GENERAL: Window Shopping

Shopping across the country, looking at many national sports items to snack on…

The Best Since LT No matter if you love him or hate him, Ray Lewis is far and away the best defensive player in the NFL. Maybe I’ll be daring and go a step further…perhaps, Lewis is the most dominating player overall! His tackling ability is superior to anyone in the league and his intense gamesmanship allows him to get inside the head of the very best offensive players. Just listen to Titans quarterback Steve McNair on Lewis’ play after the Ravens’ defense pummeled his offense. “I think he’s one of the greatest linebackers to ever play.” Certainly, Lewis is the best linebacker to play the game since LT was giving out concussions to quarterbacks like candy to trick-or-treaters….

In today’s NBA, failure isn’t a choice Rick Pitino failed miserably in Boston. Not for a lack of effort but for a lack of understanding and knowledge. Besides his embarrassing personnel moves, the NBA game has had a tremendous facelift since he won the division with the Knicks back in the day. The mentality of players today is certainly different than that of the mature adults from the 70’s and 80’s. Now, there are many immature kids playing the game for the dollar and have totally abandoned the team-game concept. Stats drive motivation and championships seem secondary. Although most players would undoubtedly admit they’d love a ring, it would probably be to just own another piece of flashy jewelry to show how their “bling-bling”…

Chargers will use Vicks for relief San Diego has the first pick of the NFL Draft, eh? Go for the easy money. Michael Vick has decided that he will forgo his last two seasons at Virginia Tech. San Diego will go ahead and snag up Vick quickly before the draft even begins with that NFL rule that allows the team with the first pick to negotiate with the player they want to select. However, if for some unforeseen reason the Charger organization develops some sort of brain freeze, Ole Miss’ Deuce McCallister will go first. Even though Vick should stay in school and work on his throwing skills such as his accuracy, he has decided there is nothing more he can do; he almost certainly will be the first pick in the NFL draft. He doesn’t need the Heisman, the Davey O’ Brien, or any more All-American accolades, Vick just yearns for more of a challenge and the ability to support his family…

He needs an ‘O’ on his jersey 16 points in his first 6 games after a three-year layoff? Is there any doubt Mario Lemieux is one of the greatest hockey players to ever don the skates? How intimidating must it be for the lesser jabrons that dress and practice beside Lemieux, aka the owner of the Penguins? Lemieux is not only the boss of all the players in the locker room he is the imminent boss of his own coach! He walks around the locker room with the ousting power of every single person around him from player, to coach, to even the hotdog vendors. He skates on a line with his Luigi in Jaromir Jagr and, in a very classy move, let Jagr keep the ‘C’ on his jersey. Mario says all of the other players “have been great,” treating him like one of the guys. Yeah Mario well I got news for you, it’s because they don’t want you to kick them to the curb faster than that stinky chair in the old “Da-Da-Da” Volkswagen commercial…

Juan Heck of a Pickup Juan Gonzalez to the Cleveland Indians? Ouch. That could loom large for many teams hoping to get a shot at the Wild Card. If Juan stays healthy and plays like the two-time MVP he once was, he will play a significant factor in the shaping of which teams will be playing in the postseason. Gonzalez has always played like a champ at the Jake and his acquisition should ably fill the void left by Manny Ramirez, barring his health status…

An NFL Draft fit for a Wolverine Even though I’m a major Michigan football supporter, I don’t see how more than a few players can be selected in the NFL Draft ahead of wide receiver David Terrell. He’s big, he’s got soft hands, he makes smoother routes than a paperboy, and he isn’t afraid to use his large frame to make bone-rattling blocks. Smells like a rose to me…

And in a final note, Ted Williams will undergo open-heart surgery in the coming days.

We’re all praying for you Teddy Ballgame…