Steroids in Baseball...When will it end?

It all started with one man Jose Canseco, and one book "Juiced: Wild Times, Rampant 'Roids, Smash Hits & How Baseball Got Big." The book came out in 2005 and since then their has been a lot turmoil. Since then the Mitchell Report came out, baseball implemented suspensions for anyone who tested positive and there's a mysterious list from 2003 with all the names that tested positive for performing enhancing drugs.

Lets break this down starting with who Canseco named in his book. The names included Mark McGwire, Rafael Palmeiro, Jason Giambi, Iván Rodríguez and Juan González. Palmeiro was found guilty, Giambi admitted and McGwire is in denial. People he named in his second book include Jason Grimsley. Alex Rodriguez, and Albert Belle. We know how the A-Rod thing turned out. He admitted to using in 2003 while he was with Texas. Is Canseco the only credible source? No the government also released the Mitchell Report.

Here are just some of the names that were in the Mitchell Report. The names include Barry Bonds, Garry Sheffield, Roger Clemens, Andy Pettite, Miguel Tejada, Troy Glaus and many others. The report names 89 MLB players. So out of these players Barry Bonds can't be found guilty because his trainer Greg Anderson won't testify. Sheffield use to live with Bonds so he is in the mix of controversy. Andy Pettite admitted to using and Roger Clemens is in denial as well. Then again Roger has other issues to deal with as well.

Then their is New York Times who has a list of over 100 players who tested positive in 2003. Their have only been 8 names released that include Sammy Sosa and the most recent Manny Ramirez and David Ortiz. If you remember 2003 was the year the Red Sox won their first World series in 87 years, so should it be tainted? No. Sammy Sosa hit 50 or more home runs four years in a row and has a total of 609 home runs. Should that have an Astrix by it? No. Barry Bonds who holds most home runs all time and in a single season. Should it be stricken from the record books? No.

At first when all these steroid allegations came out baseball had no policy, no consequences, and no enforcement of any kind. If you think about the steroid era lasted about 15-20 years because things started getting cleaned up in 2005 and experts say it started in 1990. It's obvious certain guys took steroid. McGwire, Sosa and Bonds are obvious ones. Look how small they were when they first started playing. Then look how huge they got over the years. Getting that big doesn't happen naturally so it's obvious. To me it's an era that started because no one cared. It also happened because when baseball went on strike in the mid 90's they needed something to happen to get baseball in the mainstream again. So in 1998 you had McGwire and Sosa break Maris' record. No one suspected anything because it was great for baseball, and it got people back into baseball. In 2001, after 9/11 happened Barry Bonds put an entire country on his back chasing McGwires record. No one said anything because it helped the country, it helped baseball.

What I am starting figure out is that the only people who care about this, are the people in the media and the government because thats what this country does. They focus on the negative and not the positive. I agree with the fact that steroids should be out of sports but I don't agree with condemning players like Clemens, Sosa, McGwire, and even Bonds. They all played in the same era. Let them be in the Hall of Fame. Like I said it baseballs fault for not having a policy until 2005 so how can it be cheating if their is no policy or no rules regarding the matter.

The one thing that bothers me is that the New York Times gets all these names illegally because according to the players union the names are a part of court sealed documents that are confidential. So how does the Times get these names? Simple the lawyers who are involved with baseball and the investigations with baseball. White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen is right. They just need to release all the names from the 2003 doping list and get it over with. I personally think the lawyers who have the names are getting paid a lot of money to release one name at a time. They think they are going to systematically destroy baseball but what they need to understand is that the fans of the game don't care. They will continue to buy tickets to watch their teams and favorite players.

The one thing that surprises me the most is that the lawyers who release these names to the NY Times and Jose Canseco aren't dead. Why do I say that? Because these guys make a lot of money and they wanted to they could put a hit out on these guys for trying to destroy their names, legacies, reputations and prevent them from making a living. Guys like Clemens, Sosa, Bonds and McGwire have had their names and legacies tarnished. Guys like Ortiz, Rodriguez, and Manny are well on their way to the same fate especially Manny who was suspended this year for testing positive. I am serious when I saw I am surprised Canseco is still alive.

It's pretty sad that one guy, who is a complete idiot and psychopath has that much credibility. All he was trying to do was get even with baseball and make as much money as possible. Guess what? He accomplished both and the media and government couldn't leave well enough alone. I would like to end by saying that I am glad that sports are cleaning up and being played fair and on equal ground. However those who took steroids before the any policies were implemented should not be punished and not keep them out of any Hall of Fames. It is each leagues fault for not implementing policies when policies should have been put in place long ago. I hope these reports, and these names who are supposedly on a list end soon because I for one am sick of hearing about it. Let these athletes play and quit trying to hold their past against them. The steroid era is dead but it won't be officially dead until the media shuts up about it. When will that happen? Hopefully sooner then later.

MLB Trade Deadline Ends.

