Random Thoughts - 6/19

And the beat goes on . . .

The Cleveland Indians have been hot and it hasn’t taken the Cleveland media long to once again show its lack of class . . .

On June 4th the Tribe fired hitting coach Eddie Murray . . . since his departure the Indians have been swinging a hotter stick - and The Plain Dealer is making sure the public knows it . . . they now have a box inside the sports section showing the players batting average under Murray and since Murray was fired . . . yes the statistics have improved, however it has been only 15 days since Murray has been gone . . . are the Tribe hitters going to keep this up for the remainder of June, July, August, September, and of course October when the Tribe goes to the World Series? . . .

My only question is this – when the Indians bats begin to cool down, will The Plain Dealer run a special box showing the decrease in batting averages? . . . I highly doubt it . . .

Here is something else to chew on, bench coach Buddy Bell left around the same time as Murray to take over as manager of the Kansas City Royals . . . maybe the Indians are playing better ball now that Bell is gone . . .

Take it easy Tribe fans . . . the Indians have won eight in a row and are the hottest team in baseball . . . however, the majority of these wins have come against a weaker opponent such as San Francisco Giants and Colorado Rockies . . . starting Monday, the Indians begin playing teams a few levels higher, such as Boston, Detroit, New York, and Cincinnati, than the roadkill they have just splattered . . .

Back in May, the Yankees went on a hot streak however it was a bit deceiving as they piled on the wins against the likes of Seattle and Oakland . . .

Now don’t get your wigwam all upset Indians fans . . . I will say, the Tribe has improved since April . . .

By the way, whatever happened to Albert Belle? . . .

The Mahoning Valley Scrappers open its season on Tuesday night at Eastwood Field . . . the Scrappers are the defending New York-Penn League Champions . . .

One former Scrapper who is playing some good ball is Ryan Church . . . Church is now with the Washington Nationals . . .

Like I said last week, even if the Pistons go down 2-0 against the Spurs, they were still not out of the series . . .
Phil Jackson could spin it all he wants, the fact is that he rejoined the Lakers because of: 1) money; and 2) Jeanie Buss . . .

Why isn’t the NBA as exciting as it was during the 1980s and 90s? . . .

Michael Jackson is one lucky person . . . he was fortunate enough that the alleged victim’s family was not credible . . .

What are the odds of the NHL playing next year? . . .

John Madden hit for the cycle this week when it was announced he will be the analyst for Sunday Night football on NBC starting in 2006 . . . Madden has worked for CBS, FOX, ABC, and now NBC . . .

How many days until the start of the NFL? . . .

I rolled into the City of Brotherly Love this past week for a conference . . . nice city but poor service at restaurants . . . we waited, on average, of at least 25 minutes from the time we placed our order until we received our food . . .

The best service was at Pat’s Cheesesteaks . . . Pat’s has been in business since 1930 . . . in fact, the establishment appeared in Rocky . . . the scene - Rocky just signed to fight Apollo Creed . . . so Rocky meets Gozzo outside of Pat’s and Gozzo gives him $500 to use for training . . .

Looks like William Rehnquist is going to announce his retirement next week . . . the Washington Post has a story of the three possible replacements . . . Washington Post

Finally, Happy Father’s Day to all the dads out there and especially to my dad who is the best . . .

Until next time . . . the beat goes on . . .

Remembering Tom Holden

This past weekend the Mahoning Valley lost an icon -- Tom Holden, news anchor for TV-27 died on Saturday night . . . Holden may have been one of the most, if not the most, respected man in Youngstown . . . he anchored the news desk for 30 years . . .

I was fortunate enough to have him for a journalism class at YSU . . . he was an outstanding teacher and like everyone has said, he was a nice guy . . . think about it, how many of today's news people act like their "crap doesn't stink" when out in the public . . . not Tom Holden . . . Holden would talk to anyone and always had a smile or nod when passing by . . .

As a young kid, my family always watched TV-27 news with Tom Holden and Don Gardner on sports . . . Holden was one of the "good guys" who stayed loyal to the Valley . . . he was a staple of this area . . . there was no doubt that he could have moved on to a bigger city, but he was content doing the news at TV-27 and living on the southside of Youngstown . . .

I interviewed him for an article and he said that he was fortunate to have a good job . . . think about it, most people today want to keep moving up in the job market in order to show they are successful . . . Holden wasn't like that -- he was a simple person . . . he loved his Mahoning Valley and especially his Youngstown . . .

What I also think made Holden unique is that he had his flaws just like the rest of us . . . it was widely known that "back in the days" Holden would like to have a nice cold one or two . . . but that is what made him real . . . he was not some plastic glamour wonk hired to attract viewers . . . he wasn't too good to sit next to the average Joe and have a beer . . .

This Valley needs more people like Holden in order to improve . . .

Tom Holden will be missed . . .

Random Thoughts - 6/12

And the beat goes on . . .

Will Mike Tyson just go away already . . .

Anyone who spent $50 to watch the Tyson fight on Pay-Per-View has to be either: a) filthy stinking rich; or b) a moron . . .

Tyson was done after he lost to that tomato can in his last fight . . . but the hype continued for last night’s fight . . . during the pre-fight conference, Tyson was talking how he was going to "kilt (instead of kill) Kevin McBride . . .

After reading the post-fight story, Tyson was a cheap shot artist in the fight . . . he blatantly head butted McBride and then tried to break his arm out of desperation . . .

The sports world needs to turn its back on Tyson . . . it’s over for him . . . and the media should no longer cover his fights . . . .

If it wasn't for that third place finish in the Kentucky Derby, Afleet Alex would have won the Triple Crown . . . this horse would have taken the nation by storm if he would have won the Derby . . . yesterday's Belmont Stakes was a beautiful ride by jockey Jeremy Rose . . .

These are the hardest working teams in baseball: Washington Nationals, Detroit Tigers, and Pittsburgh Pirates . .

Pirate manager Lloyd McClendon has taken his share of flak over the last few years, but he always has his team playing hard every game . . . and don’t look now, but the Pirates are at the .500 mark . . .

Sports Illustrated reported this week that Jim Leyland is interested in returning as a manager . . . the magazine reported that Leyland may end up with the Rockies or Indians . . . hmmmm, what’s going on within the wigwam up in Cleveland . . .

Did you know that 10 current Major League Baseball managers never had minor league managing experience? . . . they are: Dusty Baker (Cubs), Phil Garner (Astros), Ozzie Guillen (White Sox), Lloyd McClendon (Pirates), Bob Melvin (D’backs), Lou Piniella (Devil Rays), Willie Randolph (Mets), Frank Robinson (Nationals), Joe Torre (Yankees), and Alan Trammell (Tigers) . . .

Who should be the manager of the United States team next spring in the first ever World Cup of baseball? . . . early favorites are: Bobby Cox, Joe Torre, or Ron Gardenhire . . .

Which team would Manny Ramirez play on? . . . Baseball America lists him as part of the Puerto Rican team, but Ramirez is now an American citizen . . . so shouldn’t he be playing for the U.S. team? . . . where’s the rule book????

Supposedly Phil Jackson is going to announce if and where he is going to coach next season . . . all reports indicate he will go back to the Los Angeles Lakers . . . I guess Phil’s girl, Jeannie Buss, (who’s father owns the Lakers) has a greater pull if Phil is wanting to put up with Kobe Bryant once again . . .

Whatever happened to Paul Westhead? . . .

Even if the Pistons lose tonight and go down 2-0, I still think they have a good chance at winning it all . . .

Pre-draft rumors indicate that the Milwaukee Bucks may take former North Carolina six man Marvin Williams with the first pick in the draft instead of Utah’s Andrew Bogut . . .

Donald Trump turns 59 this week . . .

Everyone remembers Joe Namath’s famous guarantee before Super Bowl III . . . however, during the regular season, Namath threw only 15 touchdowns and 17 interceptions . . .

Until next time . . . the beat goes on . . .

Quick hits

- The Michigan softball team became the first Big Ten team to win the title . . . the Wolverines upended two-time defending champion UCLA on Wednesday night

- I have never been a big fan of Angelina Jolie, but dang, she looks incredible in her new movie with Brad "Arm" Pitt

- If Natalie Gulbis ever starts winning consistently on the LPGA, she will be a huge star

- Imagine if Anna Kournakova ever won the U.S. Open or Wimbledon . . . her star power would have tripled

- Former Chicago White Sox Ron "Ma and Pa" Kittle has a new book out . . . in the book, Kittle claims that Barry Bonds refused to sign some merchandise that Kittle was going to put up for auction at a charity event . . . Kittle claims Bonds said, "I don't sign for white people" . . . true or not, imagine if someone claimed that a white star such as Tom Brady, Peyton Manning or Roger Clemens said, "I don't sign for black people" . . . hmmmm, imagine the uproar

- Talking about Tom Brady, how about his new contract . . . Brady didn't squeeze every last dime out of the Patriots . . . instead he gave the Pats some wiggle room with the salary cap in order to sign another player or two to keep winning

- Imagine if Ohio State had a freshman quarterback who went 9-3 and led the Buckeyes to the Rose Bowl in his first year . . . Ohio State fans would be clamoring that this kid is a Heisman Trophy front runner . . . hmmm, didn't Chad Henne do that for Michigan last year?

