Sports Blog

With all of the controversy surrounding Roger Clemens and his high-profile steroid case, I got to thinking about how scandals can affect athletes’ chances of making it into their respective Halls of Fame. Take for instance a player like Pete Rose. He has been banned from the Hall of Fame for life. And for what? Betting on baseball as a player. Now, that sounds like a pretty bad thing, right? Well, I don’t know about that. Betting on the other team and then taking a dive is one thing and is in clear violation of the unspoken moral rules in baseball. But, Rose didn’t do that. Most of the time he didn’t even bet on the Reds. And when he did, he bet that they would win. So, obviously he wasn’t taking a dive or cheating to make some quick cash. Rather, he was supremely confident that his team would win. I do not see the wrong in that.

Now, juxtapose Pete’s situation with that of Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds. It has been proven that Barry Bonds did, in fact, take steroids to enhance his performance. He has not been punished, though, because no one has proven that he knowingly took steroids. But the reality of situation is that Bonds had illgal help getting to where he is today. Ask yourself whether or not Bonds will be inducted into the Hall of Fame one day. The answer is that he most likely will. Does that seem fair? Nope. Furthermore, although Bonds has faced a lot of scutiny from the media, the league and from once adoring fans, he has not been completely cut off from the game like Rose was - and all without cheating or having some kind of outside help to bolster his game. 

Roger Clemens is in a similar situation as Bonds. Though conclusive evidence has yet to surface regarding the Clemens affair, Roger has already faced the ever present gossip that has primarily centered around how this incident will affect his bid for the Hall of Fame. If we go by what the analysts and bloggers are saying, Roger Clemens may face a little bit of a tarnished reputation, but will in no way be precluded from the Hall of Fame. And obviously he has not been cut off for the baseball world as he is still pitching for the Yankees.

The banning of Pete Rose just seems a bit much in my eyes. Here is a player who played his heart out, game in and game out. Yes, he made a mistake in betting on baseball and on his team in particular. But when it came to the actual games, he never took a dive or threw a game. He always played to the best of his ability. He was the prototypical competitor. Compared to Bonds who did take steroids and Clemens who may or may not have taken steroids, Pete Rose seems like he is a lot more deserving of the Baseball Hall of Fame than either one of them.  

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales for Robbins Sports and Athletics, an online resource for Basketball Uniforms, Portable Scoreboards and Baseball Uniforms.

An entire city and an entire country are in mourning this week. Throughout Houston, and presumably China, Rockets fans are in shock after having the face of their franchise go down with a season-ending injury. Yao Ming has a fractured foot that is going to keep him on the sidelines for the rest of the season, including the playoffs. 

Losing your most reliable player to injury is a tough pill for any team to swallow. But for the Rockets it is extra sour. They had just climbed their way back into the playoff picture with an undefeated February. Injury-prone Tracy McGrady was finally healthy again and playing at the top of his game. The Rockets’ role players were finally starting to give their superstars the support they need to be a real contender in the West. And then, the wall of China came tumbling down in the form of a fractured foot. What an absolute gut-wrenching week for the Houston franchise. 

The question at hand is where to go next. The Rockets need to clear away the rubble and see if they can salvage the rest of the season. Yes, Yao is gone for the season. But, what does Yao’s injury really mean for the Rockets? Well, I think it goes without saying that they dropped from the real contender category to the still a pretty good team category. With a healthy Yao, McGrady and their supporting cast, the Rockets are a very, very talented team, as their recent performances prior to Yao’s injury proved. However, truth be told, with no Yao the Rockets are not going to be able to beat the other star-studded lineups in the West en route to the title. Consequently, the Rockets will have to wait another year for a title shot. As for the rest of the season, though, the Rockets still have a very good chance at making the playoffs and having a decent showing. If McGrady, Shane Battier, Rafer Alston and Luis Scola can keep playing the way they’re playing at the moment, they will definitely have a season to be proud of. Difficult as it may be for the Rockets to rebound after being dealt such a terrible blow, they are still in good shape.

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales for Robbins Sports and Athletics, a national provider of Basketball Uniforms, Baseball Uniforms and Track Uniforms.

