RG's NY Knicks Recap-November 2K7

RG's NY Knicks Recap-November 2K7

Team record: 5-10
MSG: 5-3 Road: 0-7

November 2K7 Stats

*Team (Averages per game)

Offense: 93 PPG; 43%FG; 32%3p; 70%FT; 43 RPG; 17 APG; 17 TO

Opponents: 102 PPG; 46%FG; 37%3p; 42 RPG; 21 APG

*The Starting Lineup

*PF Zach Randolph aka Z-Bo....Averaging his usual dub-dub at 18ppg &
11.3rpg in 12 games played....Missed 3 games & was on bereavement leave
due to the passing of his grandmother...Z-Bo is still getting acclamated
to his new digs here in NY, & is doing alright so far....He's only
playing an average of 33 minutes per game...Even with his nice start
offensively, Z-Bo is only shooting 44% from the floor & 64% from the
charity stripe....I like his aggression & intensity, but he must improve
on those percentages & he MUST take care of the basketball, especially
during critical stages of the game....Zach averages 4 turnovers a
game...Z-Bo is a nice addition & is becoming a home crowd fan favorite
slowly but surely.

Grade: A-

*C Eddy Curry aka EC....Has started all 15 games playing 31 minutes on
average....Averaging 16.3ppg on 56% shooting from the floor....EC is
only averaging 6rpg & less than a block per game, which again is a
disappointment based on his size & strength at 6'11, 280lbs....And this
is coming from a player who felt he should've been a starting center for
the East All-Stars in Las Vegas February 2K7 over Dwight Howard of the
Orlando Magic, who has now established himself early in his career as
THE best & most dominant big man in the NBA now....EC is shooting only
60% from the foul line, which has to improve...EC must stay out of foul
trouble if he wants to stay on the floor in key situations & must be
aggresive on the defensive end, which according to past track record, is
easier said than done...Eddy has had his nice moments on D, blocking a
Marcus Camby layup attempt in a Knick win over Denver & blocking a shot
in a crucial moment late in game in a win over Utah, both at MSG.

Grade: C

*SF Quentin Richardson aka Q-Rich....14 games played, averaging 31
minutes per....Only averaging 6ppg & 7rpg....Shooting just 31% from the
floor; 23% from behind the arc....57% from the foul line...Q is off to a
bad start shooting the basketball....I will kinda give Q a pass because
he did undergo major back surgery during the offseason & is still trying
to get right physically....Despite his poor shooting, Q has been a
warrior rebounding the basketball & just being a team leader, which has
warranted his playing time.....In a home Knicks win against Chicago,
Q-Rich grabbed 15 boards....Poor shooting aside & being a bit banged up,
Q is putting in the work, trying to be THE leader on the team.....

Grade: B- (for good effort)

*SG Jamal Crawford aka 'Mal, JC....Also has started all 15
games....Averaging 17ppg on 41% from the floor, 30% from downtown &
4.3apg....Shooting a nice 84% from the free throw line early on...JC is
a streaky offensive player....In the Knicks home opening win against
Minnesota, 'Mal scored 24 points & dished out 7 assists....In a huge
come-from-behind victory over Milwaukee, JC scored 28 points....Jamal
has some nice ball-handling skills, but at times tends to be real sloppy
with it, which results in him averaging 3 turnovers a game....JC needs
to be consistent every game offensively for the Knicks to be really
dangerous & must continue to improve defensively....

Grade: B

PG Stephon Marbury aka Starbury....Has played in 14 games; 11 as a
starter, 3 coming off the bench...Averaging 14ppg on 41% shooting; 42%
from behind the arc & handing out 5.3 apg.....Shooting a decent 78% from
the line.....Steph plays hard as usual, but MUST be a leader on this
young team now that he's 12 years deep in the League at age 30....It's
vital that he's a team player & accepts the criticism that head coach
Isiah Thomas tries to give him if he's not playing well...His big game
so far was in a big home win against Utah when he scored 28 points &
dished out 6 assists in a matchup against one of the rising star point
guards in the NBA, Deron Williams...Steph has been booed frequently by
the home crowd because of his selfish & at times immature attitude...Now
he must change that with good play & leadership & slowly he will win the
fans over.

Grade: B- (The minus is for his selfish attitude)

*The Key Bench Players

F David Lee aka D. Lee....Played all 15 games; 3 as starting PF in place
of Zach Randolph when he was on bereavement leave...As a starter in a
Knick home loss to Miami, D. Lee had a dub-dub with 14pts & 14
boards....Averaging 8.5ppg on 48% from the floor & 7.5rpg in 24 minutes
per game....Shooting a nice & improved 82% from the free throw
line.....D. Lee is a super 6th Man & home crowd favorite for the energy,
hard hustle & rebounding that he brings to the table....His minutes will
be down a bit with the acquisition of Z-Bo, but he understands that &
still does his thing...Needs to stay out of foul trouble at times &
continue to improve defensively to really be a bigger factor that he
already is coming off the bench....The sky continues to be the limit for
one David Lee...

Grade: A

G Nate Robinson...14 games played, averaging only 20 minutes per....8ppg
on only 37% from the floor; 41% from 3-point land & averaging 2 apg &
also 2 steals per....For someone that is shooting the 3-ball pretty
well, Nate is struggling from the line, shooting only 65%, which can
only improve as the season goes along....Nate is maturing a bit now
entering his 3rd season & is also a home crowd favorite for his amazing
athletic prowess being the shortest player on the court in most
games....Being that he is Steph's backup PG, Nate must continue to
improve being a floor general & do the best he can on the defensive end
due to his height, but don't get it twisted: Nate is a strong guy who
has played football in college along with basketball...