Quick hits

- Tonight is the deciding game in women's softball between UCLA and Michigan

- I'm still undecided on my prediction for the NBA title . . . I like both teams and their emphasis on "team" play

- The Yankees may be done this time . . . after a losing streak early in the season, the Yanks erupted in early May behind the hot stick of Tino Martinez . . . suddenly the Bronx Bummers are 2 games under .500 and have lost nine of ten . . . if this continues the ax may fall on Joe Torre which is something that I dread

- A great site for Ohio high school football is www.jjhuddle.com . . . however, let me warn you right now -- if you log-on to the college football forum section, DO NOT WRITE ANYTHING REMOTELY CRITICAL OF THE OHIO STATE FOOTBALL PROGRAM . . . trust me . . . even the slightest hint of questioning St. James and his band of hoodlums will get you a one month boot . . .

Random Thoughts - 6/5

It's been a while, but here are some thoughts that have been going around in my head . . .

Kellen Winslow Jr. made a boneheaded mistake by goofing off and getting hurt on a motorcycle . . . okay, the kid made a mistake -- it's time for the media to lay off him already. . .

I sure wish the Cleveland media would get after the criminal activities going on with the Buckeye football program with the same gusto they have with Winslow . . .

I still say Winslow is going to be a beast in the NFL . . .

It was disappointing to see former Buckeye standout Mike Doss get charged with various violations including discharging a gun outside of Canal Park in Akron . . . Doss was the leader of the 2002 National Championship team. . .

Face it Ohio State fans, the Buckeye football program has the criminal reputation of the Miami Hurricanes of the 1980s . . .

Speaking of the Canes, if you ask me, I think head coach Larry Coker needs to have a big season . . . I don't have any inside information, but I get the feeling the pressure is starting to mount on him . . .

Does the island of Hawaii have any slums or housing developments? . . .

If the baseball playoff began today, here would be your match-ups:
American League
Anaheim vs. Chicago
Minnesota vs. Baltimore

National League
Atlanta vs. St. Louis
Chicago vs. San Diego

Before the season began, how many people predicted San Diego, Baltimore, and the White Sox in the playoff race . . ..

Honestly now, how many people predicted that the Yankees and Red Sox would not make the playoffs? . . .

Derek Lee for the Triple Crown? . . .

The Cleveland Indians finally dumped Eddie Murray as a hitting coach . . . Murray better change his attitude if he wants to get back into Major League Baseball . . .

The Michigan softball team may be the first Big Ten team to ever win the college softball World Series . . .

NFL training camp is coming up fast . . .

I got the first pick in my fantasy football draft . . . I leaning toward LaDainian Tomlinson . . .

Great article in last week's Washington Post sports section about Redskins rookie quarterback Jason Campbell . . . he is a good kid . . .

Calling coach Tressel, it's 9:46 a.m., do you know where your star players are? . . .

Whatever happened to former Buckeye tight end John Frank? . . .

I know there are people out there who don't like Shaq, but when was the last time you heard his name in the news linked to drugs, DUI, assault, rape, etc. . . . it was reported that the Big Aristotle is going to pay for the funeral of former Minneapolis Laker great George Mikan . . . Shaq is a good person. . . you gotta love the giant . . .

My money is going on the Miami Heat in Monday night's game seven battle with the defending champion Detroit Pistons . . .

Is Mike Brown the real deal as a head coach? . . .

I say Giacomo will win the Belmont Stakes on Saturday . . .

Remember Thunder Gulch? . . .

What has Smarty Jones been up to lately . . .

Until next time, the beat goes on . . .

College Football Home Records

College Football Home Records....some interesting stuff

Last 5 years.....
1. Oklahoma: 31-1 (.968)
2. Michigan: 30-2 (.937)
3. Miami: 28-3 (.903)
4. LSU: 30-5 (.857)
5. Nebraska: 29-5 (.852)
5. Ohio State: 29-5 (.852)
7. Florida State: 25-5 (.833)
8. Florida: 24-7 (.774)
8. Southern Cal: 24-7 (.774)
10. Tennessee: 25-8 (.757)
11. Oregon: 24-8 (.750)
12. Texas A&M: 21-11 (.656)

Last 10 years.......
1. Florida State: 54-5 (.915)
2. Michigan: 58-6 (.906)
3. Nebraska: 60-7 (.895)
4. Ohio State: 57-9 (.863)
5. Tennessee: 56-9 (.861)
6. Florida: 52-9 (.852)
7. Miami: 49-12 (.803)
8. Oregon: 48-14 (.774)
9. Oklahoma: 45-14 (.762)
10. Texas A&M: 47-15 (.758)
11. LSU: 49-17 (.742)
12. Southern Cal: 44-16 (.733)

Last 15 years......
1. Florida State 81-6-1 (.926)
2. Nebraska 90-9 (.909)
3. Florida 81-11 (.880)
4. Miami 78-13 (.857)
5. Michigan 80-15 (.842)
6. Ohio State 81-15-1 (.840)
7. Tennessee:81-16 (.835)
8. Texas A&M: 76-16-1 (.822)
9. Oklahoma: 67-21 (.761)
10. Oregon 69-24 (.741)
11. Southern Cal: 59-26-2 (.689)
12. LSU 63-33 (.656)

Last 20 years......
1. Florida State: 105-11-1 (.901)
2. Nebraska: 118-13 (.900)
3. Miami: 107-15 (.877)
4. Michigan: 106-20-1 (.841)
5. Texas A&M: 103-21-1 (.828)
6. Florida: 101-21-1 (.825)
7. Ohio State: 103-23-1 (.814)
8. Tennessee: 105-23-3 (.812)
9. Oklahoma: 91-24 (.791)
10. Southern Cal: 83-31-3 (.722)
11. Oregon: 84-33 (.717)
12. LSU: 84-42-2 (.664)

Last 25 years.....
1. Nebraska: 144-20 (.878)
2. Miami: 127-23 (.863)
3. Florida State: 126-21-1 (.854)
4. Michigan: 131-26-1 (.834)
5. Florida: 127-25-2 (.831)
6. Ohio State: 129-29-1 (.814)
7. Oklahoma: 112-30-1 (.786)
8. Tennessee: 126-34-4 (.780)
9. Texas A&M: 119-35-1 (.770)
10. Southern Cal: 103-38-4 (.724)
11. Oregon: 95-48-4 (.659)
12. LSU: 104-54-3 (.655)

Last 30 years........
1. Nebraska: 169-26 (.866)
2. Michigan: 158-30-3 (.835)
3. Florida State: 144-30-1 (.825)
4. Miami: 140-31 (.818)
5. Ohio State: 153-34-2 (.814)
6. Oklahoma: 138-32-1 (.809)
7. Florida: 142-33-4 (.804)
8. Texas A&M: 138-41-1 (.769)
9. Tennessee: 146-46-5 (.753)
10. Southern Cal: 128-42-5 (.745)
11. LSU: 126-64-4 (.659)
12. Oregon: 104-65-4 (.612)

Last 35 years.....
1. Nebraska: 197-30 (.867)
2. Michigan: 189-30-4 (.856)
3. Ohio State: 179-37-3 (.824)
4. Oklahoma: 163-35-1 (.821)
5. Florida: 159-40-5 (.791)
6. Florida State: 158-44-1 (.780)
7. Tennessee: 173-50-6 (.768)
8. Miami: 154-48 (.762)
9. Southern Cal: 147-46-5 (.750)
10. Texas A&M: 151-53-1 (.739)
11. LSU: 155-68-4 (.691)
12. Oregon: 117-78-4 (.597)

College Football

It’s only May, but five ESPN college football analysts gave their early bird look at this year’s top teams:

Ivan Maisel - 1. USC; 2. Texas; 3. Michigan; 4. Iowa; 5. Florida

Pat Forde - 1. USC; 2. Michigan; 3. Texas; 4. Tennessee; 5. Iowa

Bob Davie - 1. USC; 2. Texas; 3. Va. Tech; 4. Tennessee; 5. Ohio State

Mike Gottfried - 1. USC; 2. Ohio State; 3. Texas; 4. Florida; 5. Miami (Fla)

Mark May - 1. USC; 2. Texas; 3. LSU; 4. Iowa; 5. Miami (Fla)

Baseball - A look at April

One month does not make a season . . .

