THE TOP 15 OF 2015: #12 THE RISE AND FALL OF RONDA ROUSEY

In 2015 we saw an emergence of women in the UFC.  This emergence was led by Ronda Rousey.  She was dominating the UFC's Bantamweight division.  Like anyone else who burst on to the scene out of nowhere people were quickly jumping on the "Rousey Bandwagon." 

Fans were claiming she was the best fighter ever.  They even said that she could knockout unbeaten boxer Floyd Mayweather,  mainly because a boxer wouldn't have a chance against her.

That all changed November 14 when Rousey climbed into the octagon with unknown Holly Holm.  Holm ended up knocking Rousey out 59 seconds into the second round.  Not only was Rousey embarrassed by the loss but her image as a dominant UFC fighter would be tarnished.  Rousey will look for revenge when she gets her rematch sometime in 2016.

THE TOP 15 OF 2015: #13 KOBE ANNOUNCES RETIREMENT

After a few injuries that have slowed him down and a sluggish start to the 2015 NBS season Laker great Kobe Bryant has decided to hang up his basketball shoes and call an end to his Hall of Fame career.  He will play the rest of the 2015-2016 season.

You can say what you want about Kobe, heck you don't even have to like him, but if you are a true basketball fan you need to respect what the man has done for the sport.  He was the next dominating player after Jordan and should be considered when talking about the best players of all time.  Not retiring sooner may have damaged his unstoppable image on the court but he will never be forgotten by the Laker faithful.

THE TOP 15 OF 2015: #14 RGIII GETS BENCHED

What once promised to be a stellar career for quarterback Robert Griffin III came to to screeching halt earlier this year when RGIII was sent to the bench and replaced by someone that was drafted the same year he was, Kirk Cousins.

In a blink of an eye RGIII went from being a "Washington Redskins God" to a scout team safety!  We can argue that it was injuries or bad coaching but the reality is that RGIII will never wear a Redskins jersey again.  Not only was he replaced by Cousins, who has the team thinking playoffs,  He was placed on the third string and doesn't even suit up for games.

This is such a tragic story because RGIII had so much promise but just could not get over the hump and be an elite QB the NFL.

THE TOP 15 OF 2015: #15 THE UNBEATEN PANTHERS

Coming in to the 2015 NFL season the Carolina Panther's had high hopes.  They won the NFC South and a playoff game last season despite a sub par record.  Many people questioned how good they would be this season due to the fact that their playoff win came against a quarterback less Arizona Cardinal team that had such a promising season.  They also only won 8 regular season games last year.

Coach Ron Rivera and his team had high expectations for themselves and many fans thought they would have a better season.  But no one saw what was coming.  Behind superstar QB Cam Newton the Carolina Panthers are 13-0 and very close to clinching home field advantage throughout the playoffs. 

The Panther's are now chasing a perfect season and every week more and more people are staring to believe. 

THE TOP SPORTS STORIES OF 2015

The holiday's are quickly approaching.  Time for food, family and of coarse sports.  We are just over two weeks away from a new year.  That means is time for the top sports stories of 2015.

Over the next few weeks I will rewind back to the most memorable moments this year has seen in sports.  So sit back and enjoy my Top 15 of 2015!

ARIZONA CARDINALS STARTING TO GET NATIONAL ATTENTION!

The Arizona Cardinals are coming off of two excellent weeks of football.  They beat the Seattle Seahawks in Seattle and beat a one loss Cincinnati Bengal team while both games were televised nationally on Sunday Night Football.

The Cardinals are now 8-2 and lead the NFC West by three games.  They also have theirs set on one of the top seeds in the playoffs.  If that happens it will guarantee the Cardinals a first round bye and home game in the playoffs.

The Cardinals are led by quarterback Carson Palmer, who is quietly becoming a favorite for league MVP.  Had Palmer not gotten injured last season the Cardinals may be looking for their second consecutive trip to the Super Bowl.

Palmer and the Cardinals are now staring to get noticed by national media.  They have appeared in many NFL power rankings.  But most importantly teams are gaming planning differently when they play the Cardinals.  They are no longer a team that relies on their defense to win games.  The offense has carried the team and they are proving so by being one of the highest scoring teams in the league.

The Cardinals are truly playing like a team and if they continue to do so they will be hoisting the NFL Tittle in February!

THE SAD STORY OF LAMAR ODOM

Lamar Odom was once considered one of the best big men in the NBA.  He was probably most famous when he played along side Kobe Bryant in a Los Angeles Laker's uniform. 

Odom became more know to people outside the sports world when he married Khloe Kardashian.  He was also known for his drug problem.  A problem that would ultimately end his basketball career and his marriage.  Even though he is still technically married he has been split from Kardashian for quite some time. 

Odom was back in the news again last night.  He was found in a Las Vegas brothel unconscious.  The house manager of the brothel said Odom was laying on his right side and would not wake up when they tried to assist him.  The manager then called 9-1-1.

This is such a sad story because it's proof that we have a big problem with drugs in our society.  Odom was somebody that our children looked up to, not just on the basketball court but also off the court as well.  He lived a very public lifestyle that consisted of parties, booze, drugs and women.  He got so caught up in the lifestyles that he let it destroy his life. 

We can only hope that that doesn't happen to our kids and we can do this by being there for them and being aware of the negative in their lives.  The fact that the whole knew he had a problem and yet he still hasn't clanged should also open your eyes.  Don't wait until it's too late.  If you know someone needs help, help them.

CARDS SIGN FREENEY

The Arizona Cardinals are 4-1 and sit alone a top the NFC West.  They are off to such a great start, and their defense has a lot to do with the early season success.  Well the defense just got even better when the Cardinals signed veteran defensive end Dwight Freeney.

The move came after a season ending injury to Kenny Demens and an injury that will sideline Alex Okafor for a month.  Freeney signed a 1 year deal that pays him a base salary of$870,00 and up to $1 million  depending on how many sacks he records.  He gets $220.00 with his first 4 sacks and then gets $100,00 for each addition sack up to 12.

Freeney is a major accusation for the Cardinals.  His veteran experience will help an already capable young secondary become even better.  He should be able to step right in and make an impact.  This may prove to be one of the best free agent signings of the season, and in a month when Okafor comes back the defense will be even stronger.

THE HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT STARRING ANTHONY RAMIREZ

Let's hit the West Valley for this week's edition of The High School Highlight.  It brings us to Raymond S. Kellis High School, home of the Cougars.  The Cougars are coached by Shawn Copeland and they are currently 2-1 this season. 

The team has already surpassed it's win total from a year ago.  This was easy to do because they went 0-10 last year.  They have been able to turn the program around because of players that stuck it out through the tough times.  Players like senior running back Anthony Ramirez.

Ramirez had 463 yards rushing and 3 touchdowns in the season's first two games.  Those yards helped the Cougars start 2-0.  They lost last week to Agua Fria and look to bounce back tonight when they host Verrado.  He had 290 of those yards last week and broke the school's single rushing record.  The record was 214 yards set back in 2007. 

Ramirez has been playing football since he was eight years old and is aspiring to be a firefighter or a personal trainer.  He has a 2.265 GPA which he is continuing to improve daily.  He also would like to play football in college and knows his performance this year will help him reach that goal. 

Ramirez is accomplishing two things so far with his great start to the season.  Number one he is giving his teammates the great season he promised.  The second accomplishment is he is helping put Raymond S. Kellis on the football amp in Arizona.  Kellis has already gotten attention they don't normally get and will continue to do so as long as Ramirez  is running the ball.

Ramirez is nicknamed "The Ram" for his ability to run people over every time he carries the ball.  Ramirez hopes to "Ram" Kellis into the playoffs and make other teams respect him and his teammates.

WEEK 1 IN THE NFC WEST

The NFL season is finally here and week one was as exciting as we had anticipated.  We had many great performances and even a few upsets.  The NFC West was no different.

The Arizona Cardinals hosted the New Orleans Saints and came away with a victory 31-18.  A great rushing attack helped lead the Cardinals to their home opening victory.  Wide Receiver John Brown and rookie running back David Johnson both made an impact.  Brown caught quarterback Carson Palmer’s first touchdown and Johnson caught his last touchdown.  Johnson's catch proved to be the nail in the coffin.  The Cardinals now travel to Chicago to face the Bears in week 2.

The St. Louis Rams also used a good rushing performance to get a victory.  Theirs was a little more sweet because they beat defending NFC Champ and division foe Seattle 34-31 in overtime.  New Ram QB Nick Foles lit up the Cam Chancelor-less Seattle defense for 297 yards and a touchdown.  Seattle now faces starting 0-2 when they play Green Bay on Sunday Night Football.  The Rams play the Redskins.

