Tuesday Night 8-Pack

I apologize for all the bullet point lists lately, but there has been a lot of things going on in the world of sports lately. Since I don't have enough time to write long posts on each, this is the next best option. So let's celebrate the season with a holiday 8-pack to help with that hangover.

• This Thursday is we are all going to Witness (see what I did there?) something the likes we have never seen before. LeBron and the Heat travel to Cleveland. It is a day all Cavs fans having been waiting for as venom will be spewing from the stands. It's going to be amazing. Sideshows aside, the game itself should be interesting as the Cavs continue to overachieve while the Heat are woefully underachieving. I haven't seen any of their games this season so I look to Simmons for most of my information on them. He reports that LBJ and Wade are having a hard time playing together and that he thinks LeBron regrets his decision to sign with Miami. He says the chemistry is terrible and that the team was put together all wrong. I am not going to write them off as contenders, but they do have a lot of work to do. Right now it seems like their are at least 3 teams in the East and 5 in the West who are better.
• Not sure how many of you have heard about this, but the Nets made an unprecedented move by sending Terrence Williams to the D-League's Springfield Armor for disciplinary reasons. A lot of critics are railing the move, but I like it. Critics are somehow making out the D-League to be this utopia where everyone gets along and no one has alterior motives. Fact is, Antoine Walker is about to sign with the league. I ask those same critics if that is what the D-League is about?? Bottom line: Nets run the Armor and are using it to send a message. T-Will either responds or he doesn't. But what do they have to lose?
• Some are raising an eyebrow at the development of TCU joining the Big East. How can Fort Worth, Texas be considered East Coast? Well, if you think about it, Fort Worth is not exactly in the mountains or in the West either. The trip from Fort Worth to Colorado St is no further than to Syracuse. Football wise the move makes sense - now the Horned Frogs have the ability to qualify for the BCS on a yearly basis (same with Utah moving to the Pac-10), but I questoin the need for them joining the conference in all sports. In terms of basketball alone, the conference will now have 17 teams. Sixteen is ridiculous enough. Seventeen is ricoculous.
• Ok, the Devils stink this year. We all know it. But here's the thing - they are only 8 points out of playoff spot. If they can somehow continue to win 3 out of 4 games a week, they will be back in the hunt by January. I am not naive enough to say a team with a 8-14-2 record (who just lost to the Isles!) will instantly win 4 games in a row, but I'm just saying - if they can get on a little role, they'll be right back in it. I feel worse about the Nets playoffs chances than I do the Devs.
• The most exciting team in the NFL right now are the KC Chiefs. Dwayne Bowe has 14 TD's. Matt Cassell has thrown only 4 INT's and has a 99.7 QB Rating. Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones have combined for 1733 yards. Their offense is amazing right now and I think I have talked myself into them being a serious contender in the AFC.
• On Thursday FIFA will announce the hosts of both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. The USA had been candidates for both but bowed out of 2018 when it became clear that FIFA wanted it back in Europe after a 12 year hiatus. The 2022 Cup is looking to be a contest between the US, Australia and Qatar. From what I hear, Qatar has a boatload of money to spend and is willing to build not only state of the art stadiums, but air-conditioned stadiums to boot. To be honest, I am shocked that they are even a contender. I mean, it's Qatar. It's a small country in the Middle East that has no where near the potential that the US does. FIFA needs soccer to continue to grow in the States. They need the exposure. They need the revenue. They need the US to be a powerhouse. Take advantage of the boom that is currently ongoing in the country and award the US the 2022 World Cup. It will be the biggest event in the history of hte beautiful game.
• Besides Bowl Week, Rivalry Week is always my favorite time in the college football season. This year, Rivalry Week in the NW is about more than just beating your rivals. In Oregon, it means a chance at an undefeated season and a National Championship Game birth. In Washington, it means a chance to go to a bowl game for the first time in 8 years. While the Apple Cup cannot compete with the Civil War in terms of importance this year, it is really important to Husky Nation. I will be the first to tell you that a 6-6 record is still an underachievement for this team, but that doesn't mean a Holiday Bowl trip is not important. Success breeds more success. Get to a bowl and set a good tone for the 2011 season.
• Is there a more improved player in the country Justin Holiday? Just two years ago I was lamenting how we got the worse of the brothers. Justin didn't even belong on the court. Now he is averaging 12 points, 7 boards and is a reigning member of the All-Defensive Team. On last night's FSN broadcast, Francis Williams suggested that he might be one of the best players in the country by the end of the year. That is an amazing prospect.