Jock Jerseys’ Flash

So your team just came off of one of the worst seasons in franchise history.  Ticket sales are projected at an all time low for the upcoming season.  The team’s superstars are grumbling and upper management is enforcing strict parking space rules at the practice field.  What can the franchise do? How do they erase the sting of a horrible season in the player’s and fan’s eyes alike?  Simple…You change your logo.

In case you haven’t figured it out yet, the Detroit Lions unveiled their super amazing stimulus plan for their follow up to a disastrous 0-16 season and along with overpaying for Matthew Stafford, a quarterback who has never taken an NFL snap, they redesigned their football jerseys and logo.

So this led me to think - what is the actual effectiveness of changing the team’s logo’s, color schemes, and uniforms after a dismal season.

We will take a look at the last 2 uniform changes in each of the 3 major sports, and the impact it had following their prior season.

Major League Baseball

The Team: Tampa Bay Rays

The Year: 2007

The Record: 66-96 (.407)

What they Changed:  The Tampa Bay Devil Rays decided to see if they could get God on their side and removed the word “Devil” from their official name.

The Result: It appears that God was pleased as he beamed down a 97-65 record on them, leading them towards the promised land of the World Series.  They eventually lost to the Philadelphia Phillies, but recorded the highest win total in franchise history.

The Team: Arizona Diamondbacks

The Year: 2006

The Record: 76-86 (.469)

What they Changed:  The D-Backs finally joined the 20^th century and got rid of the Teal and Purple that had been their main color scheme since inception.  They went with what is described as “Sedona” red and black as their main colors.  Even if it didn’t mean more wins on the field, the color change definitely meant that less Diamondback’s fans got beat up for wearing their team’s colors.

The Result:  Diamondbacks fans had something to cheer at as their team went 90-72 and took first place in the National League West.  They swept the Chicago Cubs in the NLDS, but eventually ran into a buzz saw called the Colorado Rockies…who ironically have purple uniforms.

National Basketball Association

The Team: Atlanta Hawks

The Year: 2006-2007

The Record: 30-52 (.366)

What they Changed:  The Atlanta Hawks have had countless uniform changes over the years, but have predominantly displayed a bright red and horrible yellow look prior to their most recent change.  Their new basketball jerseys incorporate Navy Blue, Red, and Silver as well as a more menacing image of a hawk.

The Result:  While not as positive as the changes for the D-Backs and the Rays, Atlanta did improve their record in the 2007-2008 season, squeaking their way in to a playoff berth and promptly getting eliminated by the eventual champion Boston Celtics.

The Team: Cleveland Cavaliers

The Year: 2002-2003

The Record: 17-65 (.207)

What they Changed:  After coming off, arguably one of the worst seasons in the history of organized, professional sports, Cleveland needed a face lift.  They decided to ditch their clip art style basketball logo with a more accurate representation of their mascot.

The Result:  The 2003-2004 season showed almost a complete turnaround for the Cavaliers as they were able to pull out 18 more wins than their previous season.  While we would like to attribute this to their uniform changes, I think that the 2003-2004 season for the Cavs will be remembered more for the addition of Lebron James rather than some much needed color changes.

National Football League

The Team: Atlanta Falcons

The Year: 2002

The Record: 9-6-1

What they Changed:  Despite a very successful season which included a playoff win over the Green Bay Packers before eventually losing to the Super Bowl runner-up Philadelphia Eagles, the Falcons decided to change their logo and represent a fiercer, bolder bird of prey on the side of their helmet.

The Result:  The uniform change turned out to be all for show as the Falcons proceeded to go 5-11 the following year, finishing last in their division.

The Team: Denver Broncos

The Year: 1996

The Record: 13-3

What they Changed:  The Broncos decided to ditch the royal blue and pale orange look for a fiercer, more defiant color scheme of navy blue and dark orange.  Despite, their stellar record in 1996, they felt they needed a little push to get them that playoff win and a uniform change was just the boost they needed.

The Result: It turns out that this insane thinking in the Mile High City turned out to be ok as John Elway and his Broncos eventually won the Super Bowl over the Green Bay Packers, despite finishing with one less win than the previous year.

So what can the Lions hope to expect with this brash new uniform change?  Well, unless Matthew Stafford turns out to be the Lebron James of the NFL, I don’t see this team crawling out of the NFC North Cellar any time soon.