It’s a marathon, not a sprint . . .

What blooms in the spring will wilt in the fall . . .

Well, actually the last saying I just made up, but my point is clear – one month of the baseball season is complete and there are some things that many people would not have expected, such as:
- the New York Yankees 10-14 including a dismal 7-9 at home
- the Cleveland Indians 9-14 with a 3-7 record at home
- the World Champion Red Sox with a 12-11 mark
- the Los Angeles Dodger, Baltimore Orioles and Chicago White Sox leading their divisions
- the Washington Nationals with a winning record

There are still five months left in the season, but it is time for some teams to start to make a little move so they don’t drop too far back from the pack . . . here are my thoughts on the Yankees and Indians:

New York Yankees
The Yanks look old . . . they have not been consistent at the plate . . . they scored 19 runs in one game only to come back with a two run clunker the very next day . . . just this past week, 11 and 12 runs against Texas and Anaheim only to score two runs in the next three games . . .

Tony Womack, Gary Sheffield, and Alex Rodriguez have been playing well . . . Derek Jeter has been hot and outspoken in the locker room trying to get his teammates to play better . . . however, the Yanks no longer get the key hits when they need it most as they did six-seven years ago . . .

The pitching staff sucks . . . the best thing to happen to the staff is that Jaret Wright got hurt . . . Steinbrenner and Cashman made a huge mistake by signing this lunkhead . . . Kevin Brown and Mike Mussina are inconsistent and always give up that one big inning that is costly . . . it finally looks like Randy Johnson is starting to come around a bit . . . the bullpen is atrocious . . . Tom Gordon must be let go before he costs the team any more games

The Yankees need to start bringing up their youngsters in the minors . . . the young kids could do just the same as Gordon, Sturtze, Wright, Stanton, etc and for a lesser price . . . the Yankees have issues that may be difficult to correct

Cleveland Indians
The famous line coming out of Cleveland, "it’s only April" . . . but so far, the Indians look like they have taken a few steps backward in what was supposed to be a division winning year . . . Cleveland played well last year as some of the "kids" such as Victor Martinez, Travis Hafner, and Ben Broussard played well . . . but not so fast my friends . . .

After a decent 2004 season, the fans and organization believed the Indians would automatically make the next move in its progression – win the Central Division . . . but they forget what happened to the Kansas City Royals just two years ago . .

In 2003 the Royals played a lot of young kids and finished with a record of 83-79 . . . some predicted Kansas City to possibly win the division last year – instead, the Royals finished with a 58-104 mark . . . all the young talent fizzled last year – and that may be what is happening to Cleveland . . .

Who is to say that Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner didn’t have their career year last season? . . . sure Larry Dolan is signing all these young guys to three-to-four year contracts to keep them from going elsewhere, but who is to say these players are that good?

Bob Wickman is shot as a closer . . . let’s also face facts, Cliff Lee and Jason Davis are below average pitchers . . .
As far as the offense goes, Grady Sizemore was ballyhooed as the next great Indians star . . . instead he may be the next Jody Gerut, Russ Branyan, etc . . . Jhonny Peralta is struggling in the field and prize prospect Brandon Phillips hits well in Buffalo, but falters in the Big Show . . .

Rafael Bettancourt has been impressive out of the bullpen . . . and I like the hard nosed play of Casey Blake . . . Chi Chi has also gotten off to a good start . . .

The names have changed in Cleveland but the same ole public relations machine is at it again – all these young players are supposed to be the next Jim Thome or Albert Belle – instead they look like just ordinary average ball players

The Top 10
Here are the 10 best teams in baseball after the month of April
1. Marlins - I just like this team – they may just win it all again
2. Cardinals - this team will be on cruise control until playoff time
3. White Sox - the South Siders have something going
4. Twins - Santana is the best pitcher in baseball
5. Dodgers - who would have thunk it – the Dodgers are in first place without closer Gagne
6. Orioles - Angelos spent a little money and had a winning April
7. Braves - what would a top 10 list be without Bobby Cox and his new look Braves
8. Red Sox - the Champs have some issues with their pitching staff
9. Athletics - the A’s are hanging tough despite losing Hudson and Mulder in the off-season
10. Nationals - they are the inspirational story of the year – a change of scenery does a body good

Interesting stories

In the news:

A player's battles to get to The Show

Washington Post

King Schill's views

ESPN

Grandpa Joe Table

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

A look to the past

Bill Plaschke - L.A. Times

The Cookie Monster lives!
Boston Globe

Curbstone Coaches - 2005 Inductees

GUS HLEBOVY - FOOTBALL
Considered one of the greatest all-around backs to ever come out of the City, Gus Hlebovy was also one of a bevy of football players who upon graduation from Woodrow Wilson H.S. brought national recognition to the area with his exploits on the collegiate field of play.

Born on October 28, 1928, Hlebovy this year joins Chaney H.S. stars Jim Calcagni and Matt Cavanaugh from a more recent grid era as one of three City Series stars to be so honored with enshrinement into the Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame.

A 1947 graduate of W.W.H.S., he was a three-year letterwinner and an integral part of their undefeated 1946 squad, a team that many arguably still call one of the best high school teams from the area ever to lace up their spikes.

He was an excellent underclassman, but his star never shone so brightly than during his senior season when he was named the “Outstanding Halfback” on the league’s First-Team, then topped off his accolades that year when he was named to both the All-County and All-State squads as well.

Upon graduation he earned a scholarship to the University of Georgia where he played for famed head coach Wally Butts, a familiar face who heavily recruited players from the Mahoning Valley area.

Butts compiled a 140-86-9 overall mark as the head coach of the Bulldogs from 1939-60, and during Hlebovy’s collegiate career (from 1947-50) the Bulldogs contributed a 26-15-5 ledger in 46 contests with three winning seasons, three trips to a post-season bowl game and just one losing campaign.

As a freshman in 1947 the team posted a 7-4-1 mark with Hlebovy playing in the Gator Bowl on New Year’s Day, a 20-20 tie against the University of Maryland.

As a sophomore the following year he helped the team to a 9-2-0 overall mark and the Southeastern Conference title. The team didn’t fare too well in the post-season, however, as they fell to the University of Texas, 41-20, in the Orange Bowl on New Year’s Day.

His junior campaign was a forgettable one record-wise as the team posted a sub-average 4-6-1 mark, but in his final year of eligibility in 1950, the Bulldogs went 6-3-3 overall and earned a trip to the Presidential Cup Bowl, a 40-20 loss at the hands of Texas A&M University.

He and his wife, the former Carolyn Premozich, recently celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary and they are the parents of a daughter, Kathy (Powell), and three sons, Terry, Gus, Jr. and James.

His grandson, Gus, is currently a member of the Vermont Expos, a Class “A” minor league affiliate of the parent Washington Nationals (formerly the Montreal Expos) farm system. He and his wife currently reside in Coitsville.

JIM CALCAGNI - FOOTBALL
As one of three football inductees in this year’s Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame class, Jim Calcagni could very easily have been considered in the baseball category as well.

Born August 2, 1952, he was a star Little Leaguer in the Uptown Kiwanis League (he was an All-Star as a 12 year-old), played for the Local 1330 entry in Pony League (he was an All-Star as a 14 year-old, leading the team in batting that post-season) where he helped the local squad to the state finals then after one year and an All-Star selection in the local Colt League, played for Curbstone Coaches Hall of Famer Al Boggia and his Falcon Foundry Class “B” entry.

While injuries to both knees and shoulders took their toll when he played the diamond game, he was just getting tuned up as a scholastic grid star at nearby Chaney H.S., then collegiately at Adrian College.

His grid career began when he attended St. Brendan’s Catholic School, his first year of organized competition coming as a seventh-grader for the school’s 105-lb. entry.

He later played for the 125-lb. squad and as a running back/linebacker, helped both teams to their respective league titles.

The following year he played for the 125-lb squad, and in the title contest helped his squad once again to the league crown as he ran for over 250 yards and four touchdowns in the championship game.

He attended Volney Rogers Junior High School and had to settle for the hardwood game as the school fielded no football team. He served as a manager for the Cowboys’ varsity, but that would be the last time that he’d roam the sidelines as a non-participant for the next three years.

In 1967, his sophomore season, he played on both sides of the football as he lettered for Head Coach Red Angelo by playing halfback, fullback and tight end on the offensive side of the ball, linebacker, cornerback and safety defensively while returning both punts and kick-offs as well.

As a junior he led the team in fumble recoveries and was the second leading tackler, helping the team to the City Series title. For his efforts he was voted to the All-City Series squad.

