Partnered with YardBarker/Fox Sports
Exciting news everyone: Shown The Red Card has now partnered with YardBarker.com/FoxSports.com! Here is what that means; this site is now part of a network that includes 800+ of the very best sports blogs from around the country. A lot of those blogs are maintained by professional athletes and management like Redskins TE Chris Cooley, Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban, QB Donovan McNabb, and many others. YardBarker is the proverbial “1 stop-shop” for all sports news (think Huffington Post, but for sports blogs). This is a very cool opportunity for the Red Card to gain a little bit more exposure, and maybe even land on the front page of Foxsports.com if the post is worthy enough. What makes this opportunity even more great is the fact that the Red Card will still retain its cutting edge and passionate approach. This is still the same site, but it now holds a little more clout with the rest of the sports blogging universe. There are a couple of additions to the site that Im sure you can already see:
- The toolbar at the top features categories for YardBarker stories, and a link to Foxsports.com.
- There is 1 ad right next to my posts now, but have no fear, Im definitely not trying to make this site one big advertisement.
- Towards the bottom of each post there is a widget on the sidebar featuring top stories from YardBarker.
The Red Card made a new friend.
- Knicks: They (finally) got their man. Carmelo Anthony is officially a resident of New York again, fulfilling his dream to play for his hometown team. For the Knicks, receiving Chauncey Billups was equally as important, as he has the championship pedigree to help take the Knicks to the next level. Pair them up with Amare Stoudemire, and this team could be tough in the Eastern Conference playoffs.
- Nuggets: Look, its never good to lose a player of Carmelo Anthony’s quality, but if you have to, then the Nuggets got back a nice return on investment. They got 4 young, talented players (3 of whom were former 1st round draft picks), 1st and 2nd round picks over the next 2 years, and 3 million dollars in cash. In other words, they cleaned up. Plus, they are already playing well together, and will make the playoffs. Well done Denver.
- Jazz: Yes, they traded arguably the best point guard in the NBA, in Derron Williams, away to New Jersey. BUT, they also got a lot back in point guard Devin Harris, last years 1st round pick Derrick Favors, and 2 1st round picks. Cha-ching.
- Trail Blazers: The Trail Blazers needed a scorer at the deadline, and they got him in Gerald Wallace, one of the most underrated players in the NBA. All they had to give up were a few role players. Now the Blazers look set to challenge the upper-tier of the Western Conference.
Now presenting: Carmelo AnthoNY
- Nets: Look, New Jersey was obviously desperate to land a marquee name after being denied by LeBron, Chris Bosh, Amare Stoudemire, and Carmelo Anthony. The problem is that everyone knew how desperate they were, so the Jazz robbed them of their point guard, future big man, and 2 1st round picks. Getting Derron Williams is nice, but even he cant commit to a future in New Jersey unless things go well. Ouch. RED CARD.
- Celtics: I still dont understand trading C Kendrick Perkins and lightening rod PG Nate Robinson for a SF in Jeff Green and a C in Nenad Kristic. It makes no sense on a personnel level, and also for team chemistry. Never trade a young, talented big man like Perkins, ever. RED CARD.
- Cavaliers: Their front office achieved the impossible by making the team worse. Trading away their only legitimate player in Mo Williams is a crime, especially when all they got in return was an ageing Baron Davis. I used to like Baron Davis a lot, but in recent years he has become an enigma that has no work ethic or drive to play on a sub-par team. I have a feeling that Cavs fans will be getting their pitchforks ready to take down owner Dan Gilbert. RED CARD.
Rondo is happy that the Celtics are #1.
- Boston: Once they get their new pieces settled in, they will be tough to stop. Look for them to sign F Leon Powe, who played on the ’08 Championship team, to bolster depth.
- San Antonio: 1 word; consistent.
- Chicago: they seem to be improving each and every game. C Joakim Noah is the piece that will help them challenge everyone in East for supremacy.
- L.A. Lakers: They are the champs until someone knocks them off.
- Miami: I know that they havent played well against top teams, but they will soon enough.
Steve Lavin should easily win Coach of the Year for reviving St. Johns.
- There is not an “elite” team this year. If you would have asked me to pick a National Champion 2 weeks ago, I would have said Texas. Fast forward, and they have lost 3/4 games in the Big XII, after starting 11-0 in league play. Its a crazy year.
- BYU is for real. I know most people still view the “fightin’ Jimmers” as a mid-major, but this team has played a tough schedule and is ready to take on the old guard of college basketball. Losing their starting center for the rest of the year hurts, but the inevitable comparison to the ’08 Davidson squad who featured Stephan Curry and made the Elite 8 is right on.
- North Carolina is back. Roy Williams made a gutsy call back in January, naming freshman Kendall Marshall as his starting point guard, but it has brought the Tar Heels back from the dead. Marshall is a pass-first point guard with unbelievable touch, vision, and leadership. He has made everyone else around him work together, and helped Carolina climb back into the rankings. You do not want to play the Tar Heels in March.
- The Big East is absurdly tough. Every time I watch a Big East game, it seems like 2 ranked teams are playing. It was being rumored that up to 10 teams could make the NCAA tournament from the Big East, and Im O.K. with that. It is easily the deepest, most talented conference in America.
- Steve Lavin is the Coach of the Year. To take that St. Johns team to a Top 15 ranking and a first round bye in the Big East tournament is insane. Look for the Red Storm to make noise in NCAA tournament.
- Shhhhhh! UCLA is quietly playing great basketball. The Bruins have been under-the-radar all year, but look for them to win the Pac-10 tournament and have great momentum going into the big dance.
Drawing a line in the sand.
- Revenue sharing.
- Rookie wage earnings.
- 18 game regular season schedule.
- Benefits for retired players.
- Concussion and traumatic injury treatment and prevention.
- The only thing more overrated than the NFL combine is the immense amount of hype people put into it. Seriously, most of these potential draft picks have 2-4 years of game film from their respective colleges that NFL teams can look at, and yet all of these scouts havent seen them run enough in spandex? Whats worse is that the combine doesnt test these players in real game situations, so Im not sure how the Combine can be a “make it or break it” deal for a lot of players. Running a 40 yard dash in shorts is a lot different than running the 40 in full pads, so it isnt a true test of speed. You may as well have the QB’s play Madden to test their arm strength. Judge players by how they play in games, not how they look in the gym with Under Armour on. Rant over. RED CARD.
I know there hasnt been one of these in a long time, but this week’s GET A GRIP goes to Charlie Sheen. Seriously dude, sober up. Im also giving a RED CARD to the media for trying to understand the coked up ramblings of irrational celebrity. THERE IS MUCH MORE IMPORTANT STUFF TO COVER, CNN.
- Back on Sunday with a piece about one of my favorite musicians!
Buckets.
Indeed sir.