As I began to study the players for the upcoming football season I realized one name is missing near the top of every board.  LT, LaDainian Tomlinson, is no longer a top rated back.  The names Adrian Peterson, Michael Turner, DeAngelo Williams, Matt Forte, Brian Westbrook and Chris Johnson are all listed above him.  If ever there was a player that you could ride to a title it was LT.  I know, I was fortunate enough to get him in the 2007 season and I rode him like Calvin Borel on Mine That Bird.  Even though it was considered a “down year” by LT standards, I still reaped the rewards LT would sow week after week.  He was a true stud when it mattered.  Consistency is the name of the game most weeks in fantasy and LT always delivered.  You could chalk up 100 yds. rushing, 50+ rec., and at least 1 TD week after week and then just hope the rest of your  team wouldn’t blow it for you.   So to look at the boards this season and not see THE MAN who helped lead me to a title is both shocking and sad.  I guess age catches up to all of us.  Well, thanks for the ride LT and the title you helped deliver.  I’ll still try and grab you around the middle to end of rd 1. One thing I’ll definitely do is tip my mug in honor of a true fantasy legend and hope you have just enough gas in the tank for one more LT type season.-DM

 Dan Gilbert, owner of the Cleveland Cavaliers,  proclaimed from the mountain top yesterday that he is going to bring a championship to Cleveland.   Oh how many times have I heard that one?  Let’s just say  Cleveland has seen its fair share of prognosticators.  Each one falling at least one critical game short of achieving their bold prediction.  Gilbert, of course, has a slight edge over the rest.  He has Lebron.  Well Dan, you really don’t need to convince the fans.  You need to convince Lebron.  Cleveland has some of the most loyal fans of any city and they’ll keep showing up as long as 23 is punching in at the Q.  However, the feeling around Cleveland is that Lebron won’t be showing up after next season if he doesn’t believe his owner.  This off-season is huge for the Cavs organization and especially Gilbert.  He needs to demonstrate to Lebron that he’s cut from a similar cloth as George Steinbrenner.  An owner who will spend what it takes and do whatever is needed in order to deliver a championship caliber product.  The Cavaliers ended up with the best record in the NBA this year, but that isn’t what is going to keep Lebron around town.  Delivering players who can help Lebron achieve his goal of a championship will.  That should be your first goal.  The rest will hopefully follow.

Kobe Bryant has not been referred to as Robin since Shaq was sent off  to Miami.  With the NBA Finals starting tonight one thing is for certain- this IS Kobe’s team.  The quest for Bryant to end the talk of needing Shaq to win an NBA title will end in the coming weeks. Kobe has proven that the Lakers knew what they were doing when they kept him over the big fella.  Shaq’s best years were behind him and even though he went on to win a title in Miami, the Diesel’s legs (and weight) have not been at championship level play.  Age will always catch up to you.  

Kobe offers something not seen since Michael Jordan-that rare blend of athleticism and killer instinct.  Kobe knows, like MJ did,  that he can’t be stopped and that he’s the best player on the floor.  However, what made Michael so good was that everyone else on the floor knew it too and it affected their play.  Many times before the ball was even tossed up.  Kobe is that same type of player and is no doubt keeping that 70′s porn star, Stan Van Gundy, up late at night trying to figure out just how to slow him down.  Unfortunately  for him, he won’t have an answer.  This series is going to be Kobe’s party.  A party that  will be celebrated without Shaq.

And so it begins.  The talk of Lebron James’ eminent departure from Cleveland to “greener pastures” in NYC have begun.  The Cavaliers have been eliminated from the playoffs and now head in to the off season with one huge question looming.  Can they resign Lebron?  While many believe he’ll play through next season under his current contract and then bolt in free agency to the Knicks or soon to be Brooklyn Nets, I am one guy who thinks he’ll decide to stay in Cleveland.   Yes, James could make the megabucks in the marketing capital that is NYC.  However, the guy makes his millions already  and now plays for a team that is arguably one or two solid players away from a championship, while both the Knicks and Nets need complete overhauls.  Also,  Lebron’s relationship with his coach and teammates should not be overlooked and  could be a deciding factor.  Cleveland hasn’t experienced a championship since the ’64 Browns and Lebron recognizes that he could be the one to finally bring it to his hometown team.  I truly believe he’ll follow the lead of a guy like Tim Duncan and resign with the team that drafted him, built a team around him, and placed him in a position to win it all.  Cleveland’s concern after that is going to be trying to find a guy that can shoot a consistent 20 ft jump shot along with signing a low post defensive presence.  Those two things unfortunately could be even harder to pull off than convincing the King to stay on his court.  -DM