Week 2 of the 2012 NFL Playoffs

As we all know by now, the NFL wild card round has concluded this past weekend. All the games gave us some exciting and stunning moments!

Denver's miraculous victory over the Steelers was certainly a surprise for everyone outside of all the Denver die hard fans. The game came down to overtime and left me in awe. A first play touchdown in OT was a great way to cap off a great performance overall. All I know is...TIM TEBOW IS FOR REAL! yeah, he's been putting out 4th quarter miracles throughout the year but the playoffs are a different story. All the criticisms that this man takes is uncalled for although he does lack the skills of a real QB....Just kidding! He has all the right tools to develop into a dynamic QB. He's unique and keeps the opposing defense guessing. The kid has talent and get's the job done. It's as simple as that.

My Texans beat out the Bengals too. It came to little to no surprise for me. I just thought Arian Foster would be too much for the Bengals to handle and I was right. Dalton seemed to have felt the pressure but I'll give him props for hanging in there. He displayed great poise throughout the regular season to earn some respect.

The Giants put a pounding on the Falcons over the weekend. I was surprised about the score but not surprised about the outcome. I picked the Giants to win and I expect them to keep rollin'.

The Saints are simply on fire and the Lions didn't put a good effort out there. It was a high scoring affair and that was no shock. 45-28 was the final score there.



THIS WEEK

Denver vs New England - Can Tebow continue his awesome play? In my opinion, yes he can. New England's defense is nothing to be scared of compared to the Steelers. Pittsburgh was a little banged up and that may have had a major part in their loss but Denver has to be credited too. Their defense played well and kept Big Ben in check the whole day. BUT, sadly...I don't expect Tebow's magic to continue this week. The Patriots offense is much more proven and talented than the Steelers offense. If Tim Tebow struggles early, the Broncos will not get a chance to come back because the deficit will be too big. Put your money on the Pats.

Baltimore vs Houston - I love this matchup! Arian Foster should put off a good performance but the Ravens powerhouse D is scary. With TJ Yates, the Ravens could blitz often and put pressure on the young man. Although the Texans are playing really well, I really think the Ravens will run away with this.(I hope not). Ray Rice should be the focal point like he is always and Flacco should be decent. Expect a very hard fought game. I'm taking the Ravens to win this game. It breaks my heart though. I'm a big Texans fan. I hope they win but it's a long shot.

Green Bay vs NYG - Another great matchup! I'm going to go out and predict that the Giants will WIN this football game. Why? They are red hot right now. Elisha, yes I said Elisha, is playing great! He's doing everything! And with the weapons that he can work with, I don't expect a let-down even against a good D. Aaron Rodgers is still Aaron Rodgers and he should be able to exploit the different matchups and take full advantage of mismatches. He always plays well and the Packers are the reigning Champs. I just feel a really big upset in this one! I'll take the Giants and ride the momentum train with them!

New Orleans vs SF - Drew Brees vs Alex Smith. At the beginning of the season, you wouldn't be able to put these guys in the same sentence but they have been playing really well for their teams. Smith has been playing decent and steady while Brees was breaking records. It isn't a great comparison by numbers but if you compare the way they lead their teams, it would be a pretty good argument. The 49ers D is probably more of the reason why they have made it this far but you gotta give credit to Alex! I do expect a hard fought game to be played here and this is another one that I will feel is an upset. Is the Saints beating San Fran an upset? That's weird to say isn't it? I'll take the Saints in this game even though I expect Gore and company to tear it up!

Oh, Henry!

The Grizzlies, 76ers and Hornets pulled off a three way trade today.

The Grizzlies gave up: Xavier Henry(to Hornets), 2nd Round Pick(to 76ers)
The Hornets gave up: 2nd Round Pick(to 76ers)
The 76ers gave up: Mareese Speights(to Grizzlies)

To me, these are all good under the radar type of moves.

For the Grizzlies, bringing in big man Mareese Speights is a great insurance move for the loss of Zach Randolph. Z-Bo is reportedly out for 6-8 weeks with a torn MCL. We all know how good the Grizzlies are and they can't let Zach's injury distract them. Dante Cunningham has done a decent job thus far for the Grizzlies off the bench but Mareese gives them some added size and depth at that position. Xavier Henry was given up but he barely played for them anyways.

