Say It Ain't So . .

It's so, and it's unprecedented. The team that finished 66-96 in 2007, the Tampa Bay Rays, with Major League Baseball's worst record, currently has an American League East crown on it's radar. The Boston Red Sox are four and half games back and the once untouchable, New York Yankees, are 3-7 in their last ten games putting them 11 games off the pace. Not even the Tampa Bay Rays themselves would have guessed they'd have 11 more wins than they did last season . . . .WITH 37 games remaining.

About those 37 games:

After the Rays wrap up their 3 game set with Anaheim tonight, a set in which they've taken the first two games, the Rays match up 13 more times against opponents who are in the playoff hunt.

Aug. 22nd - Aug. 24 (3 games) against Ozzie Guillen's Chicago White Sox. The Rays are 4-3 against the White Sox in 2008, but they haven't played each other since June 1st, when the Rays were still a punch line. The White Sox, while only winning three games this season against the Rays, have outscored them in the series 24-16. For a team that just lost Evan Longoria (22 HR's, 71 RBI's) that doesn't bode well. Even though the Rays have solved some of their road woes (currently 30-31 away from St. Pete), the White Sox are 44-19 in Chicago, where these upcoming three games take place.

The next time the Rays play a team involved in the hunt isn't until September 8th, when they arrive in Boston. Between September 8th in Massachusetts, through September 17th in Florida, the Red Sox and Rays square up (6) times. This will be the first sniff of playoff atmosphere for the young Rays. The most significant role in this series may be that of the New York Yankees, who get three games against the Rays sandwiched in between two-three game sets with the Red Sox. Before the Rays head back to St. Pete they will have completed a 3-city, 9 game road trip, this close to the end of the season with the division title looming will provide plenty of pressure for Tampa. Teaser: These six games will determine the American League East champions.

After facing division foes from August 26th to September 17th, Toronto (6) Baltimore (3) New York (6) and Boston (6), the road doesn't get any easier for Tampa. The remaining four games against playoff caliber teams will be a four game set at "The Trop" against Minnesota, from September 18th to September 21st. The surprising Twins are 71-54 and sit a game back of the division lead in the American League Central. For the Twins, being 71-54, close to the division lead, and only a game and a half back of Boston for the Wild Card, after just trading their top pitcher (Johan Santana) this past off season is somewhat of a miracle. This series will be the be the last four games the Rays play at Tropicana this regular season, barring an absolute implosion this Rays team will revisit "The Trop" for October baseball. (that's a sentence I thought we were twenty years from) Twins v. Rays has playoffs match up written all over it, not only could this be an important regular season series for Tampa but it may just be our preview into the playoffs.

The Rays play an additional 23 games to finish off the regular season (next to the 13 against Playoff hunt teams):

Six games against division rival Toronto, whom the Rays have dominated this season going 9-3 in their first 12 games. The Blue Jays kick off Tampa's six game home stand on August 26th, then kick off the Rays 9-game road trip on September 5th.

The Rays get seven contests with the Baltimore Orioles, 8 wins and 3 losses already to the O's, expect much of the same. The Rays go to Baltimore to play the last 4 games of their season series entering the last week of regular season play. Coming off of Boston and Minnesota, Tampa could be playing for their playoff lives or coasting toward an American League East crown.

Fortunately for Tampa they close the season in Detroit against the Tigers. Four games against the biggest disappoint in baseball sounds like a great way to end a dream season. The Tigers are two games under .500 (62-64) and have already dropped their first 3 games this season against Tampa. Not since Siegfried & Roy's tiger failed to finish off the two of them has a tiger been this big of a disappointment. The Tigers and their $138,685,197 will most likely drop at least 2 of 4 games to the miracle Rays (payroll $43 Mil.)

