I agree wholeheartedly with you Lakerboy. I've decided to stay out of of PT and stick wit the sub-forums until it's safe to come back. Regarding the posters who have [B]left [/B]I don't care where they've gone . All I know they're gone and [B]if ANYONE[/B] keeps briniging them and pimping where they've gone [B]YOU[/B] people need to go.

From what I've heard they talk about nothing but SBR. And it's the same 10-15 guys. Some are hypocrits who stumble over themselves and salivate over what will be said next. They join in the bashing and just a quickly return... More...

The Lakers resume their eight-game road trip with stop #4 in Washington where they'll face the woeful Wizards.

When backing the Lakers, a player needs to aware of several things. The Lakers always face an inflated line do to the public's infatuation with Kobe and company. Opposing teams get more pumped up than normal (unless you're the Knicks) with facing the defending champions. Eastern conference teams especially circle the Lakers game on their schedule especially with the Lakers only coming to town once each season.

The Lakers losing in Cleveland was to be expected. LA winning in New York was no surprise (and that was while the Knicks still had a heart). The loss Sunday in Toronto was the perfect example. The Raptors acted like it was a playoff game while the Lakers treated as they would any regular season game. The result was a two-point Raptor win.

So having said all that is tonight another night to fade the Lakers? They are playing one of the bottom feeders of the league in the Wizards. But these are exactly the kind of teams the Lakers have had trouble with. Is eight points too many to be laying or is this the night the Lakers put it all together and win by 30? My guess is it will be probably be somewhere in the middle. I preface that by saying these are the Lakers and when it comes to covering the spread, I wouldn't bet the house on it.

There's also some internal stuff going on with the Lakers. Ron Artest hasn't been what the Lakers expected, a disappointment you might say. Derek Fisher is 35 and showing his age, Pau Gasol has had two lengthy stays on the injured list and hasn't shown his 2008 form. Then there's Andrew Bynum.

The rumors persist that the Lakers are dangling Andrew Bynum as trade bait for a veteran point guard and/or power forward and as much as I like Bynum and his upside, the Lakers need to trade him this season if they're going to make a serious run and back-to-back championships. Lamar Odom is arguably the best sixth man in the league and Shannon Brown shows potential. But the rest of the bench...Yikes!  Walton, Farmar, Vujacic, Mbenga and Morrison are non-productive and overpaid. They would make a nice starting five in the D league but on this level they have earned the honor as the worst bench in the NBA.

A friendly opening schedule is giving the rest of the league a chance at seeing the "real Lakers" at least the way it's currently constructed. LA played 17 of its first 21 games at home and are just now getting to that point in the season where they, and other teams in the league, find out just how talented they are.

After going 1-2 in the first three games of their eight game road trip, the Lakers catch the Wizards. One would expect a lopsided win and maybe even a blowout. The Lakers could use it as they start a streak of five games in seven days.

The Lakers will not win the NBA championship this year, not with the way this team is constructed. Artest (bad feet and concussion) needs to get with the program and Gasol needs to stay healthy for a few games in a row. It wouldn't hurt the Spaniard either to quit committing silly fouls with the game on the line or to sink a couple of late clutch free throws now and then.

So there...I've thrown down the Gauntlet Lakers fans. It's up to Phil and Kobe and the rest of the guys. Prove to us you're still among the elite teams in the league. I know that I still need some convincing. a 20-point win over the Wizards tonight would be a start.

Prince has released a new song about the Minnesota Vikings, inspired by a big win over the Dallas Cowboys and days ahead of the NFC Championship game in New Orleans.

“I saw the future,” Prince told FOX 9's Robyne Robinson, who was given an exclusive copy of "Purple and Gold" on Thursday.

Prince was in attendance for the Vikings 34-3 win. He said he went home night after the Cowboys game and wrote "Purple and Gold," which he says came easy and fast.

"While he was standing like a statue in the booth last week, he must have been inspired somehow to... More...

Brett Favre has still got it. Love him or hate him (and I LOVE the guy), you can't deny what he's accomplished this season. On Sunday, Favre played and acted like he was in his 20’s while Tony Romo played and looked like a guy in his 40’s. And before you accuse me of jumping on the Favre bandwagon, I was one of the few guys who believed that Favre was still among the elite QB’s in the NFL. As it turns out he wasn’t just elite, he was MVP good. Admit it, I was right, you were wrong, SCOREBOARD.

