The 35-year old former NBA superstar arrived to a hero's welcome in Turkey. After a 14-season NBA career (stats) what gas will he still have in the tank? Any which way that country is right to be proud to land him (see the video of his welcome at the airport below). It's as big a move on an NBA player; something to rival how the U.S. snagged David Beckham to help the MLS. Iverson will wear #4 for Beşiktaş in the 16-team TBL: Turkish Basketball League (otherwise known as the Turkiye Basketbol Ligleri. Besiktas has not won a TBL title since 1975. Besiktas plays in Instanbul (not Constantinople).
Now there's lots of interesting side stories. Like, isn't The Answer all washed up? Does anyone really care? And then business ones like: Besiktas has a Turkish corporate sponsor, Ulker. The full name of the team is actually "Besiktas Cola Turka" named after the soda introduced in Turkey in 2003 to compete with Coca-Cola.
Anyway, the TBL season is already under way. Should we be looking for Iverson highlights soon? Let's be serious. Yes.
Thursday, November 11, 2010
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
NFL Game Predictions
Each year since 2003 (archive here) Fanbay.net Sports has provided weekly picks for every game and the playoffs in NFL football. The predictions are posted free and visitors subscribe to receive notice by email. In 2010, the list has now grown impressively since the beginning and so a paid service is now also offered providing "premium subscribers" with more statistics and insights as well as the predictions guaranteed to arrive each week on or before midday Wednesday. The predictions are based on each teams statistics, such as offensive and defensive points and yards and other factors. Week 2 predictions for the 2010 season have just been posted. The picks are always available via: http://www.fanbay.net/nfl/predictions.htm.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Nationals: The "Shaqburg" Incident
The management/owners of the Washington Nationals scratched their rookie phenom starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg just minutes before the start of a Tuesday evening game. It was GM Mike Rizzo that is claiming the decision (short story). Fans in Washington DC have been scooping up tickets anytime that Strasburg is listed to pitch. And it was no different yesterday as a near sold-out crowd packed in to see the ace add to his 75 strikeouts. So far he has pitched 54 1/3 innings at the major league level (stats). He has pitched another 55 1/3 in the minor leagues (stats) this season. Combined that is already about 110 of the 160 innings the Nats team managers have said he will be limited to this year (160 cap). That's the smart move. Take it easy with a rookie just coming out of college. Was he really hurt though? MRI and x-ray come up empty and the Nats call it "shoulder inflammation" here. That's their story. But was this last minute scratch just a bait-and-switch on fans to sell out the stadium. Is this just a planned Shaq-esque mini-break in the season for Strasburg to stretch his 160 innings for all its worth? What will the fans think of management/owners because of this, both short-term and long-term? Listing a pitcher as a starter and selling out a stadium and then pulling him at the last minute when perhaps it was a plan all along?
Thursday, July 22, 2010
NFL 2010 Season and Fantasy Football
NFL Training Camps are about to open. The locations/dates are here with most starting late next week around 7/29-7/30. The first report is Cleveland Browns rookies this Fri 7-23.
Time to start thinking about the upcoming 2010 fantasy football drafts. Player news here and here. CBS Sports has position-by-position player rankings here and a Top 200 here. Brad Funston's Big Board here and ESPN's ADP (average draft position). Yahoo! position rankings here. And the Fanbay.net Sports fantasy football rankings "Draft Big" board. Much broader fantasy football coverage at sites like FFToolbox which has a team-by-team analysis including featured players. For a list of top leagues visit our fantasy football leagues. The biggest leagues are Vegas drafts: WCOFF and FFPC. Much more (like everything) for fantasy football at NFL Stats.
Time to start thinking about the upcoming 2010 fantasy football drafts. Player news here and here. CBS Sports has position-by-position player rankings here and a Top 200 here. Brad Funston's Big Board here and ESPN's ADP (average draft position). Yahoo! position rankings here. And the Fanbay.net Sports fantasy football rankings "Draft Big" board. Much broader fantasy football coverage at sites like FFToolbox which has a team-by-team analysis including featured players. For a list of top leagues visit our fantasy football leagues. The biggest leagues are Vegas drafts: WCOFF and FFPC. Much more (like everything) for fantasy football at NFL Stats.
Thursday, July 8, 2010
LeBron James Selects Miami Heat
The truth is that LeBron James already tried the Cleveland one more chance routine starting in 2007 with a 3-year extension. And it didn't work out. And he actually probably regrets that a little bit. And in a way Cleveland fans should understand that he went the extra mile and those 3 years went by without a title (Dwight Howard explains the point of view).