During his senior campaign the team won their second straight league title (they went 8-2 overall) as he played both halfback and linebacker, earning his third straight letter under Angelo’s tutelage. He led the team in tackles, was second in both rushing and scoring and was voted the first recipient of the Mike DeNiro Award, emblematic of the team’s top defensive player for the season.

An All-City Series selection for the second straight year (this time at halfback), he was also voted to both the All-State and All-Northeastern Ohio squads as a linebacker.

His junior year (1972) was the final season with Davis and the team responded by winning their third straight conference title. He was voted team “Most Valuable Player” as he led the squad in tackles for the third straight season, earning runner-up conference MVP plaudits as well. This time he was named to the All-M.I.A.A. First-Team defensive unit.
As a senior he earned his fourth letter, playing for another local product, Tom Heckert who succeeded Davis as the head coach. In all, he played on nine football teams and seven won their respective league titles.

Along with brothers Ron and Mark, the Calcagni name on the West Side is as recognizable as any sports’ family name in the entire Mahoning Valley.

For the past 30 years he has been employed by Delphi Packard Electric Systems where he presently works as a manufacturing general supervisor. He also is the co-inventor and holder of a U.S. patent for a cable returnable container.

He is married to the former Debbie Naples and they are the proud parents of a son, Chris, and daughter, Angie. They reside in Canfield.

JOE FALGIANI - POSTHUMOUS AWARD - (Contribution to Sports)
The Curbstone Coaches organization is currently in its sixth decade of existence, and between its weekly gatherings and hall of fame selection committee meetings that are held, many dedicated individuals have helped to make it one of the most formidable groups in the Mahoning Valley.

During the 1980’s and well into the new millennium, a three-decade span, arguably no individual took to heart his assignment with both the weekly meetings and its glorious hall of fame banquet than Joe Falgiani.

Born on October 12, 1937, Falgiani enters this year’s hall of fame as a posthumous selection in its contribution to sports category.

A product of the Youngstown School System and a native of the city’s Brier Hill section, he graduated from The Rayen School in 1955. Although not an active sports participant, his enthusiasm for sports was second to none and he made sure that he helped to develop both young men and women academically and athletically.

Upon graduation he was hired by the Youngstown School System to teach English and Latin at Hillman Jr. High School. He eventually moved to Volney Rogers in 1966 where he continued to teach his favorite subjects, leaving in 1982 when he was named Director of the Skills Training Center for the Youngstown Public Schools.

He remained at that post until 1989 when health problems forced him into premature retirement, but during his time with the Skills Center he met then President of the Curbstone Coaches organization, Val Carano, and it was Val who he credited with bringing him into the organization, circa 1980.

Falgiani held numerous positions within the organization and during his tenure was a longtime trustee who served as a chairperson for it numerous committees.

A moving force behind membership drives, the Hall of Fame banquet and a number of other activities, there was no one more important or contributed more to the success of the high school football and basketball recognition banquets than Falgiani.

During his tenure as the chairperson of the aforementioned events, most notably the hall of fame banquets, all achieved unparalleled success. His organizational skills, his unselfish dedication and devotion to today’s student-athletes and his contributions to the Curbstone Coaches organization as a whole will never be forgotten.

On May 22nd, the day will mark two years since his passing.

His contributions, most especially his affectionate smile and valuable input on key decisions that had to be made, are sadly missed to this day by the organization.

King Schill needs to get crowned

Curt Schilling needs to get taken down a few pegs . . . let’s face facts, the reason most sports fans deal with him and his inflated ego is because he has been a thorn in the side of the hated New York Yankees . . .

Since winning the world over after his "tear jerking" performance in the ALCS and World Series last year, Schill has been running from the mouth as if God, or at least the ghost of Happy Chandler, made him "premier of baseball" . . .

After a series of beanballs on Sunday between the Red Sox and Devil Rays, which have been on going for the last few years, his "royal highness" spoke about the atrocities committed by Tampa manager Lou Piniella . . . King Schill proclaimed,

"The problem is when you're playing a team with a manager who somehow forgot how the game is played, there's problems. This should have been over a little bit ago. Lou's trying to make his team be a bunch of tough guys, and the telling sign is when the players on that team are saying, 'This is why we lose 100 games a year, because this idiot makes us do stuff like this.' They [Rays players] said that on the field."

It’s funny how Schilling is all high and mighty and "knows how the game should be played" . . . it took him a while because for the early part of his career, Schilling was a screw up who never lived up to his potential . . . but I guess after beating the Yankees, King Schill feels he is the authority of the league . . .

Sex habits of highly sexual women

Below are the "supposed" six habits of highly sexual women . . . the article was written by Laura Snyder . . . she wrote, "Bedroom bliss can be yours - every time! - with this advice from women who regularly scale sexual peaks. Here, their mantras for a moan-worthy sex life:

#1 - Know Your Rights
Lusty ladies don't take a cross-your-fingers approach to climaxing. Men assume they'll reach their pleasure peak, so why shouldn't you? Call it self-fulfilling prophecy, but if you get under the covers believing sexual nirvana is inevitable, that faith - along with you actively doing what you need to do to make it happen - will get you there

#2: Let Loose
Relaaaaax. Sex is not rocket science. It won't cure cancer, or promote world peace, or change lives. So getting all worked up and stressed out about it makes about as much sense as worrying you're not eating your chocolate cake right. Just have fun!

#3: Sharpen Your Mental Focus
Have you ever caught yourself composing your grocery list or thinking back over your workday while you're in the act? That's a big no-no for highly sexual women. They've learned that to really achieve bedroom bliss, they must harness their biggest sexual organs: their minds. Clear your mind of nagging worries and distractions and you'll clear the way for mind-blowing sex.

#4: Don't Wait for Lust to Strike
Highly sexy people don't save their lascivious thoughts for the half-hour they're actually making love. Au contraire! Their sexiness rests on a foundation that encourages erotic thoughts, antasies and plans, all day long. It sure breaks a tedious board meeting, that's for sure.

#5: Know Thyself
She knows exactly what spot on her inner thigh makes her shudder with pleasure or what kind of kiss makes her swoon with delight. Just as important, she'll be happy to give polite directions to all bedroom visitors and can read her partner's own road signs to the promised land.

#6: Don't Discriminate
Highly sexual women are equal-opportunists; they don't discriminate against climaxes. Hey, a million bucks is a million bucks -- would you complain if it came in gold bars instead of bills? So don't worry if you can only achieve your peak one particular way... just keep on getting there.

Most depressed cities

Men's Health compiled this list based on antidepressant sales, courtesy of NDC Health; suicide rates, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC); and the number of days inhabitants reported being depressed, based on the CDC's Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, accessed through bestplaces.net

The 20 Most Depressed Cities
1. Philadelphia, PA: F
2. Detroit, MI: F
3. St. Petersburg, FL: F
4. St. Louis, MO: F
5. Tampa, FL: F
6. Indianapolis, IN: F
7. (3-way tie) Mesa, AZ: F, Phoenix, AZ: F, and Scottsdale, AZ: F
10. Cleveland, OH: F
11. New York, NY: D-
12. Salt Lake City, UT: D-
13. Atlanta, GA: D
14. (3-way tie) Yonkers, NY: D, Pittsburgh, PA: D, and Kansas City, MO: D
17. (3-way tie) Long Beach, CA: D, Los Angeles, CA: D, Nashville, TN" D
20. Portland, OR: D

Rundown on Browns draft picks

Here are some snippets of what Mel Kiper wrote about the 8 players the Browns selected:

Braylon Edwards, Michigan, wr - I compare his game to a big time homerun hitter in baseball; while you get the long ball, there are also a few strikeouts that come with them . . . in Edwards case you sacrifice a drop every now and then for his overall talent and tremendouse big play. game-changing ability

Brodney Pool, Oklahoma, s - Pool has the overall package of skills you look for in a free safety . . . last year Pool wasn't able to deliver the big play type of performances . . . qualifies as a good, not a great pro prospect

Charlie Frye, Akron, qb - Frye has a knack for making the best of whatever situation he's thrust in to . . . while he won't necessarily turn heads in practice, when you combine his skill level with his tremendous desire and competitive spirit, it's easy to see why he almost singlehandedly elevated the Zips to a bowl game . . .

