The NBA's Boston Celtics Win their First NBA Championship in 22 Years

The Boston Celtics won their 17th NBA championship last night with a 131-92 pasting over the Los Angeles Lakers in game 6 of the NBA Finals. This was the organization's first NBA title in 22 years and their 17 championship banners are the most of any team in the Association.

Paul Pierce of the Celtics was named the NBA Final's MVP.

Kansas Jayhawks, Tennessee Volunteers win men's and women's college basketball national championships respectively.

*I know this is belated. My apologies*

The Kansas Jayhawks and the Memphis Tigers mandated an overtime period in the men's college basketball national championship game last Monday night. Memphis led the Jayhawks by nine points in the final two minuets, but Kansas came back and forced the game into overtime, in which Kansas victored.

On the ladies' side, the Tennessee Volunteers blew out the Stanford Cardinal to win their second straight national championship.

North Carolina, Memphis, Kansas, and California-Los Angeles (UCLA), all #1 seeds, are in the Final Four

I assume the readers have been keeping up with the NCAA tourney and if not they should be ashamed. For the first time in NCAA men's basketball tournament history, all of the number one seeds in the tournament, North Carolina, Kansas, Memphis, and California at Los Angeles (UCLA), made it to the final four in San Antonio, Texas. The final four will take place on Saturday on CBS. North Carolina will take on Kansas in the first match, while Memphis and UCLA will play in the second match. The championship game will tip off one week from today.

I did not have an official bracket made, but I will share you my prediction of the final four: North Carolina and Memphis will play inthe championship game with the former of the two winning the national championship.

Green Bay Packers QB Brett Favre Will Retire.

Source: ESPN/NFL Network

After 17 seasons in the NFL, including two NFC championships and a Super Bowl ring, Green Bay Packers quarterback Brett Favre will call it a career in a news conference at 4:00 pm EST. In his stellar career, number 4 made 255 consecutive starts and threw 442 touchdown passes, the most in NFL history.

Michigan's Women's Basketball Coach Goes off the Deep End.

Courtesy: ESPN/Big Ten Network

Coaching meltdown of the year.



Dennis Green and John L .Smith do not have anything on this.

Indiana Men's Basketball Coach Kelvin Sampson Resigns

He never even finished his second season as Indiana University's men's basketball coach, but amid scandal Kelvin Sampson has resigned as head coach. Kelvin and the university were under NCAA investigations into Sampsons' alleged violations of his NCAA imposed probation stemming from text and phone call violations while he was Oklahoma's men's basketball coach. The (Indiana) university was also conducting its own investigation into Coach Sampson's alleged violations. His resignation is effective immediately and will be given $750M from Indiana in return and will not be able to sue the university. Assistant Coach Dan Dakich is interim head coach.

The Indiana Hoosiers were 22-4 overall this season with an 11-2 record in Big Ten play and were tied for first place in the league

Barry Bonds Failed Steroid Test in 2001 According to Feds.

Barry Bonds, the all-time home run leader, is one of many baseball players who are suspected of steroid use. The accusations now may be a reality. According to federal agents, the former San Fransisco Giants slugger failed a steroid test in 2001, the same year in which he broke the single-season home-run record, which was broken three years prior by Mark McGuire.

UPDATE: The date on which Bonds' failed the drug test was a typo. Barry Bonds did fail a steroids test in November of 2000, not 2001. Nevertheless, a failed steroid test is not good news for Barry Bonds period.

Bobby Knight Resigns from Texas Tech.

A shocking announcement was made late Monday evening when Bobby Knight, Texas Tech's mens basketball coach, resigned. He was the coach of the Red Raiders for six seasons and compiled a winning record as coach. If this is his retirement, Knight leaves a prolific and controversial career. He won three national championships at Indiana University, including an undefeated season in 1976. He was also noted for his outbursts, including tossing a chair in a game against Purdue in 1985. However, Bobby Knight will be more known for his accomplishments than his infamous eruptions.

New York Giants Win Super Bowl XLII.

With Eli Manning's arm and the front seven of the Giants defense led by Michael Strahan, the New York Giants defeated the New England Patriots magical season with the score of 17-14. The winning score came with less than a minute left in the game when Giants QB Eli Manning threw a touchdown pass to WR Plaxico Burress. Eli Manning was named the MVP of Super Bowl XLII.

The Outlet Picks New England Patriots in Tonight's Super Bowl XLII.

The biggest night in not just football, but in all of sports and American Culture is here. The NFC champion New York Giants take on the AFC champion New England Patriots in tonight's Super Bowl. The Giants are coming off of an incredible run in the playoffs, pulling off two forth-quarter comebacks led by Giants quarterback Eli Manning. The Patriots are coming in tonight with a perfect 18-0 record and looking to finish it off.

The Outlet picks New England to win tonight and finish off a perfect season.

Go Patriots!