In what some are saying is an even more shocker than the Rams victory, the San Francisco 49ers beat up on the Minnesota Vikings.  People tuned in to Monday Night Football for the much anticipated return of Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.  But it was the Carlos Hyde show that everybody stayed to watch.  He rushed for 168 yards and two scores.  The 49ers now play Steelers in Pittsburgh.

THE HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT STARRING CHASE HULBERT

               CHECKOUT CHASE HULBERT'S HIGHLIGHTS HERE

This week's edition of The High School Highlight takes us to Peoria.  There you Liberty High School coached by Mark Smith.  Smith and his Lion's are becoming a dominant team in Arizona High School football.  One of the team's leaders is senior all state linebacker Chase Hulbert.

Last year Liberty went 14-2 and was the state runner up.  This year the team is off to an 0-3 start, but if you look at who they have played you can understand why.  They have played three of the state's best and held their own against them.

Chase Hulbert is in his final season at the school and is definitely the heart and soul of the defense.  Counting last season and this years first 3 games he has 137 tackles and 9.5 sacks.  Those are stats of someone who will be playing Division I Football next season.  Hulbert refers to himself as a motor because he keeps going and doesn't stop when he is on the field. 

Hulbert, who has been on Varsity since his freshman year, talked about his school's tradition of having pride in their community on and off the field.  That shows with his 3.5 GPA and his commitment to the brotherhood of the sport.

Hulbert has a goal of leading his team to a state tittle and playing college football.  These goals are very reachable for this bright young man.  He already has an offer from Adams State, but has not committed yet. 

Hulbert and the Lion's look to start working towards that goal of a championship tonight when they travel to Gilbert to take on the Perry Pumas.  It will be another tough game with Perry being unbeaten but anytime you have #35 Chase Hulbert leading your defense you have a great shot at winning.

MAYWEATHER SAYS HE IS BEST FIGHTER EVER

Floyd Mayweather looks to continue his unbeaten streak and improve to 49-0 Saturday when he faces Andre Berto.  He is claiming it will be his last fight, but only time will tell how true that is.

Mayweather recently said he was the greatest of all time.  Yes it sounds a lot like Muhammad Ali but the fact is he is right!

Floyd Mayweather is the greatest boxer of all time.  He has yet to be beaten.  When he fights he may not get a knockout ever time but he truly dominates his opponents.  This was evident with wins over some of boxing's greatest fighters.  He has beaten such greats as Canelo Alvarez, Marcos Maidana and Manny Pacquiao to name a few.

Mayweather controls his fights.  He may not be as active as people would like him to be but  uses his experience and his brain to beat his opponents.  When Mayweather faces Andre Berto you will see why he is the best fighter.

MARYVALE GETS FIRST WIN IN FOUR YEARS

It was a nice cool and somewhat wet night on the West side of Phoenix Arizona.  A perfect night for high school football.  A perfect night for a losing streak to come to an end.  Maybe this was the reason all of the Phoenix union High Schools were placed in the same region in division III.  Not so you can have one of the Phoenix teams make the playoffs, but so you can have schools that have been doormats for so long finally compete and have a chance at a victory.

That's what happened last night when the Carl Hayden Falcons hosted the Maryvale Panthers.  The pregame atmosphere was amazing.  The Carl Hayden band and student government had the crowd rocking as they sang and danced to the Carl Hayden fight song.  There was even an appearance by the schools legendary basketball coach, Argie Rhymes. The Falcons coming off a huge win last week were beginning to think win streak.  Dating back to last year they had won two in a row.  That's huge for a team like Carl Hayden.  Excluding Fairfax and Cesar Chavez that's huge for any school in the Phoenix Union.

Maryvale had other plans.  They used a great return on the opening kickoff that started their drive at the Carl Hayden 35 to help them take and early 7-0 lead.  The Falcons couldn't get anything going offensively and the first quarter ended with the Panthers up 14-0.  The second was more of the same and became the theme of the game,  Maryvale dominating between the trenches and taking advantage of Carl Hayden mistakes.

The game was an all around sloppy one but in the end Maryvale heard something that they haven't heard in for years, "You won".  The final score was 52-0 and now Maryvale looks to start a win streak of their own when they go home next week to host the North Mustangs.  The Falcons now travel to South Mountain as they try to get back in to the win column.

THE HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT STARRING SHAVEZ HAWKINS

Shavez Hawkins Highlights 

 

This week the High School, Highlight takes us to the far east valley.  There you will find a high school called Poston Butte.  The football team is coached by the legendary Paul Moro.  Moro and his Poston Butte Broncos are led by quarterback Shavez Hawkins Jr.  He is in his second year under center.

 

The Broncos are coming off a 7-4 season last year and have high hopes for this season.  The season hasn't started the way they would like but they plan to change their 0-2 record starting tonight. 

 

With #2 Shavez Hawkins leading the offense they should be able to get their first win of the season.  Hawkins is a 5'10 165 pound junior who also plays safety.  He has only thrown a limited amount of passes this season but is completing them at 64%.  Hawkins is very impressive in the way he controls his offense.  In the season opener at Tolleson  he looked very impressive and kept plays alive with his feet. 

 

With his style of play and his dreadlocks one of his coaches started calling him SHII.  He is a small reminder of RGIII.  Although he is off to a much better 2015 season then the former Redskins starter. 

 

Hawkins was inspired by his dad, who played college football, to start playing football.  He has a goal of getting a full ride scholarship in either football or wrestling.  Hawkins has the talent and he also has the grades.  He has a 3.9 GPA and works just as hard in the classroom as on the field.

 

As for team goals,  he wants to do whatever it takes to help his team win a state championship.  When he is on the field he it's all about his teammates, or bothers as he calls them.  He is worried about his own stats.  He is worried about helping his team and the coaches get the victory.

 

I was fortunate to watch Hawkins and the rest of the Bronco's in action when they traveled to Tolleson.  Hawkins impressed so much that as I watched from the stands I told my self, "man I have to do a story on this kid."  I will leave you with a quote from him that he got from his dad, and defines the kind of quarterback he is.  "Hard work beats talent when talent doesn't work hard."    

SUSPENSION LIFTED!

A Federal Court has decided to lift the four game suspension given to Tom Brady for his alleged part in deflate gate.  Brady has claimed he had nothing to do with the incident which occurred in the AFC Championship game.

The judge must have also agreed and now Tom Brady will be able to play next Thursday when New England opens up its season.

Now with all this deflate gate stuff behind him, well maybe not, Tom Brady is now looking for revenge in the form of a Super Bowl repeat.  The Patriots are also a dangerous team with a bulls eye on their back.  Now they are a team that is pissed off and wants to show the world they are not cheaters.  They can do so by winning another Super Bowl.

J.J. LYONS HAS STRONG GAME IN HOME OPENER

Friday night was the home opener for the Aztecs of Copper Canyon High School.  The stands were jammed packed with students, parent's and supporters of the football team.  This was also a special night for one young man in particular, J.J. Lyons.

Not only was this the home opener for the school, but it was also Lyons first game as an Aztec.  To top it off it was his first game as a senior year.  Lyons was not able to play last week in Tucson and came out this week ready to show his skills off to the rest of the state.

Lyons wanted to impress in his first time wearing a Copper Canyon jersey.  He did just that.  He caught a pass one yard inside the end zone for a two-point conversion.  The catch was after a great route and with two defenders guarding him.  He also scored on a 19 yard deep route where he ran passed two defenders for the touchdown.

Lyons had an all around great game as a receiver and return man.  The most impressive thing to me wasn't his stats,  it was his leadership.  Copper Canyon ended up losing to Sierra Linda 63-38, but if you watched Lyons on field demeanor you would have thought the game was a lot closer.  He kept his head up the entire game and made sure his teammates did also.  He and the team remained optimistic throughout the game.

Copper Canyon started the second half with a freshman at quarterback.  Lyons was seen a number of times talking to him and game planning what they were going to do next.  It helped a lot, despite two interceptions the QB had a pretty good game and looked very comfortable on the field.

Lyons good game despite a loss will help people start to notice how talented this young man is.  He definitely will be playing on Saturdays next season, the question is where?  He already has a number of schools looking at him, one of them being NAU.  If he continues his great play that number is sure to rise during the season.

The Aztecs will try to get their first win next week when they travel to Dysart to take on the Demons next Friday.  Dysart is 1-0 after a victory over Wickenburg.  Copper Canyon is now 0-2.   

