Two guys who love to talk about sports and actually know what they are talking about! NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, NASCAR, WWE, GHSA and just about anything else sports related!
Many of you may have been wondering why we have been off the blog the last couple of weeks. Here's a couple reasons:
Both Matt and Jack have been battling illness (we're ok :) )
Matt dealing with Midterms
And the most important reason we've been off is to focus on bringing you the best content and opinion on the blogosphere. With that being said, here's some of the things we are working on over the next 6 months...
Complete WrestleMania 28, Extreme Rules, Over The Limit, Money In The Bank, No Way Out and SummerSlam coverage
Coverage of Opening Day for the Atlanta Braves (and the other 161 games too)
Capability to Live Blog
Several YouTube Original Series
Interviews with on the rise athletes in Georgia
Hawks coverage including the playoffs
and Much More!
So stay tuned here for more details, including what our YouTube address will be. But until then,
Oh, that reminds me, one of those things we might be working on (if things fall into place), will be M! True Piedmont Story (and yes, it's a Z! True Long Island Story parody)!
Josh Smith just made the Top 10 highlight reel for the season. Against the NBA's leading shot blocker no less. Hawks Call Courtesy of Bob Rathbun and Dominique Wilkins for SportSouth.
A perfect example on why Philips Arena is called "The Highlight Factory."
I'm back with another "Top 10" countdown, this time I rank 10 iconic sports themes that need to return to the airwaves.
10. NFL on NBC (Used Super Bowl XXVIII and 1994 season)
**It's a shame they decided to replace this theme. It was great, point blank.**
9. NASCAR on CBS (Used 1995-1997 (Winston Cup) and 1998 (Busch Series))
**Just recently found this, but it screams this era of NASCAR.**
8. NBA on TNT
**I am a HUGE fan of the current theme, but this one should definitely be used for "Inside The NBA"**
7. MLB on FOX (Used 1998-2010)
I have no idea why FOX thought it was a good idea to use the NFL theme for ALL of their telecasts...
6. NFL on CBS (Used 1992-1993)
**Love the new theme too, just would like to see this anywhere.**
5. NASCAR on NBC/TNT (Used 2001-2003 and 2004 Daytona 500)
**NBC just needs to come back to NASCAR. Point Blank. I loved this theme so much, here's two instances of it for you. The 2001 Pepsi 400 at Daytona and the 2001 Chevy Monte Carlo 400 with the Looney Tunes from Richmond.**
4. NCAA Basketball on CBS (used 1993-2003)
**I don't like the remix. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.**
3. College Football on ABC (used 1998-2005)
**This was a casualty of the greatest sports tragedy in sports TV. The dissolving of ABC Sports and the creation of ESPN on ABC.**
2. NASCAR on FOX (Used 2001-2007)
**Once again, who told these guys their NFL intro would work for everything?!**
1.NBA on NBC (Used 1989-2002)
**Comcast...If you are smart, get the NBA contract from ESPN/ABC**
They are the voices of sports we hear every day. Here are the Top 10 according to Jack Patterson...
10 (tie). Mike Joy and Allen Bestwick Claim to Fame: Joy: Play-by-Play for NASCAR on FOX and SPEED Bestwick: Play-by-Play for NASCAR (Sprint Cup) on ESPN, ESPN 2 and ABC
9. Dan Shulman Claim to Fame: NBA, College Sports for ESPN
8. Verne Lundqvist Claim to Fame: SEC Football, College Basketball, Golf and Tennis on CBS
7. Marv Albert Claim to Fame: NBA on TNT and NFL on CBS
6. Joe Tessitore
Claim to Fame: College Football and Friday Night Fights on ESPN
5. Ian Darke
Claim to Fame: Premier League, Men's and Women's World Cup for ESPN
4. Mike "Doc" Emrick
Claim to Fame: Play-by-Play for the New Jersey Devils, Winter Olympics on NBC and the NHL on NBC and NBC Sports Network
3. Mike Tirico
Claim to Fame: Monday Night Football, NBA, College Sports among others for ESPN
2. Kevin Harlan Claim to Fame: NBA on TNT, Monday Night Football on Westwood One Radio, College Basketball and NFL on CBS
1. Gus Johnson Claim to Fame: College Football and NFL on FOX, College Basketball on Big Ten Network, remembered for his time at CBS
East:
Paul Pierce (Boston Celtics)
Luol Deng (Chicago Bulls)
Roy Hibbert (Indiana Pacers)
Andre Iguodala (Philadelphia 76ers)
Joe Johnson (Atlanta Hawks)
Deron Williams (New Jersey Nets)
West:
Dirk Nowitzki (Dallas Mavericks)
LaMarcus Aldridge (Portland Trail Blazers)
Marc Gasol (Memphis Grizzlies)
Kevin Love (Minnesota Timberwolves)
Steve Nash (Phoenix Suns)
Tony Parker (San Antonio Spurs)
Russell Westbrook (Oklahoma City Thunder)
Remember, the All-Star Game is live from the Amway Center on February 26 on TNT, coverage starting at 6pm. So after you watch the Daytona 500 on FOX, just flip it straight to TNT!