Today the MLB trade deadline ended at 4pm and some interesting moves happen. Lets review the most notable trades that have happened over the last couple of weeks.

-The Atlanta Braves got West Michigan native Nate McClouth from the Pirates
-The St. Louis Cardinals got Mark Derosa from the Indians
-The Mets got Jeff Francoeur from the Braves
-The St. Louis Cardinals got Julio Lugo from the Red Sox
-The St. Louis Cardinals got Matt Holliday from the A's
-The Seattle Mariners got SS Jack Wilson and RHP Ian Snell from the Pirates
-The Philadelphia Phillies got LHP Cliff Lee and OF Ben Francisco from the Indians
-The Los Angeles Dodgers got LHP George Sherrill from the Orioles
-The Detroit Tigers got LHP Jarrod Washburn from the Mariners
-The Minnesota Twins got SS Orlando Cabrera from the A's
-The Chicago White Sox got RHP Jake Peavy from the Padres
-The Boston Red Sox got C-1B Victor Martinez from the Indians

The biggest winner of all these moves are the St. Louis Cardinals. They got some great pieces around Albert Pujols now and they will be a serious contender. The biggest loser of these moves are the Cleveland Indians. They got rid of all their good players with the exception of Grady Sizemore and Travis Hafner. The Indians are in rough shape right now. The biggest shocker is Jake Peavy going to the White Sox especially considering not knowing when he'll pitch again. With season over half way done my World Series prediction is set. I think the World Series will be the Los Angeles Dodgers vs. the New York Yankees. If it happens it could be a series for the ages. Stay tuned for the next two months to find out what happens.

Fedor not going to UFC, Tito Returns

Well Fedor turned down a UFC contract citing he didn't like what the UFC offered him. Unfortunately for all the Lesnar haters they won't get the chance to see the match everyone wants to see, atleast for now. The Russian is 36-1-1 and is said to be the favorite if a match with Lesnar happened. Fedor currently fights for Affliction but also fights for other promotions as well. If he signed with UFC he could only fight for the UFC and no other promotion. For the time being we will have to see who might be able to stop Brock Lesnar.

In other news, it is official. Tito Ortiz is now back with the UFC after burying the hatchet with Dana White. It is rumored he will fight in November or December against Mark Coleman. It's good to see Ortiz back. And finally at UFC 103 it will be Vitor Belfort vs. Rich Franklin at UFC 103. It's good to see the UFC prospering and making money. I can definitely say that the UFC is becoming bigger and bigger each day. More people are getting into MMA as fans. It's probably the largest growing sport in terms of fan base right now. I am looking forward to UFC 101 and some of the other fights coming up in the second half of this year.

Favre stays retired, and Vick gets reinstated

Finally Brett Favre made a great decision regarding his future and thats staying retired. He should have not come out of retirement last year.because he ruined his legacy to a certain degree. He spent sixteen years with the Packers and he should have retired as a Packer, not a Jet or anything else. Just like Jordan should have retired a Bull and not a Wizard.

So anyone who made a bet that Favre would play before Vick pay up because Favre decided to be smart for once. As far as Michael Vick goes I believe in forgiveness and second chances. People need to see if he's changed or not before they make their decision on him. Like Jesus said, "He who is without sin cast the first stone." People make mistakes, and make bad choices. I am not excusing his behavior and what he did but he has apologized for what he has done. We all have made mistakes and we all must own up to them and do the time if necessary. There is no doubt that whatever team signs him is taking a huge risk but in this day in age where sports mean everything. If he racks up wins for a team no one is going to care especially if he went to a Super Bowl.

Right now that's all the football news. Nothing else really going on in the NFL except training camp is opening up pretty soon. I'll be back if Favre changes his mind or Vick gets signed.

Fedor signs with UFC

It is being reported that Dana White will announce Friday that Fedor Emelianenko will sign with the UFC and when he does he will fight Brock Lesnar in his first fight. People have been talking about this possible fight for awhile now. The Lesnar haters would love nothing more then to see Brock get beat by someone the MMA fans love.

Just one problem, this is Brock Lesnar we are talking about. Fedor will more then likely underestimate him like Couture, and Mir did. However Fedor has beaten some of the best including Andrei Arlovski, Tim Sylvia, Mark Coleman, Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira, Kevin Randleman and even one of Lesnars opponents Heath Herring. Fedor only has one lost and apparently it was a fluke when it happen.

But here is the tape of the tape

Fedor
Height 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)
Weight 231 lb (105 kg)
Reach 74 in (190 cm)

Brock
Height 6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)
Weight 265 lb (120 kg)
Reach 81 in (210 cm)

If you look at size Lesnar has got him, but if it goes to the ground Fedor will more then likely make him tap out. Here again is another problem how are you going to get Brock Lesnar to the ground. No one and I mean no one really has been able to yet except the first for his fight with Frank Mir which a lot of people thought was a fluke as well.

