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The athletes, staff, friends and families of the Iditarod are sad and will say their last goodbyes to a pioneer and hero of the Last Great Race on Earth, on September 2, 2006.

Four-time winner of the Iditarod, Susan Butcher, age 51, died Aug. 5 in a Seattle hospital after battling leukemia for a year. Her body rejected a bone marrow transplant after having received a stem cell transplant two months previous. She lived less than a year after being diagnosed with leukemia in 2005. This life is over just way too fast.

A memorial service will be held in Fairbanks, Alaska on September 2, according to the Iditarod champion web site. The service will be held in the Davis Concert Hall on the University of Alaska, Fairbanks Campus, beginning at 4 p.m. Alaska time. Please take a few moments at that time, wherever you are, to pay silent respects to Ms. Butcher and send a few good thoughts for her grieving family.

The Iditarod is a feat of endurance just to begin, let alone finish, let alone win. And she won 4 times. Because of Butcher, people like the legally-blind young woman, Rachel Scdoris, gained the courage to try the 1100-mile race through blizzard and ice themselves. Legally blind. She scratched in 2005, but she didn't come in last in 2006 - she was 57 out of 83 - she beat 26 people who could see! America is certainly a testament to the determination and courage if its people who come from all over the world. Maybe that's why we usually seem to all get along better for the two weeks or so of the Summer and Winter Olympics every two years.

This Iditarod Sled Dog Race was all male from its beginning in 1973, and women competed in early years, but were not serious competition. Butcher began closing in though, from Cambridge, Massachusetts, moving steadily northwest. Steadily away from civilization as well. She moved to the Alaska bush and trained dogs, living without electricity or even running water, all alone. Meeting Joe Redington Sr., the founder of the Iditarod, she trained on his family's property near Anchorage. He became her mentor and friend. This should be a movie! Later, Redington, Butcher, their guide Ray Genet, and a photographer executed an extreme adventure by mushing dog teams to the 20,320-foot peak of the highest mountain in North America - Mt. McKinley - in 1979. When you can do something like this, everyday problems seem quite small. That's why people do these things. By doing them, they also set an example for others to gain hope for overcoming adversity, and have fun while doing it.

Some detractors put down the Iditarod as animal abuse; and yes, some dogs die every year. But the ones that live are happy. And the ones that are pulled out for health reasons become depressed when they cannot run. One pulled dog in 2005 escaped from his crate at the airport and ran around the field and nearby woods for 24 hours before being captured to go home. He wanted to race. In 1925, part of the Iditarod Trail became a life-saving route for fighting the Diphtheria epidemic in Nome, Alaska. Diphtheria threatened lives and the serum had to be brought in by dog mushers and their faithful dogs. The Iditarod is a commemoration of this life-saving event and the lives of the two hardest working dogs in 1925: Togo and Balto. Iditarod means clear water and was named by the Shageluk Indians for the Iditarod River.

From 1978, Susan worked her way up from 19th to second place in the Iditarod in 1985 and was disappointed, but also spurred on toward meeting the challenge. She re-entered the race and won in 1986, 1987 and 1988 with lead dog Granite. She took second place again in 1989 and, not willing to settle for second best, Susan came back to become the only four-time grand champion in 1990. The Iditarod took up nearly her whole life for 10 years and she did not have her children until 1994, after she had retired from the Last Great Race.

Susan's husband has lost a good partner and friend and we send prayers up for him and the kids and good thoughts his way as well. David Monson has also been a musher himself, and a champion of the Yukon Quest, the 1000-mile sled dog race. While Susan Butcher could be funny and charming, she was brusque during the race, concentrating and highly focused. David always supported her. Their oldest daughter, Tekla, is named after the lead sled dog that saved the lives of Butcher and her whole sled dog team by refusing to mush across overflowing river water and melting ice that others did not see. Daughter Tekla is 11, and her sister Chisana is only 6. They have quite a legacy behind them and they have her dogs.

Susan has a childrens book coming out this fall: 'GRANITE is Susan's self-published children's book about her legendary lead dog Granite. Susan tells the story of how Granite overcame adversity through a combination of Susan's love and guidance, and his own strength, spirit, and drive to dominate sled dog racing for many years. Full color linoleum block prints illustrate Susan and Granite's life together in Alaska and the many adventures they experience out on the trail.' - from Susan's Butcher Web site.


I do not know the word quit. Either I never did, or I have abolished it. - Susan Butcher.

By Simon Woodhouse

To many people, Netball is seen as the poor relation of Basketball. Basketball has the big stars, the big TV contracts, the big sponsorship deals - the big money. Basketball also features big men; giants who fill the court, tower over the basket, and make the rest of us feel very inadequate. On the other hand, Netball appears to be a more sedate game, played primarily by women, and something real men shouldn't get involved with. And I must admit that was how I saw Netball until I actually sat down and watched a game.

Here in New Zealand there's a small but well-supported domestic Netball league. The season is short, starting at the end of April and lasting for no more than ten weeks. But during those ten weeks the action is full on. Whoever thinks Netball is a non-contact sport should try watching a game. The women on court may look feminine, but from the moment the first whistle is blown all things gentile and ladylike are brushed aside.

Each fifteen minute quarter is played with a level of commitment and intensity that rivals anything Basketball, or any other team sport come to that, has to offer. But because there's no running with the ball allowed, scoring isn't a matter of an individual player rushing from one end of the court to the other and slamming the ball in the net. Netball requires an element of strategic thought on the part of the coach. The players are also restricted to particular zones of play outside of which they're not allowed to venture, so quick, accurate passing is the key to winning. Quick being the operative word, because you're not allowed to hold onto the ball for more than three seconds.

A sense of urgency purveys every move, and it's probably this constant, high-energy pace that leads to tempers becoming a little frayed. This isn't Ice Hockey though, no one actually comes to blows and tries to batter the opponent, but there's plenty of pushing and shoving.

The New Zealand Domestic league provides a short, well-contested spectacle. International matches, on the other hand, ramp the action up to a whole other level. For such a small country (population around four million), New Zealand does very well on the international Netball scene. And I suppose it's only fitting their greatest rival is Australia. Each year the two countries play about half a dozen matches, which from the word go are hard fought contests. Normal, gentile women turn into the sort of people you really wouldn't want to mess with. Because the zoning rule only allows certain players to occupy specific areas of the court, part of the Netball strategy is to closely mark members of the other team. Over the course of sixty minutes you can see real grudge matches developing, all be it played out with a degree of restraint demanded by the non-contact rule.

This year (2006) the Commonwealth Games took place in Melbourne, Australia. Netball became a recognized Commonwealth sport in 1998, so it's still a relatively new addition to the event. Twelve teams competed in the tournament, but like something from a Hollywood movie script (Netball meets Rocky), New Zealand and Australia ended up facing each other in the final. Not only the final, but also the very last event in the whole Commonwealth Games schedule. Up until that point Australia had been the clear leaders in the medal table, with over eighty golds, compared to England, their nearest rival, with only thirty six. New Zealand had five, a less than stellar showing. Could the Netball team pull something out of the bag and not only get another gold, but stuff it to the Aussies in the process? Yes, of course they could, and they did. Though it was a close thing in the end, with New Zealand winning 60 - 55.

Though the domestic league doesn't offer enough financial support to allow the players to become professionals, they are certainly recognizable faces. Perhaps they don't attain the same god-like status as pro Basketballers in the US, but they do pop up on TV advertising everything from whirlpools spas, cheap flights on the national airline, and (rather predictably) domestic kitchen appliances. There are plans afoot to double the number of games played each season, which I think will be a real winner. In a country ruled by Rugby, one of the most macho of all the male dominated sports, it's nice to see the ladies getting a look in, and for all the right reasons as well.

There are people all over the world in numbers ranging in the millions who are looking for a great exercise program that will eliminate unwanted fat. This is a noble cause. What people need to realize, however, is that it is not so much finding the right exercise program (although it is extremely important), but also a simple understanding of what constitutes fat.

It is important that people understand what fat actually is. Fat is excess calories that were not burned by the body and, as such, have been relegated to being stored for fuel at a later date. Now, if one continues to overeat on top of the stored calories that one has consumed, then that stored away fat will never be accessed for use as energy. What needs to happen is that the fat be utilized either by a diet reduction in the number of calories to consume or by doing a great deal of cardio exercise so as to burn the excess weight off. Actually, the best option would be to perform a combination of both diet and exercise.

On a side note, calorie reduction, many times, has nothing to do with eating less, but with eating right. If one is eating good food, then one will be consuming less calories because good food will be low in fat and sugar, both of which, by their very nature, are high calorie foods.

To eliminate one pound of fat from one's diet, one would need to eliminate 3,500 calories that have been stored as fact. If one is wondering what kind of activity will burn that much fat in one session, the answer is to run the Boston Marathon. 3,500 calories is an insane amount. Realistically, one may be able to burn 1 to 1.5lbs a week. Anything beyond that would be quite difficult. After all, how much time does one have to dedicate to doing cardio work? Doing an hour of cardio a night will probably be all one will have time to do. Those athletes who are ripped to shreds usually look that way because they are working out three or more hours a day.

Yes, there are those out there who will have claimed to have lost five to seven pounds in one week. There is no doubt this is true. Losing seven pounds of WEIGHT, however, is not the same thing as losing seven pounds of FAT. When one drops weight, one not only loses fat, one can also lose water, muscle or glycogen stores.

This is the secret of the low carb diets. When one goes on a low carb diet, most of the weight that is initially dropped is water. Carbs stores water and when the carb reserves are depleted over a period of time, then there will be a corresponding drop in water weight that will be pretty pronounced. Yes, one will lose fat on a low carb diet, but this is due to the dropping of calories as many carbs are very high in calories, particularly simple carbs that come from processed sugars.

