East Coast Bias - June 29, 2007

Today's Headlines

-2007 NBA Draft Wrap Up

-Craig Biggio joins the 3,000 hit club and Frank Thomas reaches 500 Homeruns

Weekly Segments

Prognostications, Predictions, and Picks
-Winners and Losers of the Draft
-Best Draft Steals
-Best #20 -30 Draft Pick

Weekly Phil
- Analyzing the Philadelphia 76ers draft


On today's podcast myself and Jason wrap up the 2007 NBA Draft. We also get into two baseball milestones reached this weekend, 3,000 hits for Craig Biggio and 500 homeruns for Frank Thomas. This week we give you 2 weekly segments, Triple P aka Prognostications, Predictions, and Picks and the Weekly Phil. We hope you guys enjoy this week's podcast and apologize sincerely for the late post. We had some computer troubles but we eventually were able to record. Have a great weekend folks!

NBA Draft 1st Round Diary - Brendan's Take

7:16 - Greg Oden's mom does the mom thing, licks her fingers and wipes off Oden's cheek. Very cute.

7:19 - Greg Oden and Mike Conley need to never dance again. That was embarrassing for both the league and Ohio State.

7:20 - Kevin Durant's suit consists of a black blazer, pink undershirt, and an orange tie. Whoever dressed him should be fired, and if it was his mom did, shame on her.

7:20 - Joakim Noah is now officially the Dhani Jones of the NBA with that ridiculous bow tie.

7:21 - The Yi Jialian camp looks so out of place. No one is talking, smiling, or even moving.

7:23 - Rachel Nichols is really hot.

7:26 - Quote of the draft brought to you by Jay Bilas, "NBA executives are excited he (Yi) has talent". Pure gold.

7:30 - The Blazers are so sure of their pick that their draft camp looked like a freeze frame.

7:32 - David Stern does his intro speech and I almost fell asleep.

7:33 - Why is it taking the Blazers so long to make the Oden pick? There isn't any suspense here. Everyone knows who they are taking. The Blazers officially make the Greg Oden pick at 2:21 into their 5 minutes. Shocking.

7:35 - News Flash! Greg Oden uses hand sanitizer.

7:39 Mike Tirico name drops Bill Russell. We are very impressed Mike.

7:42 - The Sonics just took advantage of Boston and got the 5th pick (Jeff Green), Wally Sczerbiak, and Delonte West for Ray Allen and the 35th pick (Glen Davis).

7:45 - Kevin Pritchard looks like Jude Law from AI. It's really creeping me out.

7:46 - And the Atlanta Hawks select yet another power forward, AL Horford. Mike Conley is now guaranteed to become an all-star point guard. See Chris Paul and Deron Williams.

7:49 - Stuart Scott makes another bad joke when sending it back to Mike Tirico. Stay tuned for more of these.

7:51 - The Grizzlies take soon to be all-star point guard Mike Conley.

7:53 - Justin makes the comment, "His face looks weird" when Mike Conley comes on the screen. I'm glad to have him around to make these insightful comments.

7:54 - Why didn't anyone draft Mike Conley Sr.? After watching that video of him doing the MJ dunk there's no doubt Conley Jr. is going to be a star in this league.

8:03 - Yi Jianlian the 19/23 year old center goes to the Bucks. Lucky for us ESPN provides us with the information we need to know and informs us that Yi attended the Pirates 3 and Shrek 3 premieres.

8:06 - The most awkward Stuart Scott interview ever. I can't understand a word Yi is saying. And cue up another bad Stuart Scott joke.

8:08 - Justin, "There should be 3 basketball instead of 4." Commenting on the basketball in front of the desk of Mike Tirico and company.

8:09 - And the follow up, "They aren't even even."

8:10 - The Wolves select Corey Brewer and Kevin Garnett has yet to be moved.

8:11 - Even during the NBA Draft Dick Vitale has unlimited energy. Why isn't he on this 4 man panel?

8:12 - More vital info from ESPN, Corey Brewer stripped and picked tobacco with his dad. Awesome.

8:16 - Rachel Nichols is still gorgeous.

8:17 - Brandan Wright is picked by the Bobcats and weighs as much as my leg does. Don't these college kids get to eat in school? (Update) The Bobcats have a deal on the table to send Brandan Wright to the Warriors for Jason Richardson. Don't do it Mike, don't do it. (Update #2) The trade is now official. Michael Jordan enters the Terrible GM realm currently inhabited by Kevin McHale and Billy King.

8:20 - Shocking, no witty comment from Stuart when sending it back to Tirico. Thank god.

8:23 - Joakim Noah has a hot mom and goes to the Bulls.

8:26 - Stuart Scott informs us that Noah uses Bumble and Bumble shampoo for his hair. Thanks for the insight Stuart.

8:30 - Justin, "Is Gilbert Arenas under 30?"

8:32 - I call the Spencer Hawes pick to the Kings. Alex is here to vouch for me.

8:33 - "This is still a skills game and he has skills." Where does Jay Bilas come up with this crap?

8:34 - Stuart Scoot drops some more knowledge by saying that Hawes likes politics. Thanks Stuart.

8:37 - The Hawks select Acie Law instead of taking Mike Conley at the 3 pick. They will regret this.

8:39 - The Hawks new uniforms are ugly.

8:41 - Billy King again gets nothing accomplished in the way of trades, reported by Sal Pal.

8:45 - And the Sixers take......Thaddeus Young?.....What the hell? What happened to Al Thornton and Julian Wright? I'm shocked.

8:51 - The Hornets take Julian Wright and Sixers fans are still agonizing over the Young pick.

8:53 - Jay Bilas repeats himself way too much. FYI, Julian Wright, power forward by day, bowler by night. ESPN finds the dumbest stuff when doing these kids backgrounds. I mean who cares that he bowls? Really, is that pertinent information that I need to know? Just stop it.

