The Sports Truth

A series of ailments - laminitis in the left rear hoof, an abscess in the right rear hoof, as well as new laminitis in both front feet - proved too much for the gallant Barbaro, who was euthanized this week eight months after his tragic Preakness breakdown.

According to the Associated Press, “the 2006 Kentucky Derby winner’s fight for survival was their fight, a symbol of strength, courage and comfort — and, more than anything else, a source of inspiration.”

Excuse us while we saddle up on our high horse for a moment.

Where was the outpouring of support for Mummify last year? Or Charismatic in 1999? Or any of the 240 fatalities on California horse tracks from 2003 to 2005? No one seemed to notice these deaths in the brutal sport of horse racing, because they didn’t involve a Triple Crown attempt.

This sport, if you choose to call it that, exists solely as a hobby for the ultra rich. It’s not humane and it never was. Go ahead and slurp down mint juleps and gamble until your heart’s content. God knows we love sports betting here at the Truth.

But cut the crap. Don’t act as if you care about Barbaro or any other horse’s well being unless you actually do. And you know you don’t.

The outpouring of support Barbaro received in his “brave fight” - how the media knows he was brave or even aware of what was happening when he was killed by a veterinarian is beyond me - would only make sense if a person were against horse racing altogether and felt genuine empathy for all injured animals.

This is a 1,000-pound animal being ridden by a jockey, whipped ferociously and being forced to run over 30 miles per hour. Equine experts claim that top thoroughbreds were born to run, which is probably the biggest crock of $h!t since Barry Bonds claimed he thought “The Cream” was flaxseed oil.

No animal was born to this fate. Colts love to gallop, sure. Freely. If you wish to appreciate horses, how about you go observe them in their natural environment? Head over to the farm. Feed them hay. Go for a light cantor through the fields if that makes you happy.

Or not. I’m no animal rights activist - If millionaires wish to breed the animals and show or race them for others to wager on, terrific. But don’t pretend this is anything else.

It’s just a really fast horse. Had he placed fifth, you’d never know who Barbaro was. There would have been no stories of him being put to sleep after “battling gallantly” to live. He’d have been destroyed, like thousands of others before him, with little fanfare. And had his owners not hoped to keep him alive in hopes he’d bring in millions from breeding, it probably would have happened within 24 hours.

The sincerity of the innocent, naive and loving children above is undeniable. They see Barbaro as a friend, like Mr. Ed or Black Beauty. But adults either see riches, or a means of pretending they care about a good cause.

Shame on those who pretend to care about the animals on display, those who treat them as anything more than the money makers they are, and those who hadn’t heard of Barbaro until he won the Kentucky Derby and now act as if one of their own relatives died.

The mother of four of former NBA star Latrell Sprewell’s children sued him for $200 million Monday, alleging he broke their long-term cohabitation deal and roughed her up last month in their Westchester County home.

Candace Cabbil brought the lawsuit in U.S. District Court, saying Sprewell recently ended the arrangement that developed after they met in 1989 when both attended the University of Alabama.

“I certainly have no comment about that at this point,” said Sprewell’s attorney, Jonathan C. Smith, who probably fears being choked any day now if he talks too much.

The lawsuit says that on September 8, Sprewell broke his promise to share his life with Cabbil when he entered their Purchase, N.Y., home and announced they needed “to end this fake relationship.”

Sprewell started giving Cabbil less money than usual for household expenses and for their children, ages 3, 7, 8 and 11, and made himself scarce when she tried to find him. Cabbil is also the guardian for a 16-year-old Sprewell fathered with another woman. Classy.

It alleges that, in December, Sprewell entered their home, chased Cabbil around and smacked her hand to prevent her from trying to use a cellphone to call the police. Then he allegedly grabbed her and dragged her down a flight of stairs by her feet, causing her physical and emotional injury.

According to the suit, the fight brought a violent end to a relationship that belied earlier promises that she had “nothing to worry about” and she “owned everything he owned” despite Spree’s failure to marry or to put her name on the home he bought for $3 million in 2000.

Cabbil, who gave up a $25,000/year job at a hospital to have their first child in 1995, said there was rarely less than $100,000 in the couple’s joint bank account Sprewell also hired a babysitter and a house cleaner, bought Cabbil new cars and registered her as his wife with the NBA so she could receive health insurance.

