http://www.yardbarker.com/rss/user/ayJbay7 Recent Yardbarker Articles: ayJbay7 en-us ESPN's Chris Mortensen reports that Brett Favre has asked for his release. The logical next step after Packers brass made it clear that they hope Favre stays retired. The letter was reportedly delivered Friday morning, and the Packers must now decide whether to take Favre back, let him go, or try to negotiate a trade. Favre is using what leverage he has to publicly pressure GM Ted Thompson. We still have our doubts that the Packers will let him go. Jul. 11 - 3:49 pm et Fri, 11 Jul 2008 14:56:35 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289201 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/289201 YANKEES URGE FANS TO VOTE JASON GIAMBI FOR FINAL ALL-STAR SPOT; ANNOUNCE "SUPPORT THE 'STACHE" INITIATIVE **The American Mustache Institute officially backs Giambi as their candidate** The New York Yankees are urging fans to "Support the 'Stache" and vote for first baseman Jason Giambi on Major League Baseball's Final All-Star Ballot. Fans can cast their votes for Giambi at www.yankees.com, or by texting 'A2' to 36197 (or 88555 for those Yankees fans in Canada). Voting ends at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, July 10. Yankees fans are urged to vote early and often. By voting online, fans will be entered to win one of five authentic Jason Giambi autographed prizes. The American Mustache Institute officially offered their support for Giambi's All-Star candidacy today. "It doesn't take a mathematician to figure out that Jason Giambi's hitting prowess plus a fashionable mustache, equals a bona fide All-Star," said Aaron Perlut, Executive Director of The American Mustache Institute. "Giambi's significant first-half production as well as his powerful lip fur – indicating great intellect and good looks – make two very compelling reasons for his place on the American League All-Star roster." Giambi is batting .256 (63-for-246) with 13 doubles, 18 home runs, 53RBI and 44BB in 78 games this season, leading the team in walks, tying for tops in homers and ranking second in RBI. He is currently tied for fifth in the American League in home runs, ranks seventh with a .393 on-base percentage and ninth with a .537 slugging percentage. In addition, Giambi leads the AL, averaging one home run every 13.7 at-bats and ranks second with 1RBI per 4.6 at-bats. Mon, 07 Jul 2008 20:49:18 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/287049 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/287049 The Miami Heat have found a taker in their quest to trade the No. 2 draft pick, a source familiar with the situation told Pro Basketball News. The source did not indicate which team would be the Heat's trading partner, or what other draft picks or players are involved. The supposed deal will reportedly be announced during or shortly after the draft. According to the source, the Heat will select USC guard O.J. Mayo and trade him. Kansas State forward Michael Beasley is expected to fall to No. 3 -- although not to Minnesota, which is expected to trade down. Wed, 25 Jun 2008 17:40:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282382 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282382 Here it is boys, the winning mock Wed, 25 Jun 2008 16:58:26 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282376 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/282376 Sorry, guys. Your favorite virgin supermodel is off the market. Victoria's Secret catwalker Adriana Lima has officially gotten engaged to NBA hoops man Marko Jaric, starting shooting guard for the Minnesota Timberwolves, his rep confirms. Jaric, 29, popped the question on the voluptuous brunette beauty's 27th birthday Thursday and presented her with a ring. The couple have been dating for about nine months. "He asked, and she said yes. They are both incredibly happy and couldn't be more in love," the Serbian-born basketball star's publicist James Weir told People. Lima, touted in the media as one of the sexiest women in the world, has previously stated her intention to wait until after marriage before having sex for the first time, despite having famously dated rocker Lenny Kravitz and Yankees MVP Derek Jeter. Talk about scoring. Fri, 13 Jun 2008 15:34:08 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277718 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277718 Chicago Bulls - #1 Selection: DERRICK ROSE You don't pass on Rose no matter what the situation is. Derrick Rose is the #1 talent in the draft. Michael Beasley is a great fit for this franchise with his great interior game and scoring abilities for a big foward but you can't pass on Rose. There is also hope that Tyrus Thomas can break out to the player people expected him to be when he was drafted #4 by the Trail Blazers then eventually dealt to Chicago for Brandon Roy. Rose's game has very few flaws. Outstanding at creating his own shots and setting teammates up. He is also an elite rebounder who anticipates where the ball goes off the rim. On defense, he is an anticipator just like Allen Iverson. Great at getting into the passing lanes and coming up with the steal. In my opinion, he will make an immediate impact in the NBA. The Bulls are a strong team right now. Miami Heat - #2 Selection: MICHAEL BEASLEY Only other pick possible at #2 is O.J Mayo but after these workouts I think the Heat will have to go with Beasley. He is smooth and has a fearless attitude. The