Fathead Blog

The NBA trade deadline is less than a month away. Everybody is going to be on the phone looking for the deal that will bring in a superstar, set the franchise up for future success or add the last piece of a championship puzzle. The rumors are already flying. Here’s the trades I would like to see happen.

Steve Nash

He’s not going to force his way out of Phoenix like some guys would if they were nearing the end of their career with a team that isn’t going anywhere. He has been as loyal as they come for the Suns. The team should return the favor and deal Nash to a team that can make a run. The obvious choice just a few days ago would be to reunite Nash with Mike D’Antoni and Amar’e Stoudemire in New York. But now that “Linsanity” has taken over in the Big Apple, my choice for Nash would be Memphis.

The emergence of Jeremy Lin has taken New York off the list of possible destinations for Steve Nash.

Last season, the Grizzlies came within one game of the Western Conference Finals as an 8 seed. And they did that without Rudy Gay. Now Memphis is playing without Zach Randolph. Assuming he will be back in time for the playoffs, the Grizzlies should make this deal. They are three games out of third in the west but also just a game away from missing the playoffs altogether. Nash would help ensure Memphis gets back to the postseason and give them a better shot to make a deep run once they get there. 

Ray Allen

At 15-16, the Celtics run as a championship contender looks like it may be over. I don’t see them standing pat with the team so do they blow the team up and start over or try to make a move and get some help for their aging stars? Boston management probably hasn’t decided yet, but if they do start looking toward the future instead of this season, several teams will try to get one of the best shooters of all time in Ray Allen.

One team that could be a Ray Allen away from a championship is Oklahoma City. The Thunder are tied with Miami for the best record in the NBA. They have two stars in Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. James Harden is getting better every year. Adding a deadly shooter with championship experience would be a big asset to this team and could be what they need to win the championship this year.

Chris Kaman

New Orleans is in a terrible situation. The Hornets don’t benefit much from having a 30-year-old, injury-prone center that makes 14 million on the roster. But they could use some draft picks or prospects that they would get in exchange for trading Kaman to a contender. And there are plenty of teams who could use a 7-footer with an expiring contract.

Kaman would be a nice fit for the Rockets, who thought it had landed Pau Gasol earlier this year in the Chris Paul trade. Gasol is still rumored to possibly be traded from Los Angeles, so the Rockets may go after him again, but Kaman would be a good, low-risk second option for a team in the thick of the playoff race in the West.

Dwight Howard

Personally, I would like to see Superman stay in Orlando, but that doesn’t appear very likely. Chances are, Orlando will get what they can for Howard rather than letting him leave for nothing like it did with Shaq. Howard’s list of teams he is willing to play for has changed a few times so just about anything could happen here.

Chicago could probably give Orlando the best deal, but will the Bulls want to break-up a team that is already a favorite in the Eastern Conference? Certainly, every team in the NBA would like to have a guy like Howard, but the team that is the most desperate to get him is New Jersey. The Nets have been setting themselves up for a major move ever since the LeBron sweepstakes started and it is now or never for them. If Howard goes to New Jersey he will play alongside Deron Williams and make the Nets a dangerous team in the future. If he goes somewhere else, Williams will likely leave New Jersey as well and the team will move to Brooklyn with no stars. The Nets must do whatever it takes to make this happen.

The shortened NBA season is nearing its midpoint and shaping up as one of the most “on any given night” seasons I can remember, largely because of the jam-packed schedule. Here’s how I see the teams stacking up so far.

1. Chicago Bulls (23-7) – The Bulls are on top of the East, even with Derrick Rose missing seven games. This ranking is assuming he returns to full strength.

2. Oklahoma City Thunder (21-6) – Oklahoma City has a chance to pad its lead in the West with six of the next eight at home.

3. Miami Heat (22-7) – The “Big Three” look as good as ever. It’s championship or bust after their Finals collapse against Dallas.

4. San Antonio Spurs (19-9) – They are off to a great start, even with Ginobili missing most of the season. He’s back, but how much does this veteran team have left in its tank for this condensed season?

5. Philadelphia 76ers (20-9) – Philly is second in the league in points allowed and point differential. That’s a good sign they aren’t a pretender.

6. Dallas Mavericks (18-11) – After a rough start, the defending champs have won 9 of 13 and four straight.

7. Los Angeles Clippers (17-9) – These guys will be very dangerous come playoff time. Especially if Chris Paul gets his wish and they sign J.R. Smith.

Since acquiring Paul, plays like this have become expected from Griffin and the Clippers.

8. Orlando Magic (18-11) – It should be time for the Dwight Howard sweepstakes to start heating up. Can they convince him to stay?

9. Atlanta Hawks (18-10) – The loss to the Heat was big with a tough five-game road trip starting in Los Angeles.

10. Los Angeles Lakers (16-12) – 5-10 on the road is not good enough to hang with the other top teams.

11. Indiana Pacers (17-10) – Indiana has lost four of five, but has a stretch coming up of seven straight against teams at the bottom of the standings. That should get them back on track.

