HOW WILL THE WILD WILD EAST BE WON???

When MLB made the Houston Astros go and play a 2 game series in Milwaukee earlier this month they complained that MLB wouldn’t do this to a High Spending team or a High Profile team like a New York Team.  The Astros might be more right than ever on this issue.  When the New York Mets start play this weekend they might be heading towards a Rain Storm like no other. What is MLB thought on how to resolve this issue with the schedule and possible rain outs.  Will Major League Baseball make the Mets play their final games in Minute Maid Park or somewhere else to get these games in on time????? NOOOOOOO not at all. It is the final days of Shea Stadium and because the Mets are such a High Profile team MLB won’t make them play their games elsewhere. They are determined to make sure the Mets play at home and get into the playoffs.  The have talked about a Doubleheader on Monday and then possible play in games on Tuesday and Wednesday, where????? At home of course at Shea Stadium.

Now if there is a 3 way tie between the Mets, Phillies and Brewers what will happen do you say. Well The Mets and Phillies will have a play in game to see who wins the Division. The Looser then will play the Brewers to see who wins the wild card. Because of this storm on the east coast the Phillies and Mets are going to have to play around the storm at where again???? Oh yeah Home. If only the Astros had the same possibility and respect that MLB gives the Mets and some higher profile teams. At the time the Astros were the hottest team in the NL and then they have to go play in Milwaukee which is only 90 miles away from their opponent’s home field.  Cubs tickets are hard to come by, so what happened the Cubs faithful drove the 90 miles up north to see their team. The travel and stress put on the Astros because of this brutal schedule they got 1 hit………. IN TWO GAMES.

 

SHAME ON YOU BUD SELIG AND MLB. WHY ARE THERE ADVANTAGES TO SOME TEAMS AND NOT OTHERS. Bud Selig said all options were sought out and that was the only play they could come up with. Really Bud, Really???  Milwaukee your home park and your team that your daughter runs, How much money did you get out of that series up there???? Why couldn’t the Astros just gone across the state to Dallas-Arlington and play where the Rangers play and it could be a truly neutral site where neither team has played before.  The Astros were set to play the Cubs on September 12Th, 13Th and 14Th while the Rangers were away in Oakland.  Now if some Blogger can come up with that plan of Attack why can’t the Head of MLB?????  Why did you get an extension again Bud????? Oh yeah no one wanted the job in the first place and no one still wants it that is why. I would blame the owners for voting for you again but they figure since you’re willing to take that job why go find another Monkey when they already have one in place.

 

 

Josh Hammer - Overtime Sportswear

GREG ODEN……. MAN?? MYTH??? LEGEND???? OR ALL 3

When the Portland Trailblazers drafted some kid out of Thee Ohio State University in 2007 they didn’t know they were going to have to wait another full year to get their brand new toy out of it’s wrapper before they could play with it.  Greg Oden COULD be the next Shaq or Bill Russell, he COULD also be the next Jo Jo White or Sam Bowie.  Who knows?????  In the NBA everyone is so quick to say that guy is the next Jordan, Kareem or Magic and so on and so forth.  Why can’t Greg Oden just be the next Greg Oden???  Is there some sort of Chart in the NBA league office which says if you get above this guys stats you’re a Hall Of Famer?? 

When Kobe Bryant first came into the league everyone said he was the next Air Apparent to Jordan. What happened after that???? Kobe tried to be the next Jordan and Ran Shaq out of town, same with Phil the first go around and he tried playing like Jordan used too. People just need to let the Memories of their heros and reminders of a Great Basketball Era remain in the past. Stop Comparing Oden to Russell and Kobe to Jordan. The best Era of basketball thus far in my life is behind us with Jordan, Bird, Magic, Charles and so on and so on.  This Generation with Kobe, Durant, and Oden is starting to turn the corner back to the old school ways and respecting the game and keeping out of trouble for the most part. The Past is the Past isn’t it Kobe.

Oden has never been in the press for anything bad and from the way ALL of his TEAMMATES, COACHES and FAMILY talk, YOU NEVER WILL!!!!  Greg Oden has his head on straight and hopefully will be taking his first step to Sprigfield Mass. soon for all to see.  Oden in his off time has fun like any 20 should, being a part of the ESPY’s, practicing, and staying grounded with his Dog McLovin!!!!