post up game of his is his strongest part of his game. He can post up and pass, make a move and penetrate, or hit the fadeaway jumper. Him and Wade on the same team. That is some well-balanced scoring! Both of these guys can take over games whenever they want. The Heat have something cooking in the future if both could stay healthy. Minnesota Timberwolves - #3 Selection: O.J Mayo It was either Brook or Mayo here and I took Mayo. Reason: Mayo has the potential to be a superstar while Brook doesn't. Mayo needs to fix his game up a bit as he moves onto the NBA. He plans on being a point guard instead of a combo guard. He sure has all the tools with his uncanny vision and basketball IQ. A big flaw to his game could arguably be that he takes too many jump shots. His 4.3 FT avg/game at USC won't do the job. He needs to penetrate the lane more. Brook won't be a bad pick here either. A front court combination of Lopez and Al-Jeff would be terrific but the best choice at pick 3 is Mayo. Seattle Supersonics - #4 Selection: JERRYD BAYLESS Jerryd Bayless is the top combo guard in this draft. At only 6'3, this guy would make a good 2 Guard because of his outstanding elevation on his jump shot. Bayless will be a scoring point in the NBA. Recently though, Bayless has said he was taught some tricks by 2 time MVP Steve Nash in which he hasn't shown yet in his game. Maybe that point guard ability part of his game has yet to arrive. Who knows? The black hole of his game is his offensive game when he doesn't have the ball. A little teaching though can change that. Also, he is a slightly above average defender. Bayless is a great match alongside Durant. Both can score and both want the ball. I think the chemistry between these two would be thrilling to see in up-coming years. MEMPHIS GRIZZLIES - #5 Selection: BROOK LOPEZ While he isn't expected to ever reach that superstar level, he will most likely become a very good pro. His game is basic and he does the things right. For his size, his balance and handles are hard to find. His touch around the rim and mid-range jumper are great. What impressed me about Brook was his improvement throughout the season. He kept on getting better in every aspect of his game which shows he is a hard-worker and determined to keep on getting better. New York Knicks - #6 Selection: ERIC GORDON My gut feeling is D'Antoni and crew select this prolific scorer out of Indiana. Before his dreadful wrist injury midway into the season, Gordon was putting up remarkable stats which everyone figured he would constantly keep doing. The wrist injury and coaching change slowed him down. In February, people were putting him #3-#5 in their mocks. His stock has obviously fell ever since his late season struggles. Nicknamed EJ (Eric Gordon Jr.), Gordon already has a NBA shooting touch. He can shoot anywhere on the court, even mid-court. His shot is pure and his form is perfect. Gordon is also very, very explosive. Despite the injury, he averaged close to 9 foul shots per game and hit 84% of them. That is quite impressive. He has the potential to be a PG but I figure he will remain a small shooting guard. He has the abilities to still become very affective at the 2 despite his lack of height. Los Angeles Clippers - #7 Selection: RUSSELL WESTBROOK Westbrook isn't really considered a project but he definitely is as raw as can be. Right now he is another combo guard but who knows what can happen in the future. He can become a point guard but no one really knows right now because he is so raw. He is an exceptional finisher and a terrific defender. Nobody gets by him. I think he entered the draft a little too early. So far in his workouts he has been all but impressive. I think in the NBA he can become slightly less of an offensive Monta Ellis and slightly more of a defensive Rajon Rondo. The reason I have him going to the Clippers is because they desperately need a guard. You can be thinking Shaun Livingston but his career is 50/50 right now. You take the opportunity to pick the best guard available here and not wait until Livingston comes back (if he ever does). Milwaukee Bucks - #8 Selection: DANILO GALLINARI Milwaukee goes BPA here. This would give them their second Top 10 foreign prospect in as many years. The Bucks have always been high on talent. Danilo is one of the most talented players in this draft. He can do it all on offense. Has the abilities to play the point which makes him a versatile point foward. The shot of his is above average though can get streaky at times. His handles are outstanding for a 6'9 foward. His ability to create an open shot and run the open floor are incredible. The only thing setting him back from a Top 5 pick is his poor defense and the risk of drafting a 19-year old foreign prospect. Charlotte Bobcats - #9 Selection: ANTHONY RANDOLPH Randolph is a very lanky foward who is an inch away from being a 7-footer (6"11). He's left handed, quick, and energetic. Thinking of him I honestly think of another Brandon Wright but Wright had a limited role with the Warriors this year. Without question, Randolph seems to be the clear choice for the man with the most potential in this draft. He is so skinny, he decided to wear a long t-shirt in the draft camps. But with his athleticism and potential he can sometimes "Wow" you. I slotted him at #9 with the Bobcats because the Bobcats could use some front court offense with some scary blocking skills on the other end of the court. He could