With NBA All-Star weekend over, the real NBA season begins. Let’s face it, the first half of the season is pretty irrelevant.

Before the all-star break, that’s just the potatoes and a lot of “let’s figure this thing out” going on.

After the all star break, that’s where amazing happens. The trade deadline, the NBA playoffs, the seeding to the NBA playoffs. Even the NBA Draft Lottery can be compelling. How many times have you heard the phrase, “Devon Harris and John Wall? The possibilities are endless.”

Okay … Maybe only I’ve said that. (more…)

Anyone who has played John Madden football for whatever system you have knows about the glory and the greatness that is the franchise mode.  There’s no better feeling than taking your beloved team and molding them to a Super Bowl winner in the first year of playing the game.  Personally, my incarnation of the Philadelphia Eagles have won a Super Bowl in the first year of a franchise mode every year since 2002 — but I digress.

A lot of times, I have my little delusions of grandeur, and I think I can take a team like the Detroit Lions to the Super Bowl in the first year, but I typically lose interest.  However, with the medium that is “Taking Back Sports”, I have the crazy idea that chronicling my timeline as a football exec through blog might actually be interesting to some video game geeks.  I never said it’s a good idea.  I just said it was an idea.

After consulting with Dr. Sports Fan, we have narrowed the field down to five teams that we both feel would be interesting to read about.  Who knows?  Maybe some desperate NFL owner will get wind of this blog and hire me as an NFL general manager.  Let’s face it.  If you’re smart enough to know NOT to draft Darrius Heyward-Bey with Michael Crabtree still on the draft board, I feel you deserve at least some consideration.

Here’s how this will work.  There will be a poll below, and simply vote on the team you’d most like to read about me controlling.  I’ll be posting reports so you can keep up with my insanity and geek-dom.  I will also be using REAL NCAA PLAYERS IN DRAFTS via draft classes provided by NCAA Football 2010.  Tim Tebow could be the new starting quarterback for the St. Louis Rams if the Rams are chosen, but we shall see.  Below is the list, so vote now.  The lucky team will get my services, and I will start beginning February 1, 2010.

Which NFL team would you most be interested in reading about every two weeks with me as the GM?
	Buffalo Bills
	Cleveland Browns
	Detroit Lions
	Kansas City Chiefs
	St. Louis Rams
pollcode.com free polls

By Adio Royster
THE PHOENIX

If you’re one of about 1.3 million people, you have the luck and good fortune to be living in San Diego, California.  It’s sunny and 70 degrees all-year round, and you can get on a bus to get to some of the best beaches in the United States (La Jolla Shores being my personal favorite).  There are only two things that make San Diegans a little gloomy: rainy season (typically January through March) and an early exit by the San Diego Chargers in the playoffs — also falling in that same time frame.

When the latter of the two happen, Mission Valley turns eerily quiet.  Jack Murphy Stadium¹ turns to a ghost town, and restaurants like Seau’s are full of Chargers fans who are looking for someone to blame.  It almost makes me feel at home in Philadelphia again² — where fans are already criticizing Andy Reid’s decision to stick with Donovan McNabb.

My Facebook and Twitter were littered with trends and topics that were executing Chargers personnel worse than Kurtwood Smith executed Peter Weller in Robocop.

Nate Kaeding this.

Vincent Jackson that³.

Agreeing with the Kaeding firing is easy, but there is one guy who should not be able to dodge another bullet.  Norval Eugene Turner, give your tickets to the man operating the coaches’ carousel at the carnival, and enjoy the ride.

There is precedent to fire Turner because of previous ineptitude from a head coach.  Marty Schottenheimer was fired in January of 2007 after going 14-2 and getting bounced by the underdog New England Patriots at home in the Divisional Round.  Turner took over, but not a single sports-writer saw this as a good idea for a team with a wide open Super Bowl window.  How did general manager A.J. Smith say with a straight face: “Hey, my team is this close to winning a Super Bowl.  Why don’t I bring in a guy who is 58-82 as a head coach, and hasn’t had a winning season since 2000?”  Seriously, how much hair was lost by Chargers fans trying to scratch their head to make sense of that logic?

