A-Rod, A-Rod, A-Rod. You aren’t even trying to make my job difficult, are you?

NOTE: This is the first post by my partner in crime, Jordan Guinn. It is published under my name due to current technical difficulties.- F.G.

Once again, Alex Rodriguez has found himself embroiled in another controversy. Sports Illustrated reporter Selena Roberts has written a book on the troubled Yankee third basemen that will drop on May 4. The book contains allegations that Rodriguez has been juicing since high school, tipped pitches while playing in Texas to opposing players during blowouts in the hopes of receiving the same treatment and was affectionately nicknamed “Bitch Tits” by his fellow Yankee teammates.

Roberts even talks about Rodriguez with the self-proclaimed “Godfather of Steroids,” Jose Canseco. Canseco says he believes Rodriguez was probably doing steroids since high school because Rodriguez was nearly able to bench press the same amount as him when he was 18.

Superman just found his kryptonite: Stu Jackson

Dwight Howard was in the middle of another star-making performance last night (24 points and 24 rebounds – love the symmetry), and then he decided to do something really stupid. Perhaps stupid isn’t the right word. Moronic? Dumbfounding? How about championship-threatening? I concede that the Magic aren’t likely to win a title this year, especially with the dominating way the Lakers and Cavaliers are playing, but the single chicken wing Howard threw out there might cost the Magic the series.

Now I’m all for physical play, and if you want to take a cheap shot (cough, Kobe, cough) there are subtle ways of doing it. But if you’re as blatantly obvious as Howard was, don’t expect to get away with it.



So why will this potentially cost the Magic the series? Because now NBA Executive Vice-president of Basketball Operations Stu Jackson has to suspend Howard. It may have just been an elbow, but Howard threw it hard and Samuel Dalembert was probably seeing stars afterwards. Superman will sit for Game 6, and don’t think the Magic won’t miss him badly. Dalembert may get the last laugh here, because Howard’s backup is Marcin Gortat. “Who?” You ask. Gortat is a first-year player who is averaging 1.2 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in the playoffs while playing 9 minutes a game. Shouldn’t be too much of a drop-off, right?

As a side note, Paul Pierce is ridiculous. Nice to see “The Truth” return to his old form, even though I’m tired of hearing about the Celtics. Most people are mad at Brad Miller for failing twice at the free throw line in overtime, but John Salmons was the one who got smoked by Pierce over and over again at the end of the game. There’s my former Kings’ players making me proud!

UPDATE: Dwight Howard has indeed been suspended for Game 6. Game 7 in Orlando should be an interesting one.

Why Al Davis? Why do you hate me?

It is with a heavy heart that I write this first blog post. I want to express my displeasure with the Oakland Raiders and the Cryptkeeper, er, Al Davis, but it is just so hard to find words that are strong enough.

Seriously? Another speedster? Another defensive back? Sigh...

In case you haven't figured it out yet, I'm talking about the NFL draft, and Davis' inexplicable and moronic moves. If there was ever any doubt on who's calling the shots in Oakland, it's been cemented now. Crazy old man Davis is sitting in his office watching tape from the 80s, cackling as he dreams of the days of Willie Brown and Fred Biletnikoff.

First there was the selection of Darrius Heyward-Bey with the seventh overall pick. Sure he's big (6'3") and yeah, he's fast (4.2 40-yard dash). But he would have been just as big and fast at the No. 20 pick! The Raiders could have traded down and gotten some extra draft picks, and still drafted Heyward-Bey. Plus, he would have been a lot cheaper then, too. Based on last year's contracts, the Raiders could have saved about $35 million dollars.

And let's not forget who was available at No. 7: a receiver by the name of Michael Crabtree. Perhaps you've heard of him and his playmaking abilities? I gave myself a concussion with how hard I smacked my forehead on Saturday.

This is a classic Davis pick. It's sad that all those Raider-haters on the networks can snicker and say the pick was because of Davis' obsession with speed - and they're right. And now Crabtree will wear red and gold across the bay, and his numerous Pro Bowl selections will taunt us for years to come. Heyward-Bey might turn out to be a great player, but I am worried about a guy who never caught more than 51 passes or 5 touchdowns in a season.

Then the Raiders pick a guy in the second round who was being projected as a Day 2 pick (hell, maybe even an undrafted free agent). Michael Mitchell might be talented, but why waste a second round choice on him? It came out on Sunday that the Bears were ready to take Mitchell with the No. 49 pick, just two picks after the Raiders selected him. NFL Network draft expert Mike Mayock said Mitchell had seen his stock rise late, but the Raiders have drafted defensive backs in the first two rounds in eight of the last nine years. Mix in an offensive tackle now and then, will you?

NFL experts on ESPN and NFL Network love to ramble on about the ineptitude of the Raiders, and they take pleasure in ripping my beloved Raider Nation to shreds. This has made me angry for years, and the East Coast bias thing on ESPN especially gets old, but I have no defense anymore. It hurts me to type this, but the Raiders deserve to be the laughingstock of the league right now. And the main reason for this? You guessed it - Al Davis.

In his day, Davis was a badass who was a perfect fit for the Raiders. He hated the NFL and it hated him right back, but the term Commitment to Excellence actually meant something and people feared the Silver and Black. Now, the game has passed you by, Mr. Davis. And the Raider faithful have to sit here and watch as you pick speed and flash over substance. Former head coach Jon Gruden said on NFL Network Sunday that Al Davis, "could care less what any of us think." Unfortunately, Chucky, I think you're right.

John Madden, please return home and buy this team before its too late. And if anyone out there can run a 4.3 40-yard dash, please report to Raiders training camp this summer. Al Davis might want to offer you a contract.