When Sprewell was traded from the New York Knicks to the Timberwolves in July 2003, the couple agreed that Cabbil and the children would remain in Purchase. Instead of returning to his family in N.Y., Sprewell chose to live on a yacht he purchased in Wisconsin. Really.

How ironic that the four-time all-star has not played in the NBA since turning down a three-year, $21 million extension offered by Minnesota at the end of the 2004-05 season - a contract he indignantly denounced, stating he had to feed his family. Bet he could use some of that money now that the family wants $200M.

1. (1) Dallas (34-8). The Mavericks retain the edge over Phoenix because of their defensive ability (92.6 points allowed per contest). Meanwhile, Dirk and Josh are deadly.
2. (2) Phoenix (27-8). Take away a two-point loss at Dallas and two overtime losses against Utah and Washington and we’d be looking at a 34-game win streak. The Suns next five games are on the road, then they get Utah, San Antonio and Denver.
3. (3) San Antonio (30-13). Even Pop admits his team is not as hungry as Dallas and Phoenix, but does it really matter? They’ll be hungry when the playoffs begin.
4. (4) Utah (28-14). AK-47 needs to tell Jazz owner Larry Miller to shut the F*%k up or Kirilenko could score more than 9.1 points per game. In case you haven’t noticed, Deron Williams is the best point guard from the 2005 draft and Carlos Boozer (22 points and 12 rebounds per game) should be a legitimate MVP candidate.
5. (5) L.A. Lakers (27-15). Lakers are 10-4 against top Western Conference teams, but they lose too many games against bad opponents. Lamar Odom’s return will help the stretch run.
6. (10) Denver (21-17). Call me crazy, but I’m convinced Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony can coexist. Why the high ranking? Do you really think any of the Eastern Conference teams are better than Denver? Neither do I. Do you think Houston or Minnesota is better? Neither do I. Did you catch that Steve Blake trade? He’s been a huge spark a point guard for the Nuggets.
7. (6) Cleveland (24-17). Road trip hangover led to that home loss against Orlando, but a 2-5 stretch was not very impressive. Still, LeBron James is enough for me to keep them at the top of the East… and I’m sure Gilbert Arenas will post this in his locker for motivation.
8. (8) Detroit (23-16). Chauncey Billups is back and the Pistons look much better. Chris Webber might actually be a good addition if he rebounds and hits jump shots after setting the pick.
9. (9) Washington (24-16). I know they are on fire, but I still think the Cavs and Pistons - and eventually the Heat - are better in the East. Wizards need to play defense and learn how to put teams like the Celtics away.
10. (12) Houston (25-16). Tough stretch — lost three straight to Dallas, Phoenix and Denver. Next up: San Antonio. Anyone notice how well Mutombo is playing? Big man can still rebound.
11. (13) Chicago (23-19). This team is riddled with inconsistency. Now they have moved Ben Gordon back into the starting lineup and they are talking to Memphis about trading for Pau Gasol. I can’t figure them out.
12. (7) Orlando (23-19). Go figure… Magic lose five straight and then win at Cleveland.
13. (20) Miami (19-22). The East should be worried. Shaq is ready to return and they are still within striking distance.
14. (11) Minnesota (20-20). Caught the Kevin Garnett foolishness on ESPN the other night. KG needs to be smarter. He can’t take the bait from a bum like Antonio McDyess. I also don’t understand why McDyess was not suspended.
15. (14) Indiana (21-20). It’s a great trade whenever you can get rid of Stephen Jackson.
16. (18) Toronto (20-22). Raps are 18-14 since they’re terrible start. That type of run can win the Atlantic Division going away.
17. (19) New Jersey (20-21). A 9-3 run keeps them alive, but I’m not very confident they can hold off the Raptors.
18. (16) L.A. Clippers (19-21). They’ll be fighting for that 8th playoff spot, but this could be the most disappointing team in the league.
19. (15) Golden State (19-23). Any trade that brings you Stephen Jackson is not a good trade. What the heck is going on in Oakland? Just play Monta Ellis and let him lead this team.
20. (17) Milwaukee (17-23). The return of Redd and Williams will help. Bogut has really stepped up his game. But they need to end this 1-8 run to stay alive in the East.
21. (21) New York (18-25). They won a few at the buzzer, but the back-to-back losses at the buzzer slowed down a pretty good run.
22. (23) Portland (17-25). Brandon Roy’s 28 points against Milwaukee was great to see.
23. (24) Seattle (16-25). Three straight wins led by Ray Allen and Nick Collison.
24. (22) Sacramento (16-23). How about that Ron Artest? He’s been a big help…to Indiana. Maybe Brad Miller’s return will help.
25. (28) New Orleans / Oklahoma City (16-23). How have they won 4 out of 5? David West is back and he’s angry.
26. (26) Charlotte (14-26). Matt Carroll is still on fire and even Adam Morrison is shooting better these days.
27. (29) Memphis (10-32). 4-13 since Gasol’s return…now you know why they want to trade him.
28. (25) Boston (12-28). 2007-2008 starting five: Rajon Rondo, Delonte West, Paul Pierce, Al Jefferson and Greg Oden. Be afraid, be very afraid. If Tony Allen did not get hurt, this would be the best losing season in Celtics history.
29. (30) Atlanta (13-25). Hawks are trying to get in on this Oden/Durant race.
30. (27) Philadelphia (11-30). Still think they might move Andre Miller. If they do, the first pick in the draft will be theirs.

