http://www.yardbarker.com/users/rofman Recent Yardbarker Articles: rofman en-us Here's my top 5 reasons I think the Birds are gonna win the division this year. Let the flame wars begin. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 11:10:32 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291656 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291656 My predictions on what the second half of the baseball season is going to bring. Thu, 17 Jul 2008 10:57:43 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291648 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/291648 Tiger hasn't won the U.S. Open yet, but if history holds (he's led after 54 holes in all the Majors he's won), he will win the tournament tomorrow. He's hurt, and hasn't played in a few months, but he's just that much mentally and physically better than every other player on the tour. Today, for sure. And probably ever. Even when he's nowhere close to 100%. He is perhaps the most dominant athlete of our time--with no teammates, with an entire field of players gunning for him every time he steps on the course, on a different field of play in every tournament, in a sport where he wasn't supposed to succeed--and I can't wait to see what he delivers tomorrow. PS--Bonus points to the user who can name the movie that my headline comes from. Sat, 14 Jun 2008 23:20:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278068 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/278068 In a perfect world, both the Lakers and the Celtics would lose the NBA Finals. Since I know that's not possible, I have to root for the team I hate less. In this case, that's the Lakers. Kobe's the best player in the game and has a chance, depending on how the rest of his career goes, to go down as the greatest ever. I like rooting for him, if not his team. And while I think Kevin Garnett deserves a title, I can't bring myself to root for him as a Celtic. When I was a kid, I was a big Red Sox fan. Clemens, Boggs, Greenwell, Ellis Burke, Bruce Hurst et al were my baseball heroes at the time. A few years ago though, before the Sox won in 2004, I had an incident at an A's game here in Oakland that made me forever root against all teams from New England. It was a Summer game, back when the A's were making the Playoffs every year. Tim Hudson was pitching against Pedro Martinez. As an A's fan, I was rooting, vocally, for my team. An older man sitting in front of me, with his two grown sons and his granddaughter, could not bear the fact that I wasn't rooting for the Sox (in Oakland, mind you) and started a verbal altercation with me. I wasn't yelling anything obscene. I was just exercising my rights as an A's fan--cheering for them, calling Pedro a bum, etc. By the end of the game, one of the man's sons reached his hand out to apologize on behalf of his father, but I was forever scorned by the sense of entitlement felt by Red Sox fans. I'm not sure if Celtics fans feel/act the same way, but I'm calling them guilty by association. Also, I'm originally from Philadelphia, so the Dr. J/Larry Bird rivalry is etched into my consciousness, and of course the cheating Patriots beat the Eagles in the 2005 Super Bowl. I'm a sports fan, and I love the fact that this could go down as a series for the ages. I hate the fact, however, that no matter who wins, the rich are going to get richer. That's bunk. Wed, 11 Jun 2008 13:00:23 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276858 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/276858 Not only have the Lakers played the fewest games of all the remaining NBA Playoff teams, the arthritic Spurs were stuck on their charter plane last night. I have been in awe of the Spurs, and what they've accomplished over the last 10 years has been amazing: Made the Playoffs every year since Duncan was drafted, 4 NBA Titles, continual upgrades of their role players, and perhaps the best coach in the game. But tonight could be the beginning of the end of the line. Kobe's finally figured out how to make others around him better and is hungry to prove he can win without Shaq. Odom and Gasol represent great #2 and #3 options, and they too have strong role players. They play great defense, and they also have one of the best coaches in the game. I'm not ready to predict anything until the teams take the floor, but this Series is going to be amazing. That's a guarantee. Wed, 21 May 2008 10:27:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/269330 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/269330 The defending NBA Champion Spurs visit New Orleans tonight for Game 7 of the Western Conference Semis. The winner takes on the Lakers in the Western Conference Finals. I keep hearing people say that the Spurs are old, the Hornets are young and hungry, and Chris Paul is the best thing since Magic Johnson. All those things may be true, but none of them mean the Hornets are ready to take down the champs. I'm not a betting man, but if I was, my money would be on the Spurs tonight. Regardless, it's going to be a classic. Mon, 19 May 2008 13:42:41 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268581 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/268581 5'11' (Barely). 