Ok, I’ll be fair.  Turner DID go 11-5 in his first year before falling to the Patriots again — this time in the AFC Championship — with Phillip Rivers playing with one leg⁴.  In the second year of the “Tenure of Norv”, the only thing that kept Turner from the firing squad was a miracle finish to the season that saw the Chargers win four in a row to win the AFC west over the Denver Broncos⁵.  Just like 2007, injuries — this time to tailback LaDainian Tomlinson — kept the Chargers from winning a playoff game.

This year, Tuner and the Chargers had NO EXCUSES to not make it to the AFC Championship Game.  They won 11 straight, had a first round bye, and they were favored against the New York Jets complete with rookie head coach Rex Ryan and rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez.  What happened?  Five words: they weren’t ready to play!

Two things stand out.  Norv’s offensive strategy made absolutely no sense.  Why drop back and throw the ball 40 times against a defense that channels the spirit of late Philadelphia Eagles defensive coordinator Jim Johnson?  Did Norv just not see Cedric Benson run for 160 yards against this vaunted #1 defense?  You have Tomlinson AND Darren Sproles, and they combined for 57 yards on 15 carries.  Against a great blitzing defense like the Jets have, you have to run, run and then run some more.  San Diego didn’t do that, and Rivers was running for his life on all the third and long situations he was in.  Nothing changed in the second half at all.  Rivers was still dropping back to throw with not only no open receivers but with free blitzers as well.

Were any adjustments made?  Did Norv say anything to his team?

Equally as mind-blowing as the offensive strategy was the amount of dumb penalties in this game.  The Shaun Phillips head-butt in the third quarter was beyond stupid⁶.  Instead of 1st down just inside the 20 yard line, it was first and goal inside the five.  Sanchez throws to Dustin Keller … touchdown.  Jets lead 10-7.

You can’t totally put this game on Nate Kaeding — even though fans in Diego have already thrown him under the bus.  It didn’t seem as if Turner made any kind of adjustments in the second half.  He was out-coached by a rookie head coach/quarterback combination making their second playoff start.  The Chargers played like second class citizens, and some of the failure has to come down on Turner.  The Chargers fans have Ron Rivera on their staff, and he was a hot head coaching candidate not too long ago.  If Turner can’t get it done — and personally, I don’t think he can — then someone needs to get the keys to the car before their great young core of Rivers, Sproles and Merriman gets wasted and starts winning rings elsewhere.

Normally, I’m not one to call for a coach’s head, but I’m making an exception in this case on behalf of the fans of the San Diego Chargers.  If a coach with a pedigree like Marty Schottenheimer was fired for failures like this, a coach with a distinguished and proven resume like Norv Turner needs to be shown the door faster than Uncle Phil showed Jazz in the “Fresh Prince of Bel Air.”

¹ I refuse to acknowledge the incorporation of professional sports stadiums.  (i.e. Qualcomm will always be Jack Murphy.  Football gods don’t sell out.)

² Let’s be honest.  No fan base is rougher on its team than Eagles fans.

³ A bit ridiculous considering he had seven catches for 111 yards while being matched up primarily against Darelle Revis — the second best cornerback in football.

⁴ Rivers played the AFC Championship on what was later revealed to be a torn ACL.

⁵ A trend Denver continued this year.  After starting 6-0, the Broncos finished 2-8 and miss the playoffs.

⁶ On a scale of one to Forrest Gump, that play is about a Rain Man.

Back in 1998, I was a scrappy 18-year-old kid having a down year.  I had a horrible first semester in college prompting me to believe college isn’t my thing.  I was looking for something to pick my spirits up, and I found it in baseball.

It was the summer of 1998.  Temperatures in Philadelphia were swelling to the typical 90 degrees with 100 percent humidity that I hate with such a fiery passion and causes water shortages with all the showers being taken.  In St. Louis and Chicago, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa were making things hot with their bats as they sent more baseballs into orbit than NASA sends satellites.

