Random Stuff

Hope everyone has their DVR set for tomorrow night...the magical LeBron announcement...haven't you heard about this yet? If you've listened to any radio or watched any ESPN over the last 24 hours you know what I'm talking about. The guy is calling a press conference to announce his decision on where he'll play...and with that he instantly moves up the ladder of biggest d-bags ever. I really hope he decides to go to NY, because it's easy for me to hate the Knicks.

If he goes to Miami, how can they have anyone else on their roster? So they'll have 3 guys locked up for like $16-$20M per year plus they have only 3 other guys under contract right now. I'm not a salary cap guru, but how will you have any money left to sign enough players to fill out a roster? Does a team of LeBron, Wade, Bosh, Townsend Orr and Bob Martin win an NBA title? I'd still put my cash on the Lakers. BTW, since when did Bosh become such a superstar? I mean he's a nice player, but the experts talk about him like he's on par with LBJ and Wade...not even close. He couldn't carry his pathetic Raptor team to anything significant.

Anyway, totally under the radar are the Woofies and KAHN! So far, I really don't know what the hell they are doing, and I question whether they even know at times. We're going hard for David Lee...another PF...and we'll have to overpay to get him. That doesn't sound like a good move. They really wanted Rudy Gay...who would directly take minutes from our #1 pick Johnson. Now I hear they are hot after Luke Ridnour, a PG...who would directly take minutes from either Flynn or Sessions or Rubio as early as next year. How can you be looking at another PG?!?! So we think we've solved our big man spot with Darko and Pekovic...I guess I'm okay with that. But with the imminent trade of Al, I really don't know what this team has up their sleeve. Obviously, we could be looking at some massive turnover on the roster with some of these proposed deals, and Al's value will be quite high once the high end FA PF's are all gone. This could be a huge deal for the Wolves if they play it the right way. I don't know why I continue to think this club has a chance...I should tune out for 5 years and see if anything has changed by 2015.

Elsewhere, MLB...go Twins! I hope you utilized your DVR again last night to catch a rare sight - a Joe Mauer HR!! Joe is basically putting up Brian Harper like numbers this season since signing his $900B deal. He's right around .300 with 4 HR's...wow, real impressive. He's going to have to hit about .400 over the 2nd half with an amazing playoff run to justify his worth in year 1 of this deal. On the other hand, our pitching scares the hell out of me. I don't know if I trust any of our 5 starters to be consistent game in and game out. That's why a Lee trade would be so huge...he's a sure thing as a #1, he's left handed, and he has some big-time playoff experience. I don't care if he's only here for 3 months - he could be our Yankee killer in October, so let's make it happen. Rumors I've heard are Ramos and Hicks, a stud OF prospect we have or Ramos and Slowey...I am 100% on board with either of these deals. Make it happen. And while you are at it, let's call up some of these young fellas in AAA to solidify that bullpen!

World Cup - probably the final time I'll touch on this until 2014. All I have left to root for is my Netherlands as champions bet I made at the start (14:1 I think). Frankly, I've gotten bored with it all. The novelty has worn off, and I'm in real football mode now. Maybe it would be different if the USA wouldn't have stunk in the knock-out round, but once that was over I have pretty much checked out.

Now for the aforementioned real Football...56 days until the College Football Season kicks off for the Maroon and Gold!!! I am in full blown study mode for NCAA Week 1 trying to find the gems for Labor Day weekend. I'll ease my way into a little NFL work as we get into AUG as well. I know this may shock you all, but I'm kind of revamping my philosophy in picking games because I still haven't had that 70% season. So probably sometime next week I'll publish the "How to Bet College Football v2.0"...it's a much better system and much less dependent on ratings. I'll also start throwing lots of Conference thoughts and sleeper teams out there as we get closer and closer to the real thing. I hate to wish summer away...but I am. I'm ready for fall and the most successful NCAA/NFL betting season of all time!