I am hoping soon that we get to see what all the Hype is all about.   The only thing stoping Greg Oden to be one of the Greatest Players EVER is Greg Oden and injuries.  He has all the tools, mindest and great family support around him and he knows a moocher when he sees one.

 

Josh Hammer - Overtime Sportswear

THE NBA NEEDS MORE PEOPLE LIKE RAY RAY

“What is the first thing to hit your brain when I say Ray Allen? Shooting Guard? NBA Champion? Sweetest Shot, maybe ever? When I think of Ray Allen, I think of a guy who has OCD and wants to improve his shot as well as the life of his teammates, friends and the rest of the NBA. For Years Ray Allen has been one of if not the best
PERSON in the league. There is a huge line in my eyes between player and person off the court. Ray Allen goes out of his way to let the community know who he is and what he stands for.

From Day 1 in Seattle Ray Allen took out a Full Page Ad in the Seattle Times talking about how his dad was in the Military and how he traveled all over all the time and how Seattle Made him feel at home. That same year Ray won the NBA Sportsmanship Award.

When receiving the Joe Dumars Sportsmanship Award in 2003 Ray Allen was Quoted as saying, “There are a lot of guys in the league who do their jobs well,” Allen said. “I pride myself on doing my job well while also representing myself, my family and my teammates with pride and respect.” - AP Ray is also part of the Read to Achieve Program formed by the NBA and Not only does Ray Allen help the city of Seattle when it needed it the most in the early years, but when he was called upon in the NBA Finals for the Celtics he Stepped up huge and averaging more points in that single series than any other in the play offs that year. While Averaging 20 points, 5 Rebounds and 2.5 Assist for an OCD Shooting guard I would say is not too shabby. Why are there not more guys like Ray Allen, who put the Community, Teammates, and Family First???? I know if there were more guys like him, I’d watch the NBA More often!!

Josh Hammer - Overtime Sportswear

What is Up with the NBA?

The NBA for the longest time has been a Dictatorship with David Stern at the top ruling with an Iron fist.  When Stern rolled out the Dress Code a few years back, a lot of players didn’t like it. Stern said Tough, either you do it or get out, plain, simple and too the point.  When Stern tried to please Animal Rights Activist by going to a different type of ball, all of his players once again said they hated it and once again he said Tough.  It wasn’t until the games started being affected by the new ball that Stern decided to look into it. Showing once again that Stern only cares about the Game and how it is perceived around the Nation and Worldwide.  How will David Stern be able to rule with an Iron Fist when some of his main Stars like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James jump the pond to go make $1.75 on the American Dollar????  What will Stern do to keep his league his??? Will he just buy every league in Europe to make certain that he and the NBA Front Office get their cut of all Merchandise sold of his stars??  Dave, (I can call him that since we are so close) has been talking for years to try and get a Team or League in Europe and in the last 2 or so years has wanted to start a NBA League in China. Who will be the Commissioner in those leagues?? Certainly David can’t live forever and I think China will have something to say about ruling with an Iron Fist over there after all they handled the Olympics pretty damn well. 

 The NBA is starting to Change again like when Jordan and some other big stars left and it isn’t changing in a good way!!  The NBA used to be thought of the league that housed thugs and rule breakers, Stern came in and Cleaned it up like he always does and then Josh Howard, Darrell Aurthur, Mario Chalmers and many other instances happened in the last few years. I understand the NBA isn’t full of Thugs as many sports aren’t but just like the Nightly news “If it Bleeds, It Leads”!!!  No one pays attention to all the good that players do, they just look at the negative. Like the Malice in the Palace, The Tim Donaghy scandal, 2 young players getting busted in ROOKIE CAMP, Josh Howard being completely insensitive to all black people as well as this country. 

I tell you what Josh Howard if you don’t Celebrate Our National Anthem, I respect your decision and even your right to free speech but this Country that you turned your back on has given you and everyone you know everything they own.  So since you’re Black and you don’t celebrate our Anthem which doesn’t make sense in itself, why don’t you tell us what you do celebrate and which country you wished you lived in?????