With such a flurry of recent trades in the NBA, even an avid basketball fan may find it difficult to keep up with all the activity. Here’s a recap of the major trades that have happened during this year’s tranfer window:

1. Shaq was traded to the Suns for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks.
2. Jason Kidd was traded to the Dallas Mavericks for Devin Harris and Dasagna Diop.
3. Pau Gasol was traded to the Lakers. 
4. Mike Bibby was traded to the Atlanta Hawks.
5. Kyle Korver was traded to the Jazz for Gordon Giricek.
6. Ben Wallace, Joe Smith and Wally Szerbiak were traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers for Drew Gooden and Larry Hughes.

So, who got the best deal? Who is now a major contender in their conference? The following is a list of grades for each of the trades and the teams involved.

1. Shaq-Marion: For this trade, the Heat get a B+. Getting a perennial All-star in Shawn Marion and getting rid of an ailing Shaq was a good move. Once Marion gels with the rest of the Heat team, he will make Miami a lot better. The Suns, on the other hand, get an incomplete. This trade could either work out really well and result in a long awaited championship or blow up in their face. It all depends on Shaq’s health and willingness to give everything he has, even if his tank is almost empty. If Shaq can perform like the Shaq of old or even the Shaq of Miami’s championship days, the Suns may win it this year.

2. Kidd-Harris: Personally I think the New Jersey is getting the better point guard. Not only is Devin Harris putting up better numbers than Kidd this year, but he is young and will be a great player for years to come. Like the Suns, it seems as if the Mavericks are focused solely on the short term. They want a championship now, and they think Kidd can bring it home. Mavericks: B-  Nets: A-

3. Pau Gasol: Outside of Boston getting Garnett and Ray Allen without losing Paul Pierce, this is the best trade I have seen in awhile. The Lakers got everything without losing anything. Gasol is a talented, fluid big man who fits in perfectly with the Lakers. Once Andrew Bynum gets healthy, the Lakers are going to have the nastiest front court around - Bynum, Gasol and Odom. I don’t know of any team who can deal with that much speed, height and talent. A++

4. Mike Bibby to the Hawks: This trade received less exposure than did the aformentioned trades. Why? Because it will not have that much of an impact. Yes, Mike Bibby is a good point guard, but he has definitely lost a step or two over the years. He will help the Hawks make the playoffs, but will not make them good enough to overcome the Celtics, Pistons or even Magic. So, while this trade is a good one in terms of getting a good player, it will not have that big of an impact. B+

5. Korver-Giricek: The Jazz could not have made a better trade. Yes, they could have dealt a number of their talented bench players for another big name. But why mess with a good thing? The Jazz are playing really well. The only thing that was holding them back was turnover artist Gordon Giricek. Trading him for sharp-shooting Kyle Korver was a stroke of genius. The Jazz get an A for this trade.

6. Wallace, Smith, Szerbiak - Gooden, Hughes: I really don’t know about this trade, for either team. The Bulls are injury riddled at the moment. To break up the flow of the few remaining players they have may seal their playoff fate. However, Larry Hughes is having a pretty good year and Drew Good is pretty dependable. So, the Bulls get a B- in my book. As for the Cavs, I am a little torn. I want to give them a good grade for securing a big name, experienced player, but I don’t know how much improvement the Cavs will show, if any. The Cavs are generally a good defensive team. What has been hampering them is their lack of scoring options aside from Lebron. Neither Ben Wallace nor Joe Smith are very dangerous on the offensive end. They did Wally Szerbiak who is a good outside shooter and can help them in that regard. But what he adds in offense, he lacks in defensive capability. I am not that sure this trade is going to work out. Only time will tell. Cavs: B  

Although I am unsure about some of these trades, the amount of activity during the this year’s trade season has me very excited to see how the trades will shake things up. The second half of the season is going to be very fun to watch.

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales for Robbins Sports, an online resource for Basketball Uniforms, Portable Scoreboards and Baseball Uniforms.     

There is just so much talent in the Western Conference of the NBA. Currently, the New Orleans Hornets are the best team in the West. But, the teams who are tied for 7th and 8th, the Nuggets and Rockets, are only 5 games back. Compared to the West, the Eastern Conference is pretty much a two-pony race between the Celtics and Pistons. There is absolutely no doubt who is going to be competing in the Eastern Conference Finals - the Celtics and Pistons. The West, on the other hand, is a whole different story. Honestly, any one of 8 or 9 teams could potentially win the West.  

Just take a look at last year. Did anyone ever think that the Golden State Warriors would take down the Mavericks in the first round? No way! But Baron Davis and company did the impossible by beating the #1 seed as an 8th seed. So, how did it happen? How does a relatively inexperienced playoff team (the Warriors had not been to the playoffs in 15 years) beat one of the most talented and steady teams in basketball? 

