Kansas City Royals return to postseason play.

Back when George Brett got tossed for having a corked bat the Kansas City Royals were a fixture in MLB postseason play.  The Royals were one of the most successful baseball teams starting in the late 1970's up until 1985.  They defeated the St Louis Cardinals to win the 1985 World Series.  That was one of the most memorable championship rounds in MLB history.

In 1985 no baseball fan in their right mind would have predicted the Royals would go 29 years before their next postseason birth.  However, this is the reality of the Royals organization.

The Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins and Cleveland Indians have feasted on Kansas City for years.  The days of the Royals being a perennial last place team are over.  The team rallied this summer after a slow start to finish the season with an 89-73 record.

Congratulations to the Kansas City Royals.  Hopefully the team can go out and give all those loyal fans that stuck around for those abysmal season's something to be proud of.

Tony Stewart walks free!

The toxicology report from Kevin Ward Jr's deadly accident has confirmed Ward Jr. was under the influence of Marijuana at the time of his death.  Ward Jr. was struck by Tony Stewart's car after walking onto the track to confront Stewart following a collision between the two drivers.  Walking onto the track is an extremely dangerous practice.  However,  it is a well known taboo in the driving world.

Only Stewart knows what was truly on his mind the night his car struck and killed Ward Jr. Stewart has walked on the track and confronted other drivers multiple times during his career.  He was the best driver on the track that fatal night in upstate New York.  An accident of this magnitude should have never taken place with  such an experienced driver.

Law enforcement officials in upstate New York have announced legal action will not be taken against Stewart.  Ward Jr. made a senseless decision getting behind the wheel with marijuana in his system.  He made an even worst decision walking on a live track with race cars whizzing by at high speeds.  The positive marijuana test likely eliminates any notion of Stewart being prosecuted.

A positive drug test could be the only thing saving Stewart from spending time behind bars.

Gino in trouble???

The New York Jets acquired Michael Vick in the offseason to serve as Gino Smith's back up.  Smith is still a young quarterback trying to find his way in the NFL.  Bringing in a former starter with something left in the tank, while attempting to groom a young quarterback can lead to trouble.  The moment the young player begins to struggle, whispers begin to swirl around the organization for a change.

The Jets have been horrible in the red zone thus far this season.  However, Rex Ryan has once again assembled a great defense.  New York plays the run as good as any team in the NFL.  There is no clear cut great team in the AFC East.  After three games the Jets are right in the thick of things.  If the Jets stick with Smith too long it could cost them a shot at the playoffs.

Vick has certainly had his struggles in recent years.  His decision making and durability are always a question.  However, Vick is talented enough to finish second in the MVP race Back in 2010.  If Smith doesn't get it together soon, Vick may slide into the starter role in the near future.

Top NBA high school draft selections.

Next summer marks the tenth anniversary of the last high school player being selected in the NBA Draft.  Amir Johnson was selected with the 56th overall selection by the Toronto Raptors in 2005.  Johnson remains the last high school player taken in the NBA Draft. Dwight Howard Was the last high school player selected with the first overall selection in 2004.

Results have varied in terms of high school players having success in the NBA.  Kobe Bryant is the most accomplished NBA player since Michael Jordan.  Kevin Garnett starred for the Minnesota Timberwolves for over a decade.  He captured an NBA title in 2008 with the Boston Celtics.  However, other players have ruined their careers by skipping out on college.  Do the names Kwame Brown And Ndubi Ebi ring a bell?  If the answer is yes, it's probably not for a good reason.

The NBA is a tough league to survive in.  Here's a list of who I believe are the top high school selections in NBA history.  Moses Malone is one of the best centers in NBA history. He was selected By the Utah Stars of the ABA in 1974 out of high school.  He joined the NBA when the leagues merged in 1976.

1.Kobe Bryant
2.LeBron James
3.Kevin Garnett
4.Dwight Howard
5.Tracy McGrady
6.Ama're Stoudemire
7.Jermaine O'Neal
8.Tyson Chandler
9.Monta Ellis
10.Al Jefferson

1996 NBA Draft

The 1996 NBA Draft changed the course of league history.  This group of men ushered in the post Michael Jordan era.  Many consider 1996 the second best draft in the last 30 years.  The 1984 NBA Draft is considered by many the best in league history.

