The Sport Reports

New Batting Helmets Set To Protect

2009-08-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

The new S100 batting helmet now offers protection in the head for pitches into the 100 MPH range. In comparison the typical batters helmet in the majors right now can only withstand a 60 MPH pitch. However, according to sources, players feel that the helmet is not as appealing as the basic helmet or that the helmet weighs too much on their heads.

The benefits are far more than just protecting the most vital part of your body. Players will now have more confidence in the equipment that protects them allowing them to stand in the box without having to worry as much. If the equipment will sustain the hardest pitches thrown in the major leagues maybe players won’t be as hot headed to charge the mound if a ball is hurled at their head – then again maybe not.

Improvement in sports are not always a good thing, however this innovation is not a performance enhancer and is great for the game.

Questions? Comments? Let us know!.

LeBron Won't Shake On It

2009-08-12T11:18:00.000-07:00

The media can’t get enough of LeBron and his hand shakes. Yesterday a reporter asked if he had regretted not shaking hands and whether he has felt any effects from not doing so.

Lebron responded, “"I still haven't had a black eye, for one. Two, I don't regret anything that I do. The only thing I apologize for that night is not doing the media session”

LeBbron may have a point in that the media and his sponsors haven’t felt an out-lash from consumers for his behaviors. Although, Darren Rovell reports that Nike isn’t as pleased with the LeBron signing as they had hoped. The high-school prodigy was supposed to be the next Michael Jordan, but has yet to prove he can win championships or lose with class – not the ideal for the second coming of Jordan.

Questions? Comments? Let us know!.

The NFL Rules

2009-08-11T09:09:00.000-07:00

Each year millions of people buy magazines and waste countless work hours preparing for another season of fantasy football. The game has been revolutionized in the past decade with the introduction of live scoring, new game formats, and thousands of “experts” weighing their opinions on the web. The popularity of the game has led to lawsuits over the rights to use player’s names and stats for fantasy purpose as well as questions about whether players had their own leagues (which they do). I’m hoping my star running back drafts himself to give a little extra motivation to run harder on Monday night to make a comeback.

Although the NFL has not realized it yet, fantasy football is mutually beneficial to the league. It creates more followers to the nation’s most popular sport since fans that previously had no vested interest in the Detroit vs. Houston game now care about how many points Houston’s defense can generate from shutting out Detroit. The NFL is upset with fantasy leagues simply because they want to have as much control on the sport and its operations without the interference of others. We have seen the NFL do this in other ways such as speaking out against sports betting in Delaware stating that it would ruin the integrity of the game. However valid their argument may be Las Vegas allows sports betting and the leagues integrity has still been sustained.

Whether it’s bragging rights, a cash pot, or fun you are playing for - enjoy the season that waits!

Questions? Comments? Let us know!.

The Prince Isn't So Sharp

2009-08-06T11:38:00.001-07:00

Things aren’t looking so “sharp” right now for Milwaukee Brewer’s first basemen Prince Fielder. After being pitched at in the final inning of a blow-out game, Prince decided to try and force himself into the Dodgers locker room to seek revenge for the pitch. Maybe not one of the brightest ideas the big man has had. Since winning the Homerun Derby in St. Louis, Prince has been getting some positive press, however with this incident he may have set himself back again. Atleast, Carlos Zambrano didn’t hit any players when he went on his tirade.

Sharp electronics is a sponsor of the slugger, who has been endorsing the AQUOS high-definition television since 2008. If his endorsements have been working, than all the lucky fans out in Milwaukee were able to see his tantrum is amazing quality. One thing is clear for now, Sharp will stay away from using him for now.

Questions? Comments? Let us know!.

For The Love of Minor League Sports

2009-08-05T10:08:00.000-07:00

Minor League Baseball has built it's reputation on doing things that simply aren't acceptable in the Major Leagues. Their attempt to draw crowds with gimmick days have been their staple since their inception. As a former Minor League worker myself, I have seen some interesting attempts to draw crowds. My favorite, of course, being William Hung's 7th inning stretch appearance. We had him in town for a couple days, he held radio interviews and even was spotted around the town by some adoring fans. Nonetheless this, in my eyes comical, promotion was extremely popular. The obvious increase in attendance need not be measured in numbers, since there was such a visual difference in the stands.

The Lake County Captains just pulled off a "Nickel Beer Night" at their stadium which has garnered a ton of media attention. However, Cleveland has got nothing on the Eastern Basketball Alliance's Elmira Buldogs upcoming promotion. The NBA's most controversial player, Dennis Rodman, will be coaching the team for two games only this February. Tickets went on sale on Monday with VIP tickets available to sit courtside and meet Dennis Rodman after the game. It's great to see other Minor League sports stepping into the promotional world. Baseball has dominated this market for far to long and we are happy to see some change.

Questions? Comments? Let us know!.

National Felony League

2009-08-04T08:57:00.000-07:00

As far as we are concerned there are four major sports in the United States. Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Hockey. Yet, when we think of criminals and illegal activities the first sport we think of is Football. Yes, baseball has criminals of their own (Habitual victims of perjury and steroid users), but no sport sees as many DWI, murder, or weapon charges as the National Football League.

But why do all-star names such as Michael Vick, Plaxico Burress, Brandon Marshall, Donte' Stallworth, Adam "Pacman" Jones and the entire Cincinnati Bengals keep showing up as perennial criminals. Does the NFL employ criminals on purpose? Does the league just attract players who come from bad backgrounds? Are a lot of these false accusations? Do players end up in the wrongs crowd? All of these questions are valid, but why in the NFL more than anywhere else?

Each NFL roster is allowed to have 53 players, a substantial number more than any other league. There are always more crimes when there are more people, statistics don't lie, but does the NFL have more criminals simply because there are more players? I find this hard to believe.

Commissioner Goodell has attempted to try and cut down on the leagues DWI and driving problems by setting up a service that will provide a taxi for each player in all major NFL cities. However, players rarely use this out of fear they will be kept on record and teams will hold this against them during their next contract talks. (If you are interested in starting a private athlete transportation service email me!)

The wrong crowd? This seems to be the problem behind a lot of crimes in professional sports. The storyline is always the same, player X rises from the slums to become an all-star and is followed by his old entourage that is still into clubs, guns, and violence that is all funded by player X. Is there something about football that players seem to feel compelled to a life of violence in such a physical sport?

Players will contest that Plaxico Burress isn't guilty of a severe crime. The players seem to feel that their lives are in continuous danger and should always carry a weapon. If a player wants to carry a weapon than he should obtain the legal permits and become educated on how to operate and carry a fire-arm properly. Plaxico Burress has been indicted and may serve up to 15 years in prison on sheer stupidity.

Along with being continuous targets for robbery, they are also victims for false accusations and extortion due to there prominence in the media as well as their wealth. The proverbial jury is still out on what really transpired with Kobe Bryant.

The reason behind the NFL and it's criminal history may never come to light, but it should remain a high priority of the league to defend their players in order to maintain the integrity of the league. After all, owners would rather see their rich fans buying tickets to their brand new stadiums than going to the prison yard to catch a few all-stars for free.

UPDATE: Eagles DE Parker is caught in possession of marijuana.

Questions? Comments? Let us know!.

