Somewhere, something incredible is waiting to be known.  -Carl Sagan

Public Knowledge:

1.  Nobody likes a big mouth.  Who’s a punk now Quentin?  Punks jump up to get beat down!  The Knicks sure did get beat down last night.  The Knicks gave up last night.  They gave up on themselves.  They gave up on their team.  They gave up on their fans.  They gave up on their coach.  There is no turning back.  There is no righting the ship.  Short of firing Isiah Lord Thomas, that is.  The anti-Midas.  Badluck Schleprock.  Everything he touches turns to garbage.  From the CBA to the Raptors.  From the Pacers to the Knicks.  Every day this cat still has a job makes me shake my head in wonderment.  But even if Zeke does go, Dolan will still be there.  And that’s not good news for any self respecting Knicks fan.

2.  Fantasy Nation weeps.  You’re in your 1st week of your fantasy playoffs.  You got Brett Favre going.  Down goes Favre!  Down goes Favre!  Down goes Favre!  And in comes Aaron bleepin Rogers.  There goes the season.  There goes the neighborhood.  Just hope that’s the league you didn’t pay money to play.  You know the one.  The one where half the managers stopped changing their line-ups five weeks ago.  I hate that.  Show some commitment for once in your life.  People are counting you godammit!

3.  I picked the Packers to win outright.  I was wrrrr.  I was wrrrrrr.  I was wrong.  The Cowboys outmuscled, outclassed, outplayed, outeverythinged the Packers.  If they don’t make the Super Bowl it will be shocking.  So don’t touch me.  ‘Cause I’m electric.  And if you touch me you’ll shocked, shocked, shocked.  But then they’ll have to play the Patriots.  And you know as well as I do as well as Clubber Lang does what will happen then:

4.  I was switching back and forth between Celtics and the football.  You got me lookin’ up high.  You got me searchin’ down low.  You got me, I know you know.  You got me jerkin’ back ‘n’ forth.  Jerkin’ back and forth between Marv Albert and Bryant Gumble.  Jerkin’ back and forth between maybe the greatest play by play guy of all time and possibly the worst.  Just some food for thought.  Yessss!  And the foul.

5.  What about Brett Fav… ruh?  Does he play next week.  Or doesn’t he?  Does he keep in tact the most incredible streak of all time in any sport or does he sit this one out for the team.  Sit out and take one for the team.  Five players on the floor functioning as one single unit: team, team, team – no one more important that the other.  Sit it out so he can play in the play-offs.  Sit it so he can he play when it really matters.  My gut says he plays he next week.  My head says he shouldn’t.

6.   The Red Sox have offered pitcher Jon Lester, center fielder Coco Crisp and a couple of minor leaguers for Johann Santana.  The Yankees are willing to offer pitcher Ian Kennedy and an outfielder, and haven’t refused Phil Hughes.  This is win-win for the Sox.  Like my main man Joey LaMotta always says, “You win, you win.  You lose, you still win.”  The Red Sox win the Johann Sweepstakes and their pitching staff becomes the best in baseball for a very long time.  Maybe the best staff ever.  The Yankees sign him, it means the Red Sox have driven up the price so high, it will probably have included some untouchables.  Robinson Cano untouchables.  Joba untouchables.  Guys like that there.  And then the Sox go out and get a guy like Danny Haren and still have the best staff baseball.  You win, you win.  You lose, you still win.  And don’t look now but contract extension talks between the Orioles and Erik Bedard stalled yesterday.  This guy could be on the market as well.  This guy could be the cream of the crop.

7.  More You Tube fun.  This time with Kevin Garnett:

8.  The Mets have traded Lastings Milledge to the Nationals for catcher Brian Schneider and outfielder Ryan Church.  Is the guy that much trouble.  I truly believe Milledge is going to be a superstar in this league.  Superstar.  Live large.  A big house.  Five cars, you’re in charge.  To trade him for that bunch of nothing makes no sense to me.  No sense whatsoever.