8:55 - Why is Stuart Scott dogging Mehment Okur? Did he become the new Rash Nesterovic.?

8:57 - The Clippers take Al Thornton and Sixers fans begin plotting the assassination of Billy King.

8:59 - Billy King assassination imminent.

9:00 - Stuart Scott had to bring up the Tar Heels/Blue Devils rivalry with Jay Bilas. He does this every year.

9:03 - Rodney Stuckey goes to Detroit and Bilas won't shut up about his athleticism. What does Bilas know about athleticism? He's white and slow.

9:06 - Stuart Scott compares Stuckey to Dwayne Wade.........really Stuart, Dwayne Wade huh?

9:09 - The Wizards take Nick Young and don't address their need for low post scoring. Sometime I wonder how much better a GM I could be than some of these actual GM;s.

9:12 - During Stuart Scott's interview with Nick Young I swear Stuart was going to plant a kiss on him. He just kept inching closer and closer. Creepy....

9:13 - Isiah Thomas makes his best decision as a Gm by acquiring Zach Randolph and getting rid of Steve Francis. Perhaps this is when Thomas turns the corner and becomes a decent GM?

9:16 - The Charles Barkley and Dwayne Wade T-Mobile commercials are gold.

9:21 - The Warriors pick the guy with the funniest name in the draft, Mario Belinelli. I want to trademark "Nelli's Beli" immediately before anyone else takes it.

9:25 - Jermaine O'Neal for Andrew Bynum and Lamar Odom is ont he table for the Lakers. If the Lakers indeed go ahead with this trade we will see the LA riots again. Does the team even get better with this trade? I don't think so.

9:29 - The Lakers pick Javaris Crittenton......(insert cricket noise)

9:31 - Justin fakes laughing during a Barkley and Wade commercial and everyone calls him out on it.

9:34 - The Heat pick Jason Smith. His picture reminds me of Michael Doleac for some reason.

9:38 - 40 seconds til meltdown.

9:40 - Huh? I like this pick. Did I just say that? I really liked Jason Smith in college. I can't believe I'm this excited about a Sixers trade/pick in a long time.

9:44 - Justin quote, "His face looks like a face".

9:46 - The Bobcats just took my player in the draft, Jared Dudley.

9:51 - It's official, I hate Knicks fans.

9:52 - Jay Bilas makes up another basketball term to describe NBA prospects, "second jump ability". Is this like a double jump that you can do in video games?

9:56 - The Suns take Rudy Fernandez in hopes he will be come Manu Ginobli 2.0

10:01 - Justin says, "No one selected Josh McFarlane yet." "You mean Josh McRoberts?"

10:02 - We have officially begun rooting for McRoberts to be taken before Billy King does.

10:04 - The Jazz take Morris Almond whose picture looked like James Brown's mugshot.

10:09 - The Rockets take Aaron Brooks and Josh McRoberts is still on the board. We are terrified.

10:15 - Kevin Durant, Rashard Lewis, and Jeff Green.......Wow......It's a good time to be a Sonics fan.

10:18 - The Pistons take Aaron Afflalo and according to Bilas he's very strong and reiterated that only about 9 times.

10:22 - Alex sees the "Bronx is Burning" promo and says "I wish the Bronx were really burning."

10:23 - Still rooting for McRoberts to be picked before King gets a chance too.

10:23 - The Spurs shockingly take another foreign player, Tiago Splitter.

10:30 - Josh McRoberts still on the board as the Suns select Alando Tucker.

10:32 - Awaiting the imminent Josh McRoberts pick.

10:33 - The fact that Dick Vitale hasn't taken Jay Bilas' spot yet during the NBA draft kills me. I cannot stand Bilas at all. Much like Jay Mariotti, Jay Bilas grinds my gears.

10:36 - And Billy King decides not to take a Duke product this draft and everyone in Philadelphia breathes a collective sigh of relief.

Thank you for reading East Coast Bias' first NBA 1st Round Draft Diary. Expect more of the same each and every NBA draft.

The Future Of Kevin Garnett

In case you missed it last night, here's the latest report about the Kevin Garnett situation. The Phoenix Suns seem to be the most likely destination even though the Timberwolves are exploring multiple trade options. Right now the Timberwolves are favoring a 3 way trade between themselves, the Suns, and the Hawks. In the trade the Hawks' would send the No. 3 and No. 11 picks to the Wolves, with Amare Stoudemire going to Atlanta, and of course Garnett joining Nash and Marion in Phoenix. The Suns however are favoring a scenario where they would move Shawn Marion to the Celtics. However, sources say that such a deal is unlikely because Marion doesn't want to play in Boston without receiving a huge contract extension and Minnesota still wants Al Jefferson in that deal.

Finally MLB Fans Get It Right

After looking at the updated MLB All Star ballots, I can honestly say that with the exception of one player, Carlos Beltran, I feel that the fans finally have voted in the correct players to start in the All Star game for once. Instead of voting in guys like Albert Pujols, just because he's Albert Pujols, the fans got it right and have voted 23 year old stud first baseman Prince Fielder into the starting role. It's a known fact that the MLB All-Star game is a glorified popularity contest but from the looks of the ballots this year, those who deserve to be starting are and I couldn't be happier. Along with Prince Fielder the National League could be sporting the youngest starting infield All-Star team since 1970. If the All-Star voting ended today Fielder would be joining the Phillies Chase Utley (28), the Mets David Wright (24), the Dodgers Russell Martin (24) and the Mets Jose Reyes (24). The 1970 NL All-Star squad included the likes of St. Louis first baseman Dick Allen (28), Chicago second baseman Glenn Beckert (29), shortstop Don Kessinger (28), Cincinnati third baseman Tony Perez (28) and Reds catcher Johnny Bench (21). The current leaders in voting for the NL outfield is the Mets Carlos Beltran, the Reds Ken Griffey Jr., and the Cubs Alfonso Soriano. The current starting infield for the American League would be Red Sox first basemen David Ortiz, Tigers second baseman Placido Polanco, Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, Yankees third basemen Alex Rodriguez, and Tigers catcher Ivan Rodriguez. The current starting outlfielders for the AL would be the Tigers Magglio Ordonez (and rightfully so) , the Angels Vladimir Guerrero, and the Mariners Ichiro Suzuki. Not all is set in stone however as fans still have until Thursday, June 28 at 11:59 p.m. ET to cast their vote.