Antonio Perkins, Oklahoma, cb - Perkins has ability in the secondary, but it's on special teams where he presents outstanding value with his superior punt return ability

David McMillan, Kansas, de - If he can align his football skills with his athletic ability, McMillan has a chance to be a nice prospect at the next level

Nick Speegle, New Mexico, olb - no data written about him - was ranked 34th best at his position

Andrew Hoffman, Virginia, dt - no data written about him - was ranked 20th best at his position

Jon Dunn, Virginia Tech, ot - no data written about him - was ranked 24th best at his position

Curbstone Coaches - Class of 2005

Sunday, May 1st at 6:00 p.m. is the annual Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame Induction ceremony at Mr. Anthony's Banquet Center . . . throughout the week I will be posting profiles of this year's inductees:

BILLY JOHNSON - BASKETBALL
For 38 years, Dom Rosselli roamed the sidelines as the most successful coach in YSU basketball (and baseball) history.
He posted 589 wins in the cage sport and another 418 on the diamond, coaching All-Americans and All-League performers in each sport along the way.
He refuses to pick an all-time team in either sport for fear that he might overlook someone or not afford them the due of which they have coming.
Deep down though, if he were pressed hard enough, one can almost be assured that he would tell you that former guard Billy Johnson, of all the former players he had the good fortune to coach, has held to this day a very special place in both his and his family’s hearts.
Born on August 27, 1949, this Canton, OH native is a 1967 graduate of Canton Lincoln H.S. where he earned All-City Second-Team laurels, led the team in assists and free throw shooting his final two seasons while helping them to a state semi-final appearance his senior campaign.
He earned a scholarship to Youngstown State University and from the moment he stepped foot on the YSU campus, the Rosselli-Johnson combination seemed to click.
That combination produced an 82-25 overall mark resulting in two NCAA/Division II post-season appearances in the Mideast Regional, those coming during his sophomore and senior seasons.
He scored just 148 points his freshman year as the Penguins posted a 19-7 overall mark. His acclimation to the college game, however, was now complete and opponents the next three seasons would pay when they faced the Johnson-led Penguins.
As a sophomore during the 1969-70 season, his 582 total points (23.3. ppg) set the all-time sophomore scoring standard as the team posted a 22-5 overall mark en-route to post-season play at the Mideast Regional in Reading, PA. He led the team in assists, was named to the NCAA Tournament First-Team, earned The Pittsburgh Press’ First-Team All-District “Player of the Year” honors while their 18 consecutive wins that season is still the most ever recorded by any Penguin cage team.
He earned Associated Press Little All-America honors his junior season, led the team in scoring with 474 total points (an average of 19.8 per game), was tops in assists (7.1 per outing), once again earned First-Team All-District honors from The Pittsburgh Press while his 20 consecutive free throws set the standard in that category.
As a senior in 1971-72 he led the team with 522 (18.0 ppg) points while his nine assists per outing was tops on the squad for the third consecutive season. His 239 assists that year set the all-time mark (the record still stands today) while the Penguins returned to tournament action, this time competing in the Mideast Regional which was held on the campus of the University of Akron.
For his efforts he was once again named by The Pittsburgh Press’ as its “Player of the Year” (the only player to win the award twice), earning First-Team All-District honors and United Press International All-America honors as well.
He scored 1,726 career points (still seventh all-time) and was selected to play in both the North-South Basketball Classic in Erie, PA, and the first-ever NCAA-NAIA All-Star Game.
His 20 consecutive free throws is still fifth on the all-time YSU legend while his 706 career field goals and 314 career free throws made are sixth all-time in those respective categories. His 408 free throws attempted are seventh most all-time while his 392 assists is fourth overall in that category.
Upon his graduation from YSU (he earned his BS in Elementary Education in 1972) he underwent a serious lung operation as many YSU fans and family members donated monies necessary to help defray the cost of the operation, a gesture to this day that still brings tears to his eyes when he thinks about their love, prayers and generous, giving ways.
Retired after 30 years of service as the Canton Recreation Director, his versatility extended way beyond the boundaries of the basketball court since his graduation.
In 1979, he won an Emmy for comedy material that he had written for a Cleveland television show while from 1978-81, he wrote and produced a comedy service for radio disc jockeys throughout America and in several foreign countries.
He teamed with legendary Cleveland radio personality John Lanigan from 1980-84 to produce a radio show called “Sports Shorts” and in 1992 he began writing and drawing cartoons that were published in many national magazines.
Always the entrepreneur, he invented a product called “Wheel Easy” in 1998, a cleaning stand for motorcycles that was picked up by Harley-Davidson and is sold worldwide.
In 2000, the tennis complex in his hometown of Canton was named after him (he teamed with wife Karen to win the national mixed doubles tennis tournament, played at Flushing Meadows, NY during the U.S. Open) while in 2004 he won the Distinguished Alumni Award from his alma mater, Lincoln, H.S.
He and his wife of 35 years, Karen, are the parents of a daughter, Tiffany (Justin) Atkinson. They have one grandson, Troy, and they reside in Canton.

DAVE COLLER - GOLF
When you look at the list of area golf notables over the years, one name surely to come up is that of Dave Coller.
A native of Hubbard and a 1965 graduate of Hubbard High School, Coller has been a golf professional for the past 35 years, winning numerous sanctioned professional tournaments in both California and Ohio during that span.
Born on September 7, 1947, he was a four-year letterwinner for the Eagles from 1961-65, playing his first varsity match as a ninth-grader during the 1962 season.
He helped the Eagles to a third-place finish in the state of Ohio during his sophomore campaign in 1963 and was District medallist his senior year in 1965, shooting a District record 67 to claim top honors.
He was an integral part of Ohio State University’s links team from 1965-69, majoring in Turf Management during his four-year stay on the Columbus, OH campus.
He later coached the golf team at his high school alma mater from 1969-71, leading the Eagles to the 1971 O.H.S.A.A. (Ohio State High School Athletic Association) golf title.
From 1973-74 he served as the head golf professional at the Escondido Country Club in Escondido, CA, returning to the area as the head golf professional at the Henry Stambaugh Golf Course in 1974, a post that he held until 1978.
In 1978 he became the head golf professional at the Hubbard Golf Course, remaining in that capacity until 1995 when he accepted the head golf professional post at Oak Tree Country Club in West Middlesex, PA.
Since 2000, he has served as the Director of Golf at the Pine Lakes Golf Club in Hubbard.
He was named the 1971 Ohio “Coach of the Year” when the Eagles won the state title and in 1985, was recognized by the Northern Ohio PGA for his contributions to Junior Golf.
He and his wife, Beverly, reside in Hubbard and they are the parents of two daughters; Christine (Windt) and Lori. They have two grandchildren.


DONALD LEONHART - POSTHUMOUS SELECTION - (Bowling/Golf)
As one of two posthumous selections in this year’s Curbstone Coaches Hall of Fame class, Donald F. Leonhart had the unique distinction of being an excellent bowler and masterful linksman.
A Youngstown native, he was born on February 7, 1919 and passed away on October 5, 1999. During his athletic heyday, however, he commanded the respect of his peers at both the alley’s and on the golf course, a claim that not many from the two sports can make.
He attended Chaney and graduated from Austintown Fitch H.S. in 1937. It was upon his graduation from Fitch that he had posted the highest grade point average in the school system up to that time.
He entered The Ohio State University School of Engineering and later attended the Alexander Hamilton Business School in Philadelphia, PA.
A Navy veteran who was stationed in Guam during World War II, he worked for 33 years at the Youngstown Steel Door Co., retiring as the vice-president of manufacturing in 1972.
He also served as office manager for Powell Systems for 20 years upon his retirement.
A charter member of the Church League, he bowled in that league for over 60 years and was the last remaining member of that famed local aggregation. Over the years he bowled in many leagues, was a part of 32 City Tournaments, 14 ABC Tournaments and 10 Ohio State Tourneys.
He maintained a 180+ average for most of his 60 participatory years, including a personal high 206 mark in the mid-1950’s.
In 1965 he won the Youngstown City Tournament Singles crown and on April 1, 1969, his 786 set at Gran Lanes in the Suburban Scratch League set the standard at the time for highest set at that particular alley.
On April 5, 1975, he was enshrined in the Y.M.B.A. (Youngstown Men’s Bowling Association) Hall of Fame then on September 9, 1979, recorded the first of his two holes-in-one, that coming on the #18 hole at the Tippecanoe Country Club.
He recorded his second “ace” on October 9, 1988, also at the Tippecanoe Country Club only this time on the #3 hole.
He both bowled and golfed in many charity events over the years and in 1994, captured the Senior Golf Championship (for 70 and over entries), again at the Tippecanoe C.C.
He won many medals for bowling while competing in the local Senior Olympics, continuing to bowl and golf up until the last three months of his life despite losing his sight in his right eye some six years prior to his death.
He and his wife Lucille were the proud parents of two sons, Al and Dale, and daughter Donna.

Albom disciplined

Mitch Albom, 3 others disciplined

Albom Article

Talk on Clarett

Here is what the Denver media is saying about the Broncos selecting Maurice Clarett:

Denver Post

Jim Armstrong - Denver Post

Clarett a Bronco

Former Ohio State star running back Maurice Clarett was drafter by the Denver Broncos . . . Developing ...