Eliminating calories must come from the elimination of really bad foods that contain a ton of useless carbs and fat. A McDonald's lunch will be loaded with an insane amount of both and will rack up quite a bit of calories. A Big Mac, French Fries and Vanilla Shake may contain upwards of 1,700 calories that won't even keep a person full beyond a couple of hours. (None of the ingredients contained in such bad food digests slowly, so the body ends up getting hungry quicker)

So, eat leaner meats and vegetables along with getting one's carbs from natural sources of fruits and grains. Be forewarned, even if one eats too many good carbs, one's weight may balloon when the unused glucose turns to fat. Carbs are for energy and should be used on days when one is more active. Carbs should not be demonized, but they do need to have an eye kept on them.

Ultimately, getting rid of excess fat requires a person to show discipline at the dinner table and in the gym. When one develops that disciplined nature, one will have ninety-percent of all weight loss problems solved.

In the world of kickboxing in the United States, most practitioners will define kickboxing as the PKA style that was popular in the 1970's and the emergence of Muay Thai into the United States years later. Of course, kickboxing is a far wider world than what its history in the USA is. Probably one of the most overlooked martial arts during this timeline has been the French Kickboxing art of Savate.

In the USA, kickboxing is not the spectator sport it once was so, this piece will focus primarily on an overview of savate training in North America. Savate training in France would, of course, be much different with an emphasis on fighting professionally and in front of large crowds. Since this landscape does not exist in North America, savate is primarily trained for fun and hobby and competitions are generally an extension of the classroom.

Savate's origins date back over three hundred years. It is believed that Savate (loosely translated as "old boot") was developed by sailors on the high seas and that the kicking grew out of the needed to extend one's arms for balance when the boat rocked back and forth. In time, savate became a ring sport and it practiced all over the world. While savate is hugely popular in some areas, it is virtually unknown in other areas. In the United States, it has a very small following as the number of savate schools and instructors in North America are few and far between.

Savate's use of kicks is far different than many other systems in that savate operates as a precision kicking art that uses the tip of the shoe to deliver damage. Other arts use a more disbursed impact method where the instep or the shin is used to delivering damage. Both are effective and compliment each other quite well.

Of course, the toe will break if such a kick is delivered barefoot so savate, until virtually all kicking arts, wears the shoe during training and develops the use of the shoe as a weapon. This can come in handy as a self defense art as it changes the dynamic of the kick and a lot of power is not needed.

As a competition, there is three levels of competition light and full contact amateur and full contact pro. Light contact is pretty much the types of events that are held in the USA and the emphasis is to display technique and not try to knock someone out. This allows this form of competition to be more accessible to students who wish to won their skills. In amateur Muay Thai, for example, there is more chance of injury because the level of physical contact is much more pronounced. There is no light contact variant of this art.

This is not to say the Savate training is not physical. The training is very tough and includes a significant amount of cardio training that is required in order to handle the fast paced nature of the sport. In Savate, there is heavy emphasis on footwork and movement and people who wish to do this art well must constantly be moving. If one is not in great cardio shape, finishing a savate workout will be much tougher.

This does not mean that one has to be a super athlete to have fun in savate. Anyone can do it, it will just be a matter of pacing oneself until the development of a higher level of cardio is maintained. If there was one attribute that many people will definitely struggle with more than cardio, it will be the need for quite a bit of flexibility. Savate utilizes a great deal of high kicks and this means anyone with limited flexibility will probably have a tough time. But like any other attribute, flexibility can be developed and developed to a decent degree.

So what if one does not have a savate school nearby? In today's world, martial arts instructional videos are quite popular and there are quite a number of savate DVDS out there. One just needs to get motivated to do the workouts on one's own. If not, at least the DVDS can be kind of fun to watch! (But participation will always be better)

At the age of five, Cassie Campbell first laced on a pair of ice skates in Ontario and never quit skating. Recently, as the Captain of Canada's National Women's Hockey Team, she has heroically participated in three Winter Olympic Games, seven International Ice Hockey Federation World Women's Championships, nine Four Nations Cups and the Torino Ice Tournament. It has been quite a career and her teams have won 21 medals, including 17 gold medals and four silver medals. Cassie Campbell's gold-medal count with the Canadian women's hockey team will hold now at a total of eight, because the Captain won Olympic hockey gold with Canada in 2002. The left winger took on the role of captain again in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy, and again successfully led her team to the Gold Medal with a 4 - 1 win over Team Sweden. The 32-year-old forward, retired from the squad Wednesday, August 30 2006, just six months after taking her final gold medal at the Torino Winter Olympics.

Campbell was not only one of the fastest skaters on the Canadian woman's national team, but one of the most successful and recognizable players in whole of women's ice hockey history. The five-foot-seven Calgary resident has worn the captain "C" for the Calgary X-Treme of the Western Women's Hockey League and also skated with the Toronto Aeros of the National Women's Hockey League. Bold, dynamic, and full of spark, Cassie drew on her accomplishments as the captain of the Canadian Women's Olympic Hockey Team to explore the dynamic lessons of leadership, vision, teamwork, determination, and drive. A passionate speaker, she knows firsthand how teamwork, determination, and great leadership play vital roles in challenging times. She likely will continue to be a keynote speaker to inspire, inform, and entertain thousands of youth and adults in the future.

"While it is difficult for me to retire from the game that has given me such pleasure," she said today, "I can now look back with great fondness on my time with the national team and my years playing hockey."

Campbell is the lone Canadian hockey player of either gender to captain a national team to two Olympic golds. Four years ago, she helped Canada defeat the United States in Salt Lake City, Utah. She has done Canada proud. She also earned six world titles in her 157-game career with the national club. Captain of the Canadian team since the 2001-02 hockey season, she finished with 32 goals and 68 assists for 100 points overall. Quite a role model for determination and stick-to-itiveness! She has done modeling, and hosted women's hockey segments on TSN's hockey broadcasts. She is an alumna of the University of Guelph, in Guelph Ontario, Canada. In 1996 she was named Sportswoman of the Year for the University of Guelph, from where she holds an Honors Sociology Degree. She is also a member of the Brampton Citify Sports Hall of Fame.

The Brampton, Ontario, Canada native will now take up the career of sports broadcasting, using her excellent speaking skills that will engage viewers and listeners everywhere. Previously working as a color commentator on numerous TV and radio hockey broadcasts, she has built a strong foundation for sports broadcasting for the play by plays.

Campbell broke into hockey with the Canadian women's national team in 1994 as a defenseman and was soon named an All Star at the 1997 World Championship before becoming a forward for her team in the following hockey season.

"Cassie Campbell's contributions to women's hockey go far beyond her tremendous success with the national women's team," Hockey Canada president Bob Nicholson said. "Cassie has been and will continue to be an ambassador for the women's game, as well as a role model and hero to thousands of young girls playing hockey in Canada."

Fifty-seven players, including those from the Olympic roster, have all been invited to attend an evaluation camp this Saturday in Kenora, Ontario. It should be a fun and valuable experience, to say the least. Outstanding Canadian coach Melody Davidson will form a roster of players from out of this evaluation to compete at the Four Nations Cup in Kitchener, Ontario in November 2006. The 2007 World Championship is scheduled for April in Winnipeg. We look forward to Cassie Campbell in her new role of sports broadcaster for these games in the future.

One of the toughest decisions star athletes have to face in their careers is when to retire from the sport that has defined their lives for so long. It can be difficult for elite athletes to step aside because they'll always feel that they can do better than a majority of the other players in the league. Michael Jordan tried to retire once, but came back to lead the Chicago Bulls to an amazing three more NBA championship titles before retiring for good.

He's one of the few athletes who actually do hang it up too early, as his three additional rings prove. Most of the time, athletes cling too long to their past glory and end up playing on mostly reputation alone. Patrick Ewing comes to mind as just one example of a once-great athlete who barely had anything left in the tank during their last few playing seasons. Pete Rose is another player that many sports analysts feel overstayed his welcome in the game of baseball.

A more recent example of this phenomenon -- at least in my opinion -- is Brett Favre of the Green Bay Packers. Favre has been the starting quarterback for the Packers since 1992, an incredible span during which he revived the franchise and led the team to a Super Bowl win in the 1996-97 season. Favre has been overwhelmingly dominant in his 14 years as a starter in the NFL, and was named the league MVP three times in three consecutive seasons from 1995 to 1997. As a Chicago Bears fan, I couldn't allow myself to like Brett Favre, but at the same time I couldn't help but respect him as a football player. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game.

However, anyone (other than a Packers fan) that has watched Favre play in the last two or three seasons will tell you that Favre is well past his prime and should retire from football for good. The retirement question is nearly always posed to Favre at some point during the season by the media, and actually seemed to be a weekly inquiry last season. Whenever the media starts peppering a player with the retirement question, then it's probably high time for that athlete to move on.

The case against Favre is really twofold. On the one hand, you need only look at his stats to see that he's not playing at the same level that football fans have become accustomed to over the last decade and a half. Although Favre threw for a very respectable 3,881 yards last season, he did so on 607 attempts, which was the most ever in his career. His passer rating was a miserable 70.9 (the worst in his career) and the 4-12 record that the Packers posted was the team's worst season with Favre at the helm. Prior to 2005, the Packers had never finished below .500 in Favre's career with the team. In addition, Favre threw 29 interceptions last year (again, the worst mark in his career) versus only 20 touchdowns (tied for the third-lowest total in his career).