Victor Martinez Bobble Head Night

2009-07-31T12:10:00.000-07:00

As the trade deadline looms there is very clear indication that Victor Martinez will no longer be a member of the Tribe. It appears the the Boston Red Sox will be acquiring the catcher for much less than previously anticipated, a sign of dead line leverage the Red Sox are using to persuade Cleveland.

The irony behind all of this is tomorrow night in Cleveland just so happens to be Victor Martinez Bobble head night. It would be an interesting give-away if the player isn't on the team anymore. We are very curious to see what Cleveland does to respond to this intriguing situation. They will most likely have to eat the cost of the promotion to avoid embarrassment. However, times like these are a great time for teams to respond to such situations and embrace the problem in a creative and innovated way. We'll keep you posted on what happens in Cleveland.

UPDATE: V-Mart was traded to the Red Sox. Bobble head night has not been canceled yet.

Questions? Comments? Let us know!.

Deadline Deals

2009-07-31T10:44:00.000-07:00

Today marks the trade deadline for Major League Baseball. Today teams decide whether they are contenders or pretenders and make a move for this years playoffs or rebuild towards the future. Contract negotiations are always based off leverage. In the next few hours leverage will be at its all time high. Teams with prized possessions, such as Toronto's Roy Halladay, will try and cash in on and obtain future all-star prospects from teams who hope to make a run deep in to October. However, J.P. Ricciardi, Toronto's General Manager, is having a tough time make a move for Halladay. He expected to get major returns, but teams were unwilling to pay, at this point it looks like Halladay will not move anywhere and Ricciardi will have lost all leverage and lose Halladay to free agency in the off-season. He has been stating that the only way the team would move Halladay was that if he was "blown-away" by an offer, but this seems unlikely to happen. At this point contenders have more leverage than Ricciariardi and someone may have a steal at him.

Attendance figures are also at stake during this time, because a team that is unloading a superstar loses all faith from their fans and may stop coming to games. However, if a team acquires an all-star they are almost certain to see a boost in attendance and excitement.

Would you rather see your team unload your all-star at the deadline to make a play for the future? Let us know!

Questions? Comments? Let us know!.

Reactions: Contract Floors

2009-07-30T11:26:00.001-07:00

Yesterday we received tons of response from readers about their feelings towards players accepting "contract floors" as guarantees to perform to their expected level of their contract. Many felt that this was an extreme measure, which is understandable, but some others took it even further as to say why not pay a player per HR, basket, goal, or touchdown.

As an owner, this is a very interesting point, but the players would never go for such a thing. This also happens to be against the collective bargaining agreements of the sports to have a contract based only on performance, obviously to protect the players. This issue may be addressed in the upcoming NFL season when the CBA is expected to be readdressed, however this is an unlikely circumstance to come out of the talks.

Questions? Comments? Let us know!.

Player's Contract Gripes

2009-07-29T11:06:00.001-07:00

One sports issue that has always boggled my mind was players holding out. We have been informed that rookies, who have not signed before camp,are not considered a hold out, because a player must have an initial contract in order to be considered a hold out. Why do players always feel the need to complain when they feel they aren't being paid fairly.

There are of course two sides to this very issue - the teams and the players. Every team believes that a contract is a legal binding document that details the services that the player will provide and under what monetary compensation. Players, on the other hand, seem to view this simply as their paycheck outline for that year and feel that once they deserve more money they will not play under their current contract. Teams are built around "under-paying" star athletes during their first contract since their values will skyrocket once the player is able to test free agency. When the player agrees to a deal and feels his outperforms the contract why should a team restructure the deal and pay him more? Would the player be willing to give money back if he didn't perform to the contracts expectations?

Most players have some form of escalators built into their contracts if they hit certain marks in their performance. Why can't teams protect themselves against under performers and put contract floors in contracts? This seems like a great idea, since some players have highly unattainable escalators in their contracts. Let's say a team signs Michael Vick. Why not place a floor in his contract that states - if he doesn't accumulate 100 points for the team this season he owes money back to the team - a sort of bust insurance policy a player would take in order to get a higher initial contract in exchange for their guarantee to perform at a certain level. This would be almost like a split taken by rookies to protect the team from injuries.

Questions? Comments? Let us know!

Arena X-Glide is X'd

2009-07-28T19:58:00.000-07:00

Today, Michael Phelphs failed to win the 200m free in Rome, Italy. Not only was he beaten, but his world record was shattered by almost a full second by Paul Biedermann. Yes, Phelps hasn't been himself since the Olympics, but there is another story line here that needs more investigation. That is the Arena X-Glide suit that Biedermann was wearing. The suit allows the swimmer to be more bouyant and glide across the top of the water. Biedermann admits that the suit shaves 2 seconds off of his 400m free. So, if this suit is so amazing then why hasn't Michael Phelps made the switch? Sponsors. Phelps is sponsored by Speedo, who once had "the fastest suit on water", but it no longer holds that title and is not allowed to wear any other suit.

These suits are simply ruining the sport of swimming. It is equivalent to using steroids or a corked bat. Thankfully, starting in 2010 hi-tech suits will be banned and the redemption of swimming will begin.

NFL Camps Begin

2009-07-27T20:31:00.000-07:00

NFL camps have recently begun and only four first round picks have been signed to date. This is no time for players to be missing valuable training and getting acquainted with their teams. Most players are waiting for players of either their same position or within the same pick range to make a deal before they sign in order to have a benchmark for their contract.

Some players are adamant on their own contract demands, such as Knowshon Moreno and Michael Crabtree, and don't appear to be signing a contract with their teams anytime soon.

There seems to always be a discrepancy between the teams value of the player and the player/agent's perception of their value. Very much like Stephen Strasburg's inflated value due to Scott Boras, Crabtree thinks that he deserves a very lucrative deal.

Like we have said before, the real key to these contracts is to get through the first one and hit free agency for the big money

Somethings In Life Are Just - Perfect.

2009-07-23T16:33:00.000-07:00

Today Mark Buehrle hurled the 17th perfect game 388,364 games of baseball's history. There is no achievement in sport as perfect and unblemished as a perfect game in baseball. A simple mistake in a perfect game is considered a no hitter, which is far more commonplace. A perfect passer rating can be achieved despite having an incomplete pass. Yet, no feat is so rare that it has only happened 17 times in baseball history. The game is also incredible for several other reasons. This game keeps Chicago's playoff hopes alive and comes against the defending runner-ups of the World Series.

We have already seen President Obama become more involved than any president in history in sports and today was no different. He was one of the first people, other than those at the stadium, to congratulate Mark on his accomplishment. You can see the video here.

It is great to see the President embrace Americans who perform outstanding accomplishments whether it be in sports, academia, or military. It is these remarkable tasks that make this country great.

For day, somethings are just perfect.

The Lebron Tape Released

2009-07-22T14:10:00.000-07:00

By now most people have seen the notorious dunk on LeBron James. This video has the talk of the basketball world ever since Nike and Lebron decided to confiscate all video evidence of the event. This only led to dunk becoming a legend and being hyped up more than the dunk actually was.

Nike should have released the video once it became controversial, but instead another person captured the video and it was released today by TMZ. TMZ will see a huge increase in website traffic today since the video is one of the most anticipated videos in awhile. The publicity from the video is undeniable since their name is watermarked into the tape. Maybe now that the dunk has been released and is clearly not to the caliber that it was supposed to be, Nike will release the other footage.