[Current ranking, followed by last week’s ranking in parentheses, followed by team record]

A few weeks ago, in this very column space, I discussed my apathy for the 2006 New England Patriots season based on their inability to secure a first round bye for the playoffs. As I mentioned last weekend, home teams in the divisional round have a near .800 win percentage, exhibiting the importance of the bye.

However, as many of you may remember, my point was about the likelihood of winning the Super Bowl without a bye, which has occurred three out of the 13 years since the NFL expanded to the 12-team playoff format. This means that of the 52 teams who have qualified for the playoffs without a bye, three have won it all, for a killer Super Bowl success percentage of 5.7 percent.

This all came to fruition last weekend when I picked three out of the four home teams to win their games and advance, a winning percentage of .750, about on par with history. This year, the NFL zagged, giving us two home winners culminating with the dramatic Patriots win. As a result of last weekend, the AFC is guaranteed to be sending a non-bye team to the Super Bowl - as a favorite.

Certainly not surprising to think that the AFC is sending a favorite to the Super Bowl, but considering the chances of non-bye team winning the Super Bowl, it becomes all that more interesting. What, if anything, does this all mean in regards to picking Sunday’s games? Not much. What do we have to go on? The Colts beat New England in the regular season while Chicago and New Orleans didn’t play. We know Brady’s, Belichick’s, and Manning’s history in the playoffs and against each other. Nothing interesting there.

As evidence by the small margin of victories in most of the playoff games so far, Vegas has come out with spreads of Chicago -2.5 and Indianapolis -3, indicating they’re not too confident one way or another either. That’s basically your standard home field advantage spread, meaning that on a neutral field, the games would be pick’em.

This is where it gets interesting. In 2006, the Patriots and Saints were both better on the road than at home. Hmm.

On to the picks…

[Playoffs to date: 6-2. Versus spread: 4-4. Over-under: 6-2]

Team Katrina (+2.5) at CHICAGO, Over/Under 43.0

Last week, home field advantage obviously helped out Team Katrina. It’s the only reason why Andy Reid would possibly punt with 1:55 left and two time outs on 4th and 15. He wanted the people of New Orleans to have something to cheer about (no, Mike Lupica did not demand I write that).

As reader Colin Fisher from Pawcatuck, R.I., points out, “why would Reid go for it on 4th and 10 and then not on 4th and 15? Didn’t he realize that the play he ran on 4th and 10 actually gained 18 yards?” A highly overlooked point. Ron Jaworski yammered on and on about how only one 4th and 15+ was converted in the NFL this year.

Certainly accurate, but out of how many attempts? 5? 10? Not to mention, what about how many 3rd and 15+ were converted this year? Is there all that much difference between 3rd and 15 and 4th and 15 in this punt-happy NFL? Signs point to no. By the way, if you want to see something funny, go to ronjaworski.com and look at the picture of him golfing.

Team Katrina can’t rely on such incompetence from the NFL’s most overrated coach this week, but we gamblers can benefit from something else that’s overrated: the Bears defense. This is not the vaunted defense that was talked about all season and there’s no way they’re stopping Drew Brees, Reggie Bush, Deuce McAllister, Marques Colston, et al., this week.