(more…)

By Adio Royster
THE PHOENIX

(… The first one word descriptions don’t count …)

(… Nor does the introductory paragraph.  Unless you REALLY want to nit-pick …)

The time has come for the most depressing month of the year if you’re a football fan.  The playoffs have started, and Sundays are about to become very free for Family Fun Days or whatever useless substitute for football you may have.  Not sure exactly how many playoff previews have already been written, but when has that ever stopped me before from doing something that has already been done.

(more…)

By Adio Royster
THE PHOENIX

He may be here.

He may even make fans in Minnesota cheer.

But I’m telling Vikings fans to get over it.

In a (not so shocking) turn of events, Brett Favre came out of retirement for the — I don’t know; I lost track — time.  Last year, Favre sobbingly retired from the NFL only to come back to the New York Jets: gray beard and all.

The Mangini/Favre marriage seemed to be working.  We saw it all pan out like Cliff and Claire Huxtable as the Jets started 8-3.  Next thing you know, the Jets lost four of their last five games, and the Mangini/Favre wedding appeared to be more like Al and Peggy Bundy.

Favre retired again … thankfully.  He wasn’t the three-time MVP I grew to enjoy in the mid and late 90s.  Like a beautiful butterfly maturing from a cocoon — but in reverse.

Naturally, when reports of Favre coming out of retirement (again) to play for the Vikings, my immediate reaction was: Why?

Why won’t he just walk away?

Why do teams think Favre still has it? (after rotator cuff surgery, by the way).

I just couldn’t wrap my head around a logical explanation.  Here I am hours later, and at this point, the Eagles signing of Michael Vick makes more sense to me.

The Vikings and their fans need to accept they aren’t getting the mid 90s Favre.  They aren’t even getting the early 2000s Favre, which would have been better than the 2008 Favre: a quarterback that’s like an operating system with more bugs than (pick any Windows operating system).

Remember when Brad Childress said that he could groom Tavaris Jackson to be like Donovan McNabb?  What happened with that?  Towards the end of 2008, it looked like Jackson was putting it together while Favre was falling apart.  Compare the last four games of both QBs:

Week 14

Tarvaris Jackson
8-10, 105 yds, TD (one half)

Brett Favre
20-31, 137 yds, INT

Week 15

Tarvaris Jackson
11-17, 163 yds, 4 TD

Brett Favre
17-30, 207 yds, TD, 2 INT

Week 16

Tarvaris Jackson
22-36, 233 yds, 2 TD

Brett Favre
18-31, 187 yds, 2 INT

Week 17

Tarvaris Jackson
16-26, 239 yds, TD, INT

Brett Favre
20-40, 233 yds, 1 TD, 3 INT

Jackson may have lost some of Childress’s confidence after the playoff loss, to Philadelphia, but at least Jackson’s performance (115.4 QB rating) kept Minnesota in the playoff race.  Favre’s play down the stretch (53.3 QB rating) reminded me of the Alex Murphy killing in “Robocop”: gruesome to watch and traumatizing to children.

If Vikings fans think Favre’s return will transform their passing attack into something more powerful (like Megatron’s transformation to Galvatron in the ‘86 Transformers movie), they’re sadly mistaken.

Weren’t there any other feasible QB options in free agency or the draft for the Vikings?  You know, options that aren’t coming off of rotator cuff surgery and 22 INT season, which was tops in the NFL last year by the way.

Where were the Vikings when Jay Cutler was being shopped around?  Maybe they didn’t have the pieces the Broncos wanted, and I accept that, but there were plenty of serviceable quarterbacks if Jackson wasn’t going to be the guy.

If the Vikings were looking for a 39-year-old quarterback to inject some life into the passing game, wouldn’t Jeff Garcia would have been a wonderful start.  Garcia may not be the flash in the pan he used to be (refer to the 49ers stats from the 2000 season), but in 11 games last year, he did have a 65% completion percentage, 2,700 yards and 12 TDs.

Not good enough, Brad?

How about a 29-year-old quarterback was putting on the ‘Stella hat’ and getting his groove back?  Before injuries, Byron Leftwich was a steady quarterback who could throw for about 3,000 yards a season.  He had a one-year stint in Atlanta, and then went to Pittsburgh where he kept the Steelers afloat when Big Ben started to get nicked up.