East Coast Bias - June 25th, 2007

Today's Headline

NBA Mock Draft Lottery

Weekly Segments

Overrated and Underrated

- Our 3 most overrated and underrated future draft picks

Take Your Pick

- Who will be the best NBA Pro that comes out of Florida (Noah, Horford, or Brewer)?
- Who will be the best point guard, Conley or Law?
- Who will be the best player of the future, besides Greg Oden and Kevin Durant?



For this Monday's podcast we bring you a very special 2007 NBA Draft Edition of East Coast Bias. Myself and Jason provide you with what we think is going to happen in the lottery portion of the draft (picks #1 - #14). We also provide you with our underrated and overrated draftees and finally we answer 3 Take Your Pick questions. Jason and I will be doing a running diary of the NBA Draft on Thursday so stayed tuned for that and on Friday's podcast we will give you our team draft grades.

Jason Mish's Mock Lottery Draft

1. Trail Blazers- Greg Oden C (Ohio State)
2. Sonics- Kevin Durant F (Texas)
3. Hawks- Mike Conley Jr. G (Ohio State)
4. Grizzlies- Corey Brewer G/F (Florida)
5. Celtics- Yi Jianlian F (China)
6. Bucks- Al Horford F (Florida)
7. Timberwolves- Joakim Noah F (Florida)
8. Bobcats- Nick Young G (USC)
9. Bulls- Brandon Wright F (North Carolina)
10. Kings- Jeff Green F (Georgetown)
11. Hawks- Jason Smith C (Colorado State)
12. 76ers- Al Thornton F (Florida State)
13. Hornets- Julian Wright F (Kansas)
14. Clippers- Acie Law IV G (Texas A&M)

Brendan Canney's 2007 Mock Lottery Draft

1. Blazers Greg Oden C (Ohio State)

2. Sonics Kevin Durant PF (Texas)

3. Hawks Mike Conley PG (Ohio State)

4. Grizzlies Corey Brewer SG/SF (Florida)

5. Celtics Al Horford PF (Florida)

6. Bucks Brandan Wright PF (North Carolina)

7. Timberwolves Jeff Green PF (Georgetown)

8. Bobcats Yi Jialian C (China)

9. Chicago Joakim Noah PF (Florida)

10. Kings Spencer Hawes C (Washington)

11. Hawks Nick Young SG (USC)

12. Sixers Al Thornton SF (Florida State)

13. Hornets Rodney Stuckey SG (Eastern Washington)

14. Clippers Julian Wright SF (Kansas)

Former Major Leaguer Rod Beck Dies

Former all-star reliever Rod Beck, best known for his days with the San Fransico Giants, died today at the young age of 38. Foul play is not believed to be the cause but other than that nothing else about his death is known at this point. He was the given the nickname "Shooter" by his teammates on the Giants. Beck's pitching stints included the Giants (1991-97), the Chicago Cubs (1998-99), and the Boston Red Sox (1999-2001) before finishing his career with the Padres (2003-04). During a comeback stint in 2003 Beck played for the Triple A Iowa Cubs and became a folk hero. Beck lived in a Winnebago jut outside the outfield walls and welcomed all who came to say hello. He would sign autographs, invite people over for a beer, and just be a genuinely nice guy. Beck compiled a career record of 38-45 in 704 games, with a 3.30 ERA. He still holds the all-time season saves mark for the Giants with 48 and is second on the Giants all-time list for saves. He will truly be missed for all his kindness and good will. Beck is survived by his wife, Stacey, and two children.

I highly recommend the article written by Wayne Drehs about Rod Beck's time with the Iowa Cubs which can be found here.

Overweight, Overpaid, and Overrated Andruw Jones

After a 5 to 0 loss to the Detroit Tigers on Friday, the Atlanta Braves ran their scoreless streak to 3 games and Andruw Jones hit a milestone. He has become a member of the Mendoza Line. The scoreless streak may have ended today in a 2 to 1 loss to the Tigers, however their star player, Andruw Jones, continued to struggle. In the 2 -1 loss Andrew Jones went hitless in 2 at-bats and is now 0 for his last 21. Not exactly the kind of production you want from a star player who is earning $14,000,000 this season. Now if you think that is bad you haven't even seen the worst of it. During the month of May, Jones batted .202, had an OBP of .286, and had a SLG% of .343. And oh wait, it gets worse. During the current month of June, Jones is batting .127, has an OBP of .169. and has a SLG% of .266. The man has only 11 multi-hit games in 73 games played while Kelly Johnson (who is getting paid $380,000 this year) has 19 in 71 games played. I mean, the guy can't even hit unless the pitch happens to be a fastball. Against curves he is hitting .198, against sliders he is hitting .221, and against change-ups he is batting.206. Now, many know Andruw Jones is best known for his glove than his bat but if you were to compare his Zone Rating (the percentage of balls fielded by a player in his typical defensive "zone," as measured by STATS, Inc.) to that of other center fielders in the last 5 years he doesn't even crack the top 5. The only reason he ends up winning so many gold gloves is because he gets plastered all over Sportscenter. Grant it, he makes some spectacular plays but his Zone Rating suggest he dogs it sometimes. Now lets get into some career numbers with Andruw Jones. He is a career .264 hitter who has only batted once over .300 (.303 in 2000), has accumulated at least 100 strikeouts in every full season he's played (currently on pace to break his SO record this season), and has a career on base percentage of .343. So what is the lure of Andruw Jones? Why is is when anyone who calls him overrated gets chastised when anyone with a brain can see he is just an okay player, not a great one? So go ahead, chastise me.