Grade: C

F Renaldo Balkman aka Dred....Only averaging 4ppg....Missed a few games
nursing an ankle injury, but his presence was sorely missed & it partly
resulted in the Knicks losing 8 straight games....Dred brings a unique
energy & intensity to the team when he checks in for duty & also a big
crowd favorite...See the pattern?.....If u play hard & show that u care
& wanna win, the fans appreciate that a lot & show the love
back...Renaldo needs to stay healthy & also minimize getting quick fouls
early in the game to be effective for the Knicks off the bench...

Grade: B

Head Coach Isiah Thomas....After going through a trying offseason with
the sexual harrasement trial against former employee Anucha Browne
Sanders, with Sanders winning a $11.6M judgement with both Thomas & MSG
appealing the case, Coach must stay focused & guide this talented team
hopefully to a playoff berth....Going 5-10 to start with this Knick team
is not helping matters, as the home fans are growing frustrated with how
Thomas is running things thus far. Benching Marbury in favor of reserve
G Mardy Collins has backfired on him & partly contributed to the 8 game
losing streak early on....This team should be better than 5-10 in the
Eastern Conference....Everytime the Knicks play terrible at home, the
fans call for Thomas' head by chantly loudly, "FIRE ISIAH!!!"....The
saving grace in a way is that teams like Chicago & Miami are both
equally talented teams off to equally bad starts as well....Isiah needs
to get this team to play consistently good quality basketball & if he
can turn the losing culture into a winning one, he will win the Knicks
fans over in a huge way!

Grade: C- (poor start is not all Isiah's fault)

HighLights:

*At home vs MIN-1st home opening win since 2K1.
*Comebacks wins at home against Denver & Milwaukee after being down
double-digits late in game.
*Beating a very good Utah team at home 113-109.
*Zach Randolph making a good 1st impression so far as a NY Knick,
averaging a dub-dub. (18ppg & 11.3rpg)

LowLights

*The 0-7 road record.
*Tough 75-72 loss to the Dwayne Wade-less Heat.
*Historic & embarrasing 104-59 loss to a very talented Celtic team in
Boston.
*Uninspiring bad loss to the Warriors at home 108-82 with fans booing
Steph & Isiah & loud chants of "Fire Isiah!" cascading all over the
arena.
*The whole Marbury-Isiah fiasco before their game in Phoenix against the
Suns.

Saturday, 12/1/07


Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
www.myspace.com/rgmajor

RG's GAME Sports Blog

RG's GAME Sports Blog

NFL-The New England Patriots are the only undefeated team still standing
at 10-0 thru week 11. Both QB Tom Brady & WR Randy Moss continue their
impressive & dominating MVP caliber play & there seems to be no letting
up in sight, regarding that their key players stay injury-free the rest
of the regular season heading into the playoffs. Also on the plus side
bringing the noise so far this season are the Dallas Cowboys & Green Bay
Packers, both with 9-1 records. The Colts are 8-2, but with key players
injured such as All-Pro WR Marvin Harrison & now All-Pro DE Dwight
Freeney, who's out for the rest of the season, they will struggle a bit
down the stretch. On the minus end at a miserable 0-10, the Miami
Dolphins thru week 11 are STILL seeking their 1st win of the season.

College Football-LSU is currently the new #1 ranked team in the country.
The Kansas Jayhawks football team comes in at #2 & is having a
remarkable & landmark season at 11-0. Missouri, West Virginia & Ohio St.
round out the Top 5.

NBA-The teams starting strong right out the gate are the Orlando Magic &
the Boston Celtics in the Easten Conference. In the West, the usual
suspects jumping off well to start the season are the defending NBA
champs, the San Antonio Spurs, along with the Dallas Mavericks & Phoenix
Suns. The New Orleans Hornets are the surprise team so far with a 9-3
record. Early disappointment hands down goes to the New York Knicks.
Knicks president & head coach Isiah Thomas is in serious jeapordy of
losing his job due to the team's poor start. My pick for NBA player for
the month of November would go to superstar young big man Dwight Howard
from the Orlando Magic.

College Basketball-The 2K7-2K8 season is underway for both the mens &
womens team. The Florida Gators mens team & the Tennessee Volunteers
womens team will both try to defend their respective championships.

MLB-The 2007 Awards have all been given out & here are your winners for
excellence this past season in MLB:

*AL MVP-Alex Rodriquez, 3B, NY Yankees
*NL MVP-Jimmy Rollins, SS, Phillies
*AL Cy Young-C.C. Sabathia, LHP, Indians
*NL Cy Young-Jake Peavy, RHP, Padres
*AL Rookie-Dustin Pedroia, 2B, Red Sox
*NL Rookie-Ryan Braun, 3B, Brewers
*AL Manager-Eric Wedge, Indians
*NL Manager-Bob Melvin, Diamondbacks
*AL Hank Aaron Award-Alex Rodriguez
*NL Hank Aaron Award-Prince Fielder

NASCAR-Jimmie Johnson wins the Nextel Cup for the 2nd year in a row.

