Random Musings

Sorry I haven't been able to write as much I would like too...crazy job. Anywho, I've got some down time and just felt like hitting a few topics.

• Just started reading, "The Juice" by Will Carroll. If anyone wants to get the real story on steroids in baseball, it's a must read...much like my column (scroll down.)
• NBA Draft is fast approaching! I remember the days when I wondered who the Mavs would get with their top 5 pick, glad I don't have to worry about that (now it's the Rangers... Pedro Alvarez ??) We haven't written much about the roundball picking fest, but we will have in depth post draft coverage...bullying your fave teams crappy picks (Greg Oden...really?)
• A few very underrated guys going into this thing: Acie Law IV!!! Most mocks have him going in the double digits or even out of the lottery all together. I know GM's fall in love with UPSIDE in the draft (in any sport) and Law IV, the fifth year senior is seen as having limited upside. But to me he's virtually Chauncey Billups. I think he's a top 15 PG in the league right now. Conely Jr has a ton a talent and is crazy fast, but you also don't know how much of his success comes from the fact that he's played with Greg freaking Oden his entire life. I take Law right now as the best value of any pick in the draft.
• I take Corey Brewer over any of the Florida guys...but I'd be very happy with any of them.
• Brandon Wright has a chance to battle Law IV for the best value pick of the draft, riskier than Law but higher upside. Maybe I just caught him on his good nights but I watched him play 7-10 games last year and was impressed every time. He'd be #1 in some years.
• Glen Davis has slimmed down and gone up draft boards... hope he's still there when the Mavs have their first 2nd rounder.
• Another guy I'm sure the Mavs have their eyes on and hope he lasts till they pick is a Texas kid.
• Also interesting rumors floating around the world wide interweb about the Mavs trying to trade up into the top 10 for Joakim Noah, with Boston and Minny as potential trading partners and Jet Terry as ammo.
• Tank Johnson was JUST RELEASED by Da Bears...the Cowboys have a big need at DT, he's crazy but he's really good too...I'm just sayin'
• The NFL Supplemental Draft is July 12th and guys taken in there have a really bad track record of working out, BUT Georgia cornerback Paul Oliver is very interesting. He left school because of grades...not a good sign...but he's a real big strong physical corner with great technique and cover skills...that some would go so far as to call skillz. If he had a good senior season for the Dogs he likely would have been the first senior corner taken in the draft, low-mid first round. I'd def take a 5th round pick on him, it might take a 4th to get him though...something to keep an eye out on.
• Congrats to Oregon State for winning the College World Series...Hurray Beavers!!
• Sosa hit 600 but I don't think he's a Hall of Famer. He was only dominate for 5 years. Other than that he's a .320 OBP guys with good pop who was bad on the base paths and horrible in the field. He's got great aggregate totals, but that's it. He wasn't a Hall of Famer before the season started, hitting 12 homers while hitting .250/.300 shouldn't be seen as an accomplishment. In his prime he was as good as anyone, but it just wasn't long enough. The bar is really high for rightfielders: BABE RUTH, HANK AARON, MEL OTT, FRANK ROBINSON, AL KALINE, ROBERTO CLEMENTE, PAUL WANER, DAVE WINFIELD, REGGIE JACKSON, SAM CRAWFORD, ENOS SLAUGHTER. It has nothing to do with steroids.