The Hornets ended up acquiring the young guard out of Kansas in this deal. He was drafted 12th overall in last year's draft but hasn't really had the chance to play. With the signing of Tony Allen and the status of OJ Mayo, Henry didn't have much opportunity. For the Hornets, he may end up being a steal. The Hornets do have a crowded backcourt as well. Eric Gordon is one of the more better players in the game right now and arguably the Hornets face of the franchise. The only thing letting him down is his inability to stay healthy. Marco Bellinelli has filled in nicely for him but Xavier Henry can give him a run for his money. He has a really good chance to show his stuff in New Orleans. I liked this guy coming from college and I thought he would've made a big impact in the NBA. He'll be a great addition to New Orleans and contribute the way he should've last year if he had the chance to in Memphis.

The 76ers gave up big man Mareese Speights but brought in some pieces for the future. Two second round picks can bode well for a franchise. With the emergence of Spencer Hawes, the steady play of Elton Brand and Thaddeus Young, and the development of Nikola Vucevic, Speights was rotting on the bench. He was an expendable piece and getting two 2nd rounders for him is a good deal in my opinion.

Overall, I think everyone got a good deal for what they gave up.

NFL Reg. Season Conclusion

The NFL regular season came to a close and the dust has settled on the playoff seeding! This season has been spectacular with eye-popping touchdown runs, amazing catches, unbelievable defensive plays, and surprising breakout performances. It also featured some heart-breakers, bloopers, and misfortunes.

First, I want to talk about some things that have surprised or shocked me about this year:

• The New York Jets not making the playoffs. With the team they have assembled, I believed this team would at least make it into the postseason. Their defense looked on par to what experts thought of them at the beginning of the season. Teams started to test Revis Island and paid the price. The main problem that Sanchez and the Jets had this year  was their performances on the road. At home, Mark Sanchez had an TD-INT ratio of 16: 9. Eh, not the greatest, but it isn't the worst either. On the road though, Sanchez had a TD-INT ratio of 10: 9. His 2 touchdown, 3 interception game in Week 17 against the Dolphins ultimately knocked 'em out of contention. The Jets lost their last 3 games of the season and had they won one game, they would've made the playoffs. We can't blame Sanchez for everything but he certainly played the biggest role in the downfall. 

• The Philadelphia Eagles......How sad it is. I'm a huge Eagles fan and this came to shock when they couldn't close out games. It reminds me so much of My Toronto Raptors...and that's not a good thing. All the hype for this team vanished after their collapse against a good 49ers team. You could also blame the play of Michael Vick after his stellar 2010 campaign. But, he did play injured. The defense didn't play well until the second half of the season. Many blame Juan Castillo, the newly installed defensive coordinator for that but the players have to have their share of the blame as well. Maybe it was their lack of experience in their linebacker core or the talent level at the safety positions. Nnamdi Asomugha did play well this year but he was utilized differently compared to when he was at Oakland. *sigh* At least LeSean Mccoy has proven that he has become one of, if not, the best RB in the league now. They got a lot of work to do.

•  The play of Chris Johnson! Damn, he surprised me for topping 1000 yards this year! And that's not a good thing. With the talent and athletic ability that he possesses, he should've had a good year. Yes, 1000 yards is a good milestone to have but we all know the capability of reaching a higher mark for this guy. I'd say he only played good in 5 games. He posted two good outings against good defenses like the Steelers and Browns but his other good games were against BUF(ranked 26), CAR(ranked 28), and TB(ranked 30). The Titans ended up winning 4 out of 5 of those games! They needed him to bring that same production every week. He didn't top 100 yards in 13/16 games! And didn't even pass 60 yards in 10 of those games. He was decent in the passing game this year, but it was  unlike the past! He wasn't the same CJ2K he was before. Oh how the lockout affects people.

•  Some great unexpected QB's making names for themselves. Alex Smith of the 49ers finally had his long awaited breakout season. The Niners were ready to give the keys to the car to rookie Colin Kaepernick before the season if Smith didn't at least play decent. BUT, of course, winning cures all. Alex Smith wasn't as spectacular as the likes of Drew Brees or Aaron Rodgers but he did have a quiet, under the radar good season. He threw 17 TDs and only 5 INTs. I'd say that's pretty good. The Niners defence should get a lot of credit for their success but Alex Smith's improvement should take notice.