This is my mock draft looking back on this talented group 18 years later.

1.Kobe Bryant
2.Ray Allen
3.Allen Iverson
4.Steve Nash
5.Marcus Camby
6.Shareef Abdur-Rahim
7.Stephon Marbury
8.Jermaine O'Neal
9.Peja Stojakovic
10.Antoine Walker
11.Derek Fisher
12.Kerry Kittles
13.Zydrunas Illgauskas
14.Tony Delk

*Ben Wallace went undrafted in 1996.  Wallace had a better career than multiple players on this list.

Jameis Winston

At this moment I cannot come up with any good reason why an NFL franchise would waste a first-round selection on Jameis Winston.  One of the most important  roles of a quarterback is being a leader of men on the highest level.  Winston doesn't seem capable of leading his own personal life.  Considering all that Winston has been through, you would think he would be cautious of his every move.  An injury is the only thing that stands in the way of Winston cashing in on a huge pay day in the near future.

Winston has already been accused of rape, and was caught red handed swiping crab legs at a local supermarket.  Playing college football in the south automatically makes you a star around town.  When your the Heisman Trophy winning quarterback of Florida State University, that stardom magnifies tenfold.  If Winston can't stay out of trouble in college, his maturity level many not be up to par with the demands of the NFL.

Winston must show some maturity during the rest of his time in college.  If his hands keep getting caught in the cookies jar, he can kiss his NFL career goodbye.  This year Winston will be eligible for the NFL Draft.  Many analyst barring injury have him penciled in as the first overall selection.  The cards are in Winston's hands.  Hopefully he won't squander this opportunity due to bone headed behavior.

Peterson to sit!

The Minnesota Vikings have placed Adrian Peterson on the NFL's exempt list.  Peterson will remain on the exempt list until his legal proceedings have concluded.  This decision came as a bit of a surprise considering Peterson was reinstated by the Vikings just two days ago.

The Vikings organization clearly made the wrong decision by reinstating Peterson while his child abuse case takes place.  The team is attempting to back track after receiving negative publicity from multiple sources.  Mark Dayton, the governer of Minnesota spoke out vehemently against the Vikings decision to bring Peterson back prematurely.

What were the head honchos in the Vikings front office thinking when making such a dumb decision?  Right now Peterson has no business anywhere near a football field.  The decision to deactivate Peterson was obviously a ploy due the scrutiny the NFL is currently engulfed in.  If Ray Rice hadn't caused a national outcry the Vikings would have handled the Peterson situation in a much different tone.

Ticket sales and winning ball games are apparently more important than integrity in the Minnesota Vikings organization.

NFL = Crisis mode

The last month has been nothing short of a public relations disaster for the NFL.

Initially the Ray Rice ordeal was thought to be an issue mishandled by Roger Goodell.  Due to TMZ releasing a second recording of Ray Rice knocking his fiancee out cold that February night in Atlantic City has developed into a fool fledged scandal sexy enough that even commissioner Goodell's future is uncertain.

The Associate Press, one of the most respected online publications in the world released a story claiming someone in the league office confirmed receiving the second video.  Goodell claims he never saw the second video prior to it being released by TMZ.  The stories simply don't add up.  If the A.P's story is indeed accurate, either Goodell hasn't been truthful or someone screwed up big time in the NFL'S office.

Greg Hardy is currently in the midst of his own domestic violence case.  Hardy is the Carolina Panthers franchise player on defense.  Due to Rice's story becoming front page news, Hardy has begun to garner major criticism.  If the Rice issue hadn't taken such a bizarre turn Hardy probably would have slid under the radar.  There lies the problem with the NFL.  Drug arrest and on - field conduct seem to be more important than addressing the NFL'S domestic violence issues.  It took a nation's outcry for the NFL to implement an entirely new system directed towards domestic violence.