THE HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT STARRING ABEL NAVARRETTE

                             Check out Abel Navarrette's highlights

This week's edition of The High School Highlight takes us to St. Mary's High School, home of the Knights.  The school is rich with football tradition and is coached by one of it's former players, Marcel Lopez.  Our focus is on 16 year old Abel Navarrette.

The Knights are coming off a 7-4 record last year, which included a playoff berth.  This season the team is currently 1-0 after a 31-14 win over Gilbert in week zero.

One of the guys on last years playoff team who is poised to take his team back to the playoffs is junior Abel Navarrette.  He is a middle linebacker and tight end that plays just about every snap on Friday nights.

 Navarrette is 6'2 235 pounds and wears jersey #5.  He had 105 tackles, 44 solo, 1 sack 1 forced fumble and a fumble recovery as a sophomore.  He also caught 11 passes for 118 yards and a touchdown while on offense.  He wants to lead his team to state championship and one day have his number retired from the school.  He also hopes to attend a university and play college football.

Navarrette has a 3.4 GPA and plans to be a physical trainer when he gets older.  This is a young man that just wants to be a better person and get the most out of life.

Navarrette feels that high school sports isn't just about watching kids play the game.  He knows there is a lot of sweat, time, effort and thinking that goes into sports.  He says it's kind of feels like a job and he likes that because he feels his coaches are preparing him for the real world and he really respects that.

St. Mary's tradition is like no other's.  Navarrette says the Knights pride themselves in tradition.  They are 9 time state champions and he says that's in part of the school, coaches, parents, alumni and of coarse the student body.

Navarrette talked about a quote that has stuck with him ever since his freshman year. "We may not be the biggest, but we have a firm conviction that we can be the best".

He also says it's an honor to wear the green and white of St. Mary's High School.

Navarrette is another prime example of the many very intelligent and hard working young men that play high school football.

Another tradition at St. Mary's is the gold pants.  Anytime the Knights make the playoffs they wear gold pants.  With young men as talented as Navarrette there is no reason they shouldn't be wearing gold again this year.

TOLLESON USES STRONG 2ND HALF TO BEAT POSTON BUTTE

I was in Tolleson last night to kick off the 2015 High School Football season.  The Wolverines were playing host to the Poston Butte Broncos. The game ended up being a great one with Tolleson coming from behind to get the victory 34-28.

Tolleson got the ball first and marched down the field to take an early 7-0 lead.  Then Poston Butte began to take control scoring 3 times to take a 20-7 lead into the locker room.

One minute into the third quarter Poston Butte scored again.  They added the two-point conversion to take a commanding 28-7 lead.  The game felt like it was going to be a blowout.  Then Tolleson turned on the switch.

They scored and scored again chipping away at the lead.  Then midway through the fourth quarter they tied the score at 28.  After a fumble recovery they scored the go ahead score with 1:47 to play. Poston Butte had one final chance to get the victory but another fumble would end all hopes of a comeback.

Next Friday Poston Butte goes home to battle Desert Mountain, another team that suffered a heartbreaking loss last night.  Tolleson, now 1-0 plays host to Notre Dame Prep when they take the field next week.

THE HIGH SCHOOL HIGHLIGHT STARRING TAVIAN PATRICK

          Check Out Tavian Patrick's Highlights: http://www.hudl.com/athlete/1786490/tavian-patrick


Welcome to another year of high school football. With that comes another season of The High School Highlight.  Our first stop is Desert Ridge High School, home of the Jaguars.  They are led by head coach Jeremy Hathcock.  One of coach Hathcock's leader's on the team is senior Wide Receiver and Return Specialist Tavian Patrick.

The Jaguars went 11-2 last season and lost to Brophy Prep in the state playoffs.  Tavian Patrick was a junior on that team and hopes to have an even better year this season.  Patrick is 5'10 170 pounds and wears #3.  He had 328 receiving yards and 4 touchdowns.  He also had another 244 yards on returns last season.  His longest being a 99 yard touchdown against Mountain View.

Patrick has high hopes for this season.  He is hopeful that he can make all-state and his team make it to the State Final.  Patrick, also a track star, hopes to qualify for state in track as well.  He knows that if he keeps his focus he can achieve his goals

Patrick also gets it done in the classroom as well.  He boasts a 3.44 GPA and has set a goal to improve it to 3.5 by the time he graduates.  He has also set goals to attend college on a football and track scholarship.  He plans to major in sports medicine while in college.  He has also volunteered to feed the homeless with his mom and sister since he was little.  He also helped hold clothing backpack and water drives for the less fortunate.  He says it helps him realize how blessed he is.

Patrick was inspired by his father, who was drafted out of high school by the Oakland A's.  He is now a coach with the San Diego Padres.  His parent's always thought he would be an athlete, they just expected him to play baseball.  Once he started watching his cousin play football he decided to give it a try.  That's when he new he had a true passion for the game of football.

Patrick says after he completes his final season at the school the thing he will miss most is teammates and coaches.  He says that when you play high school football they truly become family.  Patrick currently has 3 offers to play college football from Air Force, Cornell and Arizona Christian.  He has yet to commit.

One of Patrick's fondest moments in football is his 99 yard kick return that went for a touchdown.  It wasn't because it was a televised game, it was because his grandma got to see his spectacular TD.

Patrick begins his final season of high school football when Desert Ridge host's Liberty next Friday night.  This is the first game for the Jaguars, who have high hopes of winning a State Championship.

CARDINALS SIGN JOHNSON

The Arizona Cardinals made a roster move on Monday.  They signed another Johnson, Chris.  He is a running back that used to play with the Jets and the Titans.

Johnson has lost a step but will provide competition for starter Andre Ellington.  The Cardinals need help in the run game and hopefully Johnson can provide that help.

Johnson is a good fit here in Arizona.  With Carson Palmer and that passing attack the ground game only needs to give 80-90 yards a game to be affective. With both Johnson and Ellington the Cardinals may be more of a run threat this season.

PALMER IMPRESSIVE IN PRESEASON DEBUT

Carson Palmer and the Arizona Cardinals took the field at University of Phoenix Stadium to open up the 2015 Preseason.  They hosted the Kansas City Chiefs and lost 34-19. 

The preseason is judged more on how players perform  more so than the actual score.  The first team offense and defense looked great in their short appearance last night.  One of the bright spots was quarterback Carson Palmer.

Palmer was playing in his first game since his season ending ACL tear last year that eventually ended up costing the Cardinals their season.  He had looked great during camp but came out last night on fire.  As decided before the game he only played one series.  He was 4-4 for 77 yards, and had running back Andre Ellington been 100% he would have had a touchdown pass to add to his stats.

Palmer's stat line was impressive, so was the fact that he led the offense right down the field to score.  But the most impressive thing to me was how comfortable he looked.  Palmer played like the super star quarterback Cardinal fans know he can be. 

GENO SMITH LITERALLY KNOCKED OUT OF STARTING QB ROLE

Earlier today New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith was involved in a locker room altercation with a teammate.  The result was Smith was sucker punched by a teammate over $600.

The teammate, linebacker IK Enemkpali says Smith owes him the money for traveling costs to the Linebackers camp that Smith ended up not attending.  Smith did not go to the camp due to a close friend being killed in a motorcycle accident.

Enemkpali confronted Smith today in the locker room.  Smith was then punched and received a broken jaw.  The injury will require surgery and sideline the QB for 6-10 weeks.  The Jets immediately released the linebacker after coach Todd Boles spoke with both parties involved.

MORE TROUBLE FOR SMITH, 49ERS

San Francisco 49ers linebacker Aldon Smith was arrested Thursday night and charged with DUI, hit and run and vandalism.  This is Smith's 3rd DUI since entering the NFL in 2011.

Apparently the 49ers have had enough because they released the linebacker earlier today.

Smith deserves everything that is coming to him. He has been given more than one chance but continues to make bad decisions. I truly believe in second chances but sometimes you need to just cut a guy loose and hope that helps him realize he needs to turn his life around.

For Smith and his families sake I hope he realizes it's time for a change.

PREVIEWING THE NFC WEST

Another NFL season is upon us.  As training camps are now in full swing let's take a look at the NFC West.  A division that many feel has the potential to send three teams to the playoffs.

The Favorite: Seattle Seahawks
They are the defending to time NFC champs. This off season they added even more talent. Jimmy Graham promises to be a great addition at the title and position and Russell Wilson is happy with his new contract. With that stellar defense they should at least make the playoffs, if not another trip to the Super Bowl.