The sparse amount of rookie QB's shocked a lot of people. Cam Newton, Andy Dalton, Christian Ponder, Jake Locker, and even TJ Yates all had good rookie campaigns in their own right.

Everyone knew Cam was going to be a star but no one expected it to come as early as it did! He broke Peyton Manning's rookie record for most passing yards in their NFL debut. He also rejuvenated Steve Smith. Even though the W's didn't show up this season, expect big things from Cam for a long time.

Andy Dalton was the only rookie QB to lead his team to the playoffs! He and fellow rookie AJ Green anchored that team to a storybook season. They traded their long time faces of the franchise in Chad Ochocinco and Carson Palmer for many draft picks which lead a lot of people to believe they were a few years away from contention. WRONG.  Those two aren't missed much back in Cincy anymore because their two young guys are ready to make an impact in the playoffs and for years to come.

Christian Ponder of the Vikings took over mid-season over veteran Donovan McNabb who was later,sadly, cut from the team. He had a decent rookie campaign and although they didn't win many games, they're primed for a big season next year as star RB Adrian Peterson isn't getting any younger.

For the limited amount of games that Jake Locker has played in, he has put up some good numbers! Locker threw for 4 TDs and 0 INTs en route to an 0-4 record as a starter! Yeah, I know, the wins aren't there but he definitely has the tools to become a successful QB in this league. 

AND, TJ Yates.... He came in as the 3rd string QB after both Schaub and Leinart got injured. After that, many expected the Texans to have another heartbreaking season. But no.. Yates did as much as he could to get this team to the postseason! Yeah, his numbers weren't great but it was good enough for the team to make a good run at their first playoff berth in their history!

• Marshawn Lynch's surprising year bodes well for the future of that Seahawks team. They finally got themselves a RB to work with since Shaun Alexander. 
• Drew Brees breaking the record was an amazing accomplishment. It'll take a long time for that to be broken again. 
• I didn't know the Colts were that bad without Peyton....Now, we all can see how much Manning is valued by this team. Will they really draft Andrew Luck or stay with Peyton? That'll be interesting. 
• Another "OK" season for Romo. We all know he's capable of being an elite QB but we also all know that he's capable of choking in the most crucial moments. Think Lebron James here. Sadly, I think this might be the end of his era as a Cowboy even though he has been so good....on paper. 
• Tampa Bay Bucs being 4-12...That's a surprise. After their glorious season last year, they were primed for a breakout this year. They started out 4-2 but they couldn't do much after that. A bad defense added in with the relapsed development of their young offensive stars cooked up a 10 game losing streak to end the year which ultimately led to the firing of Head Coach, Raheem Morris. BAD MOVE. I believe that this guy will be a successful coach moving forward. 

 This ended up being the playoff seeding for the NFL

AFC - NFC

New England Patriots(13-3) - Green Bay Packers(15-1)

Baltimore Ravens(12-4) - San Francisco 49ers(13-3)

Houston Texans(10-6) - New Orleans Saints(13-3)

 Denver Broncos(8-8) - New York Giants(9-7)

Pittsburgh Steelers(12-4) - Atlanta Falcons(10-6)

Cincinnati Bengals(9-7) - Detroit Lions(10-6)

So, the Pats, Ravens, Packers and 49ers all have byes this week. That means we got some interesting matchups.

• Houston vs Cincinnati - The Texans beat the Bengals earlier on the season. Both have young talent but the Texans do have a more experienced club. Arian Foster is arguably one of the best running backs and Ben Tate is probably the best 2nd stringer in the league who would be starting if he was on any other team. Andre Johnson, although injury plagued, is still one of the most lethal wide receivers in the game. Their defense has been good this year and former Jonathan Joseph is leading the charge. The Bengals do have younger legs and their D has done well. BUT, I'll take the Houston Texans in this ball game. They're at home and they have been waiting for this opportunity for a long time! Arian Foster will have a nice day against them. It'll be a close matchup though.
• Denver vs Pittsburgh - This matchup is an interesting one. They haven't faced each other season. I think this will be an all-defense time of game. The Steelers will probably be without Rashard Mendenhall which be a huge blow for them. Isaac Redman has to fill in big for them. Big Ben and his receivers have been playing well thus far and I think that'll continue this week. As for the Broncos....If Tebow doesn't play well from the get-go, it'll be over before they know it. They need Tebow to start playing well from the 1st quarter because his 4th quarter miracles have been erased for a while now. Expect the Steelers to win this game and don't expect anyone in Denver "Tebowing" after. The Steelers are more experienced and have a better team overall.
• New Orleans vs Detroit - This is going to be a fun one to watch. This game will be one for the ages. Two teams that are known for their great offenses will clash. Drew Brees and the Saints are rolling right now! The Lions have been derailed a bit but we all know what they can do. Stafford to Megatron is something we hear every week and it'll be no different. BUT, the story we'll be hearing the most this week is Brees to any reciever. Darren Sproles is my X-Factor in this game and I expect the Saints to take this one in a high scoring affair.
• New York Giants vs Atlanta - The Giants took a long, scary route to make it. They had to win to get in and luckily, they made it! Unfortunately, they'll have a tough matchup against the Falcons. Burner Turner should come up big for them this week but I expect Roddy White and Julio Jones to steal the show. The Giants do have home-field and more depth. Hakeem Nicks should be able to garner some big catches but the running game is the big key for the Giants. If Bradshaw and Jacobs give Atlanta some problems, Eli can have an easy day at the helm. This is a tough one, but I'll take the Giants in this game.