MATCHUPS!!!!

The Warriors match up well with the Mavericks. They were able to exploit weaknesses in the Mavericks team and eventually came out on top.

This year is pretty much the same. The Warriors (I use the Warriors as an example because I am a huge fan. But the same could be said about virtually every other Western Conference contender.) have a winning record against almost every top team in the West. However, whenever they play the Utah Jazz, they get killed. I went to the Warriors-Jazz game on Tuesday night, and I was completely dejected by the Warriors’ performance. It was lackluster - and that’s being generous. Then, last night the Warriors beat a star-studded, high octane conference leader in the the Boston Celtics.

So, it really does come down to how a team matches up against their opponents. With the competition being as fierce as it is in the West, teams are just looking to make the playoffs let alone win the championship. Then once they are in, hopefully lady luck deals them a good matchup. For example, obviously I would love the Warriors to win the rest of their games and be the top team in the West. But, a little part of me wants them to finish 7th or 8th, barely squeaking into the playoffs. That way, they would most likely be matched up with the Suns, Mavericks or Hornets, all of whom the Warriors have a good chance at beating. Now, if they were to get unlucky and be pitted against the Jazz or the Spurs, their chances would not be as good.

The point is this - With the NBA being inundated with foreign and home-grown superstars, almost every team has the fire power and talent to win the championship this year. It all depends on the teams they have to face on the road to the finals. The eventual NBA champions will be the team who is pitted against opponents they match up well with.

Nishan Wilde is Vp of Robbins Sports, an online resources for Baseball Uniforms, Portable Scoreboards, and Gym Bags.

The Roger Clemens - Brian NcNamee hearing has had its fair share of controversy. In front of members of the United States Congress, each testified to the truthfulness of his statements. Roger remained steadfast in his belief that at no time in his life has he taken steroids or any other performance-enhancing drugs. McNamee said just the opposite, that he had, in fact, injected Roger Clemens with HGH and that he had also injected Roger Clemens’ wife prior to an ESPN photoshoot. After the hearing’s proceedings, there are very few questions that can be answered. The water is still a little murky. There is no definitive proof for either party. But one thing is crytsal clear -someone is lying. Someone is guilty of perjury. And someone is going to jail when everything is said and done.

My personal opinion is that Roger Clemens is doing the lying. Now, that is just my opinion. Besides a gut feeling, I have nothing to back my opinion up. But even so, something tells me that Roger Clemens, not Brian McNamee, is hiding the truth.

The reason why I think Roger Clemens is lying is two-fold:

First, McNamee doesn’t really have any reason to lie. He has already been truthful about injecting two other players with steroids - Andy Pettitte and Chuck Noblach. Both of those players admitted to being injected by McNamee. So, why would McNamee randomly throw Roger Clemens’ name out there? For more press? He was already getting all the press in the world. Honestly, why would he lie about that?

Second, Andy Pettitte himself corroborated McNamee’s story, telling the media that Roger Clemens had talked to him about taking steroids in the past. McNamee’s and Pettitte’s stories seem to be holding up. On the other hand, Roger Clemens’ story seems to have a lot of holes in it.

So, unless McNamee, Noblach and Pettitte are implmenting some master plan they have hatched in order to slander and defame Roger Clemens, it looks like the Rocket is treading water. But sooner or later, his legs are going to get tired. Especially without his beloved steroids.

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales at Robbins Sports and Athletics, an online resource for Baseball Uniforms, Basketball Uniforms and Track Uniforms.

With NFL and NCAA football over and done with, spring training not being in full swing for awhile, the NBA approaching the All-star break and hockey, well, being hockey, American sports fans have only one thing attracting their attention - college basketball. NCAA basketball is right in the middle of its season and is displaying some absolutely brilliant performances. So much so that February, the month that is notorious for gloomy weather and a lack of holdiay festivities (well, there is Valentine’s Day, but unless you are a girl this day is just another excuse for Hallmark and See’s to empty you wallet) is spreading cheer throughout the country and giving us something to look forward to - March Madness.

I cannot think of any other veune that offers as much as March Madness. The best 64 teams in the country squaring off in a one-and-done tournament where old rivalries resurface and new rivalries are born. 63 games in 17 days! Dick Vitale shouting at the top of his lungs!! Buzzer beaters, triple overtimes and net-cutting celebrations!!! And how can you forget, BRACKETS!!!! You just can’t ask for anything more than that. 

