Titans hope third time is a charm

When I heard the Tennessee Titans selected wide receiver Kendall Wright with their first round pick I was initially shocked. Leading up to the draft, everyone from the water cooler to espn thought the Titans would go defense with their first pick....and for good reason. It was the defense that kept the surprising Titans from making the playoffs last year. I applaud Tennessee's effort to get away from the old "three yards and a cloud of dust" mentality that has plagued them for years.

The Titans offense became stale and predictable during the last years of Jeff Fisher's tenure. Run on first down, run on second down. Scramble for a first down on third, and settle for a 50 yard field goal. The league started to pass Tennessee by, so I am ok with selecting Wright. General Manager Ruston Webster seems to be loading up the skill positions to give eventual franchise qb Jake Locker plenty of weapons. The only problem with that? Tennessee has been terrible at evaluating wide receiver talent since I can remember....

In 1998, the Titans selected wide receiver Kevin Dyson with the sixteenth pick. Oh but wait... Randy Moss was still on the board. Injuries forced Dyson out of the league in 2003, and Randy Moss will be a first ballot hall of famer.

In 2009 Tennessee selected wide receiver Kenny Britt with the 30th overall pick. And with all of his talent, Britt has still been a disappointment. He cant seem to stay on the field, or out of court. Britt has phenomenal ability...but his maturity issues, lack of focus, and injury bugs have cost the Titans more than help them.

The Titans wide receiver evaluation woes do not end with the draft. Remember these free agent flame outs? Yancy Thigpen, Carl Pickens, Randy Moss in 2010....geez. Hopefully this new Titan regime will bring new luck with them. Hopefully for us fans, this third 1st round pick is a charm. Follow @plcolter

What to do with Peace?

Metta World Peace is at it again y'all. This time he threw a flagrant elbow to the head of OKC's James Harden. Did you see him immediately square up when he thought the Thunder players were closing in? And if it was an accident, why did MWP never even look at Harden, let alone check on him? That dude lost it and was ready to fight....again. It was about to be Ron Artest in the Palace all over again. I'm not gonna lie, I sprung off my couch like I overslept for work when it all went down. Thank God cooler heads prevailed though, and we certainly wish Harden a speedy recovery. Now the question is, what's going to happen to Metta World Peace? How many games should he get?

I'm conflicted on this one. On one hand, it wasn't like MWP and Harden were wolfing at each other and then the elbow was thrown. It was done in the aftermath of a testosterone filled play a few seconds earlier. With that being said, no matter what he calls himself he will always be Ron Artest. Coo-coo bird, bad tempered, wildly unpredictable Ron Artest. If someone told you what happened yesterday but didn't give you the names, you'd still have Ron Artest in your top three guesses. Because of this, I believe the commissioner is going to come down hard. The Lakers will more than likely lose his services for much of the first round of the playoffs....and that in itself  can upset the competitive balance in the western conference. Is that fair to LA? Should the league care? What do you think?   follow @plcolter

Let the playoff games begin!

Let the playoff games begin! No...not the ones that start next weekend, I'm talking about the first round playoff positioning game that's about to be played in the western conference this week. Keep a close eye on the seven teams that have clinched  a playoff spot in the west. Their actions may tip their hand as to whom they'd rather meet in the first round.

Blame my beloved Grizzlies for my line of thinking. As you recall, Memphis had a hold on the sixth seed coming down the stretch of last year's regular season. San Antonio was the number one seed. Memphis benched healthy starters the last few games, in a not so subtle attempt to drop to eight and face the Spurs in the first round. The move paid off, as Memphis disposed of the Spurs in six relatively easy games. In the copy cat sports world that we live in, you should expect that same strategy to unfold....somewhere.

Memphis won't be doing it again this year, they sit a game and a half behind the fourth place Clippers for home court advantage in the first round. They need to win out. You can count out eighth placed Utah as well, they also need to win out just to get in. But what about Denver?

The Nuggets are sitting in sixth place, and control their own destiny (wink wink). The question now becomes, who would they rather face? I would presume they want no part of the Lakers, who are currently third. With a playoff spot secured, will Denver pull an okee-doke to draw the Spurs or Thunder? And would the Mavs, who are currently seventh, even let them? There is no incentive for Dallas to purposely seek the Lakers either. Plus, the Mavs match up better with the second place Thunder. Will Dallas purposely lose? Should they?

The Lakers and Clippers are not just battling for the division title, they're battling to stay out of a first round match up with fifth place Memphis. Both teams in LA will be looking to win out, and face Denver or Dallas instead.

And let's not forget the the teams at the top. San Antonio and OKC are battling for the number one seed....but let's keep it real. They're battling to stay away from Dallas, a team that gives both of them fits. A wild finish is in store in the wild wild west. I love this game! Follow @plcolter

Mavs bail Out Cuban...sound familiar Dallas?