Don’t even get me started about the fact that the Vikings were one of the teams in need of a QB that passed on Texas Tech QB Graham Harrell.  If you think you need a quarterback, how exactly do you pass up the NCAA’s all-time leader in touchdown passes and the only NCAA player to post consecutive 5,000 yard seasons?  How?

Another question, Brad.  If you are trying to get a winner at quarterback, wouldn’t it be nice if the QB you seek at least has a winning record on your home field?

Favre is 6-10 lifetime at the Triple-H Metrodome.  Favre supporters use the excuse he was the opposing QB, but in 38 career indoor games, Favre’s QB rating is only five points better than his rating outdoors.

There are only so many ways I can destroy the argument of bringing in Favre, but I guess the most important argument centers around the following question:

Didn’t the Vikings win the NFC North without a real passing attack, anyway?

The Vikings averaged 184.9 yards per game through the air with the tandem of Gus Frerotte and Tarvaris Jackson, but the Vikings still went 10-6 and won the NFC North by a game.  Want more proof of what drives the offense?  The Vikings had a 200+ yard passer in seven games last year and won only three of those games.  Six times last year, Adrian Peterson had games of less than 100 yards, and the Vikings lost HALF of those games.

Its no secret Peterson drives the offense, and even when teams were stacking up to stop him, Peterson still produced.

Sometimes, I wonder what owners, general managers, coaches and teammates are thinking when they make moves.  When the Bills signed a one-year flyer for Terrell Owens, I said, “Ok.  I’m cool with that.”

When the Eagles signed Michael Vick, I said, “Sure, why not?”

The Vikings signed Brett Favre (for two years, by the way), and now that I’ve written against the signing for the last two hours, I gotta ask myself:

Why?

By Adio B. Royster
THE PHOENIX

To the fans of the New York Metropolitans:

Normally, I am very good at not letting my Philadelphian bias show in my columns, but every once in a while, it’s good show my readers where I come from.

There’s a certain attitude that Philadelphians possess. If you’ve been there for five — well, seconds — you know this all too well. One thing we won’t tolerate is naivete. It’s a sin worse than taking advantage of your friend’s drunk 21-year-old sister.

When you’ve suffered from as much sports ineptitude as us, you’ll understand (Editors Note: Please take his word for it!). Up until 2004, Boston was the whipping child. Up until last year, that was us. A World Series championship doesn’t change much … especially when a certain fan base gets too excited WAY too early.

The Mets and Phillies have enjoyed a one-sided rivalry for the last two years. The Phillies have ruled while the Mets have drooled. (Wow, how terribly high-schoolic of me). To avoid further ridicule by using phrases that kids were using in 1995-2000, let me proceed.

I happen to be a member of Facebook (like just about 3-4 trillion other people, including my mother … which is just wrong in so many ways), and one of my friends happens to be a rabid Mets fan. I was watching the Lakers/Rockets game from Saturday — you know, the one where the Lakers became sole personal property of the greater Houston area — when I made a status comment about the game.

I was amazed because Kobe started the game, yet the Rockets still led by 21 at one point. So I made the following comment:

“Adio is wondering what universe he’s living in where the Rockets can lead the Lakers by 21 without Yao Ming AND Tracy McGrady. I feel like I’m taking crazy pills!”

Without provocation, my smooth Mets fan friend proceeded to say that I’m taking crazy pills because the Mets are in first place. (Little does he know technically that insults the Mets). That got me thinking. Do Mets fans really have a right to brag about being in first place … IN MAY?!

If recent history has shown anything, Mets fans should not want the kind of history that they’ve enjoyed the last two seasons. If I were a part of the Mets fan base (heaven forbid), I would want the exact opposite: hang around the middle or bottom half of the division hovering over .500 and then getting that August/September charge into the playoffs. There has been only one team since 2005 that led the division at the June 1 point, only to lose the division … That’s right, the New York Mets. Being in first is not necessarily the best thing in the beginning. It matters in the end.