The excitement in me is building to dangerous levels. I simply can’t wait to get it started. So, I won’t. Here are the teams who I think will be in the Final Four come March.

1. Duke - The Blue Devils showed incredible poise and determination by beating the Tarheels in Chapel Hill - two things every final four team needs. Coach K has his team firing on all cylinders. Barring some kind of injury to a major role player, the Blue Devils will be there in the end.

2. Kansas - They can run and gun AND they can set up the half court. They can shoot the three AND bang down low. The can defend zone AND man to man. They have size, strength and speed. I don’t see a weakness. The Jayhawks are playing well and will be a tough matchup for anyone.

3. UCLA - The Bruins have 5 players who average double-figures in the points column. The only other teams who have that kind of depth are Duke, Kansas and Xavier. Simply put, the Bruins can come at you from any angle. Most teams just will not be able to handle that much firepower. 

4. The Darkhorse - Drake - The Bulldogs are having a dream season. Yes, they don’t play other top 25 teams during the regular season, but confidence is huge is college basketball. And with only one loss on the season, Drake has a lot of it. (I would have chosen North Carolina as the fourth spot, but with injuries to Ty Lawson and other Tarheel role players, North Carolina will have difficulty handling the ball) Drake is a team full of sharp shooters. If they can continue their hot streak, midnight may never strike during this Cinderella’s run in March.   

These are my picks. But then again, March Madness is known for its unpredictability. That’s part of its allure. You really never know what is going to happen.    

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales for Robbins Sports and Athletics, an online resource for Baseball Uniforms, Basketball Uniforms and Track Uniforms.

I could not believe my ears when the ESPN sportscaster announced that Shaquille O’Neal had been traded to the Phoenix Suns for Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks. Two years removed from an NBA Championship, Shaq is being moved again. Yes, the Heat are a dismal 9-40, but those are pretty lofty standards - trading someone after winning the championship a mere two seasons earlier. That’s kind of harsh. But then again, if the price is right, in this case Shawn Marion and Marcus Banks, you gotta make the deal happen. 

So, who is this deal good for? Well, it is good for both teams, but maybe not how you think:

Suns: For the Suns, this trade is a good thing for the immediate future. I think that D’Antoni and Coangelo are thinking that Steve Nash only has a few more good years in him before he starts going south, and they want to win a championship before that happens. So, they bring in Shaq, who for the immediate future can help the Suns. Shaq still has a little left in that old, worn down body of his to contribute in the playoffs. In order for Phoenix to finally compete with the big boys of the West, they really need a big, powerful center. Shaq is just that. Also, with the whole Shaq vs. Kobe drama rearing its ugly head again, Shaq may have an chip on his shoulder. A 7-foot, 350-lbs hall of famer with something to prove is a dangerous thing. If the Suns’ sole goal is to win a championship this year or maybe the next, the trade was a good idea. However, as for the long-term, this trade was stupid. Shaq will be gone in a couple of years and now Marion is gone as well.

Heat: For the Heat, this was a very good trade. One that may salvage their season as Shawn Marion is sure to revitalize a very demoralized Miami team. Since their Championship, the Heat have gone down hill, to say the least. I don’t think any team has ever fallen from grace as fast as the Heat have. Two years ago, they were the best team in basketball. Now, they are the worst, being beat out by the likes of the Minnesota Timberwolves and New York Knicks. But now that Marion is in Miami, the Heat will be getting a full dose of what they have needed all season - energy and defense. Wade and company will be able to score enough points to win games. But the question is whether they can put up enough of a defensive effort to avoid being outscored every game. Furthermore, not only will Marion help this season, but he is the type of player you can build a strong team around. With him, Haslem and Wade in Miami, the Heat will right the ship.

So, I’d say for the short-run, the Suns made a pretty good trade. However, the Heat definitely got the best of this transaction as Marion and Banks will help in the short-run and long-run.

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales for Robbins Sports and Athletics, an online resources for Baseball Uniforms, Track Uniforms and Stopwatches.

New York sports fans should be singing praises to sports gods right about now. This past week has been rather miraculous for them, after all. First, their beloved Giants overthrow what most would call a dynasty in the New England Patriots, winning their first Super Bowl in almost 2 decades. Then, Mets faithful received more good news - Johann Santana signed a 7-year deal. What more could you possible want in a week?