Adrian Peterson is the latest NFL star in hot water.  Peterson has been charged with reckless or negligent injury to a child.  Peterson will not suit up Sunday for the Minnesotta Vikings.  Peterson is the Vikings best player.  With all the extra attention around the league right now, Minnesota certainly doesn't want to come under scrutiny for allowing Paterson to play.  So as of now Peterson will sit.

The NFL is worth just under 10$ Billion dollars.  If these issues continue to swirl around that number could begin to take a hit.  The NFL is currently in limbo!

Chris Davis gets busted

The Baltimore Orioles hopes at winning their first World Series since 1983 has taken a slight hit.  Chris Davis has been suspended 25 games for testing positive for adderall.  The suspension will keep Davis out the remainder of the regular season and extend into the playoffs.  The Orioles are cruising to an American League East crown.

Baltimore's line-up is good enough to win without Davis' s services.  They currently have seven players who have hit at least 10 home run 's so far this season.  Davis hit a career high 53 home run 's last season.  This year he's struck out 173 times in 129 games.  His production has taken a major hit, but Davis is Still a dangerous hitter in the middle of the order.

The suspension shows that MLB is making strides in cleaning up the game.  The steroid era would have never taken place if the league had taken this problem serious much sooner.  Now all that's left is to pick up the pieces.

Davis has let down every player in the Orioles locker room that does it by the books. Players need to think about the ramifications of their actions and the people they affect.  When players are suspended for nonsense, it affects the entire organization.

Mr big shot retires

Chauncey Billups has decided to retire after after 17 season's in the NBA.  Someday the chizzled floor general will certainly be inducted in the Naismith Basketball Hall-of-Fame. His career has been a bit of an anomaly.  Prior to joining the Detroit Pistons he was an NBA journeyman, including stops in Boston, Toronto, Minnesota and Denver.  He would eventually prove all those teams gave up on him too soon.

Chauncey averaged 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game during his career. However his numbers are not indicative of his true value.  He was the ultimate leader, the type of player any coach, general manager or owner would love to have on their side.  A consummate professional that came to work with the same intensity every day. Chauncey's work ethic was contagious amongst his teammates.  When guys see one of the smallest guys on the team constantly in the weight room and gym trying to improve, they often follow in suit.

Chauncey played in the conference finals every year between 2003-2009, twice advancing to the NBA Finals in 2004 and 2005.  His greatest accomplishment came in 2004.  The 54-28 Detroit Pistons were heavy underdogs against a talent laden Los Angeles Lakers squad.  The Pistons marched into the Staples Center and stole game one.  If not for a miracle three from Kobe Bryant in game two, Detroit would have swept the Lakers.  They ended up finishing off the Lakers in an easy five game series to claim the Larry O'Brian trophy.  Chauncey was named finals MVP for his clutch shooting and impeccable leadership skills.  This remains arguably one of the biggest upsets in NBA history.  No one in their right mind expected Detroit to win it all that year.

Chauncey ' s true value came to light after he was traded to Denver for a second stint in his hometown.  The addition of Billups transformed a talented Nuggets team into championship contenders overnight.  Denver came within 2 wins of their first ever NBA Finals appearance.

Chris Paul is widely considered the best floor general in the NBA today.  He credits much of his success early on to the tutelage of Chauncey.  He showed Paul the ropes when he entered the league.  Paul has returned the favor by mentoring other young guards such as Darren Collison and Eric Bledsoe.

Watching Chauncey play basketball all these years has been a real pleasure.  He was one of the best at what he did for a good period of time.  The NBA will definitely miss Chauncey.

The Ray Rice saga.

The world of sports will be a better place when the Ray Rice fiasco is finally a memory!

Roger Goodell missed the beat on this issue 100%.  Judging by the initial tape release, Rice obviously committed an ugregious crime deserving strict punishment.  The NFL hit Rice with a slap on the wrist, two games for treating his fiancé like she was a punching bag.

Rice should have been suspended indefinitely six months ago.  What did league officials think went on in that elevator?  The NFL is obviously in damage control mode.  That $9 Billion dollar pot is all commissioner Goodell and his cronies truly care about.  Two games is obviously too short of a suspension for the act committed.  However, extending the suspension because something you were already aware of became visual is a slap in the face to everyone involved in the situation.