Blog written Wed. 11/21/07; 11:20am NYC


Ross Guity
Contributing writer, GAME magazine
www.gamesportsmag.com
www.myspace.com/gamesportsmagazine
www.myspace.com/rgmajor
Email: rguity@tmail.com

RG's Weekly Sports Recap

RG's Weekly Sports Recap

NFL Week 8 Final Scores

*Sunday, 10/28
NY Giants 13, Dolphins 10
Bills 13, NY Jets 3
Lions 16, Bears 7
Titans 13, Raiders 9
Browns 27, Rams 20
Eagles 23, Vikings 16
Steelers 24, Bengals 13
Colts 31, Panthers 7
Chargers 35, Texans 10
Jaguars 24, Bucs 23
Saints 31, 49ers 10
Patriots 52, Redskins 7

*Monday Night, 10/29
Packers 19, Broncos 13, OT

*Week 8 "Bye" teams--Chiefs, Seahawks, Cardinals, Cowboys, Falcons & Ravens
~Game played in London, UK, Wembley Stadium

NFL Keynotes for Week 8-The Patriots & Colts are still
undefeated!....New England ups its record to 8-0 by embarrasing a decent
Washington Redskins team 52-7...QB Tom Brady throws 3 more TD passes to
increase his total to 30 thru 8 games & extends his NFL record of 8
straight games with least 3 TD passes to start the season....Can we say
NFL MVP?.....The Colts are also sizzling hot at 7-0 by dominating the
Carolina Panthers, 31-7...The Colts are the 1st team in almost 80 years
ever to start 7-0 three consecutive seasons, which is a remarkable feat.
The last team to accomplish that were the Green Bay Packers from
1929-1931. QB Peyton Manning broke the all-time Colts record for career
TD passes with #'s 287 & 288, passing Colts legend Johnny Unitas. This
sets up the much anticipated matchup of the season between the 8-0
Patriots & the 7-0 Colts on Sunday, 11/4 at Indianapolis. It will be the
re-match of the AFC Championship game played on 1/21/07 with the Colts
winning 38-34 & going on to win Super Bowl 41 against the Chcago
Bears...The 1st NFL regular season game ever played in an international
stadium happened on Sunday, 10/28/07 when the NY Giants played the
"host" team, the 0-7 Miami Dolphins at Wembley Stadium in London, UK.
The Giants prevailed, 13-10 under rainy & muddy field conditions.
Dallas Cowboys QB Tony Romo agreed to a 6-year, $67 million deal with
$30M of it guaranteed....The Rams & Dolphins are both still winless thus
far thru week 8....The NY Jets are a very disappointing 1-7 after losing
to the Buffalo Bills, 13-3 at home. Head Coach Eric Mangini will bench
struggling QB Chad Pennington for next week's game vs the Redskins &
start young backup QB Kellen Clemens.

College Football Keynotes-#1 Ohio State pummels 24th ranked Penn State,
37-17 at Happy Valley. Buckeyes QB Todd Boeckman led the way
offensively, completing 19 of 26 passes for 253 yards & threw 3 TD
passes...#20 Georgia upset #9 Florida, 42-30 in Jacksonville. Bulldogs
RB Knowshon Moreno ran for a career-high 188 yards & scored 3 TDs. QB
Matthew Stafford threw 3 TD passes for Georgia....#5 Oregon defeated
Pac-10 rival USC, 24-17 at home....After losing their 1st two games to
start the season, 19th ranked Michigan have reeled off seven consecutive
victories. The lastest win was a 34-10 rout of the hapless Minnesota
Gophers. Michigan WR Mario Manningham caught 5 passes for a career-best
162 yards & 1 TD...In the latest polls, there's been no change in the
Top 5 teams in the country. Ohio State remains at #1, followed by #2
Boston College. LSU, Oregon & Oklahoma round out this weeks Top 5
again....Surprise team in the Top 10 this week goes to the 8-0 Arizona
State Sun Devils, moving up to #6 in the country, led by former NFL head
coach Dennis Erickson...The UConn Huskies football squad debuts at #16
in the Top 25 with a 7-1 record.

MLB Baseball Keynotes-As much as I hate the Boston Red Sox being a
hardcore Yankees fan, I congratulate them on winning their 2nd World
Series championship in the past 4 years. They swept & dominated the
Colorado Rockies in 4 games. Red Sox 3B Mike Lowell was voted World
Series MVP. Again, congrats to Terry Francona & the whole Red Sox
Nation. I hate to admit it, but with the good young players that they
have along with the vets, they're gonna be good for a while....In Yankee
Land, Joe Girardi was named the successor to Joe Torre as head
skipper....Girardi will wear jersey #27 as a reminder of the goal at
hand, & that's to manage the Yanks to a 27th championship...Meanwhile,
in L.A., former Yankee manager Joe Torre is now the new Dodgers head man
after Grady Little decided to resign as manager of the club...Superstar
Alex Rodriguez decided to opt out of his contract with the Yankees,
therefore he will be looking for the highest bidding team to acquire his
services this off-season...Barry Bonds said that he will not show up at
his future Baseball Hall of Fame induction ceremony is his
record-breaking 756th home run ball has an asterisk on it, purchased by
famed clothing designer Marc Ecko.

Other sports news-On Tues. 10/30, the 2K7-2K8 NBA regular season gets
underway, as the San Antonio Spurs begins their quest of winning
back-to-back NBA titles....The saga of Kobe Bryant continues, as the
dis-grunted All-Star & certain future Hall of Famer wants to be traded
from his NBA home of 12 years, the L.A. Lakers. Head coach Phil Jackson
is not too pleased with Bryant's level of commitment. We'll continue to
follow this story as it develops....Former NBA All-Star Penny Hardaway
signs with the Miami Heat...In the NHL, the hottest teams out the gate
thru the 1st 10+ games are the Ottawa Senators at 9-1 & the Detroit Red
Wings at 9-2.....In NASCAR, Jeff Gordon is the Nextel Cup points leader
with 6,201, with Jimmie Johnson as runner-up with 6,192 points.

