Archive for March, 2009

In breaking news last night, Manny Ramirez and the Los Angeles Dodgers closed in on a potential deal.  The contract looks like a two-year, $45 million that is almost finalized.  Manny’s agent, Scott Boras, is still downplaying the agreement.  Manny is supposed to fly to Los Angeles today to get his physical and meet with the brass of The Dodgers.  Look for a deal to be finished before the regular season.  Don’t get me wrong, the two-year $45 million is something that will stay in place.  Boston fans will tell you that Manny will do all he can to avoid Spring Training.  He wasn’t as bad as an Indian, then again, he wasn’t as “in demand”.  Manny Ramirez can’t stand practicing in March, plain and simple. 

Which Manny is going to show up in LA this season?  There could be the spaced-out version who forgets how to run the bases that we saw in Boston and Cleveland.  There could be the “I don’t have to push myself” version that we got a healthy dose of in Boston last season before the trade to LA.  Then there is the jump on my back while I carry us Manny, which only comes out in contract years.  I predict we will see a combination of hop on my back and spaced-out this season.  I will also predict a couple of trips to the DL.  If nothing else, baseball fans should know how lazy this talented player is.

Manny’s numbers for this upcoming season?  He will probably hit about 35 HR’s and have 100 RBI in 500 or so at-bats.  Look for his error total to be through the roof, I will guess double digits by August.  I’m not a hater of Manny Ramirez, but as someone who respects the game I can’t see giving a part-time mental case a full-time gift of $45 million in two years.

Hat tip goes to: The On Deck Circle
Extra Assist goes to: NESW Sports

Lebron James is doing many things right this year.  Last night he showed why he, and not D Wade or Kobe, should be the 2009 MVP.  I have a good argument on Lebron’s behalf and hope you will read it objectively before agreeing or disagreeing with me.  Here are at 10 reasons why Lebron will win the MVP.

1. The Cavs cannot win without him on offense or defense.  Lebron has really taken a step to contest every shot this year.  he has some pretty special blocks as a result. 
2. He has the least to work with.  Getting Mo Williams helps, but Z is aging, Anderson Varajeo still flops too much and plays with no control, and Ben Wallace was never a factor on offense.  He has maximized his teammates potential all year.
3. He has finally matured into the leader everyone thought he could be.  Cavs fans knew this would take a couple of seasons, but he seems poised to lead the Cavs with a clearer agenda than in years past.
4. He is comfortable in Cleveland.  It is close to home.  Ignore what you hear about New York.  The Cavs basically let him pick his own coach and teammates.  He is an institution that the Cavs would be stupid to ever let go of.
5. He is playing better under pressure this year.  Seems like when the spotlight was on him in regular season games last year, he was not a factor the way he has been this year.
6. He is embracing his stardom.  The ads here in the near Cleveland market are growing excruciating.  His face is everywhere and his image is automatic revenue.  He never had the commercial and media exposure he is currently enjoying.
7. Cleveland fans are just rowdier than LA fans. Jack Nicholson doesn’t go nuts when Kobe hits a three.  Cavs fan go nuts when Lebron gets a rebound.  The laid back atmosphere of Los Angeles fans can actually hurt Kobe because Lebron’s louder crowd reactions can be an illusion that he is doing more.
8. Because the Most Valuable Player of the NBA must help his team more than other superstars do.  It’s obvious this season.  He starts the fourth quarter on the bench but encourages his teammates to play hard, waives his towel when they do well, and shows concern when they struggle.  His impact when on the floor is the greatest in the NBA this season, making him the leagues most valuable player.
9. Let the fans vote, you might be suprised.  I don’t think for a minute that the NBA MVP should be a popularity contest.  I also have little faith in NBA fans (didn’t they just vote Iverson in as an All-Star starter?).  However, drawing from the greatest reflection there is, an organized poll would clearly show Lebron James as the most popular player in the NBA.
10. Have Lebron and Kobe swirtch teams for a week.  What would happen?  Phil Jackson would still look half-loaded at the end of the bench without his team missing a beat.  Kobe, on the other hand, would fail miserably without Pau Gasol, Lamar Odom, and recent acquisition Adam Morrison.  He would then cry, as we have seen Kobe do in the past, until he gets his way.

Those are my top ten reasons why I feel Lebron James is already the 2008-09 NBA MVP.   

Wrestlemania XXV is still about a month away, and I am sure that many of my predictions will not be exact as Vince McMahon loves to add to storylines on the way there.  However, I see a few long-developing storylines I can predict.  There will be a final Wrestlemania XXV prediction post closer to the event.  Kick these around for now.

The money in the bank ladder match will be loaded with high flyers.  Usually WWE will pick five or six guys depending on how many are needed elsewhere.  I am going to predict this to be the end of Miz and Morrison as a tag team and as friends.  Miz is the consumate heel, but I think John Morrison would do fine as a babyface.  Look for this ladder match to start that push for him.  Others to compete in the ladder match will be R Truth, Evan Borne, CM Punk, and possibly Carlito and Primo Colon.  Morrison will win this thing and defeat whichever heel champ there is later in the year when he cashes his suitcase in.

When WWE brought Christian Cage back to ECW, it was because they knew he would be cheered no matter where they put him.  Edge has been active on both Raw and Smackdown lately, so McMahon had to keep Christian away.  Look for a big heel turn from Christian in April.  I am sure that he will appear in some form to help Edge soon.  Their chemistry was magical as tag champs, lest we forget “for those with the benefit of flash photograpy“‘ etc.  Speaking of Edge, if John Cena doesn’t get his rematch in the next couple of weeks, look for the Edge-Cena match at WM 25.

Triple H obviously has it out for Randy Orton.  Problem is how will WWE package the sides to be fair?  Who will be the people to keep Ted DiBiase and Cody Rhodes away?  Look for Sim Snuka and Manu to come to the aid of HHH as early as tonight.  Triple H will probably lose the title to Orton at WM25.

Jeff Hardy will probably face-off with his brother Matt.  I am looking for this to be a classic.  Jeff will keep his “I wont fight my own brother attitude”, for a couple of weeks more until Matt does something so horrible that it pushes Jeff over the edge.  Look for Jeff to win a battle here.

Finally, my last early prediction for WM 25 is Chris Jericho’s role.  Jericho has been disrespectful to legends, WWE HOF’ers, and future HOF’ers as well.  Look for Mickey Rourke to be in Jericho’s opponent’s corner.  I am guessing the opponent to be either Flair, Piper, and/or Ricky Steamboat, or Shawn Michaels.  There is a sleeper possibility that Stone Cold Steve Austin will be involved, either as an opponent or a ref.

I invite your comments, tell me whether you agree so far, or what you think that I may have missed.

Welcome to Paneech.com.  I will do my very best to keep this site fresh, entertaining, and “unpredictable“.

The strength of Paneech.com will be a forum to predict the outcomes of future sporting events.  Do not mistake this site for a gambling page.  I will not take credit card numbers as this is all in fun.  Say something in reply to a prediction I make, differ with me, agree with me, but tell me why!  I will give you reasons why I support a decision and expect the same in return from you, my readers.

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