Giambi Will Cooperate in Steroids Investigation

According to sources within Major League Baseball there will be a meeting between those of the Mitchell Investigation and the Jason Giambi camp in July. Due to the frantic schedule of the various lawyers involved it wouldn't be possible to expect a meeting before June is over. It was accounced on Thursday that Giambi had in fact agreed to meet with the Mitchell Investigation. Baseball commissioner Bud Selig had threatened Giambi with disciplinary action after his comments that eluded to him taking steroids. An anonymous source close to the investigation has said that Giambi's meeting won't be recorded and there won't be a transcript. If he had been recorded it would have been possible to match his testimony for a federal grand jury from 2003. He has said he will talk to Mitchell about his "personal history regarding steroids" but, with much chagrin to fans, he will not discuss other players.

Sosa Slams 600th Homer

Sammy Sosa became the 5th player in Major League Baseball history to join the 600 home run club. In an ironic twist, Sammy actually slammed his historic home run off his former team the Chicago Cubs and it came against Jason Marquis, who by the way, wears the #21, the same number that Sosa wore as a Cub. The Texas Rangers outfielder has had a solid, bounce-back year(13 HR and 57 RBI) following last year were he had no teams interested in his services. Though there will always be the steroid controversy that surrounds him, nonetheless he joins elite company of Barry Bonds, Willie Mays, Babe Ruth, and Hank Aaron with 600 bombs.

East Coast Bias - June 22, 2007

Today's Headlines

- Sammy Sosa, Hall of Fame bound?

- Pacman Jones's Future in the NFL

Weekly Segments

Prognostications, Predictions, and Picks

- Contenders and Pretenders for Upcoming NFL Season

The Weekly Phil

- Sixers NBA Draft Talk


On today's show, we debate if Sammy Sosa is Hall of Fame bound. Then we discuss Pacman Jones and his future, if any, in the NFL. We doubled up on weekly segments this week with our Prognostications, Predictions, and Picks segment featuring our picks for contenders and pretenders in the NFL and end with The Weekly Phil were we talk about the likelihood of the Sixers first pick.


Podcast is up and ready for your enjoyment!

Garnett Not Interested In Boston

The proposed trade that would have sent Kevin Garnett to Boston was nixed because Kevin Garnett wasn't too thrilled about playing for the Boston Celtics. Danny Ainge and Kevin Mchale had successfully come to terms and a trade was agreed to in principle but Garnett wanted nothing to do with chilly Boston and has stated that he prefers sunny Phoenix. The deal that would have sent Garnett to the Celtics required that Ainge to part ways with stud forward Al Jefferson, their No. 5 overall pick in next Thursday's draft, Theo Ratliff and his cap-friendly contract, along with Wolves alumn Wally Szczerbiak and underachieving Sebastian Telfair. The Boston Celtics would have gotten Kevin Garnett and guard Troy Hudson. If Garnett had gone to Boston it is more than likely than him and Pierce would have made the Eastern Conference their bitch. A Pierce and Garnett duo would have been nearly unstoppable in a very weak East. All is not lost for Garnett however. The Phoenix Suns are interested in Garnett but according to sources surrounding the trade McHale is asking for Amare Stoudemire and the first round pick the Suns received from the Hawks in 2008. What Phoenix wants to do however is package disgruntled forward Shawn Marion into the deal instead of Amare but he doesn't want to go to Minnesota (and I don't blame him). So not only do we have the Kobe Saga but now we can all stay tuned to the Garnett Saga. This NBA offseason is getting very juicy.....

Timberwolves and Garnett Parting Ways?

According to ESPN contributor Marc Stein a Kevin Garnett trade is even more likely than a Kobe Bryant trade. After the Minnesota Timberwolves failed for the third straight season to make the playoffs and with no cap space to bring highly coveted free agents to put around KG, it's likely he is on his way out of Minnesota. Unlike Kobe Bryant's contract Garnett does not have a no trade clause and he is only one year away from the final year of his contract. If Timberwolves GM Kevin McHale (one of the WORST GM's of all time) fails to trade Garnett he would be looking at a scenario where Garnett leaves the Timberwolves and they receive no compensation. The current players surrounding Kevin Garnett include overpaid losers like Mark Blount who had one decent season with the Boston Celtics and McHale throws money at him like a lonely guy at a strip club. Then there is perennial ball hog Ricky Davis, whose effort level goes up and down like an Internet stock. The only way McHale can save this franchise is by getting picks and young talent for Garnett. As of yesterday it was reported that Celtics director of basketball operations Danny Ainge had talked with the Timberwolves about a potential trade involving Garnett. If that were the case the Celtics would probably have to part ways with Al Jefferson, Delonte West, and their 5th pick in this year's draft. A possible Paul Pierce and Kevin Gartnett duo would always be a contender in a weak Eastern Conference but since Garnett is a free agent next year his trade value has severely diminished. No intelligent GM is going to pay a premium for a player he may lose for nothing in a year but with the Ainge's and Thomas' of the world running today's NBA teams anything can happen. There are also rumblings in Phoenix that Shawn Marion could wear a Timberwolves jersey and Garnett would be paired with all star guard Steve Nash but that scenario is unlikely due to Garnett's $21 million contract. The Phoenix Suns would have to part with Marcus Banks (whose 5 year contract is something McHale doesn't want to take on) and Shawn Marion (who might not be thrilled in going to a perennial loser) in order to make it work financially. If you are McHale you have to pull the trigger on any deal where you get some value back and it better be sooner rather than later.