That puts a wrap on this weeks sports recap. Til next week, stay GAME &
stay blessed, everyone! Peace! RG*

RG's Weekly Sports Recap

RG's Weekly Sports Recap
(Football & Baseball)

NFL Week 6 final scores

*Sunday, 10/14
Eagles 16, NY Jets 9
Vikings 34, Bears 31
Ravens 22, Rams 3
Browns 41, Dolphins 31
Packers 17, Redskins 14
Chiefs 27, Bengals 20
Bucs 13, Titans 10
Jaguars 37, Texans 17
Panthers 25, Cardinals 10
Patriots 48, Cowboys 27
Chargers 28, Raiders 14
Saints 28, Seahawks 17

*Monday Night, 10/15
NY Giants 31, Falcons10

"Bye" week teams-Bills, Colts, Steelers, Broncos, Lions & 49ers

*NFL Keynotes for Week 6--The game of the week was the matchup between
the New England Patriots & the Dallas Cowboys, both coming in undefeated
at 5-0...Patriot QB Tom Brady yet again had a monster game, throwing 5
more TD passes, upping his total to an incredible 21 in 6 games played
as the Patriots remain undefeated, crushing the Cowboys 48-27. Brady
became the 1st QB in NFL history to throw at least 3 TD passes in each
of the 1st six games of the season...Minnesota Vikings rookie RB Adrian
Peterson right now is quickly making a claim to be one of the best in
the league. Peterson rushed for a Vikings single game record of 224
yards & TD runs of 35, 67 & 73 yards in a 34-31 victory over the Bears.
The last Viking RB to rush for 200 yards in a game was Chuck Foreman in
1976 against the Eagles...Chargers Mr. Do-It-All & reigning NFL MVP
LaDanian Tomlinson dominated the Oakland Raiders defense, rushing for
198 yards & scored all 4 TDs on the ground as he carried the Chargers to
a much need 28-14 victory.....43 year old QB Vinny Testaverde started
for the Carolina Panthers in place of injured QBs Jake Delhomme & David
Carr & had a very nice game, completing 20 of 33 passes for 206 yards &
throwing one 65 yard TD strike to All-Pro WR Steve Smith in a 25-10 win
over the Arizona Cardinals...The disappointing New Orleans Saints
finally win a game, defeating the Seahawks 28-17 in Seattle...The St.
Louis Rams & Miami Dolphins are now the only teams thru week 6 whom have
yet to win a game so far this season...NY Giants WR Amani Toomer became
the all-time franchise leader in career receptions in a 31-10 win over
the Falcons. Toomer passed former teammate & now retired RB Tiki Barber
by catching his 587th career pass.

College Football-What a wild college football season it has been thus
far. The BCS standings are now in effect with Ohio State now the #1
ranked team in the country. The South Florida Bulls are a major surprise
as the 2nd ranked team in the nation at 6-0...Boston College, Oklahoma &
former #1 LSU round out the Top 5. South Carolina, led by former Florida
Gator head coach Steve Spurrier, is the #6 ranked team. Kentucky, more
renowned for their legendary basketball program than football, is #8.
USC is ranked #13! Crazy season indeed!

Baseball Playoffs-As of Monday, 10/15, the Cleveland Indians are up 2
games to 1 over the Boston Red Sox in the ALCS....Congrats the NL
Champs, the Colorado Rockies! The Rockies swept the Arizona Diamondbacks
4-0 in winning the NL crown & earn their 1st trip to the World Series in
francise history...Dusty Baker will be the new manager of the Cincinnati
Reds in the 2008 season..

That puts a wrap on yet another sports recap! Til next week, stay GAME,
everyone & be blessed! Peace!......RG*

RG's Weekly Sports Recap

RG's Weekly Sports Recap
(NFL & MLB)

*NFL Week 3 Final Scores

*Sunday, 9/23
NY Giants 24, Redskins 17
NY Jets 31, Dolphins 28
Ravens 26, Cardinals 23
Packers 31, Chargers 24
Patriots 38, Bills 7
Colts 30, Texans 24
Chiefs 13, Vikings 10
Steelers 37, 49ers 16
Bucs 24, Rams 3
Eagles 56, Lions 21
Raiders 26, Browns 24
Seahawks 24, Bengals 21
Jaguars 23, Broncos 14
Panthers 27, Falcons 20
Cowboys 34, Bears 10

*Monday, 9/24
Titans 31, Saints 14

NFL notes & surprises so far thru week 3 in the NFL--The New Orleans
Saints starting off 0-3. Veteran RB Deuce McAllister is out for the
season with a serious knee injury. QB Drew Brees is off to a horrible
start & the defense likewise...Green Bay Packers are off to a 3-0 start.
Future Hall of Fame QB Brett Favre has shown thru 3 games that he is far
from being done & the defense is playing very well....The Chargers are
1-2, which is a disappointing start being that they are preseason
favorites to rep the AFC in the Super Bowl this season. The Patriots
will have something to say about that all season, as they are off to a
flying 3-0 start. WR Randy Moss is playing at an MVP level with over 400
receiving yards thru 3 games...Eagles QB Donovan McNabb caught a lot of
heat for comments he made saying that black QBs have it hard compared to
white QBs, bounced back & played a great game, passing for 381 yards & 4
touchdown passes in a 56-21 romp over the Detroit Lions.

*MLB Baseball Briefs--The San Francisco Giants will part ways with
future Hall of Famer & all-time home run king Barry Bonds when the
season concludes, ending a 15 year run with the team..Congrats to the
Red Sox, Yankees, Indians & Angels on clinching postseson berths in the
AL. The NL playoff berths are still up for grabs & will be determined by
the last day of the regular season.

