Archive for April, 2009

Lebron James is always in the spotlight, that is just his thing.  He is awesome and deserves all of the accolades coming his way this season.  Lebron will be the first to tell you that the reason Cleveland has had so much success this season is because of Mo Williams.  Mo Williams is such an upgrade over Eric Snow. 

Mo scored almost 18 PPG, averaged just over four assists per game, shot over 90% from the line, and just does everything with so much enthusiasm.  His hustle earned him a trip to this years NBA All-Star game.

To me, Mo Williams is the reason the Cavs are the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference.  He and Delonte West have upped the team’s standards.  Delonte and Mo can hit the outside shots when the defense collapses around Lebron in the paint.  This was not there the last few seasons even though Lebron was there. 

I love the way Lebron rallied to get Mo on the All-Star team, it just proves that this is a very close knit team.  It was also Lebron making the statement that The Cavs are a much better team with Mo Williams on board.  Mike Brown winning NBA Coach of The Year is another direct reflection on Mo.  Remember Cavs fans, Eric Snow and Larry Hughes were Lebrons help in the recent past.  They did not do much, especially in the playoffs.

In the playoffs, Mo is averaging 16.5 PPG and 5.5 assists / game.  He will have an impact and Lebron would be the first to tell you that I am right.

Thanks for checking in!  Big draft tomorrow if you have been hiding under a rock.  Great stories to check out below, including the new Madden cover — poor Troy Polamalu is hexed for the year!

Milton Bradley Needs The CSI Crew * Zoner Sports
As Goes Rajon Rondo, Goes The Boston Celtics * Josh Q. Public
Lebron James Kisses A Fan During The Game * NESW Sports
Troy Polamalu Gets Half Of Madden 2010 Cover * PSAMP
Zack Greinke’s Story Makes Josh Hamilton Seem Tame * Sharapova’s Thigh
Michael Crabtree Has A Secret Weapon For The Draft * Total Pro Sports
2009 NBA Mock Draft * Sports2Debate
Jeremy Tyler: The Next Logical Step * A Stern Warning
Bon Voyage, Tony Gonzalez * Arrowhead Addict
Atlanta Hawks Game Delayed By Real Hawk * Sports Rubbish
Steroid Use In Boxing And Nobody Cares * Pro Fighting Fans
Cavs Spoof Heineken Commercial * Docksquad Sports
If Mel Kiper Worked All Year Long * Hugging Harold Reynolds
The Detroit Tigers Can Win! * Baseball Reflections

Check all of these great stories out!

The Cincinnati Bengals and Chad “Ochocinco” Johnson are agreeing to disagree.  Make no mistake about it, Johnson wants out.  The Bengals front office said Johnson is staying put and will be in a Bengal uniform for the 2009 season.  So it looks like Johnson will be a miserable and pouty member of The Bengals all year, unless…

In recent developments, Bengals officials have made it clear that they are interested with getting Michael Crabtree.  They have the sixth overall pick in the draft Saturday.  Cleveland, originally claiming they would take Crabtree, stated they are no longer interested in The Texas Tech star.  This would probably slide him to #6 and make him a Bengal.  If they do get Crabtree, look for Ochocinco to get peddled right through the door on draft day.  Philadelphia, Dallas, and even Cleveland are possible destinations for the cocky Johnson.

If none of this works out, he can get back to working on his swimming career.  After all, Johnson claimed last Summer that he could swim faster than Michael Phelps. 

The Bengals, one of The NFL’s truly struggling franchises the last couple of years need to consider what kind of player Johnson will be if retained.  Johnson can be a baby, I can just see him whining until he gets traded at the end of the season.  Cut your losses, get him out and make a harmonius marriage for Carson Palmer with someone who wants to be a Bengal.

The above provided video is proof that Ochocinco is all about himself.  He is the star athlete who probably drives his agent crazy and could care less what anyone thinks about his team.  It’s all about him.  He is selfish, underhanded, and the type of player who should worry more about doing great things in the NFL instead of what celebration to use if he does something great.

I’m “85%” sure  he will not be a Bengal.

Busy week in the world of sports and the NFL Draft fast approaching.  Here are some friends to catch you up.  Please check out these stories!!!

