Did Virginia Tech Really Beat Florida State in ACC Tourney

This snapshot basically indicate differently. The ball is out of Derwin Kitchen according to this picture. Maybe you could say a pinky is on it, but the picture seems clear enough. The ball is gone. And what is that in the corner of the picture. Its a 00.1 on the clock. That shot is good. We don't have a dog in this fight, just pointing out that maybe official review still has some work to do-- in all sports. Final 52-51 Virginia Tech (here) but probably the officials had it right on the floor: 53-52 Florida State.

Allen Iverson Arrives in Turkey

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.

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.

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?

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.

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.

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.