That puts a wrap on yet another sports recap! Til next week, stay GAME &
stay blessed!
Peace! RG*

RG's Sports Recap

RG's Sports Recap

Top sports stories from last week:

*NFL-Week 2 Final Scores
*Sunday, 9/16
Packers 35, NY Giants 13
Ravens 20, NY Jets 13
Steelers 26, Bills 3
Colts 22, Titans 20
Texans 34, Panthers 21
49ers 17, Rams 16
Browns 51, Bengals 45
Bucs 31, Saints 14
Jaguars 13, Falcons 7
Cowboys 37, Dolphins 20
Lions 20, Vikings 17, OT
Cardinals 23, Seahawks 20
Bears 20, Chiefs 10
Broncos 23, Raiders 20, OT
Patriots 38, Chargers 14
*Monday, 9/17
Redskins 20, Eagles 12

*Pro & College football headlines-NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fined
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick $500,000 for videotaping the Jets
sideline illegally in an effort to steal coaches' signals during the
Patriots' 38-14 win over the Jets in week one. Goodell also fined the
Patriots organization $250,000 & were ordered to forfeit next year's 1st
round draft pick if they make the playoffs or 2nd & 3rd round picks if
they don't make the playoffs.....Encouraging news regarding young
Buffalo Bills TE Kevin Everett. As of this blog, Everett is showing some
movement in both of his hands & is regaining strength in his leg
muscles. Very positive signs following serious spinal cord injury he
suffered in week one against the Broncos.....After the whole mess with
their head coach "cheating" against the Jets, the Patriots calmed all
the negative criticism down by beating the equally talented Chargers
38-14 in convincing fashion & without resorting to "cheating" The
Patriots are off to a flying 2-0 start.....Michigan Wolverines star RB
Mike Hart came through on his guarantee as Michigan wins their 1st game
of the season, crushing Notre Dame, 38-0 at the Big House. Hart carried
the ball 35 times for 187 rushing yards & scored 2 touchdowns. Freshman
QB Ryan Mallet, subbing for injured senior QB Chad Henne, played very
well in his 1st start, throwing 3 touchdown passes....#1 ranked USC
defeated #14 Nebraska 49-31 to go 2-0...#5 Florida defeated #22
Tennessee, 59-20 to up its record to 3-0.

*Basketball news-The sexual harrasement trial between former NY Knicks
senior VP of Marketing Anucha Browne Sanders & current Knicks President
& head coach Isiah Thomas is underway. Sanders is suing the Knicks
organization for $10 million. Sanders testified in court that Thomas
treated her disrespectfully during her last couple of years at her
position with the Knicks, which prompted her to quit. The Knicks are
claiming that Sanders was fired due to bad performance on the job. But
based on Sanders testimony on what went down between her & Isiah, its
not looking good for Thomas. Stay tuned & we'll see how this all plays
out...Currently retired SG Allan Houston is hoping to make a return to
the NBA this coming season after retiring as a NY Knick a couple of
years ago due to knee injuries. According to a few sources, Allan's
workouts have gone pretty well so far & a few teams are interested in
his services, which include the Nets, Cavaliers & the Heat. Good luck to
Allan, who's a great guy....Congrats to the Phoenix Mercury on winning
their 1st WNBA championship in franchise history. They defeated the
2-time champ Detroit Shock 108-92 at the Palace in Auburn Hills in a
deciding 5th game...Seattle Storm All-Star center Lauren Jackson won her
2nd career league MVP. Jackson averaged 23.8ppg & 9.7rpg, both tops in
the WNBA this season.

*Other sports stories of note:
*Tiger Woods won the inaugural FedEx Cup by winning the final leg, the
Tour Championship in Atlanta. By winning the Cup, Woods is $10 million
richer!!!
*Chicago White Sox slugger Jim Thome became the 23rd player in MLB
history to hit 500 career home runs in a 9-7 victory over the Angels.

Well, that's a wrap on yet another sports recap. Til next week, stay
GAME & most importantly, stay blessed, sports fans!

Peace! RG*

RG's Weekly Sports Recap

RG's Weekly Sports Recap

Hey, GAME sports fans! Here are my top stories from last week:

*The 2K7 NFL season is underway & here are all the final scores from
week numbero uno:

*Thurs. 9/6
Colts 41, Saints 10

*Sunday, 9/9
Cowboys 45, NY Giants 35
Patriots 38, NY Jets 14
Vikings 24, Falcons 3
Redskins 16, Dolphins 13 OT
Broncos 15, Bills 14
Texans 20, Chiefs 3
Panthers 27, Rams 13
Packers 16, Eagles 13
Steelers 34, Browns 7
Titans 13, Jaguars 10
Lions 36, Raiders 21
Chargers 14, Bears 3
Seahawks 20, Buccaneers 6

*Monday, 9/10
Bengals 27, Ravens 20
49ers 20, Cardinals 17

In his 1st game as a Patriot, WR Randy Moss had himself a big time game,
catching 9 passes for 183 yards & caught a touchdown. Looks like the
change of scenery for Randy will reap its benefits for sure as long as
he stays healthy. The Patriots will be a force to be reckoned with this
season. They have a good, solid defense & Tom Brady has a great wideout
in Moss & also Donte Stallworth to throw to. Our prayers go out to
Buffalo Bills reserve TE/special teams player Kevin Everett. The 25 year
old Everett suffered a serious spinal cord injury while making a tackle
on Denver Broncos KR Domenik Hixon leading with the helmet. The injury
could leave Everett permanently paralyzed. Let's hope he makes a speedy
recovery.