The Kicker, The Wild Card, The Key:

The New York Yankees. Yes, they won't win the American League East, and winning three of their last ten doesn't look good for a Wild Card bid when they are currently six and a half back of that. But these are the Yanks, they can score 10 runs on you any night, and lucky for them, they get to play spoiler in all of this. One of the few teams that the Rays haven't dominated this year, the Yanks are 7-5 against their division rival and go to the well for seven more games against them. The Yankees visit Tampa for the first weekend in September, and then Tampa visits the Bronx on the tail end of their 9 game three city road trip. The Yankees may not still be in it at that point but veterans Mike Mussina, Derek Jeter, Alex Rodriguez, and Andy Pettitte arent' exactly the type of vets to mail it in, say like a certain outfielder with long dreads, currently on the Dodgers might be.

Welcome to professional baseball Tampa Bay, sometimes the season doesn't end in September.

HARD KNOCKS: The Super Bowl Edition

I'm going to start this off by saying, if you aren't watching HBO's HARD KNOCKS, a documentary of training camp with the Dallas Cowboys, you need to be. Aside from realizing that I cheer for the Yankees of professional football (I've been in denial), this show is absolute genius. From Jerry Jones giving his grandson a slap in the head to Cowboys defensive backs coach, Dave Campo, having his pants pulled down, this show has more upside than Mel Kiper and Todd McShay on draft day.

I give you the FIVE (5) reasons to watch HBO's Hard Knocks:

5. Blah, Blah, Blah. That's what I have to say to all of you who disagree with reason number 5. You might just be watching the very beginning weeks of a teams Super Bowl season. A Tony Romo botched snap against Seattle in 2006, a Patrick Crayton dropped pass against the Giants in 2007, at this point, what else could possibly go wrong for the Dallas Cowboys? This team is due, the Cowboys are the hands down most talented team in the NFC and with 13 pro bowlers, whose going to argue? I've listened to the "experts" flaunt out the Saints, Vikings, and even the FavreLESS Packers, but the truth is, the Dallas Cowboys are decidedly the most dominant team in the NFC. Romo to Owens tops any quarterback to receiver combo in the NFC, DeMarcus Ware leads a defense that just added veteran leader Zack Thomas to the fold, and with the explosive rookie back, Felix Jones, the Cowboys added a perfect compliment to their All-World banger Marion Barber. Former "I'm way to comfortable outside the law" teammates, Tank Johnson and Adam "Pacman" Jones are looking to redeem their careers and lives in Big D. For a team that is coming off a 13-3 season and has the potential to put even more than 13 people on the Pro-Bowl roster, the Dallas Cowboys are primed and ready to march toward the Super Bowl.

4. Not only have the Cowboys granted HBO access to their training camp, they've granted them TOTAL access. In only the second episode of the show we've already been allowed to listen in on conversations with Jerry Jones and the agent of now former Cowboy receiver Terry Glenn. We got to see rookie hazing, the elder Cowboys (and Cowboy coaches) supplied fruit genitals (to be used as microphones) to the Rookies, those rooks had to then sing a song of their choice while holding the genital shaped fruits and using them as mics. As mentioned before, defensive backs coach, Dave Campo, got his pants pulled down by some of his DB's, at which point he gave the priceless line "come on guys, you know I don't wear underwear." Another un-identified Cowboy climbed out of the ice tub and showed the camera men how ummmmm, god gifted him, no editing done there. On a more serious note, the Cowboys coaching staff gives you pretty much full access to their player assessment meetings, whose impressing and who isn't. Cowboys COO and Executive Vice President, Stephen Jones, gives you a complete look into the conversations he has regarding player contracts, signing bonuses, and where the negotiating stands. Un-signed rookies and free agents who are attempting to make the Cowboys squad are evaluated by front office members and even showcased for the viewers to see their progression at Cowboys camp. From the more obscene moments, to the unfiltered mouths of athletes, Hard Knocks doesn't leave much room for the mind to wonder about what happens off camera, it's all right there for us to see.