The second argument against the Packers retaining Favre for another year is that doing so will delay the development of backup quarterback Aaron Rodgers for another whole season. Rodgers, who played college ball at California, was Green Bay's first round draft pick (24th overall) in the 2005 draft. A lot of analysts are expecting big things out of this young man, but much like the Philip Rivers situation in San Diego prior to this year, Rodgers simply hasn't had a chance to play because Favre is still around. Sure, Rodgers is undoubtedly learning a lot from Favre, but he needs to get in some games and get some actual experience. You don't draft a guy in the first round just to sit him on the bench for a few years.

Favre obviously has his own reasons for wanting to play another year and he certainly doesn't have to explain himself or justify his actions to anyone. But I would rather remember Favre as the gunslinger that he was in his prime, the reason that the Pack could never be counted out of a game until the final seconds ticked off the clock than as an aging QB who throws 30 percent more interceptions than touchdowns and doesn't give his team the best chance to win. It's been a great career, but it's time to move on.

Posted by JE

I've been a hockey fan since I was in grade school. Unlike other professional sports where my allegiances changed from time to time, the only favorite hockey team I ever had was my hometown team, the Chicago Blackhawks. I used to listen to every single home game on the radio (the owner refused to broadcast these games on TV) and I used to watch every single road game on one of the cable sports channels. I never missed a game, not even if the Hawks were playing on the West Coast on a school night. Plus, my family and I went to the old Chicago Stadium for at least two or three games per year, and we had season tickets when I was in junior high school.

My interest in the Blackhawks diminished right about the time that they traded Jeremy Roenick to the Phoenix Coyotes for Alex Zhamnov. The Blackhawks' record started tanking at right around the same time and the team was no longer a lock for the playoffs every season. I was in a quandary. I loved hockey too much to give it up altogether, but it was no longer fun to be a Blackhawks fan. Rooting for another team in the NHL was entirely out of the question, so I figured I would have to either take the Hawks as they were or else not have a winter sport to follow. But then I decided the give the Chicago Wolves a chance.
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team that plays in the AHL. The Wolves have been around for nearly 10 years, and have enjoyed pretty decent success in that time. They've won three league championships (two from when they were in the IHL, I believe, and one from the 2002 season after they joined the AHL), so this was definitely a team that I could get behind. In addition, the Wolves played their home games in the Northwest Suburbs, which was much, much closer to my house than the United Center. Although I had never been to an AHL game before and despite the fact that I didn't recognize a single name on the Wolves' roster, I decided to buy some tickets and check out a game with my friends.

Right from the start, I could tell that the Wolves game would be different from any Blackhawks game I ever attended. First of all, the Wolves entered the ice through a tunnel with something like sparks or flames shooting off the sides. It looked more like the entrance of a football team during the Super Bowl than that of a hockey game. The atmosphere was much better, too. Instead of the lackluster crowd that the Blackhawks usually attract, Wolves fans were very loud and energetic. It was clear that they loved the team and were ready to have some fun.

Even after the game started, the extra entertainment didn't die down. The Wolves' mascot was circulating through the stands, trying to fire the crowd up and I have to say it was fun to watch his antics. This is something you definitely don't see at NHL games. Then during the intermissions, someone would come out and toss t-shirts and other prizes out to the crowd. None of the swag came close to me, but it was still cool to see how other people were reacting to the prizes.

I also have to mention price here. The group I went with had awesome seats right on the redline. We could see the whole rink and didn't have any blind spots to contend with. Best of all, our tickets cost right around $20 each. Comparable seats for a Blackhawks game would probably be at least $75, if not a lot more. So we were able to see great hockey (these guys are professional athletes, after all, and frequently get called up to the NHL when roster spots are open) at a great price.

After that initial experience, my friends and I became instant converts. We are now full-fledged Wolves fans and are planning on attending a bunch of games during this upcoming season. The low ticket prices ensure that we'll be able to do it even with a tight budget.

So if your NHL team is letting you down or if you just want an affordable night out at a professional hockey game, I recommend attending an AHL game sometime soon!

Posted by JE

By Ed Jennett

Well, the former Wolverine has worn out his welcome again. Just as he has in every other city that he has played for in his professional career, former Fab Five star and former multiple-time NBA All-Star power forward Chris Webber has aggravated the team that employs him so much that they are now desperate to trade him.

After winning the rigged joke known as the NBA Draft Lottery, the Orlando Magic used the first pick of the 1993 draft to select Webber after his sophomore season at the University of Michigan. Instead of teaming him up with Rookie-of-the-Year center Shaquille O'Neal, the Magic traded the draft rights of Webber to the Golden State Warriors for the draft rights to the third overall pick, Anfernee Hardaway, and three first-round draft picks. The first trade in the career of Webber would be the only one that was not his own fault.

Webber quickly clashed with Golden State Head Coach Don Nelson. Webber was mad at Nelson because he felt that Nelson was not treating him like a man. Nelson was mad at Webber because Webber did not want to play out of position at center for the undersized and undermanned Warriors. Despite the feud being a classic example of both a vicious cycle and which came first, the chicken or the egg question, Nelson decided that he should try to put an end to their disputes. Nelson was also the General Manager of the Warriors and trade small forward Billy Owens to the Miami Heat for center Rony Seikaly. Owens would play out of position at power forward when Webber played out of position at center. Nelson planned to play Seikaly at center move Webber back to his natural position of power forward.

The Warriors never had the chance to implement that plan as Webber took the trade of Owens, who was a close friend of his, as Nelson continuing their feud. Webber no longer wanted to play for the Warriors and refused to report to training camp because of his problems with Nelson. He was traded to the Washington Bullets (who are now known as the Washington Wizards) for small forward/power forward Tom Gugliotta and three first-round draft picks. The Bullets had drafted another Webber ally at the previous draft, fellow Fab Five power forward Juwan Howard.

With the Bullets, Webber was constantly injured and ran into problems with the law, managing the impressive accomplishment of getting arrested and maced for possession of marijuana. Apparently the Washington franchise decided that having the brittle and misbehaving Webber on their roster was worse than being named the Bullets while playing in a city known for shootings. Washington traded Webber to the Sacramento Kings for the unimpressive package of fading veterans Mitch Richmond and Otis Thorpe.

Although he was initially upset about being traded to the Kings, Webber quickly led Sacramento back to respectability and the playoffs. But during the entire season before he became an unrestricted free agent, Webber badmouthed the city of Sacramento because it lacked racial diversity. He also talked about how numerous other teams in the league would be a great fit for him. Kings fans quickly soured on Webber because of this and never really forgave him, even though he eventually re-signed with the team that offseason. Webber also began badmouthing, and feuding with, Kings All-Star small forward Peja Stojakovic. Sacramento ended the Webber era by trading him, along with forwards Michael Bradley and Matt Barnes, to Philadelphia shortly before the 2005 trading deadline for forwards Brian Skinner, Kenny Thomas, and Corliss Williamson.

The Sixers acquired Webber to be a second offensive option behind All-Star point guard Allen Iverson. Although he was not very effective on the court (averaging only 15.6 points and 7.9 rebounds during his first half season in Philadelphia) because he was still struggling to recover from the microfracture knee surgery that has made him a shell of the player that he used to be, the team still made the playoffs and Webber became close friends with Iverson off the court.

In his first full year in Philadelphia this past season, Webber improved his numbers to 20.2 points and 9.9 rebounds. His defense though, which was never a strong part of his game, was worse than ever. The friendship between Webber and Iverson also caused problems for the Sixers.

Philadelphia spent the entire season fluctuating between being mediocre and lousy, and ended up missing the playoffs in the abysmal Eastern Conference. The Sixers held a Fan Appreciation Day at one of their home games towards the end of the season in order to thank the fans for their support during a bad year for the club. Iverson and Webber were both injured and did not show in time to attend Fan Appreciation Day. Sixers management began shopping Iverson once the season ended. Once it became obvious that any deal involving trading The Answer would result in the team getting ripped off, the Sixers decided that the answer to their problems would be trading Webber.

Despite the fact that Webber is not nearly as good as he used to be, has a bad knee, has a huge contract, and will be 34 in March, the Sixers may be able to find another team that is willing to take him off of their hands. The sad story for Philadelphia is that the teams who will be willing to trade for Webber will most likely not be willing to give up something the Sixers want. Even though you may believe otherwise from watching television, it is not always sunny in Philadelphia. Here are the teams and trades that may bring an end to the Webber version of the Philadelphia Experiment:

Denver Nuggets: The Denver Nuggets are as desperate to rid themselves of their own microfracture surgery power forward Kenyon Martin. Like C-Webb, K-Mart angered the management of his team even further at the end of season. After frequently missing practices and games while he recovered from his knee surgery, feuding with Nuggets Head Coach George Karl during the regular season, allegedly sending his friends into the stands to beat up fans who were heckling him, and being his usual surly self during the regular season, K-Mart decided to step up his game for the playoffs and be even more obnoxious. During a first-round game against the Los Angeles Clippers, Martin spent more time than he would have liked to on the bench in the first half. In a move that would only make sense in the Bizarro World of DC Comics, Martin decided that the best way to get more playing time was by cursing out his coaches and his teammates in the locker room at half time. Not surprisingly, the Nuggets responded by not playing Martin in the second half of the game and then suspending him indefinitely.

Swapping these two headaches would seem like a quick, although painful, and easy way out for both clubs. But the contracts of the two former All-Stars could get in the way. Webber makes over $20 million this season and over $22 million next. Martin makes over $11 million this year and has several years remaining on his contract. Denver will have to put an additional player, or players, into the trade for it to work under the salary cap. Even if the Nuggets were willing to do this, there is no guarantee that the Sixers would be willing to take on the extra years of the gargantuan contract that Denver signed Martin to.