We’ve all played sports video games before.  From the original sports games like RBI Baseball, where you could bunt for a homerun, to Tecmo Bowl where you could literally kill a quarter with a single running play.  The question still remains…Will they ever be able to create a sports video game that gets everything right?  Let’s face it, no matter how advanced the computer’s AI gets, it’s still a computer with a finite amount of movements and reactions to your input on the controller.  Don’t get me wrong, video games have come a long long way in the past few years, not only graphically, but with advanced controls.

Looks Amazing, But Something Doesnt Feel Right

There are so many things  you can do now with the controllers that just weren’t possible with the old NES and SEGA Controllers, but despite the spin moves, jukes, alley oops and curveballs can a sports video game ever make you feel like you are there?

Is there ever a real “Home Field Advantage” when playing these games? I have yet to see home field really make that much of a difference; in fact, if you took my combined stats of every sports game I’ve played at home and on the road, it would probably be statistically even.  In my opinion, the lack of arena influence on the game is one of the biggest reasons why sports video games have not progressed to their fullest potential yet.  Sure, the controller vibrates in a tough situation but is that really a substitute for the Cameron Crazies yelling obscenities at you and jumping around as you shoot free throws with the game on the line?

You Cant Match This Intensity Without Help from Your Drunk Roommates

Is there any way to match what you are feeling during game 7 of the World Series? What it feels like to have millions watching you as you kick the winning field goal of the super bowl? And the answer is simply no…Video games have their place, don’t get me wrong, I love playing them almost as much as anyone but they are no substitute for the real thing.  Playing Mario Baseball with your roommates can be fun for a while, but is there any question that if you leave one out over the plate that Bowser is putting it in the upper deck, much to the chagrin of Waluigi. 

This is not a knock on sports video games; I own lots of them and like playing them.  I just wonder if there is more that developers can do to make you feel like you are there.  Get the crowd involved, let the good coaches make the right decisions when the game is on the line instead of having the players do what they have done since the first quarter.  Kids can play all the video games they want, but it is no match for the character they build by being out on the court or field, depending on teammates, persevering through pressure and much more.

This season, the NBA’s Eastern Conference has dominated national headlines in newspapers and on the Internet.  This is quite the opposite of how the former “L”Eastern Conference was looked upon even just a couple years ago.  The NBA’s elite are no longer strictly in the Western Conference, as 3 of the top 4 teams in the NBA are from the East.  Only the Los Angeles Lakers are performing up to par w/ the Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers and defending champion Boston Celtics.

With the playoffs looming only weeks away, the East is a three (3) team race to the NBA Finals - no disrespect to the Detroit Pistons or Atlanta Hawks, who are good, but not great this season.  I’m not ready to write off the Lakers or other Western team from winning this year’s championship, but they have their work cut out for them.  The road to the NBA Championship still goes through Boston, while Cleveland and Orlando are close behind.

Here are my team reviews, in no particular order:

Cleveland Cavaliers

Cleveland isn’t new to championship discussions, having reached the Finals and suffering at the hands of the San Antonio Spurs during one of their many “odd” year championships.  Superstar Lebron James is this season’s MVP without a doubt and has the Cavs on pace for the league’s best record this year.  Of course, James has more help this year w/ the addition of guard Mo Williams and the relative health of the other contributors.

The Cavaliers can be dominant on both ends of the court, so they have to be looked at as a serious contender.  They can shutdown Boston’s Big-3 if needed and can likely withstand a tough defensive opponent to grind out a 7-game series.

F/C Ben Wallace was recently lost due to a freak broken fibula accident, but he isn’t expected to miss the entire playoff season and will likely factor into their playoff run.   Fresh off being waived by the Thunder, forward Joe Smith was signed to help bolster the frontcourt and give the offense an added perimiter shooter and post defender.

Overall chance at winning… 3 to 1

Boston Celtics

Boston is the defending champ so they go in as the favorite once again.  With a potent offense, improved point guard play from Rajon Rondo and a decent supporting cast, the Big-3 of Paul Pierce, Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett can carry the Celtics to another NBA title.

Health is an issue w/ this team, w/ KG recently going out of the lineup for several weeks.  While he should be back to playing shape soon and be fine for the playoffs, the Celtics will likely lose homecourt advantage in the playoffs due to the injury.