The Kobe Bryant Saga Continues

An amateur video surfaced today in which current Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant was taped saying some very disparaging things about current Laker Andrew Bynum and current GM Mitch Kupchak. According to Lakers spokesman John Black, the team knew about the tape before Bryant made public that he wanted to be traded. The Lakers were prepared to deal for the New Jersey Nets Jason Kidd before the February trade deadline but refused to part ways with 10th overall pick Andrew Bynum. In the video Kobe is quoted as saying the Lakers should "ship out" Bynum. During a face to face meeting in Barcelona between Bryant and Jerry Buss this past Friday, Kobe stated that he still wanted out of Los Angeles. So what do the Lakers do with their disgruntled All-Star? Let us know by emailing us.

East Coast Bias- June 18, 2007

Today's Headlines

- The U.S. Open and Cabrera's Victory

- NBA Draft Breakdown

- New York Mets Collapsing


Weekly Segment

- The Weekly Phil (Philly Sports Talk)


In today's podcast, Brendan and I discuss the U.S. Open and whether it was fair to the players. Also we breakdown the upcoming NBA Draft with talk on the best of the best, after Greg Oden and Kevin Durant. We then delve into Major League Baseball by discussing the recent Mets slide. Finally we wrap up the show with our new segment called The Weekly Phil, where we talk Phillies and Eagles news.

Happy Father's Day

I just wanted to comment on and thank all the dads on their day that have helped their sons and daughters appreciate sports. My dad, Daniel Joseph Canney, was always active in whatever sport I played. He helped out at soccer practice, baseball practices, and even coached my basketball teams until I was too old to play in an organized league. I began my love affair with basketball because of my dad and still have the same passion for the game even today. Along with my grandfather, Bill Allen, and my step-dad, Don Harkins, all of them have helped me grow my love for sports beyond just basketball and football to include soccer and baseball. And even though it's father's day, I couldn't forget about my mom who always got me to my games and made sure my uniform was clean. But it is after all father's day and I want to give a big thanks to all dads across the globe. I raise my glass to you!

Subscribing to East Coast Bias with iTunes

Subscribing to East Coast Bias through iTunes is both easy, reliable, and free. I have been hearing clipping and audio distortion when streaming the podcast from Archive.org and I don't want that to be an issue anymore. So if you happen to have iTunes here are some easy steps to follow in order to subscribe to our podcast. Hopefully by the end of the weekend I will have moved our audio to my friends server to increase download speed and reliability for our podcasts.

Guide to Subscribing

1. Open up iTunes
2. Click on the Advanced menu option that is between Store and Help
3. Click on the option Subscribe to Podcast...
4. Copy and Paste this URL into the white box http://feeds.feedburner.com/blogspot/EastCoastBias
5. iTunes will update with the most recent podcast automatically
6. Listen and enjoy!

If you don't have iTunes it's free, contains no spyware, and is an Apple product. If you need to download iTunes here is the link.

Larry Brown Coaching Again?

That's right, Larry Brown appears to be interested in the Sacramento Kings coaching position. Currently, Brown is the executive vice president of the Philadelphia 76ers. He took the Sixers position in January after his one season stint coaching the New York Knicks ended in a 23 win and 59 loss season. Larry Brown is 66 and isn't getting any younger but claims he hasn't lost his passion to coach or teach. Brown has coached 11 teams in the ABA, NCAA and NBA. He won an NCAA championship at Kansas (1988) and an NBA title in Detroit (2004). He had also entertained
the idea of coaching Charlotte and Memphis but those positions were filled. I think Sacramento would be a good fit for Larry Brown especially since Ron Artest, a defensive minded player, is on the roster. He would be able to utilize him much better than Eric Musselman did. The Kings have young talent in up and comer Kevin Martin and all-star point guard in Mike Bibby. What the Kings lack however is inside defense and scoring. Brad Miller is no longer the center he used to be and Kenny Thomas is just filler under the boards who has no offensive skills to speak for. So if the Kings were as smart as me, they would go after a player with size in the draft and leave their front court alone. A Larry Brown coached Kings team could make a playoff run come next season grant it they keep Bibby and Artest in Sacramento.

East Coast Bias - June 15th

Today's Headlines

-Game 4 of the NBA Finals

-Jason Giambi vs. Bud Selig

-Current (as of June 14th) MLB All-Star Snubs


Weekly Segment

Prognostications, Predictions, and Picks

-Who Will Have the Better Career? Kevin Durant or Greg Oden?


In today's podcast me and Jason discuss game 4 of the NBA Finals and the current dynasty of the San Antonio Spurs. We also get into current MLB All-Star snubs and whether Jason Giambi deserves to get disciplined by Bud Selig and Major League Baseball. On our weekly podcast segment "Prognostications, Predictions, and Picks" we discuss the future of Greg Oden and Kevin Durant.

Just an FYI for all you listeners, since me and Jason happen to both be Philadelphia guys we will start a new weekly segment entitled "Weekly Phil" on Monday. On "Weekly Phil" we will go over some Philadelphia sports news including the Phillies, Eagles, Flyers, and the Sixers.


The podcast should be a little louder now. On Monday's podcast I will make sure that we record at a higher volume so you folks don't have to have your volume all the way up in order to hear us. Thanks again for your patience guys and gals!

Get the Brooms Out

Last night the San Antonio Spurs completed the sweep over the Cleveland Cavaliers. With a 83-82 victory in Game 4, the Spurs win their 4th championship in the last nine years and 3rd in the last 5 years. This could be considered a dynasty to some but many point out that the Spurs have never repeated as champions like the dynasties of the 90's Bulls or the 60's Celtics. In today's NBA with free agency and how often players switch teams a dynasty in this day and age is hard to come by. Tony Parker had an another tremendous game going 10-14 from the field for 24 points while Tim Duncan provided a double double, 12 points and 15 boards. Tony Parker's tremendous play garnered him Finals MVP and he got to go home and celebrate with arguably the most gorgeous women on Earth, Eva Longoria. Congratulations to the Spurs.

Bud Selig Lays Down The Law....