Shaq Vs. ?

2009-07-20T12:17:00.001-07:00

ESPN News reports the Shaq will begin a T.V. show set to air on August 18th. The shows premise is that Shaq will compete against other top performers in their respective sports. He is set to swim against Michael Phelps, box against De La Hoya, and even hit homers with Albert Pujols. While the Cleveland Cavaliers have already agreed to let Shaq do the show, we don't really think it's a great idea to have you $12 million dollar man become a human punching bag for Oscar De La Hoya.

Shaq has always been an entertainer and this show will be a great way for him to entertain us in other ways then his pregame introduction antics. Other than the aforementioned contests here are a list of our Top 5 contests that Shaq should partake in.

5. Race Dale Earndhart in NASCAR
4. Race Apollo Ohno in speed track
3. Race Bode Miller in Downhill skiing

Yes, we don't actually think he has a chance in any of these events, but our top 2 he may be good at.

2. Tee off with Tiger Woods
1. Sumo Wrestle 330lb Asashōryū Akinori

Who would you like to see Shaq square off against?

Watson's World of Wonder

2009-07-17T11:58:00.000-07:00

The British Open is in a full swing, and the sport of golf is reaping the benefits of an intriguing weekend. Tom Watson, 59 years young, has surged to the top of the lead tied with Steve Marino. Watson was able to secure a share of the lead with two long birdie putts on 16 and 18. For the casual fan that is unaware of the severity of what is going on, let me take the time to break it down.

Tom Watson has won 8 major championship, including 5 British Opens. One of those Open victories include an infamous duel against Jack Nicklaus at Turnberry, site of this year’s Open. The only major Watson has not won in his career is the PGA Championship. However, Watson’s career has long been over and he now plays on the “Golf Legends” tour, which includes all the majors and a few Champions Tour events a year.

Watson contending reminds us of last year’s British Open where Greg Norman was until contention until late Sunday. However, Watson winning this year’s Open would be an astronomically larger story. Norman, for as great of a golfer as he was, will for always be remembered for his epic collapses. Watson is most likely put in the category with Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer, and Sam Snead. It isn’t even like Watson had been playing quality tournament golf going into the championship. His only other PGA Tour event was the Masters where he missed the cut with rounds of 74-83. He also does not have a top 10 in the 3 Champions Tour events he’s played in.

The PGA Tour is the big winner, as usual. The British Open in normally the least watched major due to that fact that it is live in the early morning in the United States. However, with an intriguing headline going into the weekend, I expect that to change this year.

Sunderland Sails The Globe

2009-07-16T16:38:00.000-07:00

Today 17 year old Zac Sunderland became the youngest person to sail solo around the globe. This is truly a remarkable feat and anyone familiar with the situation knows of the countless storms and other problems he may have encountered. Everyone can learn a lesson from him that . Not to take away from this amazing accomplishment, but he will not remain the youngest person to do so for long.

So what's next for Zac? Will he become a spokesperson for a brand or will he become irrelevant in a few months?

Watching videos and listening to his story is extremely inspiring. He could make a nice chunk of change for his college fun on speaking engagements. That is of course he decides to attend college instead of joining the Americas Cup team.

Congrats Zac!

Strasburg Not Close To Striking A Deal

2009-07-15T20:14:00.001-07:00

Recent reports state that the Washington Nationals and Scott Boras' prized draft pick Stephen Strasburg are nowhere close to striking a deal.

This comes to no surprise to us here at The Sport Reports. We noted previously that Boras was looking at Daisuke Matsuzaka type numbers for the San Diego State ace. The Nationals drafted him knowing what type of numbers they would have to pony up in order to reach an agreement with Strasburg. However, at this point neither party has seemed to budge from their pre-draft position.

At this rate it appears that Strasburg will have to wait until next year to be drafted again. If the Nationals wanted they would be allowed to draft him again only with consent from the player. Although, this situation seems highly unlikely.

In this economy teams do not seem to want to pay an amateur player this type of coin for their unproven service. I would be interested to see if the Yankees or Red Sox would be willing to pay the price for Strasburg if they had the opportunity.

It's time for Strasburg to realize that the only way to make money in this league is to prove yourself and hope for the best.

Homerun Derby

2009-07-13T13:48:00.000-07:00

Most sports all-star weekends are quite forgettable. However, last year’s MLB all star weekend was one for the ages. Josh Hamilton sent a mind-boggling 28 homeruns into the stands during the first round of the derby. Unfortunately, this record didn’t lead him to a victory, but as Jayson Stark proves not many people remember it that way.

The biggest problem with other sports pre-all star game activities is the lack of all-stars. The NBA’s Slam Dunk contest has lacked the likes of the best dunkers in the game (i.e. LeBron James) as well as creativity in the past few years. Adding some bigger names and making it more interesting would make it a much more valuable event.

This year Major League Baseball has done a great job in securing some of the games best long ball hitters with Carlos Pena, Nelson Cruz, Joe Mauer, Albert Pujols (league leader in HRs), Adrian Gonzalez, Prince Fielder and Ryan Howard. State Farm, the official sponsor of the event, should be extremely happy with the field for the event and the attention that these all-stars demand.

State Farm has teamed up with the Boys and Girls club of America to give-away $50,000 to the member who is paired up with the winning slugger. This is a very generous donation ,but we believe that this old dog needs to learn a few new tricks to keep the event exciting.

Go get 'em Ryan!

Phelps is Phast

2009-07-10T07:37:00.000-07:00

After much controversey over the "water pipe" incident, Michael Phelps is back atop the headlines. This time it is for his swimming ability as he broke the World Record for the 100 butterfly. Some believed that after the Olympian's losses after his return that he would never be the same. This clearly shows that he is ready to dive back in the pool and return to world domination in Rome.

Also, with Michael Phelps lighting up headlines with a positive note his sponsors will be pleased they stuck with the 14-time Olympic gold medalist while other companies questioned him as their brands spokesperson.

World Series Diamonds

2009-07-09T10:28:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I held in my hands one of the most coveted prizes in sports - a World Championship Ring. The ring is a 14-carat white gold ring with 103 diamonds totalling 3.84 karats, the 103 diamonds represent the Phillies 92 regular-season wins and 11 postseason victories.

It truly is one of the most amazing pieces of jewelry I've ever touched. The weight of the ring felt as if someone were tugging on your hand. Yet, I could simply only think of one thing. Where did these diamonds come from? Did the bear the weight of war?

We are all aware of blood diamonds, diamonds that come from oppressed war-torn countries. Is it possible that these 103 diamonds for each ring are supporting a war? Luckily, the diamonds in the ring are certified and are not be from a conflict areas, but how come the league or players don't publicly talk about or aknowledge this fact.

As we saw from the election, sports figures have the power to influence the beliefs of society. They are also extremly capable of making a difference in the world with their social status. The next champions should speak out against the horrific practice of blood diamonds as well as prove publicly that they are conflict-free.

Le Tour De Lance

2009-07-08T14:01:00.000-07:00

Last week CNBC reporter Darren Rovell called out Lance Armstrong and urged him not to compete in this years Tour de France.

"If you win the Tour de France this time around, so what? You're Lance Armstrong. You're supposed to. If you don't, you become another one of those athletes who couldn't leave on top."

