You may have heard that the men's college basketball 3 point line has been moved back 12 inches. If you haven't heard this you haven't watched a minute of college basketball. Every announcer of every game feels that it is his/her obligation to tell the fans about the new rule change. I really can't figure it out. They say it 5 times per broadcast as if I was watching the game on mute up until that point. If I had enough time it would make a killer montage like...

If you don't already hate Coach K, let me know how you feel about this video. If you do already hate Coach K, you probably saw this coming. I'm hoping he said this as a joke and didn't realize that the producers were going to put it into the show. The chances of that actually being the case are slim to none. There is no way around it. He is just one cheesy dude.

Great list of jokes that were made during the 2008 Espy awards. Pretty conclusive list by SamePageSports.com We hope you enjoy and if you see one that is missing please comment. Just a few listed here:

-Right up front I'd just like to personally thank Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots for all the cameras tonight and there are so many of them.

- I heard this whole theater was built using Shaquille O'Neal's bricks.

- There was all that talk about Kobe needing Shaq to win a championship. I couldn't help but notice that the Boston Celtics didn't need either of you.

For a huge list of the jokes from the awards show click the link.

Ted Thompson has made some pretty terrible decisions in recent history. Last season Brett Favre lobbied for the Packers to trade a late round pick for Randy Moss (Who ended up leading the NFL in touchdowns and was second in receiving yards) and the Packers did nothing. Today, Friday July 11th, news has broken that the Packers organization told Brett Favre, arguably the best thing to ever happen to Green Bay that he is no longer welcome and that they would rather have Aaron Rodgers under center than the 3 time MVP. This petition is to show show that Packers and football fans in general have realized that Ted Thompson should be fired immediately. There are plenty of other poor decisions that were made by Thompson but these two are the obvious terrible judgment calls.

Does this mean the bucks will take Randolph instead of Joe Alexander tonight?

Cream of the Crop

Derrick Rose – A wonderful prospect who likes he could be a franchise player. Questions persist about his outside shot and his defense but overall he seems like he will at least provide a significant upgrade for either the Bulls or the Heat at the point with this insane athleticism and ability to create for others.

Michael Beasley – Dominant offensive player who was a great rebounder at the college level. He measured at only 6'7" ½ after having been listed at 6'10" during his year at Kansas State. Height is of course no indication of skills but it would make him a bit undersized to play in the post for the NBA and I believe that he will have a hard time guarding quick small forwards because of a lack of commitment and foot speed on the defensive end. With that said he looks like he has the ability to score on anyone, I feel like he may be in the Carmelo Anthony mold which is not to shabby.

The Next Cut

O.J. Mayo – a shooting guard with a sweet stroke and great athleticism. Looks like an NBA player and he might be a good player to bet on to win the rookie of the year award next year. He should be an immediate impact player as a wing and will get some time at point guard.

Brook Lopez – A solid big man with relatively few wholes in his game. Not great athletically but he seems to use his size well on both ends of the court. Has good and polished post moves. Projects to be starting center though I would put his ceiling as a good Chris Kaman.

Russell Westbrook – My favorite of the combo guards. Thrives on the defensive end with the ability to disrupt the game reminiscent of Rajon Rondo using his quickness and instincts to get in passing lane and pressure the ball handler. His intensity is another exciting quality which I think will help ease his transition. If he can continue to grow as a point on the offensive end could end up being a top 3 or 4 players in this draft.

Some Questions

Jerryd Bayless – Will be the first of many combo guards selected, gifted athletically with the ability to run the point. Always worrisome when a tweener guard seems to make questionable decisions and relies on athleticism. With that said he seems to have all the tools it just a question of bringing it all together

Eric Gordon – Another Combo Guard. More of a pure scorer than a point and projects to be an undersized two in the pros. His shooting was very poor at Indiana but speculation is that he was bothered by the coaching circus that was going on there.

Kevin Love – The UCLA center who seems to polarize more basketball people than any other person in this draft. I see Love being a solid to very good pro but, he needs to be in a good situation where he can ease into the pro game and be a third or fourth option (read not Memphis which is rumored to have interest in him). He does some stuff very well as he is an exceptional rebounder, passing, and shooting big man. His athleticism and size are questioned but without much justification. He was a brilliant and at times dominant big man in college and he should step in help immediately.

Joe Alexander – Supremely athlete tic and made great strides in his time at West Virginia. Lacks a true position as he lies somewhere between a small and power forward and one must wonder who he will handle defending either of these positions. With that said seems to play with a real fire and is reportedly a "gym rat" much like Westbrook. Has to become a more consistent outside shooter to be a three in the pros which will end up being his position where he can best utilize his talents.