The NBA All-Star Starters were announced last night and seeing that this is fan voting, not many surprises.
East All-Star Starters
G- Derrick Rose (Chicago Bulls)
G- Dwayne Wade (Miami Heat)
F- Carmelo Anthony (New York Knicks)
F- LeBron James (Miami Heat)
C- Dwight Howard (Orlando Magic) (Leading Vote Getter)
West All-Star Starters
G- Chris Paul (L.A. Clippers)
G- Kobe Bryant (L.A. Lakers)
F- Blake Griffin (L.A. Clippers)
F- Kevin Durant (Oklahoma City Thunder)
C- Andrew Bynum (L.A. Lakers)
Is it me, or is there a pattern? Yeah, there is. In both conferences, there are two pairs of teammates in the starting lineup. But I really don't have a problem with that, all of them have been superior in their positions this year.
What I'm worried about is the All-Star reserves. Will Kevin Love, Josh Smith, Chris Bosh among others make it? Find out when the All-Star reserves are announced Thursday night on TNT during NBA Tip-Off.
And the 2012 All-Star Weekend will be held in Orlando, Florida at the Amway Center, home of the Orlando Magic. The schedule is as follows:
Friday Night:
Sprint NBA All-Star Celebrity Game: 7:00 pm on ESPN from the Orange County Convention Center
NBA Rising Stars Challenge: 9:00 pm on TNT
Saturday Night:
NBA All-Star Saturday Night presented by State Farm: 8:00 pm on TNT
Events Include:
Haier Shooting Stars
Taco Bell Skills Challenge
Foot Locker Three-Point Contest
Sprite Slam Dunk Contest
Sunday Night:
The 61st Annual NBA All-Star Game: 7:00 pm on TNT from the Amway Center in Orlando
Oh, where, oh, where do I begin with this insanity that was Sunday, January 30th, 2012...
I guess we start at the beginning of the day with a tennis match that looked like it may turn into a "last man standing" match...
Novak Djokovic defeated Rafael Nadal in a 5 set thriller to win the Australian Open. That match lasted 5 hours and 53 minutes, longest Grand Slam final in history. Being a former tennis player, 2 hours was my longest match in my career and I nearly passed out of fatigue. That performance was completely unreal.
Back to the mainland, and for the first time this year, to the racetrack. The unofficial start to Daytona Speedweeks is the Rolex 24- a 24 hour endurance race around the famed 3.56 mile road course that encompasses parts of the traditional 2.5 mile NASCAR circuit. This year's running had so much more meaning, it was the 50th running of the race. And wouldn't you know it, we would have a owner getting an elusive first win and two drivers who get career-defining wins...
Needless to say, Mike Shank, AJ Allmendinger and Justin Wilson were extremely emotional...the great thing is that the other two drivers, Oswaldo Negri, Jr. and John Pew (two extremely accomplished road racers in their own right) were just as emotional. That's the beauty of sport, my friends.
Down 1-95 from Daytona to Miami, where a battle between the Chicago Bulls and the NWO (4 LIFE!) Miami Heat came down to the wire...
