With last years winner out of the lottery the field is wide open. Here is how I see it shaking out.
1. Milwaukee: It's hard to ignore past lottery success, while GM Harris has problems during the regular season he is money in the lottery.
2. Chicago (from NY): Chicago repeats last years lottery performance and nabs the number two spot. This is the trade that just keeps on giving, Isiah Thomas is building a very nice team in Chicago.
3. Memphis: After sliding two slots, Memphis is shocked to find the third pick is still available.
"He doesn't want to just be good at this," Schilling says. "He wants to be the best. I see no reason he can't be."
Sunday night, after I described Oden's workout to a respected NBA general manager who stands a pretty good chance at getting the No. 1 pick in Tuesday's lottery, the GM had four words for me:
"I told you so."
He continued, "Oden is not just a big guy. He's a big guy with great athleticism and skill. It's what I've been telling you all year. This guy is a lock as the No. 1 pick.
Remember, you read it here first.
BTW, Sam Smith has a great article about Oden supposedly demanding that the team that drafts him must also somehow acquire Mike Conley! This would be a simple matter if the Hawks happen to land #1, since they also would have #11, but other teams would be in a bind.
The Bucks might be in a good position for this, however. They could trade Bogut for a top ten pick, and then allow Mo to go in free agency. That's crazy talk, but interesting to think about. Read Mr. Smith's wisdom here:
GREEN BAY—Three-time MVP and undisputed future Hall of Fame quarterback Brett Favre, disappointed with the Packers' refusal to aggressively pursue receiver Randy Moss and frustrated with his team's apparent indifference to making immediate improvements on offense, is demanding a trade to the team he feels will give him the best shot at winning a last Super Bowl ring before his retirement: the 1996 Green Bay Packers.
A misdemeanor warrant was issued earlier this week after he failed to register as a convicted sex offender when he moved into a new house in the Cincinnati suburb of Indian Hill.
Patterson, who surrendered late Tuesday, was ordered to make a future court appearance. He faces a misdemeanor complaint that carries a possible six-month jail term.
Ohio law enforcement officials became aware of Patterson's failure to register in that state after a complaint about a party at his house on May 5, authorities said.
A certified letter was sent to Patterson's house on May 8, according to published reports, and when he did not respond within the required five days, a warrant was issued for his arrest.
In November of last year, Patterson purchased a $3.4 million house in Hamilton County but failed to register his new address with the sheriff's department.
Patterson is required to register under Ohio law, due to a sentencing in May 2001 in the state of Washington.
Read it and weep: http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2873643"I feel like I need to learn the plays so I can come back and try to win a starting job in the fall," Jackson said. "I've only had four or five practices with the veterans, but my agent told me the collective bargaining agreement couldn't let me go to the minicamp."
TUESDAY, May 15, 2007, 9:46 p.m.
Final 4?
Randy Moss isn’t a Green Bay Packer. The majority of us found out that fact on day two of the NFL Draft. Brett Favre and Bus Cook apparently found out a week to ten days earlier. According to a source, close to both the team and Brett, Bus Cook was informed of the Packers lack of interest in acquiring Moss prior to the draft. Cook then informed Favre of Ted Thompson’s choice not to pursue the controversial wide receiver. Upset at the lack of interest in bolstering the offense, but unwilling to believe that the Packers wouldn’t at the very least make a “play” for Moss, Favre decided to keep his feelings confined to those around him until draft day. After the announcement was made that indeed Moss was a Patriot and that it only took a 4th round draft pick to garner the services of the veteran receiver, Favre spouted to Cook that he ”wanted out”. He wanted to be traded to a team that would give him the opportunity to be a serious post-season contender. Cook contacted Thompson and Brett’s displeasure was conveyed to the Packers GM.
It took Mike McCarthy to calm the waters, so to speak. McCarthy, after a week of trying to contact Favre, finally received a return phone call from the Packers signal caller. Favre told McCarthy that he’d be a man of his word and return to the Green Bay Packers. Favre admitted that he really didn’t want to part company with the storied franchise but that he’s more than frustrated with the team for not supplying him with the offensive talent to give him another legitimate shot at an NFC title.
Favre’s demands and discontent leaked to the media and that’s when the spin went into effect. In a statement released on the Packers website Favre stated, “I was frustrated a couple weeks back when Randy Moss was traded to New England. I never wanted to be traded and I don't want to be traded. I want to be in Green Bay. I want to finish my career as a Packer. Sometimes when I get frustrated I let my emotions get the better of me. As I said in February when I announced that I was coming back, I am excited about the young talent on our team and the improvements we're going to see from one year to the next. I really enjoy the young guys I'm playing with. I'm working hard down in Mississippi right now, rehabbing, and I plan to be in the best shape of my life. I look forward to playing with this team and seeing what we can do. I think we can be pretty good.”
According to 2 separate sources, their opinion is that if Favre plays well this season (2007) then he’ll return for another year but it will NOT be with the Green Bay Packers. If Favre doesn’t play up to his own expectations, he’ll walk away from the game, to his tractor in Hattiesburg and ultimately to that anticipated day when he slips on that gold jacket and unveils his bronze bust on the historic stage in Canton.
Enjoy this year Packers fans, this appears to truly be Favre’s last hurrah. Question, if the Packers finish the 2007 campaign 11-5 and play deep in to January, would that convince #4 to don the green and gold once again? We’ll have to wait and see.
Note: Lance Allan of Today’s TMJ4 is reporting that a spokesman for the Packers has stated that the upcoming mini camp is mandatory and that anyone not in attendance is subject to fine. As we all know, Brett has stated that he will NOT be attending the mini camp this weekend. He’s rehabbing his surgically repaired ankle and he’ll be attending the high school graduation of his oldest daughter.
The Maddux who has had the biggest impact on the National League in 2007 might not be Greg. It could be his big brother Mike, who has turned into one of the best pitching coaches in the biz in Milwaukee.
There are plenty of examples of pitchers Maddux has turned around. But how about his three closers -- Dan Kolb (signed after getting released by Texas), Derrick Turnbow (a waiver claim) and Francisco Cordero (who had a 7.50 ERA last year this time in Texas).
"Let's just say it's not by accident these three guys all developed into All-Star closers," said manager Ned Yost. Maddux told Rumblings he doesn't want any accolades. "I'll take the blame," he said. "Let them [the pitchers] get the credit." Sorry. He gets it anyway.
Maddux built back Cordero's psyche and expanded his repertoire. He encouraged Turnbow to go home last winter, after a brutal year, and "hit the eraser button." And now he reminds The Chief constantly to slow down and "control the pace of the game." And how did Maddux figure out the secret to controlling that pace? By doing such a lousy job of it during his own career, he said. "That's how I learned," he laughed. "By looking back on my playing days and figuring out all the things I wish I'd done different."
• While everybody was fixating on J.J. Hardy's home run total, we might have missed his most incredible stat of all. He has been so locked in, 57 percent of his swings have put the ball in play this year. That's the fourth-best percentage in the NL. And no one else in the top 10 has hit more than two homers. "I can't tell you how badly I missed on J.J. Hardy as an offensive player," said one executive who scouted Hardy in high school. "I loved his hands in the field. He had an unbelievable arm. But I thought there was no way his bat would work at all. Too much swinging and missing." Hey, not anymore.