I would like to respectively disagree. Lance is fighting for far more then himself. He is one of the very few athletes that can transcend sports and become an icon for more than his incredible athletic performances. His battle and victory over cancer gave hope to the millions of lives that are affected by the disease every year. While athletes like Michael Jordan and Brett Favre can't quit while they are on top, Lance Armstrong can never quit as he has become the symbol of hope for those who need him the most.

Thank you Lance for showing us that we all can have the determination to conquer the toughest obstacles in our lives.

Ride on.

Wimbledon Doesn't Quite Match Up

2009-07-07T13:51:00.000-07:00

The official television ratings are in for the Sunday's Men's Final from Wimbledon. Surprisingly this years marathon didn't quite square up to last year's battle between Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal. This year's final was rated a 4.2 with last year at a 4.6.

I am surprised that a lot more people didn't tune in to see history, but maybe people just weren't interested in a non-Federer-Nadal match-up.

Wimbledon Winners

2009-07-06T20:56:00.000-07:00

The biggest winner of Wimbledon is Roger Federer and Serena Williams sponsor, Nike. However, the Men's Final did gain tons of exposure for Roddick's sponsor Lacoste.

The past two years the Wimbledon Men's finals have been epic. There hasn't been a major sports event that has been as excited for the past two years. This is great for sports and for the sponsors who attach their names to this event.

Nike all and all had a great weekend as they also sponsored another champion this weekend, Tiger Woods.

Happy 4th!

2009-07-03T17:58:00.001-07:00

We here at The Sport Reports would like to wish everyone a very happy 4th of July! We will be watching the Men's Wimbledon Final between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick tomorrow, should be some good tennis. History could be made as Federer goes for his world record 15th Grand Slam victory. There is also of plenty of baseball on tomorrow, which goes perfectly with a barbeque on what should be a perfect day. Enjoy the 4th, stay safe, and we will see you on Monday.

- The Sport Reports

Sister Act: Part 7

2009-07-02T10:52:00.000-07:00

This weekend the William’s sisters will face off against each other for the 7th time in a major championship, a truly remarkable feat.

When the two sisters take the court each will be carrying a Wilson racquet and a Williams’s last name. However, the two sisters clothing and shoes will look entirely different.

Venus Williams will be sporting her unique and quite affordable EleVen line by Steve & Barry’s. The entire line’s products retail for $19.98 or less, the company is also known for their Starbury sneaker line by Stephon Marbury line that retail for $ l4.99.

On the other hand, Serena will be outfitted in Nike gear that is not quite as affordable as her sisters own line.

It is very interested to see the two separate paths the sisters took towards their sponsorships. Serena chose to sign with apparel powerhouse Nike for a $40 million contract. Whereas, Venus chose to become an entrepreneur in her own right and start her own unique brand.

Regardless of what each sister is wearing this match will surely generate tons of attention. All eyes will be on both brands during this 4th of July battle.

Free Agency Begins!

2009-07-01T10:00:00.000-07:00

It’s July 1st and NBA Free Agency begins today, but what exactly does that mean for teams and their free agent players?

Free agents are allowed to start negotiated their new contracts for the next season, but are not allowed to sign until July 8th. Unrestricted agents are allowed to discuss terms with new teams and be offered a contract; the team that they are under contract with has 14 days to match their new offer sheet.

The 2009 free agent period could be an interesting one; most teams are looking to unload cap space to free up room for the 2010 free agent frenzy. Teams are also facing economic woes and may be choosing to lower their costs as a precaution. This year teams will likely make more financial decisions for their franchises than basketball decisions. For example, the Utah Jazz is expected to trade All-Star Carlos Boozer in order to stay below the luxury tax line for this season.

In a few days it will be clear which teams are looking to be contenders for a NBA title and which are clearing cap space in attempt to land the 2010 prized possession of LeBron James.

NBA Draft: Winners and Losers

2009-06-30T10:56:00.000-07:00

Each year some players are unexpectedly taken much higher than projected and others seems to fall much further than they ever could have imagined. We here at The Sport Reports will take a look back out our Mock Draft and pick out the winners and losers of this years draft.

The Sport Reports projected North Carolina’s Tyler Hansbrough to be selected at the 20th pick of this year’s draft, which would have slated him a salary in the $3,543,000 range for his first 3 seasons. However, Indiana picked him with the 13th pick and nabbed him a contract said to be around $5,995,800 an increase of about $2.4 million then projected. Congrats Tyler.

However, some players weren’t as lucky to be picked early. The Sport Reports projected Pittsburgh’s DeJuan Blair to be selected with the 14th pick of the draft, which would have guranteed him a contract in the range of $4-5 million, however Blair slipped an outrageous 23 spots and ended up in the second round where no pay scale is set in place.

Last years 37th pick Luc Richard Mbah a Moute from UCLA is scheduled to make $757,000 this season and we project Blair will see a similar type contract to Mbah a Moute and will lose out on about $2.5 million in guaranteed money from his slide. The 6’7 must have received from bad advice from his agent or concern over the big man’s knees may have caused the slide. DeJuan Blair really hurt his Pitt team by leaving early and didn’t receive the compensation he believed he deserved for doing so.

Shaq Circus

2009-06-25T10:29:00.001-07:00

Is Shaq the best fit for the Lebron and the Cavs? Arguably not, but he was the best financial option the team had. Shaq will be a free agent in 2010 and by dumping a few extra players they will have the ability to bring in a long-term star to play with LeBron (i.e. Chris Bosh). As we have all seen his antics before, Shaq is one of the most entertaining players in the NBA and people seem to always follow what he is doing (see 1.39 million Twitter followers). Last season, Lebron and Shaq were in a “Who’s got a better intro” contest and we’ll likely see some creative entrances from the duo next season. Despite the drop in television market from Phoenix (12) to Cleveland (17), Shaq should have a ton of spot light playing with LeBron this year.

So the Circus begins!

Welcome to Baracklyn

2009-06-25T10:07:00.000-07:00

For one night and one night only, the minor league Brooklyn Cyclones changed their names to the Baracklyn Cyclones in honor of the President. This presidential mania that has swept this country is now flooding into the sports marketing world.

During the elections, we saw had athletes publicly expressing their opinions and thoughts about electing now president Barack Obama. Now we see a team changing their names to the “Baracklyn Cyclones” to promote their team.

The first 2,500 fans in attendance were given Barack Obama bobble head dolls. Any person who was named Joe and was a plumber was given two free tickets, with proof of ID of course.

The Cyclones were not able to influence the president himself to attend the game, but were able to hire a look alike in his place to throw out the ceremonial first pitch. In this down economy we have seen companies try and “pull the wool” over our eyes using look-a-likes, such as T.J. Maxx and their Tiger Woods look-a-like.

Minor League baseball survives on entertaining and fun promotions. Major league teams would be under heavy fire if they ever tried to pull a move like this. The Cyclones had a line for almost two blocks waiting to get into the game. Great promotions and fair ticket prices are a great way to keep people entertained. Kudos to Brooklyn!

US Soccer in a Shocker

2009-06-24T13:35:00.000-07:00

Apparently, the United States soccer team reads The Sport Reports. As I mentioned in an earlier post, I didn't seem too optimistic for the US's team bid to reach the finals of the Confed Cup. They needed to get through mighty Spain, and they did just that winning 2-0. Check back later as I reevaluate my stance on US soccer.