Miami would win 97-93 and LeBron sent in demo to be on the next SportsNation "Dunkface" segment, courtesy of John Lucas.
From South Beach to North of the Border, we head to Ottawa, Ontario, Canada for the 2012 NHL All-Star Game or Match des Étoiles de la LNH for our French speaking fans. But it was a New Yorker spoiling any chance that the team led by the Senators' Daniel Alfredsson of winning...
NY Ranger Marian Gaborik had a Hat Trick (2 goals was on his own teammate, Henrik Lundqvist) and was the difference, as his team, led by the Bruins' Zdeno Chara won the All-Star game 12-9. Gaborik was named MVP and won a car.
Now, from Canada, we go to way sunnier and warmer Hawai'i for the NFL Pro Bowl. And if the Bengals want another wideout for Andy Dalton, they might wanna look towards Miami...
The AFC beat the NFC 59-41 in the typical "no one actually gives a damn about this game" score. Brandon Marshall nearly had 200 yards was named MVP.
From Hawai'i to the "Gateway to the West" as the WWE stopped in St. Louis for the 25th Annual Royal Rumble as we start the Road to WrestleMania 28. In the final two in the Royal Rumble Match, it was the Living Legend vs. the Rising Star...
The "Celtic Warrior" Sheamus eliminates Chris Jericho to win his first Royal Rumble and will be heading to Miami for WrestleMania. But who will he face? Matt and I will have predictions of who that might be, a complete recap of the Rumble and a look ahead on the way to Elimination Chamber, later today on "The Slam Diary: Rewinding the 25th Annual Royal Rumble."
And closing out this phenomenal Sunday was the final day of Winter X Games from Aspen, Colorado. Needless to say, these two clips are certifiably insane...
How in god's name do you jump snowmobiles over 70 foot ramps, I'll never know. How in the hell Heath Frisby did a frontflip- I repeat- a frontflip with a 450 lb. snowmobile, I don't wanna know. But I sure like to watch!
And just when you thought that Winter X had hit the holy grail twice in the same event, they did it again later that night. And wouldn't you know, it was the "Flying Tomato" delivering the theatrics...
In a thrilling showdown for the Gold in Slopestyle, Shaun White dropped the first ever perfect run in the history of Winter X, clinching his 5th straight Gold medal in the event.
It was a hell of a sports day, top to bottom. It's why we love sports.
Remember: Catch "The Slam Diary: Rewinding the 25th Annual Royal Rumble" later today and our 1st "Sounds of the Squared Circle" Music Countdown later this week!
As the lockout shortened season enters its first month, the casualties resulting from little to no rest start to mount. Recently, Hawks C/F Al Horford tore a muscle in his shoulder that required surgery, leaving the perennial All-Star out until the playoff push or the playoffs in general. Add to that list Memphis' Zach Randolph, who is out for a similar amount of time and two rising stars are out. Couple that with injuries to Dwayne Wade, Chris Paul, Carmelo Anthony among many more and this leaves the NBA in limbo. With all that being said...the NBA standings are a little different. Boston and New York have struggled big time and the 76ers have taken the Atlantic Division and if these two teams aren't careful, they'll runaway with it. The Southeast is up to its usual tricks again...Miami, Atlanta and Orlando are in playoff spots as usual. The Central has a newcomer to the division title race: the Indiana Pacers and no, its not "Miller Time" but it is a new day and Indy could be a #6 in the highly competitive East. As for the West...of course when you add CP3 to the Clippers they would be a playoff team. But I'm not quite ready to crown them West champs. Speaking of champs, the Mavs picked up Lamar Odom to replace Tyson Chandler. And they are so so right now but the team that they beat in the West Finals, the OKC Thunder is ready for a run for gold..."Thunder Up"! The team that is silent but deadly is the Portland Trail Blazers...yeah, I know you had to take a sec to look up the team, its ok. But Wallace, Aldridge and Crawford are putting teams to shame. Add the other LA and a resurging Spurs team, and the West is wilder than ever. I said all that to say this: It's mid January. WE STILL HAVE 3 JAM PACKED MONTHS OF BASKETBALL LEFT BEFORE THE PLAYOFFS! And I can't wait.
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