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

Lancelot Links:

1.  Strike another match, go start anew.  And it’s all over now, Baby Blue.  No it ain’t.  It’s only the beginning.  Home Run Derby

2.  ‘Fire Isiah’ Chant Breaks Out During Knicks’ Front-Office Meeting.  Onion Sports

3.  Had enough of Bonds yet?  HBO hasn’t.  They’re making a movie.  Variety

4.  Thanks to Barry Melrose Rocks:

5.  When 11-2 isn’t good enough.  Tommy Point

6.  Just in case you live in a cave and haven’t seen this yet.  Jason Whitlock

7.  Steve Lavin loves Eric Gordon.  Inside the Hall

8.  All American Profile:  OJ Mayo  Ghost of Wayne Fontes

Peace out homies.  Six Two and Even!

Knowledge is love and light and vision.  -Helen Keller

Public Knowledge:

1.  First, Texas A&M made its quick hire of Mike Sherman.  Then Ole Miss hired Houston Nutt virtually sight unseen.  Now this is still America after all, and you can hire whomever you like.  Just eat food, try not to be crude or rude, kill the attitude, chill the serious mood, and doowutchyalike.  But c’mon.  Only seven of 119 Division I-A teams have been led this season by minority coaches.  If you don’t see something wrong with that, I can’t help you.

2.  I like Brett Favre.  I like the Pack.  Go, you Packers, go and get ‘em.  Go, you fighting fools upset ‘em.  I know the defense is decimated with injuries.  I just think they have it.  You know.  It.  It’s in the game!  Call it character.  Call it intangibles.  Call it a certain je ne sais quoi.  Call it whatever you like.  Just act a fool, it’s okay if you drool, ’cause everybody’s gonna strip, and jump in the pool.  And doowhatwelike, yeah, and doowhatwelike.  I like the Packers to win outright tonight.  Whether I’m able to see it or not.

3.  I’m all caught up in Jimmy V week.  Never give up!  Last night I watched the UMass/Syracuse game.  Holy cow!  Runnin’ and gunnin’.  Paul Westhead style.  The Minutemen made their Carrier Dome debut a memorable one.  They scored more points against the Orange than any opponent since the building opened in 1980.  Goodness!  Jonny Flynn is a stud.  No question about it.  But the cat who impressed me the most was UMass’ Ricky Harris.  The New Microwave.  Hitting a three here.  Hustling there.  That kid’s a gamer.  As UMass adjusts to life without Stephan Lasme in the post and continue learning this fast break offense, they will be a force to be reckoned with in the A-10.

4.  The Devil Rays and Twins finish 6-player deal that essentially breaks down to Delmon Young for Matt Garza.  I still like that bat throwing madman Delmon Young in this one.  A five tool athlete.  If this kid can just keep his stuff together, he has the ability to put up some incredible numbers.  Remarkable numbers.  Monster numbers.  Freddy Lynn numbers.  Look for this kid to hit about .290.  Look for this kid to smash thirty to thirty five bombs.  Look for this kid to drive in one hundred runs.  Look for this kid to win an MVP one day.

5.  Knicks/Celtics tonight.  Quentin Richardson says “it’s no big deal.”  Quentin Richardson says, “they’re not that deep of a team.”  Quentin Richardson says, “the last time we played them, we beat them in the preseason in a game.”  Quentin Richardson better shut his mouth.  This is what the Celtics are going to do the Knicks tonight:

6.  Suspended Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick has agreed to set aside close to $1 million to pay for the care of the 54 pit bulls seized from his dogfighting operation.  A day late and a dollar short.

7.  The Twins just traded their shortstop. The Mets have Jose Reyes.  The Mets are in the Johann Sweepstakes.  But still.  I don’t see it.  As much as I value pitching, pitching wins championships, you’re only as good as your next starter, all that.  I still don’t see it.  Reyes had an off year for Reyes, but an everyday, leadoff batter of his magnitude, that would be a very bitter pill to swallow. 

8.  If you’re a fantasy nut like me, you have a fantasy hockey team.  If you have a fantasy like me and you drafted Ray Emery like me, very high like me, you cannot be happy like me.  What to do, what to do?  Last year Martin Gerber was hated by the fans.  They wanted him shipped out of town.  This year, he turns his game around, and now the same fans want Emery gone instead.  For my sake, I hope the Sens heed the fans requests.  This cat is just too good not to be getting ice time.  And besides, what am I supposed to do?  Cut Ray Emery?  Inconceivable.