Time for a Change

2009-06-24T11:20:00.001-07:00

In fifteen minutes or so, the United States will begin their unlikely quest for the Confed Cup title. For most of you who don’t follow the happenings of soccer on a daily basis, the US team advanced through group play on a tiebreaker. Italy, Egypt, and the United States all finished 1-2 after group play, however the United States advanced to the Final Four by beating Egypt 3-0, and then Brazil beating Italy 3-0.

US soccer fans are trying to proclaim this as a huge step for soccer in this country although that argument cannot be made unless they put up a respectable effort against Spain today. That will be a tall task as Spain comes in as the best team in the Confed field led by high scoring David Villa and Fernando Torres.

If the United States team does get smacked today by the Spaniards, FIFA will need to readdress the tiebreaker situations. Although the United States did everything necessary to advance (yet they lost to Italy), wouldn’t an Italy-Spain matchup make more sense to the world’s soccer fans.

Wizardry in the Woods

2009-06-24T08:39:00.001-07:00

News is swirling that the Minnesota Timberbwolves will likely make extreme moves prior to the draft on Thursday night. It seems that after a pending trade with the Washington Wizards the Timberwolves will hold picks 5, 6, 18 and 28 in this years draft. Last years first year player salary pay scale for those picks were as follows:

5 - $2,636,400

6 - $2,394,600

18 - $1,160,200

28 - $809,300

The Timberwolves have traded away Al Jefferson which would have cost them $12 million in salary for the '09'10 season and will allow them, if they choose, to sign these four picks with great value. Of course these numbers are sure to increase from last year. Minnesota is doing a great job rebuilding here and acquiring highly touted draft picks is always a great way to put fans into seats.

This trade has significant implications for the Washington Wizards who, by acquiring these players from Minnesota, appear willing to pay the luxury tax to the league. The Wizards are obviously commited to their "win now" strategy as this rebuilding effort is sure to put some hope back into the Wizard fans.

We'll keep you updated as the day progresses.

The Verve Pipe

2009-06-22T20:29:00.000-07:00

What is Verve? It's about time you've heard. Verve is the official energy drink of this year's US Open surprise runner, Ricky Barnes.

Barnes' run in the US Open garnered tons of media attention for his not so popular sponsors. According to Verve, Barnes generated over $3 million worth of advertising for the company.

His signature hat, which is made by Back9Nine, also hit big this weekend. Although, there wasn't much brand recognition on the hat itself, the company should be pleased with the extra air time their product received.

Green Bay Sees Green

2009-06-22T12:26:00.001-07:00

The Green Bay Packers are the only team that is publicly held. This means that every season their profits and expenses are on public display. The Packers just announced that they turned an operating profit in the excess of $20 million. However, after losses on investments they netted a total of $4 million, down almost $19 million since the previous season.

This is a very interesting especially since the Packers failed to make the playoffs last year. In this tough economic climate not many companies can say that they have made $4 million dollars. The major concerns facing the Packers are the rising costs of players and the rapid decline of profits coming in from the Green Bay area.

The Packers and the rest of the NFL are slowly showing that sports are no longer recession proof. Its up to teams and front offices to find new ways to pull in revenue.

US Open Makes Good On Tickets

2009-06-19T08:30:00.000-07:00

A U.S. open ticket is good only for one day of play, rain or shine, and not for a specific round. With Thursdays day of play suspended after two hours of play, many fans were furious that the money they spent on their ticket was wasted.

Fear no more! The U.S. open has just announced that they have changed their policy and will allow tickets from Thursday to be used on Monday if a playoff is necessary. Darren Rovell reports that the Monday ticket is the best ticket available for the tournament.

In this economy, people want what they paid for and the U.S. Open is making the right moves to reconcile this situation. If the tournament goes into a playoff it will be the best ticket of the year. However, if there is no playoff then their tickets still go to waste. We'll wait and see what happens.

MLB Finds Another Way Into Your Pockets

2009-06-18T22:55:00.000-07:00

Major League Baseball recently announced a new app for the iPhone that will allow users to stream games live directly from their cell phone. Games are limited as of now, but a variety of games will be available shortly. Unfortunately, only out of market games will be available for customers, so there still won't be any replay shown in the stadiums.

The app costs $10 and is available now.

Reebok says no to Gortat

2009-06-17T16:12:00.000-07:00

During the NBA Playoffs, Orlando's magic, Marcin Gortat, was seen sporting a tattoo of the great Michael Jordan. Obviously most basketball players have looked up to and idolized Michael Jordan for the majority of their life.

Michael Jordan's symbol, as most of us know, is synonmous with the Nike brand. Gortat happens to be a sponsored athlete of Reebok, a nike competitor. After Reebok took notice of Gortat's tat, they told him that he was to conceal the tattoo for the remainder of the playoffs. Gortat on the other hand wasn't so willing to.

In order to create an effective sponsorship it is important that the athlete uses the products that he is being paid to endorse. It's a plus if they have been using them since they were younger. Obviously this sponsorship deal is a huge mess. It is clear that Gortat's only real interest was in the check that Reebok rights in his name and not the product itself. We saw during the Olympics the USA Basketball team eating and enjoying Wendy's, while the official sponsor of the Olympics team is McDonald's. If you are sponsor, you better be sure your athlete really believes in your product. Maybe tattoo checks will become the new background check?

H20 Audio Has Faith In Phelps

2009-06-16T16:59:00.000-07:00

USA Today reports that Michael Phelps has just signed his first Sponsorship deal since his now infamous "water pipe" incident.

The partnership is for waterproof audio company H20 Audio. An obvious winning combo, but is it too soon to put Michael Phelps in the spotlight? I say forgive and forget, he happens to be the greatest Olympian this country has ever seen.

"The (music) helps me put myself in my own world. I can focus on what I'm doing. And tune out what everybody else is doing — no matter what." say Michael Phelps about the H2O Audio head phones.

Ironic since I thought that is exactly what the whole "water pipe" incident was about.

However, this announcement comes at a pretty bad time as Michael just finished his last 2 races in 2nd places and is showing signs of mortality. Despite these loses, I have a ton of faith that he will be back in Olympic Shape in 2012. If you are looking for these new water-proof headphones, they can be found at Apple, Target, Sports Authority and Best Buy retail stores soon.

Great to see Mr. Phelps getting back in the sponsor pool.

The US Open: Sponsors

2009-06-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

Here are the major US Open sponsors:

IBM
Rolex
Lexus
American Express

This is a very interesting group of sponsors shaping up for this weekends tournament. We don't see any insurance companies or banks forking up the dollars this time around. This is very interesting since the tournament is expected to receive good ratings with Tiger back in the line-up. In this economy I would think more people would be looking for more bargains then going out buying a Rolex watch, but so be it.

The Biggest Loser

2009-06-14T22:24:00.001-07:00

Congratulations to the Los Angeles Lakers on their victory and to Kobe Bryant for finally winning a championship without Shaq.

Only seconds after the Lakers were officially World Champions, all the players and coaches (except for Phil Jackson) adorned a 2009 NBA CHAMPIONS hat, which were obviously were produced prior to the game. So the question is then asked, “What happens to merchandise that was pre-produced for a team that loses a championship?”