Paul Pierce has been mostly quiet this year, but consistent.  He is a proven scorer who can take over a game at any given time.  This year, he seems to be allowing Allen to shine a bit more, as well as Rondo, who’s speed and athleticism can also take over a game at times.

Boston’s bench is not the same as last year, but they have signed Stephon Marbury (yes that one) to help shore up the second unit.  So far, so good, but only time will tell if this was a good move by Ainge & Co.  The Celtics also picked up Mikki Moore, which could end up being the difference maker… he can play defense and score when given the opportunity.  With the Kings, he was a 5th or 6th scoring option and he needs to be more like the 8th or 9th.

Overall chance at winning… 2 to 1

Orlando Magic

The team that is probably the most overlooked in the Eastern Conference, Orlando could surprise people once the playoffs begin.  They have a solid defense and a potent offense, including one of the best 3-pt shooting squads in the league.  That latter is not necessarily a good thing, considering the old saying that “you live and die by the 3″.

Leading up to the All-Star break, the Magic were performing very well - leading to 3 All-Star representatives.  Some would argue that guard Jameer Nelson was not an All-Start, but that’s neither here nor there.  And of course, Nelson was injured and missed the game.  This led some to believe that the Magic had lost their chance to advance far in the playoffs.

The acquisition of Rafer Alston for virtually nothing several weeks ago has pushed Orlando right back into the playoff mix.  A pass-first poing guard, Alston brings a level of excitement and playmaking that Nelson didn’t necessarily lack, but he was looking to score more as the season went along.

The Magic are led by the new “Superman”, Dwight Howard, who is leading the NBA in both rebounds and blocks, which should lead to a Defensive Player of the Year award for the 23 yr old.  On the wings, Hedo Turkoglu and Rashard Lewis lead a devastating 3-pt barrage that typically leaves other teams scrambling to keep up.  Several supporting players have stepped up and played well, including Courtney Lee, Michael Pietrus and others.

Overall chance of winning… 6 to 1

A new list of top NBA jerseys has come out recently detailing the Top 10 NBA Team apparel & merchandise sales for December 2008.  The NBA Store is reporting the figures, as well as indicating a 10% increase in overall sales from the previous season.  Considering the sputtering economy and sluggish Christmas season, this is quite amazing for any league to report an increase in sales.

So without further ado, here are the Top 10 NBA Teams, ranked according to merchandise sales at the NBA Store:

1. Los Angeles Lakers
2. Boston Celtics
3. New York Knicks
4. Cleveland Cavaliers
5. Chicago Bulls
6. Phoenix Suns
7. Detroit Pistons
8. New Orleans Hornets
9. Miami Heat
10. San Antonio Spurs

This list is not too surprising, although based on league records, we could point out a few notables missing, including: Orlando Magic, Dallas Mavericks, Denver Nuggets, Houston Rockets and Portland Trail Blazers.

Dwight Howard and the Magic are playing extremely well in the East, alongside the Celtics and Cavs, while the Rockets have two of the leagues most popular players (China factor) in Yao Ming and Tracy McGrady.  Dallas is a perennial list topper due to their uptempo style of play, but they haven’t been playing so well of late.  Denver has Chauncey Billups and Carmelo Anthony (& Nene), while Portland has All-Star Brandon Roy and the ever-aging Greg Oden to boot.

Featured NBA Jerseys

It was reported early on New Year’s Eve that TNT analyst and NBA legend Charles Barkley was pulled over in Scottsdale and arrested on suspicion of DUI.  This is hardly Barkley’s first encounter w/ controversy and/or getting in the news for doing something dumb, but a DUI is no laughing matter and definitely more serious than gambling away millions of dollars.

Barkley apparently failed a field sobriety test and declined the breathalyzer before submitting to the alcohol/substance blood test, the results of which, could take several weeks to be confirmed.

Charles and some friends, rumored to be Michael Strahan and Jaleel White, were apparently at the Dirty Pretty bar in Scottsdale, where they racked up quite a tab.  Despite having a posh NBA gig on TNT and millions from his playing days, Barkley apparently can’t fork out for a cab or driver/limo to get home safely.  I can’t harp too hard on him, however, since I doubt 80% of the American public would call a cab or limo for their night out drinking.  We all seem to think “we’re ok” or that its not that far home, but in reality, we put ourselves and others in jeopardy every time we get behind the wheel after having a drink.