Draft thoughts

Some quick thoughts on the first round of the draft:
- Why did ESPN hire St. Louis Rams wide receiver Tory Holt as an analyst? . . . he did not provide any good insight and continually mispronounced players’ names . . .

- As usual, Mel Kiper and Chris Mortenson were solid with their analysis . . . that is what us draftniks want . . .

- Every person watching the draft had to feel for Cal quarterback Aaron Rodgers . . . after being projected as a top 7 pick, Rodgers had to sit for hours and watch his stock fall until the Packers picked him at number 24 . . .

- I love Miami’s selection of running back Ronnie Brown . . . I watched him at Auburn and was impressed . . . Brown never ran out-of-bounds, instead he would drop his shoulder and take on defenders . . .

- The Browns have weapons . . . Braylon Edwards, Kellen Winslow, and Antonio Bryant are three receivers who will stretch a defense . . .

- Joey Harrington will be done in Detroit if he gets off to a poor start . . . with three stud receivers in Roy Williams, Charlie Rogers, and now Mike Williams . . . whew!!!

- I was impressed with Texas running back Cedric Benson . . . during the last few months, Benson was often compared to another former Texas back – Ricky "I never met a joint I could refuse" Williams . . . but Benson got clean shaved and lost the dreadlocks . . . like he told Suzy Kolber, he considered himself being interviewed for a job just like anyone else and he wanted to leave a good impression . . .

- Talking about Suzy Kolber, she looked good -- as usual . . .

- Mort and Mel stated that first pick, Alex Smith will probably be the starting quarterback for the 49ers this season . . . I just don’t understand why the media, last year, kept making a big thing about Eli Manning starting for the Giants as the season wore on . . . cripe, let the kid play so he can learn . . . I still believe that Bill Parcells stayed with Vinny Testaverde too long instead of giving Drew Henson or Tony Romo an opportunity to learn . . .
- Jacksonville jumped on Matt Jones early . . . this will be a hit or miss pick . . . how many 6'6" white boys can run the 40 in 4.39? . . .

- Detroit got a steal of defensive lineman Shaun Cody in round two . . .

Are you ready for some football?

God gave us football fans a reprieve today with the weather. . . it's cloudy, cold, and dreary -- yeh baby, it's football weather in April . . . the draft is less than an hour away . . . just ordered my gyros and wings . . . have my Mel Kiper draft book and cheat sheets next to my new fat leather La-Z-Boy . . . baby, life is sweet!

Mitch Albom Scandal

As most of you know, award winning sports journalist Mitch Albom, of the Detroit Free Press, is under fire for fabricating one of his recent columns . . . this interesting article appeared in the L.A. Times:

L.A. Times

First round predictions

Here are my predictions for the first round . . . things may change because of trades, which will occur . . . but I can only go by what the draft order is at this time

1. 49ers - the latest indicates Alex Smith – A. Smith, qb, Utah
2. Dolphins - they are blowing smoke by talking about Edwards . . . they go with a stud back - R. Brown, rb, Auburn
3. Browns - Cleveland needs a star playmaker . . . they get him - B. Edwards, wr, Michigan
4. Bears - Chicago needs a good running back . . . plus, with Thomas Jones there, the rookie isn’t rushed into the fracas - C. Williams, rb, Auburn
5. Buccaneers - Rodgers star has fallen . . . and Gruden is there to pick him up - A. Rodgers, qb, Cal
6. Titans - the team needs corners, but will get a familiar weapon for Norm Chow - M. Williams, wr, Southern Cal
7. Vikings - Vikes will try and move up . . . if Edwards is gone, they go defense - P.M. Jones, cb, West Virginia
8. Cardinals - if they make the trade for Travis Henry, they go cb here . . . if not, they go running back - C. Benson, rb, Texas
9. Redskins - there is so much talk coming out of Redskin Park who knows what is really happening . . . if they stay here with this pick, the choice is easy - A. Rolle, cb, Miami

10. Lions - "experts" have them taking Johnson from Texas . . . not so fast my friend - S. Merriman, dl/lb, Maryland
11. Cowboys - Parcells likes those guys from little schools - D. Ware, de, Troy State
12. Chargers - surprise surprise . . . look who is here - D. Johnson, lb, Texas
13. Texans - they go with best offensive lineman on the board - A. Barron, ot, Florida State
14. Panthers - John Fox loves defensive lineman to team up with Peppers - M. Spears, de, LSU
15. Chiefs - this is a perfect fit . . . the emotional Dick Vermeil needs defense . . . who better than this textbook kid whose motor is always going - D. Pollack, de/lb, Georgia
16. Saints - who knows which way this team is going? . . . T. Johnson, dt, Florida State
17. Bengals - Cinncy will love it if this guy is here - C. Rogers, cb, Auburn
18. Vikings - Tice missed out on a receiver earlier . . . not this time though - R. White, wr, UAB
19. Rams - it seems like they always need defense - D. Cody, de, Oklahoma

20. Cowboys - team needs a receiver . . . and this guy has slipped - T. Williamson, wr, South Carolina
21. Jaguars - they need help in the secondary - M. Jackson, cb, Michigan
22. Ravens - they lost Baxter to free agency . . . need to fill that hole - J. Miller, cb, Clemson
23. Seahawks - Holmgren will quickly snatch up this pass rush specialist - E. James, de, Wisconsin
24. Packers - they need help on defense . . . S. Cody, de, Southern Cal
25. Redskins - I’m going with what the talk is - J. Campbell, qb, Auburn
26. Raiders - they traded cb Buchanon earlier in the week . . . they go with this burner - F. Washington, cb, Nebraska
27. Falcons - Mora planned on going with defense, but he cannot pass up this kid - M. Clayton, wr, Oklahoma
28. Chargers - they went with a linebacker earlier . . . they might as well stay on that side of the ball - M. Roth, de, Iowa
29. Colts - defense!!! - T. Davis, lb, Georgia

30. Steelers - this is a perfect fit - M. Jones, wr/te, Arkansas
31. Eagles - they go with best player at his position - H. Miller, te, Virginia
32. Patriots - the Champs have some holes to fill . . . they go with a versatile player - D. Baas, ol, Michigan

Here is where I predict some individual players end up:
- Maurice Clarett, rb, Ohio State - 5th round - Seahawks or Cardinals
- Mike Nugent, k, Ohio State - 2nd round - Chiefs
- Walter Reyes, rb, Syracuse - 4th round - Steelers
- Charlie Frye, qb, Akron - 2nd round - Saints

8 episodes

Kojak began sucking on lollipops on the eighth episode . . . in fact one of his detectives even asked him why he has been eating lollipops . . . Kojak responded, "I'm trying to bridge the generational gap" . . .

Are the Cavs committed to a championship?

The clock is ticking in Cleveland . . . two years may seem like a lot of time, but it isn't . . . in fact, the clock is ticking right now for the management of the Cleveland Cavaliers . . . the time is now . . .

The Cavs meteoric fall from a playoff spot has obviously left a sour taste with Lebron James as rumors continue to swirl that he will bolt from his hometown team once he becomes a free agent in 2 years . . . we will now see if the Cavs are truly serious about winning a title or is this once again lip service from another Clevelander . . .

If the Cavs are serious about keeping Lebron and winning a championship, then they need to show it by putting down the money and committing to Phil Jackson . . . I don't want to hear names like Flip Saunders, Mo Cheeks, Jim Calhoun, etc, etc, etc . . . don't get me wrong, these are all good coaches . . . however, they don't bring that instant credibility like the name Phil Jackson . . . when you sign Phil Jackson then you make a statement to the rest of the league that you are committed to winning . . .

Money is not the only thing that will make Jackson commit to Cleveland . . . the Cavs ownership must also secure another quality player or two in order to help Lebron . . . Jackson is not coming to Cleveland if the owners don't promise to get him the parts he needs in order to win . . . Lebron himself cannot do it . . . over the last month it is clear that Lebron is the type of player who can take over a game -- but he also needs help such as a Scottie Pippen-like player who can score and play defense . . . Lebron is taking them as far as he can by himself -- he needs help which means the Cavs have to open the wallet . . .

When Cleveland drafted Lebron they had to understand that they have to spend not only on him, but for other quality players as well in order to keep him happy to stay in Cleveland . . . Lebron is not going to give the Cavs a "hometown" discount . . . ask the Indians if Albert Belle, Manny Ramirez, and Jim Thome gave them a "hometown discount". . .

The ball is in the Cavs court -- the best coach is out there for their taking -- but will we once again wait to see if another Cleveland sports team refuses to put up the money in order to make a full out effort to win a championship . . .

The clock is ticking . . .

Draft thoughts

- Is it just me or is the honeymoon over for T.O. in Philly? . . . I'm not saying it's going to happen, but I would not be stunned if T.O. was traded . . . ever since he opened his trap last week when he demanded more money, things have not been happy in Eagleland . . .