The 2007 version of the New York Mets led the NL East by 3 1/2 games on June 1, only to lose the division in one of the worst collapses in the history of Major League Baseball: by dropping 12 of their last 17 games and losing the division by a game. The 2008 version of the Mets led the NL East at the end of August, but went 13-12 in the month of September. Mets collapse again.

Are Mets fans seriously grasping for any glimmer of hope they can get their blue and orange hands on? If that is the case, I have no problem letting them have this one for now. When the Mets make a play for another starting pitcher (or three), then I’ll be concerned, but for now, I’ll worry more about the Marlins.

By Adio B. Royster
THE PHOENIX

Let’s face the facts. No matter how bad your NFL team is, you can always hang your hat on the following …

“As bad as we are right now, at least we’re not __________.”

In the 80s up until about 1995, that statement applied to the Tampa Bay Creamsicles (Buccaneers). From ’96 until … basically now, that statement applied to the Detroit Lions.

With the exception of one random Super Bowl appearance, the new team has officially been anointed, as of the 2009 NFL Draft.

“As bad as we are right now, at least we’re not … The Oakland Raiders.”

I feel sorry for Raiders fans in the same way I feel bad about the guy that has to hook up with the fat girl “bodyguarding” her hot friend while his boy makes out with the hottie. The part of the fat girl in this scenario will be played by Al “Montgomery Burns” Davis. Look at Al Davis, and look at C. Montgomery Burns, and I DARE YOU not to chuckle at the resemblance.

“Burnsie” has been QUOTED as saying he will not go away until the Raiders win two more Super Bowls or he dies of natural causes. If you’re a betting man, bet your mortgage, your kid’s college tuition, etc, on the latter of those happening.

I watched the draft in my apartment, and saw Mark Sanchez go to the Jets (remember to thank Erik Mangini, by the way, Jets fans). When that happened, I began to think that maybe something was going to be special. I’m not a Raiders fan by ANY STRETCH OF THE IMAGINATION, but I kinda got a feeling they might actually do something that makes sense.

I saw “Big Roge” (that’s what the commish, Roger Goodell, wants me to call him in my articles) walk up to the stage with the Raiders’ pick, and I was actually anxious. I have come to know a few Raiders fans in my five years here in San Diego, so I was excited for them. Michael Crabtree, anyone? And then it happened …

“With the eighth pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select … Darrius Hayward-Bey, wide receiver, University of Maryland.”

Immediately, I wondered if Goddell took this pick to the Oakland Raiders war room and go: “Guys? Are you sure about this? Do you need some more time? I’ll give you some more time.”

Literally five seconds later, I got a phone call from my friend Glenn, a dedicated member of Raider Nation, and then proceeded to talk him down from jumping out of a window. After I soothed him like Samuel L. Jackson in “The Negotiator,” Glenn wondered why Heyward-Bey was chosen over Crabtree. I explained carefully that if John Clayton couldn’t figure this out, what makes you think I can make sense of it?

I can tell you who I would have picked, though. I hope Burnsie is reading this. I’m nominating myself to be the next general manager of the Oakland Raiders. (This statement could cause me to lose a lot of friends who are Chargers/Broncos/Chiefs fans, but I gotta do something about this). If Burnsie is reading this and likes what he reads, feel free to contact me.

First, Let’s just analyze the situation. The Raiders have an offense that is loaded with talent at most of the key positions (i.e. quarterback and tailback). They don’t necessarily have the receiving talent, but that isn’t the pressing need in my opinion in the first round. Here’s what would have been said if Adio Royster, General Manager of the Oakland Raiders, made the pick:

“With the eighth pick in the 2009 NFL Draft, the Oakland Raiders select … Eugene Monroe, tackle from the University of Virginia.”

Before the pick, I can imagine the conversation with Burnsie going something like this:

ME: I’m drafting Eugene Monroe with the eighth pick.

BURNSIE: Does he have good hands?

ME: Absolutely. He’ll move those defensive linemen around and help everyone else make plays.

BURNSIE: I meant can he catch the ball?

ME: (with a confused look) Dude. I’m drafting an offensive tackle.