9.  Tim Tebow has to win the Heisman right?  I know McFadden is breaking records set by Herschel Walker and Bo Jackson.  I know he is the only reason Arkansas won the West in 2006 and beat LSU in 2007.  I know he is the only reason Houston Nutt still has a job.  But how can you not vote for Tebow.  Tim Tebow is a monster.  He is the only player in the history of college football to rush for 20 touchdowns and pass for over 20 touchdowns.  Holy Cow!  He is a sophomore, but who cares?  This award goes to the best player.  Tim Tebow is the best football player this year.  I am I am Superman and I know what’s happening.  I am I am I am Superman and I can do anything.

10.  Yankees still suck!

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

Welcome back.  Your dreams were your ticket out.  Welcome back, to that same old place that you laughed about.  Welcome back, welcome back, welcome back.  -John Sebastian

Public Service Announcement:  Ok here we go!  Happy days are here again.  The skies above are clear again.  So lets sing a song of cheer again.  Happy days are here again. 

Yes, sports fans, happy days are indeed here again.  Troy Brown is back again.  I do not like the circumstances.  Losing a monster like Roosevelt Colvin is never good news.  But getting back my favorite Patriot is.  Oh my baby’s comin’ home tomorrow.  Ain’t that good news?  Yeah, ain’t that news?  It sure is. 

I love this cat.  Troy Fitzgerald Brown.  What can Brown do for you?  A whole lot.  How about win football games?  That’s what.  Football players play football.  Players make plays.  Troy Brown plays football.  Troy Brown makes plays.  Troy Brown has been making plays for the New England Patriots for fifteen seasons. 

• Like the punt he returned in the AFC Championship game against the Steelers. 
• Like when as a DB, he shut down Peyton Manning and the Colts’ high-flying attack in the 2004 playoffs.  
• Like when he lined up as emergency quarterback to further “develop his legend.” 
• Like when he instinctively ripped the ball out of the Chargers’ Marlon McCree’s grasp to ensure victory. 

Troy Brown has been making plays in twenty playoff appearances.  Troy Brown is the team’s all-time leading receiver with 557 receptions.  He has spent his entire career with the Patriots since being drafted in the eighth round in 1993.  Drafted in the eighth round out of Marshall.  We are Marshall! 

At Marshall, Brown led the NCAA Division 1-AA in both kickoff and punt return average in 1991.  His career kickoff return average still stands as an NCAA record.  So do his four kickoff returns for touchdowns.  He scored a touchdown every eight times he touched the football.  Yowza!  At Marshall, Brown claimed the Thundering Herd its first National Championship with him as its primary wide receiver and returner.  From the ashes we rose! 

Troy Brown rose.  He rose in the championship game.  In the championship game, Brown sealed the deal by intercepting a Hail Mary pass in the waning seconds of the game.  Playing both sides of the ball.  Gordie Lockbaum style.  Good thing too. 

Brown may also be needed in the defensive secondary.  Again.  Not only was Colvin put out of commission in that Eagles game, but Randall Gay hurt his back as well.  Troy had been nursing a knee injury since the start of camp.  According to NFL rules, the team had until Tuesday to activate him, place him on IR, or release him.  Well, it looks like this football player still has some football playing to do.  And I, for one, am glad. 

It just wouldn’t be the same.  Wouldn’t be the same old game.  I proclaim it would be a shame if we did not hear his name.  Brown was on all three of the Patriots’ Super Bowl Championship teams, as well as the Super Bowl XXXI losing team.  He needs to be there for this one.  He deserves to be there for this one.  Third Down Troy Brown.  What can Brown do for you?  He can take us all to Disney World.  Welcome back Troy!

Public Acknowledgements:  Hartford Courant, Ager & Yellen and Sam Cooke

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

Three is a magic number.  Yes it is, it’s a magic number.  Somewhere in the ancient, mystic trinity.  You get three as a magic number.  -Schoolhouse Rock

Public Service Announcement:  Ok here we go!  Not since Oscar Robertson and Magic Johnson have we seen such a triple threat.  A Kidd amongst men.  If you wanna know the real deal about the three.  Well let me tell you, we’re triple trouble ya’ll.  We’re gonna bring you up to speed. 