In another effort by Bud Selig to appear as a strong MLB Commissioner he has made an ultimatum to Yankees slugger Jason Giambi. Either he cooperates with Senator George Mitchell's bogus, costly, and ultimately useless investigation into steroids or face a suspension. According to current MLB rules testing positive for steroids or other performance enhancing drugs warrants a 50-game suspension. There is a problem however in Giambi's case. Jason Giambi has never tested positive for steroids or performance enhancing drugs since the plan was implemented. When the New York Daily News asked an attorney to give his opinion on the legitimacy of the suspension he said, "It's just a dead argument, legally." So if this is a dead argument legally what kind of repercussions does the MLB front office face if Giambi decides not to talk and take the disciplinary action? You would expect Giambi to appeal whatever action is taken against him and more than likely win. These threats made by Bud Selig not only make him look like a bully but a bully who can't back it up. If he keeps making these idle threats he will continue to only weaken his authority. Most of that is purely hypothetical but could become reality quite quickly if Giambi decides not to cooperate when the Tuesday deadline Selig made comes. Also, according to sources in the MLB front office the Mitchell investigation wouldn't be asking Giambi to name names, only to corroborate what was leaked from the BALCO investigation. Fans and journalists want names of players who have cheated the game and cheated their clean counterparts.

John "Hondo" Havlicek

I got to thinking after reading ESPN columnist Jayson Stark's new book "The Stark Truth". In the book Stark goes on to name names of current and past baseball players who he thought were underrated or overrated. So I began thinking of players in all walks of sports who are overrated and underrated and John Havlicek came to mind. I consider him one of the most, if not the most, underrated player of all time. Not too many people associate that name with the one of the greatest of all time or even with the Boston Celtics. Most people would say Larry Bird, Bill Russell, John McHale, and Robert Parrish. I'm certainly not arguing the fact that those names shouldn't be synonymous with Celtics basketball but too many people leave Hondo's name out of that list. Only teammates Bill Russell and Sam Jones can say that they had won as many championships (8) as Havlicek did during their respective NBA careers. Havlicek also holds the record for most points scored (26,895) and games played (1,270) as a Celtic. Havlicek to his credit also made 13 straight All-Star teams, four All-NBA first teams and seven second teams, and was named to the NBA All-Defensive First or Second Team eight times. The man won the 1974 Finals MVP, and to this day, he ranks 10th in points, eighth in minutes, and seventh in playoff points. How does a guy with those kind of credentials get pushed out of memory? I could bet that if you asked a hundred people to name the top 30 players of all-time Hondo would be named maybe 5 times or less. Talk about an underrated player.

Oden vs. Durant

With the NBA Draft fastly approaching, the debate over who will go number #1 is heating up. Greg Oden vs. Kevin Durant. First off, there is no question that they will be studs in the league. However, I believe that Oden shows the intangibles that only special players exude. The maturity beyond his years was evident in taking a young, inexperienced team to the Championship game were he wasn't just good he was great. He had 25 points and 12 rebounds against a vaunted Florida frontline that will all be first round picks this year (Brewer, Noah, Horford). Comparisons to Bill Russell have been made. And I agree that those comparisons are hard to live up to if your Greg, but I can see where these comparisons are coming from. The mindset of defense first and the unselfishness he showed in one, non-healthy season at Ohio State resembles Russell. His skill set on the offensive end is raw, but his agility for his size is something I haven't seen before. He isn't going to be leading the NBA in scoring but he will complement the likes of Tim Duncan where dominanting in scoring isn't necessary; the mentality of understanding defense first and letting the game come to you on the offense end is most important. If your Portland, sitting at #1, you do not want to recreate what an unfortunate NBA team did in 1983. Taking Sam Bowie instead of Michael Jordan. Oh wait, that was Portland. I bet they won't make a similar mistake.

Fire David Stern and Hire Me!

Everyone has said it, these NBA Finals are garbage. No one has enjoyed watching this slaughter. All the Cavaliers and LeBron are getting out of this is invaluable playoff experience. The fans however are getting nothing out of this. The Finals ratings are terrible and the only way to make sure this doesn't happen again is to go to a new playoff system. The new playoff system would pit Eastern Conference teams against Western Conference teams in the first round. For example, we could have seen a Jazz vs. Bulls and a Cavaliers vs. Lakers first round series. It's as easy as using the current seeds and just pitting East vs. West. As an end result we could have gotten what we all wanted to see, a competitive and fun NBA Finals. And to make matters worse the East lost out on Kevin Durant and Greg Oden after the NBA Lottery was all said and done. So an already mediocre conference gets even more mediocre. There are a few snags though to the new system. The playoffs would have to go to the unpopular 2-3-2 format so that teams wouldn't have absurd travel schedules and game start times might be a little out of whack. I think that those sacrifices are pretty insignificant in order to get a competitive NBA Finals.

San Antonio Spurs Take Game 3

What was possibly the best chance for the Cleveland Cavaliers to win a game in these NBA Finals ended in a 75 to 72 loss to the San Antonio Spurs. LeBron James led all scorers with 25 points to go a long with 8 rebounds and 7 assists. The Spurs again played excellent defense all night. A perfect example of the Spurs playing great defense was the terrible shooting night of the Cavaliers new starting point guard, Daniel Gibson. Gibson shot 1-10 from the field and finished with only 2 points. Not a great upgrade over the guy he replaced, Larry Hughes. The "Big 3" of the Spurs, with the exception of Tony Parker, played poorly. Tony Parker led the Spurs with 17 points, while Tim Duncan only scored 14 , and Manu Ginobli only had 3. So you can see why Cleveland really needed to take advantage of this opportunity. Game 4 will be on Thursday night and I expect the Spurs to complete the sweep. This has been quite a learning experience for the young Cavs and King James.

Justin Verlander Throws No-Hitter

The honor of being the first pitcher to throw a no-hitter at Comerica Park now belongs to Justin Verlander. Justin Verlander struck out 12 batters and walked 4 on his way to no hitting the Milwaukee Brewers in Detroit's 4 to 0 win. Not since Jack Morris in 1984 has a Detroit Tiger pitched a no no. Quite an impressive feat for a 24 year old fireballer.