All these matchups are great and I expect all the best from all these teams! The season has been fun and exciting but its time for the real stuff! Move aside, the big boys are playing! 

I'm Pretty Good at Fantasy Football

Sadly, the NFL season is nearing the end so that means that fantasy football it down to the wire as well. In this post, I just want to talk about my keeper league fantasy team and how I've rebuilt it into a championship contender. Last year was my first year joining a competitive fantasy football keeper league. Every year, each team would select 5 players from their squad and keep them for the next year. The champion of course, would be awarded an extra keeper! Rookies that are selected in the rookie draft would have 3 years of free keeper status. For example, if you guys chose a guy like AJ Green in a rookie draft this year, he'd be a free keeper for the next 3 fantasy seasons unless he's dropped anytime before that! After that, he'd be like every other player and count towards your original 5. That would mean Adrian Peterson, Aaron Rodgers, Tom Brady, Calvin Johnson, and all the other superstars will probably end up being kept. That means they will not be thrown into our Free Agent draft. Rookies are really crucial in leagues like this because it gives you a potential fantasy star keeper for upcoming years. The team I took over ended up stacking up QBs and finished last in the previous year. Fortunately, he did end up leaving me Ben Roethlisberger and drafted Josh Freeman. AND Luckily, I was able to get the 1st overall pick in the Rookie and Free Agent draft. The manager I took over decided to tank it all for some reason and left me with little to work with!
These guys were the keepers I ended up keeping:

• Ben Roethlisberger (PIT-QB)
• Matt Leinart(ARI-QB)
• Vince Young (TEN-QB)
• Matt Cassell (KC-QB)
• Donald Driver (GB-WR)

and my rookie that I was able to keep was Josh Freeman!

Not a good team right? I hated it too at first but those were the cards that were dealt to me. I quickly took this team and did a massive rebuilding process. In the rookie draft, it was a no-brainer to select RB, Ryan Mathews. His lightning speed and elusiveness was like a young LT. He was already rated a top 10 RB by many scouts before the season even started. After that, I made a couple of trades that gave me a little leeway. I traded Matt Cassell for Ryan Grant and a 2nd round rookie pick that ended up being Brandon LaFell. Then, I traded away Matt Leinart,5th round FA pick for Mike Sims-Walker and a 3rd round FA pick. MSW was coming off of a breakout year and I thought that he would've built on that. I was definitely wrong. A few more trades and free agent draft picks netted me some good players like Chad Ochocinco, Cedric Benson and Ahmad Bradshaw. My team was looking good on paper before the season started. Ben Roethlisberger, Josh Freeman, Vince Young, Bradshaw, Mathews, Benson Ocho, LaFell, Driver, Mike Sims Walker were my key guys that I thought would give me a solid team. I WAS SO WRONG. I started off on a bad note and lost my first few weeks. BUT, it was a blessing in disguise! I ended up having 1st waiver priorities and picked up Michael Vick. He turned out to be a fantasy phenomenon! Along the way, as my team kept losing, I just started to stack up on players with value. I picked up people like LaGarette Blount, Ryan Fitzpatrick, and Earl Bennett. I also did a lot of major trades to give me a good team for next year:

• I traded Vince Young for Mohammed Massaquoi who still had rookie keeper rights. It was a great trade because VY ended up getting benched a few weeks later and Massaquoi still had potential for a breakout year.
• I also traded Ryan Fitzpatrick and Donald Driver for Sidney Rice and a future 3rd round pick.
• I also traded Big Ben and a future 3rd round pick to a team that was in contention for a title! He gave me a hefty price of Tony Romo and a 1st round pick. Remember, Romo was out for the season with a collarbone injury. He was in desperate need for a QB

AND then.... Sadly... my team finished with a miserable 4-9 record.