The Gambles

Anthony Randolph – Loaded with talent but also built about as strongly as piece of paper. At 6'10 and 197 lbs he will not be able to play in the post with any great success in the NBA. A project that will need time but because of his overall game is rather raw although promising.

Danilo Gallinari – Another point forward type player. Reminds me a bit of Toni Kucoc and has a very solid shot. With that said there is always a question of a European player adapting to the speed and physicality of the NBA.

Lower Lottery

DJ Augustin – the other true point guard prospect behind Rose. Lacks size but is gifted at setting up his teammates.

DeAndre Jordan – Classic big man loaded with talent…..But he does not play hard. Has bust written all over him.

Donte Greene – smooth forward from Syracuse. Would love to see him on Phoenix or Golden State as his versatility would be of great value.

Marreese Speights – Classic power forward who projects to a solid pro career.

Nicholas Batum – the second international player who will be selected, great athlete but questions about his overall game.

While teachers give elementary, middle, and high school students summer reading lists to keep them busy over the summer I figured I could share a few of my favorite sports novels with the 3 sports fans that read my articles on this site.

Paul Shirley - Can I keep my jersey

Paul Shirley played basketball for Iowa State with Marcus Fizer and Jamal Crawford. After graduating, he ended up playing for 11 teams in 4 years. He played in the NBA, the CBA, and for numerous professional teams in Europe. He kept a journal during this time and basically edited it and published it. He tells some hilarious stories about his experiences but also gives a very good look inside the life of a professional basketball player. He criticizes famous NBA players and executives. This is definitely one of my favorite books I've ever read. I can relate to alot of what Shirley writes about (Locker room fights, not being home for thanksgiving, injuries, etc.) since I pay college basketball but I really think that this book will be entertaining to all sports fans.

Rick Reilly - Missing links...

I am currently studying abroad in Paris, which made for a golden opportunity. I am literally a metro ride away from Roland Garros the home of the French Open. It seemed simple enough; I would simply make my way over there from my apartment and buy myself a ticket.

This plan was set to go to disastrously awry not once, but twice. On my first attempt I became a victim of simple ignorance. I arrived to discover that all the legitimate tickets had already been sold. This sucked. Paris is a huge city, going by metro is an hour commitment each way and I basically had sunk an entire day into this venture. At this point I had the choice of either giving up on this chance of a lifetime or coming back. I made the obvious choice to return, after all I am a sports fan at my core and I can cheer and respect world class talent no matter the sport.

To read more including the part about almost getting arrested by French Police click the link.

Does anybody know where Bill Walton has been during this year's NBA Playoffs? Its not that I want him calling games; he might be harder to listen to than a Reggie Miller/Dick Vitale hybrid. Despite being a terrible announcer, Bill definitely provides very high quality entertainment. So here's a top five list my favorite Bill Walton commentaries that leave you scratching your head.

Top 5 Quotes

5."Greg Ostertag is one of the top centers on this planet!"

4. Exchange between he and Tom Hammond: "John Stockton is one of the true marvels, not just of basketball, or in America, but in the history of Western Civilization!" Tom: "Wow, that's a pretty strong statement. I guess I don't have a good handle on world history." Bill: "Well Tom, that's because you didn't go to UCLA."

There is one certain fact that will always be true in any competitive field: Copycatting will be utilized. The easiest way to stay viable in an industry is to figure out what is successful for your competitors and copy them. We see this especially in sports. You see that other teams in the NFL are having success with two running backs, you start using two RBs. You see that other teams in the MLB are working their bullpens with a designated 8th inning set-up man and a designated closer, you design your bullpen the same way.This usually is a good thing for the caliber of play in sports. Teams are able to see what works and eventually adopt strategies that will make everyone better. No one team will continue to have a competitive advantage based on one strategy (at least assuming other teams are smart enough to learn what they can from the more successful franchises).

Now that Brett Favre has retired, the argument arises to where he stands on the list of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.

Notice that the title of this post does not have a question mark in it, only a period. Favre is the greatest of all time, and I have proof to back it up.

Some argue that Brett Favre is the greatest because of his NFL records in wins, passing touchdowns, passing yards and consecutive starts. These records are the basis of Favre's case as the greatest, but let's dig a little deeper to find out truly why he is better than all his competitors.

The dust has finally settled this time around and the results are most surprising. For the first time in the tournament's history both clubs call England home. Clubs from all over the European continent qualify and compete in a miniature World Cup of sorts battling through group stages and knockout rounds and now have given birth to the two most worthy competitors.

A list of athlete blogs that is meant to be the full list of blogs that are maintained by athletes. This list is open to submissions so if you see a blog of an athlete that is not on the list then email the author.

Recap of the biggest decisions made by Billy Knight and what he will be remembered for in Atlanta.