Donovan McNabb Ahead of Schedule

Donovan McNabb took part in non-contact drills Monday with the Eagles 1st team offense. This is a shock too many considering the severity of his injury. Donovan tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his right knee last Nov. 19 in a game against the Tennessee Titans. McNabb wasn't scheduled to begin practicing for several more weeks. This is great news for Philadelphia Eagles fans but many, like myself, are wondering whether McNabb is rushing himself due to the Eagles pick of Kevin Kolb in this year's NFL Draft. McNabb was having a MVP type season last year prior to his injury and many wonder whether the now 30 year old quarterback is going to be same. Only time will tell but for a championship starved town like Philadelphia we need immediate satisfaction and McNabb's injuries are becoming a nuisance.

Episode 4 - The Return of Jason

Today's Headlines

NBA Finals Game 2 Analysis

Our Top 3 Closers of All Time

Who would you rather have at QB Trent Green or Daunte Culpepper?


Weekly Segment

-Overrated and Underrated


For today's podcast me and Jason delve into which quarterback we'd rather have, Trent Green or Daunte Culpepper? We also debate who are the top 3 closers of all time. Is Mariano Rivera really the greatest closer of all time? Jason would like you to think so but I drop some knowledge on him. We of course have our reaction to the blowout that was Game 2 of the NBA Finals and we finally finish up with a our weekly segment of underrated and overrated. Feel free to e-mail us if you have any questions you'd like us to answer on our show or just let us know what you think of the podcast. Thanks again for listening.

A Team Possessed

Last night the San Antonio Spurs defeated the Cleveland Cavaliers 103 to 92. Don't let the score fool you however. At no point until the 3rd quarter was this game close. The Cavaliers were down by 25 points at halftime and 27 after three quarters. They came out flat for the second straight game but they did go on a 22-4 run and eventually pulled within 95-87 on a three-point play by LeBron James with 4:53 left. Tony Parker led all scorer with 30 points while Tim Duncan had 23 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists, nearly a triple double. LeBron shot better but not great, finishing with 25 points on 9 of 21 shooting. Now, it goes without saying that they needed to play at their 4th quarter intensity the entire game but why didn't they? Only the Cavs can answer that question. Game Three will be in Cleveland and if LeBron and the Cavs want to get back in this they need this game or they can kiss their title hopes goodbye.

Roger Clemens Takes The Mound....Again

The "Rocket" blasts off today. The 44 years young Roger Clemens is slated to make his first major league start today against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Clemens signed a one year contract with the New York Yankees on May 6th worth a whopping $28,000,022 million. Many people in the media have been speculating how much a 44 year old pitcher is going to help the Yankees who are 10.5 games out of first place. Many people point to how well he pitched with the Houston Astros last year (7-6 2.30 ERA). But what people aren't getting is that Houston had a pretty good bullpen. You can't say the same about the Yankees bullpen this year. I mean, it's not as if Clemens is going to provide any rest for the already tired and overworked bullpen. Because of his age his endurance takes him into the 5th and 6th inning. He is no longer able to throw complete games anymore, the man is just too old. I will predict that the Yankees don't even take the wild card and Clemens ends up on another team who will actually make the playoffs.

Culpepper Fights Back

Daunte Culpepper has vowed to block any trade the Miami Dolphins might attempt in order to get him out of Miami. Culpepper participated in early drills at Dolphins mini-camp but as soon as team oriented workouts began Terry Shea, the Dolphins QB coach, told Culpepper he was barred from team drills. Culpepper was escorted by security off the field and spent the rest of the day in the weight room. He is owed $5.5 million this coming season and with his current contract, which runs through 2013 and is worth $51.5 million, no team is going to be willing to pay that. Culpepper was quoted as saying, "I definitely expect to be released," Culpepper said. "I will not be traded."

East Coast Bias Episode 3.5

Jason was unable to make it so I did in fact go solo on this one. I give my take on Game 1 of the NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and Cleveland Cavaliers. Hope you guys enjoy this short but sweet podcast.

Going Solo Tomorrow

Due to family issues Jason probably will not be available for the Friday podcast. If Jason is unable to make it I will go solo and give you guys the run down on game 1 of the NBA finals. Of course, we had more topics we planned on talking about and we will save those when we record on Saturday.

Ducks Win Their First Stanley Cup Title

The Anaheim Ducks become the first West Coast, NHL team to win the Stanley Cup by beating the Ottawa Senators last night. The 6-2, Game 5 victory was clinched on their home ice, improving their home record during these playoffs to an impressive 10-2. Led by the proven J.S. Giguere, their netminder, the Ducks limited the Senators to only 18 shots for the game. The Conn Smythe Award for the Stanley Cup MVP went to Anaheim's Captain Scott Niedermayer. He becomes the only active player to win four Stanley Cups. Congrats Quackers.

New Podcast Schedule

Myself and Jason will be recording our podcast now on Monday and Friday starting next week. We felt that these days allow us to better preview weekend sporting events and our schedules were beginning to conflict with each other. So now you get to hear us at the beginning and end of your work week! We would like to thank everyone who has listened to us and has subscribed. We appreciate the support and hope you guys drop us a line. Also, if you have any questions for us regarding anything in the world of sports feel free to e-mail us. Our e-mail addresses can be found at the bottom of our blog.

Bye Bye Donovan, Hello Stan!

According to ESPN, Stan Van Gundy will become the new Orlando Magic head coach. Stan Van Gundy used to be the head coach of the Miami Heat until Pat Riley pushed him out of that position. He then took on a consultant role for the team. Since Van Gundy is still under contract with the team, Pat Riley and the Heat will probably ask for compensation to release him from said contract. Van Gundy had met with Sacramento Kings management in Las Vegas for his second interview but apparently was more interested in the Magic job. Van Gundy could not be reached for comment nor could Pat Riley.