*On the college football front: Michican & Notre Dame BOTH 0-2 to start
the season! The Wolverines again got beat on their home turf much to the
dismay of their loyal fans & student body. Oregon dominated Michigan
39-7 & they will face Notre Dame next week at the Big House in the
battle of 0-2 teams. The Fighting Irish lost to Penn State at Happy
Valley, 31-10.

Baseball briefs-It's safe to say that Alex Rodriguez will win the AL MVP
this season. As of this writing, A-Rod has a Major League leading 52
homers & 140 RBI with less than 20 games left in the regular season.
Yankee fans will hope that this is the year he can lead them to a World
Series championship. In the NL, the MVP is still up for grabs. It'll be
between the defending MVP, Phillies 1st baseman Ryan Howard, Brewers 1st
baseman Prince Fielder or NY Mets 3rd baseman David Wright.

*In tennis, congrats to both Justine Henin & Roger Federer on winning
the womens & mens crown at this years US Open. Henin won her 7th career
Grand Slam event & her 2nd US Open. Federer won his 12th Grand Slam
event & his 4th straight US Open. R-Fed is only 26 years of age & when
its all said & done, he will go down in history as the greatest mens
tennis player ever!

*In golf, Tiger Woods wins the BMW Championship in Chicago, edging out
Steve Stricker & in the process grabs the lead in the Fedex Cup
standings with 112,733 points over Stricker who has 109,600 points. The
Fedex Cup concludes next week at the Tour Championship in Atlanta. Phil
Mickelson, who is in 3rd place in the standings, elected not to play the
rest of the way.

Well, that's a wrap on yet another sports recap. Til next week, stay
GAME, sports fans! Peace! RG*

RG's Sports Recap Week 4

Hey, GAME sports fans! Here are my top sports stories from last week:

*Michael Vick, Michael Vick, & more Michael Vick!--Last week, both M.V.'s mom & his estranged dad spoke to the media regarding their disgraced eldest son & his recent troubles. Vick's father, Michael Boddie, reportedly knew of his son's involvement with dogfighting & advised him to stop doing what he was doing because it would eventually get him in big trouble if he were to ever get caught by the authorities. M.V. & his dad's relationship went south ever since he was drafted #1 overall by the Atlanta Falcons. I'm a firm believer in the saying, "Father knows best." Even though they haven't got along in the past few years, I think if Mike initially heeded to his father's advice to stop being involved with the dogfighting & gambling activities, he wouldn't be in the terrible situation that he is in now. Micheal's mom fully supports her eldest son, stating that he is now committing himself to God to get him through the adversity that he has endured thus far. Vick has plead guilty to the federal dogfighting charge. He will be sentenced to prison on 12/10/07 & the length will be determined by then. Vick faces either a year up to a year & a half in jail. After Vick does his time in prison, the NFL will suspend him for a season. He won't be eligible to play football again til 2010, when he will be 30 years of age. Vick has apologized to everyone he has affected with his ordeal; his family, the NFL, the Atlanta Falcons & all of his loyal fans who really admired & looked up to him. You know it STILL boggles my mind that Vick would get involved with this type of stupidity & THINK it wasn't gonna catch up with him inevitably! $130 million contract?! Multi-million dollar product endorsements & just throw it ALL away for being involved with dogfighting & killing dogs brutally if they didn't do their thing? I hope MV utilizes his time to get his mind right & come out being a better & wiser person in life.

*Baseball Briefs--Wed. 8/22/07--The Texas Rangers were down 3-Zip early to the Baltimore Orioles & the offensive explosion that was to follow was nothing short of incredible! The Rangers go on to score 30 unanswered runs...That's right, y'all, a 30 spot, & go on to a 30-3 mashing of the Orioles in the 1st game of a doubleheader, mind you!! 30 runs scored by one team in a 9-inning game before Texas did it was last done 110 years ago!!! It obvious that the Orioles' pitching was absolutely horrendous as they also gave up 29 hits!...Congrats to the Little League World Series Champs from Warner Robins, GA as they defeated Tokyo, Japan 3-2 to capture the title!

*Notable NFL signings--Kansas City Chiefs star RB Larry Johnson ends his holdout from training camp by agreeing to a six-year extension. Also ending a holdout was NY Jet rookie 1st round draft pick CB/KR Darrell Rivas, finally agreeing to a contract...NY Giant DE Michael Strahan still has not made a decision yet on whether he's playing this season or retiring. Stay tuned!

*The WNBA Playoffs have already jumped off! My teams to go to the Finals this season is the rematch of last year, the Detroit Shocks vs. the Sacramento Monarchs, with the Shock winning back-to-back titles, which hasn't been done since the Houston Comets' historic championship run in the late 90's...It'll be a little tough for the Shock to repeat this year if their superstar power forward Cheryl Ford is not able to go full throttle with an injured knee.

*Sunday, 8/25/07--In PGA golf, veteran golfer Steve Stricker ended a six-year victory drought by capturing the Barclays Tournament. Stricker shot a 4-round total of 268 & finished 16-under-par over runner up K.J. Choi, who finished at 14-under-par for the tournament. Stricker's last victory was in 2001 in the World Match Play.

*RIP to NBA forward Eddie Griffin, who was tragically killed in an auto accident by a passing freight train in Houston, TX in the middle of August, 2007. He was only 25 years young. What a shame & a waste of promising talent. Eddie battled alcohol addiction which led to various troubles with the law & as a result, never lived up to his potential during his 6-year NBA career with the Houston Rockets & Minnesota Timberwolves. Griffin entered the NBA Draft in 2001 after having an All-American freshman season at Seton Hall, averaging a double-double(18pts & 11rpg) & was a nasty shot-blocker.