AND NOW.

 THIS YEAR!!!!!

My 5 keepers coming into this season were:

• Michael Vick (PHI-QB)
• Tony Romo (DAL-QB)
• Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG-RB)
• LeGarrette Blount (TB-RB)
• Sidney Rice (SEA-WR)

WITH my rookies : 3rd Year(Josh Freeman, Mohammed Massaquoi). 2nd Year(Ryan Mathews, Brandon Lafell)

Honestly, this team was looking good. And with the extra free agent picks, I was in line for a great season! I got back to work and traded Blount, 3rd round FA pick for Vincent Jackson! With that trade, I added an elite WR to my team. I had the second worst record in the league so I was awarded the 2nd overall pick in the rookie and free agent drafts.  In the rookie draft, I drafted AJ Green 2nd overall. I couldn't pass on a talented guy like him. I know I left people like Cam Newton and Julio Jones but AJ Green is someone I couldn't let go. In the second round, I found a gem. Can anyone guess who this was???? It was DEMARCO MURRAY! Yes, the Dallas phenom! I didn't expect him to blow up either but he was probably the steal of this draft.

Take a look!
                   Round 1

1. King Brodeur (via Deckie) - Daniel Thomas
2. Jabatchi - AJ Green
3. Alphabits - Mark Ingram
4. Falcons - Ryan Williams
5. Axsalinger - Julio Jones
6. Raiders - Cam Newton
7. Habspatrol - Roy Helu
8. Elicit - Jake Locker
9. Axsalinger (via Evil Empire) - Blaine Gabbert
10. Deckie (via King Brodeur) - Andy Dalton
11. Broncos - Jonathan Baldwin
12. EE (via Axsalinger via Cheetos) - Mikel LeShoure

Round 2

1. Elicit (via Deckie) - Greg Little
2. Jabatchi - DeMarco Murray
3. Falcons - Christian Ponder
4. Alphabits - Colin Kaepernick
5. Axsalinger - Titus Young
6. Cheetos (via Raiders) - Leonard Hankerson
7. Habspatrol - Denarius Moore
8. Habspatrol - (via King Brodeur via Elicit) - Kendall Hunter
9. Deckie (via King Brodeur (via Evil Empire) - Delone Carter
10. EE (Deckie via King Brodeur) - Alex Henery
11. Broncos - Torrey Smith
12. Cheetos - Lance Kendricks 

In the FA Draft, I ended up selecting Brandon Lloyd, Marshawn Lynch, Jimmy Graham, and others.

My team looked solid!!!

This is what it looked like before the season started:

QB:
Tony Romo (DAL)
Michael Vick (PHI)
Josh Freeman (TB)*
RB:
Ahmad Bradshaw (NYG)
Marshawn Lynch (SEA)
Ryan Mathews (SD)**
DeMarco Murray (DAL)***
WR:
Vincent Jackson (SD)
Brandon Lloyd (DEN)
Sidney Rice (SEA)
Bernard Berrian (MIN)
AJ Green (CIN) ***
Brandon LaFell (CAR) **
Mohammed Massoquoi (CLE)*
TE:
Jimmy Graham (NO)
K:
Stephen Gostkowski (NE)
DEF:
Green Bay
IDPS:
Tyvon Branch (OAK)
Trent Cole (PHI)
Derrick Johnson(KC)



And of course, Lloyd got traded to STL. I dropped Berrian, Massaquoi and they turned into Brad Smith and Thomas Jones. My IDP's changed too. I have Jason Babin, DQwell Jackson instead of Cole and Johnson. I also seemed to pick up Philadelphia's DEF after everyone gave up on them!