Minnesota supposedly signed Favre to be a “caretaker” for the offense. Nothing fancy they said. No “gun slinging” they requested. Just hand the ball off to Adrian Peterson and you’ll be fine. As it turned out, Peterson had an off year and Favre carried Minnesota on his shoulders. No Favre, no playoffs. It’s as simple as that. Can he come up with another big game on Sunday? Absolutely he does and if the Vikings defense played like it did against the supposed “hottest team in the league” they’ll beat New Orleans. Drew Brees has the numbers but Favre has the experience. I’ll take the Vikings and the +4 but I don’t need the points. I’m calling my shot right now. Minnesota and Favre win outright to advance to the Super Bowl.

Do you think Favre is having fun? Check out this clip from the Vikings locker room after opening a can of whoop ass on the Cowboys.

The San Diego Chargers Aren’t Ready For Prime Time. Bolt fans, I’m sorry to say it but it’s the Gods honest truth. There’s something about this team when it comes to playing in big games. This year, San Diego earned the #2 seed in the AFC with an impressive 11-game winning streak. None of that mattered on Sunday in a 17-14 loss to the Jets. All-Pro kicker Nate Kaeding missed three field-goals (Sorry J-E-T-S fans I can’t give your defense credit for that. Phillip Rivers looked tentative most of the day and Norv Turner the supposed “Offensive Guru” went as conservative as Rush Limbaugh. Did I mention LaDanian Tomlinson and his 12 carries for 24 yards? Then there were the penalties and turnovers that San Diego had managed to avoid during their regular season winning streak. None of that mattered. The Jets are playing well but I remain convinced that they advanced the AFC title game in large part because of the feeble effort put forth by the Chargers.

Charger fans, how about one more look at Sunday's season ending performance?

There’s been a Reggie Bush citing. Three years after being the second player selected in the NFL draft, Bush (for one day at least) lived up to the hype. Bush scored on an 83-yard punt return and on an unbelievable 46-yard TD run. You’ve got to see it to believe it:

Attention Keith Brooking of the Dallas Cowboys. I hear that you’re pissed because Brett Favre threw ANOTHER touchdown pass with his team already up 27-3? You’re supposedly upset that the Vikings were running up the score. Well here’s a thought Keith, next time MAKE A STOP. Quit whining and maybe next time focus more on your job and less on being shredded by the opposition.

Finally, here’s a look ahead at the conference championship games. You can take these to the bank and thank me later.

I’m going with the Viking +4 over the Saints. I don’t want the points and I don’t need the points as Minnesota wins this game outright.

The Jets “Cinderella run” will come to an end this week at Indy New York will cover but the Colts will win.I don’t know about you but I’d love to see a Favre/Manning showdown in the Super Bowl. Now that would really be must see TV.

I’ll close with the biggest video in America. If Brett likes it, it’s gotta’ be good.

No sour grapes here. Non at all as I say with tounge firmly in check.

Simply put The Green Bay Packers got screwed in Sunday's game against Arizona. To set the scene, the game was tied at 45 at the end of regulation. It was a shootout of historic and the game became an instant. It's too bad another horrficaly bad call from the referee's made a non call on an obvious face mask call against the Cardinals. The play cost me and many of my gabling brethren some serious.

My personal involvement in the game aside, Take a look at the video and YOU make the call.

If you've ever been fired than you know that Friday is the day in which most employees get canned. It's a fact. It's different though in the NFL where Monday is the new Friday for NFL coaches.

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There's no need to buy a vowel. We've got you've covered.

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For my taste this is the best bowl game of the season. I didn't say it would be most competitive, lord knows it's not the most "important" game (the BCS title tilt still gets top billing) but if you like the warm and fuzzy "coming home again" stories, this one flies, especially on Christmas Eve.

This might be the first time in college bowl history that a crowd turns out to support the coach, rather than the team. The fans in attendance tonight at Aloha Stadium will for the most part be there to welcome back June Jones. He's the former Hawaii head coach who left two years ago to take over the woebegone football program at Southern Methodist University.

To say that Jones was popular in Hawaii would be a huge understatement. He guided the Warriors to a 76-41 record during his nine-year tenure and capped it with a perfect 12-0 record in 2007 and a trip to the BCS Sugar Bowl. He left Hawaii unwillingly but his hand was forced when SMU came-calling with a five-year, $10 million dollar contract. And before you even think this is another story about "the money" consider the facts.

Jones had submitted a long and by all accounts reasonable list of upgrades for the football program over the years but those were rejected by the athletic department. When Jones left to take the SMU job he attached that list to his resignation letter. It was the perceived lack of commitment that led to Jones' emotional decision to leave a program he resuscitated in 1999 and brought to national prominence, culminating with the perfect season in 2007. Now the exciting "Run and Shoot" offense that Jones perfected thru his years in Honolulu is all the rage in University Park, Texas.