Mark Cuban looks like a genius right now. His Dallas Mavericks secured a playoff spot, and will begin defense of their title next weekend. I find it humerus that Dallas won this year in spite of Cuban, not because of him....but he will still get all of the credit. The eccentric Mavs owner made a bold decision to blow up the championship unit from a year ago, refusing to re-sign several key pieces like center Tyson Chandler in an attempt to get higher profile players in the future. The not so subtle move sent shock waves throughout the Metroplex last December, as MFFL's (Mavs Fans For Life) cried foul that Cuban would throw away a legitimate chance to defend their first ever championship. I am also sure that aging superstars Dirk Nowitzki and Jason Kidd were not amused that their short window for continued success was not being closed by father time, but from inside the house.

I give ALL of the credit to the Mavericks players and coaching staff for pulling together amidst a season full of distractions. Hopefully Cuban will be humble enough to know that he is extremely fortunate to be in this situation, and won't make the same mistakes that a fellow Dallas owner made during the Cowboys rise in the 90's.......

After back to back titles in 92 and 93, Dallas Cowboy owner and general manager Jerry Jones started smelling himself (that's new school for becoming cocky by the way). And who could blame him at the time? He made the controversial move to first...fire legendary head coach Tom Landry. Then he engineered a blockbuster trade to send star running back Herschel Walker to Minnesota for (an unheard of) five players and six draft pics. Those pics ultimately laid the foundation for the Cowboys return to glory. Landry was replaced by Jimmy Johnson, and Walker was replaced by a guy named Emmitt Smith. Jerry had the magic touch...don't believe me? Just ask him.

Jones became so arrogant that he let a phenomenal coach in Jimmy Johnson go, stating that "anyone" could win with the talent he provided. That controversial move also sent shock waves through the Metroplex. Jerry, like Cuban, looked like a genius when Barry Switzer took basically the same team to another title in 95. That was a gift and a curse for the Cowboys, as Jones' out of control ego has lead to one questionable riverboat gamble after another since. The Cowboys have not sniffed an nfc championship game, let alone Super Bowl since either. I always wondered what would have happened if the Steelers won that Super Bowl in 95. Would Jerry Jones have been humbled enough to hire a general manager? We'll never know. As for Cuban, his team also bailed him out this time, let's see if  he handles it any better than Jones.  Follow @plcolter

More Mayo please.....

Memphis Grizzlies reserve O.J. Mayo is gaining a reputation for hitting the big shot in crunch time. He snatched victory from the jaws of defeat with timely 3 point shooting on several occasions this season, but last night was the most impressive by far. Having scored only three points, Mayo entered the game in the fourth quarter with the Grizzlies down by six. He immediately ran off 10 straight points to take the lead, and sealed the victory with a clutch 3 point shot in the closing seconds. "Juice" finished the game with 20 points, and another confidence building performance. What I love most about this story is that no one saw this coming, but Mayo.

Last year was a far different story for O.J. to say the least. Once a starter averaging 18 points per game, Mayo found himself falling out of favor with the organization with his erratic behavior and production. Then came the suspension for using a banned substance. Then came the beat down from fellow teammate Tony Allen (pun intended...Allen really dotted Mayo up). Then came the trade rumors....all of them. There was a deal in place to send O.J. to Indiana, but it fell through. Imaging the humility of having to go back out there and play for Memphis after that series of embarrassing events?

O.J. Mayo has accepted, and even flourished in his role as the first man off the bench. His teammates and coaches rave about his maturity, and even expressed divine thanks that the original trade fell through. Credit Mayo for continuing to believe in himself when the chips were down. I applaud anyone (whether they play professional sports or not) who can bounce back from a mistake or two and make the most of their second chance. Mayo went from odd man out to possible sixth man of the year this season. I'm rooting for him to win....as a fan and as a human being. follow @plcolter

Z-Bo leading in a different way this year

Last year around this time, Memphis Grizzlies all everything power forward Zack "Z-Bo" Randolph was preparing to put his franchise on his back and carry them to within a game of their first appearance in the nba western conference finals. Tonight against Utah, he is coming off the bench. Wow...what a difference a year makes. But incredibly enough, Randolph is showing more leadership this year, and the Grizzlies could greatly benefit from his new found attitude.

It's no secret that Randolph was labeled a selfish player in his previous stops. Last year in Memphis, we saw him blossom into a clutch, if not elite player. This year Z-Bo was robbed of 37 games with a knee injury, and the Grizzlies were 23-14 in his absence. Backup Marreese Speights had a career year in place of Randolph, and Memphis surprisingly remained in the thick of the playoff race.