Portland Trail Blazers: The Portland Trail Blazers have the horrible misfortune of being stuck with two forwards on their roster that they are desperate to dump, power forward Zach Randolph and small forward Darius Miles. Both players have had knee surgeries (Randolph has had the dreaded microfracture surgeries), both players have terrible contracts, and both players have attitudes that are even worse than their contracts. The major difference between the two is that Randolph prefers to anger Portland management and fans by getting into legal trouble and Miles prefers to anger Portland management and fans by being lazy and acting crazy. Both Miles and Randolph have hilariously made requests to Blazers management to be traded. They would if they could gentlemen.

The problem with the Sixers and Blazers making any possible swap of unwanted forwards is that neither Miles ($7.75 million) nor Randolph ($12 million) makes enough money to be traded for Webber in a one player-for-one player swap. Like K-Mart they also have several years remaining on their contracts. The most likely trade scenario between the teams would be for Philadelphia to trade Webber to Portland for both Miles and Randolph. Not only may the Sixers be unwilling to take on both of their contracts, current Philadelphia Head Coach Maurice Cheeks used to be the Head Coach in Portland and it is highly unlikely that he would support bringing these two to another team that he is coaching.

Boston: The trade that would make the most sense for Philadelphia is with a team in their own putrid Atlantic Division, the Boston Celtics. Boston was the frontrunner to acquire Iverson but was unable to put together a deal that satisfied the Sixers. It will be much easier to put together a package to send to Philadelphia for Webber however.

Ironically the two players that were the centerpiece for all potential Iverson deals were shooting guard/small forward Wally Szczerbiak and center Theo Ratliff. If a trade for Webber can be worked out, they are the two players who will most likely head to Philadelphia. The injury plagued Ratliff is clearly on the downside of his career, but he was at his best as a member of the Sixers several years ago. The outside shooting of Szczerbiak would help spread the floor and make it much more difficult for the opposing team to converge on Iverson. If Szczerbiak and fellow shooting guard/small forward Kyle Korver are on the floor at the same time it would provide Iverson with even more space. Szczerbiak makes $11 million and Ratliff makes $11.666 million (his agent must have had a cruel sense of humor) so the duo is a salary cap match for Webber. While Szcerbiak has a contract that is a year longer than that of Webber, the contract of Ratliff expires the same year as the contract of Webber, so it is not nearly as bad financially as the other trade scenarios.

New York: The second best trading partner for the Sixers would be another team in the embarrassment known as the Atlantic Division, the New York Knicks. The two clubs had already discussed a Webber trade earlier this offseason. It has been speculated that the offer from New York was shooting guard/small forward Quentin Richardson, the expiring contract of Maurice Taylor, and Philadelphia-native Malik Rose for Webber and another Sixer. The Sixers turned down this proposal and apparently did not counter offer with a smaller trade of Richardson and the expiring contract of Taylor for Webber. That deal would have worked under the cap, given the Sixers another outside shooter, and lowered the Sixers payroll. Although Richardson has several years left on his deal his he is paid $6.96 million, $ 8.10 million, $ 8.25 million and $ 9.35 million. That is much less than what Webber makes.

If the Sixers do eventually trade Webber to the Knicks however it will most likely be for the expiring contract of his friend and fellow Fab Fiver Jalen Rose. If New York is unable to find a better deal before the trade deadline Jalen Rose will most likely be offered to Philadelphia. This scenario would not only allow the Sixers to avoid paying the luxury tax, it would also put them slightly under the salary cap. Webber is still a much better player than his former teammate and New York could use him as trade bait next year when he has an expiring contract.

If anything, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has proven to be hard to put down for the count. When the UFC first debuted in November of 1993, it had all the look and silly atmosphere of a B-Grade martial arts film. In fact, it was most reminiscent of martial arts tournament plot device driven films such as Enter The Dragon (1973), Bloodsport (1987) and, for those who are truly ardent fans, Kill Or Be Killed (1981), a film that actually spawned a sequel in Kill and Kill Again (1982)

The early UFC's wrapped themselves up in the martial arts magazine driven world of self defense and was primarily a vehicle for Gracie Jiu Jitsu. The formula was successful and the first several UFC's were quite successful. However, an over the top advertising campaign that pushed the violence quotient of the events lead to a loss of many PPV outlets. The UFC's future did not seem very bright, but it chugged along for nearly a decade before being taken over by Zuffa Entertainment which has been responsible for the enormous success of the last three years of PPV revenue. The UFC PPV's pull down several millions of dollars in PPV revenue and live gate ticket sales. Also, the UFC has a successful reality show on Spike TV that draws in a solid fan base of viewers. This program has been a major contributing factor to the success of the recent spate of multi-million dollar Pay Per Views.

Unfortunately, there have been a downswing in terms of the quality of several PPV's. The highly touted return of Royce Gracie after over a decade away from a UFC event did fairly well in terms of PPV buys, but the match was a huge disappointment. Last night's event, UFC 62, was a step up from previous PPV's, but could have been a bit better.

Jamie Varner vs. Hermes Franca

Franca made this match very good, although Varner did work hard at several takedown attempts. Unfortunately, Varner ended up eating a particularly vicious knee that knocked him silly and it was all downhill for him from there. Hermes capitalized on Varner's weakened condition and clobbered him. Hermes eventually caught him in an armlock and won the match via submission in round three.

Christian Wellisch vs. Chieck Kongo

These guys were huge and impressive looking, but no one really knew who they were so they did not get much of a reaction during the fight. Fight was ok, nothing spectacular as is usually the case in big man matches (both guys were over 230lbs) Kongo won via knee, but again, the crowd didn't seem to care.

Nick Diaz vs. Josh Neer

This was an exciting match with a lot of good slugging and punching. It was, however, a bit one sided with Diaz pretty much one upping Neer throughout the match. Diaz eventually took it to the ground and won with a brutal bent armlock. Neer's shoulder may have been popped.

Forrest Griffin vs. Stephan Bonnar

This was another action packed match, but again it was a bit one sided with Griffin doing quite a bit of damage to Bonnar winning a unanimous decision. Oddly, the fans booed Griffin who came back on the mic with a few exchanges with the crowd that were colorful, but Griffin didn't have the mouth skills to be a truly cocky or humorously insulting. He should watch some old wrestling interviews from 1977.

Chuck Liddell vs. Renato Sobral

Total one sided annihilation of Sobral. Sobral kept charging Liddell in a straight line with weak arm strength punches that had no effect on a kickboxer the caliber of Liddell. Liddell won the match in under two minutes in spectacular knock out fashion. The fans loved the wild, quick knock out, but, really, how good can a two minute main event be?

The event was a good event and entertaining, but the one sided action got a little tiring after a while. The blow out main event didn't help either. The next event, in September, with a Welterweight title bout of Matt Hughes Vs. BJ Penn should be a great show.

One a side note: while it is understandable that the UFC has a meat and potatoes philosophy about how its events are run, some more interesting and entertaining interviews and promos would be quite appreciated.

By Robert Rousseau

For those of you that have never come across The Ultimate Fighter Reality Television Show (TUF), you may want to; it's certainly some exciting television. Up to this point (TUF 4), the show has basically been about up and coming fighters. Guys that were good but had never really fought on either of MMA's largest stages- Pride or the UFC. These fighters were on the show getting their first shot at true stardom. Further, on TUF's 1-3, the show always asked the two trainers that had been chosen for that particular series, both always well- known fighters, to pick teams from the competitors. These up and coming fighters then got to train with the trainer that chose them, in order to prepare themselves for single elimination bouts with members of the opposing team. In other words, each episode would end with a fighter from one team squaring off with another in the octagon. As with boxing's, The Contender, the winners would stay on the show, the losers would go home. The final prize- a six figure contract in the UFC.

Things are different this time around.

TUF 4 is not about up and coming fighters; rather, it's about those that have fought in the UFC in the past, but never broke through. A second chance, if you will, which is why this season is called, "The Comeback". And this time the trainers are guides, not the all or nothing word in their camps as they've been in the past. Last rule change- after fighters lose, they don't leave. Rather, they stay on to train because Dana White is expecting some injuries and wants backup competitors to step in if needed.

Here are how the two teams break down. For further information on each fighter, see the following Sport- Blog article- www.sport-blog.com/2006/07/tuf-4-preview.html.

TEAM MOJO

Welterweights

Shonie Carter

Matt Serra

Chris Lytle

Din Thomas

Middleweights

Edwin DeWees

Patrick Cote

Pete Sell

Scott Smith

TEAM NO LOVE

Welterweights

Rich Clementi

Mikey Burnett

Jeremy Jackson

Pete Spratt

Middleweights

Charles McCarthy

Gideon Ray

Jorge Rivera

Travis Lutter

In the first episode, Team No Love got control of things via a coin flip, and Rich Clementi called Shonie Carter out.

Big mistake.

Coming in, Carter was not in the best shape of his career, but still he proved to be a crafty veteran. Further, Matt Serra, an unlikely friend on the show considering Carter knocked him out in an earlier UFC contest, really did a good job of cornering Carter. Altogether, it meant a decision win for Shonie.

Now for the second episode.

First, it should be noted that there's been little mention of either of the main trainers, Georges St. Pierre or Randy Couture, thus far. Perhaps their roles haven't elevated to the level of a guide as was planned, or perhaps they'll become more visible later on, but for whatever reason, their faces haven't graced the television much. In this episode St. Pierre did say a few words about Team No Love, though, appearing to believe that some members of the team weren't putting in as much effort as they should've been.