The 2008-2009 NBA season is just around the corner, so Jock Jerseys is going to start featuring an analysis of what we feel are the Top 10-15 players at each position.

Today, we’re going to get started with the Top 10 fantasy Point Guards in the NBA.  This offseason included a number of big name players moving to new teams, but that doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll be in a better position fantasy-wise.

Before getting into our point guard rankings, lets go over how Yahoo Fantasy Sports is rating them this year:

1. Chris Paul
2. Dwyane Wade
3. Baron Davis
4. Allen Iverson
5. Chauncey Billups
6. Deron Williams
7. Steve Nash
8. Jose Calderon
9. Joe Johnson
10. Jason Kidd

Now that you’ve seen Yahoo’s rankings, let’s get into the nitty gritty.

Jock Jerseys Top 10 Fantasy Rankings - Point Guards

1. Chris Paul - Hard to argue w/ this choice after Paul led the league in both steals and assists last year, as well as scoring almost 1,700 points.  His turnovers are marginal (for 80 games played), his field goal and free throw percentages are 48% and 85%, respectively.  Add to the fact that the New Orleans Hornets should be even better this year & Chris Paul looks like a formidable #1 overall fantasy pick.
2. Deron Williams - Utah is going to be a power again in the Western Conference and Williams should continue to increase on his performance.  His turnovers are a bit high and he might miss a few games to open the season, but on a per game basis, Deron Williams should be at the top of the point guard list at the end of the season.
3. Chauncey Billups - Mr. Big Shot will return as the undisputed leader of the Detroit Pistons and the floor general.  Billups will continue to score, provide assists, avoid turnovers and add valuable 3 pointers.  The only reason Chauncey could rank lower, is if Rodney Stuckey gets more minutes off the bench or an injury occurs.
4. Baron Davis - Baron’s new address is in LA, but one of his biggest helpers left (Elton Brand), so it will be interesting to see how he adjusts.  If he can stay healthy, Baron Davis will put up great numbers across the board - his shooting percentages are decent, he scores 3’s, he gets steals and he will be the 1st or 2nd option on the Los Angeles Clippers.
5. Allen Iverson - Having eliminated most of the defensive power of the Nuggest by moving Marcus Camby, Denver will primarily focus on trying to outscore their opponents.  This is an area where Allen Iverson has always excelled - shooting & scoring.  Assists and steals will be there, as well as a hefty helping of turnovers and decent 3’s.
6. Devin Harris - Harris was a solid player in Dallas, but had to share minutes and his stats suffered as a result.  Now the starter on a new look New Jersey Nets team, look for Harris to assert himself on the court.  He only played 64 games last year, so he will need to stay healthy.  I would expect increases in all aspects of Harris’ game, including turnovers when trying to force the ball too much.
7. Jose Calderon - A surprise in Toronto last year, Calderon will not be sneaking up on anyone this year.  That said, the addition of Jermaine O’Neal should help improve Jose’s numbers because O’Neal is a more reliable scorer and will get some extra offensive rebounds, which should increase their scoring (& assists).  Jose Calderon distributes well, does not turn the ball over and shoots over 51% FG and 90% FT, w/ almost 100 three pointers for the season.
8. Andre Miller - You might question this pick, but with the addition of Elton Brand, Miller should be an assist machine and threaten for the league lead.  He can score, steal and he’s one of the better rebounding guards, so he’ll help you in that area.  He is not going to get you 3’s, so look in a different direction if you prefer long-range shooters.
9. Tony Parker - The Spurs are going to be great and Tony Parker will play a major role throughout the season.  He is injury prone, but when healthy he puts up good scoring numbers and a high amount of FT’s (though only at a 71% clip).  3’s will be minimal, but he does hold onto the ball and rebounds decently for a guard.  With Manu Ginobili out for awhile, look for Parker to take on a more assertive role on offense and ball distribution.  Ginobili is a player capable of getting his own shot, but the Spurs really don’t have anyone else that can do that, so they will depend more on Tony to feed them.
10. Steve Nash - A couple years ago, Nash is easily in the Top 3 or Top 5 fantasy PG’s, but the Phoenix Suns are going to be a little slower and I expect Steve’s minutes to be reduced in an attempt to keep him fresh for the playoffs.