To many of the managers in the league, they looked at it as a team pushing for a playoff spot. They were soooo wrong! Even though Vick is having an awful year, he still manages to give me 20 points because of his legs. Despite all the hatred for Tony Romo, he's still one of the best QB's in the league. He's been doing really well but no one ever acknowledges that because of his 4th quarter meltdowns. Josh Freeman was a little disappointing but he was a good injury filler. Murray, Mathews, Lynch, and Bradshaw all have helped me! They all had breakout years! DeMarco Murray came out of no where and landed a 253 yard rushing performance one week against the Rams. After that, he took off! Sadly, his season ended last week with an ankle injury. Bradshaw was having an outstanding year before he got hurt but now he's getting back to form in time for my championship! As for Mathews, he's become one of the most complete backs in the game! AND, Marshawn Lynch has scored a touchdown in 9 straight games! He's definitely the hottest RB right now. And my WRs are amazing. AJ Green was a pleasant surprise. I didn't think he would do really well this year because of a young Bengal offense but that certainly turned some heads. VJ has been up and down but he's still an explosive guy. He could be giving off only 9 points in one game but have a 30 point explosion in the next! And the mid-season acquisition of Brandon Lloyd for the Rams really upped his fantasy value. He was going nowhere in Denver but the trade made him a viable option for weeks! He had pretty good weeks for me. But my MVP might have to be Jimmy Graham. He has played well every week! I swear he averages at least 20 points a week. If he's not scoring, he's getting 7,8 receptions with 100 yards receiving.  The man is a beast; a total superstar! He has to be the best tight end in the NFL right now. No one can stop him! Overall, my team ended up being the first seed in the league! We went on to finish with a record of 11-2 in the regular season! I also had an eight game winning streak to end the year! This is a great rebuild on my part and probably the best season of fantasy football i've ever managed!

And now, my team is in the finals. Unfortunately, the other team has a scary team. He has a Ray Rice and LeSean Mccoy RB duo goin' on. AHHHH, I'm so ready to win this league. I hope i'll be Tebowing by the end of next week! In just 2 years of managing this roster, I must say, i'm pretty good at fantasy football.

The Chris Paul Relay

As we all know by now, the lockout has ended and the transactions started to roll! Almost every team made under the radar acquisitions but a handful of teams made a big splash! One of the biggest moves that happened was of course, the Chris Paul trade. It finally happened! After weeks of speculation and some offers that were negated by David Stern, the NBA has agreed to let Paul move. LA was the team that one the Paul sweepstakes. For all you Laker fans out there,  he'll be wearing purple and yellow!We're on the road to another championship! Just kidding.

 He actually joined forces with Blake Griffin and the rest of the Clipper gang. The Knicks, Nets, and Lakers were the other top runners in this marathon but they came up short. To be honest, I felt like the Clippers gave up WAY too much. I felt the same way when the Knicks got Carmelo Anthony last year. There was so much solid talent that were going Denver's way. This trade is the same. Eric Gordon, Al-Farouq Aminu, Chris Kaman, and Minnesota's UNPROTECTED 2012 first round draft pick were sent to New Orleans in exchange for Paul and a couple of second rounders in 2015. Yeah, I know Chris Paul is one of the best players in the NBA today but it does take more than one guy to win. Especially in a season like this, extra bodies are needed to fill the void a LOT this year.

Lets take a look at the Hornets side:

Eric Gordon is one of the upcoming young guards in this league! Did anyone even notice he averaged 22.3 points per game last year? I don't think so. Everyone was so focused on Blake Griffin's stellar "rookie" year but Eric Gordon quietly had one of the better seasons for any guard. He has been exceeding everyone's expectations and slowly progressing into the upper echelon of players. I thought the Clippers would have had a better team if they didn't give him up. He'll definitely be the key to the Hornets offense this upcoming season. As for Al-Farouq Aminu, the Hornets netted themselves another young, athletic player. He was drafted 8th overall in last year's draft. He didn't have a stellar rookie campaign but he showed flashes of what he could develop into. He's long, can stretch the floor, and play defense. Chris Kaman was the other guy in this trade. Even though he had an injury plagued year, I know he still has a LOT to offer. He's tough, can play amongst the best of 'em and has a soft touch around the rim. He's one of the best offensive big men in the NBA. Look's like they have a perfect replacement for Aaron Gray!Go Raptors! :D

AND. AND. AND. The Hornets also get the T-Wolves unprotected first round draft pick! WOW. With the Wolves roster right now, I don't see them making it far this season. This pick will give the Hornets a high end lottery pick for this upcoming draft! The can potentially snag someone like Harrison Barnes, Perry Jones, or some other top prospects. Crazy trade for New Orleans.