I’m gonna bring you up to speed.  Bring you up to speed with Jason Kidd.  Last night, in a loss, Kidd notched his 91st career triple double.  91!  That’s more than Larry Legend.  More than the Stilt.  More than a whole lot of folks.  Third all time.  Third all time behind the Big-O and Magic.  Even more amazing considering Kidd played the first sixty-eight games of his career without ever securing a triple-double.  Then went on to tally four out of his next ten.  Then went on to tally at least one triple double in each and every of the fourteen seasons he has been in this league.  Yowza!  That would be a record my friends. 

He may not average a triple double for his career like Oscar.  He may not catch Earvin. (He needs 39 more.)  But they never done did that.  And he ain’t slowing down.  He’s still mowing ‘em down.  Still throwing ‘em down.  The past three seasons have been three of his five biggest triple-double campaigns.  He set his own personal record with twelve just last year.  He has four already this year tying him for the lead with one King James.  Just the other night he grabbed nineteen boards.  How about that?  Talk about a West Coast bias.  

While everyone’s blabbering about Steve Nash.  While everyone’s jabbering about Steve Nash.  While everyone’s doing that, here is Kidd.  Kid gracious kid.  Your eyes are blue but you won’t cry I know.  Angry tears are too dear.  You wont let them go.  You didn’t let them go back in ‘02.  Back in ‘02 when you was robbed.  I got robbed by a sweet old lady on a motorized cart.  I didn’t even see it coming.  No one saw it coming.  

Robbed by the Big Fundamental.  Robbed out of an MVP.  Back in ‘02 when you were traded to the Nets.  Traded for Starbury.  Traded to the perennial league doormats.  Then single-handedly transformed them into championship contenders in the space of one single training camp. Put them into the NBA Finals two years in a row.  Put them on the map.  And there they’ve stayed.  Thanks to Jason Kidd.  Thanks to Jason Kidd the new triple double king.

Public Acknowledgements:  NBA, Beastie Boys, Pretenders and Dumb & Dumber

Peace out homies.  Six two and even!

See you soon!

I do not pretend to know what many ignorant men are sure of.  -Clarence Darrow

Public Knowledge:

1.  Abandon all hope, ye who enter here.  That’s right, welcome to hell.  Welcome to New England Patriots football.  Invlnerable.  Invincible.  Incredible.  Indomitable.  Impregnable.  I’m coming for you man. My style is impetuous. My defense is impregnable, and I’m just ferocious.  I want your heart.  I want to eat his children.  Praise be to  Allah!  You may not like it, but you are witnessing what greatness is all about.  This is by far the most dominating football team I have ever witnessed.  Fifty-six points?  Are you kidding me?  Who’s gonna beat these guys?  The Eagles next week?  The Steelers?  The Steelers, who just lost to the Jets?  The Giants?  Fuhgettaboutit!  Pinky, are you pondering what I’m pondering?  I think so, Brain, but what if the chicken won’t wear the nylons?

2.  A-Broad wins the MVP.  Good for him.  Lump him with the rest of those cats.  You know who I’m talking about.  The usual suspects.  The Dan Marinos.  The Mailmen.  The Round Mounds.  The Barry Bondseses.  The Marcel Dionnes.  Those guys there.  And you know what they say.  They say, it don’t mean a thing if you ain’t got that ring.  Doo-wab-di-wab doo-wab-di-wab doo-wab-di-wab doo-wab-di-wah.

3.  That’s the sound of the men working on the chain ga-a-ang.  Speaking of lumping guys with other guys.  No, not Mike Piazza.  Mike Vick.  From dirty bird to jail bird.  Lump him with Doc Gooden.  Darryl Strawberry.  Those two will forever be linked.  Linked in shame. Lump him with Mike Tyson.  Lump him with Mike Danton.  Rae Caruth.  Pete Rose.  Art Schlichter.  Ray Lewis.  Marvin Barnes.  Denny McLain.  Hollywood Henderson.  Guys like that there.  Guys who had a good thing but it wasn’t enough.  Too much is never enough.  They needed more.  But, like my main man Tony Baretta always says:  “Don’t go to bed, with no price on your head.  No, no, don’t do it.  Don’t do the crime, if you can’t do the time.  Yeah, don’t do it.  And keep your eye on the sparrow.  When the going gets narrow.