What happened to this once GREAT LEAGUE???  The Seattle Sonics have the 12Th best TV market and leave to Oklahoma the 45Th largest TV market which just contradicts the NBA’s way of thinking.  The NBA then says that Seattle will get another team in the near future.  WTF is that???? Why not just put an expansion team in Oklahoma and let the Longest tenured team in Seattle stay????  The Seattle Sonics won the City’s only Major Championship and then the NBA held the City hostage, since when is that part of the business plan of Sterns League??? 

I used to LIVE for the NBA but when Jordan left, an end of an Era left with him. Young Punks are saying stupider things daily and not having any respect for their teammates, the league, players that came before them or even the fans, who by the way ultimately pay their salaries!!  Maybe we do need to find a way to help David Stern live forever and keep this league under wraps.  Is this how Dr. James Naismith thought his game would turn out???

 

 

Josh Hammer - Overtime Sportswear

POWER RAKINGS - TOP 5 TEAMS WEEK 2

The Power rankings for week two might just surprise a few of you.  Week 2 was full of ups and downs going from Peyton’s comeback to the Seahawks Swiss cheese defense.  These are the NFL power ranking for week 2 (thru SUNDAY) according to Overtime Sportz.

 

5. ARIZONA CARDINALS - The Cardinals look like a completely different team this year than the past year or two. Why, you ask?????  I have two words for you KURT WARNER. Not only has the 2 Time MVP resurrected his career in Arizona and have the best 2 WR tandem in the NFL but previous QB’s he has taught have done well too, I.E ELI and Marc Bulger. Although Bulger hasn’t done well since the Rams have signed Scott Linehan but is still considered league wide as one of the most accurate passers in the NFL.  Since the Cards got their Tough & Mean spirit from their coach last year it seems like the CHI of the Cards have changed the way they think and preform.  Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm have brought that “Hit ‘em in their Mouth” mentality to the Cardinals from Bill Cowher and it is the best hire the city of Phoenix has had since the hire of Mike D’Antoni, hopefully MANAGEMENT doesn’t run him out like the the Suns did with Mike D’Antoni.

 

4. NEW YORK GIANTS - How do you win in the NFL????? ONE WORD, BALANCE!!! The New York Giants are one of if not the most balanced teams thus far in the early going.  The Giants just ask ELI to be ELI, not to win or loose the game and they just play smash mouth football better than most teams.  Their running game is probably the best in the league from top to bottom.  Jacobs, Ward and Bradshaw, not too shabby if you ask me and probably any or all of them could be starting for more than 1/3 of the league.  Justin Tuck could very easily win the NFL Defensive player of the Year with how he is playing in the early going (2 sacks, 1 INT 1 TD SUNDAY and he is a DE). I know they Giants only beat the Rams this week but you have to win the games on your schedule. They made the Redskins and Rams both look like they couldn’t beat USC. 

 

3. GREEN BAY PACKERS -BRETT WHO????? Aaron Rodgers has put the Ghost of Green Bay’s past behind him in the early going with his beating down of 2 division opponents in Minnesota and Detroit.  In the Early going the Packers have a 1 games lead in the Division with wins over Minn and Detroit and when they face the Cowboys next week, we should be able to get a real reading of how good the Packers really are.  The Chico Product (Aaron Rogers) is completing 70% of his passes and has 4 TD’s to 0 Int in the first two games, not bad for a guy who hasn’t started a game in the NFL coming into this year.  Ryan Grant is a little banged up but Brandon Jackson is right on his tail to keep the competion alive at the RB position and the WR are only getting better with the ball being spread around so much.  Donald Driver is getting older but his play is getting  younger with his new QB not to metion Greg Jennings looking better and better every snap of the game.