So when? where? and who will come out on top? All these questions and soon we will find out the answers. Welcome to the UFC Fedor. I hope you and Brock have the fight of the century.

Night of Champions Recap

Well Night of Champions has come and gone and I was somewhat surprised by a few things. Jeff Hardy is the new World Heavyweight Champion which is cool. Hardy and Punk are having some great matches right now and I hope they will continue. The surprise match of the night was Dolph Ziggler taking on IC Champ Rey Mysterio. Ziggler proved he could hang tonight against the best. I was also enjoyed the Unified Tag Title match between Legacy and Chris Jericho/Big Show. Yes Big Show is Jericho's new tag team partner.

My favorite part of the night was watching Christian winning back the ECW Championship. Christian is a great wrestler and has been better in WWE his second time around. I think when the time is right he and Edge need to reunite again. WWE needs more legitimate tag teams. The triple match between Cena/HHH/Orton absolutely sucked. Same old crap, different day. Legacy interferes as always and helps Orton. It's so damn repetitive it's ridiculous. If I wanted to watch repeats of bad wrestling I'd watch MTV's Wrestling Society X, which was the worst wrestling show of all time....Yes I mean of all time.

Right now WWE does not interest me because it's to predictable and repetitive. However that all might change. It is rumored the showstopper, Shawn Michaels might be returning soon for Summerslam. If thats the case I will be happy because as most of you know Shawn Michaels is my favorite wrestler of all time...You read this right. Hogan was my hero growing up but Michaels in ring work plus his faith outside of wrestling is why he has become my favorite.

So on a scale out of 1 to 10 I would rate Night of Champion a 6.5/10. It was decent but not great. I hope Summerslam will put all of these PPV's to shame. There really hasn't been a good one yet this year. The biggest party of the year is coming soon. Stay tuned

Mark Buehrle throws a perfect game

Well finally have something to write about again. It's been a week but thanks Mark Buehrle I have something to write about. He threw a no hitter yesterday against a very dangerous Tampa Bay Rays lineup. As you may remember He through a no hitter in April of 2007 against Texas. However in that game he walked one batter who happened to be Sammy Sosa. This game had no walks, no hits, no errors...Nothing. Mark Buehrle put himself in a class of pitchers thats few, far and between. He threw 116 pitches, 76 were strikes and had six strikeouts. What was most impressive is the catch made by Wise in Center field in the 9th inning saving the perfect game for Buehrle.

Buehrle is done it all in his career. He's had a perfect game, no hitter, hit a home run, pitched in the All Star Game and won a World Series. He could very well be on his way to the Hall of Fame someday. The crazy thing about it, is he is only 30 years old and still has quite a few years left to pitch. Right now Buehrle and the White Sox look like the team to beat in the AL Central. With that being said congratulations to Mark Buehrle on throwing a perfect game and putting yourself in baseball history.

Tito Ortiz returning to UFC? and more

According to Dana White's Twitter page, he and Tito Ortiz made up and buried the hatchet so to speak. So could this mean a return to the UFC. Ortiz also confirmed that he and Dana White buried the hatchet. The last time we saw Ortiz in the UFC was May 24th 2008.

He's had classic battles with Ken Shamrock, Forrest Griffin, Chuck Liddell, and Wanderlei Silva. I have always liked Tito Ortiz, and it would be nice to see Jenna Jameson back in the crowd again. It is now rumored that Ortiz will make is return at UFC 103 in September to fight Rich Franklin. Speaking of UFC 103 and 104 Here are some notable match ups for both pay-per-views.

Welterweight bout: Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg (UFC 103)
Light Heavyweight Championship bout: Lyoto Machida (c) vs. Mauricio Rua (UFC 104)
Heavyweight bout: Shane Carwin vs. Cain Velasquez (UFC 104)

Ortiz returning would be huge because he has a following and a huge fan base. I always enjoyed watching him kick the crap out of Ken Shamrock. The Huntington Beach Bad Boy could be back and he might just be better then ever. Can Ortiz return to his former glory? We will have to wait and see.

UFC Magazine Debuts

So I was in a store the other day and I came across the debut issue of UFC Magazine. I must say I am very impressed with how it was done. The editing was fantastic. I liked all the feature stories on some of the fighters and some of behind the scenes things they showed. They had a lot of pictures of the backstage during big events. It was fitting that Dana White was on the cover. He made all of it possible. I know if I had an organization I would want him working for me. The UFC is doing a lot of great things right now. UFC Undisputed for XBox 360 and PS3 is a phenomenal game that tops a lot of other sports and fighting games. I also saw UFC sports cards awhile back. UFC is hitting the mainstream and people are starting to gravitate towards what they are doing. This magazine is a prime example of how popular the UFC is becoming. Great job to all the writers, photographers, and editors who are apart of the magazine. I am actually thinking about becoming a subscriber.