So now, LeBron (bio) is heading to Miami to contend for that title in D-Wade's house with their buddy Chris Bosh.
In his ESPN made-for-TV one hour special @KingJames said that few people knew his decision before the announcement. He said he could probably count on one hand the number of people that knew for sure.
LeBron went to bed last night not entirely decided. But said that when he woke up he knew it was right. He had a long conversation with his mom that confirmed his choice.
His mom told him that you have to decide what's best for you. No one else but LeBron will have to live with the consequences. Basically, trying again in Cleveland wasn't going to be an option.
In closing, LeBron said its not signed and sealed for the Miami Heat (official) quite yet. He knows they still have work to do. "Just three guys" is not enough. Just one superstar is not enough. So now, the next stage starts. Which 9 guys will join the big 3.
The stars are shining on what could become the capital of the Western Hemisphere, The 305, Miami. Full analysis of the move here.
So now, LeBron (bio) is heading to Miami to contend for that title in D-Wade's house with their buddy Chris Bosh.
In his ESPN made-for-TV one hour special @KingJames said that few people knew his decision before the announcement. He said he could probably count on one hand the number of people that knew for sure.
LeBron went to bed last night not entirely decided. But said that when he woke up he knew it was right. He had a long conversation with his mom that confirmed his choice.
His mom told him that you have to decide what's best for you. No one else but LeBron will have to live with the consequences. Basically, trying again in Cleveland wasn't going to be an option.
In closing, LeBron said its not signed and sealed for the Miami Heat (official) quite yet. He knows they still have work to do. "Just three guys" is not enough. Just one superstar is not enough. So now, the next stage starts. Which 9 guys will join the big 3.
The stars are shining on what could become the capital of the Western Hemisphere, The 305, Miami. Full analysis of the move here.
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The NBA Summer of 2010
For more than a couple years, this particular summer, 2010, has been talked about regarding NBA free agents. And the grand focus was the King himself, LeBron James. Not to mention other marquee free agents starting with Dwyane Wade and then Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer, Amare Stoudemire, and even Dirk Nowitski and more.
Well, July 2010 is here. One of the biggest names came off the board today. Dwyane Wade stayed put with the Miami Heat. And he took another name off the board, his friend Chris Bosh who will join him in The 305, the Magic City. On marketing, D-Wade is already a big winner. Way to turn staying put into a media frenzy. Flash traveled around to Chicago and hyped up the possibilities and in the end doesn't switch teams but gains days of headlining attention.
Next is LeBron's turn. His media machine has ticked off some people for trying to be too much. We don't blame him. And it's been GREAT for the game. It's getting a lot of people fired up-- from Chicago to New York. And it's taking the NBA Title up a notch in the eyes of fans as we all learn how so many players want to maneuver and get positioned to try and get one (from Kobe).
So, Thursday at 9pm Eastern-- kudos to ESPN for turning LeBron's announcement into a 1-hour TV special (surely it must be tough for ESPN to turn away its focus on Tiger Woods' every shot as he wanders some course in 14th place).
Anyway, tomorrow is LeBron's day. He has set up a Twitter account (@KingJames) that is swelling with followers. He is feeding them to his website to set up a new email list. Its bold marketing from the players. And its kind of showing a shift in the balance of power in the NBA in general as the players drive attention for the league in part via technology mediums. P.S. the speculation (from NBA player Chris Dudley) is that LeBron will end up in New York, as a Knick.
Full coverage via CNNSI and CBS Sports.
Well, July 2010 is here. One of the biggest names came off the board today. Dwyane Wade stayed put with the Miami Heat. And he took another name off the board, his friend Chris Bosh who will join him in The 305, the Magic City. On marketing, D-Wade is already a big winner. Way to turn staying put into a media frenzy. Flash traveled around to Chicago and hyped up the possibilities and in the end doesn't switch teams but gains days of headlining attention.
Next is LeBron's turn. His media machine has ticked off some people for trying to be too much. We don't blame him. And it's been GREAT for the game. It's getting a lot of people fired up-- from Chicago to New York. And it's taking the NBA Title up a notch in the eyes of fans as we all learn how so many players want to maneuver and get positioned to try and get one (from Kobe).
So, Thursday at 9pm Eastern-- kudos to ESPN for turning LeBron's announcement into a 1-hour TV special (surely it must be tough for ESPN to turn away its focus on Tiger Woods' every shot as he wanders some course in 14th place).