Are the Magic better off with Stan Van Gundy than Billy Donovan as head coach? If you have an opinion, let us hear it. Email us!

Bud Selig Asks Giambi To Talk

According to sources close to ESPN Insider Buster Olney, Jason Giambi would be used as a bargaining chip to try to give credibility to the Mitchell Investigation. The Mitchell Investigation was set up by Bud Selig and Major League Baseball to investigate the use of steroids in baseball. The Mitchell Investigation is headed by former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell. Jason Giambi is the most well known player who has come out and admitted to using steroids. Giambi's testimony could prove very useful in confirming details leaked from the BALCO investigation. Since Giambi is on the Yankees disabled list he has time to kill. Giambi has the option to say yes or no, and both answer bring consequences. If he says no Selig could possibly suspend Giambi and cause some drama with the players association. If he says yes he could give the Yankees incentive to terminate his contract which has already been something Brian Cashman has entertained. Baseball sources also told Buster Olney that each month the Mitchell Investigation is costing the league 2 million dollars.

Dolphins Plan To Trade Culpepper

Just a day after the Dolphins acquired Trent Green from the Kansas City Chiefs for a 5th round draft pick, Dolphins management informed Daunte Culpepper he won't be challenging Green for the starting job. Barring a pending physical of Trent Green, the Dolphins will be shopping Culpepper around. Culpepper has other ideas though as he was quoted, "They would like to trade me in order to get something for me. However, it is my position that I have already been down that road and I am not interested in being traded." Culpepper is scheduled to make $5.5 million dollars next season while Green is scheduled to make around $7 million. With the Dolphins selecting John Beck, QB out of BYU, in the second round there doesn't seem to be a need for Culpepper. Culpepper only played 4 games last season because of injuries and appears to be only shadow of what he used to be prior to his catastrophic knee injury during the 2005 season. If there are any updates on this story you folks will be the first to know.

East Coast Bias- Tuesday June 5, 2007

Today's Headlines

Billy Donovan's Decision

Lou Piniella's Tirade / State of the Cubs / Manager Meltdowns

Roger Goodell and Tank Johnson Suspension

Cavs, Pistons Series Wrapup / NBA Finals Preview

Weekly Segment

- Prognostications, Predictions, and Picks


In today's podcast Brendan and I discuss Billy Donovan's decision to turn down the Magic job to go back to the Univ. of Florida. We also discuss Cubs Manager Lou Piniella, his pending suspension, and its effect on the Cubs. We dive into some NFL talk with the Tank Johnson suspension. And we wrap up the show with a preview of the NBA Finals, with which we then "Prognosticate, Predict, and Pick" the winner of the series.

East Coast Bias June 5th, 2007


My Odeo Channel (odeo/cf136cfb7bc442d3)

Donovan Flip-Flops On Magic Job

On Friday, Billy Donovan accepted the head coaching job for the Orlando Magic. The contract he accepted was a five year, $27.5 million deal and it appeared that staying in the state that was very prosperous for him when he was at the Univ. of Florida, would be a perfect fit. However, over the weekend Donovan had a change of heart and Monday he began talks with Orlando to rescind on his freshly signed deal. The ink was still wet when he changed his mind only 3 days after praising his new team and the bright future he envisioned as the coach of the Magic. The termination of his contract could include a clause that would prevent Donovan from attempting to coach in the NBA for the next five years. As Donovan reclaims his position at Florida it will be interesting to see if his decision to stay "in school" will pay off for him in the end.

Cavaliers Move On To NBA Finals

I hate to tell you I told you so, but I told you so. I said during our podcast that I think Daniel Gibson is really going to play a major factor in these playoffs and boy was he ever in this Game 6 win against the Pistons. What was a great game heading into the 4th quarter turned into a blowout. The Cavaliers outscored the Pistons 31-16 in the 4th quarter thanks to Gibson's 19 point outburst. Gibson was the game's leading scorer with 31 points while LeBron had an off shooting night but finished with 20 points and a game high 14 rebounds. Richard Hamilton poured in 29 points for the Pistons who didn't have another player score above 13 points. The momentum for the Cavs peaked when Rasheed Wallace exploded after a foul was called on him and was T'ed up. After that it was all Cavs. The Cleveland Cavaliers travel to San Antonio for Game 1 of the NBA Finals which should prove to be a fantastic series.

Civil War in the Cubs Clubhouse

After surrendering 5 runs in the 5th inning, Cubs ace Carlos Zambrano and catcher Michael Barrett decided the best way to get their points across to each other was slugging one another in the face. Even after the altercation in the dugout, Barrett and Zambrano weren't done. After Piniella told Zambrano to hit the showers, Barrett went off after him while Piniella was watching the game. What ensued next sent Barrett to the hospital with two black eyes. A very pissed off Piniella expressed his anger by telling reporters during the post game conference, "I only have so many players that I can play. You know? And it's about time some of them start playing like major leaguers! Or, get somebody else in here that can catch the damn ball or run the bases properly! All right? That's all I can say!". What was suppose to be a playoff year for the Cubs has quickly deteriorated into what is probably going to be a sub .500 season. There were huge expectations of this team after signing Alfonso Soriano to a huge contract and a free agent spending spree that amounted to 300 million dollars. I guess the saying that "money doesn't buy happiness" rings true.

Crown Him. The King Has Taken His Throne.

I know this post is two days late but bear with me here. It has taken me two days to process what happened at The Palace on May 31st. What LeBron James did was arguably the greatest playoff performance of all time. This is one of those sports days where you remember where you were. You will get into a conversation with someone about basketball, mention this game, and both of you will tell each other where you were. The accounts will be so accurate you'll scare yourself. This is why we watch sports, for this kind of moment. Let's just hope that effort wasn't for nothing as the Cavs can close out the series against the Pistons tonight at 8:30.