 

2. DENVER BRONCOS - With a very controversial win against their Division Rival the San Diego Chargers on sunday, the Broncos are still up in the top 5 in the Power Rankings. Jay Cutler looks like the QB Mike Shannahan was telling people he will be when he drafted him 3 years ago.  Jay Cutler is leading a team and Matt Leniart and Vince Young are sitting the pine, who is having the last laugh now????  Cutler faced Adversity in College playing in the SEC while Young and Leniart were giving plenty of tools around them to succeed that is why Cutler is doing well in the NFL if you ask me.  When you are given everything you want growing up it is tough to go live on your own for the first time when you haven’t worked one day in your life. The same equasion applies to the NFL at any position espically the QB position!!  TWO things are for sure about the Broncos 1. Brandon Marshall is a Top 5 WR and no one knows who will get the most carries for the Broncos!!

1. CAROLINA PANTHERS - A lot of people might be surprised about this pick thus far but, BALANCE BALANCE BALANCE!!! The Last time the Panthers had this much Balance they went to the Super Bowl.  When you loose your BEST player to a two game TEAM IMMPOSED suspension in Steve Smith and you go into SAN DIEGO and beat the Bears who beat down the Colts in week 1,  you’re doing something right.  The Panthers are a lot better on Defense with Peppers, Gamble, Harris, Lucas and a lot more healthy names this year!!  Power Rookie Johathan Stewart are keeping people honest as well as keeping DeAngleo Williams healthy and fresh.  I think Carolina will only get better with the addition of Steve Smith a Pro Bowler with something to show the League!!

 

 

Josh Hammer - Overtime Sportz

THE 5 WORST TEAMS IN THE NFL - WEEK 1

Opening weekend had a lot of ups and downs with teams looking like they were in mid-season form and others looking like they never even had a training camp at all.  The bottom 5 teams in the power rankings week 1 without question if you ask me are…………

5. Cincinnati Bengals - Carson Palmer looked like a deer in the headlights all game long. I know they were playing the Ravens but these are not the same Ravens that won the Super Bowl in 2000.  Carson failed to reach 100 yards passing which with that team and receivers is pathetic as well as slap in the face of the Bengal Fans.  When Joe Flacco a Rookie from a Division II school Delaware and a Ravens team without it’s top Running Back hold you to 10 points and not a single offensive TD they are lucky they’re not in the bottom spot.  Chad, T.J. and Carson need to step up and produce like they should be able too.  We all know the Bengals don’t know how to play defense but with that offense they need to start trying to out score their opponets or they will be on the outside looking in again year after year with that team.

4. San Francisco 49ers - Frank Gore didn’t have any help on Sunday what so ever. It was like he was the only player playing in the Division Match Up between them and the Cards.  Frank Gore ran for 96 Yards and a TD on only 14 carries, and not to mention catching 4 balls for 55 yards as well.  If the 49ers didn’t turn the ball over 5 times yes 5 times in week one they probably would have pulled out the victory.  No one could stop Frank Gore when he had the ball the problem was he didn’t have enough chances at all since the 49er D was always out on the field.  When the San Fran Defense is out on the field 15+ more minutes that the Cards you will more than likely loose whether or not they committed 5 T.O.’s  Some parts of the 49ers offense looked good but overall looked just disgusting and in-experienced.

3. OAKLAND RAIDERS - When you play for the Raiders and Al Davis is your owner, and you open up a brand new season AT HOME on MONDAY NIGHT against a Division Rival you need to come up with more than 14 points, PERIOD!!!!!  When the Raiders’ leading reciver has 39 yards and it is your Fullback, that is horrible.  Going into the season the Raiders were high on their QB since they took him Number 1 overall last year, you need to give him some decent targets to throw too.  When the only WR who had TD for the Raiders is a disgruntled Ashley Lelie that is not good.  He might not be disgurntled now but just wait a bit, every team he has been with has been happy to get rid of the headache called Hurricane Lelie.  The running game looked decent for the Raiders, too bad it wasn’t the guy who they wanted to do most of the running looking great. Run DMC (Darren McFadden) hurt his shoulder in the game a little bit and is expected to be back at practice on Wednesday.  Justin Fargas who gained over 1,000 yards last year looked decent and personally made me question taking McFadden since they have so many other needs and problems.