You might notice several players missing from this list… Yes, they may qualify as point guards, but that is not the position they are lined up to play this year.  Players that fit this bill include Shooting Guards Dwyane Wade, Allen Iverson and Joe Johnson.

Other notable omissions: Jason Kidd, Mo Williams, Mike Bibby

If you disagree w/ the rankings or if you think we missed someone, drop a comment and we’ll be sure to respond.

The game was a total blowout - Celtics win 131-92 over the Lakers in Game 6. Boston wins it’s 17th NBA Championship and Paul Pierce is named the 2008 NBA Finals MVP.

We’ve got a full recap over on our sister-site, at http://nbaweblog.com/. Go check it out!

Of course, you can find a full selection of 2008 NBA Championship gear at the NBA Store:

You can also shop for Celtics jerseys and apparel below (thru Amazon):

Ongoing coverage of the 2008 NBA Finals, Game 5:

Final result: Lakers force Game 6 after a tough showing on their homecourt. After nearly blowing a huge lead again, they held on in the end and delivered in a must-win game.

1st half…

Lakers take huge lead again, reminiscent of Game 4. As in that game, LA has already given up most of the lead and were fightining for their life late in the 2nd quarter. The entered the half w/ the lead, but just barely.

Kobe Bryant was on fire in the 1st quarter, but didn’t score in the 2nd. For Paul Pierce, it was just about the opposite… he scored very little in the 1st and took over in the 2nd. Lamar Odom has gotten a few layups from high pick ‘n rolls w/ Kobe and Pau Gasol, but other than that, he’s been playing about the same. The Lakers looked super-aggressive in the 1st quarter, led by Kobe, but went more than 5 minutes in the 2nd quarter without scoring.

The Celtics defense improved greatly in the 2nd quarter - one big reason the Lakers couldn’t score. Kevin Garnett was playing well early (8 pts), but got in foul trouble and played minimal minutes - only 13 seconds in 2nd quarter. He as 3 fouls (should be 2), so it will be interesting to see how LA attacks him and tries to get him out of the game. What’s really interesting, however, is that Kobe and the Lakers gave up the lead w/ Garnett on the bench.

Halftime show featured a story on Bill Walton and son Luke Walton. Seriously, they could have just done a story on Luke and I would’ve been happy. Is Bill Walton semi-mental? Granted it’s Father’s Day, but what a sappy ass monologue to his son. Btw… did you see the look on Luke’s face, like “do I really have to be here”?

2nd half just starting…

8:00 remaining in 3rd quarter; Celtics tie the game at 62.

(more…)

The Boston Celtics served notice on Thursday that they intend to defend their regular season record and compete for another NBA Championship.

Facing the L.A. Lakers in an epic Game 1, things looked bad for the Celtics in the 3rd quarter when Paul Pierce had to be helped off the court by teammates.  As the Lakers took the lead and appeared to be taking advantage of Pierce’s absence, the G/F re-emerged from the locker room to a standing ovation and helped lead his team back into the lead late in the 3rd quarter.

Boston’s defense was superb in the 2nd half, limiting the Lakers and stifling Kobe Bryant.  Kobe finished the game w/ 26 pts, but was 9-26 from the field, largely in part to the defense of Pierce and a few other Celtics role players.

The benches played a huge difference in Game 1; unfortunately for the Lakers, their contribution was virtually nill.  On the other hand, the Celtics got great contributions from Sam Cassell and PJ Brown, two veterans obtained late in the season to help Boston get to this point.

Kevin Garnett struggled w/ his shot late in the game, but came up w/ a monstrous comeback dunk late in the 4th quarter.

Photos from the 2008 NBA Finals - Game 1:

The NBA will complete the 2008 draft lottery this evening at the their “Entertainment” headquarters in NJ.  Tonight’s event will not tell us who is going where, but rather which team will be picking first, second and third (etc.).

In what has almost become a laughable event, where the NBA’s worst teams are rewarded (for tanking! - oops :P) and the teams that continue fighting throughout the season are not; tonight’s event is only moderately interesting because there is a debate about who will be picked with the #1 draft pick - Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose.