5 Multi-Sport Athletic Failures * In Game Now
Cat Runs Around At Wrigley Field During Cubs Game * Sports Rubbish
David Stern & NBA Owners Briefed By CEO * Hoop Doctors
Athletes Who Are Twittering * Sports Fan Live
Top-10 Things We Learned In The Forst Week Of The NHL Playoffs * Total Pro Sports
Pricey Seats At new Yankee Stadium Bomb * Fox Sports
2009 NFL Mock Draft * Gators First
Mike Brown Is The NBA Coach Of The Year * Blaze Of Love
Shiver Me Timbers: It’s The Pittsburgh Pirates * Josh Q. Public
Cavs – Pistons Game 2 Recap * Talk Hoops
Interview With UFC’s Stephan Bonner * Zoner Sports
NHL Video Highlight Of The Day * The Program
Browns Will Probably Pass On Crabtree * Cleveland.com
D Wade’s Cell Phone # * NESW Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers Sneak Peak At Sixth Ring * PSAMP

Thanks for stopping by and checking out these great stories!

Mahoning Valley Thunder Coach Mike Hold thinks his team stands a better chance in week 5 against The Tulsa Talons than they did in week 3.  Tulsa blasted The Thunder in week 3, 79-35, in Tulsa. Coach Hold said, ” We feel more comfortable heading into this game because we saw them two weeks ago.  Now we have a good idea on what they like to do and how we match up, at the same time, they have a feel for our play calling and personnel.  They showed us that they’re an extremely physical team and their offense can beat you in a number of ways.  If we can limit the mistakes we made in week 3 we can be successful.”

In order for The Thunder to have a chance, the defense has to play better.  In the first four weeks of the season the defense has let every team score more points than the previous weeks opponent.  Tulsa (3-1) took it to Mahoning Valley in week 3, beating the Thunder 79-35.  Tulsa Coach Mitch Allner has a lifetime 29-7 record and has never lost to The Thunder.

I feel that QB Blake Powers will have a bigger week.  Last week was Powers first start and he played pretty good.  Powers threw for three scores and ran in another two.  The University of Indiana product was making his first start against Wilkes-Barre.  With this start look for Powers to play with more confidence and remain productive.

Powers favorite target is Quorey Payne who had 8 catches for 173 yards last week.  Payne is putting up great numbers and even returned a kickoff 50 yards to finish the Wilkes-Barre game with 351 all-purpose yards, a Mahoning Valley Thunder franchise record.  Payne has 435 receiving yards through the first four games and I am sure he will be hungry to keep putting numbers up.

The Talons are loaded with home grown talent boasting a roster with ten Oklahoma players.  Tulsa beat Iowa 58-31 last week.  Talons QB Justin Allgood was 32-49 for 148 yards with 8 TD against Iowa last week.  The Central Oklahoma product does a good job distributing the ball to Jermaine Landrum and Zac Edwards.

Mahoning Valley will need to step up their game to pull off this upset.  If the defense can play a little better and the offense can exceed production they have a good chance of winning.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 at The Chevy Center.

I am hoping to see a few Blake Powers to Quorey Payne touchdowns in the near future.  I received media credentials to cover The Mahoning Valley Thunder for this season.  I am excited about the opportunity and hope to give the team additional exposure through this website. 

I was a waterboy when Al Boggia coached the Youngstown Hardhats in the 1970’s.  Since then, the Youngstown area has only had great high school football, Youngstown State, and either Cleveland or Pittsburgh as an outlet for professional fandom.  What I like most about the local AF2 Thunder playing at The Chevy Center is that they are working hard to put people in the seats.  I see great promotions everywhere — everything from buy one-get one free, to family discounts (which include tickets, food, and refreshments), to entertainment besides the game, at the game.  It is an honest effort that I respect.

The Thunder play in the AF2 league.  Arena football is like a hamster race until you can get used to the speed of the game.  Players have to go both ways, almost like at Lowellville High School, but on a much grander scale.  I enjoy this brand of football and look forward to bringing my readers to better know and support The Mahoning Valley Thunder!

The Thunder has gotten off to a rocky start so far in 2009.  The squad fell to 1-3 this past weekend at the hands of The Wilkes-Barre Pioneers, who are 6-0 all-time against Mahoning Valley Thunder teams.  The team returns home this weekend for a 7:05 PM  Saturday game against Tulsa.  Hopefully The Cortland Banks Field inside The Chevy Center can produce some magic for the home team!

