Beantown Sports Guys

LeBron the next Jordan? Not so fast

Not too many people would put New York Knicks star Stephon Marbury on a pedestal when it comes to people you want your son to grow up and admire. A cocky, arrogant, and usually brash outspoken player, Marbury has seemed to pull a 180 as of late.

Months ago, Marbury decided to sell his own sneaker line and rather than sell his kicks for a disgusting amount of money, he opted to drop the bottom out of the basketball sneaker selling world for selling them for $14.98.

That's right, $14.98. Not $149. Less than it costs for two tickets to a matinee.

Last night before the Cavaliers/Knicks game, LeBron decided to take a swipe at the sneaker line, and seemingly the intent behind it by saying he couldn't imagine endorsing a sneaker that cheap.

"No, I don't think so," James said. "Me being with Nike, we hold our standards high."

Marbury was clued in to this comment, and no one has really been clear whether it was a friendly little jab at Stephon or not, but right before the game Marbury jabbed back, "I'd rather own than be owned."

Wow. Seriously. Wow.

I know LeBron is young. I know he's doing his best to be a role model for the young kids that look up to him. But this is not the way to do it.

Whether it is tongue in cheek or meant strictly for Marbury and not for the press matters not. LeBron needs to know whatever he says will be printed, I mean, that's the price he pays to be King James, isn't it?

There are countless of inner city kids, kids that come from low income or even middle class houses that have parents that can't afford to pay hundreds of dollars for sneakers and this is a Godsend to them.

I applaud Marbury for doing the right thing here, and as much as I loved watching Michael Jordan play, I think he should have stepped up and do something like this a long time ago. He didn't need to do it for his entire Air Jordan line, he could have even done it with a few of his shoes.

Chicago Bulls star Ben Wallace is even jumping on with Marbury and creating his own signature shoe under the Starbury line.

But LeBron wouldn't wear them, unless they were made in a third world country and charged 200 times more than what they are worth.

Hopefully LeBron smartens up and watches what he says in the future. He's still young, but that doesn't mean he has that as an excuse to fall back on.

The future of the Patriot franchise

 

Today the New England Patriots were awarded 4 compensatory picks for the 2007 NFL Draft.

The four picks tied the Baltimore Ravens for a league high.

The Pats were awarded a 5^th, two 6^th, and a 7^th rounder (171^st, 208^th, 209^th, and the 247^th, respectively).

Compensatory picks are the result of losing compensatory free agents, in this case, a result of losing Tim Dwight, David Givens, Adam Vinatieri, Matt Chatham, Christian Fauria, Tom Ashworth, and Andre David.

Most franchises use compensatory picks to build up practice squads and to reach on certain players and positions they may not otherwise go after. The Patriots have made it their business to use these picks to turn around their franchise, as you can see from the players above. They do not believe in wasting picks, and in extremely rare cases draft someone and cut them before the regular season. Where some teams don't hesitate to try players out with these picks, the Patriots have gone deep in their War Room to select the best possible players at all positions to fill their game day roster.

These picks will make the draft even more interesting for New England fans, bumping the total number of picks from 8 to 12, including two in the 1^st round.

Clock is ticking on Opening Day

The clock is ticking on Opening Day. A little less than 13 days and the 2007 season will be underway.

A few questions remain, ones we won't have answers to until most likely the All-Star game, maybe until the end of the season:

• Will Dice-K throw any complete games this season or will his arm fall off? After all, in his last 28 games he started for the Seibu Lions he threw a seemingly impossible 28 games.

• Will J.D. Drew land on the DL the first week of the season? Or will he hit 30 HRs and knock in at least 100? If Vegas was taking bets on this, I think they'd lean toward the former. I hope I am wrong.

• Will Curt Schilling win 20 games and a Cy-Young? I think Curt will show that age really is nothing but a number.

• Will Manny be a distraction this season? I don't think he will, most of the "distractions" come from the media taking tiny bits of information and blowing them up into something they are not. For an emotional person like Manny, it's not hard to right something inflammatory and get a reaction out of him.

• Will Ortiz be able to match the monster of a MVP like season he had last year? This hinges (as always) on how well Manny plays, but also the surrounding cast as well. On his own, he is good for 40 HRs and 120 RBI, but to hit more than 52, people like J.D. Drew will have to step up and stay off the DL.

• Will language be a barrier between Dice-K and Varitek? Highly doubtful. Word has it, Dice-K has been learning English rapidly, and baseball is a language in itself, right?

• Can Julio Lugo show us flashes of Alex Gonzalez in the field defensively? This all depends on how he progresses with his new stance during Spring Training, but odds are he'll be improved, yet not quite Gonzalez-esque. On the upside, Lugo offers major speed on the bases and a pop in his bat that always seemed out of reach from Alex.

• Who will win the closer job: Timlin? Donnelly? Delcarmen? Hansen? Okajima? Piniero? Tavarez? Or will the Sox go for a closer by committee until they have a firmer grasp on what they have?

• Who will have a better season: Papelbon or Beckett? Personally, I think they'll both win at least 15 games. Papelbon showed before he was closing for us that he can start and win games, and Beckett is a great young arm that just needed a season playing in the American League to learn the hitters.