Thoughts on Sports Today

Well I don't have one particular topic I want to talk about today so I will talk about a few different things going on in sports today. A lot to talk about.

First what the heck is Jeremy Mayfield thinking? I think this might be a first. A NASCAR driver testing positive for drugs. Way to make your mark in history. Since when would a NASCAR driver need drugs, steroids or anything other junk like that. I just think that it is ridiculous. He will probably never race again.

In basketball, Lamar Odom would not accept the Lakers 3 year offer of 9 million a year. He was making 14 million last year and I don't think he would play hard if he had to take that big a pay cut. Also, Allen Iverson sounds close to signing a deal with the Clippers. Not sure how that one would work out but you never know. There are still a few free agents out there that have not been signed.

Pedro is back!!! Yes Pedro Martinez signed with the Phillies yesterday and should be pitching within two weeks hopefully. Hopefully he can pitch like he use to. Also the Phillies have been in talks about getting Roy Halladay from the Blue Jays. That would be hard to stop them.

And then you have Brett Favre...the guy who can't make up his mind if he wants to retire or not. He said he will give his answer on the Vikings July 30th. Keep us in suspense why don't you? I am not sure how I feel about him anymore because he is ruining his legacy.

Well those are my ramblings for the day. Not much else on my brain. I am sure I'll have more this weekend. Have a great day and enjoy the weather wherever you are at.

Kimbo Slice on the Ultmate Fighter

Well the unthinkable has happened, and that is Kimbo Slice getting a shot at the UFC. He will a participant on the 10th Ultimate Fighter in the heavyweight division. Kimbo is well known for his street fighting past but he isn't a disciplined fighter. At least not yet he is. He is going to be very dangerous on this show and I will be curious to see how he handles living in the house and training with others.

To make the show even more interesting the two coaches are Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson. You know what that means? They will eventually fight each other when the show is over. I love it because they can't stand each other and there is a lot of personal animosity there. Rampage even declined a title shot against Machida to fight Evans. Usually the best fights are when the two guys across from each other can't stand each other. I am looking forward to this season of the Ultimate Fighter because it might be the most out of control and chaotic that there has ever been. What the hell is Dana White going to do when he sees the destruction that Kimbo Slice probably does to all of his opponents? I cannot wait to find out.

All Star Festivities Recap

So the last two days have been fun to watch. I always love the MLB All Star Game because to me it means something. It's way better then any of the other All Star Games in sports. Monday was the Home Run Derby and this year it wasn't as great but it was nice to see Prince Fielder pound a ball 503 feet. He's got his dad looks, his dads demeanor and his dad's power. It was great to see him win but what wasn't so great was seeing Brandon Inge hit no home runs. Oh well he was nice enough to represent the Tigers and enjoy his time as a first time All Star.

Then last night was the 80th All Star game in St. Louis. President Obama threw out the first pitch wearing a White Sox jacket. Nice job buddy, way to play to the St. Louis crowd. Anyways they had some nice tributes to local programs around the country from each state. I like how they highlight real life heroes as well as the baseball players who go out and serve their communities.

The game was very defensive and there really wasn't a lot of big hits. The two biggest hits of the night in my opinion was Prince Fielders double and Curtis Granderson's triple which led to him scoring the game winning run for the American League. It was nice to see Inge at bat, and Jackson pitched a nice inning. I will say this Carl Crawford's catch was amazing and it probably saved the game for the American League. The funniest sight I saw at the All Star Game was when they showed Mariano Rivera sitting with Tim Wakefield in the bullpen. I was always like talking about the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry because it's one of the best in sports.

The American League now has home field advantage in the World Series and hopefully it will be Detroit representing the American League in the World Series and we will see more triples from Curtis Granderson. It was a really fun game to watch and for the 13th year in a row the National League fails to win. That's a bad losing streak for sure. Well on to the second half of the season which who knows what will happen. I am saying right now that the Dodgers will be in the World Series. As far as the American League goes, I am not so sure. I hope it will be Detroit. Only time will tell.

Hollywood's Rejects Players of the Week

Another week, another loss but I've grown use to that in Fantasy Baseball.

Hollywood's Rejects (HWOO)(2-12) 193.5
GR Mannys (GRM) (6-8) 234

Troy Tulowitzki and Russell Martin were my best two hitters and Edwin Jackson and Joe Blanton were my best two pitchers. No one is playing until Friday due to the All Star Festivities so it should be an interesting Friday through Sunday. On that note, I am not going to talk about fantasy baseball until next week.