3. These Dallas Cowboys have very little drama. Unlike Packers camp with Brett Favre playing for the Jets, Giants camp with Plaxico Burress unhappy with his current financial situation, and Stephen Jackson, who still hasn't arrived at Rams camp, the Dallas Cowboys are all accounted for and ready to go. The relaxed attitudes of Wade Phillips and Tony Romo, the careful instructions from coordinator Jason Garrett for his team to "play with swagger," and of course the most exciting man in pro football, Terrell Owens, the Dallas Cowboys are drama free and ready to pursue a ring. Rather than listening to reporters ask questions about a quarterback controversy, a player holding out, or even a coach on the brink, the Dallas Cowboys are left to do their own thing. The Dallas Cowboys have a veteran Super Bowl winning back-up quarterback, Brad Johnson. Their quarterback is injury free thus far, unlike Peyton and Brady. Star safety, Roy Williams, has switched numbers so QB's can identify his poor coverage as early. T.O. is selling t-shirts rather than doing sit-ups in his driveway (surprisingly this is much more productive) and of course, there has been no siting of Jessica Simpson. Always a good thing.

2. He isn't just rich, he's extremely intelligent. You can criticize Jerry Jones for many things, you can't however criticize him for what he is doing with these current Cowboys. With the probable help of former head man in charge, Bill Parcells, it seems as though Jerry has begun to not only surround himself with people who have less of an agenda to move up, but people who have an agenda to bring the Cowboys back. Son, Stephen Jones, the coaching family Garrett (led by Offensive Coordinator and heir apparent, Jason Garrett) and of course the players coach to end all players coaches, Wade Phillips. Jones has been able to recruit and keep troubled stars for the benefit of his team, he's the boss in Cowboy camp and there is no doubt about that. The owner that once brought in power driven football guys like Jimmy Johnson, Bill Parcells, and Barry Switzer has attempted to make a transition toward non-self agenda guys like Wade Phillips, some would call them "company guys." This new Jones approach may just be the perfect way to bring back the winning ways of the Dallas Cowboys. During episode 1, Jerry starts off the season with an opening speech. He states "some say I'm a pretty good salesmen, I'm going to tell you the four rules of sales" he pauses and continues "the first one is to ask for the money, and I seem to have forgotten the other four." Coming from the man who has just financed the largest athletic stadium in the world. Big things happening in Big D.

1. The number 1 reason to not only watch HBO's Hard Knocks, but to cheer on the Dallas Cowboys: Because they are the DALLAS COWBOYS, America's Team, Hollywood on Turf, need I go on? The Cowboys glory days seem so far away by now, the team hasn't won a playoff game in the entire Bush presidency, and what better way to ring in a new presidential term than inviting the Super Bowl Champion Cowboys to the Rose Garden? The superstar quarterback with the Hollywood girlfriend, the most physical wideout of the past twenty years, a owner with a wallet as big as the state of Texas. These are the Dallas Cowboys, the team that takes in the likes of Pacman Jones and Tank Johnson. If you remember the days of Michael Irvin dunking over goal posts, James Washington picking off Jim Kelly, Emmitt Smith running toward history, and of course America's golden boy before Tom Brady, Troy Aikman. Today in 2008 with Tony Romo under center and T.O. split out with Marion Barber in the backfield, tell me your not excited? Forget about those Giants and their amazing super bowl win, tune into Hard Knocks and get on board with the rest of America.

Gold Standard

It doesn't have the cultural significance as say Jesse Owens circa 1936 in Berlin, but winning 8 gold medals in Beijing places Michael Phelps alongside if not ahead of nearly every Olympic athlete, ever.

I was excited about what I'd watched Phelps march toward over the past 10 days, but it wasn't until Thursday night that I realized how excited the rest of the America was. My friends and I aren't good barometers on who watches non-conventional sports, we watch poker, golf, and even NASCAR, but on Thursday night it wasn't just us anticipating Michael Phelps next dive into the pool. About ten women, three bartenders, fifteen men, and three monkeys cheered on Phelps crazily as he dove in for his second time of the night. Funny thing is, he wasn't even competing for a medal, this was a preliminary heat. Now the monkeys may have just been copying what the humans were doing, but everyone in that bar was cheering this guy on like it was a game 7 of the World Series and a run was coming to the plate in the bottom half of the ninth. Two days later on Saturday night, in a bar, inside the Tropicana Hotel, in Atlantic City, New Jersey, hundreds of people sit and cheer on Michael Phelps as he races toward history. It may have took the greatest medal run in Olympic history to capture a countries focus, but consider it captured.

