Walkers Rants Daytona/Las Vegas Style.. yeah Im That Good

It’s Sunday, winter has most of the East Coast on lockdown, the NBA players are balling out in Las Vegas, and the real Boys of Summer are bout to get things started down in Daytona. The sports calendar is filling up, and Walkers Rants got you covered for whatever you need, so let’s get to the big show.

The Virginia Cavaliers are in the middle of their best basketball season in recent memory. Now the bench mark will be any type of post season success…

Watch out for the Georgetown Hoyas, They have a massive front line and they are gelling at the right time…

Cheating is NASCAR, get over it, and get ready to race baby. Expect big things from Tony Stewart this year.
He won’t be denied two years in a row…

Dwight Howard was robbed in the Dunk Contest. Putting that sticker on the backboard was money…

The Phoenix Suns will go s far as Steve Nash will take them, better get him some rest going down the stretch so he can handle the playoff run…

Pitchers and Catchers reported this past week who’s excited? Oh wait that’s right, we are still 4 months away from it even being close to meaning a thing…

What the hell were the Chargers thinking about? Are they seriously trying to sabotage the most talented team in football?

Mike Jordan equals worse Slam Dunk Judge EVER…

The Florida Gators are still the best team in College basketball despite the lost to Vandy. Now if they can stay focused long enough to get them through March…

There will be a NBA team in Las Vegas within the next 3 years…

Scottie Pippen to make a comeback? That’s it I’m going to the combine next week, look for me to sign for 4 years 30 mil with the Skins…

Wade Phillips wasn’t such a bad hire now was he Charger fans?

Charles Barkley kicked that old mans ass. Well done Sir Charles….

Super 14 Season is underway down under. It’s a great time to be a rugby fan Six Nations, Super 14, and the RSL is less than a month away…

With Olie out for three weeks, the Caps are done for the year. Now its time for them to open that wallet up and bring in big time defensemen during the off season.

Tim Hardaway; Thank You, for giving me the funniest sound bite I have heard in years, too bad your probably too stupid to even realize what you said…

Walkers Rants, Post Football

Football season is over, and wont be back for a while. But that doesn’t mean that Walker’s rants are shutting down, we don’t have an off season here. All year long.

The Pro-Bowl was last night… If a Tree falls in the Woods and no one is really there does anyone care?

Sean Taylor, who goes head hunting during an All-Star game? Really….

The Wizards miss Antwan Jamison more than realized….

Bud Selig Man Up and get a pair…

Wade Phillips was the best possible hire for the Cowboys. He was the biggest fish in a very small pond…

The Combine is right around the corner (Feb 24) that’s right I get excited for that…

The Pussy Cat Dolls doing the NBA theme for ABC, I’m okay with that…

The Eastern Conference in the NBA will get real interesting post All Star game, watch it…

When you look at the New York Rangers first line, its amazing the team struggles the way it does…

Maybe just maybe Lebron is not all we thought he was… Sometimes the most talented doesn’t equal the best…

Even if USC loses their recruit at Tailback, that was still a sick recruiting class. ..

If Duke ends up in the NIT, will the world come to an end?

How sad is it that Mike Tyson is still the most notable heavyweight fighter out there?
All star weekend in Las Vegas… yeah someone from the NBA is getting arrested…

Good luck to the USA 7’s team as they play in the international 7’s tourney this week…

Congrats Peyton Manning, so glad you got that monkey off your back. Now if only those damn Patriot fans would shut up too…