The Contender:  Arizona Cardinals
Third-year coach Bruce Arians has everyone buying into his system in Arizona. And they should be, he is coming off to double-digit wins seasons. Last season they made an early exit in the playoffs, but everyone knows that would have been different if quarterback Carson Palmer doesn't get hurt. Palmer is back to 100% and the offensive line looks even stronger with some off season additions. If Palmer can stay healthy don't be surprised to see Arizona in Super Bowl 50.

The Underdog: St. Louis Rams
The Rams are a sleeper team. With new quarterback Nick Foles they should not be taken lightly. They are a team that may be the NFC West 3rd team in the playoffs if they play up to their potential. Or if things go wrong they could be looking for a new head coach. If running back Todd Gurley heals correctly the Rams will be a fun team to watch.

The Intriguing: San Francisco 49ers
With the nasty departure of coach Jim Harbaugh, new coach Jim Tomsula has a lot of rebuilding to do.  There is some talent on the roster and the defensive line definitely got better with the off season acquisition of defensive tackle Darnell Dockett. The truth is the 49ers are two to three years away from making any noise in the very powerful NFC West. Look for this seasons NFC champ to come out of the West, just don't expect it to be the 49ers.

ROUSEY WINS UFC 190

UFC Women's Bantamweight Champ Rhonda Rousey defended her belt last night against undefeated Bethe Correia. Rousey traveled to Brazil, the hometown of Correia and came back with the victory.  It took her just 34 seconds to end the fight and improve to 12-0.

Rousey has dominated the UFC and has many people thinking she is the best fighter around, male or female.

But how good is Rhonda Rousey?

Yes she is unbeaten but one has to wonder how good is her competition?  If she were a boxer would she be getting this much attention?

Rousey is great and may become the best ever but there isn't a sport where we would say that person is dominant after starting 12-0.  Let Rousey control the sport like she has been for five more years then she can be considered one of the greatest of all time.

BRADY PLANS TO APPEAL

New England Patriot's quarterback Tom Brady plans to appeal his four game suspension.  Now it is up to a Federal Court Judge to decide if Brady will indeed miss the four games the NFL has sat him down for.

Brady and the league had apparently came to a settlement that would have reduced the suspension to just one game.  As part of the settlement Brady would have had to admit to his role in the Deflate Gate incident.  Brady refused and so the league decided to keep the suspension at four games.

Brady is in total disagreement with the suspension.  In a Facebook post he wrote this morning Brady says that he and any member of the Patriots organization had nothing to do with the January incident.  Brady also denies any wrongdoing with his cell phone.  He says he simple switched phones and didn't destroy the old one despite what reports say.

Brady may be completely innocent in this whole thing but his cell phone mistressly not being available at the time of the Wells Report looks real bad for Tom Brady.

TOM BRADY'S SUSPENSION UPHELD AND IT SHOULD BE

After several weeks of making the public wait the word was finally sent down from the NFL powers that be.  Tom Brady will remain suspended for four games for his part in Deflate Gate.

Brady had appealed the suspension some three weeks ago and because how long it was being dragged out most figured it would be reduced to two, if any.

The suspension is correct and it should not have been changed.  Brady broke the rules and needs to be punished for it.

Some will say its not fair and will cite other situations such as Greg Hardy or Ray Rice.  I say that's comparing apples to oranges.  The cases are very different and should be treated as such.  We should not lessen the penalty for one rule breaker because the other wasn't reprimanded appropriately.

Bottom line is this.  Tom Brady will come back from his suspension guns a blazing!  Watch out NFL i feel a Super Bowl repeat coming!

SHAQ IS CRAZY

Former NBA center Shaquille O'Neal is making news again.  It's not with his nasty slam dunks or even his terrible free throw shooting.  It's with his mouth.

That's right Shaq made headlines again this week when he said the all-time Lakers would beat the All-time Chicago Bulls.  What sparked the controversy was that Shaq said the Laker team, which included him, would win by 50.

Give me a break Shaq!  There's no way a Jordan led team would lose by 50!

At first thought most people would think the Bull's would win because of Jordan. But when you break it down by position, the Lakers have the clear advantage.

It wouldn't surprise me to see a Laker victory if the two were to play, but not by 50.  Maybe Shaq wants then to win by that much because he knows he doesn't belong on the first team all Lakers team.  I put him as a 3rd stringer behind Kareem ans Wilt!

D-BACKS IN A SLUMP?

The Arizona Diamondbacks have started the second half of the baseball season very slow.  They are just 1-3 since the All-Star break.  Since reaching .500 just before the break they have lost 6 of their last 7 games.

One would say they are in a slump?  But are they really?  Or just a victim of their schedule?

The D-Backs reached .500 and then were swept by the Mets and the Giants with the All-Star break sandwiched in between.  Now losing 6 out of 7 sounds bad, but when you've put yourself in playoff contention like the D-Backs have and you are swept by 2 playoff ready teams, are you really in as bad of shape as people think you are?

The D-backs have already exceeded this years expectations and continue to improve.  If their pitching can continue to improve as well they may be the surprising team of the 2015 MLB season.

FOOTBALL IS ALMOST HERE!

Get ready folks we are just over a month away from the start of football season.  Soon our weekends will be filled with touchdowns and turnovers.

If your anything like me you can't wait for the whistle of the first play that will signal the official start of the 2015 football season.

Weather it's the NFL, College, or even High School you are in for a great football season.  So get your fantasy team and DVR's set, load up on the snacks and enjoy the upcoming football season.

D-BACKS REACH ALL-STAR BREAK

The Arizona Diamondbacks have reached the All-star break.  They were beaten today by the New York Met's 5-3.  While the loss meant s sweep for the Met's and a 42-45 record going into the break, there are lots to be happy about if you are a D-Backs fans.

Despite a bad start to the season the D-backs are playing much better as of late.  They are 10-10 over the last 20 games.  Before this weekend's 3 game losing skid they won the previous 5, including two seeps of the Rockies and the Rangers.

The D-backs are sitting in third place in the National League West.  They are 7.5 games behind the Dodgers and just 3 behind the Giants.  For team that was projected to lose 90 games this season, that's impressive.

The D-backs are sending two players to Tuesday's MLB All-star game in Cincinnati.  Then on Friday they host the San Francisco Giants, a series that will tell the rest of Major League Baseball weather or not the D-backs are going to be playoff contenders.

DBACKS REACH .500

They started the season 8-8.  That was the last time they were .500.  They have tried 12 times since and failed on all attempts.  Well number 13 was their lucky number!  Not only did they complete a 2 game sweep of the Texas Ranger's in Texas but it moved their record to 42-42.

The Dbacks now travel to New York to play a three game series with the Mets before the All-Star break.  If they can win two out of three they will finish the first half of the season above .500 and in a surprising good position to make a playoff run.

2 D-BACKS MAKE ALL-STAR TEAM

Yesterday ESPN announced the reserves for the 2015 MLB All-Star Game.  The Arizona Diamondbacks have two players that will represent them this year in Cincinnati. 

First baseman Paul Goldschmidt was voted a starter and is making his third appearance in the midsummer classic.  Center fielder A.J. Pollock also made the team as a reserve.  He was voted in by his peers.  This will be his first All-star appearance.

The Diamondbacks will be represented well next week when the National League takes on the American league.  Then after the game the two will try and help ignite the D-Backs to a better second half of the season in hopes of making the playoffs.

U.S. WOMEN WIN WORLD CUP

The United States Women's National Team is on top of the soccer world again.  The U.S. women won the 2015 FIFA World Cup of Soccer.  They beat Japan in convincing fashion yesterday 5-2.  The win helped avenge a loss to the same Japan team four years ago in the 2011 Final.

Team U.S.A. made our nation proud by dominating the game from the get go.  They jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and never looked back.  Japan tried to get back in it cutting the lead to 4-2.  Then moments later the Africans struck again and cruised to victory.

ALDRIDGE CHOOSES SPURS OVER SUNS

Today LaMarcus Aldridge made his choice of which will be the next NBA team he plays for. Many people believed his top 3 choices were the San Antonio Spurs, the Miami Heat, and the Phoenix Suns.  He chose the San Antonio Spurs.

While many fans in Phoenix were disappointed the choice should not be a surprising one.  The Spurs are already a championship contender without him.  Now with him on the team along side Tim Duncan and under Coach Popovich they may be the team to beat.

The Suns tried their very best to lure the all-star forward here to the valley.  They signed they resigned guard Brandon Knight and free agent Tyson Chandler.  The pitch wasn't enough. 