When American, Jason Lezak, completed his record setting leg of the 4x100m freestyle relay, and inched out the heavily favored French team to give Phelps his second gold medal in as many tries, I was hooked. Eight tenths of a second will do that for a guy who loves close finishes. From August 9th to August 17th, Michael Phelps jumped into the pool for 17 competitive swims, 8 for medals. His program was one of the most physically daunting programs ever attempted by an Olympic athlete. 2008 would be the last opportunity Phelps had at becoming the Olympic athlete he wanted to be. Michael Phelps beat opponents by the smallest of margins and the largest of margins, he smashed world records, he relied on relay teammates, he did everything with more confidence and control than Tiger on Sundays.

When ESPN chooses to do their lists of top 50 athletes of all-time, the Baltimore-native, Michael Phelps, will be in their top ten. To think on August 8th, he may not have even been in the discussion, then in a period of less than ten days, he is not only in the discussion, he IS the discussion. Phelps will still be a competitive swimmer in 2012 in London, but he'll be 27 years old, to expect to race this program in four years would be to daunting for anyone, even Aquaman. For most athletes, becoming the most decorated Olympic athlete of these games would be sufficient, for Phelps, becoming the most decorated Olympic athlete EVER, was the goal. Michael Phelps is the new Gold Standard of Olympic dominance.

Keep It Real Friday: FavreLESS Friday

Were off and running, Keep It Real Friday won't include Brett Favre talk, Aaron Rodgers talk, and I don't want to jinx it so no Yankees are dead talk, KEEP IT REAL:

I know I've said it before, but it needs to be said again: What Michael Phelps is doing in Beijing is the most unbelievable athletic accomplishment we've seen this year. Six gold medal performances and six world records broken in each of those efforts. Not since Barry Bonds was slamming 80 homers a season was I this impressed by the breaking of historic records, err bad example. In a calender sports year that has included possibly the greatest tennis match of all time, Federer v. Nadal at Wimbledon, possibly the greatest golf tournament of all time, Tiger on one leg at the U.S. Open, and the greatest upset in Super Bowl history, Giants over the 18-0 Patriots, a 24-year old Olympic Swimmer from Baltimore is trumping everyone. SI Sportsman of the Year, ESPY Male Athlete of the Year, and maybe even Time Magazine Person of the Year. KEEP IT REAL, Michael Phelps is an Olympic GOD.

At what point do the Texas Rangers realize, to win at the highest level of baseball, its all about pitching. No team fails to grasp that concept quite like the Texas Rangers. From the historic signing of Alex Rodriguez back in 2001 to the construction of their current roster, the Rangers have never developed nor signed quality front line starting pitching. The Rangers divisional opponents, The Seattle Mariners trade for Eric Bedard and develop Felix Hernandez, the Anaheim Angels acquire Jon Garland and develop Ervin Santana, Francisco Rodriguez, and John Lackey, the Oakland A's have developed AND traded big league pitchers Barry Zito, Rich Harden, Danny Haren, Tim Hudson, and Mark Mulder. The Rangers? The biggest pitching moves they've made in the past ten years was signing a washed up Eric Gagne in 2007 (granted they got a kings ransom for him at the deadline from the Red Sox) and acquiring the likes of Chan Ho Park in 2002 for three seasons. After scoring 17 runs against the Red Sox on Tuesday night and LOSING, the Rangers followed that up by giving up another 8 runs on Wednesday, and finally 10 runs on Thursday. All-Star Rangers, Ian Kinsler, Michael Young, Milton Bradley, and Josh Hamilton drive in enough runs to win against the Royals and Mariners, but to beat teams like Anaheim and Boston, aces are what you need. GET A PITCHER and KEEP IT REAL!