Trade Grade: A. We all knew Chris Paul was leaving. It was just all the matter of where and what the Hornets will get in return. This trade will make them better now and in the future.

And for the Clippers:

Chris Paul was the most prized guy in all the available guys other than Dwight Howard. The Clippers will be a better team but I just think they gave up too much of a price. But then again, Chris Paul is a superstar and opportunities to get a player of his caliber are rare. Chris Paul will make everybody on this squad better. His play-making and ball-handling skills are impeccable. It'll be "lob city" for the Clippers. The only thing that the Clippers need to do now is get overall depth. They have 4 point guards that are all worthy of being starters! Chris Paul is obviously the man there but everyone else is in a bubble. Newly signed Chauncey Billups will probably see time at the 2 but I don't see him doing all that well there. Mo Williams should be the next person moved on this Clippers team. They should trade him for depth. They need a legit SG and a backup big man. Ryan Gomes, Brian Cook, and Randy Foye won't fill the best needs at their respective positions. Mo will definitely bring in someone with value. And Eric Bledsoe is the 4th point guard here. He'll be a good backup and reliever for this team. His young legs will give a good spark off of the bench.

Trade Grade: A. Chris Paul is someone that could change a franchise in a blink of an eye. The price was steep but it is a definite upgrade. They need to work on getting rid of the logjam at the PG position for other positions. Other than that, this team will be exciting to watch this year.

What If..

Sadly, the NBA hasn't resolved its lockout issues just as yet and we have to wait even longer. But today, 'Off the Record' relived the past. It was about the '99, '00 Toronto Raptors. Vince Carter, Tracy McGrady and Charles Oakley all appeared on the show talking about the their tenure with the Raptors. McGrady was drafted 9th overall in the 1997 NBA draft. He was the young, high-flying, defensive phenom for the young raptors back in the day. Despite the season being awfully disappointing, T-Mac showed flashes of what his game could develop into.

As the next draft approached, the Raptors made the biggest deal in their history. They decided to select Antawn Jamison with the 4th overall selection and then ship him to the Golden State Warriors for his UNC teammate, Vince Carter. Vince Carter would soon be the franchise's biggest star. He would turn into the face of the Raptors and what many believe is the equivalent to what Lebron is today for the NBA; a world known superstar at the top of his game bringing excitement to everywhere he went.
 
The Raptors management saw the potential that these cousins had. The management team knew the two would excel in this league so they built a team with veterans that could show them the ropes. Charles Oakley was the main man they brought in. He was their big brother. If you were going to try and knock VC or T-Mac on their asses, Oak would be the first one at your doorstep ready to smack some sense into you. He was the glue to the Raptors team. In the interview today, Vince and Tracy both acknowledged him as the guy who made it all happen. Without the presence of Charles, Vince and Tracy wouldn't have been able to accomplish everything they did.

But, the biggest question that was asked today was "What If". That question for Raptor fans still lingers in our minds today. It makes me so sad thing about this. It actually breaks my heart. The 1999-2000 Raptors were special. They achieved the first playoff berth for the Raptors and they made some noise. Although they were swept by the more experienced Knicks, they showed that they were a force to be reckoned with. Unfortunately, McGrady decided to leave the up and coming Raptors for his own spotlight on the Orlando Magic. Some see it as selfish, but others see it as an opportunity to develop. People say that McGrady wouldn't have been as good as he was had he not left the Raptors but you can definitely argue that McGrady was the missing piece on the road to the championship. Carter did flourish as the only Raptor superstar but his cousin would have greatly helped. The second round was the furthest they went but Iverson scored in bunches. Although Vince Carter was killing the 76ers, his last shot was the start of the Raptors fall. The shot in game 7 still gives me nightmares. Why did that ball have to miss? WHY?! Tracy even said today that if he was playing in that game 7, the Raptors would have went to the NBA finals. Do you know how heartbreaking that sounds?! When Tracy said that, I was literally crying. Man, T-Mac should have stayed. He didn't even pass the first round of the playoffs in his career until he was injured with the Rockets a few years back and contributed nothing in the playoffs. But damn... I can't stress enough how sad I really am. This team could have been special. And I agree with Kobe with his statement that if that Raptor team stayed together, they'd be battling the Lakers multiple times for championships. Its unfortunate that things ended the way they did. Personally, I still love Tracy McGrady and Vince Carter. They were my idols growing up and even though they left, I still supported them. That's how much I loved these guys. I don't care about the way they left, I care about what they did with the team. They created a buzz in the air and expanded the basketball culture throughout Canada. Two of the biggest superstars in the basketball world. They gave us hope and something to look forward to. They even did a lot for the organization and for the city. *sigh*