Now that football season is over and done with, we can allocate our full attention on the upcoming baseball season. After last year, the Mets really needed something to get over their catastrophic pre-playoff meltdown - What was it? A 7-game lead with 8 to play? Something like that. But, Mets fans can put all of that behind them as the best pitcher in baseball is coming in to bolster an already star-studded lineup. Along with Santana, the Mets boast two other potential all-star pitchers in Pedro Martinez (one of the best when he’s healthy) and El Duke Hernandez. That rotation could compete with any rotation in the entire league.

That being said, take a look at the rest of the Mets lineup and you’ll quickly see why the Mets are going to be one of the best in baseball this year. Billy Wagner, David Wright, Jose Reyes, Carlos Delgado, Carlos Beltran and Moises Alou - in these players the Mets have a hall of fame closer and 5 other perennial all-stars. They have speed, they have defense and they definitely have power. That, coupled with Santana and the rest of the pitching staff, makes up a dangerous team.

So New York fans, again, you have a lot to be thankful for. I do not see many teams in the National League being able to contend with that kind of talent. Get ready for a good season and deep playoff run.

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales for  Robbins Sports and Athletics, an online resource for Basketball Uniforms, Baseball Uniforms and Track Uniforms.

The Patriots went 16-0 during the regular season. Then, they went 2-0 in the playoffs, taking their record to an astonishing 18-0 heading into the Super Bowl. They simply could not be stopped in the regular season. Even when it seemed as if the Patriots were going to suffer defeat, Tom Brady and company always came up with a way to win. So, to stop them short of a Super Bowl Championship was always going to take a monumental effort by the opposing team - a Giant effort if you will.  

And that is exactly what we got. Excuse the pun, but New York put up a giant effort on Sunday. No one, myself included, thought that the Giants had any shot of winning the Super Bowl. But they did. This was a modern day David versus Goliath. Like the account in biblical times, Goliath caught one right between the eyes.

Who was David, though? Well, you could argue that the entire Giants team was in some way or other the hero. But in my opinion there were or handful of players who stood out from amongst the crowd - namely Eli Manning. David Tyree, Steve Smith and the whole defensive line.

Eli Manning - Since his debut in the NFL, Eli Manning has seen his fair share of criticism. Besides having his actual performances scrutinized by every “analyst” in the world, Eli Manning has had to deal with the fact that he is Peyton Manning’s little brother. “Will he ever be as good as Peyton?” or “Can he survive living in the shadow of his brother?” has come out of the mouth of every football fan alive. During the playoffs, on Sunday especially, Eli Manning proved that he is a fine player. Hopefully now, everyone will stop criticizing Eli and give him a little credit. After all, he did just win a championship.

David Tyree - He cemented his place in Super Bowl lore with that ridiculous part hand, part helmet catch. Seriously, are you kidding me?!? Even if he had dropped every single pass thrown his way before that, David Tyree sitll would have been one of Sunday’s heroes.

Steve Smith - Steve Smith put out one of those performances that come in under the radar, without which wins turn into a losses. Apart from the final touchdown, Plaxico Burress had a relatively quiet night. So too did Amani Toomer. So, who did Eli rely on in time of need? Steve Smith. Yes, he did have a horrific blunder in the first quarter when he gifted the Patriots a momentum-turning intereption, literally cradling the ball into the hands of the defender. But aside from that, Steve Smith made big plays when the Giants needed it most. He is going to turn into an elite NFL receiver.

The Giants’ D-line - Wow! All I can say is wow! The performances of Strahan, Umeniyora and Tuck were absolutely mind boggling. They sacked Brady 5 times!! Brady had only been sacked 21 times in the 16 regular season games. Apart from the Pats’ early-game and late-game drives, the defensive line was all over Brady. When Strahan and company were not sacking Brady, they were hurrying him and hitting him, making it hard to be accurate. Just ask Randy Moss. He was pretty much a non-factor on Sunday because Brady was hurried so often and had to throw short to Welker and Faulk the majority of the time.

No one, I repeat, no one thought the Giants had a chance of beating the mighty Patriots in the Super Bowl. Congratulations to the New York Giants for a game well played.

Nishan Wilde is VP of Sales at Robbins Sports and Athletics, a premier online resource for Baseball Uniforms, Track Uniforms and Punching Bags.