LSU Defeats OSU to Win College Football National Championship

New Orleans was the place to be last night...if you are a Louisiana State Tigers fan. The Tigers defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes 38-24 last night to win the Bowl Championship Series title. LSU became the first two-loss (both in overtime) team to win the title and also became the fist team in the BCS era (started in1998) to win the BCS championship twice (USC's 2003 national championship was from the AP, not from the BCS).

Ohio State accumulated seven penalties. Five of those were personal fouls (15 yards each and automatic first downs). The Buckeyes are now 0-9 in bowl games against the SEC.

Geaux Tigers.

Comments on New England Patriot's Undefeated Season.

Perfection. It is something that very few achieve. Whether it is a student graduating with a 4.00 GPA or a sports team finishing a season undefeated, perfection doesn't come easy and it involves determination and dedication. Perfection is a grand task in anything a human beign or a team does. It should be respected and admired.

Undefeated seasons have happened in college sports (many in college football and even in college basketball), but a professional team finishing a season without a loss is something that I thought I may never see in my lifetime. The NBA, NHL, and MLB seasons are about six months long and the NFL season, while only having 16 games in 17 weeks, is exhausting. Going unbeaten in a professional sports season with all the talent and experience that those players have is an astonishing task and something that may never occur in real life.

The realization of a professional sports team finishing a season undefeated happened last Saturday night when the NFL's New England Patriots beat the New York Giants to end their season without a loss. The Patriots finished an accomplishment for the first time since 1972 when the Miami Dolphins went 14-0.

My congratulations go to the Patriots. Finishing an NFL season undefeated is an amazing task that requires effort, dedication, and teamwork. They had all of that. The Patriots should be proud of themselves. They finished a goal, a feat, and an accomplishment that may never be seen again. I have a new respect for the Patriots despite the cheating scandal from the first game against the New York Jets.

With all that said, the Patriots have a taller task ahead of them: to win the Super Bowl. Finishing a regular season unbeaten is a tremendous accomplishment, but it will mean little or nothing if they lose in the playoffs. This is a taller task too, since unlike the NBA, NHL, or MLB, the NFL playoffs are one game; either win or go home.

The New England Patriots should be commended for their achievement. However, they now need to win the Super Bowl. If not, their undefeated season will either be tainted or be forgotten. That said though, finishing a season 16-0 is a grand accomplishment.

Go Patriots!

Comments on Mitchell Report and Steroid Use.

First off, I want to say that I'm still here. I got bogged down with college finals and holiday shopping. Now to the article.

Baseball. It is America's pastime. Many Americans, including myself, have gone to at least one baseball game, whether it may be a minor league game or a major league game. Those who went to baseball games have special memories. It could be watching a manager (the head coach in pro baseball) argue with an umpire or even watching a home run. The home run is what baseball fans want to see. The loud smack of the ball being smashed by the bat grabbed the crowd's attention and they would stare in astonishment as it flew at times into the second or third decks. Kids looked up to them as heroes or role models. We all had baseball players as heroes and idols. We thought they could do no wrong. We all thought that the players had integrity.

Sadly, we thought wrong.

The use of anabolic steroids was thought to be a small issue in Baseball. That was until the BALCO scandal broke in 2003. The lab, owned and operated by Victor Conte, was busted and he went to jail for distribution of illicit steroids. The scandal also targeted Jason Giambi and Barry Bonds just to name a few. Barry Bonds denied involvement and said that he never took steroids knowingly. He is now indicted for perjury.

The steroid issue got worse on Valentine's Day in 2005 when Jose Conseco's book "Juiced" hit store shelves. The book outed alleged steroid users such as Raphael Palmero and Mark McGuire. Canseco and his book was dismissed as false. However, a senate hearing was called on St. Patrick's Day that same year on that very issue. The testimony of McGuire ("I'm not here to talk about the past"), Sosa ("I don't speak English"), and Palmero ("I have never taken steroids...period") changed the public's view of Canseco and his supposed lies. Needless to say, the testimony from the players, the MLB commissioner Bud Selig, and the Player's Association executive director Donald Fher was not satisfactory for the senators. They demanded far stronger penalties for positive drug tests. MLB adopted the new policy later that year. Also later that same year, Raphael Palmero tested positive for a banned substance less than half a year removed from the senate hearing. The news gave Canseco even more credibility and nearly got Palmero indicted by the feds for perjury. That dark year for baseball got even worse with the release of the book "Game of Shadows", which fingered Barry Bonds for use of steroids.

This leads us all to the steroids investigation in Baseball. Headed by former senator George Mitchell, this investigation took nearly a year and a half. It was to recommend that baseball take stricter steps with steroid and Human Growth Hormone (HGH) testing and also named those who received, purchased, or have taken steroids. Yesterday, the completed report was released. About 80 names were mentioned, including Roger Clemons, Barry Bonds, and a lot of other current or former players.