 At least the Raptors look like they're going in the right direction with their young pieces like Derozan and Ed Davis. They look like a team that could make some noise, right?! But no matter how good this Raptor team will be in the future, we will always end up asking this question to ourselves. What if?

NBA 2k12

As we're still waiting for this dreaded NBA lockout to finally end, we can at least look forward to the releasing of the new NBA 2k12 right? I'm usually super amped to buy NBA 2k every year but this year is a different story. 2k did add some neat features with all the different legends branching off the idea from last year's MJ challenge. I do play those time to time but I'm more of an association and online mode player. And that being said, I do care about the ratings of the different players around the league. It's actually such a disappointment. I don't know what they base these ratings on but its horrible. Most players are either really overrated or extremely underrated.

Some notable overrated players
- Corey Maggette(CHA - SF) (74) : I don't think he deserves a 74 personally. He didn't have a great season and it was filled with nagging injuries. An average of 12.0 ppg and 3.6 rpg is not 74 worthy. I'll say 71. It is only a few more digits below but hey, it makes a difference.
- Delonte West(BOS - G)(69) : Really? This man is rated as good as Derozan? An average of 5.6 points and 2.7 assists is a person who should be in the low 60's. He even had a bad year before this year. How is he rated this high? Yeah, a 69 isn't high....but it is for a guy like West.
- Marcus Thornton(SAC-SG)(74) : I do like Marcus Thornton in both the game and in reality but a 74 may be a little too high for this young guard. Yeah, he's a dynamic scorer who has unlimited range but other than that, he can't do much else. If 2k puts a higher emphasis on scoring and shooting then I wouldn't argue about this one.
- Shannon Brown(LAL-SG)(72) : He's a great boost off the bench but a 72 for an energy guy seems like too much right? Every other energy guy seems to be in the 60s... Why does he get it different? I don't know. He's exciting I guess.
- Matt Barnes(LAL-SF)(71) : A little too high for him. He didn't even have that great of a season but he can play defense so I guess this is why he's at this rating.
- Quentin Richardson (ORL)(71) - A shooter. He averaged 4.4 points this past year and he's still rated this high. 71.....for QRich. He's done.
- Paul George(IND-SF,SG)(74) - As much as I like George, I can't rate him this high after just one mediocre season. He did have an ok rookie year and he did show flashes of greatness but it wasn't enough to earn him a 74. He only showed up in the second half of the season. I'd say a 70 at best.
There are WAY more but yeah....

Some underrated players include Derozan, Bargnani, and Nowitzki. These are just some that I think are horribly underrated. Demar Derozan is a 69....that's so harsh. He can't even believe it. I remember him tweeting @2k about it. It's an insult. He averaged 17.2 points and has developed nicely in every aspect of his game. His only clear flaw is his three point shooting. He has opened a lot of people's eyes this past season and he should have been recognized. Even by a game. Bargnani at 68 is just heartbreaking. He averaged 22 points, over 5 boards and a block per game. You might say,"Ew, a big man only grabbing 5 rebounds?" But, he's scoring over 20 points a game. That has to at least give him a nod on some more rating points! How can the likes of Humphries, and more other random players be better than him? It might just be a hate on Toronto as a whole team. No one is rated higher than a 69 other than Barbosa. It disgusts me. Dirk is another player that got robbed. A 85? Really? For the Finals MVP? That's just wrong. He needs a 90 AT LEAST. Like, how can you give this guy anything less? He plays his heart out everyday and just about does everything for his team. Without him, the Mavericks wouldn't have even gotten past the Lakers with ease. 2k needs to wake up! Their ratings are horrible. AND, they didn't include the rookies because of the lockout. Such a disappointment for me. I've probably left out a lot of players and you may think that I'm overreacting but hey, its just my opinion. Feel free to bash, comment, agree, disagree.

Anywho, this is Julius and this is what you've found in your Sports Locker! Thanks for caring! :)