• Will Pedroia be able to make the Fenway Faithful forget about Mark Loretta? He has the potential, just like Hanley Ramirez had the potential to be a solid Shortstop in the Majors and now he's proving everyone right. Let's hope Dustin does the same.

• Can Coco be the Centerfielder we thought we were getting when we first signed him? Again, I think he can, especially with the spotlight off of him. With all the signings and trades, I think Coco could quietly slip under the radar and impress.

• Would it have been smarter to save the money we spent on J.D. Drew for the future and get Wily Mo his At Bats? I think the easy answer is yes. He can be a poor man's Ortiz, and with some help from great hitters like Manny and David, he might be able to be the sleeper a lot of us think he can be.

These are all questions that will need to be answered at some point this season. There are many more than this, but these are the main questions and concerns fans and writers have going into the 2007 season. One thing is for sure: with all the signings and new players on the team, this will surely be a season to remember.

Graham caps off latest signings

Free Agency is in full swing at the moment with mega-stars swapping teams faster than you can imagine.

• Daniel Graham signed a multi-year deal with the Denver Broncos. This significantly upgrades their Tight End position, and makes their running game even more dangerous.

• Stud Defensive End Patrick Kerney agreed to a 6 year deal with the Seattle Seahawks.

• In one of the most underrated moves, Thomas Jones was traded from the Chicago Bears to the New York Jets. No longer searching for a stud back to replace Curtis Martin, the Jets can now concentrate on other areas, rather than stocking up on Running Backs hoping that one of them will pan out.

• Budding young Linebacker Napoleon Harris signed with Kansas City to play the middle for Herm Edwards' defense that needs some all the help it can get. This is a step in the right direction.

• Luke Petitgout signed with the Bucs, hoping to get a little more protection for whoever they have at the helm, whether it is Chris Simms, Jeff Garcia or Jake Plummer.

• Former Patriots Linebacker Tully Banta-Cain signed with the 49ers, another defensive signing that is sure to help out a team that is doing everything it can to reshape their defense.

• Special Teams Captain Larry Izzo resigned with the Patriots. He is in on almost every Special Teams tackle and keeps a strong veteran presence on the squad.

• The Vikings snagged Bobby Wade, which will help them out once they set on a Quarterback after trading Brad Johnson.

• Ravens resign Musa Smith to a 1 year deal. This helps give them some flexibility in case they can't resign Jamal Lewis.

• The Oakland Raiders restructured the contracts of Lamont Jordan and Ronald Curry in order to create some much needed cap room.

• Former New Orleans Saint Joe Horn brings some sure hands to the Falcons, who had a receiving corps that dropped as many balls as they caught all year.

Day 1 of Free Agency - NFL Signings, Trades, Rumors: Part II

A quick rundown of some big movers and shakers today, as the first full day of free agency comes to a close.

• As posted before, the Patriots have gone big and snagged Adalius Thomas out of the free agent pool. They also have signed Sammy Morris, Kyle Brady, and could end up with Wes Welker when all is said and done.
  
  
• Tampa Bay signed Jeff Garcia to a two year deal, and traded for Jake Plummer. Even if Plummer retires, it is a Conditional Draft Pick they've traded so they essentially lose nothing if he does. Denver gets rid of Plummer who could easily have flip flopped in a few months, unretired, and gone on to play for former offensive coordinator (now Head Coach) Gary Kubiak in Houston, a team that desperately needs a Quarterback right now. With Chris Simms on the shelf and potentially out for a long period of time, it's a win-win for both teams.
  
  
• Denver is also a team that has been busy, trading for Dan Wilkinson, Montrae Holland, and offering contracts to Patrick Kerney, Daniel Graham, and Travis Henry.
  
  
• Detroit is doing everything they can to reshape their offense as they struggle to figure out which QB to use: Jon Kitna, Josh McCown, or Dan Orlovsky? Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz will have a much easier task of figuring that out as the Lions signed some help for whoever will steer the ship that is the Lions. Running Back Tatum Bell and Right Tackle George Foster will help out big time.
  
  There is rumor they could trade their # 2 pick overall, but with studs like Wisconsin Tackle Joe Thomas and Wide Receiver Calvin Johnson projected to be top 5 picks, it seems they could help themselves out if they hang on to it, especially since they have four 5th rounders. With the issues with receivers and Detroit, it is understandable they will want to look the other way when Calvin Johnson is available, as it looks like Oakland will snag JaMarcus Russell with the # 1 pick, but Johnson is a once every 5-10 year type of receiver. He is compared favorably to Randy Moss and Terrell Owens as far as skill and talent, but more like Marvin Harrison when it comes to playing attitude and demeanor.
  
  
• Washington is doing what it can to add some big names to their defense, signing London Fletcher-Baker and Fred Smoot, both to five year deals. They could also bolster their offensive line if they get their way and sign massive Tackle Leonard Davis, who is trying to work Dallas (division rival of Washington) against the Redskins in his contract negotiations.
  
  
• St. Louis helped themselves out a bit by signing Wide Receiver Drew Bennett to a 6 year deal. This will help Torry Holt even more, and Bennett's numbers should return to what they were before this season.

