was an All-Star in 2003 but a laughingstock