- ESPN reports that the Redskins are hot for Auburn quarterback Jason Campbell . . .

- I think the 49ers are bluffing about taking Alex Smith at number one . . .

- Minnesota will not sit pat at number 7 because they covet either Braylon Edwards or Mike Williams . . .

- Someone is going to drop -- will that be Cadillac Williams, Pac Man Jones, or Cedric Benson? . . .

- This is the best draft in years because of the uncertainty . . .

- I'm not sold on Aaron Rogers or Alex Smith . . .

- Maurice Clarett will get drafted - why not? . . . I would gamble on the kid in the fifth or sixth round . . . you have nothing to lose . . . if he is a lunkhead in training camp -- you cut him . . . Clarett may be able to play in the NFL if he is in the right situation . . . it would be best for him to get drafted by a team far away from Ohio . . . he would fit well with Arizona because Denny Green is used to dealing with lunkheads (ala Moss) . . .

- Remember when Auburn's Aundray Bruce was the first pick of the draft . . .

- If the Browns draft Braylon Edwards, they will have two weapons next season . . . don't forget they also have Kellen Winslow . . . suddenly the Browns could become a bit dangerous . . .

NFL Draft Preview - New England Patriots

New England Patriots - Bill Belichick

Despite being the defending champions, the Pats have some holes to fill . . . New England lost Joe Andruzzi on the offensive line, Ty Law at corner, and Roman Phifer at linebacker due to free agency/salary cap casualties . . . then there was the unexpected health condition of linebacker Tedi Bruschi, who may not play this season . . .

This team has some work to do during Saturday's draft . . . speculation from the draft experts indicate the Patriots will be going with a cornerback with the last pick of the first round (number 32 overall) . . . that may be the wise move, but much like the Steelers who also have concerns at corner, there is an abundance of depth at corner in this year's draft, so don't be surprised if the Patriots look elsewhere in the first round . . .

It would not surprise me if the Patriots selected Michigan offensive lineman David Baas because of his versatality on the line . . . Baas started at guard for the Wolverines then moved to center last season and was co-winner of the Rimington Award . . . Baas has been impressive during workouts and has a the mean streak that offensive linemen need . . .

Everything may be pointing to the Patriots taking a cornerback at number 32, but don't be surprised if they go with Baas or another offensive lineman . . .

Death of two sports figures

On Monday the sports world lost two sports figures . . . 45-year-old Sam Mills died from cancer of the intestines . . . Mills was a former All-Pro linebacker for the Saints and Panthers

Also on Monday, former college basketball coach Clarence "Big House" Gaines died from complications of stroke which he suffered on Saturday . . . Gaines, who was 81-years-old, coached for 47 seasons at Winston-Salem State where he rang up 828 wins which ranks him fifth all-time on the NCAA career list behind Dean Smith, Adolph Rupp, Bob Knight, and Jim Phelan . . .

Deceiving score

It's true that the Yankee bats woke up last night after The Boss' mandate after getting their clocks cleaned by Baltimore this weekend . . . New York smoked Tampa Bay 19-8, however Yankee fans should not be breathing easier . . . luckily the offense erupted for 13 runs in the second inning because once again Jaret Wright had another poor performance on the mound . . .

Wright pitched 5.1 innings and gave up 11 hits and 8 earned runs . . . as I have said before, and will continue to say throughout the season, New York made a big mistake by giving this head case a three-year contract worth $7 million a year . . . he was garbage in Cleveland and lucky in Atlanta . . .

Take away the 13 runs that were scored in the second inning, and the Yanks lose 8-6 . . . The Boss should not be pleased with what he has seen from his pitching staff so far this season . . . tonight Randy Johnson starts for the Bombers . . . he has been unimpressive so far this year . . .

There is only 1 Kojak

USA Network is bringing back the old detective series Kojak with Ving Rhames as the star . . . Rhames may be a good actor but there is only one Theo Kojak and that is Telly Savalas, my Greek phillo (friend)

This past weekend I bought the first season of the original Kojak at DVD . . . Savalas was one smooth dude as Kojak . . . also starring on the show was Savalas' brother who played Stavros, another NYPD detective . . .

Funny thing though, I've watched seven episodes and he has yet to put a lollipop in his mouth and say "Who Loves Ya, Baby"

Telly Savalas was a man among men

NBC gets back on the field

CNBC's Maria Bartiromo reported that NBC Sports will be broadcasting Sunday night football as part of the new network deal with the NFL . . . Developing . . .

The Boss irked at team's awful play

After a horrible 1-5 road trip where the Yankees got swept by the Orioles and smoked by the World Champion Red Sox, "The Boss" finally spoke up -- and rightfully so . . . the Yankees pitching staff has been shredded . . . there is not one consistent starter while the bullpen is even worse . . . look for reliever Tom Gordon to be gone soon if he does not improve . . . after being rattled in the playoffs last year against the Twins and Red Sox, Gordon has picked up where he's left off . . . on Saturday he came in and gave up a three run homer which cost the Yankees the game . . .

N.Y. Daily News

NFL Draft Preview - Pittsburgh Steelers

Pittsburgh Steelers - Bill Cowher

The Pittsburgh Steelers are in a good spot at number 30 . . . if by some chance a player slides, the Steelers could be there waiting with open arms to grab him . . . who could forget when the Miami Dolphins snatched up a quarterback named Marino late in the first round after he kept sliding . . .

Otherwise, the Steelers need to improve their cornerbacks . . . Deshea Townsend and Willie Williams are the starters and second year corner Ricardo Colclough is a future starter . . . but the Steelers are one injury away from trouble at this position . . . and who is to say that Townsend and Williams play as well as they did last year . . .

The two studs coming out of college at the corner position are Pac Man Jones from West Virginia and Antrel Rolle from Miami – these guys will be long gone by the time Pittsburgh selects at number 30 . . . Auburn’s Carlos Rogers is the next rated corner, however some pre-draft sheets have Rogers being taken as early as number 15 to Kansas City and as late as the last pick in the first round . . . more than likely Rogers will be off the board by number 30 . . . if he is there – take him!!

That leaves Bill Cowher with a plethora of next level corners such as Fabian Washington, Marlin Jackson, Justin Miller, and Eric Green . . . because of the depth at this position in the draft, the Steelers may go another direction if Rogers if off the board and wait to snag a corner later in the draft . . .

Mel Kiper has the Steelers taking tight end Heath Miller from Virginia . . . however, I can see Cowher rolling the dice here and reaching a bit to take the multi-talented Matt Jones from Arkansas . . . Jones, who is 6-6 and ran the 40 in 4.40, was a quarterback at Arkansas and is projected as either a tight end or wide receiver in the NFL . . . a few months ago Jones was looking at being selected in the fifth round, but he has been impressive in individual workouts . . . he is a work in progress, but the type of player Cowher likes ala Slash Stewart, Hines Ward, and Antwaan Randle El . . .

The Steelers go with Jones here . . .

As far as addressing their need at corner, the Steelers can draft some raw talent later in draft by taking someone like Karl Paymah from Washington State or Stanford Routt from Houston . . . both players have size and great speed . . . there is also Daven Holley from Cincinnati . . . remember, last year in the second round Pittsburgh took Colclough from a little known school . . .

I see the Steelers draft shaking down like this:
30th pick - Matt Jones, wr/te, Arkansas
62nd pick - best cornerback
93rd pick - best running back

Next I preview the defending champion New England Patriots

NFL Draft Preview - Cleveland Browns

Cleveland Browns - Romeo Crennel

In less than a week the third new era of the "new" Cleveland Browns will begin . . . there was the failed tenure of Chris Palmer and Dwight Clark . . . then came the knight in shining armor, Butch Davis and his can-do ego . . . now the Romeo Crennel and Phil Savage era begins with their first NFL draft as the head honchos of the Browns . . .

General manager Savage has a decision to make . . . all pre-draft sites point to the Browns taking Utah quarterback Alex Smith . . . however, I’m not sold on this pick . . . first round quarterbacks are a dime a dozen and a risk unless your name is Peyton Manning or Carson Palmer . . . I think it is even a bigger risk taking a quarterback with a pick as high as the third overall . . . this year's draft does not have a stud q.b. to justify taking him at number 3 . . .

Look at some of the quarterbacks who have led their team to the Super Bowl in recent years: Brady, Delhomme, Warner, Collins, Gannon, Dilfer . . . who was that last guy? . . . yeh, Trent Dilfer who is now the Browns quarterback . . . I know that Dilfer and Collins were first round draft choices, but they made it to the Super Bowl after they flopped with their original team was claimed off the scrap heap . . . in this year’s draft, a quarterback would be a good choice if the Browns had, say the 10th or 14th overall pick, not the 3rd overall pick . . .