Anyway, tomorrow is LeBron's day. He has set up a Twitter account (@KingJames) that is swelling with followers. He is feeding them to his website to set up a new email list. Its bold marketing from the players. And its kind of showing a shift in the balance of power in the NBA in general as the players drive attention for the league in part via technology mediums. P.S. the speculation (from NBA player Chris Dudley) is that LeBron will end up in New York, as a Knick.
Full coverage via CNNSI and CBS Sports.
Thursday, June 10, 2010
NCAA College Football Shakeup
So, here is one speculative concept of what the conferences could look like after everything shakes up.
Bleacher/Report says here that Big 12 would need to grab 6 teams from another conference to meet NCAA terms of a legit conference otherwise it could be forced to dissolve. This is what the conferences look like now.
Bleacher/Report says here that Big 12 would need to grab 6 teams from another conference to meet NCAA terms of a legit conference otherwise it could be forced to dissolve. This is what the conferences look like now.
A Stanley Cup: Congratulations to Chicago Blackhawks
For a city that knows how to throw a party (see a list of all Stanley Cup winners here since the trophy was first donated by Lord Stanley in 1892):
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Lakers-Celtics 2010 NBA Finals
The chants of "Beat L.A." will begin next Tuesday in Boston. In the meantime, Game 1 in Los Angeles is Thursday at 9pm ET. It is the Boston Celtics and the Los Angeles Lakers. It is, basically, the 2 highest paid teams in the NBA. And it is the NBA's top 2 franchises by championship titles (17 for Boston vs 15 for the Lakers). Breaking down the series matchups are SI and ESPN. Below shows this year's starting 5 matchup compared to the 2 previous meetings in 2008 and 1987.
Kobe is ready and his game is "fluid". The matchup here. All games on ABC. NBA.com official coverage.
Our View: No one will want this title more than Kobe. And, as we saw in his final 2 jumpers against the Suns, Kobe is capable of just about anything. And he has a better team compared to the 2008 series vs Boston. Artest is a big improvement, as is Bynum. The problem, as we see it, is PG. The Lakers had trouble with Westbrook. And they will face a LOT of pressure from Rajon. Rondo is improving every single day. He's quick, he can score, penetrate, and pass well. L.A. got past Nash mostly cause he doesn't play so many minutes. Also, Steve Nash doesn't have Garnett, Perkins, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rasheed Wallace to pass to. Sure the Suns have J.Rich and Amare, but it is definitely not the same. How will Fisher and the Lakers contain Rondo? That is where the series will be decided.
Kobe is ready and his game is "fluid". The matchup here. All games on ABC. NBA.com official coverage.
Our View: No one will want this title more than Kobe. And, as we saw in his final 2 jumpers against the Suns, Kobe is capable of just about anything. And he has a better team compared to the 2008 series vs Boston. Artest is a big improvement, as is Bynum. The problem, as we see it, is PG. The Lakers had trouble with Westbrook. And they will face a LOT of pressure from Rajon. Rondo is improving every single day. He's quick, he can score, penetrate, and pass well. L.A. got past Nash mostly cause he doesn't play so many minutes. Also, Steve Nash doesn't have Garnett, Perkins, Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, and Rasheed Wallace to pass to. Sure the Suns have J.Rich and Amare, but it is definitely not the same. How will Fisher and the Lakers contain Rondo? That is where the series will be decided.
Tuesday, June 1, 2010
Celtics 9-2 vs Lakers in NBA Finals
The NBA championship series has been played every year since 1950 (for 3 years before that it was the BAA title). Until 1986 it was deemed the World Championship. It still is, but "The Finals" is the now more politically correct term. Kobe Bryant is looking for "one for the thumb". For the 2nd team in 3 years L.A. is playing Boston. Game 1 tonight at 9 ET. The series schedule/matchup is here.
Celtics-Lakers is an epic rivalry, sewn in the 1960's, and solidified in the 1980's when Bird battled Magic. To date, after 11 meetings in the Finals, the Celtics are 9-2 vs the Lakers in the Finals. And while L.A. has won 2 of the last 3 (see history of Celtics-Lakers here, Boston beat Kobe in 2008. This year's Lakers team is quite different though.
Celtics-Lakers is an epic rivalry, sewn in the 1960's, and solidified in the 1980's when Bird battled Magic. To date, after 11 meetings in the Finals, the Celtics are 9-2 vs the Lakers in the Finals. And while L.A. has won 2 of the last 3 (see history of Celtics-Lakers here, Boston beat Kobe in 2008. This year's Lakers team is quite different though.