With the highest probability of grabbing the #1 pick, the Miami Heat are salivating over the opportunity to improve upon last year’s disastrous season - can you call it that (for them)?  Miami’s troubles have been discussed in great detail throughout the season already - if you missed them, here’s a quick recap.

The Miami Heat, shortly after trading Shaq to the Suns, more closely resembled a JV team than a professional basketball team in the NBA.  Sure, they had a few injuries, but half of them were made up (ie: Marion) and were used to keep their star players healthy down the stretch like most teams do… except that, Miami isn’t in the playoffs where the rested players energy is usually needed.  Nope, the Heat have already “gone fishing”, as Kenny, EJ & Charles like to say.  To top that off, Heat coach Pat Riley also took important time off from his coaching duties, to visit regional NCAA tournament games to scout for talent.  Doesn’t he have assistant coaches for that crap?

What I ask of everyone reading this article, is to pray that Riley & Co. are not rewarded for their poor sportsmanship.  Pray that they get the #4 pick and lose out on the top players in the draft.  Other teams played hard throughout the season, despite the fact that they had no chance; those teams deserves the #1 thru #3 picks - not Miami.

Love him or hate him, Kobe Bryant has dominated the NBA scene the past few years as an L.A. Laker.  If you don’t live in Los Angeles or if you’re a huge Shaq fan, chances are you hate him - those of you in Denver also.  But the people in L.A…. you can bet they love him.

At this point, I think Kobe is cool w/ all the hate too…. Why?  Because the league’s voters just showed their love by voting Kobe Bryant the league’s MVP for the 2007-2008 NBA season.

Bryant received 82-first-place votes and 1,105 points in the media vote. He was followed by New Orleans’ Chris Paul (28 and 889), Boston’s Kevin Garnett (15 and 670) and Cleveland’s LeBron James (1 and 438).

The MVP award is a first for Bryant, and in many ways, may help solidify him as one of the greatest to ever play the game.  Yes, he has 3 NBA Championships, multiple scoring titles and countless NBA highlights to his name, but without an MVP award, Kobe would never be more than Shaq’s teammate during a great run w/ the Lakers.

The recognition by his peers helps Kobe ascend to the next level of NBA heroes.  He hasn’t won the same number as Magic Johnson, Kareem, Michael Jordan or even Steve Nash, but he doesn’t have to - winning one MVP award is enough for Kobe to believe he has reached the same status as previous NBA greats.

Of course, this year’s Kobe is a far cry from the ball-hogging version we’ve seen in the past.  He actually involves his teammates - something that finally took MJ over the top - could this be the year Bryant climbs the mountain also?  Here’s what Kobe Bryant had to say:

“It’s Hollywood, it’s a movie script. The perfect ending would be for us to hold a championship trophy at the end of it,” Bryant said at a news conference attended by his teammates, club officials, his wife and two daughters.

“This is an award I couldn’t have won on my own. I can’t thank these guys [his teammates] enough. These are my guys, these are my brothers. Let’s get ready for tomorrow.”

Statistically, this certainly was not Kobe’s best year - he averaged 35.4 points per game in the 2005-2006 season and lost the MVP to Suns guard Steve Nash - Bryant finished 4th in voting that year.  He’s averaged higher numbers in virtually every statistic more than once before, but it’s the level of team involvement that finally helped win voters over.  Winning the tough Western Conference also helped

Kobe owes a lot of credit to the recently acquired Pau Gasol, who we’re still trying to figure out who traded him for a pack of cards & stick of gum.  The Lakers’ GM should also be given some credit for keeping Kobe and not trading him, despite Bryant’s demands during the summer.  He is now surrounded by a group of contributors who understand their roles on the team, but also by real teammates - people who Bryant has shown trust in this year.

Take the opportunity now, to get a Kobe Bryant jersey.  He’s already among the NBA’s top-selling jerseys, but his jersey will be in even higher demand now that he’s won the MVP award.

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If you don’t see the Kobe Bryant jersey or L.A. Lakers jersey you’re looking for, submit a comment below and we’ll help you find what you’re looking for.

As an avid Phoenix Suns fan, I thought the last round of the playoffs was the best series in the entire playoffs… with 2 games recorded in the Western Conference Semifinals, I was wrong. The New Orleans Hornets are not only backing up their #2 seed, but are throttling the San Antonio Spurs, who easily dispatched of the Suns in 5 games. One can only imagine what the Hornets would’ve done to the Suns - New Orleans was 4-0 during the regular season vs. Phoenix.