In what direction does boy genius Savage go? . . .

All signs point that the Dolphins will pick Auburn workhorse running back Ronnie Brown with the second pick . . . . unless Nick Saban is throwing up a smoke screen, this looks like a done deal . . . however, if Saban is bluffing and passes on Brown, then Cleveland should not hesitate and take the Auburn back . . . since returning in 1999, the Browns lacked a true stud in the backfield . . . William Green was a risky pick a few years back because of his off-the-field problems . . .

Also, I am not sold on newly acquired back Rueben Droughns from Denver . . . is Droughns the real deal or is he another by-product of the Denver running system, such as Olandis Gary and Clinton Portis? . . . if Brown is there – take him . . . if Brown is slow to develop, Savage has himself an insurance policy in Droughns and Lee Suggs . . .

Realistically though, it looks like Brown will be a Dolphin . . . so what now? . . .

The Browns could trade down and acquire additional draft picks . . . that may be the smart move . . . this team has a lot of holes to fill . . . they need another offensive lineman and they could snatch an Alex Barron or Jammal Brown in the mid-first round . . . they also need a linebacker and Texas’ Derrick Johnson leads the list . . . he could possibly be taken around the 8th to 11th pick . . . to take him at number three would be a reach . . . Savage could slide down a bit and gamble that Johnson would be there at 7, 8 or 9 . . .

Maybe a trade could be made with Minnesota at number 7 being that the Vikings want either Braylon Edwards or Mike Williams at wide receiver . . . and it is quite possible both could be gone by then . . .

If the Browns cannot work a deal and are stuck with the third pick they may have to look at a playmaker such as Edwards . . . yes Browns fans, you may have to root for a Michigan player . . . since 1999, the Browns have draft a ton of average receivers who turned out to be busts . . . I’m sorry, but Dennis Northcutt and Andre Davis do not strike fear in cornerbacks . . . Edwards would be the first bona fide stud at a skill position for the Browns in many years . . .

If the Browns stay with the third pick, I say take Edwards . . .

In the second round Cleveland can address their need for a future quarterback by taking Auburn’s Jason Campbell . . . Campbell has been impressive since leading the Tigers to a perfect season in 2004 . . . he has also impressed the NFL teams during workouts . . . if Campbell is gone by the 34th pick, then Cleveland could look to build their offensive line by taking a David Baas, Ray Willis or Chris Spencer . . .

They should not consider taking Akron quarterback Charlie Frye just because he is from northeast Ohio . . . reports indicate that Frye has small hands and lacks zip on the ball . . . if Campbell is gone, the Browns should hold off and consider taking former Florida State quarterback Adrian McPherson or Georgia q.b. David Greene later . . .

McPherson has all the tools to be a stud, but he has a checkered past while in Tallahassee . . . it seems that McPherson finally has his head on straight and could be a steal in round 3 or 4 . . .

Predictions:
3rd overall pick - Braylon Edwards, wr, Michigan
34th overall pick - Jason Campbell, qb, Auburn
67th overall pick - Chris Canty, dl, Virginia
103rd overall pick - best offensive lineman on the board

During the course of the week I will be previewing Saturday’s NFL Draft . . . my next column will be a look at the Pittsburgh Steelers

Baseball Tidbits

USA Today's Hal Bodley chats with President Bush about baseball

Hal Bodley

The Cubs Dusty Baker preaches to reporters

Jay Mariotti

Happy McBirthday

Today is the 50th birthday of McDonald's . . . even though the cheapskates did not offer the public any deal, such as maybe 50 cent cheeseburgs or 50 cent fries, here are some interesting facts about this American institution:

- Ray Kroc may have been the founder McDonald's, but he wasn't alone in hatching his idea of fast food burgers . . . Richard and Maurice McDonald were pioneers of McDonald's and the quick service restaurant industry . . . Kroc was the founder of McDonald's Corporation . . . Richard and Maurice McDonald converted their barbecue drive-in with car hops into the world's first McDonald's limited-menu, self-service, drive-in in 1948, in San Bernardino, California . . . in 1954, Ray Kroc was granted exclusive U.S. franchising rights by the brothers . . . he opened his first McDonald's in Des Plaines, Illinois in April 1955

- McDonald's first mascot was not Ronald McDonald -- it was "Speedee" a smiling chef with a hamburger head

- Willard Scott was the first Ronald McDonald

- In 1955 a hamburger cost 15 cents and fries were 10 cents

- The famous Big Mac was introduced in 1968 by Jim Delligatti, one of Ray Kroc's earliest franchisees, who by the late 1960s operated a dozen stores in Pittsburgh

Odds on the next Pope

Now that March Madness is over and you have a couple of dollars burning in your pocket -- you don't have to wait until the Kentucky Derby on May 7th . . . the hottest betting going on right now is on who is going to be the next Pope . . . the BBC ran a story about all the betting taking place on who is going to be the next Pope (see link below)

BBC - Odds on the Pope

CURRENT ODDS

A realiable source has provided me with the current odds in Antigua . . . as of this morning, Dionigi Tettamanzi is the favorite -- a $10 bet would get you $20 . . . here are the frontrunners:

Tettamanzi (Italy) - $10 to win $20

Francis Arinze (Nigeria) - 10/30

Oscar Rodriguez Maradiago (Honduras) - 10/50

Joseph Ratzinger (Germany) - 10/50

Jaime Lucas Ortega y Alamino (Cuba) - 10/100

Also, if you still have a few more bucks and want to bet on what will be the name of the next Pope, here are your odds on that:

Benedict - 10/30

John - 10/30

John Paul - 10/50

Pius - 10/60

Andrew - 10/100

The odds on the next Pope being over 70 years old is high - you have to place $30 just to win $10 . . .

Get to your piggy banks and let the betting begin!!

Health Minute - The top killers in men and women

The leading cause of death in women are as follows:
1. Heart disease - most people think cancer is the top killer in women - NOT!
2. Cancer
3. Stroke
4. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) - example - bronchitis, emphysema
5. Alzheimer's disease
6. Diabetes
7. Accidents

The leading cause of death in men are as follows:
1. Heart disease
2. Cancer
3. Accidents
4. Stroke
5. COPD
6. Diabetes
7. Influenza and pneumonia

Clinton finds a friend

Interesting column about Bill Clinton and the Bush Boys - Boston Globe

The Kings get their Rings - Boston Globe

Yankees show class - N.Y. Daily News

Kids cuss too much - Washington Post

A look back at Tiger's run - Washington Post

One week complete

Here are some thoughts after one week of baseball:

On the Indians
- Aaron Boone may be a steal for the Tribe . . . he played well in the field and is hitting at the plate . . . general manager Mark Shapiro did well by signing the injured Boone last August
- he may never be an All-Star, but Casey Blake is just a plain ole simple baseball player . . . this guy can play any position . . . offensively, he is a solid hitter
- the Tribe propoganda team (aka Cleveland media) built up shortstop Jhonny (yes it is spelled that way) Peralta during spring training . . . he was supposed to be the next Barry Larkin . . . through four games played, Peralta has committed four errors . . . it's funny how the Cleveland media failed to mention that Peralta is a liability in the field
- the Indians better hope that Dave Riske and Arthur Rhodes can close games because Bob Wickman will not make it through the entire season as a closer

By the way, whatever happened to John Rocker? . . .

On the Yankees
- from day one I have stated that the Yankees made a mistake by signing pitcher Jaret Wright . . . Wright had one good season -- and that was last year in the National League . . . 1 good season!!! . . . Wright is a headcase who couldn't handle the pressure when the Indians fans got on his case -- what is he going to do when the New York fans start on him? . . .
- the Yankees Mariano Rivera better get ready to hear the chant "Who's your daddy" during his next appearance at Fenway Park . . . the Red Sox have gotten into the head of the greatest closer of all time
- Bernie Williams is in the last year of his contract with the team . . . he has gotten off to a terrible start batting .063 and has stranded runners in scoring position often

Other nuggets
- Tampa Bay's Jorge Cantu had three homers during the week . . . I say he won't finish with 20 on the year . . .
- are the Angels officially the Los Angeles Angels???? . . . I lost track . . .

Series of the Week
Yankees @ Red Sox - the Yankees head into Fenway on Monday after beating the World Champs 2 out 3 last week . . . on Monday the Sox players get their World Series rings and raise the championship banner . . . the Yankees players should sit in the dugout and watch the ceremony to refresh their memories after choking last October . . . here are the possible pitching match-ups

Monday - Mussina vs. Wakefield - Yankees win
Wednesday - Wright vs. Arroyo - Red Sox win
Thursday - Johnson vs. Schilling - Yankees win

Prediction - Yankees will take 2 of the 3 games