We here at the Sport Reports have the answer. It turns out each professional league is responsible for deciding how they want to deal with the unusable merchandise. Some leagues decide to destroy the evidence, while others chose to make one countries trash another one’s treasure. The NBA has a strict policy on only producing championship merchandise once a team as accrued two wins in the final series. If both teams have two wins, the left over merchandise is dispersed through the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders program to countries in need, such as those in South America and Africa. However, this year the Orlando Magic failed to reach the necessary two win mark and it looks as if the biggest loser of the series will actually be the impoverished kids of these countries.

2009 NBA Mock Draft (21-30)

2009-06-14T18:48:00.000-07:00

21. New Orleans Hornets – Jeff Teague PG/SG (Wake Forest)

Teague can score in bunches and the Hornets need an upgrade at the shooting guard position. Teague would also take some of the ball handling pressure off of Chris Paul and give coach Byron Scott plenty of different lineup combinations between Paul, Teague, and Rasual Butler/James Posey

22. Dallas Mavericks – Chase Budinger SF (Arizona)

The Mavs surprised the Spurs in the opening round of the playoffs but are a one legit scorer away from making deep runs into the postseason. They need a big man but at this point in the draft, it is not worth reaching here. They get great value in Budinger who can shoot the lights out of the ball and can also penetrate into the lane.

23. Sacramento Kings (originally Houston Rockets’ pick) – DaJuan Summers SF (Georgetown)

This is a critical draft for the Kings. They addressed their point guard position for at least five years in Ricky Rubio. They have another selection in the first round where they can get a great contributor. Summers is NBA-ready and can be put into the lineup right away. Sacramento has butchered too many recent drafts to take a chance on a project here.

24. Portland Trailblazers – Darren Collison PG (UCLA)

Steve Blake is not the answer at point guard and Jerryd Bayless proved he can’t be that guy for the Trailblazers. Collison had a glorious career at UCLA and could come in right away and produce. A possible sleeper to have a surprise rookie campaign.

25. Oklahoma City Thunder (originally San Antonio Spurs’ pick) – Patty Mills PG (St. Mary’s)

The Thunder got a big in Thabeet, Mills would be a great fit here. He can be used as a backup to Russell Westbrook or Westbrook can be moved to the two position and they can play together at times. Mills has the ability to step right in and contribute on a team that will make huge strides next year.

26. Chicago Bulls (originally Denver Nuggets’ pick) – Wayne Ellington SG (North Carolina)

The Bulls love scorers and Ellington is a good one. Expect him to have a great career, given that there will always be roster spots for big time scorers.

27. Memphis Grizzlies (originally Orlando Magic’s pick) – Omri Casspi SF/PF (Israel)

Memphis seems to always draft at least one international player per draft. Although they already selected a forward in Jordan Hill, Casspi would be a great bench player on this team from the onset and would be a good project to develop him into something more.

28. Minnesota Timberwolves (originally Boston Celtics’ pick) – Gani Lawal PF/C (Georgia Tech)

The Timberwolves have had a great draft so far with this being their third pick in the first round. After taking two high scoring guards in Evans and Henderson, they go for the raw prospect in Lawal. With a 7’2” wingspan, the sky is the limit for Lawal.

29. Los Angeles Lakers – Danny Green SF (North Carolina)

The Lakers don’t have that many areas to address but they could use a solid sixth man. Green was one of the best sixth men in the country and would adapt easily to that role on the Lakers.

30. Cleveland Cavaliers – Sam Young SF (Pittsburgh)

After getting upset in the Eastern Conference Finals, most people are curious to what the offseason holds for the Cavs. There aren’t many directions the Cavs can go here so they go with the ole mantra, pick the best player available. That ends up being Young, whose toughness and scoring ability respond well in Cleveland.

2009 NBA Mock Draft (11-20)

2009-06-13T15:08:00.000-07:00

Picks 21-30 tomorrow.

11. New Jersey Nets – DeMar Derozan SG/SF (Southern California)

Indications are the Nets are leading towards Blair, however they need scoring options to go along with Devin Harris. Derozan has some of the biggest upside in the draft.

12. Charlotte Bobcats – Earl Clark SF/PF (Louisville)

Jordan’s bunch needs a scorer but also needs a long term option at the power forward position. Sean May and Boris Diaw aren’t the answer, Clark is this draft’s Jeff Green.

13. Indiana Pacers – Ty Lawson PG (North Carolina)

Indiana needs a point guard, but all the guards they are high on are gone. I see the Pacers shopping the pick but ultimately getting their man in Lawson.

14. Phoenix Suns – DeJuan Blair PF (Pittsburgh)

The Suns were arguably the most disappointing team in the NBA last year. They need bodies down low and Blair falls to their lap at #14. Blair provides the ability to either keep Amare Stoudemire and move him to the center position next summer or shop him for a great package. Also, who wouldn’t love to see Blair being mentored by Shaq.

15. Detroit Pistons – James Johnson PF (Wake Forest)

The Pistons forced me to use the word “arguably” above for the Phoenix Suns. The Chauncey Billups-Allen Iverson trade was a huge disaster and they need to start over. Johnson gives them a physical presence that can score. A great new piece to start reinventing that Detroit toughness.

16. Chicago Bulls – B. J. Mullens C (Ohio State)

The Bulls showed that they will be a team to be reckoned with for the next few years, but Noah would be a more efficient player at the four. Mullens is a project but his size and scoring ability would make him the logical pick here.

17. Philadelphia 76ers – Eric Maynor PG (Virginia Commonwealth)

Besides Blake Griffin to the Clippers, Maynor to the Sixers is as close as they come to a lock. Andre Miller is a free agent and Maynor is a ready-now point guard. The Sixers love to draft athletes so Terrence Williams is a possibility, but that would be a huge risk here.

18. Minnesota Timberwolves (originally Miami Heat’s pick) – Gerald Henderson SG (Duke)

Minnesota addressed their point guard situation with Tyreke Evans. Henderson provides a solid scoring option behind Al Jefferson.

19. Atlanta Hawks – Terrence Williams SG (Louisville)

Mike Bibby is a free agent and drafting Williams would allow them to let him walk. Williams ability to play the point forward position would make the Hawks only more exciting. His athleticism fits nicely into that system.

20. Utah Jazz – Tyler Hansbrough PF (North Carolina)

The debate over Hansbrough will heat up as we get closer to the draft, but I think he can be an effective contributor to a solid team. He is not going to light up the stat sheet, but he does all the little things that Jerry Sloan loves in his players. It makes too much sense for him not to be picked here.

2009 NBA Mock Draft (1-10)

2009-06-12T20:34:00.000-07:00

I will post picks 11-20 tomorrow, 21-30 Sunday

1. Los Angeles Clippers – Blake Griffin PF/C (Oklahoma)

Pretty much a lock. The addition of Griffin makes the Clippers a possible sleeper team next year, throwing out a lineup that reads: Baron Davis, Eric Gordon, Al Thornton, Griffin, and Marcus Camby. Zach Randolph will be likely moved.

2. Memphis Grizzlies – Jordan Hill PF (Arizona)

Marc Gasol had a successful rookie year which allows Memphis to not have to use this pick on Thabeet. Hill has the size and athleticism that would fit into Memphis run and gun system.