Patriots picking up steam

In only the first real day of free agency, the Patriots have already made some big moves. It appears they aren't quite finished yet either.

It's being reported the Pats have signed Running Back Sammy Morris to a deal, and are courting Miami Dolphin restricted free agent Wes Welker. Since he was already offered a 1 year, $1.3 million deal, if the Pats were to sign him and the Dolphins don't offer him another contract, the Pats would have to surrender a 2nd round draft pick.

By all indications, it seems the Patriots are gearing up for a defensive draft in April, working on contracts for Fullback Heath Evans, Tight End Kyle Brady, Running Back Sammy Morris, and Wide Receiver Wes Welker. Addressing the offensive needs now at good prices for these players plays well for the Pats come April, as they can take more chances on some other players, whether they are offensive or defensive.

Their has been speculation the Patriots could put together a package to acquire Oakland Raider receiver Randy Moss, but right now it's nothing but talk. At this point, nothing the Pats did would surprise me, as I didn't expect this much to happen from New England this early into free agency.

Breaking News: Thomas agrees to 6 year deal with Patriots

It is being reported by ESPN that Baltimore Ravens Free Agent Linebacker Adalius Thomas will sign a 6 year deal with the New England Patriots upon passing his physical this weekend.

This would be a huge signing for the Patriots, as they'll finally have a linebacker who is a sack artist as well. With his speed and versatility, it now allows the Patriots to address other needs in the draft, while still snagging a linebacker later in the draft.

The signing of Thomas doesn't change the Patriots needs in the draft as drastically as one might think, as the aging Tedy Bruschi just recently said he would return in 2007, and Mike Vrabel turns 32 this year. The Patriots have solid offensive and defensive lines, both some of the youngest lines in the league. They need a little help at the Running Back position after granting the requested release to Corey Dillon, but it is doubtful they would pick a RB in the first round. Instead, they've brought in Sammy Morris to have a look at him and may address their rushing needs through free agency. They also resigned Fullback Heath Evans, which could also point to them not going after backs in the 1st round.

Although they could improve at Wide Receiver through the draft, unless they got a game breaker like Calvin Johnson, I doubt they would chance a 1st rounder on an unproven Wideout. Too many times young players coming into the league are extremely raw and don't pan out, and 80% of the time, these are Wide Receivers. They did a great job last year snagging Jabar Gaffney after he was cut by the Houston Texans, and they still have Reche Caldwell. NFL-bust Charles Rogers could be intriguing as a free agent, as the Patriots had him in for workouts last year. The injury and slow progress to Chad Jackson almost reinforces the idea that the Patriots may skip on a WR in the first round as well.

It seems more and more likely the Patriots will address some defensive needs in the first round, particularly at Cornerback, Safety, and Linebacker. The Patriots are one of those teams that go for high value and the best player at the position at that point in the draft so it will be interesting to see what players fall in the draft to them.

The Patriots have both the 24th and 28th picks in the 1st round of the NFL Draft, which happens April 29th and 30th. They are the only team to have 2 picks in the 1st round, giving them considerable leverage if they were interested in moving up.

Latest NFL Signings and Rumors

A lot happened on the first day of NFL Free Agency. These initial signings are setting up an expensive free agency period, and totally reshaping the NFL Draft and team needs. Without further ado, here are some of the big ones.

• The Patriots are only a physical away from signing free agent stud linebacker Adalius Thomas. It was widely reported that Thomas was heading to the 49ers, but that has since been squashed. Thomas fits perfectly into the Patriots defensive plans for next year, as he can literally play every single position, and as early as this past season actually did play every position at some point during the season.
  
  
• Even though the 49ers didn't snag Thomas, they still made a huge splash by signing stud Cornerback Nate Clements to the tune of an 8 year, $80 million deal, former Philly Safety Michael Lewis, former Ravens Defensive Tackle Aubrayo Franklin. These are huge signings for the 49ers who had a terrible defensive campaign last season. Had the 49ers been able to sign Adalius Thomas, they would have had a game breaking defensive player at every level with Franklin up front, Thomas behind him, Clements on the edge, and Lewis playing deep. Even without Thomas, they've done a lot to change their defensive reputation.
  
  
• From the looks of it, free agent Patriots Tight End Daniel Graham will be playing elsewhere. With the signing of TE Kyle Brady, it seems the Patriots are content on letting Graham go and seek a paycheck elsewhere. Even though Brady is not quite as good as Graham at run blocking, he isn't that far a drop off, and with Graham being banged up here and there, this isn't necessarily bad for the Patriots. Graham could sign with Denver or Seattle, but there could be another team in need of a great Tight End that wants to spend the money.
  
  
• Rather than be traded to Tampa Bay, Jake Plummer is considering retirement. At this point, no one is sure if this is posturing on his part and whether he just wants to stay in Denver or if he is considering ending his career. Competing against Chris Simms for the starting position in Tampa wouldn't be the worst thing that has happened to him (remember: he did play for the Cardinals), and with Simms' spleen injury last year, Plummer could potentially thrive in Jon Gruden's offense.

More as signings and rumors surface.