NFL Preview: NFC West

All the NFC West teams have been completed, so here is how we see it playing out...



1. St. Louis Rams: 9-7

2. San Francisco 49ers: 9-7

3. Arizona Cardinals: 7-9

4. Seattle Seahawks: 4-12

Shaq WILL Comeback Next Year

Have we seen the last of Shaq? I seriously doubt it after listening Shaq today...

"A little bit of both. Business-wise, I felt that the Boston organization and the people of Boston treated me very, very well. I could have gotten a little minor surgery and then been out for nine months, but then we would have been in the same situation again, everybody sitting around waiting for me. So, I thought it was great business to let Danny [Ainge] go out and get some younger talent."

Added O'Neal: "I didn't want to let the people of Boston down two years in a row."

Asked if he's 100 percent certain that he will stay retired, Shaq coyly replied: "For now, yes (WEEI)."

If that wasn't enough here is what Ainge had to say...

Celtics general manager Danny Ainge isn't sure if Shaq's done playing in the NBA.

"Oh, I don't know," Ainge told the Boston Herald. "I don't know. I would not say that. I mean, hopefully Shaq can get his body healthy and then reconsider."

Ainge then added, "I can tell you that even if he's still out when we start next year, he's a guy I'll be making a phone call to at some time during the season. But I believe what he's saying now is real (ESPN)."

Is it just me or does this sound like a perfect situation for a comeback?

Sit back and think about it. The Celtics are a top seed next year in the East. It's KG's Allen's, and Jermaine's last year with the Celtics. The last run for the old guys. Just before the playoffs start. Suddenly like a hurricane Big Old Shaq comes through the door to give them the final piece. One last time for an era that is ending. Playoffs start... Old vs. Young. Sounds like a movie right? Shaq loves movies. What a better way for him to go out, and trust me that's just how Shaq thinks (plus it sounds like Ainge is on board).

I just think with all the "not wanting to let down Boston again", and how he "really enjoyed his time here", listening to all of that makes me think he is coming back. Sure, you can point out that I bought into Sheed coming back, but there is a difference here. The Celtics LIKE Shaq.

All People Named Mike Brown Suck

Yesterday I wrote about how the Bengals' Mike Brown is a stubburn douche, that is probably the worst owner in the NFL (yes, over Al Davis). Well today there is word that Mike Brown (the NBA one) is close to being the next coach of the Lakers.

"Former Cleveland Cavaliers coach Mike Brown has emerged as the favorite to succeed Phil Jackson as coach of the Los Angeles Lakers, according to sources.

Brown and the Lakers have already exchanged contract figures, with a deal potentially being struck as early as Wednesday, sources told ESPN The Magazine's Chris Broussard (ESPN)."

This is amazing. If watching the Lakers fall apart in the playoffs wasn't fun enough now we get to watch this wind bag destroy any hope of them making another run. Sure, he won coach of the year in 2009, but if you ever watched the Cavs in the playoffs you would know the difference between him and a guy like Doc Rivers. If they hire Brown I guarantee there will be a fallout between him and Kobe within a year, that the Lakers will not make it past the 2nd round of any playoffs as long as he is the coach. He is straight up one of the worst coaches in the NBA.

Jeter Not Being A Very Good Captain?

"Yankees manager Joe Girardi appears to be walking on egg shells when the discussion turns to where Derek Jeter bats in the lineup. It is the most delicate of issues since the franchise icon is off to a lackluster start (.250) as he moves methodically toward the coveted 3,000-hit plateau. The problem is the Yankees may be a better offensive team with Jeter batting down in the batting order. As Jeter continues to struggle, Girardi will soon have a big decision on his hands (ESPN)."

Personally I think the media is blowing this out of proportion. It's not like Jeter is terrible right now (.250 BA) and it is really early in the season to be moving the face of your franchise. Still, I see where they are coming from. If Jeter doesn't raise is OBP (.310), and the Yankees do have a lot of options with guys like Swisher, Granderson, Cano (who all have a higher OBP).

All I know is this situation will get ugly whether it's this year or the next, and the Yankees are going to have to deal with it at some point. The best thing Jeter could do as the "captain" is to meet with the coach and drop himself down the order, if the situation gets to the point where it needs to happen. This will take the pressure off the coach, and make it a lot less tense in the locker room.

Red Sox @ A's Preview

The Red Sox got shutout last night and now they have to face yet another lefty, and this one hasn't let up a run in 17 straight innings. Not exactly what this lineups needed, but it's their own damn fault.

The Red Sox are 0-7 on the road for the first time in franchise history, due largely to a .179 team batting average away from Fenway Park. Now they are in a pitchers ballpark, and have a bunch of guys (look at you Mr. Crawford) that couldn't hit a softball.

Buchholz hasn't pitched well this season (0-2 with a 6.60 ERA), but he also hasn't gotten any run support (in 3 games the Sox have scored 5 runs). I think Buchholz is going to have a great game tonight, but I hope there is a way the Sox can figure out how to score some runs, but today there is just too many things not going their way to pick them. Gio is on fire (2-0 0.47 ERA), and the Sox struggle against lefties.

Here is the Sox lineup for today...

J.D. Drew RF
Dustin Pedroia 2B
Adrian Gonzalez 1B
Kevin Youkilis DH
Jed Lowrie 3B
Marco Scutaro SS
Carl Crawford LF
Jason Varitek C
Jacoby Ellsbury CF

A's win 3-1
Player of the Game: Gio Gonzalez
Game starts at 3:35pm