UFC Ultimate Top 100 Fights

Over the course of last week, the UFC had a five day marathon of the top 100 UFC fights of all time leading up to UFC 100. The matches were voted on by the fans. All the ones that are bolded are my personal favorites. Here is the list in case you missed it

100. UFC 80: Paul Kelly vs. Paul Taylor
99. UFC 31: Carlos Newton vs. Pat Miletich
98. UFC 13: Kenny Florian vs. Joe Lauzon
97. UFC 8: Rashad Evans vs. Sean Salmon
96. UFC 60: Matt Hughes vs. Royce Gracie
95. UFC 90: Sean Sherk vs. Tyson Griffin
94. UFC 32: B.J. Penn vs. Din Thomas
93. UFC 78: Thiago Alves vs. Chris Lytle
92. UFC 92: B.J. Penn vs. Matt Serra
91. TUF 1 Finale: Rich Franklin vs. Ken Shamrock
90. UFC 41: B.J. Penn vs. Caol Uno
89. UFC 66: Forrest Griffin vs. Keith Jardine
88. UFC 67: Frankie Edgar vs. Tyson Griffin
87. UFC 54: Chuck Liddell vs. Jeremy Horn
86. UFC 45: Evan Tannar vs. Phil Baroni
85. UFC 49: Karo Parisyan vs. Nick Diaz
84. UFC 30: Pedro Rizzo vs. Josh Barnett
83. UFC 49: Chuck Liddell vs. Vernon White
82. UFC 54: Georges St. Pierre vs. Frank Trigg
81. TUF Finale 6: John Koppenhaver vs. Jared Rollins
80. UFC 42: Rick Franklin vs. Evan Tannar
79. UFC 69: Matt Serra vs. Georges St. Pierre
78. UFC 76: Keith Jardine vs. Chuck Liddell
77. Silva vs. Irvin: Anderson Silva vs. James Irvin
76. UFC 42: Matt Hughes vs. Sean Sherk
75. UFC 1: Royce Gracie vs. Gerard Gordeau
74. UFC 58: Rich Franklin vs. David Loiseau
73. UFC 52: George St. Pierre vs. Jason Miller
72. UFC 92: Frank Mir vs. Antonio Nogueria
71. Ulimate 96: Don Frye vs. Tank Abbot
70. UFC 17: Pete Williams vs. Mark Coleman
69. UFC 34: B.J. Penn vs. Caol Uno
68. UFC 84: Lyoto Machida vs. Tito Ortiz
67. UFC 31: Shonie Carter vs. Matt Serra
66. UFC 94: Georges St. Pierre vs. B.J. Penn
65. UFN 10: Spencer Fisher vs. Sam Stout
64. UFC 62: Chuck Liddell vs. Renato Sobral
63. UFC 50: Matt Hughes vs. Georges St. Pierre
62. UFC 72: Tyson Griffin vs. Clay Guida
61. UFC 80: B.J. Penn vs. Joe Stevenson
60. UFC 46: Georges St. Pierre vs. Karo Parisyan
59. UFC 91: Brock Lesnar vs. Randy Couture
58. UFC 38: Matt Hughes vs. Carlos Newton
57. UFC 69: Roger Huerta vs. Leonard Garcia
56. UFC 42: Rich Franklin vs. Evan Tanner
55. UFC 92: Rashad Evans vs. Forrest Griffin
54. UFC: Anderson Silva vs. Chris Leben
53. UFC 64: Sean Sherk vs. Kenny Florian
52. UFC 40: Chuck Liddell vs. Renato Sobral
51: UFC 88: Rashad Evans vs. Chuck Liddell
50. UFC 92: Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva
49. UFC 71: Houston Alexander vs. Keith Jardine
48. UFC 35: Jens Pulver vs. B.J. Penn
47. UFC 31: Chuck Liddell vs. Kevin Randleman
46. UFC 71: Quinton Jackson vs. Chuck Liddell
45. TUF 4 Finale: Scott Smith vs. Pete Sell
44. UFC 83: Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Serra
43. UFC 45: Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg
42. UFC 56: Georges St. Pierre vs. Sean Sherk
41. UFC 81: Antonio Nogueria vs. Tim Sylvia
40. UFC 15: Randy Couture vs. Vitor Belfort
39. UFC 84: Wanderlei Silva vs. Keith Jardine
38. UFC 31: Randy Couture vs. Pedro Rizzo
37. UFC 3: Royce Gracie vs. Kimo Leopoldo
36. UFC 52: Chuck Liddell vs. Randy Couture
35. UFC 48: Frank Mir vs. Tim Sylvia
34. UFC 84: B.J. Penn vs. Sean Sherk
33. UFC 63: Matt Hughes vs. B.J. Penn
32. UFC 74: Randy Couture vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
31. UFC 75: Quinton Jackson vs. Dan Henderson
30. UFC 46: BJ Penn vs. Matt Hughes
29. UFC 98: Lyoto Machida vs. Rashad Evans
28. UFC 66: Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz
27. UFC 44 Randy Couture vs. Tito Ortiz
26. UFC 87: Georges St-Pierre vs. Jon Fitch
25. UFC 57: Chuck Liddell VS. Randy Couture
24. UFC 1: Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock
23. UFC 65: Georges St-Pierre vs. Matt Hughes
22. TUF 6 Finale: Roger Huerta VS. Clay Guida
21. UFC 43: Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell
20. UFC 79: Georges St-Pierre vs. Matt Hughes
19. UFC 82: Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson
18. UFC 47: Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz
17. UFC 68: Tim Sylvia vs. Randy Couture
16. UFC 58: Sam Stout vs. Spencer Fisher
15. UFC 85: Thiago Alves vs. Matt Hughes
14. UFC 34: Matt Hughes vs. Carlos Newton
13. TUF 9 Finale: Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida
12. TUF 2 Finale: Diego Sanchez vs. Nick Diaz
11. UFC 86: Forrest Griffin vs. Quinton Jackson
10. UFC 76: Forrest Griffin vs. Mauricio Rua
9. UFC 70: Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Mirko Cro Cop
8. UFC Fight Night 6: Diego Sanchez vs. Karo Parisyan
7. UFC 77: Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin
6. UFC 64: Anderson Silva vs. Rich Franklin
5. UFC 87: Frank Mir vs. Brock Lesnar
4. UFC 58: Georges St-Pierre vs. BJ Penn
3. UFC 52: Matt Hughes vs. Frank Trigg
2. UFC 79: Chuck Liddell vs. Wanderlei Silva
1. TUF 1 Finale: Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar

The number one fight is very well deserving. It was the fight that really got me fully interested in the UFC. If you have never seen this fight, you need to watch it because it was just totally awesome. Both guys put their heart and souls on the line for everyone and put the UFC on the map once again. So here is Ultimate 100 Greatest UFC Fights...at least for now

Brock Lesnar dominattes at UFC 100, and more

For every one person who likes him, their are 100 people that probably hate him. The fact of the matter is that Brock Lesnar proved that his first UFC fight which was a loss to Frank Mir was a fluke. A lot of people accuse me of not being a UFC fan until Lesnar arrived. That could not be further from the truth. The very first UFC fight I ever watched was between Dan Severn and Ken Shamrock from the mid 90's. I really didn't know much about it. I began hearing about fighters like Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture, Tim Sylvia and others. It wasn't until the first Ultimate Fighter that I got interested. Forrest Griffin and Stephen Bonner got me interested with the incredible fight they had.

Now back to UFC 100 and how Lesnar acted. I thought his actions were very unprofessional but it got the UFC some attention. Any press is good press and I think Dana White realizes that. That heel mentality of Brock when he was in WWE is still in him and people want to see Brock Lesnar get beat. Will it happen? I don't know. Frank Mir did talk a lot of trash over the last year so I guess what Brock did to him only seemed fair.

In other fights, GSP dominated Thiago Alves, and Dan Henderson killed Michael Bisping. The biggest shock of the night for me was preliminary fight. UFC Hall of Famer Mark Coleman defeated Stephen Bonner by decision. That's crazy.

I would also like to congratulate Chuck Liddell and the late Charles "Mask" Lewis for being inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame. Both are very well deserving.

There are still some great fights to be had in in 2009. UFC 101 will feature BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian and Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin. At UFC 102 it will be Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva. Much more to come from the UFC this year. Finally I end the question on everyone's mind. Who is going to stop "The Next Big Thing" Brock Lesnar?

Lebron James is no King

You know I am so sick of hearing about Lebron James. This last week has been a busy week in sports like the NBA free agency, the MLB All Star Game festivities, the death of Steve McNair and all I keep hearing about is how Lebron James got dunked on by some college kid name Jordan Crawford from Xavier. Apparently their is a video from this dunk and Lebron and Nike have this video and won't release. Apparently Crawford was wearing James' Nike brand shoes when this dunk happen. By hiding this video it makes Crawford look amazing and James a schmuck.

This is not the first time Lebron James has been a poor sport about something. He refused to shake hands with the Orlando Magic after the Cavs lost in the Eastern Conference finals. He also refused to talk to the press afterward. He is suppose to be the leader and the face of basketball? I don't think so. Face it Lebron, you will always be in the shadow of MJ and Kobe. I've never like Lebron and these actions further my disliking for him. He's a poor sport who doesn't know how to lose graciously.

Finally, I will say this. Lebron and Nike better release this video before the NBA season begins because I can guarantee this. It will plague and haunt him wherever he goes. That's the only thing that will be on the media's mind. And Jordan Crawford I cannot wait to see you in the NBA so you can dunk on him again. Until then we will have to wait and see if this video emerges. Only time will tell.

Brandon Inge is an All Star

I never thought I'd say the words that Brandon Inge is now an All Star. Over 11 million votes came in for him for the final spot in the All Star Game. Brandon is longest tenured Tiger and is somewhat the mainstay in Detroit. There are a lot of Tigers but when it's said and done Inge will go down as one of the better players that the city of Detroit has seen. If Brandon Inge stays a Tiger for the rest of his career then he will mean as much to the city as Stevie Y did to the Red Wings. You don't see athletes stay with one team anymore but I have a gut feeling that Inge will. He's turning into one of the premier players in the league. His offensive numbers could be better but as a defender he is the best in baseball. That's right I said it, the best. Not A-Rod, not Michael Young but Brandon Inge.