2. Washington Redskins - New Coach, New System, Crappy execution of it all.  Jason Campbell didn’t even complete his first pass until there was less than 2 minutes in the first half.  Campbell made it look like he wanted to call it a night during halftime.  The Redskins didn’t have a drive last over 2:50 until their 9th drive of the night and it didn’t even end up in any sort of score at all.  The Skin’s defense played 2 different games between the first and second half. The Giants scored on their first 4 drives and were shut out in the second half which if you have to try and find something good for the skins, I guess that is it.

1. St. Louis Rams - Where to start????? The Rams only had 46 plays fro if you ask mem scrimmage which is just pathetic. 0-11 on Third Down Conversions which might even be worse.  Steven Jackson had 14 rushing attempts and only had 40 yards as well as 3 receptions for 34 yards, not very good for a top 5 back in the league. Not having Orlando Pace really hurts the Rams as does loosing their link to the Los Angles Rams in Isaac Bruce. Not having these two players hurt Jackson, Holt and Bulger more than we knew from training camp it looks like.  When Randy McMichael, who is a good TE granted, but when he is your leading receiver that is not too good for the Rams or their Offense.

Josh Hammer - Overtime Sportz

FROM 18 & 1 To 1 & N0!!!!!!

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. — Tom Brady will miss the entire season with a left knee injury that needs surgery, leaving the New England Patriots without one of the game’s great quarterbacks and severely damaging their hopes of a return trip to the Super Bowl.

The 2007 NFL Most Valuable Player will be placed on injured reserve, the Patriots said Monday, one day after Brady’s knee collapsed under him when he was hit by Chiefs safety Bernard Pollard in the first quarter of a 17-10 victory over Kansas City. Read more

WHAT IS THE BEST NFL GAME THIS SUNDAY….. or MONDAY???

If you were to ask me what might be the best game this Opening NFL Weekend, I think I’d have to throw out 2 teams that hate each other as well as a Division Match Up.  NO NO NO not the Jets and Miami, that wouldn’t even be a story if Brett Farve hadn’t joined the Jets at all. It would be the 4-12 Jets of last year against the lonely Miami Dolphins of 1-15 a year ago. Read more

CBS sues for free access to stats for fantasy football……Can you say Greedy???

MINNEAPOLIS — CBS has filed a federal lawsuit in Minneapolis to clarify who can use the statistics that underlie fantasy football leagues.

The lawsuit filed earlier this week claims the NFL Players Association has threatened to sue the company if it does not pay licensing fees for the statistics.

CBS Interactive seeks a ruling saying that the players cannot control use of the publicly available numbers and cannot demand CBS pay for their use.

Players association attorney Jeffrey Kessler isn’t commenting because he just got the lawsuit.

In a case involving a Missouri-based company’s fantasy baseball games, major league baseball players argued they should be paid for the commercial use of their names. The 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis ruled against the players earlier this year.

AP NEWS
The Associated Press News Service

The NFLPA wants more money than they are already getting paid because Fantasy Football Leagues are using their names and stats to play in all its leagues. Personally if the NFLPA wants to play this game, I’ll just play one right back. I’ll back old school and just look up the stats for every player in every league I am playing in.  Before there were computers and Live Scoring on all the websites like CBS, ESPN, FOX and countless others there was the good old fashioned news paper.  Now that there are computers, you can look up stats just as fast in a box score or will the NLFPA file a suit against people using Box Scores as well???  The stats are free if you ask me, if there wasn’t any fantasy leagues what would the NLFPA complain about then??  What is next, Royalty fees for just speaking names of the NFLPA players in public????  The NFLPA might want to start suing all the NFL Pre-Game shows as well. If you ask me the NFLPA just needs to concentrate on keeping its players out of the News and Police Blotters!!!!

Josh Hammer - Overtime Sportz

FANTASY FOOTBALL AND MORE

For all of those people that are looking for some help in the Fantasy Football Department, Overtime Sportz will be posting the NFL INJURY REPORT every WEDNESDAY! If you have any Fantasy Questions as far as Match Up Questions or Start’em - Sit’em Questions, or anything else I will do my best to help out all that I can so feel free to bring it!!!!

Josh Hammer - Overtime Sportz

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