On the other hand, Team Mojo is clearly training hard. They're also working better together, as Mark DellaGrotte- an additional trainer- said on the show, even if Mojo had to scold Shonie Carter for writing their fight plan down and leaving it on the table for everyone to see (he's lucky the other team didn't get their hands on it).

As episode 2 went on, it became increasingly obvious that Charles McCarthy was getting edgy, wondering if Mojo was going to pick him to square off (the winning team always gets to choose the next fight). He went as far as to ask several of his competitors if this was going to be the case (all of which, of course, told him nothing). Therefore, when the teams got together with Dana White, and Shonie Carter came out to say which fighters would be going at it next, things got a bit humorous. Carter started, in a rather quirky and melodic voice by saying, "Charles McCarthy,". . . which prompted McCarthy to step forward with an angry, anxious look on his face (thinking he'd been picked to fight). But then Carter continued the song he'd started by saying, "it is not you." He had to repeat the jingle several times- "Charles McCarthy, it is not you"- before McCarthy truly understood that he'd just been had.

Then Mojo called out No Love's Gideon Ray (0-2 record in the UFC) to take on their own Edwin DeWees (also 0-2 in the UFC). The show then went in depth on the losses both fighters had incurred in the UFC with Dana White narrating. Ray lost his fights by stoppage to David Loiseau (a fight he took with very little notice) and Mike "Quick" Swick. DeWees lost his fights to UFC Middleweight Champion Rich Franklin by stoppage and Chris Leben by submission.

Mojo's thinking behind the move was simple. Gideon Ray is a striker with less than adequate ground skills. DeWees has excellent ground skills. So, the old grappler versus striker mentality (9 out of 10 times, the grappler wins), was the backbone of their decision.

In the first round the two stood for awhile before a couple of well- placed low kicks by Ray got DeWees motivated enough to take him down. There DeWees bounced from full mount to Gideon's half guard for most of the round, going for submissions and striking throughout.

In the second round, DeWees once again took Ray to the ground. However, a Gideon Ray elbow opened up a cut near DeWees's hairline that bled like a waterfall for the rest of the fight. Despite this, it seemed that DeWees controlled enough of the round, putting his hand over the cut to stop the blood flow over his eyes, to win it.

But the judges saw things differently. Therefore, it all went to a third round (in the event of a tie, these 2 round fights always go to a 3^rd and final round).

Despite blood flowing from his head freely throughout the overtime round, DeWees was able to capture the last five minutes and the decision. Afterwards, Dana White indicated that he thought DeWees had actually won all three rounds.

So did I. And that's how the episode ended.

Chicago Bears head coach Lovie Smith has never had a problem saying that Rex Grossman is the team's starting quarterback. This happened last season a couple weeks after Grossman returned from an injury, and despite the fact that then-rookie Kyle Orton had led the team to a 9-4 record in Grossman's absence. Smith continued his Grossman-is-the-starter mantra even after the Bears signed veteran quarterback Brian Griese during the offseason to provide a bit of extra insurance. And Smith has adamantly stated that there's no quarterback controversy during training camp this year because -- you guessed it -- Rex Grossman is the starter.

Well, after the first three preseason games, I know I'm not the only Chicago fan hoping that Smith doesn't persist in this almost childlike stubbornness. Griese has outplayed Grossman in just about every way imaginable, has produced points and conducted scoring drives like the seasoned veteran that he is, and has simply shown over and over again that he is the better quarterback right here and now. With the Bears set to open the season in just two short weeks against their most bitter rival in the league, the Green Bay Packers (and at Lambeau Field, no less), Grossman is running out of time to prove that he deserves the starting job.

For the most recent example of how ineffective Grossman is as the Bears quarterback, you need only look to Friday night's game against the Arizona Cardinals. Both teams allowed their starters to play deep into the contest, so Grossman was on the field with the first string offense for the better part of three quarters. He was able to complete 13 out of 21 passes for 117 yards. Unfortunately, he didn't connect for any touchdowns and was picked off once. Griese entered the game to a rousing ovation and promptly marched the Bears down the field for a score. The 9th-year man out of Michigan completed 10 out of 14 passes for 131 yards and a touchdown.

How do the two quarterbacks stack up thus far through the preseason. Grossman stands at 23-for-46 for 247 yards, zero touchdowns, and two interceptions. His longest pass in three games was for 24 yards, he's been sacked twice for a total loss of 22 yards, and his passer rating is a dismal 48.0. Griese, on the other hand, has completed 18-of-25 passes for 281 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions. His longest pass went for 41 yards, he hasn't been sacked, and his passer rating is a stellar 148.5. I don't know what coach Smith is thinking, but if you just look at the numbers, it's clear whose number should be called for the start on September 10 in Green Bay.

It's not as though anyone is surprised by how well Griese has been performing. After all, he has appeared in 75 NFL games throughout his career, and 72 of those appearances were made as a starter. He has proven that he has what it takes to win ballgames and the Bears will no doubt turn to him to lead the team at some point during the 2006-07 season. Let's just hope that it happens quickly, before a different team starts running away with the NFC North.

I have to say that I've never been on the Grossman bandwagon to begin with. Sure, he had one fantastic year of college ball at Florida. But I think he should have returned to school for at least one more season to back that performance up. I think the Bears made a mistake in drafting him, and have a feeling that this four-year "experiment" will end this season. Grossman will either be relegated to a full-time backup role or he will be out of a Bears uniform in 2007. There's no way that this young man will become the long-term starting quarterback of the Chicago Bears.

Head coach Lovie Smith owes it to the team and to the fans to let the best quarterback assume the starting role for the opening game of the season. His commitment to Grossman seems unwarranted at this point, particularly given the way that Grossman's performances stack up against those of Griese. The regular season is no time to foolishly stick to a system that isn't working, so let's hope that Griese is allowed to take over the job that he has rightfully earned on the field.

Posted by JE

By Robert Rousseau

Over the past few years the compliments have been coming in a steady flow for Hines Ward on the national scene. Sean Salisbury, the popular ESPN commentator, has consistently called him "a football player," in reference to what we can assume is his great heart, versatility on the football field, and toughness. In fact, that's the going opinion, that Hines Ward, wide receiver for the Pittsburgh Steelers, is one heckuva football player. Similar thoughts seem to go way back. Mike Keith from Tennessee Titans Radio, when asked who was the best SEC football player he ever covered, indicated that it was Hines Ward. High praise no doubt. Then Keith finished, "I covered better running backs. I covered better quarterbacks. I covered better wide receivers. But Georgia's Hines Ward was the best football player I covered."

First, I think it's great that Keith was able to acknowledge how special a player Ward was even in college. One can certainly understand why he said what he did as Ward played running back, wide receiver, and quarterback at Georgia, making it difficult to even categorize his college career by one position. But nowadays, that argument just doesn't fly. Hines Ward has played the position of wide receiver for many years in the NFL, which leads to the following question. If someone is considered one of the best football players in this league, and they have a true position, doesn't that make them one of the best at their position as well?

So many people have praised Ward as an elite football player that I've lost count. Yet, when one does a quick check of expert and fan picks regarding the best wide receivers in football (after Hines Ward has made the Pro Bowl 4 out of the last 5 years and won both a Super Bowl and Super Bowl MVP), for the most part Ward consistently finds himself looking in at the top 5 on the list. In fact, several fan sites and publications have him ranked lower than the tenth best wide receiver, some as low as 14^th. Perhaps this is because many have trouble rectifying what they believe is a wide receiver's job in relation to what Hines Ward does on the football field. For example, at KidzWorld.com they state that, "a wide receiver's job in football is pretty simple: catch the ball." I submit that the position of wide receiver is hardly that simple. It may have taken a while, but when people rank running backs these days they certainly consider their ability to run the ball as paramount. However, they also look at their ability to catch passes and protect a quarterback from the rush. Why is it then that some people have such a narrow view of wide receiver?

So, what does a wide receiver do? The same as what any good football player does.

On the Pittsburgh Steelers, Hines Ward is a star. We've heard that good teams have role players and stars, which of course is true, but in reality all stars also have roles to fill as well. On the Steelers, Ward fills his role to a T. He can't put up the kind of statistics in the current Steelers offense that others in more high octane offenses can because that's not what the team asks of him. In 2003, a year when the world was turned upside down due to the Steelers inability to run the football- they were ranked 31^st in the league in rushing yards, a huge anomaly- Ward had a great year from a statistical end. He caught 95 balls for 1,163 yards and 10 touchdowns. But, his team wasn't good. The very next year his numbers dropped immensely, but his team won, and not so surprisingly, the team was ranked second in offensive rushing yards. The Steelers want to run the ball, stop the run, and avoid mistakes. Ward does his part by being the best blocking receiver in football today. He hasn't lost a fumble to another team since 2002 (when he caught 112 balls for 1329 yards and 12 touchdowns in a more pass happy offense). Yet he still made big plays this past season when the Steelers needed him to, coming in second to all NFL wide receivers with 11 touchdowns. Of course, he continued to make plays in the playoffs as evidenced by his attainment of Super Bowl MVP.

Hines Ward fits the bill; he always has. Ask him to catch a ton of balls and he does it (as evidenced by his 2002 and 2003 statistics). Ask him to help a more conservative rushing offense, and he'll do that too, even if many of the receivers ranked ahead of him would complain louder than a volcano if their touches dropped. Hines Ward just wants to win, period. He's a stark contrast to highly ranked receivers that are so abrasive their teams actually get rid of them; he's certainly not the kind of player that would even consider walking off the field until the final bell. Heck, Ward has only missed one game due to injury in his entire career. Further, he loves football and never stops smiling while he's playing it. The guy couldn't even holdout right due to his intense desire to get back to the gridiron. What do you call a man who loves the game, does more than what you ask of him, always shows up, exhibits great determination and toughness, and makes big plays? You call him a leader, a great player, and in this case, a top tier wide receiver.