12. Boston Celtics (15-12) – 7-3 in the last 10 seems to have quieted the talk of blowing this team up.

13. Houston Rockets (16-12) – The bad news…the Rockets are just 6-9 on the road. The good news…..a six-game home stand starts this week.

14. New York Knicks (13-15) – Jeremy Lin and five straight wins have the Knicks back in playoff position.

15. Denver Nuggets (16-12) – The Nuggets have suffered through a rash of injuries and are 2-7 in their last nine. It doesn’t get any easier either with a bunch of tough teams on the schedule in February.

16. Memphis Grizzlies (14-14) – The Grizzlies need to hang around long enough for Zach Randolph to return. If they make the playoffs, they will be a tough out.

17. Portland Trail Blazers (15-13) – The Blazers need to beat Washington and Golden State before beginning a difficult stretch of games.

18. Utah Jazz (14-13) – They are just 3-8 on the road and just 2-6 in February. Utah must turn things around before they fall too far back.

19. Golden State Warriors (11-14) – Three straight wins have the Warriors within shouting distance of the last playoff berth.

20. Milwaukee Bucks (12-16) – Currently a game back of the last playoff spot in the East. Losing Andrew Bogut hurts.

21. Minnesota Timberwolves (13-16) – Having the best record of all the teams who are in last in their divisions isn’t much to brag about, but it’s actually improvement for the T-wolves.

22. Phoenix Suns (12-16) – The Suns aren’t terrible, but they aren’t going anywhere either. Do they decide to rebuild and trade Steve Nash?

23. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-16) – The Cavs are improved, but need to capitalize on their next 6 games being at home to really make a push.

24. Sacramento Kings (10-17) – A 7-5 record at home, they have a winning record in Sacramento. Hopefully the team stays there.

25. Toronto Raptors (9-20) – The average fan probably can’t name one player on this team.

26. Detroit Pistons (8-21) – At least there hasn’t been a mutiny so far.

27. New Jersey Nets (8-21) – They have lost six in a row and could lose Deron Williams after the season if they don’t find a way to trade for Dwight Howard. 

28. New Orleans (5-23) – The future looks pretty bleak for this team. The way the league handled the Chris Paul trade could make it tough to find an owner.

29. Washington Wizards (6-22) – Wizards are 2-2 in their last four. How long can they keep that up?

30. Charlotte Bobcats (3-25) – This has got to be killing Michael Jordan. They are last in points scored and last in points allowed per game. Ouch

Ahmad Bradshaw’s “accidental” touchdown gave the New York Giants the lead in the final minute of Super Bowl 46. It will be one of the most talked about plays of the Giants victory because of the Patriots’ decision to let the Giants score and save some time for Tom Brady, but it wasn’t a game-changer. Here are my top 10 plays that led to the Giants win.

Super Bowl 46 had 10 key plays that factored into the Giants Super Bowl win.

The Punt

After the Giants stalled on the first possession of the game, Steve Weatherford punts 36 yards and pinned the Patriots on their own six-yard line, setting up the first score of the game.

The Safety

The Patriots first play from scrimmage was possibly their worst play from scrimmage. Starting on his own six-yard-line, Tom Brady dropped back to pass in the end zone and was immediately pressured. Brady knew he had to get rid of the ball so he launched it 40 yards down the middle of the field. Only problem was that there was no receiver in the area. Two points for the Giants – two points that would have made a difference in how the fourth quarter played out.

The Fumble

The Giants had third-and-three from the Patriots 11-yard line. Eli Manning completes a short pass to Victor Cruz and he fumbles. Brandon Spikes recovers for the Patriots, but the play is nullified after New England is called for 12 men on the field. Two plays later, Cruz is doing the salsa dance and New York leads 9-0.

The Sack

The New England offense was rolling – covering 178 yards and two touchdowns on the last two possessions. It looked like they had the Giants guessing on defense. But on a third down from the Patriots 19, Brady was sacked by Justin Tuck. This was a huge three-and-out for the defense to regain its confidence, get off the field and change the momentum of the game.

The Fumble II

With the ball at the New England 47, Manning hit Hakeem Nicks for a 17-yard gain but the ball popped out of his hands. Fortunately for Nicks, Henry Hynoski was the first one to get on the football and the Giants maintained possession. They would go on to kick a field goal and cut the lead to 17-15.

The Pick

On the second play of the fourth quarter Brady committed the only turnover in the game. It wasn’t terrible as turnovers go. When Chase Blackburn intercepted Brady’s deep ball at the Giants eight-yard line, it was basically no different than a punt. But it kept the ball out of Brady’s hands and added to the Giants momentum in the fourth quarter.

The Fumble III

Another fumble by the Giants and another recovery by the Giants. This time it was Ahmad Bradshaw who put the ball on the ground and Chris Snee who fell on it. With this play beginning at the Giants eight-yard line, this would have been a game-changer if the Pats had recovered.

The Offside

Rob Ninkovich jumped offside, turning a third-and-seven and an incomplete pass into third-and-two and a completion for a Giants first down. The Giants ended up punting the ball away, but not until after New York gained another 46 yards which dramatically altered the field position for a New England possession that could have put the game away with a touchdown.

