Grizzlies v. Wizards 6 p.m. (FSN)

Versus

The Grizzlies (30-23) hope to welcome back James Posey to the line-up after a few weeks on the IL with a strained Achilles, however the comeback will be bittersweet, as his activation just makes room for Stromile Swift to find a seat behind the bench nursing a "severely Sprained Ankle" according to the Commercial Appeal.

Washington (30-22) last three straight going into the break, and hold the 5th-seed in the East (.5 game behind Cleveland for the 4), as the Grizzlies will try to shake off two straight losses on the road against Eastern Conference Playoff teams. Both losses came down to a last second shot that Mike Miller missed both times.

Washington looks to make the playoffs after a ten year (YES, 10, even with MJ) absence, and make a push for home-court advantage. The Grizzlies are really just trying to hold on to the 7th seed in the west long enough to get Gasol back on the court, hopefully in time to make a push into the 5 or 6 spot (to avoid the Spurs).

The Grizzlies will look to build on the .5 game the Rockets gave them by losing to Seattle last night, and get back within a 1/2 game of the 6th spot. Hopefully the kings will continue their slide, and allow us to sneak up even further.

Very good article on ESPN.com today by Chad Ford, primarily dealing with the new NBA Collective bargaining Agreement (CBA), which is set to expire in June (which could lead to a work-stoppage). Worth a read if you have time.

Washington is favored 3 points at home. I am going to quit making guesses, since I seem to be bad luck...

I hope to get back to some political writing soon, just been swamped with paperwork at BDBCB.

Stay Tuned...

Alabama v. LSU Postgame...

Heartbreak...

What else can you say? I was all over the map last night. The game starts, and I'm optimistic, then, 5 minutes in, I'm looking to see what movies are on. By the time halftime came around, I was cautiously confident. When the ESPN crew said we came out of the locker room chanting about not letting an opportunity slip by, I was fired up.

When LSU started to pull away with 6 minutes to play, I told Robyn we were going to lose. Then Jean Felix made magic, and when Kennedy hit the 3 to Tie the game with 12 seconds left, I knew we were done. I couldn't believe they didn't take the last time out when the 3-pointer fell. As Brandon Bass drove and threw up a prayer, I gasped...HE MISSED IT, HE MISS...oh fuck. Who the hell is Ross Neltner!

Kennedy said it best "They really didn't know what they wanted to do, so Bass threw up the shot and missed it, All of the sudden this dude came out of nowhere."

Just that fast, the Alabama season went from "the sky's the limit" to "we need to win out to win the SEC WEST".

You knew early that things weren't good for our guys. It seemed like they were thinking about the Wildcats, and not the Tigers. We got out rebounded, by almost 20! We missed free throws down the stretch, we shot horribly from 3-point range (yes, you Earnest), and Toward the end of the second half, our guys looked afraid to go into the paint. The last thing we needed was Chuck Davis taking a 16 footer in the last two minutes while we are behind 4 points.

Now we look at this Kentucky game as real test of what we can do in the Tournament. If we can come out and play with intensity, get the three-headed monster of Chuck D, Shelton, and Winston firing on all cylinders, and REBOUND (*cough cough* Jermareo *cough cough*) we can put ourselves into a 3-seed for the dance, and maybe buy a bye in the SEC tournament.

ROLL TIDE!

Stay Tuned...

Alabama v. LSU 8p.m. ESPN

Versus

Alabama can wrap up the SEC Western Division title with a win at the Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge tonight. The game will be televised Nationally on ESPN, and will feature two of the SEC's hottest players in Kennedy Winston, and Brandon Bass.

Bass, the 6-8 Sophomore forward has been on a tear lately, averaging 24 points and 11 rebounds last week in wins versus Miss St. and Florida. The Tigers are also on a surge with the emergence of Freshman C/F Glen Davis, who has posted 3 double-doubles in the last 6 games, and has really helped LSU put together some defensive toughness.

The Tide is coming of a great week, with wins over South Carolina and Ole Miss, but must be careful not to look ahead to Saturdays matchup with Kentucky, as a loss tonight would put LSU 1-game back of the Tide for first place, and the schedules favor LSU for the last two weeks. The Tide has games with LSU, Kentucky, Auburn, and then @ Mississippi State, while LSU gets Alabama tonight, then Ole Miss, Vandy, and Auburn.

Steele had a great game last time the Tigers met the Tide in January, a 73-58 win in Tuscaloosa. He will have to interrupt the flow of the LSU offense again tonight, if the Tide is going to neutralize the Tigers home floor.

ROLL TIDE!!

Stay Tuned...

Alabama v. South Carolina 3 p.m.

Versus



Game will be shown regionally on JP sports @ 3pm central.

South Carolina recently knocked off #3 Kentucky (who will come to Coleman next Saturday), and are looking for a big road win to help solidify an NCAA tournament bid.