Monday, May 24, 2010
2010 World Cup starts Friday June 11
Every 4 years is the FIFA World Cup. This year, South Africa will host the event at 10 different stadiums (see them all here. Last time, Italy beat France in 2006 for their 4th World Cup. The time before that, in 2002, Brazil won their 5th World Cup (the most by any country) (history here. This year, Spain is favored at 4-1. Brazil is right behind them at 4.5-1. Full odds here. More odds, including game-by-game lines, here.
The U.S. is in Group C (out of 8 groups) with England, Algeria, and Slovenia. Games begin June 11, with the U.S. meeting England first on ESPN 2pm ET Saturday June 11 (full schedule here. The top two teams from each group will move on to Stage 2, a 16-team single-elimination tournament that starts on June 26. Tournament schedule here. Championship July 7. To watch it on ESPN, check the schedule here. Track it all via Goal.com.
The U.S. is in Group C (out of 8 groups) with England, Algeria, and Slovenia. Games begin June 11, with the U.S. meeting England first on ESPN 2pm ET Saturday June 11 (full schedule here. The top two teams from each group will move on to Stage 2, a 16-team single-elimination tournament that starts on June 26. Tournament schedule here. Championship July 7. To watch it on ESPN, check the schedule here. Track it all via Goal.com.
Friday, May 14, 2010
Is LeBron Worthy of New York?
The NY Daily News photo caption (here) in Mike Lupica's LeBron James piece is the typical knee jerk reaction devoid of facts. LeBron James has played 7 full seasons in the NBA and been to the NBA Finals one time. 25 now, he turns just 26 next season (career here).
Michael Jordan's first world championship title came in 1991 at the age of 27 (career stats here, Chicago franchise history here. The Bulls lost in the first round his first 3 years as a pro. They didn't make it to the finals until his 7th season-- MJ's first title.
So, there really isn't a need for panic by LeBron, or for doubters to rush to judgement.
Is his career in Cleveland over? Probably. But Cleveland fans should also consider the numbers above and perhaps not give up so quickly. Is LeBron heading to New York? As a Knick or a Net? Jay-Z is talking LeBron, but isn't the rapper tighter with D-Wade? But if he can't pry Flash outta south Florida, the case could be made that it is the Nets that have the better supporting cast highlighted by Lopez, Harris, Lee, and the up-and-comer, Terrence Williams. Jay-Z has already been actively (story) recruiting James. But is he worthy of coming to NYC? Ouch.
Michael Jordan's first world championship title came in 1991 at the age of 27 (career stats here, Chicago franchise history here. The Bulls lost in the first round his first 3 years as a pro. They didn't make it to the finals until his 7th season-- MJ's first title.
So, there really isn't a need for panic by LeBron, or for doubters to rush to judgement.
Is his career in Cleveland over? Probably. But Cleveland fans should also consider the numbers above and perhaps not give up so quickly. Is LeBron heading to New York? As a Knick or a Net? Jay-Z is talking LeBron, but isn't the rapper tighter with D-Wade? But if he can't pry Flash outta south Florida, the case could be made that it is the Nets that have the better supporting cast highlighted by Lopez, Harris, Lee, and the up-and-comer, Terrence Williams. Jay-Z has already been actively (story) recruiting James. But is he worthy of coming to NYC? Ouch.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
NCAA Tournament Bracket Predictions 2010
March Madness is here and you have a bracket to fill out. Follow us by the numbers with our statistical model picking all the games of the tournanment at Game by Game 2010 NCAA Tournament Bracket Predictions. And our PDF bracket with some added insights at PDF March Madness Bracket 2010. Good luck. Enjoy the games!
Sunday, March 14, 2010
NCAA Final Rankings
We have posted the final total rankings for the NCAA men's basketball 2009-2010 season at Final Total Rankings NCAA Basketball, including win-loss record and rank by formula using Sagarin, Pomeroy, RPI, and RPI Strength of Schedule (SOS).
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Super Bowl Prediction for XLIV 44: Colts vs Saints
Peyton Manning (the greatest QB in history? so says SN provided one more ring, read it here) and the Indianapolis Colts take on the New Orleans Saints. Our computer says Saints by a fraction of a point. Vegas takes the Colts by about 4 1/2 or 5. Then our complete analysis with tons of statistics and charts says Colts win by about 10. Read Super Bowl Prediction. Match-up details and odds here. Official site game center here.
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