4.  Have you been watching NBA action?  Fan-tastic!  Have you been watching the Orlando Magic?  That’s a good ball club.  A very good ball club.  While everyone, myself included, have been yammering on and on about them Celtics, these Magic just keep winning games.  They have the most victories in the NBA.  They have the best road record in the league.  Most importantly, they have Dwight Howard.  Thunder.  D-12.  Man Child.  Dwizzle.  Glass.  Ya, him.  Dwight Howard had twenty-four points last night.  Dwight Howard had fifteen rebounds last night.  Dwight Howard was just named the Eastern Conference’s Player of the Week averaging 23.3 points and a conference-best 13.3 rebounds.  He scored a career-high tying 35 points against Cleveland.  He became the youngest player in NBA history to amass 3,000 career rebounds.  He s a beast.  A beast in the East.  Careful Celtics, he already did it to you once.  Don’t let him do it to you last.

5.  Thank God.  Thank God for giving Theo Epstien the power to sign Mike Lowell.  I was sweating bullets over this one.  Sweating hand grenades.  Curt Schilling:  “”How cool is that?  Leaving years and dollars on the table to come back here for three more years, good stuff.  Pretty nice to think you are fans in a town that is now a desired destination for athletes across the major sports.  Come a long way for sure.”  Yup just like Virginia Slims.  We’ve come a long way baby.

6.  Lil Romeo to play for USC, huh?  And you thought the OJ Mayo thing was a circus.  Just wait ’till next year.  In every class, there’s always one joker who thinks that he’s smarter than me.  In this class, that happens to be you.  Isn’t it, Mayo-naise?  Next year it’ll be Little Bow Wow.  Er, Lil Romeo.  Whatever.  I’ll tell you this though.  I went to high school with Michael Bivens.  Bell Biv Devoe.  Now you know.  He could ball.  I’m not sure what that has to do with Lil Romeo.  Just made me think of it.  Happens sometimes.  Actually more than not.

7.  I guess Stephon learned his lesson.  True to his word, as always, Isiah will be starting Starbury tonight.  This after Zeke kicked the entire Knick team after practice.  We’re sitting here, and I’m supposed to be the franchise player, and we’re talking about practice. I mean listen, we’re sitting here talking about practice, not a game, not a game, not a game, but we’re talking about practice.  Not the game that I go out there and die for and play every game last it’s my last but we’re talking about practice man.  How silly is that?  Really silly.  Imagine being David Lee or Renaldo Balkman right now.  What a joke the New York Knicks have become.  It’s truly one of the great tragedies in sports right now.

8.  Andrea Kramer thinks Tom Brady is dreamy:

9.  Jason Kidd is mad as hell and he’s not going to take it anymore.  Kidd:  “Everybody has people hurt, but they still play together and find a way to win.  Right now we’re not doing that.  We have to find a way.  That’s always been the motto, we’d find a way to win. Now we’re finding a way to lose.  That can be upsetting to anybody.”   Too bad it’s not upsetting to Nets fans.  Nets fans are the worst fans in the NBA.  They simply do not care.

10.  Patriots draft watch.  As things stand now, the Patriots have a pick in the 2-4 range next year.  C’mon you Jets.  C’mon you Dolphins.  C’mon you Rams.  C’mon you Raiders.

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

There’s a starman waiting in the sky.  He’d like to come and meet us, but he thinks he’d blow our minds.  There’s a starman waiting in the sky.  He’s told us not to blow it, ’cause he knows it’s all worthwhile.  -David Bowie

Public Service Announcement:  Ok, here we go.  Hello, Canada, and hockey fans in the United States and Newfoundland.  Oh, my starry eyed surprise.  NHL.  Three stars.  It’s tradition!  Fiddler On the Roof style.  A tradition that began in 1936-37.   A tradition that began when Imperial Oil joined Hockey Night in Canada as its principal sponsor.  A tradition that began as a way for Imperial to promote its “Three Star” brand of gasoline.  A ella le gusta la gasolina.  Como le encanta la gasolina.  Dame mas gasolina!  A tradition that began as a way for the NHL to get recognition for its best ambassadors.  Players like Rocket Richard.  Players like Johnny Bower.  Old time hockey.  Eddie Shore.  Imperial Oil left Hockey Night In Canada, but the tradition remained.   And what a fine tradition it is. 