The Baltimore Ravens also fell short in the manner this ordeal was dealt with.  Initially the Ravens organization let the NFL make the first move.  The Ravens are not at fault for Rice only receiving a two game suspension.  The Ravens however are at fault for leaving head coach Jon Harbaugh on an island to deal with the media.  Where was the general manager?  Why didn't the owner speak out on the matter?  Multiple atrocities were committed on the NFL's behalf as well as the Baltimore Ravens.

Rice is responsible for this entire ordeal.  He has been a member of the Ravens organization since 2008.  He is one of the most important players in franchise history.  Rice is a three-time pro bowler and the second leading rusher in team history.  He was on his way to earning a spot in the Ravens ring of honor.

This situation has provoked strong emotions across the country.  Rice's actions were vicious in nature.  This is certainly not the first time he has struck his wife.  This is an eye opener for fathers.  Domestic violence is an issue that needs to be brought to light.  Men like Rice maneuver throughout society feeling untouchable.  I pray people learn from this situation.

Life goes on for Rice and his family.  Michael Vick has transformed his life after serving just under two years for a dog fighting conviction.  Ray Lewis became a bigger brother to teammates and players around the NFL after beating a double homicide conviction.

Rice's NFL career may very well be over.  If this is the case, the education he earned at Rutgers University needs to come into play.  Football allowed Rice to attend one of the most prestegious institutions in the northeast.

Giants open season

The New York Giants kick off the 2014 NFL season in difficult fashion.  The Giants are looking to improve from last year's abysmal 7-9 record.  Last season was especially disappointing considering the Super Bowl was held in New York for the first time in the games illustrious history.  New York travels to Detroit to take on the Lions in a marquee Monday night match-up.  The Lions hired former Indianapolis Colts coach Jim Caldwell to the same position in the off season.  This could be the year the Lions maximize their potential and ruffle some feathers around the league.

Eli Manning is the heart and soul of the Giants organization.  The two-time Super Bowl MVP is coming off his worst season as a professional.  Eli led the NFL with 27 interceptions a year ago.  If the Giants expect to end their two year playoff drought, it starts with Eli taking care of the ball.  A lack of communication between Eli and his pass catchers is one of the main reasons the Giants led the league in turnovers a year ago.

This is Ben McAdoo 's first season as the Giants offensive coordinator.  Eli didn't look comfortable during the preseason.  Eli needs to be on the same page with his receivers for this offense to work.

Tom Coughlin is 68 years old.  He is the oldest active head coach in the NFL.  Not that age matters much to Coughlin, he became the oldest coach to win the Lombardi Trophy in 2011.  Coughlin has to find a way to light a fire under his younger players.  Much of the Giants roster from 2011 has departed.  Coughlin must convince a new group of young players they can win on this level.

Winning the first game of the year will be crucial to the Giants season.  Last year they let the season opener slip away in Dallas.  The Giants ended up digging themselves into an 0-6 hole they failed to recover from.

A win in Detroit is big for the Giants psyche.  The Lions are a talented team. However, bad coaching and a lack of discipline have kept the team from reaching their true potential.  On paper Detroit should be in the playoffs every year.  Matthew Stafford is attempting to get back to an elite level.  Detroit is out for redemption.

The NFC East is a winnable division for the Giants this season.

25 questions to keep your head scratching!

Football is back.  For the next four months it's all about the pig skin.
Here's some food for thought for NFL fans to chomp on.

Can Eli Manning keep the interceptions to a minimum?

Is Chris Johnson still an elite running back?

Can the Denver Broncos get back to the Super Bowl?  The Super Bowl runner up usually suffers a drop off.

Will Robert Griffin III return to the elite level he played at in 2012?

Is Tom Brady still elite?  Are the New England Patriots still dominating the AFC East?

What will year two of the Chip Kelly project look like?

Is Jadeveon CLOWNEY the real deal?

Will the Detroit Lions finally maximize their talent?

Will Andy Reid produce another winning season in Kansas City?

Is Johnathan Martin ready to play football again?