But let's be honest why would he come?  The Suns haven't made the playoffs in 5 years and even with Aldridge there is no guarantee that they are a playoff team.  The Suns have not been very good as of late and don"t have anybody that attracts others to come play for the Suns.

The question now is what do the Phoenix Suns do now?

KEVIN LOVE OPTS OUT

Cleveland Cavalier forward Kevin Love has decided to become a free agent. Love was injured during Cav's playoff run and was forced to watch his team lose the 2015 NBA Finals to the Golden State Warriors.

The move is somewhat surprising, but in today's NBA where the slogan seems to be "if you can't beat'em join'em", it shouldn't surprise anyone.  Love is a great player who needs to be the best player in his team.  With Cleveland he wasn't even the second best.

The interesting factor now will be where he signs come July 1 when his free agency is official.  Will he choose a new team based on how much he can get paid? Or does he look for a team that will compete for a tittle?

Wherever Love decides to play next season he has just made this summer very interesting for basketball fans!

A BALK OFF WIN!

Just when we thought we were in for a long boring summer of sports MLB came to the rescue.  The NBA Finals ended earlier this week and most people are now just counting the days until football starts.  But Major League Baseball and the Los Angeles Dodgers said "wait a minute, don't forget about baseball."

With the bases loaded in the bottom of the 9th inning the Dodgers got a game winning score.  But it wasn't your typical way of scoring.  They got the winning run off of a balk.  A walk off balk to win the game!

Now that's a nice way to say hey we are still here and now you have something to watch this summer.

WHO IS THE MVP?

Game 6 of the 2015 NBA Finals is going on as we speak.  While most of the country is watching the game I've decided to take it a step further and write about the series while I watch.

With a win tonight Golden State takes the NBA Tittle 4-2 over the Cavs.  If that happens who is the MVP of the series?  Is it Curry? Is it Iguodala? Or is it LeBron James? 

Many people think it should go to LeBron regardless of who wins the tittle.  This makes a lot of sense.  He has dominated the series and is the only reason Cleveland is still in it.  But should the MVP go to a losing player?  Many people say no and I tend to agree.

Jerry West is the only player to ever do so.  LeBron is certainly a player that is capable of being the second person to do this.  However, I don't think he should get the MVP.  Not because he may be on the losing team, but because someone else deserves it more then him!  Andre Iguodala.

Iguodala is way more valuable to Golden State.  I know that's to listen to but it's true.  There is no stopping LeBron but what Iguodala has done defensively on James has allowed Golden State to win games.  Yes LeBron is dominating this series but the award is called MVP, not MDP(Most Dominant Player). 

Andre Iguodala was inserted into the starting lineup and it gave Golden State a new life.  I heard a radio host say the other day that is you take LeBron out of this series Cleveland doesn't have a chance, which I agree with.  He then said if you take out Iguodala Golden State might still have a chance.  That I disagree with, take him out and who handles LeBron?  No one can.  This is what makes Andre Iguodala the NBA Finals MVP.

THE NBA FINALS GAME 5

Today the Golden State Warriors host the Cleveland Cavs in game 5 of the 2015 NBA Finals.    The series is tied at 2 and if this game is is like the previous 4 we are in for a treat.

 Expect this game to go down to the wire and the team that makes the best adjust will win.  The winner of this game will definitely have the advantage of winning the tittle.  I picked Cleveland in 6 and after tonight we will see how good the prediction was.

Steph Curry seemed to come out of his slump at the end of game 3 and it continued in game 4.  If he remains hot I feel that Golden State will win not only tonight but the series.

UNDERSTANDING THE COYOTES SITUATION

Last night the Glendale City Council held a special meeting and voted to terminate the lease the city had with it's NHL team, the Arizona Coyotes.  The council decided to end a 15 year $225 million lease agreement that was signed 2 years ago.  The vote was 5-2.

This decision shocked not only the NHL and the Coyotes, but also sports fans here in Arizona.  Many people are confused as to why.  This move was strictly political.

The City Council is trying to save money and with the vote last night they did just that.  As much as this bothers many people it is going to get somebody re-elected.  The council will be able to say "I helped get us out of a terrible deal the previous council left us in and I saved the city a bunch of money that was then used to hire more police officers and fireman."

Now who knows if that will actually happen, but what if it does.  Glendale is far from being a hockey town.  In fact alot of it's residents don't even care about hockey or the Coyotes.  The city is hurting for money and could use the money elsewhere.

As for the Coyotes they will most likely end up back in Phoenix playing at U.S. Airways Center.  Yes it's the home of the Suns but it makes the most sense until they can find a permanent home.  In fact Phoenix mayor Greg Stanton seems to be interested in helping the Coyotes out of this bind.

CAVS TAKE GAME 3, CONTROL OF SERIES

Last night the Cleveland Cavaliers won game 3 of the 2015 NBA Finals 96-91 over the Golden State Warriors.  The victory gives them a 2 games to 1 lead and puts them just two victories away from bring the trophy home to Cleveland.

The Cavs were again led in scoring by LeBron James with 40 points and seem to be in control of their own destiny.  Although it will be difficult against the NBA's best defense, Cleveland now just needs to win 2 out of the next 4 games.  Something that seems very possible with two more games on their home court.

Golden State made a huge comeback that fell just short.  But don't count them out.  Steph Curry seemed to find his rhythm again and with the play a David Lee of the bench this series could go either way. 

With the way the first three games have gone we are sure to be in for a treat when the two teams meet again tomorrow for game 4.

THE WEEKEND REPORT JUNE 8, 2015

Welcome to the first edition of The Weekend Report by The Az Sports Guru.  Each Monday I will recap the weekend of sports as seen through the eyes of an average sports fan, The Az Sports Guru.

On Saturday we saw a great day of sports. What made it even better was the fact that none of the three major sports were involved. Without football, basketball or relevant baseball we still had an action packed Saturday.

It started with Premier Boxing on NBC.  Robert Guerrero took in Aron Martinez in a thrilling 10 round fight in California.  While Guerrero's performance was lackluster or even terrible he still pulled out the decision.  Aron, spelled with just one a, needed more than just another a to upset the more popular fighter.  He needed just one more big punch to go with his knockdown and he would have pulled off the upset.

After boxing was over most people kept the TV on NBC to watch the much anticipated Belmont Steaks.  With a victory American Pharoah would win the Triple Crown, which means winning the three major horse races in the same year.  People that don't ever watch horse racing tuned in just to see if the horse could accomplish the feat that hasn't happened since 1978.  American Pharoah did not disappoint.  In fact he won pretty easily.

Saturday also saw another boxing match between Daniel Geale and Miguel Cotto.  This was a much anticipated fight that ended early.  Cotto got the fourth round knock after dominating the entire night.  This victory sets up a showdown with Saul "Canelo" Alvarez.  A fight that will generate large support from the average boxing fan.

Sunday saw game 2 of The NBA Finals.  Just like game 1 we got to watch another epic battle they may go down in history as the greatest Finals ever.  The game went into overtime, this time with Cleveland coming out on top 95-93.  LeBron James led all scorers with 39 points.

Overall this was a great weekend for sports.  Check out the new segment ever Monday to keep informed of the weekends sports results.

ONLY TIME WILL TELL

Kyrie Irving fractured his kneecap in game 1 of the NBA Finals on Thursday night.  He has undergone surgery and will be gone for 4 months.  He will miss the rest of this season, but what does the injury really mean for the Cavs point guard?  Only time will tell.

Irving is a very young and dynamic player who probably has 10 years left in the NBA.  Will he be able to bounce back from this injury?  Or will this injury haunt him the rest of his career?  Only time will tell.

The other question this injury poses, Kyrie went in to the game hurt already, why was he even playing?  Cleveland is so desperate to win an NBA title that they risked a very young players health and future to do so.  Irving being injured already and yet still playing and then being lost for the remainder of the season sounds very familiar.  Can you say RGIII!  Will Irving be the next RGIII?  Only time will tell.

The Redskins did pretty much the same thing with their superstar.  Now just a few years later he is an after thought and is considered to be at the end of his career.  Will the same happen to Kyrie?  Are we seeing the beginning of the end for Kyrie Irving?  Only time will tell.

GOLDEN STATE TAKES GAME 1 IN O.T.

Last night the Golden state Warriors took advantage of the home court with a 108-100 overtime victory over the visiting Cavs.  The game was everything we thought it would be with each team bring there best effort.  In the end the Warriors outscored the Cavs 10-2 in the extra period and that was the difference.

