NBA: Philadelphia Fleecing

By Steve Cernak

Admittedly, I am completely biased with regards to Allen Iverson. The man is an absolute basketball stud and a first ballot Hall Of Famer. Without even knowing what Denver gave up, I'd say the Nuggets won the trade. But how well did Philly do in the deal?

If reports are true, the 76ers received PG Andre Miller, PF Joe Smith, two 2007 first round draft picks and possibly some low salary players. That deal that sounds pretty good at the surface and a deal the team can sell their fans.

Well let me tell you something, this deal stinks for Philly.

Miller, the 2002 assist leader, is a great pass-first point and Smith is, well, okay--but they're essentially expiring contracts (Smith expires after this season, Miller after next). The picks are a nice commodity to have in what's being billed as the deepest draft in years.

Seems great, but like I said--it stinks.

Chris Webber is still on the hook for the 2007-08 season at a whopping $22.3 million. The cap fluctuates each year, but is approximately $45-50 million. In short, the Sixers will be approximately $5 million over the cap next season.

AI's contract runs until the 2008-09 season , so the Sixers essentially traded for cap space not this season, not next season, but the season after. The two draft picks are nice, but one is Denver's, who will start AI, JR Smith, Carmelo Anthony, Eduardo Najera and Marcus Camby for the majority of the season.

The other pick? Well, that originally belonged to Dallas (traded to Golden State in the Erick Dampier trade, then traded to Denver in the Najera trade).

Philadelphia traded away an all-time great and a ticket-selling-machine for two draft picks that will be close to early second rounders and cap space in 2008-09.

My apologies to Philadelphia sports fans not only getting little in return, but for losing one of the greatest players of all-time.

SPORTS: Isiah Thomas Has Gotta Go

NBA
Monday is usually reserved for the weekend sports recap, but the Madison Square Garden Brawl between the Knicks and Nuggets is the only topic I can think about at the moment.

Isiah Thomas has been on my **** list for years, following one horrible basketball decision with another. This weekend, he took his ineptitude to the next level. Chris Sheridan reported Saturday that Thomas warned Carmelo Anthony not to play in the paint at the end of the game, and video evidence backed up Sheridan's story.

At first, this loyal Knicks fan blamed JR Smith for starting the fight after he tried to tackle Nate Robinson. (Mardy Collins delivered a hard foul, it happens.) But after listening to the post game interview and reading about Isiah's warnings, it became clear that Thomas started this whole scenario. The fans were getting ready to rain the Garden with boos for yet another blow out loss at home, so why not take the focus away from Isiah's horrible team?

Everyone gets on Carmelo Anthony for his part--the most vicious part--in the brawl. I don't see it that way. I likely would have popped a gasket if the other team's coach warned me not to be in the paint, where Collins hard foul initiated a brawl.

Wouldn't you stick up for your teammate? So, sure, Melo sucker punched and ran, but I'm sure he saw Collins' foul as the same thing.

So I apologize for the quick sports rundown, but all I can think about is how much damage Isiah Thomas has dealt my favorite team since 2003. I can't even say the end is near either, as the worst owner in all of professional sports, James Dolan, gave Isiah the rest of the season to turn things around. Ugh.

NFL
Terrell Owens was, well, himself.
The Giants are done and Tom Coughlin lambasted Eli Manning.
The Bears clinched home field advantage.
The Chargers won despite getting nothing from Philip Rivers.
The Jets and Bills both stayed alive.

NCAA Basketball
No. 7 Wisconsin's Alando Tucker buried Aaron Gray and No. 2 Pittsburgh. (I watched this game and Wisconsin looked to be a vastly superior team).
Greg Oden (the player the Knicks should be drafting but won't because of friggin Isiah Thomas) is the most efficient college basketball player I have ever seen.

MLB
The Red Sox are having second thoughts about JD Drew.
The Yankees, Braves and Pirates discussed a three way trade.

NHL
The Atlantic Division-leading Rangers were blown out on back-to-back nights, at a combined 15-3.