This game also has no chance of being under.

The Pick: Team Katrina 35, Chicago 24

New England (+3.0) at INDIANAPOLIS, Over/Under 47.5

We know the AFC will be the favorite in the Super Bowl against the NFC regardless of the matchup. We know that the spread on Sunday is based on home field advantage alone. However, one thing still perplexes me.

Indianapolis is currently selling at 1-1 to win the Super Bowl, while New England is selling at 12-5. Does that seem like a three-point spread to you? Me either. Other things in the Colts’ favor is that this is probably the worst Patriots team Indianapolis has ever faced, and despite running issues, this is probably the best defense Tony Dungy has ever brought into the playoffs.

Honestly, do you remember those Colts defenses? They were atrocious. And yes, I haven’t forgotten that Ron Dayne ran for 150+ yards vs. the Colts, but assuming the Colts were not getting a bye - and they were not - that was almost a meaningless game. As for the over/under my 4-0 record from the first round took a hit and went to 6-2, but I’m 2-0 on Indianapolis games and will stick with the under as well.

The Pick: Indianapolis 21, New England 17

They’ve given $126 million to Barry Zito, but the coming weeks will really show us what the San Francisco Giants are made of.

They have a chance to make a statement, to stand up for what’s right. To preserve the integrity of Hank Aaron and what little Major League Baseball has left.

What do they need to do? Nothing.

That’s right, cut off negotiations with Barry Bonds. Issue a statement that the club is beginning a youth movement and has decided to go in a new direction. Then watch with delight as no team in the league picks him up and the steroids era meets its bitter (if only symbolic) end.

Okay, that’s wishful thinking. It take serious cojones to bid adieu to any franchise player - much less a man that has spent 14 years with the team, won countless awards, obliterated records and surpassed all but one on the all-time home run list.

It seems insane to walk away from their one-year, $16 million verbal deal with Bonds now, with him needing just 22 home runs to pass Hank Aaron and become baseball’s all-time home run king. But would anyone be upset? Does anyone argue it would be better for San Francisco?

Granted, I live 3,000 miles away from McCovey Cove. Perhaps there are half a dozen Bonds sympathizers lurking somewhere, or casual fans who just want to witness the record being broken. But I speak for the majority of fans when in saying I hope this contemptible prima donna never plays again.

When Bonds missed all but the final weeks of the 2005 season, I prayed that was it. I let myself believed that the game dodged a bullet. But he made his way back, and now it’s up to the Giants to pull the plug on a career that is perhaps the game’s most accomplished - and definitely its most heartbreaking.

Seriously. This is a gift - a chance to bail without shame. The Giants could blame it on Bonds’ failed drug test, after it was revealed last week that during the ‘06 season, the lefty tested positive for amphetamines. Or, they could cite the high injury risk he poses. Or the circus effect. Or the fact that there are far better uses for $16 million, even in this inflated market.

There’s also, you know, the perjury charge he’s being investigated for. In the BALCO case, dating back to the grand jury in 2003. Really, whatever route they want to take, it’s there. Just do it. Please.

Because if the Giants let Bonds go, there’s no way another team signs him. No one will cough up the kind of money he wants, agree to play him in left field, or want to deal with the headaches. He’ll be forced to retire and end his career on the most sour note imaginable - appropriate, given his unquestioned place as one of the most boorish, abrasive and disgraceful figures in sports history.

San Francisco - and any other team contemplating signing Bonds for a box office boost in the event he hits the open market - needs to consider its place in history. Hank Aaron earned his place in history and should hold the sport’s most cherished record until he’s surpassed by someone worthy.

The all-time home-run king can’t be a joke. He just can’t. We’ve already seen the demise of Roger Maris‘ single-season record 61 to Bonds, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire. Legends of the game shouldn’t have their records broken by individuals who changed their bodies with the aid of illegal, performance-enhancing substances. Not any longer.

If the events of last week are any indication, the writers might be able to keep Bonds out of the Baseball Hall of Fame. But records matter, too, and the all-time home-run mark will be his if the Giants don’t walk away. Bonds’ name won’t be expunged from the history books. It all comes down to you, San Francisco. Do what’s right. Do it for all of us.