After explaining for about 5-10 minutes how games are won in the trenches, Burnsie kinda goes along with the pick after I promise a career season from JaMarcus Russell (which should be easy, considering his first few years of production).

The Raiders — my mistake, AL DAVIS — didn’t just screw up the first-round pick. He screwed up the ENTIRE DRAFT! In the second round, with two talented safeties, Michael Mitchell, a safety from Ohio was chosen. Um… what?! No.

This year’s draft had good little wide receiving nuggets all through it, so I’m willing to take a chance on a third-round receiver. I’m concentrated on rebuilding an offensive line that a 9-year-old Pop Warner kid can get three sacks against. Therefore, second-round pick: Max Unger, tackle, Oregon. Burnsie, I know I took back to back tackles, but understand something:

It’s impossible to put points on the board with the quarterback:

… on his back

… for the 800th time

… in the first quarter!

Listen, Burnsie. The object of the offensive line is to stop the defensive guys from tackling the offensive guys. I had to explain that as simple as possible. Monroe and Unger do that, and they can step right in and start.

In the third round, I finally give in to Burnsie’s request and draft a wide receiver. Little does he know that I was planning to draft a wide out, anyway. Every so often, I’ll stroke his ego. Derrick Williams, Penn State wide receiver. Come on down and join the party. This is JaMarcus Russell. He will be throwing you the ball. Get used to it fast.

Fourth round is where I may pull a muscle by stretching for Michigan’s Terrance Taylor. He’s a defensive tackle that will put some extra depth and beef on the defensive line. Sometimes, Burnsie, you have to throw a dart and see if it hits. The difference between you and me is that a helpless Raider fan won’t get stabbed in the heart when I throw.

No fifth-round pick, which sucks because I’d be all for South Carolina’s Jasper Brinkley or Oklahoma’s Nic Harris. Fast forward to the sixth round, where Stryker Sulak, a defensive end from Iowa was selected. Sulak would be a great steal … if the Raiders ran a 3-4 defense. But Sulak is WAY undersized to be a 4-3 defensive end in the AFC West (teams with LaDainian Tomlinson, Larry Johnson and, as of right now, Knowshown Moreno). These teams are running, folks. Vance Walker, defensive tackle, Virginia Tech, have a seat, here’s a jersey.

As much as general managers and owners claim a draft is the most difficult part of the job, I just fixed the Raiders with half a draft. Two starters on the offensive line, a possible No. 2 wide receiver and depth on the defensive line. Raiders fans should read this, send it to Burnsie and demand that I take over as general manager of the Oakland Raiders.

The Phoenix has risen, and he’s covered in silver and black.

By Adio B. Royster
THE PHOENIX

LeBron. Kobe. D-Wade.

When I hear those three names, I think of a great marketing platform for the NBA. They’re all in capes, musketeer hats and fencing swords. (Patent pending). For now, just consider it the battle for the MVP award for 2009: “One award for all, but only deserving of one.”

Kobe “Where’s the Beef?” Bryant. The man most commonly associated with the Los Angeles Lakers (post-Shaquille O’Neal, anyway). Kobe has been described as the best all-around guard in the NBA. I can’t really say LeBron is, because he plays every position but center. Kobe has led the Lakers to the best record in the Western Conference for the second straight year and … But he is not my MVP vote.

Dwyane Wade will get his awards. The scoring title should be just enough to keep Wade happy for the playoff months and the offseason. He has a ring. He has a Finals MVP award. He SHOULD get the Defensive Player of the Year award, as he broke the record for blocked shots by a guard (106). He’ll probably get his money, too, which is equally important. There’s a certain comfort in knowing you are the difference between a team winning 15 games in 2007-08 and a team winning 43 games in ‘08-09. How much is a +28 win differential worth? I guess we’ll find out in 2010.

Too often, the most valuable player gets mistaken for the most valuable player on a team. D-Wade unfortunately falls under this category because he’s Miami’s MVP, not the NBA’s. Kobe’s in this category, too. Clearly, he is the Lakers’ MVP. My friend Jeremy wanted me to admit that Pau Gasol meant more to the Lakers than Kobe Bryant. We then proceeded to get in a Rowdy Roddy Piper/Keith David style fight a la “They Live.” “PUT THE GLASSES ON!” … Obviously, I won that argument.