Man Up Bud Selig

Stop being such a damn coward, yes YOU Bud Selig, stop hiding and dodging the problem that you have created.
At a Fox Sports and News conference yesterday afternoon in San Francisco California, Major League Baseball commissioner Bud Selig was selected to be the keynote speaker. Of course Bud used this opportunity to tout his own accomplishments since becoming the head man in Americas former past time, proclaiming “we are living in the Golden Age of Baseball.” Bud praised himself for bringing the wild card and inter-league play to the majors. He praised himself for expanding the league. All of which the majority of people praises the sometimes aloof commissioner for bring to the sport.
However, fittingly enough being in San Francisco, it did not take long before the commentary soon turned to that 800 pound gorilla in the corner, steroids and Barry Bonds. Selig was proud for the new drug test that MLB has implemented, and is convinced that they will save baseball from itself.
However, there is one other loaming problem for Bud Selig to face that is quickly approaching. Barry Bonds is 22 homeruns away from breaking the all time homerun record. The odds are he will break Hank Aarons all time record sometime this season. When asked if Commissioner Selig would attend the game and ceremony where Bonds breaks the homerun record, Selig in typical lackadaisical fashion said, he would have to see if his schedule permits. Translation, “I want to avoid this if I can, and hopefully if I’m hiding people will forget my role in this.”
That’s right Bud, run, hide and ignore, because that has worked so well for you and your sport in the past. You ran and hid after the strike season of 94, and lucked out because of the efforts of men like Cal Ripken who brought life back to baseball. When the homeruns began to fly out the park in 1998, and the mysterious pills began to show in players lockers, you ignored it, and reveled in the resurgence of the long ball, posing for pictures with Sosa and friends.
Now it has all come home. For the last three years there has been a cloud over the sport of baseball, and with Bonds quickly approaching the homerun record the perfect storm is brewing, and rather than take it head on, make a stand and finally put to bed all this controversy over baseball, Selig is doing what he does best. He is running and hiding hoping it will all blow over just like it did in 1998.
Did Barry Bonds cheat? Probably. Did he do what others admitted to doing and countless others have yet to own up to doing during that same time? Yes he did. Is pretending that Barry Bonds and his new record don’t exist going to fix anything? Hell No.
I know that Bonds passing Aaron will create a tainted record. It’s not right, it’s not fair, but it is what it is. This is what happens when you ignore a problem; it doesn’t go away it just gets bigger. Now its time to man up and face the problem.
Bud Selig has made his bed and now he needs to lie in it. I am sick of his back peddling and flaying trying to avoid and dodge any and everything of substance. During his tenure Selig has transformed America’s past time from a once magical sport to a side show, with congressional hearings, and drug raids and God knows what else. Barry Bonds breaking Hank Aaron's record is an opportunity for Bud Selig to stand up, set the record straight on steroids and testing and create a watershed moment for Major League Baseball. Instead Selig is once again sitting back and allowing the moment to pass, as his sport once again flounders under his watch.

Super Bowl Recap:The Colts Did Exactly What They Needed To

Well as everyone knows Super Bowl XLI was last night, and the Indianapolis Colts emerged victorious over the Chicago Bears. Peyton Manning got rid of that monkey on back, and Tony Dungy broke through to new ground that is good enough to make all of us smile.

Currently every major media outlet, especially those in Chi-Town, are blasting Rex Grossman for his performance in the Super Bowl. It does not take an expert to know that Grossman played one of the ugliest games in Super Bowl history, just think somewhere out there, even Neil O’Donnell is feeling sorry for this kid. Rex helped dig his team into a hole, after losing his footing and the ball on consecutive plays. He came out in the second half and the Bears were down, Benson was out hurt, and Sexy Rexy had a flash back to his Gator days and though he could do it all. That’s when the picks started to fly and before the Bears knew what happened they were out of the game.

Peyton Manning on the other hand became a game manager. He threw for 280 yards 1 TD 1 pick, nothing special, but a solid day. Many criticized him for the performance he put on, because it is not what we expect from the elder Manning, but it was exactly what the Colts needed. It was exactly what the Colts needed throughout this years playoffs, just go out and takes care of business. Nothing fancy, nothing crazy just pound away at the opposition with that dual headed rushing attack.

Despite what many say, the Colts played a solid game on Sunday. The Bears played an extremely deep Cover 2 defense, with the safeties sitting between17 and 25 yards deep. That means there was no way Peyton to stick the ball deep downfield. He made two attempts at that; the first ended up with an interception at the end of the first drive. The second attempted ended in Marvin Harrison getting pelted in during the third quarter.

What this means is Manning had to use his check down passes. He looked to Rhodes and Addai out of the backfield on swing and hitch routes. The corners gave big cushions to Indianapolis wideouts, and so Harrison and Wayne took the underneath routes and just went down the field 8 yards at a time.

This along with a powerful rushing attack from the Indy backs allowed the Colts to control the ball, and pick up first downs. The Colts dominated the line of scrimmage; the mighty Bears defense was worn down from chasing Colts all over the field. Whenever Peyton needed a first down he was able to get it. This was even more important than him tossing the long TD’s or racking up the crazy yardage.

The Colts were not pretty in their approach but they did exactly what they needed to when they needed, and that’s exactly what it takes to win a big game.

Walkers Rants...Yup at it Again

Super Bowl Sunday is here, and I can’t wait. Nothing gets me more excited than the hype before a big game. I’m ready to suit it up one more time and step out onto that field and show that I still have a few plays left in me. Anyways, the one thing that is better than the hype before a big game is Walker’s Rants, so lets get it started right now.

The Cavaliers have won six in a row in the ACC. I smell the beginning of something special…

$$@#* Duke, the cheated Clemson out of a game last week, and they tried to cheat the Hoos out of a game this Thursday…

This Durant kid down in Texas is something special. 34 and 23 is insane for any player, especially a freshmen….