Will Albert Weber be back? Will Chuck Davis be healthy? Will Alabama take care of business, and not start thinking ahead to Auburn, LSU, or Miss St.?

The questions are endless, but the game will not be. We will have a winner this time tomorrow.

Stay Tuned...

Deficit, Smeficit....

Cheney, the man, the myth, the legend, the president...

"Paul O'Neill said he tried to warn Vice President Dick Cheney that growing budget deficits-expected to top $500 billion this fiscal year alone-posed a threat to the economy. Cheney cut him off. "You know, Paul, Reagan proved deficits don't matter," he said, according to excerpts. Cheney continued: "We won the midterms (congressional elections). This is our due." A month later, Cheney told the Treasury secretary he was fired." -- ontheissues.com

"Deficits don't matter" the man says. He is the guru of finances. If you look at his tenure at Halliburton, you can see that the largest financial fall off in the history of that company ( was under the careful guidance of one Richard Cheney. We will call him Dick. Dick, has a history of disregarding frivolous issues like facts and research and expert opinion. You can't blame Dick though, that's what Dick's do. They act without reason, logic, or thought of consequence.

The good news is this, in the dawn of a new term (hang on, i need to go regain my composure), we can count on more of the same from the Bush administration. After making pledges to 1/2 the deficit by 2009, Mr. Bush put forth a Budget that is going to bring about the largest federal deficit in American History! While as %GDP goes, the Deficit is not at a critical level just yet, we are well on our way. The only saving grace right now is the high rate of growth the country is experiencing (which unfortunately is due to the WEAKNESS of the dollar, so, its only such a blessing). Thanks to The Weekly Standard for information used here.

The conservatives, and therefore the Republicans used to be the party of fiscal responsibility, small government, but now, they are big deficit spenders who feel that it is Governments role to tell the American people who they can marry, if they can abort a baby, and g-d knows what else down the line.

But as Dick Cheney always says..."Fuck You," and so we just have to watch in horror.

SPAD's Sign of the apocalypse:



Homicidal/Suicidal/Alcoholic Kermit the Frog for auction on eBay...*The asking price is at a very reasonable $27 USD, the post reads roughly as follows:

"First off, Kermit has a very bad temper. Don't cross him when he gets the "look" in his eye. He also enjoys knife throwing as a hobby. This "art of death" as he likes to call it could prove deadly if he gets in one of his moods. We have tried to put him on some sort of med's. We were given one prescription and we caught him cheeking them and spitting them out in the trash. After the second visit with the doctor, Kermit threatened to bite his ear off and we haven't gone back since, they have refused to treat him."

*special thanks go out to moof for finding this treasure


Stay Tuned...

MLB spring preview, with Fantasy notes still to come...

*By Popular Demand* Alabama v. Arkansas Postgame

You felt it when the buzzer went off at half time, the Hogs (what an awful mascot) had a 1 point lead at Alabama's home floor, and you knew the Tide was not going to watch their NCAA seed fall because of the Razorbacks. Sure enough, as the second half got underway, the Tide Defense solidified.

Alabama shot an outstanding 63% from the field in the second half to go along with limiting the Hogs to 13 field goals against 9 turnovers. The tide really stepped up, showed the ability to make halftime adjustments, and perhaps some of that toughness you need come March.

One point of concern, still no return of Albert Weber, and questions continue to be voiced about the "personal situation" he is tending to, and when or if he will return. The tide is only playing 7 guys right now, which is not going to help us when we need a bench in the Tournament.

Tide wins it: 72-63

Next Up: South Carolina visits Saturday @ Coleman Coliseum

ROLL TIDE!

Stay Tuned...

Grizzlies v. Boston Postgame

Deja Vu? I'll say...

Here we go, under 10 seconds to play, edge of your seat, The man with the hot hand has the ball, Mike Miller a chance to win/tie...BRICK!

Just like that, the Grizzlies go into the break hobbling and boasting a two game losing streak. Granted, both games were on the road, against Eastern Playoff Teams. Again the Grizzlies came up short in a last ditch effort to overcome poor shooting, and questionable defense. Giving up 90 points may not look like a bad night of defense, but the Celtics scored at will inside, racking up 30 some odd points in the paint.

Memphis shot just 26% from 3-point land, and Jason Williams was 2-9.

Again you could see the fatigue in the Grizzlies from the beginning, they desperately need Gasol and Posey to get healthy and get on the floor. The other major factor (especially in the first half) were the fouls! I know it is the result of smothering defense, but we had guys constantly in and out of the lineup with foul trouble the last three games. It's like the ref's will call ANY contact in the paint, and the most ridiculous hand-check fouls on screens. We had to resort to Earl and J-Will playing in the backcourt together most of the first half.

The Grizzlies go into the Break now with a 30-23 Record, and have to come out and play a schedule that has a combined opponent winning percent at .571. It won't be an easy road to the playoffs, but if we get healthy, its one we can travel.

Season Record (1-1-1)*

*starting 2/10