3. Oklahoma City Thunder – Hasheem Thabeet C (Connecticut)

The Thunder are looking for an upgrade over Nenad Krstic at the center position. Thabeet makes logical sense and gives the Thunder a great complement to Kevin Durant.

4. Sacramento Kings – Ricky Rubio PG (Spain)

The Kings were downright putrid last year (17-65). There are many holes to fill on this team, but Rubio is one of those every ten year type of point guards. Also, he would give much needed media exposure to a team that ranked last in the league in attendance.

5. Washington Wizards – James Harden SG (Arizona State)

The Wizards have plenty of playmakers however they need one more deadly shooter alongside Gilbert Arenas. Harden has all the physical tools to become a superstar in the NBA.

6. Minnesota Timberwolves – Tyreke Evans PG/SG (Memphis)

The Timberwolves need a speedy guard who can shoot and they will have a decision on their hands with the 6th pick. Stephon Curry, Jrue Holliday, Jonny Flynn are likely to still be on the board. I see Minnesota going with Evans because of the multifaceted packages you can develop around him.

7. Golden State Warriors – Jonny Flynn PG (Syracuse)

Flynn is flying up the boards due to his strong performance at the NBA’s version of the combine. Jamal Crawford is a free agent and Monta Ellis would be better utilized if he was moved off the ball. Flynn also displays the leadership skills that can handle personalities such as Corey Maggette and Stephen Jackson. The Warriors make the first true surprise of the draft.

8. New York Knicks – Stephon Curry PG/SG (Davidson)

Knicks always seem to shock on draft night, however I think they go with the logical choice in this situation. Mike D’Antoni has shown that his system can work in New York. Curry would please the always cheery Madison Square Garden crowd.

9. Toronto Raptors – Jrue Holliday PG/SG (UCLA)

Raptors need athletes and reasons for Chris Bosh to resign next summer. DeMar Derozan is a possibility. However, Holliday gives them a player who can also play the point effectively.

10. Milwaukee Bucks – Brandon Jennings PG (Italy)

The Bucks need a point guard and Jennings would add some much needed spark to the lineup. The Bucks like drafting physical big men so they could go with DeJuan Blair.

The Beauty of Sports

2009-06-12T20:26:00.000-07:00

Today showed me why there is not better theater than sports. As David wrote earlier, the NHL was the big winner with the Stanley Cup Finals going to a game seven. However, sports fans were treating to a refreshing championship that lived up to the hype. From the onset, you could feel the energy through television after every move in the game. As game stretched out, the Detroit players were relying on sheer will to try and force the puck into the net. Ultimately, the Penguins stood tall and withstood a furious rally by the Red Wings that included a shot off the cross bar. The NHL still won big showcasing a riveting Game 7, and now the Golden Boy (Sidney Crosby) has been crowned.

While this was occurring, arguably the best interleague baseball series of the weekend started to heat up. Jon Lester of the Boston Red Sox was dealing through 7 innings giving up just one run. However, Joe Blanton of the Philadelphia Phillies was also dealing through 7 yield two runs. With Jonathon Papelbon inexplicably out for the night, Ramon Ramirez blow the save giving up an automatic bomb from Ryan Howard with one out in the bottom of the 9th. The game shifted with each team swinging its mighty bat. Greg Dobbs of the Phillies had a walk off called foul, although it looked close enough to at least look at the replay. Fast forward to the top of the 13th, the Red Sox piled up a few hits and turn them into three runs off of newly recalled, Kyle Kendrick. The Phillies didn’t go down quietly putting two men on in the bottom of the inning. However, they could not manufacture any runs and the Red Sox won. Although this ending did not do the game justice, it proved the potential for Major League Baseball.

For the first time in many years, the major media markets in the United States are putting not only quality teams on the field, but great teams. The Red Sox, New York Yankees, Detroit Tigers, Texas Rangers, Phillies, New York Mets, and Los Angeles Dodgers all have a winning percentage over .525. Like the NHL, MLB is in desperate need for a positive story after two of the sport’s mega stars, Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez, were caught using performance-enhancing drugs. This summer is shaping up like we might just get that story. Stay tuned.

2009-06-12T15:36:00.001-07:00

Ladies and Gentleman.....Mr. Michael Phelps. Yes, he's bringing it back with the stash. I haven't really seen Michael in many ads since his "bong" incident, however I think this look would have fit extremely well for him during his Rosetta Stone commercial that aired during the Olympics.

Idea of the week: ESPN is trying to compete with Sports Illustrated in their scantly clad women category. The main difference is no clothes and no super models. They will be using real athletes for this issue.

Make a Wish Foundation Grants Gary Bettman's Wish: Stanley Cup Finals Game 7

2009-06-10T20:49:00.000-07:00

By: David Rosenblum

As the seconds trickled down in the 3rd period of Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Finals thousands of Red Wings and Penguins fans were holding their breath, but none of them more so than NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman. When defenseman Rob Scuderi of the Penguins made three stellar saves in lieu of goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, Bettman's dream came true, a Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals.

A recent poll by ESPN ranked the top 15 sports leagues as viewed by the American public. To my chagrin, the 15th ranked league was the NHL, falling behind such leagues as WNBA and currently defunct AFL. With sold out arenas throughout the league and the highest television ratings in years, this data simply doesn't make any sense. The reason why polls like this show the NHL in such a poor light is due to the lack of media contracts that the NHL has with mainstream media. Powerhouse leagues like the NFL have over $3.7 billion in media contracts with notable networks such as CBS, ABC, FOX, NBC, and ESPN. In comparison, the NHL has $70 million in television contracts with NBC and Versus. This lends credence to the saying, "Out of sight, out of mind."

This brings me back to why Gary Bettman is so elated to have the NHL Playoffs stretch out to the last possible game. The NHL Playoffs have performed very well against the NBA Playoffs so far this year, and a Game 7 with everything on the line will surely generate high ratings for the league. The NHL already had a dream matchup with an Ovechkin vs. Crosby series in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals between the Capitals and Penguins. The Stanley Cup Final matchup couldn't be any better for the league either, with two of the leagues top stars in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin facing off against the perennial power Red Wings. Just like LeBron and Kobe are the faces of the NBA, Crosby and Malkin are two of the most recognizable stars in the NHL. More television exposure for players of this caliber could lead to increased profits, higher viewership, an increased fan base, and ultimately, more television contracts with major networks to broadcast NHL games.

Lucky Number Seven

2009-06-10T12:19:00.000-07:00

By: Corey Rosen

I’m not sure if many of you were watching, but while Orlando took game 3 in the NBA Finals the Pittsburgh Penguins were busy forcing a game seven with the Detroit Red Wings, without the help of Penguins all-stars Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, who both failed to record a point in last nights game. Of course with the necessary Game 7 looming, ticket prices for the finale have shot through the roof.

Tickets are available from $500 in the upper level, while tickets at lower level at center ice are going for around $3,500.

This is the second major sporting event that has occurred in the Detroit area this year, the first being the NCAA Final Four. Michigan State fans were in for a real treat as the team impressed and made a magical run that boosted ticket prices and gave hope to a city in need. However, the economy is in a no better place then it was in March and in these times I don’t see many buyers for center ice tickets at $3,500. Pittsburgh fans that do make the 5 hour trek should be able to get tickets rather easily and most likely for less then they expected. I must say, I am happy to see the Red Wings give the people of Detroit something to cheer about in these tough times. If the Red Wings do win, I’m curious to see how Detroiters react to buying 2009 NHL CHAMPIONS gear after having won it only a year ago.

