The Trade Deadline

Sorry for the layoff everyone. Let's talk trades. The trading deadline is only a few hours away, and there's sure to be SOMETHING happening before 2 pm, so let's go over a few.

Let's start on the Wolves end first. Here are a few trades that are being rumored....

KG to Chicago for Tyrus Thomas, Ben Gordon, and the expiring contracts of P.J. Brown and Michael Sweetney

First of all, the Wolves trading KG before the deadline is next to impossible, but I thought I'd mention it anyway. It seems pretty obvious that you're going to move him this summer, so why not get maximum value before an offer like this goes away? You could probably get a 1st round draft pick too.

Onto Mike James....

Mike James to Houston for the expiring contracts of Bob Sura and Bonzi Wells

First of all, I would take Bonzi Wells over Mike James anyday as it is....add that his contract is up after this year, and you have a good deal. Bob Sura has 2 years left on his deal, but his contract can be bought out for $1 million after this year. Along with trading KG, I like this deal in helping to rebuild.

Mike James to Detroit for Nazr Mohammed

This deal I like less, but it's still an upgrade. The Wolves desperately need rebounding and defense in their frontcourt, and that's what Nazr does well. I don't like that he still has 5 years left on his deal, but I'd still pull the trigger.

There's some rumor of a 3 team deal involving Cleveland, Sacramento, and Minnesota that would send Mike Bibby to the Cavs and Mike James to the Kings, and Drew Gooden to the Wolves. Looks like that deal is dead though.

Some other deals rumored from around the NBA.....

Jason Kidd to the Lakers for "Downtown" Kwame Brown, Chris Mihm, Jordan Farmar, and Luke Walton

I'm not sure I'd do this deal if I were the Lakers. The word is that the Nets want either Luke Walton or Andrew Bynum involved in the deal, and that the Lakers will absolutely not give up Bynum. I still think I would pull the trigger though, Walton only has a year left on his contract, go out and sign up after the year is over.

I've heard rumors of Vince Carter being traded, but haven't heard any real rumors (ie Vince Carter for X, Y, and Z).

Pau Gasol to Chicago for Ben Gordon, Chris Duhon, and the expiring contract of P.J. Brown

If I'm Memphis, I don't know that I'd do this. If I'm Chicago, I don't know that I'd do this. Chicago has the best shot at landing Garnett next season, so I don't know that they'd want to blow their proverbial load on a guy who hasn't even won a playoff game yet.

With all that being said....I wouldn't be surprised, at all, if none of these marquee players got moved. You can only hope.....

I started this post about a half hour ago, and the only thing that's happened is Anthony Johnson was traded to the Hawks for a 2nd round pick. Bullshit.

Oh yeah, I went to the Wolves game last night and met Marney Gellner. She's as cute as a button, she is.













Ciao.

Super Bowl, Wolves, Etc.

The Indianapolis Colts beat the Chicago Bears 29-17 to win the Super Bowl

Some thoughts....I won't get too deep into this.

-First, this is the sloppiest Super Bowl I've ever seen. The rain undoubtedly has a lot to do with it, but it's still no excuse. 8 total turnovers.....ick.

-Did they announce who the Rookie of the Year was for the AFC? Cause if it wasn't Joseph Addai, I'd be shocked. This kid is GOOD.

-The Bears, despite having played 1 game less than the Colts in the playoffs, looked tired on defense, particularly in the second half. Maybe it was because they were on the field for so long....

-Nice adjustment by the Colts after the initial kickoff was returned by Devin hester for a touchdown. He had NO looks for the rest of the game.

-I know this Super Bowl was about Peyton fufilling his destiny, etc etc, but he was NOT the MVP of this game. The CBS broadcast team suggested giving a co-MVP to Joseph Addai and Dominic Rhodes, which I'd agree with. 191 yards rushing against the Bears is phenomenal.

-I can't wait to watch ATH and see them savage Rex Grossman. He looked intimidated, lost, and overwhelmed.

-Thank God the football season is over.

Now, onto the pop culture side of things.....


-Prince was very good.....the medley of songs he did (Let's Go Crazy, All Along the Watchtower, Best of You, Purple Rain, some others I forgot) were done well, complete with lots and lots of guitar solos. What confused me is he changed guitars like, 3 times, but every guitar had basically the exact same tone and distortion level. It was hot though, kudos to Prince.

-The commercials were mediocre. The only two I can remember being any good are 1) a Budweiser one where two guys settle who gets the last beer over rock paper scissors and 2) one for some GPS navigation system where this guy turns into a Mighty Morphin Power Rangers-esque character and fights a giant map. Plus, the continuity was strange.....you'd see a new, highly produced commercial, then one for Menard's or something. I didn't catch KG's Foot Locker commercial, if anyone finds it on YouTube, holla at me.

-As I said before, thank GOD that the football season is over. This nation gets so obsessed with football that it's difficult to bear sometimes. It's not as if I don't like football, but it just gets so much overkill that it kinda ruins it for me. It'll be good to have a solid 5 or 6 month break. Just thinking about watching Around the Horn in the summer, and having it devoid of football, makes me smile.

OK, so that's it for the Super Bowl. Onto some other stuff....

-I dunno what to say about the Wolves, other than it's sad to see a team so stuck in a bog of mediocrity. I heard Kiki Vandeweghe, ex Nuggets GM, talk about trading Garnett, and that the Wolves are in the worst predicament in the NBA: they're not good enough to be contenders, but not bad enough so that we could get substantially better through the draft. I don't know that there's that much else to say that I haven't already said before.

-The Twins resigned AL MVP Justin Morneau to a 1 year deal. Good. They also resigned not-AL MVP Nick Punto to a 3 year deal. Not as good, but decent.

-Since Roger Federer winning the Australian Open and Tiger Woods winning the Buick pretty much coincided with each other this year, the debate rages about whose accomlishments are more impressive, or who is more dominant in their respective sport. I'm not sure I'm ready to take a side yet. Or maybe I'm just lazy. Both.

I leave you with a few clips of my favorite sports show, Around the Horn.









L8RS