In short, if Hines Ward isn't on your great football player list, you may want to rethink things. And if he is on your great football player list, he should be somewhere in the upper echelon of your wide receiver list too. If not, then perhaps you should expand your definition of what a wide receiver is. After all, wide receivers are football players, aren't they? I submit that they aren't just out there to catch passes. Rather, they're out there to do what it takes to win.

Consider this in finality. When Hines Ward was asked to catch a lot of balls in a pass happy offense, he proved that he could. How many wide receivers ranked ahead of him could do the opposite, as he has? How many receivers now in high octane offenses are capable of helping a conservative team win through great blocking, selfless play, leadership, and big play capability?

By Ed Jennett


This is about you and me.
This is about you and me changing the world.
This is about you and me saying
it’s not about the commercials, the gimmicks,
the dollar signs. This is about you and me showing the
world that it can be done. Starbury is my life.
This line was built on what I’ve been through.
From Coney Island to Madison Square Garden.
These are the shoes I wear on the court;
these are the clothes I wear off it.
This is what I believe in.
I’m tired of people saying it can’t be done.
Change the world with me.


This is what is written on the card attached to some of the products in the Starbury merchandise line. This is what is written by Stephon Marbury to his fans, to his critics, to the sports world, and to the apparel industry. The Brooklyn, New York born Marbury has teamed up with the Port Washington, New York based Steve and Barry’s University Sportswear to create Starbury, a fashionable and inexpensive apparel line christened with the nickname of the two-time All-Star point guard.

The idea behind the apparel line is to provide New Yorkers with a high-fashion product line that is also incredibly inexpensive. The stylish and budget-friendly line does exactly that.

Steve and Barry’s University Sportswear has stores throughout the country, with a high concentration in the New York metropolitan area. The chain has two stores in the state of New Jersey and ten stores in the state of New York.

Following a season in which the hometown star Marbury was booed at Madison Square Garden during Knicks home games, this appeared to be a very risky business venture. But as is often the case, appearances can be deceiving. Starbury has actually turned into an incredibly successful business venture. Sports fans and high-fashion fans are used to having to pay outrageous prices for name brand, high quality merchandise. New York is the largest market in the country, so New Yorkers have to deal with this more any one else in the country. Starbury did much more than provide New Yorkers with an inexpensive, fashionable apparel line endorsed by a hometown sports figure. It also returned the hometown sports figure that it was named after to favorite son status.

By becoming involved with this business venture, Marbury has made himself the most popular sports figure in the New York Metropolitan area. Not only has it made Marbury popular once again, it has also made him successful once again. Every product in the Starbury line is selling extremely well except for one type of product. The sneaker line is not just selling well. It is selling out. Steve and Barry’s store in Manhattan puts out a new shipment of sneakers every morning. When the store opens at 9 AM, the sneakers are sold out again within a half hour. This is because people have already been waiting outside of the store for a few hours when it opens.

The launch of the Starbury line was timed perfectly. Children will be heading back to school soon, so families are already starting their back to school shopping. Kids will obviously want to wear the stylish product line of a hometown athlete. Their parents will be thrilled to buy the products because they are so inexpensive. The priciest items in the collection are the sneakers, which sell for $15. While parents are shopping for their children they are very likely to see an item (or items) that they like and decide to purchase for themselves because all of the products are so affordable. In fact, the products are so affordable that buying from the Starbury line might allow parents to spend less money on school clothes than they had initially budgeted for. Fans of Marbury, the New York Knicks, and of high fashion who do not have children have also been frequenting the Steve and Barry’s stores and buying from the Starbury line.

While Marbury does not receive any payment for endorsing the products, he does receive a percentage of everything that is sold. This arrangement will end up being to his advantage because the money Marbury will make from all of the products sold will be much greater than Steve and Barry’s could have possibly paid him under a standard endorsement contact.

The good fortune, and increasing fortunes, of Marbury make him one of the only people associated with the Knicks who is having a good offseason. Although he is a basketball player, Marbury has scored a hat trick out of season. The Knicks fired Larry Brown (who Marbury had been openly feuding with) and replaced him as Head Coach with team President and General Manager Isiah Thomas, who is a friend, mentor, and neighbor of Marbury. Thomas used the Knicks mid-level exception to steal athletic, defensive-minded small forward Jared Jeffries away from the penny-pinching Washington Wizards. Jeffries does not need the ball to be effective and will complement the other projected starters of the team, Marbury at point guard, three-time All-Star Steve Francis at shooting guard, Channing Frye at power forward, and Eddy Curry at center. Adding the sudden and shocking success of his Steve and Barry’s apparel line has truly made this the Summer of Starbury.

By Robert Rousseau

The Associated Press recently published its preseason NCAA Football Top 25 list. The truth is, preseason rankings actually hurt our chances of seeing the best teams play in BCS bowl games, in my opinion, because they tend to bias voter judgements (and as we all know, the AP and Coaches' Polls are more important than any other statistic when it comes to the final BCS outcome).

Still, preseason rankings sure do give writers something to write about. For example, let's look at the AP Top Ten. What are the chances that its perfect? Right- zero. So the question then becomes, where are they wrong?

Forthcoming is a breakdown of each team in the AP Top 10 and my final prediction on whether they'll still be in the top 10 at the end of the 2006- 07 season.

1. Ohio State

Offense- Troy Smith looked like a national championship quarterback in the Fiesta Bowl win against Notre Dame. Beyond his strong arm and ability to run, he appears to have a hold of this team from a leadership standpoint; the other Buckeyes' players really seem to gravitate to him. Multi- purpose talent Ted Ginn Jr. is a great athlete whose abilities will be utilized better this season than in the past because of Smith. Running back Antonio Pittman is a very good college football player. However, he could spelled at times by freshman Chris Wells (6-1, 225). Wells was considered by many to be the best running back prospect in the country last year.

On one hand, the offensive line is inexperienced. On the other, they have talented players returning in highly touted sophomore offensive tackle, Alex Boone (6-8, 315), junior tackle Kirk Barton, and senior center Doug Datish.

Defense- Losing players like A.J. Hawk (one of the best Buckeyes ever), Bobby Carpenter, Anthony Shlegel, Ashton Youbouty, and Donte Whitner is never a good thing; neither is the fact that only two starters are returning to last year's stellar unit. However, Head Coach Jim Tressel has built a reputation for building defenses, and he certainly has talent coming back, even if it is for the most part inexperienced. Thankfully, a very strong player in All American defensive tackle candidate Quinn Pitcock is returning, and two talented sophomores- cornerback Malcolm Jenkins and linebacker Marcus Freeman will suit up for the Buckeyes as well.

Games to watch.

At Texas (9/9/06)- Another instant classic?

At Iowa (9/30/06)- If it was in Columbus, they'd definitely win. But in Iowa City? Tough call.

Michigan (11/18/06)- Both teams are talented this year, but does athletic skill mean much in this one? Not really. It's just who wants it more.

Final Prediction

The Ohio State Buckeyes will be in the top 10 at the end of the year. They're simply too talented not to be.

2. Notre Dame

Offense- The skills positions look great with quarterback Brady Quinn, running back Darius Walker, and wide receiver Jeff Samardzija leading the way. If things go according to plan, Quinn will get serious consideration for the Heisman Trophy. Further, the line returns 3 starters including tackle Ryan Harris (an Outland Trophy/ All American candidate).

Defense- Nine starters return. The defensive line will be experienced at all positions with senior end Victor Abiamiri leading the rush (8 sacks last season). The defensive backs also have significant experience, but this may not be a good thing as they were terrible last year. Unfortunately for the Irish, the linebackers are rather inexperienced.

Games to watch.

Michigan (9/16/06)- Don't expect the Wolverines to have another off defense year.

At Michigan State (9/23/06)- The Spartans always pose a problem for the Irish.

At USC (11/25/06)- By November, the youthful Trojans will have jelled. Tough time of year to play a team with this much talent.

Final Prediction

The Irish just have too much experience at the skill positions to fall out of the top 10. Expect them to set up camp with these elite teams throughout.

3. Texas

Offense- Colt McCoy looks like the favorite to beat out Jevan Snead and take over for Vince Young. Fortunately for McCoy, he looks to have a trio of talent in the backfield with him in runners Selvin Young, Jamaal Charles, and Henry Melton. The offensive line has some real studs with senior tackle Justin Blalock (6-4, 335) and senior center Lyle Sendlein returning. The wide receivers, as usual, are highly talented.

Defense- Senior ends Tim Crowder and Brian Robison are both candidates for the Ted Hendricks Award. The linebackers are being shuffled around but do have some playing experience. Talent and experience is abound in the defensive backfield with senior strong safety Michael Griffin (124 tackles, 4 interceptions in 2005) and senior corner Aaron Ross leading a unit where all 4 players have NFL capability.

Games to watch.

Ohio State (9/9/06)- Can't wait.

Oklahoma (10/7/06)- The rivalry. If Oklahoma wins this one, the whole Rhett Bomar thing will seem like a distant memory.

At Texas Tech (10/28/06)- Don't underestimate the Red Raiders (especially in Lubbock).

Final Prediction

Tough one to call. I see Texas as the possible loser against Ohio State and Texas Tech (that's right, I said possible). Then there's the bowl game. Still, even if they lose two of three, they still probably make the top 10 considering where they started. So. . .