Well, everyone. Another week, another wrap on the sports recap of last week's events. Til next week, stay GAME & enjoy the upcoming Labor Day weekend! Peace! ~RG~

RG's Weekly Sports Recap

Embattled Atlanta Falcons QB Michael Vick has made a very wise decision by admitting his guilt in participating in dog-fighting & gambling activities. Taking the case to trial was NOT gonna be a smart route to take, being that two of his closest friends have already plead guilty of the charges & were set to set to testify against him & the feds just had too much evidence against him as well. By Vick copping a plea, he will only face up to 18 months in prison. Why risk going to trial with everything against you & face a longer jail sentence, certainly ending your NFL career? There's no guarantee that Vick will return to play in the NFL even after he does his year up to year & a half bid in the pen. He'll still be young, 31 or 32, but based on this crime, teams will shy away from him, which will be a shame because Vick is an unbelievably gifted athlete blessed with elusive speed moves & a nice throwing arm. Just 3 years ago, Vick signed a 10-year, $130M contract & garnered huge endorsement deals with Nike & Topps trading cards & for him to even engage in something as cruel as dog-fighting & aiding in killing dogs in disturbing ways if they didn't do their thing during combat is very shameful, disgusting & sad. It goes to tell you that you can be on top of the world one minute & you can come crashing downhill the next minute, just like that!

*Former NBA referee Tim Donaghy admitted his guilt in illegally betting on NBA games he officiated during a four year period. In a pending move that has NBA Commish David Stern very nervous is that Donaghy will cooperate with the feds & rat out up to 20 other NBA officials who also bet on NBA games. Up to 20 refs?! That is a scary proposition right there!! Personally speaking, I've had my suspicions on how NBA games were being officiated in the past & present. Terrible foul calls in key situations & non-foul calls against superstar marquee players especially. Now with this matter with Donaghy, it has come to light, & that is a huge concern for the true NBA fans that love the game. We shall continue to follow this saga & I'm very eager to find out who else was involved with this mess!

*Veteran shock-jock Don Imus reached a settlement with CBS radio for $20M, & is gearing up for a return to the airwaves, possibly with WABC radio. As we all know, Imus has been out of work since April, getting fired for making an insensitive & racist remark on-air about the Rutgers women's basketball team, infamously calling them "nappy-headed hoes." One of the players, Kia Vaughn, has filed a defamation-of-character lawsuit against the I-Man, saying that his negative remarks has damaged her reputation. My message to Kia: Why let Imus' negative remark get to you? YOU know that you're not a nappy headed hoe. YOU are an intelligent & beautiful woman, inside & out & you are doing something positive with your life by currently getting a college education. Keep forging ahead, Kia & don't absorb the hate that comes your way, baby!

*Baseball briefs: Arizona Diamondbacks ace pitcher Brandon Webb has not given up a run in 42 straight innings & counting.....Minnesota Twins ace lefty Johan Santana struck 17 Texas Rangers with dominating stuff in a victory. When Santana enters free agency, he will command big money!!!......Chicago Cubs ace right-hander Carlos Zambrano signed a 5-year, $91.5M contract extension. Well deserved 'cause he truly is a great pitcher with great stuff & durabilty.

*In college football AP poll, USC comes in as the #1 ranked team, which is interesting to me. I guess it's the rep that Coach Pete Carroll has solidified with the program. The defending national champ Florida Gators is ranked #6 in poll.

*In soccer, superstar David Beckham had a pretty nice week. Becks scored his 1st goal with the L.A. Galaxy by way of a free kick in a victory over D.C. United. In a game against the Red Bulls at Giants Stadium in NJ, the attendance was an outstanding 66,237 fans to see Becks do his thing, & he didn't disappoint. He had 3 incredible assists which led to goals for the Galaxy, but all for naught as the home team Red Bulls won the game, 5-4. Young soccer phenom Freddy Adu made his European debut as a member of the Benfica of Portugal team. Keep in mind that Adu is just 18 years old with a ton of superstar potential.

*Rest in peace to the great former NY Yankee shortshop & broadcaster Phil Rizzuto. He was 90 years old.

Well, my friends, it's a wrap on another sports recap. Til next week, stay GAME everyone! Peace, RG*

RG's Weekly Recap

*On Tuesday, 8/7/07, San Francisco Giants OF Barry Bonds became the all-time home run king in Major League Baseball history by hitting #756 off of Washington Nationals starting pitcher Mike Bacsik in the 5th inning. Bonds passes Henry Hank Aaron on the all-time list. Baseball legend Willie Mays, who happens to be Bond's godfather, was at AT&T Park to witness the historic blast. Hall of Famer Frank Robinson was also present at the ballpark. A video message from Hank Aaron was played on the center-field scoreboard, congratulating Bonds on his great acheivement. MLB Commisioner Bud Selig was not present for the record breaking moment, but he did call Bonds from the locker room to congratulate him on breaking the record of his good friend Hank Aaron. Many fans & critics want to put an asterisk next to Bonds' name in the record books because of the whole BALCO situation, which alleges that he used steroids. Bottom line is, Barry Bonds, steroids or not, is the greatest player in MLB history with his all around game, 7 NL MVPs & now the home run king, all-time. Congrats to the great Barry Lamar Bonds!

*Memo to the PGA, Eldrick "Tiger" Woods is back in top form & ready to dominate the field again. Just recently, he became a father to a beautiful baby girl named Sam, & with that source of motivation, Tiger goes on win his 4th PGA Championship under blistering hot weather conditons at Southern Hills in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Woods beat runner up Woody Austin by 2 strokes, shooting 8-under par. The victory is his 13th career major victory, 5 away from tying golfing legend Jack Nicklaus' record of 18 major victories.