165lbs (Barely). Quickest guy on the court. Durable. Never tires. Scores at will. Love him or hate him, is there a better pure athlete of our time? If you think so, watch this video. Tue, 06 May 2008 22:59:20 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/264123 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/264123 ESPN has reported that Kobe Bryant will be given his first MVP award today. I don't think anyone doubts Kobe's talents. In my mind, he's one of the greatest players of all-time. The trickier question is whether his transformation over the last few years is real. Has Kobe really changed and does he finally understand what it means to be a team leader and a superstar athlete? Or is he still the same unlikeable guy who's just gotten some good PR advice? Tue, 06 May 2008 10:33:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263898 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/263898 Whether I'm right or wrong on this won't be determined for at least a few years, but I wanted to memorialize my viewpoint. John David Booty will be the best QB to come out of the 2008 Draft Class. He's poised, accurate, knows how to win, and doesn't make many mistakes. He has everything it takes to make it in the NFL. And with the QB situation in Minnesota, he may have a chance to prove it sooner rather than later. Mon, 28 Apr 2008 15:33:19 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/260699 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/260699 Larry Brown resigned today as a VP in the Sixers front office. This is neither upsetting nor a surprise, as it was always expected that he was going to pursue at least one more coaching job in his career. Question, though. Any chance he goes back to the Knicks??? That would be quite interesting. Fri, 25 Apr 2008 11:30:04 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/257351 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/257351 I get the reality of today's NCAA, but as a Trojan alumni, I have a hard time feeling like OJ Mayo was ever a Trojan at all. One (year, Tourney game) and done. When someone's career or tenure with a single team is that short, are we really supposed to remember them as a member of our team? I'm glad he's off to mediocrity in the NBA. Now the Trojans Men's Basketball team can get back to the business of building a winning program, like their Football brethren across campus. Sun, 20 Apr 2008 21:21:36 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/249497 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/249497 Chad Johnson demanded a trade yesterday, claiming he doesn't "intend on reporting to anything." I don't think it's a coincidence that Johnson's demand came a day after widely reported news about what the Eagles are planning on doing with Lito Sheppard. A friend of mine claimed that there's no way the Bengals would make this trade, but I wholeheartedly disagree. Let us not forget that last offseason, one of the greatest wide receivers in NFL history was traded for a 4th round draft pick, and then went on to have one of the best seasons a wideout has ever had. (For the uninformed among us, I'm talking about Randy Moss.) A recent trade that best mirrors trading one Pro Bowler for another is when the Broncos shipped Clinton Portis to Washington for Champ Bailey. Lito is no Champ Bailey, but he's close, especially when he's healthy. Depending on how real Johnson's demand is, this is a trade I'd seriously consider if I were them. They can trade Chad out of the division, and bring on an elite cornerback to sure up their porous defense. Same goes for the Eagles, as the results from 2004 indicate. McNabb and TO were almost unstoppable, and the Eagles went on to their first Super Bowl since they faced the Raiders in 1981. And while Johnson is probably just a tad beneath the caliber of TO on the field, he doesn't come with the deep psychological issues that have plagued TO his entire career. I'm not an NFL insider, and I haven't studied the numbers or analyzed any additional scenarios for trading these guys, but this one seems like a win-win for both teams. And you heard it here first: if this trade happens (and McNabb and Westbrook stay healthy), the Eagles will go to the NFC Championship Game. Thu, 17 Apr 2008 11:02:28 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/240513 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/240513 As the media expresses its surprise that Roger Clemens was not on President Bush's latest pardon list, the denigration of Barry Bonds continues, with the Giants essentially removing all record of the fact that Bonds indeed played for the team. On the Clemens