In his popular Tuesday Morning Quarterback article this week, Gregg Easterbrook of ESPN.com decided to give his readers a “gambling tip” with this nugget: “Since the current playoff format was adopted in 1990, home teams in the divisional round are 51-13, a .796 winning figure.”

That’s great, Gregg, but for those of us who actually DO gamble (apparently being Baptist does not allow Gregg to bet, and he hides behind the classic excuses such as “wagering only brings regret and sorrow.” Um, Gregg, you forgot money and glory, but those are only minor things) we know of a little thing called the spread.

Would you be surprised if the Bears won their home playoff game? No. Would you be surprised if they won by 10 points? Maybe. That’s the point of the spreads (no pun intended); otherwise Vegas would be losing at a 4-to-1 clip. As my father always says, there’s a reason casinos look so nice.

Nevertheless, Gregg makes a good point. Home teams win games. Considering all four home teams won last week and only Seattle didn’t cover, it would seem reasonable to stick with the home teams again (something I neglected to do last week - but I was 4-0 on the over/under!).

Besides the Chicago/Seattle game, the spreads of the other three games are below a touchdown, something certainly reasonable for home teams to cover. Yet, despite last week, I still feel like I’m making a mistake by taking the favorites. A mistake on par with The Pundit’s Fiesta Bowl “prediction” of “Sooners by 14 in the least-anticipated bowl all year.”

Good call, genius. It isn’t hard to have a “gaudy” winning percentage when you’re only picking winners. I went 5-0 on BCS games against the spread by the way - although I admit I changed my OSU/Florida pick only after another Sports Truth staffer, Michael Brian, picked OSU. I was going to go with OSU, but after Michael backed OSU, well, his record speaks for itself.

On to the picks…

[Last week's record: 3-1. Versus spread: 1-3. Over-under: 4-0]

Indianapolis (+4.0) at BALTIMORE / over-under 41.5

There are two things you need to know about this game. First, every Ravens fan, including a friend of the Sports Truth, James Alexander, is betting their whole stash on the Colts. They all recognize that the 13-3 record is inflated by:

1. A freak win over San Diego
2. The fact that they’re not even as good as a 12-4 team.

Second, every Patriots fan is rooting for Baltimore to win (not expecting, but rooting for Baltimore to win for fear they’re going to lose) because they don’t want to go to Indianapolis to play Peyton Manning. Not that they wouldn’t win, but Baltimore is a much friendlier proposition.

I’d have to guess the few thousand Chargers fans (cheap shot at San Diego’s attempt to not have Patriots fans attend the contest Sunday by restricting sales to California residents only) are rooting for Baltimore as well, but more for revenge purposes. As for the over/under, I think we all learned last week that Indianapolis’ offensive numbers are inflated.

The Pick: Indianapolis 28, Baltimore 10

Philadelphia (+5.0) at TEAM KATRINA / over-under 49.0

Okay, so maybe Team Katrina didn’t come through with the undefeated home record, as I predicted early in the season. But emotionally, what is that much different about Saturday night’s game against the Eagles and their first home game of the season against the Falcons?

Isn’t this just as big? Wouldn’t we all be surprised if the place was not rocking? Not only is it the first playoff game in New Orleans since Hurricane Katrina, it’s only the second time since 1992 that the Saints have even made the playoffs (interestingly, that 1992 game was against the Eagles, whom they lost to, 36-20).

Besides the obvious home playoff implications for New Orleans, Andy Reid and/or Jeff Garcia have to catch up to the Eagles sometime, right? I know I lauded Garcia a few weeks ago, but that wasn’t a road playoff game.

The Pick: Team Katrina 24, Philadelphia 21

Seattle (+9.5) at CHICAGO / over-under 36.5

I’m starting to feel like Chicago is the playoffs version of the Jaguars. Would any result in this game surprise you? If Chicago won 41-7, would anyone be shocked? How about 28-10 Seattle, with Grossman throwing 7 INTs? Or the Bears defense coming up with a late defensive TD to win 35-31?

None of this would surprise me, which makes the game nearly impossible to pick. I guess the only thing we can say is that, unlike the Jaguars, the Bears have been far more consistent with winning football games, and the .796 win percentage of home teams in the Divisional Round speaks for itself.