*There's yet another great & inspirational story emerging in Major League Baseball. 28 year old St. Louis Cardinals OF Rick Ankiel, who in 2000, came up as a top young pitching prospect, hit 3 home runs in 3 games. Ankiel now has 5 home runs, & has received standing ovations during the home games in St. Louis. As a left handed starting pitcher in his rookie year in 2000 at age 21, Ankiel had amazing stuff, but then developed control problems finding the strike zone. He was then sent back down to the minor leagues to correct his pitching deficiencies, but in 2005, he decide to quit pitching altogether so he can resurrect himself by playing the outfield & utilize his hitting & fielding skills. The transformation from pitcher to outfielder/hitting star has worked out great for Rick & the Cardinals organization!

That's a wrap on last week's sports recap. Until next week, stay GAME, sports fans!

~Ross G~

Top Sports Stories from Last Week

*Barry Bonds tied Hank Aaron's career home run record, hitting #755 in the left field stands at Petco Park in San Diego against Padres pitcher Clay Hensley.

*Alex Rodriguez became the youngest player in Major League Baseball history at 32 years of age to hit 500 career home runs. It came off Kansas city pitcher Kyle Davies at Yankee Stadium.

*Tom Glavine became the 23rd pitcher in MLB history to win 300 career games. The historic victory came against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field.

*Legendary NFL head coach Bill Walsh, who led the San Francisco 49ers to national prominence by winning multiple Super Bowls in the 80's, passed away from a lengthy battle with leukemia.

*Future NBA Hall of Famer Kevin Garnett, 31, was traded to the Boston Celtics & in exchange, the Minnesota Timberwolves pick up forwards Al Jefferson, Ryan Gomes & Gerald Green, point guard Sebastian Telfair, center Theo Ratliff, two 1st round draft picks in 2009 & cash considerations. This acquisition, along with Ray Allen playing alongside Paul Pierce, puts the Celts amongst the top teams in the Eastern Conference for the upcoming season.

*#1 ranked Mexican golfer Lorena Ochoa wins her 1st Major Championship, winning the Women's British Open.

*Tiger Woods wins the Bridgestone Invitational by 8 strokes over South African Rory Sabbatini.

*Tony Kanaan wins the Firestone Indy 400 at Michigan International Speedway over Marco Andretti.

*In tennis, Andy Roddick won his 3rd Legg Mason Tennis Classic title in Washington, defeating unseeded John Isner & women's top seed Maria Sharapova won her 1st title in 10 months defeating Patty Schnyder in the final Acura Classic tournament in Carlsbad, CA.

*Congrats to NFL legends Michael Irwin, Bruce Matthews & Thurman Thomas. They are among this years class inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

That's a wrap on last week's sports recap! 'Til next week, stay GAME, everyone!**Ross G*

RG's Weekly Sports Recap

In baseball news, SF Giant OF Barry Bonds is now 1 home run away from tying Hammerin' Hank Aaron's all-time record of 755. Bonds hit #754 in a home win in San Francisco against the Florida Marlins. Other players approaching milestones: NY Yankee 3B Alex Rodriguez connect on homer #499 in a Yankee win over the Kansas City Royals. At only 32 years of age, A-Rod is bidding to become the youngest player to hit 500 career home runs. NY Mets lefty starting pitcher Tom Glavine won his 299th career game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Glavine is one win away from reaching the exclusive 300 career win plateau. The feel good story of last week was the return of Boston Red Sox lefty starting pitcher Jon Lester. Lester was diagnosed last year with anaplastic large cell lymphoma, a treatable form of cancer, after going 7-2 as a rookie. He missed the remainder of the season for treatment, & there was doubt he would ever pitch again. Lester has defeated the cancer & returned in a huge & courageous way by going 6 innings & pitching an excellent game, shutting down a deep & talented Cleveland Indians offense by only giving up 2 runs & 5 hits, leading in a 6-2 Red Sox victory. Congrats to 2 modern day baseball legends inducted into the Hall of Fame, Cal Ripken, Jr & Tony Gwynn.

In football news, NFL running back great Curtis Martin announced his retirement due to serious knee injuries. Martin finishes his career as one of the most consistent & mentally tough running backs to ever play the game, rushing for 14,101 career yards, placing him 4th on the all-time list. Martin & Hall of Famer Barry Sanders are the only running backs in NFL history to rush for 1,000+ yards their 1st 10 seasons in the league. C-Mart is now setting his sights on becoming a part-owner of an NFL franchise in the very near future. Best of luck to Curtis! Congrats to the Arena League Football Champs, the San Jose SaberCats! It's their 3rd championship. They defeated the Columbus Destroyers, 55-33. Embattled former #1 draft pick QB Tim Couch is back in the NFL. He signed a 2 year contract with the Jacksonville Jaguars.

Other sports stories from last week: The gorgeous 24 year old Natalie Gulbis finally wins her 1st LPGA tournament, defeating Jan Jeong with a birdie on the 1st hole of a sudden-death playoff at the Evian Masters. Golf legend Tom Watson wins his 3rd Senior British Open in 5 years. 24 year old Alberto Contador from Spain wins the 94th Tour de France. NASCAR driver Tony Stewart won his 2nd Allstate 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Special congrats to the newlyweds, the very gorgeous Laila Ali, 29 & former NFL wide receiver Curtis Conway,36. They got married on Sunday, 7/29 in L.A.

Well, that's a wrap on last week's sports recap. Til next week, stay GAME, everyone!!!***RG*