They stay in the top 10.

4. Auburn Tigers

Offense- Despite the fact that they lost a duo of excellent tackles in McNeill and Reddick, the replacement candidates- Leon Hart (6-4, 300), Jonathan Palmer (6-4, 325), and King Dunlap (6-8, 313)- are huge and athletic. They lost two receivers as well in Obomanu and Aromashodu, but Courtney Taylor, their leader in reception yards in 2004, is back. Quarterback Brandon Cox stopped the bad decisions after the first game where he threw 4 interceptions (he threw only 4 more picks the entire rest of the season). Their 2005 leading rusher Kenny Irons (1,283 yards) is also back. He's another in a long line of outstanding Auburn running backs.

Defense- Former safety and leading tackler Michael Herring (6-2, 220), will transition to linebacker in a move designed to help replace losses there and perhaps boost his own NFL stock. Unfortunately, Tray Blackmon and Kevin Sears are suspended for at least the first 3 games due to alcohol- related charges, thus thrusting talented though inexperienced sophomore Merrill Johnson and freshman Craig Stevens into significant roles before it was anticipated. The defensive backfield is experienced and outstanding with corners David Irons (48 tackles and 11 pass break ups in 2005), and Jonathan Wilhite (47 tackles, 7 pass break ups), leading the way. The Tigers are somewhat inexperienced on the line, but the talent is definitely there.

Games to watch.

LSU (9/16/06)- Auburn lost last year in OT at LSU 20-17. This time they're home.

At South Carolina (9/28/06)- The Ole' Ball Coach always has some tricks up his sleeve.

Florida (10/14/06)- Nobody, not even Auburn, will run consistently on the Gators. So that begs the question- can Cox lead them through the air? Tune in to find out.

Georgia (11/11/06)- Georgia may be somewhat down this year, but they're a power. So by the time this game takes place, the Bulldogs will be ready. Another tough home game for the Tigers. Could the schedule, as tough as it is, be in their favor?

Final Prediction

The SEC will be the best conference in football this year. Therefore, Auburn could lose up to two games in the SEC this year (including the championship game). However, even if that happens, they're likely to win their bowl game because of the competition they've played against, and two losses will keep them in the top 10.

5. West Virginia

Offense- The offensive line should be more than solid with center Dan Mozez and guards Jeremy Sheffey and Ryan Stanchek de-cleating opponents (the line absolutely ripped Georgia in last year's Sugar Bowl, and much of the cast is back). Sophomores Pat White (quarterback) and Steve Slaton (running back) are Heisman Trophy candidates that will benefit from the big guys in front of them. The receivers can block and are a solid, though unspectacular unit.

Defense- The linebacking unit is strong with Kevin McLee (All Big East last season), Jay Henry, Bobby Hathaway, and Marc Magro suiting up. They also return 7 letterman to the defensive line (they did lose Ernest Hunter, an all conference player). However, the secondary is highly inexperienced and is therefore a big time question mark.

At Louisville (11/2/06)- For the Big East title.

Final Prediction

West Virginia has a very easy schedule. In short, it all comes down to the Louisville game. The fact that their defensive backs are young may not bode well for them in The Land of the Cardinal. Further, it's my humble opinion that if they make it to a BCS bowl, they won't sneak up on anyone this year (and their weak schedule will hurt them in the rankings). Therefore, expect two losses, one to Louisville and one in a bowl, that will in effect drop them from the top 10.

6. USC

Offense- Gone are Matt Leinert, Reggie Bush, LenDale White, and virtually everyone else that you might remember from last year. However, quarterback John David Booty is no joke, particularly if he can stay healthy. The line lost a lot but junior tackle Sam Baker and senior center Ryan Kalil (both Outland Trophy candidates), hope to make you forget the past. The running backs are all inexperienced, even if highly recruited. The receiving core should be phenomenal with All American Dwayne Jarrett (91 catches last season) and Steve Smith (60 catches last season) leading the way. Both of these guys have NFL talent.

Defense- Talented end Lawrence Jackson (10 sacks last season) will look to lead an inexperienced front. The linebackers, however, are excellent with Dallas Sartz, Oscar Lua, and Keith Rivers sure to make waves. Unfortunately for the Trojans, the secondary returns only one starter (free safety Josh Pinkard). With all the passing that goes on in the PAC 10, it's never good when your defensive backs haven't played before.

Games to watch.

Oregon (11/11/06)- Tough game at home. The fact that it's late in the year will help (the youngsters will have grown).

California (11/18/06)- California is going to be good this year, but they may have trouble keeping pace with the USC offense this late in the year.

Notre Dame (11/25/06)- Could be the biggest game of the season. In The Golden Dome, the Trojans would get beat. But at home?

At UCLA (12/2/06)- Don't underestimate this rivalry, nor UCLA (Karl Dorrell will have this team vying for national championships soon).

Final Prediction

Pete Carroll has built a machine in Southern California. Though they won't be as good as last year, the record may be similar. Figure on one loss, maybe two, and a top 10 finish.

7. Florida

Offense- The Gators will bring more than half the offense back from a rather disappointing 2005 campaign. Don't believe the hype on quarterback Chris Leak (a soon to be Heisman candidate); he's talented and smart enough to find a way to fit into Head Coach Urban Meyer's offense. Deshawn Wynn, last year's leading rusher, also returns. Still, the Gators lost nearly their entire offensive line and WR Chad Jackson. Even with the loss of Jackson, the name of the game at receiver will be 'reload' more than 'rebuild' with Jemalle Cornelius, Dallas Baker, and Andre Caldwell all ready to make an impact. Urban Meyer offenses have done well everywhere. The SEC will soon be added to that list.

Defense- The defense is also bringing back 6 starters, 5 of which will be up front (Ray McDonald and Jarvis Moss are on the Ted Hendricks Defensive End of the Year Watch List, DT Marcus Thomas is on the Outland Trophy Watch List, and linebackers Earl Everett and Brandon Siler have been named to the Bednarik Award Watch List). Nobody will field a better defensive front in college football in 2006. They do have some holes to fill in the secondary, though, even with talented junior safety Reggie Nelson returning.

Games to watch.

LSU (10/7/06)- This will be a war. Unfortunately for the Tigers, Florida will make it difficult for them to run. Can Russell win it through the air? I doubt it, but that's why they play the games.

At Auburn (10/14/06)- Very tough back to back games.

At FSU (11/25/06)- Always a big game. Florida is the better team, but it's a rivalry so anything goes.

Final Prediction

Florida has a very tough schedule in the best conference in college football. However, they're also one of the best teams in the nation. Translation- yes, they will be in the top 10 at the end of the season, perhaps even higher than most think.

8. LSU

Offense- Alley Broussard, Justin Vincent, and Jacob Hester make up one of the top two running back trios in the nation (look to the Longhorns for the other). Jamarcus Russell is a good quarterback with talented young players Matt Flynn and Ryan Perrilloux waiting in the wings if he were to falter. The line lost a lot and is inexperienced.

Defense- Five starters return on defense, but they must replace three defensive linemen. At linebacker, Ali Highsmith is experienced and excellent, but the rest of the cast is inexperienced. Free safety LaRon Landry, who led the team in interceptions last year is a special player. He leads an experienced and outstanding defensive backfield.

Games to watch.

At Auburn (9/16/06)- Tough one on the road.

At Florida (10/7/06)- The Gators are going to be tougher than most think.

Final Prediction

Someone is going to fall off of this bandwagon in the SEC; the goings are just too tough. Figure on LSU being an excellent team with only a very good record. They are likely to be a casualty from this list and a second 10 finisher.

9. California

Offense- Talented sophomore Nate Longshore is likely to take the quarterback reigns from his predecessor, senior Joseph Ayoob, who got the job by default last year when Longshore busted an ankle. The running backs are outstanding and deep with Heisman Trophy candidate Marshawn Lynch leading the way (1,246 rushing yards last season), and junior Justin Forsett (999 yards rushing last season), backing him up. Further, the receivers are a solid group with speedy sophomore wideout DeSean Jackson (4.3, 40 yard dash) and junior receiver Robert Jordan leading the way. Tight end Craig Stevens will also be a force. Unfortunately, the line is inexperienced and a big question mark.

Defense- The defensive line will be solid with All American senior defensive tackle Brandon Mebane leading the way. The linebackers are all athletic, and returning senior Desmond Bishop made 89 tackles last season (imagine what he might do this year). Senior cornerback Daymeion Hughes (5 interceptions last season), will be an All American candidate, but the rest of the defensive backfield is a question mark.

Games to Watch

At Tennessee (9/2/06)- On one hand, California has more talent. On the other, Head Coach Phil Fulmer and the Volunteers' faithful are desperate, and away games in the SEC are something to fear.

Oregon (10/7/06)- The Ducks have an excellent offensive line and are a solid team. Still, this one is in Golden Bears' country.

UCLA (11/4/06)- Dorrell is doing a great job with the Bruins. Is this the year they catapult themselves into the national spotlight?

At USC (11/18/06)- The USC team that California plays will not be an inexperienced one. That doesn't bode well on the road.

Final Prediction

California has some great parts. However, the inexperience on the offensive line, in the defensive backfield, and at the quarterback position may limit them more than is being predicted this year. Expect 2, probably 3 losses at season's end, which will likely relegate them to the second ten in the polls.

10. Oklahoma

Offense- With quarterback Rhett Bomar now gone from the team for good, running back Adrian Peterson, one of the best in the nation, will need to shoulder the majority of the offensive load. Further, the receivers and offensive line are inexperienced, though talented. Senior tackle Chris Mesner is a good one.