Top it all of with the fact that Seattle really shouldn’t have beaten the Cowboys last week (I refuse to acknowledge they won, but instead say that Dallas snatched defeat from the jaws of victory) and did not look good, I simply can’t see Seattle winning this Sunday. I can see them covering a close, higher-scoring game, however.

The Pick: Chicago, 35, Seattle 31

New England (+4.5) at SAN DIEGO, Over/Under 46.5

After the Patriots dispatched the Jets last weekend, Sports Truth founder Levi Matthews and I tried to guess the Patriots/Chargers spread. We both came to the classic “Vegas doesn’t know either” line of Patriots +4.5, and were not surprisingly correct.

The interesting thing about that, though, is that Levi would take the Pats, while I’m taking the Chargers. Many of you may recall that a few weeks ago I wrote about the importance of the bye in terms of winning the Super Bowl, and to expound on that, I believe the effect of a bye is no more prevalent than in the Divisional Round.

The stats of the home team speak for themselves - whether that’s a product of rest, playing at home, or whatever - but the psychological aspects of the bye are just as profound. At least in conference championship games, both teams know the other was a wreck the following Monday as well, bye or not. But the prospect of going into San Diego knowing they’re well rested and (in the case of the Chargers) well juiced has to be daunting.

Even for Tom Brady and Bill Belichick.

That being said, much like the Chicago game, if the Patriots won, no one would be surprised. Brady and Belichick vs. Rivers and Schottenheimer is about as much of a mismatch as you can get. Does LaDainian Tomlinson vs. anyone make up for the large handicap the QB and coach are playing with?

I’d say so. However, as a biased writer, I believe all the Pats need to do is get by San Diego and a trip to Miami is theirs. Unfortunately, I don’t see that happening.