The two MVP's shined as expected.  Steph Curry led his team with 26 points and LeBron James took advantage of not getting double teamed.  He kept taking everything the Warriors gave him and ended the night with 44 points.  What seemed to be the difference was he only had 6 assists.  Cleveland will not be able to win this series if LeBron can't get anyone else involved.

The other big news to come out of last nights game is Kyrie Irving seemed to aggravate his already injured knee.  He will have an MRI sometime today.  If he is unable to play that might spell the end of the Cleveland run to a championship.

Although it's just one win it puts Golden State right where it needs to be.  Now the question is can they continue to protect their home court on Sunday or can Cleveland still the home court edge?

We will find out Sunday when these two teams square off in game 2 of the 2015 NBA Finals.

NBA FINALS PREVIEW

Tonight is game 1 of the 2015 NBA Finals.  The Golden State Warriors play host to the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Both teams are even matched and led by a superstar.

Steph Curry is this years league MVP and with his shooting during these playoffs is proof that he deserved the recognition he received.  He was also named first team All-NBA.  Curry is the first player ever to play all of the teams of players that made the all NBA team with him. He has beaten all of them so far and faces LeBron for the NBA Tittle.

LeBron James decided last summer to "come back home" and try to bring his hometown a championship.  Something that Cleveland hadn't seen in any sport since 1964.  51 years is a long time for a city to go without a championship.  If any one person can put a city on his back and take them to a title it is LeBron James.

This series promises to be a great one.  You have two teams that are very effective at their games and both certainly deserve to be the champion.  The problem is their can only be one winner.  So who is it going to be?

Golden State is a young team that has not been to the NBA Finals since 1975 and lack experience that Cleveland has.  Even though they have been long removed from the Finals as well, LeBron James was there last.  They have a few other role players that have been there also.  Cleveland will be crowned the NBA Champs in 6 games, but expect Golden State to put up a good fight and even take the series to 7 games.

RUSSELL WILSON MISSES OTA'S: WHAT THIS MEANS FOR THE ARIZONA CARDINALS

Seattle Seahawk quarterback Russell Wilson was absent for the first day of OTA's ( Organized Team Activity) saying it is due to personal reasons.  Wilson is entering his final year of his rookie contract and wants to get paid.  Some people are wondering if that's why he decided to miss.  Only time will tell.  So what does this mean for the Arizona Cardinals?


Nothing, absolutely nothing.


The Arizona Cardinals made the playoffs a year ago and are coming off two consecutive 10 plus win seasons.  They control their own destiny.  They are a legit Super Bowl contender and need to just concentrate on their game and not what any other team is doing.


They have plenty of firepower offensively and are always a great team on the defensive side of the ball.  They will be a competitive team that other teams need to watch out for.  If they can stay healthy and develop a running game their is no reason not to see them in the playoffs again this year.

REMEMBERING PAT TILLMAN

Today is Memorial Day, a day to honor our fallen soldiers who gave their lives for our freedom.   There have been numerous professional athletes who served their countries and even a few that gave up their sport to go defend our country.  When you think about it the first name that comes to mind is Pat Tillman.

Pat Tillman is an American hero.  In Arizona he is even more of a hero because he played both college and professionally in the state of Arizona.  He played linebacker at Arizona State and was drafted by the Arizona Cardinals.  His work ethic and ability to make plays quickly made him a fan favorite.  He loved the game of football and he loved playing for the state of Arizona.  But he loved his country even more and on September 11, 2001 something happened that changed his life forever, it changed all of our life's forever.

The Twin Towers in New York were attacked by terrorist's.  This event obviously shook the nation and helped the country band together as one.  Tillman was no different.

He and his brother decided they were going to make a difference and help our country.  He walked away from a huge salary offer by both the Arizona Cardinals and the St. Louis Rams to enlist in the U.S. Army.

Tillman, being the superb human being that he was, quickly became an Army Ranger.  One tragic day while he was on a mission in Afghanistan he was killed when he was hit by friendly fire.  It was April 22, 2004, a day that will never be forgotten by any Arizona sports fan.  Nearly 3 years after the 9/11 tragedy that affected Tillman so much that he changed is life sour's could remain free.  We were forced to say good-bye to an awesome man who truly died just keep others safe.

So however you celebrate this Memorial Day, weather it's BBQing with family or going swimming at the lake, take just a minute out of your day to understand what people have gone through and sacrificed in order for you and your family to live in the freedom of the United States of America.  





NBA DRAFT LOTTERY

Tonight during halftime of game 1 of the Western Conference Finals The NBA Draft lottery will be held. This will determine the order in which the teams will draft later this summer.

So here's how it works. The 14 teams that did not make the playoffs are put into a raffle.  The worse your regular season record was the better chance you have at a top pick.

When the actual lottery occurs ping pong balls are used.  The NBA has made this such a huge event that some teams send a "good luck" representative in hopes of getting the top pick in the draft.

The Phoenix Suns did not make the playoffs and have a 2% of getting the #1 pick.  More than likely they will end up with the 13th pick.  Suns fans are hopeful that they move up to the top spot so they can possible get the superstars that we all know they so desperately need.

SUNS LOOKING FOR A NEW COACH?

Most basketball fans are enjoying this years NBA Playoffs and rightfully so.   This years playoffs have been the best they have been in years  But if your a Suns fan you are watching wondering when the Suns will be back in the playoffs.

During this off season the Phoenix Suns have a questions that need to be at the very least looked at.  Can we attract a big name free agent?  What is going to happen to the Morris twins?  Are we going to pay Brandon Knight?  These are some of the questions us fans have.  But here is a questions we just may have to answer and didn't think we would have to this soon.  Who will take over as head coach after the departure of Jeff Hornacek?

As unbelievable as it sounds there is a small possibility that this may come true and here's how.  The New Orleans Pelicans just fired their head coach and the rumor is that Chicago Bull's Tom Thibodeau would make the move from Chicago to New Orleans.  If this happens the Bull's will go after Iowa State's Fred Hoiberg  leaving a vacancy at Iowa St.

For those of you that think Hornacek would never leave the NBA for a college gig, especially one that isn't high profile, I leave you with these two points.  Jeff Hornacek played his college ball at Iowa St. and is a legend there.  My final point is this, if he takes the job at his college Alma Mater he will likely make more money than he does currently with the Phoenix Suns. 

MAYWEATHER WON HONESTLY

It has been  a week since the most anticipated boxing match in recent history.  Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao went 12 rounds with the decision going to Mayweather.

Many people were rooting for Pacquiao and feel Mayweather ran from him and didn't box him that's why he won.  I know a lot of people don't want to hear this but did you honestly expect Floyd Mayweather to do anything different? 

If you are familiar with Mayweather fights than you know that's how he fights.  To beat him you must keep him on the ropes, in a corner and win eight of the twelve rounds.  Like others Pacquiao tried to do that but failed and the result was Mayweather staying unbeaten.

Boxing is a very tough sport but when you think about it there are really just two ways to win.  Hit the other guy harder and more often and don't get hit by the other guy.  When you look at boxing like that there is no question Mayweather won the fight.  Although the fight did leave us with plenty of questions.  How bad was Pacquiao hurt and how much did it affect his game plan?  Will there be a rematch and when?

Those are just a few questions and hopefully they will soon be answered if or when we see Mayweather/Pacquiao 2.

BRADY DID IT...OR DID HE?

Deflate Gate continued this week when the findings of an independent investigation were released.  In a nut shell it said that the ownership and coaches had no idea of any wrong doing going on.  However, it also said that there was a good possibility that QB Tom Brady at least knew what was going on.

Really a special investigator was hired just to tell us that!  I could have told you that the day after the AFC Championship.  Brady needs to just come out with the truth except his punishment and move on.  If he is this great American hero everyone seems to think he is he would have no problem doing so.  But he won't.

These new findings make you wonder what's going to happened to Brady.  Will there be a punishment? If so how harsh?  I just wonder if Tom Brady will get the same punishment as anybody else?  Will the league take it easy on him because he seems to be the poster boy of the league?

MAYWEATHER/PACQUIAO: THE PREDICTION

 In just a few hours we will finally witness what is being billed as the greatest fight of our time.  Floyd "Money" Mayweather will face Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao in a much anticipated 147 pound fight.

The favorite is Mayweather, primarily because he is undefeated.  But if you ask most fans will tell you that they are rooting for Pacquiao, who many feel is pound for pound the greatest boxer of this era.  We will soon find out when the two step into the ring and face off  in a fight that we have been waiting more than five years to see.

This is a tough fight to predict.  Mayweather has looked unbeatable in his last two fights.  But with Freddie Roach in his corner and the style he fights many feel if anyone can beat Mayweather it will be Pacquiao.