I digress from the point of this article, though. My apologies. Seasoned veterans of my stories know that I’m vulnerable to tangents. Anyway …

I do have to admit that there is clearly one player out of the three that transcends the sport. When he steps on the floor, he has more impact both on and off the court than anyone. Since I’ve already kinda spilled the beans, anyway, I won’t keep you in suspense any more. Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, your 2009 NBA MVP … Mr. LeBron James.

On the court, let’s face it. The guy is a beast. 6-foot-8, 250 pounds. There’s nothing funnier than watching a scrub center stand in the lane when LeBron is driving and then watching an ole move two seconds before LeBron throws it down. Seriously, how many basketball posters and cards feature LeBron James dunking on the dome of the Greg Ostertags of the world? I don’t know how many times I need to explain this. When LeBron James is coming down the lane … MOVE OR BE EMBARRASSED! I’m just waiting patiently for the Vince Carter/Frederik Weis moment in LeBron James’ career. Hmm … Hasheem Thabeet is headed to the NBA next year. I might get my wish.

Statistically, he’s redonkulous. He leads the Cavaliers in five different categories: total points, rebounds, assists, steals and blocks. Know how many others have done that? THREE! Dave Cowens in ‘78, Scottie Pippen in ‘95 and Kevin Garnett in ‘03.

Oh wait, there’s more. This year, he became first person to be top three in scoring (28.8) AND top 25 in rebounds (7.6), blocks (1.15), assists (7.2) and steals (1.69). By the way, he shoots almost 50 percent from the field and 40 percent from three. Do you need more? I think I can stop now with the offensive stats. They’re impressive. Moving on.

I like Wade for Defensive Player of the Year, but LeBron is 1A. If either win the award, I wouldn’t be surprised. Every night, LeBron guards the best player on the opposing team. I love LeBron/Kobe match-ups. I love LeBron/Paul Pierce match-ups. I remember one specific game where LeBron was sent to guard Andre Iguodala, and “A.I. v. 2.0″ shot 1 of 13 from the field with about 8 million turnovers. Part of his defensive stats should go to Mo Williams’ offense, though. For whatever reason, you don’t spend as much energy when there’s a legitimate No. 2 scoring threat on the floor.

Let’s be honest. I’ve been saying this for years, but before the “Big Three” came along in Beantown, LeBron James was the only thing keeping the Eastern Conference relevant. After Detroit won the title in 2004, the Eastern Conference fell into obscurity faster and harder than Cuba Gooding Jr. post-”Jerry Maguire.” You keep thinking the conference will bounce back, but then “Boat Trip” comes out. (NOTE: I deem the Miami title was complete aberration because … c’mon … did anyone really think Dallas was going to win that series?) LeBron makes you think about the possibility that the Eastern Conference can do something against the powerhouses of the Western Conference (i.e. the Lakers).

Equally important is what LeBron does for the greater Cleveland area. Look at what that city has become since LeBron entered the league. He has single-handedly resurrected that town from the depths of “Michael Jordan over Craig Ehlo” hell. He is one NBA Championship away from turning “The Drive” into what LeBron James did in the NBA Finals against the Lakers when Pau Gasol refused to get out of the way, not what Elway did to the Browns in the AFC Championship. Count how many times he has stated he wants to change the attitude of the city? Cleveland used to be just as bad as Boston pre-2004 World Series Championship and present-day Wrigley Area. Now, Cleveland has the hope factor … which may or may not be the most powerful force in town right now.

What I love about my life right now is the fact I get to watch three of the best basketball players of my generation after seeing some of the greatest combination of players from the ’80s and ’90s: Magic, Bird, Jordan, Erving (to a lesser extent because he was at the tail end of his career), Isaiah, Shaq, Duncan … the list is endless. This year’s MVP race contains quite possibly one of the greatest trios of all time. I kinda wish that Dwight Howard was in the mix. That would have made it interesting.

For the time being, I’m happy with what I’m given.