Starring for the Hornets through the first 2 games are the usual suspects (if you’ve been following them): MVP runner-up Chris Paul, David West, Peja Stojakovic and Tyson Chandler. New Orleans is also getting quality time out of their bench, while San Antonio is just struggling to keep up.

The young legs of the Hornets are simply dominating in the first two games of the series. The San Antonio Spurs look old, they look tired and it looks as if a new era is emerging in the West - that of the Lakers, the Hornets, the Trailblazers (think Oden/Roy/Aldridge) and Jazz. All of these teams are young, athletic and feature budding All-Stars and MVP candidates.

Don’t wait for the Hornets to continue winning - get your hands on a Hornets jersey today!

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If you don’t see the New Orleans Hornets jersey you’re looking for, submit a comment below and we’ll help you find what you’re looking for.

In a sign of the times, the Phoenix Suns have reportedly allowed Head Coach Mike D’Antoni to interview for the New York Knicks and Chicago Bulls.

GM Steve Kerr and owner Robert Sarver have given Suns’ coach Mike D’Antoni permission to seek interviews w/ other teams.  The three met on Friday to determine if Mike would be able to continue coaching the team and apparently he cannot.

Fresh off a first round playoff exit, thinks are looking bleak for the Suns, who will be 1 year older and have a bulging payroll as the 2008-2009 season starts.

There aren’t many “good” options for the Suns either, as only a handful of former head coaches would fit the bill:

Avery Johnson is available, and he has experience leading a mostly offensive team to the promised land (the Finals).  The knocks against him - he couldn’t win the championship and his team has been bounced in the 1st round of the playoffs each of the past 2 years.  If he could even improve the Suns defense (good luck), then he might be a 1 year solution as a last ditch attempt at a title.

Also available are: Jeff Van Gundy, Mark Jackson (rumored to by high on Knicks list), Doug Collins and a slew of other “ok” coaches.

In other coaching news, the Dallas Mavericks are reportedly in serious discussions with former Indiana Pacers coach Rick Carlisle, who the Suns would likely snatch up if the Mavs hesitate.  Carlisle would be a great fit on either team, since he would have the cajones to put each team’s star players in their place if they aren’t doing what he asks of them.

Aside from a few insignificant awards and the NBA’s MVP award, all of the other awards have pretty much been decided.  The list includes a number of first time NBA winners, but also features a coach who’s won his 2nd Coach of the Year award.  Whether you agree with the list or not, these are the players (& coach) who the voting members chose this year.

Here is a quick summary of the winners:

• Rookie of the Year - Kevin Durant, Seattle Supersonics
• NBA’s 6th Man - Manu Ginobili, San Antonio Spurs
• Coach of the Year - Byron Scott, New Orleans Hornets
• Most Improved Player - Hedo Turkoglu, Orlando Magic
• Defensive Player of the Year - Kevin Garnett, Boston Celtics

The MVP award should come next and is basically a deaheat between the Hornets’ Chris Paul and the Lakers’ Kobe Bryant.  It would be the first MVP award for both basketball players and deserving (for either) as well.

Who’s your favorite? (let us know in the Comments)

The Dallas Mavericks made a bold statement last night in their bid to make the NBA Playoffs by handily defeating their nemesis, the Golden State Warriors.

The Mavs were defeated in the first round of the playoffs by the Warriors last year, despite having the league’s best record. Going into last night’s game, you know that was still on the Dallas players’ minds. To make the match-up even more interesting, however, is the fact that both teams are fighting for a playoff position in the super-competitive Western Conference.

Dirk Nowitzki returned from a high-ankle sprain early and the Mavs got terrific performances from Jason Kidd, Jason Terry and Josh Howard. Dirk’s return seemed to give new life to the team that hadn’t beaten a team above .500 since acquiring Kidd several weeks ago. Golden State on the other hand, appeared lethargic and weary a night after having their ass handed to them by the Spurs. While the guards played well for the Warriors, Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington had games they’d probably like to forget.

While the Warriors style of play is fun to watch, I’d still like to see Dallas get into the playoffs. I feel that their inclusion will help to make this one of the most exciting playoff years (ever).