The death of an NFL team, the quarterback controversy. The most important position in major professional team sports is the quarterback of a football team. A controversy surrounding that position is the single reason why "quarterback competitions" in training camp, are the death of an NFL teams season. The Colts, Cowboys, Patriots, Chargers, Steelers, and Jaguars are the only teams I consider to be ACTUAL CONTENDERS for a Super Bowl trophy. The common thread? None of those teams are in the midst of quarterback competitions. The Ravens, Cardinals, and Dolphins, all haven't fully bought into who is under center, and of course all of those teams will pick in the Top 10 in 2009 and miss the playoffs. I don't know what these teams are pondering, Troy Smith should be the starter in Baltimore, Matt Leinart should be the starter in Arizona, Kurt Warner should be back stocking shelves, and who cares who starts for the Dolphins, they passed on Matt Ryan. Newsflash to NFL teams everywhere, pick your starter and stay with him, just KEEPING IT REAL.

(I may have an eight year olds sense of humour, but I love saying KEEP IT REAL)

A little less of KEEP IT REAL FRIDAY, but next week were coming strong: NFL PREVIEW, OLYMPICS WRAP-UP, and the fall of the Tampa Bay Rays. KEEP IT REAL!

2006 Loss, Avenged

As predicted by your author and co-founder of LynchyRightNow.Com, the United States poured in 92 points in route to a 23-point drumming of Greece on Thursday morning. Not 7-foot tall centers, zone defense, or the Chinese air could stop the U.S. hoops team from avenging their 2006 World Championships loss to this Greek team.

Greece's Spanoulis got his 14 points but shot a dismal 0-5 from behind the arc. Dwayne Wade and Lebron combined for 30 points, and the duo Bosh and Bryant added 18 a piece. The US team had 13 more assists than their Greek counterparts (23-10) and dominated them defensively, led by Wade's 6 steals. The United States forced 25 turnovers and blocked seven Greek shots. A far cry from the team that couldn't get off the mat back in the 2006 FIBA World Championships.

Unfortunately it wasn't all aces for the newly improved U.S. Men's Olympic Hoops Team, they continued their poor three point shooting (7-20) but specialist Michael Redd was 1-2 in only 6 minutes played. I'm going out on a limb here, (half kidding) this team is winning Gold and I haven't been so confident saying something since I said John Kerry was going to be the President . . errrrrrrr GO USA!

This isn't Japan, This isn't 2006

Almost 720 days have passed since the 2006 FIBA World Championships, today, the United States gets their shot at redemption. For Vasileios Spanoulis (NO idea how to pronounce that) and the Greeks that sent the U.S. home without a championship, were not in Japan and this isn't the same team you played on September 1st, 2006. On that day, the national team from Greece completed an international upset that clearly sent shock waves to U.S. Basketball and everyone involved.

Today, your staring down a team who has enough players that remember that loss and has made enough changes to certainly avenge that loss:

Introducing, the NEW Chris Paul. Replacing the Chris Paul of September 2006, is the Chris Paul of 2008. Coming a off an NBA season in which the former Wake Forest point guard averaged 21 points and nearly 12 assists a game. Paul has replaced the likes of Steve Nash (2-time league MVP) as the games top floor general in 2008. After improving his career assists per game average by more than an assist a game in 2008, Paul returns back to the national stage aware of his past performance and hungry to erase that memory. Gone is the man who you saw go 0 for 5 in 24 minutes against the Greeks back in 2006.

Don't know Michael Redd? He may not be a household name in the United States, playing in NBA hell (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) will do that to a man, but he's more than worthy of wearing the red, white, and blue in Beijing. Michael Redd has hit over 110 three-pointers playing for the Milwaukee Bucks each of the last two seasons, and for a team that shot a dismal nine for twenty-eight from behind the international arc against the Greeks, he'll be a welcomed addition. While stars Carmelo Anthony and Lebron James can take the ball to the rack, their 3 for 12 effort that day leaves something to be desired. Redd provides a better 3-point option for the U.S. team, an option their 2006 version didn't have.

No disrespect to Joe Johnson and Kirk Hinrich, but there is a duo from Utah that provides a stronger more physical dimension to the U.S. Olympic team. 6-3 All-Star guard Deron Williams and fellow Jazz teammate, the 6-9 260 pound forward, Carlos Boozer, give the U.S. team more physical depth. A Greek team that puts out 6 players 6-9 or taller will need to be defended by players who can play bigger than they are, players like Boozer and Williams. Williams strong play at the guard spot will give fellow guards Jason Kidd and Chris Paul the ability to rest without the U.S. team missing a step. The veteran Kidd, Chris Paul, and Deron Williams, control a back court that the U.S. team needed with strong wing players and guards, Carmelo Anthony, Lebron James, and Dwayne Wade being able to move without the ball so well.