Top Five Sports Moments (circa 1989)

2009-06-09T14:46:00.000-07:00

When I sat down at my desk to write this article, my original plan was to write about the top five sports moments of all-time. At that point, I began to think, “How can I rank a moment that I was not alive for?” Although games and players can be read about, moments are an entirely different thing. You need to at least be there to witness the impact it directly made, to really see what the true moment was. For that, this article will only include moments occurring after April 16, 1989.

5. Steve Bartman and those sorry Cubs: October 14, 2003

Let me preface: The Cubs have not won a World Series since 1908. At the current year 2009, they have still yet to win one. However, in 2003 they were five outs away from at least playing in one. This was Game 6 of the NLCS against the Florida Marlins, and the Cubs were leading 3-0 in the top of the 8th. That was until a foul ball off the bat of Luis Castillo starting traveling towards left field stands. When Moises Alou went up to make the play, Steve Bartman snagged that ball like any other fan in the first inning. Alou would erupt in anger and the Cubs would go on to lose the game and the series the next night. Bartman was vilified and the ball was ultimately blown up at a ceremony in 2004.

4. Tiger Woods owns Augusta: April 13, 1997

Augusta National in 1997 was an all-white country club. In these parts of the south, racial tensions still exist. It was news enough that Tiger Woods had participated in the master the previous two years. He turned pro in August of 1996 and this was his first major as a professional. With all this around him, he won by a record 12 strokes and broke down racial and social barriers along the way.

3. Music City Miracle and those sorry Bills: January 8, 2000

The Buffalo Bills are the NFL’s version of the Chicago Cubs. The lovable losers always just seem to find a way to screw it up, and usually in quite spectacular fashion. The AFC wild card game against the Tennessee Titans was no different. The Bills, leading 16-15 with just 16 seconds remaining, had to just squib kick the ball and tackle the ball carrier. The Titans, however had other plans, running the play called Home Run Throwback. Lorenzo Neal pitched to Frank Wycheck who laterally threw it across the field to Kevin Dyson who then ran it for 75 yards for the game winning touchdown. The following broadcast transcript has been engrained in my head for the last 9 years: “There are no flags on the field! It's a miracle! Tennessee has pulled a miracle! A miracle for the Titans!"

2. Mark McGwire Chases Down Maris: September 8, 1998

Although still considered our nation’s pastime, baseball had been suffering due to the 1994 strike. However baseball was revived that summer when the public witnessed incredible drama as Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa battled to break Roger Maris’s 37 year old record for most home runs in a single season. The record-breaker, #62, would fittingly not only take place at home for Mark McGwire but it was against Sammy Sosa and the Chicago Cubs. A little golf shot that just got over the fence is an image that most people have imprinted in their minds. McGwire would ultimately hit 70 home runs but we later found out he had be using steroids and has fallen into relative obscurity.

1. Michael Jordan and the one Final Shot: June 14, 1998

Michael Jordan was an artist on the court, and Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals was his masterpiece. Seeking their 6th title, the Chicago Bulls were down one point with 18 seconds remaining. Jordan dribbled until 8 seconds remaining and then drove on Byron Russell of the Utah Jazz. However, he threw on the brakes and pushed off of Russell a bit. With a wide open two, he buried it for his 6th title and rode off into the sunset as the greatest basketball player ever. He would later come back to play with the Washington Wizards in 2001, and donated his entire salary to relief efforts for 9/11 victims.

Show Me The Money

2009-06-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

By: Corey Rosen

Tonight is a great night to be Stephen Strasburg. For those of you who are unaware of who he is, here is a quick overview: Stephen Strasburg is a 20 year old right-handed pitcher hailing from San Diego, California. You may be asking yourself, “Ok, great he’s still in college, so what?” Well, the youngster is consistently clocked to throw between 98-103 mph consistently and in the baseball world that translates into dollar signs very quickly.

At around 6:00 P.M., Stephen will be a virtual lock to become the number one overall pick for the lowly Washington Nationals. The moment his name is called Super-Agent Scott Boras will take over and negotiate for the young pitcher and is expected to haggle for a record breaking $50 million deal. Last year’s first overall pick, Tim Beckham, received a $6.15 million signing bonus and minor league contract below the $11.25 million mark, quite the difference in a single year, especially in this down economy.

In a negotiation of this caliber, Scott Boras seems to be using Red Sox pitcher Daisuke Matsuzaka as a reference point for these talks. The Nationals find themselves in a tough spot, since they most likely aren’t willing to pay an amateur who has yet to pitch against a major leaguer that kind of money and certainly can’t afford to pass up on this once-in-a-century prospect. Buster Olney reports that the Nationals may offer a contract in the $15-20 million range and not budge from this position. Being a 20 year-old myself, I don’t know how you can turn down this type of coin at all, especially when your rookie cards are going for hundreds.

I’m very interested to see what happens with these negotiation talks and to see how long it takes for Nationals fans are calling for him to suit up in a “Natinals” uniform.

PGA Tour Mid-Season Report

2009-06-09T11:41:00.002-07:00

By: Adam Uretsky

Player of the Year: Zach Johnson – As of now, this award is still wide open. Zach Johnson currently leads the money list and FedEx Cup standings with his wins at the Sony Open and the Valero Texas Open. He also has top 10’s at the Mercedes Benz Championship, Arnold Palmer Invitational, and the Crowne Plaza Invitational. Phil Mickelson is close second, however he has not played enough tournaments for me to consider him for this award. Wins at Riveria and Doral, and top 5’s at Augusta and the former Wachovia Championship will put him in the running for the award as the season progresses.

Rookie of the Year: N/A – As of now, I’m reserving judgement for the rookie of the year award. One of last year’s candidates, Dustin Johnson, is continuing his quality play, sitting currently 11th on the money list. However, the best rookie on tour statistically is Jeff Klauk, but is unassumingly 53rd on the money list. As the season continues, this award will become clearer as one of these rookies will step up, but for now, no one deserves the award.

Comeback Player of the Year: David Toms - After a terrible year in which he recorded just one top 10, Toms already has five top 10’s. A 9th place finish at the Players Championship shows he is moving in the right direction and that he should be a threat in the upcoming majors. He also ranks 2nd on tour in driving accuracy, vintage David Toms.

Prospects for Bethpage: The PGA Tour is heading to New York City in a few weeks for the U.S. Open, and the golfing public cannot wait. Bethpage Black, located in Farmingdale, NY (just outside the city), is one of the premier courses in the world and offers an incredibly difficult test. Last time the event was held there (2002), Tiger dominated becoming the only player to finish under par. It is about time Tiger returns to fully to form and he seems to always do it when the lights are the brightest. They will be at Bethpage and I expect him to be close to the top of the leaderboard. That said, I ultimately believe that Geoff Ogilvy is going to steal another U.S. Open. He always plays great on tough courses, and there aren’t many tougher than Bethpage Black.

Welcome!

2009-06-09T11:41:00.001-07:00

“The Sport Reports” is our brand new blog with one goal in mind, to provide you with a fresh, young perspective in a multitude of unique areas of the sporting industry. We promise to make you look at sports in a completely different way and hope you will join in doing the same.