Mike Walton of the Leafs was named on the Three Stars in eleven consecutive games.  The Great One, blessed be he, played his last two games in Ottawa and at Madison Square Garden.  In both games, he was named the only star of the game.  Rocket Richard was once named all three stars after scoring all five of Montreal’s goals in a playoff game against Toronto.  But I’m here to tell you Three Stars is something more.  Something more for those keeping score.  Something more to get excited for.  I’m here to tell you it’s a pretty good predicator for post season awards.  What?  You don’t believe me?  You think it’s merely a cute little enterprise for the fans.  The Starship Enterprise.  Well, I’m here to boldly go where no man has gone before.  I’m here to tell you different.

Here’s what we’re gonna do.  Whatcha gonna do?  Whatcha gonna do when sheriff John Brown come for you?  We’re gonna go back as far as the 1995-96 season.  With the lockout year, that makes an even eleven years.  We’re gonna assign three points for first star of the game.  Two points for second star.  One point for third.  Got it?  Good. 

Let’s look at the Hart Trophy first, shall we?  MVP.  Best player in all the land:

Uncanny, isn’t it?  Seven out of eleven.  Thank heavens for Seven Eleven.  Home of the Slurpee and the Big Gulp.  Gulp that down. 

Now let’s look at the rookies.  Rookie, rookie, who gets the cookie.  Who gets the Calder Memorial Trophy?

Not as convincing.  Six out of eleven.  Still pretty good.  Pretty, pretty good.  Pretty good considering three out of the five incorrect entries were goalies.

Speaking of goalies.  Moving on.  Onward and upward.  To that deluxe apartment in the sky.  Moving on to the Vezina Trophy:

Six out of eleven.  Not perfect, I know.  But above 50%.  I’ll take those odds. I’ll take them every time. 

Knock ‘em down roll ‘em around common defense, work! Let’s hear it for the defense.  Got spirit, let’s hear it!  Let’s hear it for the Moochie James Norris trophy winners:

Wow!  Eight.  Figure eight as double four.  Figure four as half of eight.  If you skate, you would be great.  If you could make a figure eight.  What did I tell you?  With Lidstrom around, it makes things easy.  But still.  So there you have it.  Who knew?  Who knew Three Stars of the Game meant so much?  As things stand now, Daniel Alfredsson, Patrick Kane and Ilya Kovalchuck are the Star Point leaders.  Are awards in their future?  It’s all in the stars.

Public Spectacle:

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!

As seen on TV. Not sold in stores! 20 Original Hits! 20 Original Stars! The makers of the Fishin’ Magician, Veg-o-matic and the Feather Touch Knife, K-Tel presents: Isiah’s Super Hits

Not In My House featuring the Fresh prince

Hot off the charts: I Love me My Bitches

The smash hit, Its Over, Its All Over:

Isiah Presents Bird Dance the European dance craze that’s sweeping the nation:

Isiah Thomas is on Fire;

Watch Isiah Play Like He’s 10 Feet Tall:

Hear What Everybody’s talking About:

Peace out Homies! Six two and Even!

Lancelot Links:

1.  Top Ten Reasons the Chiefs are Cooler Than the Colts.  Arrowhead Addict

2.  Is it too soon?  Too soon to compare the Celtics to the ‘96 Bulls?  Yay Sports!

3.  Pat Gillick is no Sleeping Beauty.  Crashburn Alley

4.  The Blog Readability Test.  It tests the level of education neccessary to read your blog.  Mine is elementary school.  What’s yours?  Blog Readability Test

5.  Crappy Cy Young Winners Of the Modern Era  Joe Sports Fan

6.  Worry not Duck fans.  Addicted to Quack

7.  No Tommy Point for You JA.  BostonSportZ

8.  The Bay Area is officially in Sports Hell.  100% Injury Rate

Peace out homies.  Six two and Even!