The Pick: San Diego 31, New England 24

1. (4) Dallas (29-8). A staggering 29-4 since their 0-4 start. All four losses have come on the road. The Mavericks are also playing better defense — holding the Suns, Nuggets and Jazz under 100 points in recent wins.
2. (1) Phoenix (27-8). Steve Nash’s 21 assists with just one turnover against Cleveland is one of the most impressive lines I’ve seen all season. An even more telling stat about the Suns: Against Cleveland, they did not have a 20-point scorer, but still scored 110 points.
3. (2) San Antonio (26-11). Both Phoenix and Dallas appear to be the better teams at this point, but the Spurs still have a shot at 60 wins and you won’t want to see them in the playoffs.
4. (3) Utah (24-11). Holding on after their strong start. Jazz look like they will stay in the top half of the West for the entire season. They lost three out of seven against San Antonio, Dallas and Houston, but Deron Williams led them to a big win over Denver.
5. (6) L.A. Lakers (23-13). Kobe Bryant has held the team above water without Odom, but back-to-back blowout losses on the road in Memphis and Houston are troubling.
6. (11) Cleveland (22-13). Cavs are in the middle of a brutal seven-game west coast road trip. A few wins could give LeBron James and company a comfortable advantage in the East.
7. (10) Orlando (22-14). Dwight Howard’s 30 and 25 the other night was about as impressive as Nash’s 21 assists last night. As long as Grant Hill stays healthy, the Magic have enough to stay at the top of the East.
8. (5) Detroit (20-13). They’re 2-3 without Billups, and just 2-5 in their last seven games. The Pistons will be fine when he returns, but they are not very good with Carlos Delfino and Will Blalock running the point.
9. (12) Washington (20-14). An amazing 11-3 in their last 14 with all three losses coming on the road. In the Eastern Conference, that is a huge run.
10. (9) Denver (17-16). Struggling at 1-6 in their last seven with Allen Iverson. That’s even more proof that Carmelo Anthony is one of the five best players in the NBA and A.I. is not.
11. (15) Minnesota (17-16). Kevin Garnett is playing like an MVP. He is one of only three players averaging 20 and 10 and he is the only one averaging at least 22/12.
12. (8) Houston (23-13). Rockets are 7-3 since Yao Ming’s injury. How long can they keep it up? Will he return? Both are doubtful.
13. (7) Chicago (20-17). Still an up and down team. They’ve lost five out of six, with their only win in that stretch coming against Detroit.
14. (13) Indiana (20-16). Uninspiring team that will hover around .500 all season. They won three in a row against bottom of the barrel teams (Atlanta, New Orleans/Oklahoma City and Boston).
15. (15) Golden State (18-19). Matt Barnes has been great. Every player they have picked up off the scrap heap has played well.
16. (20) L.A. Clippers (17-19). It’s amazing how average this team is, but they are still just 5-13 on the road. They are playing better of late, but the Clips need road wins to get back in to the West race.
17. (21) Milwaukee (16-19). I told you all five Central Division teams would make the playoffs, but the loss of Michael Redd will hurt the Bucks’ chances.
18. (23) Toronto (16-20). A month ago I told you this was the team to watch in the Atlantic Division. The loss to New Jersey was tough, but wins over Washington and Milwaukee will help their playoff chase.
19. (22) New Jersey (16-19). I’m not convinced the Nets will hold off the Raptors or the Knicks… or even the Celtics if they decide to make a push when Paul Pierce returns.
20. (17) Miami (15-19). The Heat are getting just what they need with Shaq out. They are only a half game out of the final playoff spot with no need to rush the big fella back.
21. (27) New York (16-21). They are winning a few games as of late, but don’t get too excited, they’ll soon lose 9 of 10 and the complaining will resume.
22. (19) Sacramento (14-18). Did you know Ron Artest leads the league in steals? Yeah, I didn’t care either. Bad mistake by ESPN the Magazine for putting him on the cover. He should just go away.
23. (18) Portland (14-23). Zach Randolph… blah, blah, blah. Randolph… blah, blah, blah. At least some of the young guys are getting some time for next year.
24. (24) Seattle (13-25). Just three wins in their last 17 games. Good luck getting Rashard Lewis to return next year.
25. (16) Boston (12-22). When we last submitted these power rankings, the Celtics were coming off of a 48-minute domination of Carmelo Anthony and the Nuggets, Al Jefferson looked like an All-Star and Tony Allen was finally becoming a star. Since then, Paul Pierce has not played, Allen destroyed an ACL and Jefferson’s scoring has slowed a bit. Jefferson still looks like a star and Gerald Green is a scoring machine, but Greg Oden and Kevin Durant are looking more and more like they should get used to wearing green.
26. (28) Charlotte (10-23). Nothing new from the Bobcats. They are still Giant-Killers with wins against playoff-bound teams every week (Detroit and LAL are the latest), but they still struggle with consistency from their young stars on a nightly basis.
27. (30) Philadelphia (9-26). They were energized for about a week and then they remembered they did not want to win games. Their four-game slide is better for their future… so is paying Chris Webber to go away.
28. (25) New Orleans / Oklahoma City (13-22). They’re just 5-19 since an 8-3 start. No Chris Paul, No Peja, No David West, No Bobby Jackson and No chance this season.
29. (29) Memphis (9-27). I’m sorry, but I don’t understand why Hakim Warrick is not playing more than 20 minutes per game now that Pau Gasol is back. Warrick led the team in scoring 10 times. He went from 32 minutes and 15 points per game down to 13 minutes and 7 points per game. I don’t understand what he did to lost that much time. I would think the Grizzlies would find more time for Warrick and less time for Dahntay Jones.
30. (26) Atlanta (10-23). Remember the optimism surrounding their 4-1 start? Yeah, that faded faster than Mike Vick and the Atlanta Falcons.

Looks like we will now find out if soccer has what it takes to make it in the U.S. of A. After much speculation about joining Major League Soccer after being demoted from both the English national team and his club team, Real Madrid, David Beckham is coming to America.

In the week leading up to the 2006 MLS Cup Championship the owners passed a rule that would allow teams to spend any amount of money over the salary cap to acquire a player. Many immediately dubbed this rule the “Beckham Rule” - and for good reason, it turned out.

Beckham has been signed by the L.A. Galaxy for a whooping $250 million for five years. This contract easily becomes the largest contract ever given a professional athlete in the U.S., topping the Alex Rodriguez deal of $250 million for 10 years signed in 2000 with the Texas Rangers.

David Beckham brings to U.S. soccer a face that the world will recognize - and relate to the MLS. This isn’t like when Pele came over to the long-defunct North American Soccer League at the end of his career. Teams in both Spain and England still wanted Beckham to play for them and he picked MLS. The other side of the ocean will now take notice of MLS, credibility it desperately needs.