front, I thought you actually had to be convicted of a crime to be pardoned, but maybe the Bush administration changed that law too. That's another story though. Anyway, I think what the Giants are doing is a disgrace. For 15 years, Bonds was a loyal servant who filled the seats, thrilled the fans, and made the Club hundreds and hundreds of millions of dollars. And now, because he is implicated in what is widely considered an era-wide problem, the Giants are pretending like he never existed. Bonds is no saint, but it's just sad that the world we live in is no different than the "game" portrayed by cops, junkies (and others) in HBO's critically acclaimed series The Wire. The only difference is that those of us who don't live on the streets aren't so violent with the moves we make in the game. It's all the same though. Sports fans deserve more credit than this, and Giants ownership should be ashamed of themselves. Perhaps they'll realize this after their Gross Receipts for 2008 roll in and they're considerably less than they were during the last 15 years with Bonds at the helm. That's when they'll call Bonds next year, and bring him back for a Fan Appreciation Day where they can retire his number. And like every loyal servant, Bonds will probably abide. Or maybe he won't... Thu, 27 Mar 2008 14:42:14 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/220594 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/220594 Allen Iverson returns to Philadelphia tonight for the first time since last year's trade. In my geographically removed humble opinion, there is no question about his legacy as a Sixer. He should receive a hero's welcome back to the arena where he filled seats and thrilled fans for 10 years. There has never been a better little man in NBA history. Iverson is barely 5'11''. He's won an MVP as a Sixer. He led his team to many playoff appearances and victories, including a trip to the NBA Finals. He played with heart and courage. He put his body on the line every night and did whatever it took to win. Nearing age 33, he still leads the league in minutes. He was the first player in NBA history to finish in the Top 5 in points, steals and assists in one season. I could go on and on, but it's not necessary. Iverson's accomplishments on a court filled with men much taller and stronger than he speak for themselves. The knock on AI is that he was a thug, or a punk. He didn't like to practice, and he didn't set a good example for his teammates. He hung out with the wrong crowd. I think Allen has matured to the point where he's able to take responsibility for some of the things he did earlier in his career, but we should view AI's career in Philly with some perspective. He was a kid when he joined the team as the #1 pick in the draft. I don't know about you, but when I was his age, I wasn't a role model for anyone. I could barely handle my own life, let alone set an example for others. And that would be the same if I could play basketball the way he did. Some much of the popular view on Allen is about how our society views athletes, and the expectations we place on them, but it's counterintuitive to the expectations we place on ourselves and our children. So while Iverson was/is by no means perfect, we should celebrate what he's done on the court, and how he's grown off it. He's one of the most exciting and talented players in basketball history, and he does everything we expect our pro athletes to do on the court. He doesn't have many years left, so we should enjoy and cherish every last minute of his career. Wed, 19 Mar 2008 11:06:37 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/210100 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/210100 The Yao-less Houston Rockets matched the 3rd longest winning streak in NBA history last night. The other team with 19 straight wins was the 1999-2000 LA Lakers, who went on to win the Championship. The 1970-1971 Bucks won 20 in a row, and they too went on to win the NBA Championship. Sitting atop the mountain is the 1971-1972 LA Lakers, with 33 straight wins. They were also NBA champs. In the modern NBA, winning 19 straight games--heck, winning 10 straight games--is impressive. And the Rockets are doing it without Yao. For some strange reason, no one seems to care. It could be that Houston plays in Texas alongside the flamboyant Mavericks and the dynastic Spurs. It could also be that people generally don't care about the NBA anymore until the Playoffs. I'm not sure what it is, but I for one, am impressed. Rick Adelman is showing his genius, and Tracy McGrady is finally doing what people have expected of him for years now. This doesn't make me want to watch the NBA just yet, but I'm interested in the story and am excited to see how it plays out (without, of course, watching it on TV). Tue, 11 Mar 2008 12:13:38 -0500 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/190968 http://www.yardbarker.com/author/article/190968