Despite the report's recommendations, I say those named in the report should be punished. Although the report didn't say that those named took steroids and HGH, let's have common sense here. When was the last time that someone didn't use what they purchased or received as a gift? I never buy something that I don't intend to use. THOSE NAMED IN THE REPORT SHOULD HAVE THEIR RECORDS ERASED PERIOD!!! I don't care what records, games, and which World Series will be affected. It would not be inconceivable to think that an entire season could have been effected by those who took steroids. Recently, disgraced track star.Marion Jones had to return her medals and accept a 2-year ban from the IOC after admitting that she had taken illicit substances. Her records were erased from the books. Why can't MLB do the same thing?

The players association is also at fault for this scandal. In 2002, they would not agree to drug testing as a part of a new labor deal. If a new deal wasn't made, a strike (2nd within a decade) will result. They claimed that it was a violation of privacy. What a load of crap. When I took a job last summer which had nothing to do with anything athletic, I had to take a urine test. The players should do the same. If they had nothing to hide, they should take the test. I am a supporter of the forth amendment, but if they want to prove their innocence, they should submit to an advanced test for any drug use.

I'm sorry to say that I no longer trust any records in Major League Baseball. This entire scandal is the fault of the players and the players union. They fought for their "right" to shoot themselves up with the cream and the clear. They fought for their "right" to take the HGH. Now they are paying dearly for it. Do I need to say "you reap what you sow"? The players not suing the authors of "Game of Shadows" or Jose Canseco, as well as not suing the sources and the writers of the report, are also adding to the suspicion.

Earlier in this post, I said that those named should have their records erased. They should also be banned from the Baseball hall of fame. If Pete Rose and Joe Jackson got banned from the hall of fame for betting on the game, why can't the ones who cheated also be banned. Cheating on the game is worse than betting on it. Unlike the gambling scandals that affected a team and an individual, this scandal is affecting an entire institution and a sport. The legitimacy about a player's accomplishments and his steroid test history should be a factor in determining acceptance into the hall. If not, then I think the hall of fame thinks that gambling is bad while steroid usage is not.

I also have one last topic to bring up: the race card. STOP IT! This is not about race in any way, shape, or form. This is about those who cheat to break records and to win games in an illegitimate fashion.

This is the worst scandal in Baseball history period. The integrity of the game, what little it had left, is gone. It will remain gone until MLB and the Player's Union can agree on a detailed test that can detect any performance-enhancing drug in any way, whether it be by urine or blood. The players must undergo the test once a month administered by those independent from the team. If the player skips the test or fails it, they should face a one year ban. A second failed or missed test should result in a permenant ban without the possibility of reinstatement. The policy should also have no statute of limitations. This means that the first failed test sticks with the player for the rest of his life. These may be harsh measures, but it may be necessary to earn my trust in the game again. Steroid use in all of athletics needs to stop. Kids look up to athletes as role models. They are their heroes.

Let us never forget the quote "Say it ain't so, Joe".

Good night, and good luck.

Arkansas Razorback football coach Houston Nutt resigns.

Three days after defeating the formerly top-ranked (BCS) Louisiana State Tigers in triple overtime, the University of Arkansas offered head football coach Houston Nutt a 2-year extension. Despite the offer, Houston Nutt resigned from the school. It was a mutual decision between him and the administration. He ends a decade-long tenure with a 75-48 overall record, a 42-38 SEC record, and three SEC Western division crowns in 1998, 2002, and 2006 (0-2 in SEC Championship games).

Arkansas defensive coordinator Reggie Herring will be the interim head coach for their upcoming bowl game.

NOTE: The Mississippi State Bulldogs and the Arkansas Razorbacks tied for the division title in 1998. Because Mississippi State beat Arkansas that season, the Bulldogs went to the conference title game.

Missouri Tigers new no.1 in new BCS standings.

The new Bowl Championship Series standings are now released and there has been a shakeup. The Missouri Tigers are the new number 1 in the BCS standings courtesy of their win over the then BCS no. 2 Kansas Jayhawks and the Arkansas Razorback's upset victory over the Louisiana State Tigers in triple overtime. LSU was the previous number 1 in the BCS.

The BCS top five as of this posting (BCS averages are from ESPN).

1. Missouri Tigers (0.978 BCS average)
2. West Virginia Mountaineers (0.971 BCS average)
3. Ohio State Buckeyes (0.920 BCS average)
4. Georgia Bulldogs (0.827 BCS average)
5. Kansas Jayhawks (0.792 BCS average)

If Missouri beats the Oklahoma Sooners in the Big 12 Championship game and West Virginia defeats rivals the Pittsburgh Panthers, then they will meet in the BCS National Championship in New Orleans. However, Ohio State, who finished up their season with a Big 10 Championship and a win over their bitter rivals the Michigan Wolverines, can get in with either a Missouri or West Virginia loss. If both teams lose, then it will be the Bulldogs and the Buckeyes in New Orleans on January 7.

The rest of the BCS standings are at espn.com.