Instead of getting all technical and speaking boxing talk to you I'm going to just sit back and enjoy this fight for what it is.  The greatest boxing match you will ever see.  In my opinion the fight goes all 12 rounds and Mayweather continues his unbeaten streak.

WHO WINS THE SUPER FIGHT? MAYWEATHER VS. PACQUIAO

So the arguable the biggest fight in boxing history is just days away.  Floyd "Money" Mayweather takes his undefeated record into the ring against pound for pound one the greatest fighter's ever in Manny "Pac Man" Pacquiao.

ESPN took a poll of who people thin the winner will be and the results were surprising.  74% of people that took the poll think Manny Pacquiao will win.  I won't take a side just yet, but this is atrocious to me.  You mean to tell me that 3 out of 4 people think Floyd Mayweather will get his first loss?  Do we really root for the underdog that much?

While many feel this would have been a much better fight 5 years ago they still can't wait for the bell to ring on Saturday May 2.  This promises to be a great fight because both fighters refuse to lose.  With all the hype I have to ask, who do you thin will win boxing's biggest fight ever?  Take the poll to the upper left and us know.

ANOTHER LIFE LOST: THE LOREN WADE CASE

I recently wrote an article about Aaron Hernandez, the former football player who is now spending the rest of his life in prison for murder.  I'm sure it's no surprise when I tell you he is not the first athlete that this has happened to, and unfortunately he won't be the last.  In fact this case is very familiar to college football fans here in Arizona.  Do you remember the name Loren Wade?

Loren Wade was a tailback for the Arizona State Sun Devils in 2003 and 2004.  He rushed for 773 yards as a freshman and had a very promising career ahead of him.  Well that all changed on March 25, 2005.  Wade, who apparently had anger issues, went looking for an ex-girlfriend and found her in the parking lot of a Scottsdale nightclub.  She was talking to another former ASU football player when Wade approached.  Words were exchanged and stories are told differently at this point, but the fact is Wade shot Brandon Falkner to death that night.

A lot of stories came out after about Wade's anger problems.  His coach at the time was also informed that he had a gun, yet the University nor the football program did much to help Wade.  That spring day in March took the life of Falkner but it also took the life of Loren Wade.  He is currently serving a 20 year sentence in an Arizona prison.

Shame on anybody that could have helped change this young man's life and chose to look the other way.  I know that you can't help people that don't want to be helped, but what if this one time it helped save a life?  I know that's a chance the family of Brandon Falkner is willing to take.

PHOENIX MERCURY STAR ARRESTED

Wednesday another Phoenix basketball player got into trouble with the law.  This time it was Phoenix Mercury star Brittney Griner.  She was booked into a Maricopa County jail along with her fiance Glory Johnson, who plays for the Tulsa Shock, for a fight between the two.

Officers were called out when the two started throwing things at each other.  By the time the police arrived the two were involved in a full on fist fight.  Griner was charger with assault and disorderly conduct fighting.

The arrest was a shocker to many but it raises the question,  what is going to happen to Griner?  How much trouble, if any will she be in with the team?  Domestic violence is domestic violence and last year when back up running back Johnathan Dwyer was arrested for domestic violence many fans were happy that the Cardinals didn't waste any time punishing him.  But Griner is a star and how are fans going to react when the Mercury go from the best team in the WNBA to average at best with out her?

SUNS MORRIS TWINS CHARGED WITH FELONY

The Phoenix Sun's Marcus and twin brother Markieff Morris were charged with aggravated assault, a felony, today.  The Morris twins released a statement saying that they cannot comment on this matter per their attorney.

The alleged incident occurred in January when the Morris twins and three other men beat up 36 year old Erik Hood outside a basketball game that Hood was playing in.  They waited for Hood to come outside the gym and one man confronted him and the others joined in and started to punch and kick him.  He was then transported to the  hospital and Phoenix Police were called.

The assault was a result of unwanted explicit text messages from Hood to the Morris twins mom.  The Charges could land the two brothers in prison and puts a damper on their future with the Phoenix Suns.  They are scheduled to make their first court appearance on May 7.

The Suns in my opinion need to get rid of both Morris twins as soon as they can.  They have both had issues this past season.  Marcus threw a towel at the coach and Markieff had several technical fouls and even called out the fans  saying they weren't loyal.  The Morris twins are more trouble than they are worth.  The are both average players when they are on the same team.  If they were on different teams they probably aren't a factor.  They aren't even good enough for a team to overlook their off court issues.

AARON HERNANDEZ FOUND GUILTY

Earlier this week Aaron Hernandez was found guilty of the murder of Odin Lloyd.  The former tight end for the New England Patriot's will now spend the rest of his life in prison.  Hernandez, ironically will do his time at a prison less than four miles from Gillette Stadium, where the team plays it's home games.

Hernandez is a very talented young man who just didn't know how to stay out of trouble.  He had the reputation as the guy you don't "mess" with when he was younger.  You didn't mess with him because he would "get you".  That reputation followed him to the University of Florida, the NFL and now it will follow him to prison.

He made a few bad choices in his life and never chose to learn from his mistakes.  Sports helps a lot of young men change their lives but for Hernandez that wasn't the case.  He is the perfect example of the old saying, "you can take the homeboy out the hood, but you can't take the hood out the homeboy." 

As a former high school football coach I know at some point in Hernandez's life somebody tried to help guide him in the right direction.  This is especially true considering all the talent and size Hernandez had.  The sad Truth is Hernandez would rather be known as a gangster than one of the best tight ends in the NFL.

DIAMONDBACKS OFF TO A GOOD START

 The Arizona Diamondbacks are just 7 games into the 2015 baseball season and they are off to a good start.  They play the second game of a three game series tonight in San Diego against the Padre's  and go in with a 4-3 record.

The record may not jump out at you as good, but when you look at the teams they've played  it's very impressive.  They opened the season against the defending Champions the San Francisco Giants.  They lost 2 of the 3 games but showed the rest of the league that they are going to be competitive this season.

The second series of the season they played host to the Los Angeles Dodgers, a team many feel can win the World Series this year.  With Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke schedule to pitch the second and third game it was almost a must win for the D Backs in game one.  Well they delivered with a 4-3 victory.

The next night the fans packed the stadium, but it wasn't just for the Hello Kitty Bobble heads.  It was to see the major league debut of starting pitcher Archie Bradley.  Bradley's performance was just short of spectacular.  He pitched 6 scoreless innings and struck out 6 to lead Arizona to a 6-0 win.  They dropped the last game but did win what could end up being a very important divisional series.

The Diamondbacks may not have a good season, or even make the playoffs but if they play the rest of the season the way they've played the first week one thing is for sure.  They are going to compete in every single game.

TIGER IS BACK!

Everyone knows the story of golfer Tiger Woods.  And no I don't mean the part where he hit the golf scene and quickly became one of the greatest golfers ever.  I mean the part where he let his personal life ruin his golf game.

Ever since his then wife tried to run him over with her car Tiger Woods has been a mediocre to below average golfer.  In January he tried another failed comeback when he entered the Waste Management Phoenix Open.  Well we all know how that ended, as fast as it started.

So this week Tiger decided to give it another go around and entered into The Master's.  Not only did he make the cut, he has played the best we've seen him play in years.  With just one round to go he finds himself tied for 5th at -6 under par.  Now Tiger Woods most likely will not win the 2015 Master's but one thing is for sure,  Tiger is back!

ASU HIRES NEXT BASKETBALL COACH

Earlier today Arizona State Athletic Director Ray Anderson ended his men's basketball coaching search.  He hired Buffalo coach Bobby Hurley.  Most people remember him from when he played on the great Duke teams of the early 1990's.

Hurley is a great hire for an Arizona State program that lacks a big name coach.  Hurley is only 43 and has youth on his side.  He nay not be known well in the coaching world yet but he is a high school and college legend.  This will allow him to be a better recruiter.

ASU basketball has underachieved for years and this allows Hurley to come in pressure free.  He needs to do two things that can help him make ASU a team to recon with in the PAC 12.  He needs to hit the Arizona recruiting scene hard and he needs to not pay attention to the college down south.

Hurley needs to visit some of the high schools here in the valley, particularly Corona Del Sol and Perry.  They are home to the states best players who are also ranked pretty high nationally.  Don't let them out of your backyard!

Also Hurley needs to not worry about the University of Arizona.  They are a national powerhouse that will automatically get recruits that he can't get.  He should just concentrate on who he is as a recruiter and a coach.  If he does these things he will do great as the new Arizona State Basketball Coach.