The NHL is live and well, don’t believe me? Go out and see a game at your local arena and tell me its not a good time…

Favre is coming back for another season…Yup I’m happy….

Michael Irvin in the Hall of Fame Great…

Art Monk screwed again not cool….

Thank God there’s no Super Bowl shuffle this year…

Devin Hester will make a big play in the Super Bowl, but Adam Vinatieri is the special teamer I want on my team…

Shaq threw a huge Super Bowl party this week, and caught a hit and run criminal, chalk him up for best week ever….

Rugby season is right around the corner, that’s right get excited….

Colts will win and win big….

Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith, two great men, and they deserve everything that comes their way…

Dallas Cowboys… sadly falling into the same trap that the Washington Redskins are living in right now…

Don’t sleep on the ACC for basketball this season. It may not have the powerhouses, but the middle of the pack teams will make your team cry come Tourney time…

The Real Reason The Super Bowl Is Special

The Super Bowl is a little over a week away, and football fans the world over are getting ramped up for the biggest sporting event America has to offer. Sadly the one of the biggest stories of these years Super Bowl is being driven into the ground by the four letter network and as a result an important moment in American history is being tossed to the side because people are simply bored with the whole concept. On February 4th at Super Bowl XLI both teams competing will be led onto the field by black head coaches, a first in NFL history. This is a fact that cannot be overlooked even if the four letter network destroys it.

As a black male I have to say that Lovie Smith and Tony Dungy coaching in the Super Bowl is a huge deal not just for me but for blacks across the United States and here's why. For the majority of blacks, Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith making it to the Super Bowl is about breaking boundaries, that’s why it is so important.

We are less than a generation removed from legal segregation in this country. Many of us, including people my age (23) have been told, “you should play WR instead of QB you'll do better there”. “You better be good in sports if you want to be able to make it to college because that’s the only way”.

Tony Dungy and Lovie Smith are breaking a boundary that has been a glass ceiling for years. It gives hope to us, and shows people that you don’t have to be straight cash and be an athlete to be successful you can win with your mind.

Many people are complaining that the media is killing this topic, claiming that it is sad that they are exploiting these men for their race. The only thing that is sad about the media making a big deal over this is the fact that it took so long to get to this point. It is 2007 and this is the first time that a black man has ever made it to the Super Bowl as a coach yet the league is 75% minority. But then again you have to think back 35 years ago it was unthinkable that a black man could coach a team. 40 years ago it was common site to see an all white team and never even blink and even laugh at the thought of black player stepping on the field.

Because of that, Tony Dungy, and Lovie Smith are a big deal and should be celebrated. It is fitting that in Black History Month, two black men will be able to step into the spotlight and we as black can look to them and are proud of what they accomplished.

Tiger Has No Rival.. Period

Tiger Woods entered his first PGA tournament of 2007 this past week which means the real PGA season is finally gearing up, since everyone knows if Tiger is not there, then the tournament does not count. The big story in this weekends Buick Invitational is not Tiger Woods making his return to the links, but the emergence of a young gun talent Brant Snedeker who is dominating the scoreboard going into the weekend. Of course with a new young talent the horrible comparison always comes out.

All individual sports need rivalries to help make the game great. Nicholas had Player and the shadows of Palmer looming over him. Tennis is chalked full of rivalries from McEnroe Conner, and Sampras Gassy. Since Tiger Woods hit the spotlight the media has been searching for a rivalry for him to compete in. Every year they seem to add another name the ”Big Three” expanding it to about 30 now. Every year Tiger slays the rivalry beast goes uncontested through the season.

This year the 26 year old Snedeker is getting the early billing as the next rival to Mr. Woods. I say just STOP IT. Yes Snedeker is playing well through the first two days of his fist big PGA Tournament. Let’s not crown him just yet. Last I check a tournament makes for a long four day weekend, and the PGA season is even longer, especially with the edition of the NASCAR style chase for the Fed Ex Cup.

Brant Snedeker appears to be a talented player. He is looking to make his name on the PGA Tour. He would love to win this weekend’s tournament and have it be the springboard to a long and successful career. However even if he fails to hoist the trophy on Sunday establishing himself on tour and setting the foundation to a long and successful career can be more important. Snedeker cannot allow the media to force him into something he is not ready for or he will crumble under the pressure and will lose everything

Tiger Woods is at a point in his career when his legend allows him to intimidate players and apply pressure to them, causing them to crack and break even when Tiger is playing poorly. This is a skill that Tiger perfected last season as he compiled one of his best seasons in his already storied career. Give him the chance and he will do it again.

Brant Snedeker if you don’t want to be another disaster story or another Sergio Garcia, then ignore all this rivalry hype and just go out and play golf.