Defense- The Sooners have ends with pro talent returning in possible All Americans Calvin Thibodeaux (10 sacks last season) and C.J. Ah You. Rufus Alexander and Zach Latimer lead the way for an exceptional group of linebackers, and though none of the defensive backs' names jump out at you, they're solid.

Games to watch.

At Oregon (9/16/06)- Oregon is a tough place to play, particularly with a highly inexperienced offense.

At Texas (10/7/06)- Gonna be tough.

Texas Tech (11/11/06)- Oklahoma lost to the Red Raiders last year; at least they get this one at home. Still, Texas Tech is now a power, even if the majority of the world keeps acting as if they aren't.

Final Prediction

Oklahoma wasn't as good as predicted when Bomar was returning. Though the coaching will be stellar and the defense strong, it won't be enough to make up for the disabled passing offense, even with the Big 12 being down this year.

Expect the Sooners to fall from their top 10 perch by the end of the season.

The Replacement Teams

There are plenty of teams in this category, and usually at least one of them is a complete surprise. Still, here are some teams to watch.

Boise State- They have a very weak schedule and should be the favorite in every game they play this season. In short, the Broncos may very well post and undefeated regular season record. The question even if they do- can they win their bowl game?

Florida State- Quarterback has been the problem over the last several years. Not this time, though. Drew Weatherford is going to be good, and the Seminoles once again have talent. A return to the promised land is not out of the question for Bobby Bowden. Not at all.

Michigan Wolverines- They have the talent at the skills positions on offense, but will a much more experienced defense step up this year? We'll see.

Louisville- The Cards have a relatively weak schedule and an unbelievably talented offense (Michael Bush and Brian Brohm are serious Heisman candidates). Can they beat Miami and West Virginia? Tune in to find out.

Texas Tech- This team has talent; it's not just the system anymore. I repeat, this team has talent; it's not just the system anymore. But the system is darn good, isn't it?

The highly successful Nigeria Taekwondo Foundation75 was founded by the pioneers of the martial arts and additional self defense and organized sports in the nation of Nigeria over three decades ago. The founders and their work took root with determination and have grown the organization continually ever since the very beginning, with no retreat and always looking to a successful future. The Nigerian government supports and promotes the martial arts and all sports, especially for the Olympics and in all its universities. Nigeria Taekwondo Foundation75 has become an exponentially driving force in Taekwondo and other martial arts in Africa, as well as a promoter of many other Olympic Sports. This is especially true within the last five years, the organization gaining membership all over Nigeria and West Africa, and forming associations and partnerships the world over. This is including in the United States of America in several states. American connections have been most frequently in Ohio, Illinois, Florida, and Texas, with many more to come.

Grandmaster Emmanuel Ikpeme was the tireless Team Leader to Nigerias 1st World Cup Taekwondo win in 2004 in the great state of Florida. Nigerian participants were also winners at the US Open of 2006. Nigeria's Master Nicholas Dutse earned 2 Gold Medals at the Dallas, Texas site of the US Open Taekwondo Championships in February, in the Light Weight Division for Poomse (forms) & Kyeorugi (sparring). Nigerian martial artists in competitions and demonstrations were an outstanding example of hard work, belief, faith, determination, sportsmanship, beauty and strength to us Americans. They will be back! Several African nations, including Nigeria, Mali, Cameroon, Togo, others, plan to compete and put on demos at the Arnold Martial Arts Festival during its weekend-long run in early March, 2007 in Central Ohio at the yearly Fitness Expo. The martial arts venue was moved to Nationwide Arena from the Columbus (Ohio) Convention Center in 2006 in order to have more room, the move and was a tremendous success overall. The Arnold is expanding every year and offers free transportation between venues, hotels, and other buildings on plush luxury limousine buses.

Nigeria Taekwondo Foundation75 founding members and their successors make up a grass roots organization begun in 1975, expanding currently at lightning speed under the leadership of the learned Grandmaster Emmanuel Ikpeme, who travels cross-country over Africa in his promotion of martial arts, sports, and good will. Not only that, but he also does a regular Taekwondo and martial arts radio broadcast and publishes an online magazine and newsletter. The organization is registered also as NTF75 with the Corporate Affairs Commission, FTC, Abuja, Nigeria, and is located in Surulere, Lagos. The major local Taekwondo instructional facility is in Lagos at:

Action Martial Arts Training Academy
University of Jos; Lagos, Nigeria
ITF (AIMAA) & WTF Taekwondo

Tae Kwon Do and martial arts are not just about kicking, punching, and loud yelling! Grandmaster Dr. Emmanuel Ikpeme is an esteemed member of the faculty of the University of Calabar in Cross River State, Nigeria. Recently this summer on June 8-11, 2006, GM Ikpeme presented a paper from Sports Psychology to the attendees of the 1st International Sports Psychology Conference at the University of Lagos, in Akoka, Nigeria. Participants included professors, social workers, counselors, coaches and representatives of state sports organizations, and National and International Institutions promoting teaching, research and learning. It was a wonderful conference. The theme was Exploring the Multifaceted Dimensions in Exercise and Sports Psychology and was supported by WomenSport International of the USA. The topics covered by the conference included: Performance Enhancement, Counseling & Psychotherapy, Group Dynamics & Team Building, Gender & Youth Issues, Health Psychology, Coaching Psychology, Leadership and job performance in Sports, Psychological readiness in Sport, and Emotions in Sports, among others.

Nigeria Taekwondo Foundation75 is associated with Sports for All Nigeria/Nigeria Olympic Committee, the New International Jidokwan Federation in Ohio, USA; the Amateur Athletic Union (USA), the International Olympic Committee Mailing List, World Taekwondo Federation, Supreme Council for Sports in Africa Zone-3, World United Martial Arts Alliance, and the Oriental Martial Arts College across the USA.

Aiding Grandmaster Ikpeme in his travels to America and securing working relationships with tournament sponsors and directors, and governmental leaders, is Grandmaster Patty Inglish, founder of the New International Jidokwan Federation headquartered in Ohio and Michigan in the USA. GM Inglish is the USA Representative for the Supreme Council for Sports in Africa Zone-3 and a member of Karate for Christ International. Together, GM's Ikpeme and Inglish have over 60 years of experience in the academia, martial arts, health psychology, and service to humankind.

GM Inglish just this month was named official International Advisor to Mali, the appointment approved by Consular General of the Republic of Mali to the country's Association of Malian Martial Arts Integration (AMAMI). They are headquartered at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos and their Executive Board of AMAMI appointed GM Inglish by unanimous accord. AMAMI is an all-style martial arts organization of Masters and martial arts and other professional s dedicated to the promotion and advancement of traditional and contemporary self defense disciplines for youth and sports development in Mali and West Africa as a whole. AMAMI includes not only karate and Taekwondo, but Sumo, wrestling, boxing and other systems as well. GM Inglish is also an advisor the Cameroonian Taekwondo group that is headed by the talented and skilled Master Alberta Kekuna. Master Kekuna is also active in wrestling and is most skilled and adept in this endeavor as well.

Keep your eye peeled for future accomplishments by the martial artists and other sports men and women of Nigeria, Cameroon, Mali, Togo, and other countries in the noble African nations.

By Robert Rousseau

One down, and a whole bunch to more to go if Arizona fans have anything to say about it.

Former University of Southern California Heisman Trophy winner Matt Leinart's professional football career finally took flight last night when his Arizona Cardinals visited the New England Patriots in a preseason match up. Though the Cardinals lost 30-3, Leinart did play well even if his passing statistics really didn't show it (he went 4-11 for 49 yards). In fact, Leinart looked darn good during the 4 drives he captained considering 2 well thrown balls were dropped, one receiver ran the wrong pattern on him, and he was under intense pressure from the Patriots' defense on nearly every play. The former USC helmsman and two- time national champion was even confident enough to audible one of the plays at the line of scrimmage, thereby exhibiting the football acumen that made him one of the most successful college quarterbacks in history. If he was able to figure out a better call at the line of scrimmage for the Cardinals after only 4 practice days and some controversy concerning his holdout, imagine what he'll be capable of by the start of the regular season.

Matt Leinart was one of 3 very high profile draftees this year, despite the fact that he was taken with only the 10^th overall pick (former college teammate Reggie Bush and Vince Young being the others). Possibly because he had been expecting to be taken with a higher pick that would've commanded more contract money, he was the last of the first round picks to sign with their prospective team this year. Not only did the holdout keep him out of camp for a time, but it also infuriated Head Coach Dennis Green enough to say the following before Leinart finally put his pen to the paper. "It would be a shame if Matt Leinart is still sitting out there as the only player in the National Football League who is not in the National Football League, and you've got an impressive deal on the table." Of course, he was saying this in reference to the New England game mentioned in this article.

So the fact that Leinart was able to manufacture the Cardinals' only points at the end of the 1^st half in their hurry up offense (with only a little over a minute left in the half), really says something pretty significant, especially considering how rusty he must be. In addition, Leinart showed an ability to sidestep rushers and decisively scramble that hadn't really been evident in college, rushing twice for 29 yards. His instinctiveness and athleticism in the pocket even caught the eye of one two- time Super Bowl MVP named Tom Brady. "I though he did a great job," Brady verbalized in an August 19^th NFL.com wire report. "He's a big strong kid. What impressed me was that he had such excellent scrambling ability. I remember when I was a rookie. There's so much to learn and he's coming in with just four days practice, which makes it doubly tough."

Kurt Warner agreed that Leinart had been impressive as reported in the same story referenced earlier. "I don't think anyone c