For what the U.S. team lacks in height, they make up for in KOBE! Out are the likes of Antawn Jamison, Shane Battier, and Elton Brand, in is the GREATEST PLAYER ON THE PLANET. Yes, Kobe Bryant is the greatest player on the planet, and can probably talk trash in more than one language. Not only is Kobe one of three players on the Olympic team with championship experience, but he's the only player on this roster who was still playing for a shot at an NBA title come late June 2008. Kobe has had two lackluster games thus far in Beijing and anyone who has watched Bean play over the last decade, knows Kobe is due. The greatest pure talent this country has seen since Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant provides a completely new dimension to this team. A top defender, scorer, and passer, Bryant could anchor this team to a gold medal, another trophy to add to his littered mantle.

You know 2006 FIBA World Championships lead scorer, Carmelo Anthony, is back and you know that Lebron James is also joining him. Unfortunately for the world, so is Dwayne Wade, a healthy Dwayne Wade. The last time the world saw Wade he was coming off one of the most impressive finals run the NBA had ever seen, with his Heat out of contention since the second month in the season, Wade has had plenty of rest, and it's shown. Wade has scored 19 points in each of the first two games and gone a combined 13 for 15 from the floor since arriving in THE PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF CHINA (sounds inviting, yet scary, that's accurate) With the U.S> team primed and ready to play Greece, it's Dwayne Wade who has been most impressive.

You have been a HUGE blemish on the history of U.S. Basketball, but Greece, you may have woken up a monster and lucky for you these Olympics aren't in Athens.

(If the U.S. gets Pick n' Rolled to death again, just forget I wrote any of this)

No Gills, No Problem

So U.S. Olympic swimmer, Michael Phelps, isn't a fish and he doesn't have gills, still he's the closest were ever going to get to seeing a Merman (come on guys, Zoolander?) The most dominant Olympic athlete of the past 20 years, Phelps, is in the midst of completing one of the most grueling Olympic runs that any athlete has ever attempted (17 swims, in 9 days). The payoff? A record setting 8 Olympic Golds.

Phelps won his first Beijing gold on Saturday night, second in dramatic fashion on Sunday night, and third in dominant fashion on Monday night. I will be the first to say that I admit, I'm not a die hard "Olympics" guy. I don't anticipate the Opening Ceremonies, (which were incredible) I could care less about sports like fencing, water polo, and handball, but this year, because of Michael Phelps, I'm on board, all the way.

The Phelps story was somewhat built for Hollywood and while in Beijing it still maintains the Hollywood ending. To be a little crass, the "Frenchies," got Phelps and his teammates all fired up right before they hit the water for Phelps second bid at Beijing gold (4x100 freestyle relay) BAD MOVE! The heavily favored French team failed to beat the Americans, and in the worst way possible. A come from behind American win by just fractions of a second sent the French team home, and you thought the Celtics come from behind win to beat the Lakers at the Staples was the best we could get in 2008. Phelps, with team in toe, kissed the golds, listened to the National Anthem while the French looked on, priceless. Hey, this is as close to USA v. Russia, circa 1980, as your going to get.

The U.S. swimming phenom goes for more golds tonight, and after tying the likes of former U.S. Olympic greats like Mark Spitz and Carl Lewis, Phelps looks to swim past them. In case you haven't read each of the 30 Olympic previews put out by everything from magazines, newspapers, or online sources, Michael Phelps can achieve a record setting 8 gold medals in this Olympics. Not Tiger Woods winning the U.S. Open on one pin, the Patriots choking in the Super Bowl, or the Boston Celtics return to glory should trump this bid. As long as Phelps doesn't turn down the road of Big Brown, he'll have thirty years of sponsorships from Wheaties to Gatorade ahead of him. For the remainder of the Olympics, this is a Michael Phelps world, and your welcome to live in it.