So on July 14th four Tigers will take the field. Verlander, Jackson, Granderson and now Inge will represent the Motor City. I for one will be watching intently to see what happens. Congratulations to Brandon and everyone else who made the All Star team this year.

Hollywood's Rejects Players of the Week

Annihilated, that's the word you could use to describe the beating I got in baseball again this week. Heres the score.

Hollywood's Rejects (HWOO)(2-11) 236.5
Busky's Bombers (BUSK)(12-1) 449

My best two pitchers were Jason Marquis and Joe Blanton. My best two hitters were Cody Ross and Mike Cameron. I lost to the first place guy so there is no shame in that. I am hoping I can win this week, but I never get my hopes up.

Another crazy NASCAR finish

A lot happening sports this weekend but the craziest thing that's happened is watching the finish of the Daytona night race last night. That was crazy. This is the second time this year a restrictor plate race has finished in crazy fashion. Here is the video that saw Tony Stewart win the race.



It's been an interesting years in NASCAR. I look forward to the fall race in Talladega. Daytona, Talladega and Bristol are really the only three races that interest me to any extent. However what I saw last night makes NASCAR exciting. They should have more races like this more often. Hopefully they will.

MLB All Star Rosters Announced

On July 14th the All Star Game will be played in St. Louis and this year both teams have a great squads. I love the baseball All Star game because it's the best All Star Game out of any sport because they have something to play for and it's actually taken seriously. So here are the rosters for the 2009 All Star Game

American League

Starters

C Joe Mauer, MIN L/R
1B Mark Teixeira, NYY
2B Dustin Pedroia, BOS
SS Derek Jeter, NYY
3B Evan Longoria, TB
OF Jason Bay, BOS R/R
OF Ichiro Suzuki, SEA
OF Josh Hamilton, TEX

Pitchers

P Andrew Bailey, OAK
P Josh Beckett, BOS
P Mark Buehrle, CWS
P Brian Fuentes, LAA
P Zack Greinke, KC
P Roy Halladay, TOR
P Felix Hernandez, SEA
P Edwin Jackson, DET
P Joe Nathan, MIN
P Jonathan Papelbon, BOS
P Mariano Rivera, NYY
P Justin Verlander, DET
P Tim Wakefield, BOS

Reserves

C Victor Martinez, CLE
1B Justin Morneau, MIN
1B Kevin Youkilis, BOS
2B Aaron Hill, TOR
SS Jason Bartlett, TB
3B Michael Young, TEX
OF Carl Crawford, TB
OF Curtis Granderson, DET
OF Torii Hunter, LAA
OF Adam Jones, BAL
OF Ben Zobrist, TB


National League National League

Starters

C Yadier Molina, STL
1B Albert Pujols, STL
2B Chase Utley, PHI
SS Hanley Ramirez, FLA
3B David Wright, NYM
OF Carlos Beltran, NYM
OF Ryan Braun, MIL
OF Raul Ibanez, PHI

Pitchers

P Heath Bell, SD
P Chad Billingsley, LAD
P Jonathan Broxton, LAD
P Matt Cain, SF
P Francisco Cordero, CIN
P Ryan Franklin, STL
P Dan Haren, ARI R/R
P Josh Johnson, FLA
P Ted Lilly, CHC L/L
P Tim Lincecum, SF
P Jason Marquis, COL
P Francisco Rodriguez, NYM
P Johan Santana, NYM

Reserves

C Brian McCann, ATL
1B Prince Fielder, MIL
1B Adrian Gonzalez, SD
1B Ryan Howard, PHI
2B Orlando Hudson, LAD
2B Freddy Sanchez, PIT
SS Miguel Tejada, HOU
3B Ryan Zimmerman, WSH
OF Brad Hawpe, COL
OF Hunter Pence, HOU
OF Justin Upton, ARI

I love both rosters however Brandon Inge should be on the All Star Team. He is having a really great year so if you'd like to see Brandon Inge on the All Star Team go to MLB.COM and vote for him for the final spot on the American League Squad. Voting ends Thursday.

RIP Steve McNair

It is with great sadness that I have to write about the passing of former NFL Quarterback Steve McNair. McNair was found dead this morning after a fatal gunshot wound claimed his life. McNair was drafted in 1995 by the Houston Oilers who eventually became the Tennessee Titans. He was a Pro Bowl selection (2000, 2003, 2005), All-Pro selection (2003), 2003 Co-AP NFL MVP, and1994 Walter Payton Award. His career stats were:

TD-INT 174-119
Yards 31,304
QB Rating 82.8

Steve McNair is one of best Quarterbacks to never win a Super Bowl. However he did lead the Titans to the Super Bowl in 2000 for the 1999 season. They only lost by seven and it was one of the best Super Bowl games in recent memory. Steve McNair is regarded as one of the toughest Quarterbacks to play the game. He was loved and respected by anyone who played the game. This is truly a horrible loss for football and I am sure that the affect of his death will be felt throughout the NFL and the sports world. Steve McNair, God Bless and Rest in Peace.