also give the Bobcats an above-average transition game if he reaches his potential. The Bobcats would need to be patient though with this guy. New Jersey Nets - #10 Selection: KEVIN LOVE According to sources, the Nets are looking strongly into 3 big men. Kevin Love of UCLA, Darrell Arthur of Kansas, and Anthony Randolph from LSU. While the Nets are looking for some leadership, I think bringing a guy like Love to New Jersey who has all the tangibles of being a leader would be the most wise decision. Undoubtably, Love's strongest part of his game is the pick and roll. He has a very wide body and great footwork which causes his screens to be the best in the biz. Him and Devin Harris would make a good combination of the pick and roll. Then you also got Sean Williams being a decoy down low. This offense has a load potential but it will take time to develop. Kevin Love getting picked by Jersey makes tons of sense to me. Indiana Pacers - #11 Selection: D.J Augustin For the Pacers, this is the obvious pick if he is still on the board. The Pacers will have their first first-round pick since 2005 (Danny Granger) and #11 is the highest they have been since 1996 when they selected Erick Dampier. The organization is in need of a pure PG and Augustin fits the words "pure point guard" perfectly. Augustin lacks height at 5'11 but he is very quick and has terrific handles. He sometimes can shoot but he will likely be a pass first type of player from the first play on. A player that comes to mind that was an undersized pure point guard who had trouble with his jump shot in college is Chris Paul. And Paul has developed into the best point guard in the league. There isn't much of a risk here either. D.J is NBA ready but he needs to improve several aspects of his game. His heart and passion for the game could make him a floor general for the Indiana Pacers as well. Sacramento Kings - #12 Selection: DARRELL ARTHUR Bringing championship caliber to Sac-Town would be nice. Although the Kings need a PG with Benu Udrih becoming a Free Agent, there really doesn't seem to be any other guard that can go Top 15 left on the board. So then the decision translates to the best player you can get for the Kings. Arthur fits the Kings system very well. He is great in the transition and has pheonominal court awareness. He makes the right decisions normally on the floor. His passing game is above average and he is a great rebounder. A monster on the boards. His turnover ratio in the NBA will be a problem though. He can barely dribble. Portland Trail Blazers - #13 Selection: JOE ALEXANDER The Blazers are deep in depth, real deep. They don't really need any position except for Point Guard. Same for the Kings situation, I don't think there will be one available this late that is Top 15 material. Most likely, the Blazers will trade up for Westbrook or Augustin or trade down for a guard like Ty Lawson. If it doesn't happen, the Blazers will probably pick the smooth and finesse foward from WVU. Joe Alexander has a very impressive game. He plays like an extremely athletic power foward. He is a great finisher. Also has a post up game or he can simply drive to the hoop and go for the dunk. Has the ability to do move's and tricks with his ball-handling. Alexander's draft stock quickly rose with his impressive March Madness tournament stint. Golden State Warriors - #14 Selection: KOSTA KOUFOS With Andres Beidrins in town, the Warriors could be looking into getting a scoring center to help there running offensive game. Kosta Koufos is Mehmet Okur Part II while he also has the ability to play the pick and roll game. His shot on the corner from 20 feet out is pure. Kosta also has real good hands and establishes his post position with ease to set him up for the short hook shot or turnaround jumper. The 7-footer isn't necessarily a stud yet but he did enter the draft quite early. He is a perfect fit the the Golden State Warriors. Phoenix Suns - #15 Selection: DONTE GREEN Donte was considered a top draft pick before the season started until his non-NBA readiness clearly showed during his year at Syracuse. He is an interesting character. Donte is a 6'9 combo foward (SF/PF) who has the ability to drive to the lane and occasionally hit the 3 point shot just like Eric Gordon. But the thing that sets him back is his love for the 3 point shot. If he is on or not, he will still continue to shoot the ball beyond the arc hoping that he gets hot. Green is a very streaky player as well and when on he can definitely light up the crowd. He just needs to learn the game more and be more efficient. That's where the Phoenix Suns come in play. Although D'Antoni is gone, the organization has a knack for developing players throughout the years (ex: Barbosa, Diaw, Bell). Philadelphia 76ers - #16: MARREESE SPEIGHTS Toronto Raptors - #17: NICOLAS BATUM Washington Wizards - #18: DEANDRE JORDAN Cleveland Cavaliers - #19: CHASE BUDINGER Denver Nuggets - #20: CHRIS DOUGLAS ROBERTS New Jersey Nets - #21: BRANDON RUSH Orlando Magic - #22: ROBIN LOPEZ Utah Jazz - #23: JAVALE MCGEE Seattle Supersonics - #24: ROY HIBBERT Houston Rockets - #25: TY LAWSON San Antonio Spurs - #26: BILL WALKER New Orleans Hornets - #27: DAVON JEFFERSON Memphis Grizzlies - #28: DEVON HARDIN Detriot Pistons - #29: D.J WHITE Boston Celtics - #30: WAYNE ELLINGTON Thu, 12 Jun 2008 23:18:59 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277450 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/277450