Can Ray Rice return to elite form after a disappointing 2013 season?

When will Johnny Manziel start his first game?

Will the Seahawks suffer the dreaded Super Bowl hangover?

Will the Madden Curse come into fold?

Can Lovie Smith get Tampa Bay back to an elite defensive level?

Will the Cowboys go 8-8 for a fourth consecutive year?

Is Ben Roethlisberger still elite?

Will Sammy Watkins add some much needed explosiveness to the Bills offense?

Is Matt Ryan still Matty Ice?

Is Bill O'Brian ready to lead the Texans back to the playoffs?

Can Cincinnati get over the hump and win a playoff game?

Will San Francisco win the Lombardi trophy?

Will Andrew Luck have a better year than Peyton Manning?

Will Blake Bortles sit and watch the entire year?

Will Wes Welker play another game in the NFL?

Kevin Durant

Is Kevin Durant considering leaving Oklahoma City?

Kevin Durant is the reigning NBA MVP.  2013-14 was the most impressive season of his career thus far.  Kevin burdened the load while Russell Westbrook struggled with nagging injuries for much of the season.  Kevin met every challenge thrown at him last season.  His MVP speech capped off a truly phenomenal season.

Kevin 's MVP speech showed a different side of his personality.  On the basketball court he is as fierce a competitor as you can find in professional sports.  Off the court he's still that humble kid from Washington D.C.  Kevin isn't the type to forget where he came from, or what got him to this position.

Despite everything Kevin has accomplished in Oklahoma City,  you'd have to think returning to his home city has to be on his mind.  The Thunder have been knocking on the door for three years now.  That window of opportunity won't be there every year.  Teams in the Western Conference are getting better.  The Clippers are even more of a threat to win it all this year.  The Dallas Mavericks have also improved drastically.  Trading away James Harden could turn out to be the demise of Oklahoma City.

The Washington Wizards have an excellent young nucleus of players.  John Wall and Bradley Beal are a hand full to deal with.  The Eastern Conference is nowhere near as competitive as the west.  If Kevin were to join the Wizards, Washington could win 55 games for the next decade.  It's sounds scary, but how about kevin, Wall and Beal as the NBA'S next big three.  The new trend in the NBA is to jump ship and play with other talented players. Why should Kevin be subject to loyalty, meanwhile his peers are piling up championship rings.

As this season progresses Kevin's free agency status will be mentioned more and more. Washington will be in the mix.

Roger Goodell

The NFL ' S image took a big hit in wake of Ray Rice's two game suspension.  This summer Rice was caught on tape dropping his unconscious fiance into the ground face first in an Atlantic City hotel elevator.  Prior to the incident the NFL had no policy in place specifically for domestic violence.  

Roger Goodell has ruled the NFL with an iron fist since taking over the reigns as league commissioner from Paul Tagliabue.  Player conduct off the field has been a focal point of commissioner Goodell's since he became the NFL 's head man.

Goodell had to have been feeling the pressure coming from every direction.  The commissioner failed on this one and is well aware of that notion.  Image is extremely important to the NFL.  That's exactly why you don't see those hilarious touch down celebrations anymore.  The league deemed such celebrations as inapropriate.

Goodell is usually a stoic when it comes to criticism.  Players don't need a reason to hate the principal.  The commissioners attitude gives his workers all the more incentive to despise him.

The Ray Rice situation is about more than just keeping players in line.  Goodell had a chance to send a clear message and failed.  Now he is attempting to rectify that terrible decision by implementing a new system designed to keep players from indulging in such ugregious behavior.

According to the new rules, a first time domestic violence offender will be suspended 6 games.  A second offense will result in lifetime banishment.  Putting your hands on a woman can result in a football player being kicked out of the NFL.  Now that's what I call a rule change!

I'm sure Goodell looks at this as another successful public relations stunt.  Rice may have benefited from a weak system, but a precident has been set.  Placing your hands on a woman will result in a steep penalty.

The entire situation makes you question Goodell's intentions.  Prior to this incident NFL players did not trust the commissioner.  Goodell may have finally done enough to open peoples eyes.  Is the commissioner really focused on improving the league?