Despite what many people say, Beckham can still play. He scored a goal in the World Cup this year and is merely 31 years old. He is the master of the free kick and set piece. American star Landon Donovan, now his teammate, has to be on his hands and knees thanking the powers that be for getting him the “Lord of the Cross.”

Remember when Michael Jordan returned to play the Bulls the first time with the Wizards, or when Shaq went back to L.A. to face the Lakers? Everyone had to be at those games or see them on TV. Beckham will make every game he plays an event, and people who have never attended a soccer game will be looking to get a peak at who David Beckham really is.

There is a reason David picked L.A. to play for. He wants to be the biggest star there is and that can only be accomplished in two places, L.A or N.Y. Beckham is the quintessential superstar in every sense of the word. He’s the most recognizable athlete in the world, the former captain of the English national team, and married to Victoria Beckham (a.k.a. Posh Spice).

He’s a rock star and a star athlete rolled into one. That said, it’s a lot of money to spend for a league that is still in the red every year. But at some point they had to make a move and see if the league can stand on its own. Expect a few other stars to follow Beckham’s footsteps, as a lot of stars look up to him and will listen if he tells them MLS is where they want to be.

If every NHL game ended like this, we might actually watch the NHL on a regular basis. Okay, not really. But still, check out this bizarre sequence from the Edmonton-Dallas game on January 4, in which Patrick Stefan fans on an empty net opportunity that would have clinched it for the Stars, who when surrender the game-tying goal to Ales Hemsky of the Oilers with two seconds left:

One was the iron man who played in 2,632 consecutive games.

One was the hitting machine who won eight batting titles.

Both were voted into the Baseball Hall of Fame this week, but their achievements were overshadowed by a man who wasn’t: A slugger who shattered Roger Maris‘ single-season home run record, and who many credited with saving the game in the late 1990s, but later fell from grace because of suspected steroid use.

The name of Mark McGwire was included on just 128 of the 545 ballots (23.5 percent) cast by baseball writers who took part in the voting. Far short of the 75 percent needed for induction, McGwire’s rejection is an encouraging sign that writers will not look the other way regarding the sport’s steroids era - even if the league itself will.

McGwire, 43, retired after the 2001 season, his 583 career home runs good for seventh all-time. As concern over steroid use grew, McGwire came under increasing suspicion in retirement. It came to a head when he refused to answer questions about steroid use during Congressional hearings in March 2005.

McGwire repeatedly stated he would not discuss the past, a silence overwhelmingly viewed by baseball writers who take part in the Hall of Fame voting as an admission that he took steroids while playing. The fact that he would not publicly acknowledge doing so, at the hearing or since then, only made matters worse.

New inductees Tony Gwynn, the perennially prolific hitter, and Cal Ripken, Jr., the shortstop who broke Lou Gehrig’s consecutive games played streak in 1995, offered differing opinions on McGwire.

“The fact that Mark didn’t get in, I think it’s more of people making a statement about the Congressional hearings than it is what he was able to do on the baseball field,” Gwynn said. “I don’t mind saying I think he’s a Hall of Famer. I do.”

“When I sit and look at myself, I don’t think it’s my place to actually cast judgment,” Ripken said. “I honestly believe the truth will be known. It saddens me that baseball as a whole had to go through this process and had the integrity of the game be questioned because of steroid use.”

A vague indictment - and one that may prove telling. It remains to be seen whether the verdict on McGwire has a trickle-down effect on Hall of Fame chances of others linked to steroids:

• Rafael Palmeiro, one of four players with more than 3,000 hits and 500 homers, who failed a drug test in 2005.
• Sammy Sosa, whose home run battle with McGwire in 1998 entranced much of the nation, but who has also been linked to steroid use and offered unrevealing testimony at the 2005 hearings.
• Barry Bonds, who eclipsed McGwire’s single-season record with 73 home runs in 2001 and needs only 22 homers to pass career leader Hank Aaron, but who. remains under investigation by a federal grand jury in connection with the Bay Area Laboratory Co-Operative (BALCO) steroid-distribution case.

One can only hope that all three are stonewalled by the writers, who appear willing to protect the integrity of the game and the Hall of Fame. Cooperstown should be a shrine to the elite, and if evidence exists that a player would not qualify without the aid of performance enhancing drugs, he cannot in good conscience be admitted.