2015 NCAA MEN'S BASKETBALL PREVIEW

Tonight the men's college basketball season comes to an end when the Duke Blue Devils meet the Wisconsin Badgers for the rights to call themselves 2015 Nation Champions.

Duke got to the final by easily defeating Michigan State 81-61.  Duke had arguable the easiest path to the Final Four and it continued with it's dominance of Michigan State.  Duke was led by Justise Winslow's 19 points and 9 rebounds.  Jahlil Okafor added 18 points and 6 rebounds.

Wisconsin slayed the beast so to speak to get to tonight's Championship game.  They took down undefeated and overall top seed Kentucky 71-64.  The Badger's held Kentucky to just 28 second half points after being tied at 36 at halftime.  Frank Kaminsky had 20 points and 11 rebounds to lead the Badgers to victory.

Tonight we will see one of the best match ups in college basket with Frank Kaminsky and Jahlil Okafor.  This will be a battle of two great big men, but it's the role players that will decide the outcome of this game.

I'm picking Duke to win 71-68, but Wisconsin has doubted the naysayers before in beating both Arizona and Kentucky in back to back games.  So get ready to see a great game tonight.

FINAL FOUR SET

The Final Four is set for this weekend in Indianapolis.  Three number ones seeds and a number 7 are still dancing after this weekends Sweet 16 and Elite Eight games.  The teams are Kentucky, Wisconsin, Duke and Michigan State. 

In the first game South Region champ Duke will play the East Region champ Michigan State, the number 7 seed.  Duke has had a relatively easy path to the Final Four.  They had a scare from Utah and Gonzaga hung with them but they were able to come out on top.  Duke is averaging just over 70 points per game in the tournament.

It's been a tougher road for the Michigan State Spartan's who have had battle after battle but have found ways to win  They have beaten the 2 3 and 4 seed to get to Indianapolis.  They have averaged 67 points a game but put 76 on a very good Louisville team to ensure a date with Duke.

On the other side of the bracket the top seed Wisconsin Badgers knocked off #2 Arizona to win the West Region.  They will face Kentucky, the top seed from the Midwest region who defeated Notre Dame to punch their ticket to the Final Four.

Wisconsin had four tough games but came out on top.  They scored 80 points per game on their way to the West Region Championship.  Now they have the unwanted task of playing maybe the best college basketball team ever in 38-0 Kentucky. The Wildcats got a scare from Notre Dame but kept their poise and with two last second free throws they are on their way to Indianapolis.  Kentucky has averaged 72 points a game in this tournament. 

So the stage is set for the 2015 Final Four in Indianapolis.  Many questions will be answered but the most important one is who will be cutting down the nets next Monday night?



ARIZONA OUTSTED BY WISCONSIN

The Arizona Wildcats were beaten by the Wisconsin Badgers in the Elite Eight 85-78.  The game was a rematch of last season's Elite Eight and the game was just as exciting as it was the last time the two teams met. 

Brandon Ashley missed last years game with an injury, but got into foul trouble early and had to hit the bench earlier than expected.  Wisconsin started the game off on a 10-2 to run to take the early lead but Arizona wasn't going to be put away that easy.  They shock off an early shooting slump and played great defense to take a 33-30 lead into the locker room.

The second half started like the first with Wisconsin coming out strong and taking the lead.  Arizona tried to come back but 10 second half three pointers by the Badgers never allowed the Wildcats to really get back into the game. 

Brandon Ashley and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the Wildcats with 17 points each and senior point guard T.J. McConnell chipped in with 14 in his final game.

Frank Kaminsky led all scorers with 29 points and Sam Dekker came off the bench to have 27 points.  With the win Wisconsin moves on to Indianapolis and The Final Four. 

If they want to get to the championship game they need to get through the undefeated beast called Kentucky.

PAC 12 TOURNAMENT PREVIEW

Today at noon the PAC 12 men's basketball tournament tips off in Las Vegas.  The PAC 12 has about four teams that look to go "dancing" in March Madness, but before they do they better be prepared to fight for the right to call themselves champs of the PAC 12.  Here's a quick look at the tournament.

The Favorite: Arizona
The Wildcats honestly should have no problem this week in looking to win their first PAC 12 Tournament title since 2002.  They won the regular season by a huge margin and have been completely dominating ever since they lost to Arizona St. last month.

The Challenger: Utah
Utah has been great all year and showed much improvement the second time they play Arizona.  They lost their last game of the regular season to Oregon, but that might actually help them.  The last four conference champs lost their regular season finale.

The Upset:  Colorado
The Buffalo's are the tenth seed and potentially play #2 Oregon in the second round. Oregon overachieved during the regular season and only got the second seed after a Utah loss in the regular season finale.  Colorado is playing great basketball right now but their luck will run out against Utah when it reaches the semifinals.

The Predictions:

Round 1
California beats Washington State
Arizona Sate beats Southern California
Colorado beats Oregon State
Stanford beats Washington

Round 2
Arizona beats California
Arizona State beats UCLA
Colorado beats Oregon
Utah beats Stanford

Semi finals
Arizona beats Arizona State
Utah beats Colorado

Final
Arizona beats Utah

DARNELL DOCKETT LEAVES ARIZONA FOR DIVISION RIVAL

Former Cardinals defensive lineman Darnell Dockett has agree to terms with the San Francisco 49ers. The deal is for two years and will pay Dockett $7.5 million.

Docket was cut by the Cardinals when they could not come to an agreement on a contract extension.  He is coming off an ACL injury that caused him to miss all of last season.  

Many people are upset that he went to a division rival, but I feel he did that on purpose. He wants to be able to come back to Arizona and prove to them that he can still play.

Dockett played a major role in the turnaround here in Arizona and for that I say "Darnell go get paid!"  I had the privilege to meet him once and found out he is a very respectable man.  

The fans here in Arizona will miss Darnell Dockett and wish him the best of luck. Except for twice a year of coarse!

Physical Suns lose in Miami

Yesterday the Phoenix Suns were in Miami to face the Heat.  The Suns jumped out to the lead after one quarter, 24-23.  But again it was that dreaded second quarter that did the team in.  Miami led 62-48 at half time.  They tried to keep pace by outscoring the Heat in the third but Miami opened it up in the fourth and came with the 115-98 victory.

Eric Bledsoe and P.J. Tucker led the Suns with 20 points each.  Tyler Johnson of Miami led all scorers with 26 points off the bench.  Former Sun, who was traded away at the deadline, Goran Dragic had 21 points against his former team.

Although the Suns weren't really in the game much it was very exciting to watch.  Midway through the third quarter Dragic was out front on a fast break when Markief Morris decided he was not going to let his former teammate score.  He took him down and was given a flagrant foul 2 and ejected from the game.

About four minutes later Dwayne Wade missed a layup and  Hassan Whiteside was there to jam home the rebound over center Alex Len. After a brief altercation both players were ejected.

The Suns now travel to Orlando to face the Magic.  They are now 31-30 on the season and continue to lose pace on a playoff berth.

SPURS COOL DOWN SUNS

The Phoenix Suns were unable to continue their short win streak last night when they hosted the San Antonio Spurs.  The Spurs dominated the game throughout winning 101-74.

The Spurs had 24 points after one quarter and they never as the Suns and just 24 first half points.  That is the fewest points in franchise history for the Phoenix Suns. 

Kawhi Leonard led all scores with 22 points.  The Suns were led by Marcus Morris off the bench with 19.  The Suns only had two other scorers in double digits.  The Suns missed a golden opportunity to keep pace with the Oklahoma City Thunder for the eight and final spot in the Western Conference Playoffs.

The Suns play was very disappointing on the court and may have even took it off the court as well.  Starter Markief Morris publicly blasted Suns fans, saying they do not provide them a home court advantage.  He may be right, but let's be honest you don't call out your fans when you just scored a measly 10 points and your team just had the worst half of it's history.

CARDINALS RELEASE DOCKETT

After talks of trying to restructure the contract of Arizona Cardinals defensive lineman Darnell Dockett failed the team has decided to release him.

Docket was drafted by the team in 2004 but his $10 million salary cap hit was too much for the Cardinals to keep the three time pro bowl defensive standout.  He only missed two games in his career due to injury until a torn ACL in the preseason  ended his 2014 campaign before it even started.  The team and the fans of Arizona will deeply miss Dockett.

But his time in Arizona may not be over just yet.  He will test the free agent waters and who knows, if he doesn't get signed by another team he could end up back in a Cardinal jersey.