Chris “Beanie” Wells is going to be drafted Saturday.  I am not sure who will get him but I know the New Orleans Saints, Baltimore Ravens, and Seattle Seahawks are all interested.  The above clip is Beanie at his very best.  Finding a hole in a big game, ripping through it and using that fifth gear that he is supposed to be too big to have.  A few factors teams better look at before drafting Beanie…

He likes to jump over oncoming tacklers.  He pulled this stunt three times last season.  If he wants to have children and speak at normal octaves he better revert to a stiffarm in the future.  Seriously, it looks brilliant but is one of the stupidest things a player can do.

He has a history with fumbles.  This is the one thing that absolutely will drive any NFL coach nuts.  If the running backs are fumbling often, they will see less playing time.  Beanie led the Big-10 in fumbles in 2006 and did a little better each year. 

He is not durable.  Each year Beanie has played, he has been hurt.  I was so mad when Ohio State played Texas because he was not in the game at times when he would have flourished.  All athletes get hurt, I understand this, but play with a little pain.  This is going to be his biggest hurdle in the pros. 

As a biased Ohio State football fan, I wish I could make him the best running back in the draft.  I am thankful for the performances he delivered when 100% and in the right frame of mind.  I root for every Ohio State alumnus who plays in the NFL, and there are a few.  But, I am not so sure Beanie can handle the pounding his body will take at the next level.  Fair warning to the teams looking to draft Beanie Wells, beef up the medical staff.  Unless the conditions are perfect physically, he will be watching. 

If Beanie succeeds at the next level it will be because the team that he is playing for motivated him to be a better running back.  I hope he succeeds.

Attention fantasy players needing a qualty starting pitcher, Edwin Jackson is your guy.  In three starts this season Jackson has a 2.14 ERA and a 13:5 K:BB ratio.  He has been the only consistent player in a Detroit uniform so far this season.  He has pitched 21 innings in three starts, almost more than the entire Indians starting rotation had through 10 starts.

Jackson ranks 3rd in the AL for IP (21.0),  4th in the AL for WHIP (0.81), and ranks 8th in the AL with his 2.14 ERA, and that includes every AL pitcher, not just starters.  Jackson is only owned in 14% of all Yahoo baseball leagues and 14.7 % of ESPN leagues.  So there is a good chance he is there for you to snag.

Jim Leyland needs to have a good year for his survival chances in Detroit.  Jackson is the last person he thought he would get that help from.  Remember that Jeremy Bonderman, Dontrelle Willis, and Joel Zumaya are all on the DL.  Every quality start Jackson makes cuts back on Detroit’s need to use the bullpen so much.

Jackson and Armando Gallaraga are the nucleus of a great pitching dynasty in Detroit.  They can be a one-two tandem for years to come.  I think Jackson is going to be solid all year.  He may even get mention when it is Cy Young time if he keeps this up.  Don’t be suprised if he does.

Paneech.com is now on Twitter, so if any of you are active, be sure to add me and follow.  My name on there is Paneech1472. 

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Here are some great stories from other sites.  Just click on a link to read about what is listed!

Bulls Shock Celtics In Game One * Zoner Sports
Jason Giambi On His Yankee Years And A-Rod * Hugging Harold Reynolds
Charles Barkley Fails The Chris Webber Bread Challenge * NESW Sports
Soccer Team Refunds Fans For Sucking * Sports Rubbish
Random Retro Baseball Players: Howard Johnson * Sharapova’s Thigh
All Four Boston Sports Teams Merged Into One Tattoo * Fan IQ
Welcome To The Carlos Quentin Era * Josh Q. Public
The Rick Pitino Extortion Mess * The World Of Isaac
Lebron James Hits Half-Court Buzzer Beater * Hoop Doctors
Predicted Stars And Busts of 2009 NFL Draft * Sports2Debate
UFC 97 Results * Pro Fighting Fans
New NBA Chess Commercial * Docksquad Sports
Browns To Take Crabtree or Sanchez With #5 Pick * Midwest Sports Fans
Anquan Boldin Is As Good As Gone * Moondog Sports
Washington Nationals Lock Up Ryan Zimmerman For Five Years * My Sports Rumors
Book Review: Fair Ball by Bob Costas * Baseball Reflections
Sunday Stanley Cup Playoff Highlights * The Program

Enjoy all of these great stories!