Before hiring Jones, the Mustangs had gone 58-153-3 under four coaches and posted one winning record, 6-5 in 1997.Jones couldn't break that losing trend in his first year at SMU, finishing 1-11. However this season Jones led SMU to a 7-5 record that marks the largest turnaround in the nation in 2009 (+6 wins).The bowl berth is SMU's first in 25 years. In C-USA play, Jones guided SMU to a 6-2 record and a share of the C-USA Western Division Championship. SMU also handed league champion East Carolina its only loss in conference play. It's also worth noting that Jones was named Coach of the Year in C-USA.

As fate would have it, Jones SMU team makes their first bowl appearance in a quarter of a century on the same turf that made him famous.Now he's coming home to a town and state that worshiped the artificial turf he walked on and still does. No matter how how the game turns out and by all accounts it should be a dandy, Jones will be the big winner tonight.

ATLANTA HAWKS - *Forward Joe Smith (12/17, dislocated left thumb) is expected to miss Friday's game against Utah.

BOSTON CELTICS - Guard Marquis Daniels (12/9, left thumb surgery) is expected to miss 6-8 weeks. Forward Glen Davis (10/27, right thumb surgery) is expected to miss two months.

CHARLOTTE BOBCATS - No significant injuries.

CHICAGO BULLS - *Center Joakim Noah (12/17, left shoulder tendinitis) played Thursday against New York. Forward Tyrus Thomas (11/7, left forearm surgery) is expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Center Jerome James (10/5, right Achilles ) is out indefinitely.

CLEVELAND CAVALIERS - Forward Leon Powe (10/5, knee... More...

College football's top individual award will be handed out Saturday night in New York. And In the court of public opinion it appears the jury has made its decision on who will win. Those 12 fine citizens say it will likely be Colt McCoy, maybe Tim Tebow or even Mark Ingram. But your honor, if I may, I'd like to make some closing arguments on behalf of the defense.

Of the five finalists for the Heisman Trophy, there's just one defender. But he might be the best defensive player of the decade. He's Ndamukong Suh the game changing tackle from Nebraska. If Heisman voters want to get it right this time, Suh is your man.

His performance in the Big-12 championship game against Texas was an instant classic. He threw Texas offensive linemen and quarterback Colt McCoy around like ragdolls. Despite being double and triple-teamed most of the night, Suh recorded 4½ sacks and seven tackles for losses. It was the latest and greatest performance for the 6-4, 300-pounder in a dream season.

Hopefully before those ballots were cast voters went back and look at the many great Suh moments this season. Like the pick against Missouri. Or the four deflected passes against Virginia Tech? Or his three blocked field goals on special teams?

The Heisman is the big enchilada and I haven't read anywhere that it can't go to a defensive player. (Just ask Charles Woodson). Just because a game-changing player like Suh doesn't get the glamorous numbers like rushing yards and touchdown passes, it doesn't and shouldn't diminish his work. Against Texas, did his 4.5 sacks equal five or six TD passes? How about those seven tackles for loss? That's equal to about a dozen receptions. 

Unfortunately for Suh and Nebraska fans he didn't play quarterback or running back. It wasn't his fault that Bo Pelini's anemic offense ranked 102^nd out of 120 teams in yards per game. Despite the lack of offense against Texas, Nebraska was still in position to win. Thanks to one guy, the guy who should win the Heisman.

If online and newspaper polls are to be believed, then Suh doesn't have a chance.

Consider the following:

-- A poll on ESPN.com by 15 experts this week had McCoy winning, with Stanford running back Toby Gerhart a strong second and Florida quarterback Tim Tebow a distant third.

-- A Scripps Howard News Service poll of 10 Heisman voters had McCoy leading, with Tebow second and Gerhart a close third after jumping two spots in a week.

-- On the Heisman Pundit Web site's poll of 13 Heisman voters, McCoy beat Gerhart, with Alabama running back Mark Ingram third.

-- A poll among five experts on CBSSports.com had Gerhart edging McCoy in a close vote.

I'm not a Heisman voter but if I were, my ballot would look like this:

Su

Toby Gerhart

Colt McCoy

Mark Ingram

Tim Tebow

Suh is definitely a long shot to leave New York with the Heisman award. It looks like he'll have to be content with the Lombardi Award given to the nation's top lineman and the Bronco Nagurski award as the top defensive player in the country. And, Oh yeah, he'll probably be the top overall pick in the NFL draft. That won't be a half-bad consolation prize. 

Here are the latest odds Heisman Trophy Odds:

Colt McCoy (+125)

Mark Ingram (-350)

Ndamukong Suh (+500)

Tim Tebow (+1500)

Toby Gerhart (+300)