The Drop

It’s second-and-11 on the New York 44 and the Patriots lead 17-15. Brady finds Wes Welker streaking down the field with nobody near him. Brady’s throw wasn’t perfect but it was a catch we have seen Welker make countless times in his career. Only this time, he didn’t. A completion would have put New England well within field goal range and on the verge of a championship clinching touchdown. Instead, after another incomplete pass, the Patriots were forced to punt, setting up Eli Manning for more fourth quarter heroics.

The Throw and Catch

With 3:46 left in the game, the Giants final drive begins on their 12-yard line. On first down, Manning throws deep down the sideline for Mario Manningham. He put the ball right between two defenders in the only place Manningham could have caught it. And he made an incredible over the shoulder catch and somehow managed to get both feet down and maintain possession. Not only was it was the longest play from scrimmage in the game. Not only did it put the Giants at midfield with plenty of time to set up a game-winning field goal. But it also forced Bill Belichick to challenge the play. When the play was upheld, it cost New England a timeout that would have greatly increased their chances of scoring at the end of the game.

Here we go again. Looking into the future isn’t as easy as one might think. My Magic 8 Ball is worn out and I don’t think I can stomach another fortune cookie. So let’s not waste anymore time. Here’s what I see happening in the NCAA in 2012.

Urban Meyer takes over at Ohio State and leads the Buckeyes to a 10-2 finish and a No. 1 ranking in a new poll that consists only of teams who are not eligible for postseason action.

Matt Barkley and USC build on the momentum of the 2011 season and make a run at the BCS championship. However, the Trojans come up short in the final BCS standings. As usual, the standings become controversial when Wikileaks publishes documents that reveal “distance from SEC country” is part of the computer formulas. When a one-loss SEC team gets into the national championship game over two undefeated teams, it is the final straw for the BCS system. The NCAA will finally adopt some sort of system that allows for a champion to be determined on the field.

Could an undefeated USC team only get a trip to the Rose Bowl in 2013?

Brittney Griner leads No. 1 Baylor to an undefeated regular season. The Bears suffer their first loss in the Big 12 tournament, but Baylor will be cutting down the nets in Denver.

On the men’s side, a mid-major team will make a run to the Final Four. This not only takes me out of the running in my office pool, but it also ignites more talks of adding teams to the tournament. Officials say they have several scenarios under consideration with the most likely option expanding the field to 70 teams and changing the championship game to a best-of-three series.

In an attempt to keep up with the Big 10, Pac 12 and SEC, the Big 12 and ACC reach an agreement to have all Big 12 teams face off with a team from the ACC on the second Saturday of the season. It seems like a good idea but cannot begin until 2014 and nobody knows what schools will be in what conferences in 2014.

Speaking of realignment, plenty more moves will be made as conferences scramble to survive in a landscape that continues to change. The Big 12 reels in BYU but needs another school for an even 12 teams. They can’t talk Notre Dame into joining, so the conference goes with plan B and brings in a Canadian school, the Manitoba Bisons.

(To read Part 4 of this series, click here.)

We are already three weeks into the 2012 PGA Tour season but I don’t care. I’m not going to let that stop me from making my predictions…even if it is cheating. And I’m going to go out on a limb with my first prediction and say that Steve Stricker will pick up a win early in 2012 and extend his streak to four years with at least one victory. What else will happen in golf?

The outcome of at least one tournament will be impacted by a fan watching at home reporting a rule violation. Tour players are split on whether or not this is OK. Tour officials begin to take a serious look into making changes for the 2013 season.

Tiger Woods will be in contention heading into the final round at the Masters. “Tiger is back” stories will flood the nation. He posts a -2 (70) on Sunday but it’s not good enough to land another green jacket. On the bright side, Tiger will go through the entire season without getting hit with a hot dog. And he will win again. But just once…and it won’t be a major.

Speaking of the majors…if not Tiger, then who? 2012 will be the year of big names winning their first major championships. Sergio Garcia wins the Masters. Luke Donald wins the U.S. Open. Lee Westwood wins the British Open. Dustin Johnson wins the PGA Championship. One of these wins will come in a playoff. One will be a gift when the man leading the tournament makes a big number on the final hole to give it away.

Will Sergio win this year's Masters?

The Ryder Cup will go down to the wire in the Sunday singles. The crucial match for both sides will be the No. 1 player in the world, Luke Donald (playing in the city where he went to college) against USA fan favorite Phil Mickelson. Lefty takes the lead in the match with a birdie on 16 and holds on for a 1 Up win to give the Cup to the United States.

Donald will maintain his hold on the No. 1 ranking in the world but the big news is that Mickelson, Garcia and Woods are all back in the top 10.

Yani Tseng will continue to dominate women’s golf, but her win total drops from 12 in 2011 to 9 in 2012. She plays in a PGA Tour event (the Puerto Rico Open) and makes the cut. But the top story in women’s golf is Lexi Thompson. The teenage phenom is the new star of the LPGA and she wins another tournament before she turns 18.

The media continues to try to create a Tiger vs. Rory Mcllroy rivalry. It never plays out on the golf course, but they are neck in neck in making off the course headlines.

(To read part 3 of this series click here.)