Random Monday Thoughts

1. If I had to make a guess as to who the most consistent player in the Cubs bullpen would be, my first guess wouldn't be Carlos Marmol. Not complaining, just saying...

2. I sure miss playing video games. The minute I only have one job, I'm all over that shit.

3. Another thing I miss? Reading leisurely. You could give me my favorite book and I'd be in Heaven; tell me I have to read three chapters a day and I'll kick and scream until I lose my voice.

4. The New (and last) Little Brother album = pretty decent. Not on par with the Minstrel Show or even Getback, but it's definitely worth the purchase and/or listen.

5. Phil Mickelson, if he hasn't already, catapulted himself into top 10 golfers of all time with his Masters win over the weekend.

6. With the NFL draft fast approaching, I wonder exactly how the Redskins' acquisition of Donovan McNabb will effect everything. My prediction? Jimmy Klaussen is snatched up by the Raiders, and his brash cockiness effectively forces Jamarcus Russel to void his own contract, surrendering millions back to the Oakland Raiders. In an interview, Russell states that he felt it was only right to give back money that he stole.

7. Maybe it's because my beloved Sixers suck a massive chunk of ass, but it doesn't quite feel like the NBA playoffs are around the corner; but for the fun of it, here's my finals prediction: Cleveland Cavaliers beat the Phoenix Suns (You read that right folks), in 5 games.

Listen, it's 75 degrees out. Therefore 7 seems like a good number to stop on. A more concise and relevant post to follow in the next day or so (hopefully!).

Raiders Leaders in Efforts to Acquire Mcnabb

Let me just say, while most Raiders fans may believe that this is the right move to make, I do not.

Unless of course we can convince one of top 5 QB's in the league to sign an extension with literally the worst team of the last 8 years, this move is just another sad attempt to rejuvenate a team while effectively OVERspending (One of Al Davis' trademark moves in the past 20 years).

The problem lies in McNabb's outlandish contract that has scared off pretty much every other team in the market for the Eagles' QB, and rightfully so. Due a roster bonus and a large annual salary, The Raiders would have to lock him up with at least a 2-3 year extension in order for this deal to make any sense whatsoever.

Yes, McNabb could bring the kind of winning attitude to one of the saddest and most dysfunctional teams. Yes, he could potentially make this team a playoff contender in a shaky AFC West; however this trade is just a quick fix. Al Davis falls in love with veteran QBS (see: Rich Gannon) and while they are more than competent and able to lead a team better than Jamarcus Russell, there is also a very energetic Bruce Gradkowski who won over the locker room last year.

True, Russell has so far been nothing but arguably the biggest draft bust of all time. However, the kid is still very young and has a remote chance of becoming something in the NFL. If he needs more time, let him sit on the bench a little while longer and watch Gradkowski. Obviously McNabb is a more ideal QB than Gradkowski, but if the idea is to teach Russell, Gradkowski could get the job done, and much much cheaper.

So far, no deal is even in place, but all the pieces are there. Let's just hope for the sake of the Raiders, they are able to realize that an extension is necessary in order to make anything out of this.

The NFL's New Overtime Extravaganza!

Yesterday, NFL Owners voted 28-4 in favor of changing the overtime rules (in the postseason only). In such an instance:

-The team who receives the ball first can win the game with an opening drive touchdown.

-If the team who receives the ball first scores a field goal, the opposing team will get the ball as well and have an opportunity to either tie it with a field goal of their own (in which case, repeat the first step), or win it with a touchdown. After each team has had one possession, the game reverts back to the old overtime rules, with the next team scoring being declared the winner.

-Any defensive score results in the end of the game.

I'm indifferent. I don't know what I feel about this rule. Statistics show that first possession only seems to matter in the regular season, and since this isn't going to be implemented in the regular season, I guess I'm just sort of waiting the first few postseason overtimes to see how it goes down.

Reform in the NFL is needed and inevitable at times. This rule change came as a surprise to a lot of people, so we're just going to have to buckle down and hope that the whole two page document was worth it.