John Cena: Seven Years Later

This past weekend marked the seven year anniversary of John Cena debuting in the WWE. I remember he came out and gave Kurt Angle a run for his money impressing a lot of people as well. His first few months he made an impact but it wasn't until October of 2002 that we say the break out of John Cena.

John Cena turned heel and began to wear baggy jeans, chains, throwback jerseys and hats. He also began to rap, and poke fun of superstars such as the Undertaker, Brock Lesnar and Rikishi. He taunted Brock Lesnar so bad he called his finishing move the F-U instead of Lesnars move called the F-5. It was in November of 2003 where he became a fan favorite again. One of his biggest moments was Wrestlemania 21 when he became United States Champion by defeating the Big Show. John Cena had a remarkable year in 2004. This was also the year he filmed the Marine which began the rise of John Cena. In 2005, he went to Wrestlemania 21 to win the WWE Championship from JBL. He feuded with Chris Jericho and Kurt Angle after being drafted to Raw. John Cena held the title for nine long months until New Years Revolution of 2006.

At New Years Revolution 2006, Edge cashed in Money in the Bank to defeat John Cena thus starting one of the biggest feuds in the history of the WWE. He also defeated Triple H at Wrestlemania 22. However John Cena defied the odds in 2006. He went into a hostile crowd at ECW's One Night Stand, he defeated Edge in a TLC match and he seemed to be on a roll. John Cena held the WWE Championship for a year until he suffered an injury in September of 2007. He miraculously returned to the WWE at the 2008 Royal Rumble as the last superstar the entered. He won and went on to have a pretty quiet year in the WWE. At Summerslam he fought Batista in which he suffered a severe neck injury that should have kept him out for a year. However at Survivor Series he returned to defeat Chris Jericho for the World Heavyweight Championship. He regained the World Title back at Wrestlemania 25 before losing it to Edge a month later.

For all of John Cena's critic, I being one of them at times, I will say this. John Cena has so much passion for pro wrestling it's ridiculous. A lot of people claimed that they were going to be bigger then Hulk Hogan like for example The Rock but John Cena is getting closer and closer all the time. People know who John Cena is. Think about this. He has appeared Jimmy Kimmel multiple times, Late Night with Conan O'Brien, Fox Sports Net's The Best Damn Sports Show Period, MADtv, MTV's Punk'd, 2005 Teen Choice Awards, Nashville Star, 2007 Nickelodeon UK Kids Choice Awards.

Cena has also been featured on Fast Cars and Superstars: The Gillette Young Guns Celebrity Race, Subway commercials, Gilette's shaving products, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition, and Deal or No Deal. I hate to say it but John Cena might just be bigger then Hulk Hogan. Cena also came out with a Rap Album and has been featured in two movies that sold well on DVD. There is no slowing down John Cena. He is only 32 years old and has a lot of years ahead of him.

So at the end of the day, will John Cena be bigger then Hulk Hogan? Or will Cena fall short of the bar Hogan set? My money is on Cena because he revolutionized pro wrestling much like Hulk did in the 80's. Only time will tell.

Pistons Fire Curry...Who is next?

Yesterday the Pistons made a smart decision. They fired that moron of a head coach Michael Curry who should have never been hired to begin with. This past year was one of the hardest seasons to watch. We traded Billups for a washed up Allen Iverson and barely just made the playoffs. We made a horrible pick in the draft but finally Joe Dumars, the smart guy he is finally pulled his head out of his butt and made a smart decision. One has to wonder who might be next in line for the Detroit Pistons head coaching job. Well here are the names I am hearing.

Doug Collins who is a former Pistons head coach, who some say can't get a long with any team he coaches. He says hes changed his way but who knows. I personally think he needs to stay put at TNT

Bill Laimbeer is the least likely choice for the job but you never know. Joe D might stick with someone he knows. Just don't bring Isiah in. Laimbeer is a proven winner in the WNBA but can he handle the ego's of the NBA? I think he could because he had one himself.

The last but not certainly not least my favorite of the bunch is Avery Johnson. He never should have been fired from Dallas to begin with. So what if he lost in the first round to the Warriors a few years ago. Everyone's get upset once in a while.

If I had my choice I would go with Avery Johnson because I think he's got a spark that the Pistons need right now. I also hope Joe Dumars looks heavily into the Free Agent market because we need some new pieces and we need to get back to where we were a few years ago. I am really interested in seeing what happens with Pistons. Stay tuned.