When Randolph did return, the Grizzlies immediately struggled, losing the first three games that Ze-Bo started. The team looked out of sync, and confused on who the ball should go through. Rudy Gay and center Marc Gasol were playing at an all star level during Ze-Bo's absence, and Randolph's return made the offense stagnant. Credit head coach Lionel Hollins for having the stones to send Randolph to the bench in place of little known Speights. And kudos to Randolph for taking the high road and being a team player about it. Memphis has benefited as a result.

With Speights back in the starting lineup, the Grizzlies already deep bench just got deeper and a whole lot better. Along with sixth man of the year candidate O.J. Mayo, the Grizzlies now have a starting caliber 1-2 punch coming off the bench. Mayo can score in buckets and Randolph is a walking double double. The Grizzlies are 9-3 since the lineup change and battling for home court advantage in the first round. We live in a day and age where the players have more power than the coaches, and everything in Ze-Bo's past would have suggested that he would make a stink about it. Not only has he not, he continues to average a double double in a limited role. I hope Randolph's new found maturity can last through the playoffs. The Grizzlies success hinges on it. follow @plcolter

Lam Lam's great heist

I was sitting at my desk this morning, dreaming of being a million and one other places when I get a text. It's a picture of Lamar Odom cowering out of town with Lakers paraphernalia on. Now before I start, let me state for the record I am a Grizzlies fan and do not have a dog in the fight. But as a Dallas resident, looking at that photo confirmed what we already suspected. Lamar Odom sabotaged this trade, and he did it on purpose.

There were no personal issues. There were no fitness questions. There were no adjustment concerns. Odom stuck his middle finger up to the entire thought of playing here. He certainly didn't dispel that notion on the court. His play was embarrassingly awful. His competitiveness was reminiscent of a father playing with his young son....and holding back to build the kid's confidence. I gotta give Mavs fans credit...you are extremely patient and forgiving. Odom didn't care. He wanted the hell outta here.

I suspect that Odom's intention was to be released...why else would he be so blatantly bad and aloof? Kudos to Mark Cuban for keeping Lamar on the roster, at least that way Dallas can trade him to Toronto, or Charlotte next season. follow @plcolter

The irony of Gregg Williams' leaked speech

I go on vacation for a few days and the sports world loses their mind. Leaked tapes, conspiracies, motorcycle crashes, infidelity? I love my job! Let's go back to Thursday and the taped bounty speech from then New Orleans Saints defensive coordinator Gregg Williams. The Saints were facing the San Fransisco 49ers in the division round of the playoffs, and Williams had some "specific instructions" on how to knock some 49ers players out of the game. The fact the tape leaked on the day Sean Payton was supposed to appeal his year long suspension is fishy in itself, but I digress. What I find most interesting, and humorous, was the way the actual game turned out. Talk about a wasted speech.....

Williams said to go after qb Alex Smith. To hit him under the chin and to hit him in the head as much as possible. That worked...to the tune of 327 total yards and four total td's for Smith. Easily the best game of his professional career. Williams referred to 49ers wide receiver Michael Crabtree as a "fake prima donna" while encouraging his defense to go after his outside acl. Not only did Crabtree come out unscathed, he recorded his first career post season touchdown.

Williams also specifically called out 49ers tight end Vernon Davis. He was recorded telling his defense to essentially roll Davis's ankles so he can not continue the game. Davis had 7 catches, 180 yds, and 2 tds. The latter one sealing the victory for San Fran. And last but not least was Williams plan to stop 49ers running back Frank Gore, by pounding him in the head as frequently as possible. Not "punch him in the mouth"....hit him in the head concussion style. Not only did Gore finish the game with over 100 total yards, the Saints lost their own starting rb to a concussion in the first quarter. If Williams' future in the nfl is now in serious jeopardy, can the leaked speech be one that actually worked? I bet no money was paid after that one. follow @plcolter

Don't cry for Lin

The New York Knicks officially begin life after Linsanity, as phenom point guard Jeremy Lin had surgery to repair a meniscus tear in his left knee. The surgery will keep Lin out for the remainder of the season. But don't feel bad for Jeremy Lin, feel bad for the New York Knicks.

New York is in a dog fight with Milwaukee for the final playoff spot in the east. Amare Stoudemire is already out, and Baron Davis is a walking mri. The Knicks need all hands on deck to close this thing out and losing Lin was a huge blow.

Although Jeremy Lin is probably disappointed that his dream season has come to an end, he's got to be feeling like the luckiest man in the world. Lin had a chronic knee ailment, but it held up long enough for him to prove to the world that he is a baller. If this would have happened while he was in the D-League then Lin's 2012 would be going quite differently...

Now Lin has a measure of security. If the Knicks are foolish enough to let Lin walk, there will be no shortage of teams clamouring for his services. Sometimes it's not what happens....it's when it happens. Great if you're Lin...not so much if you're the Knicks. follow @plcolter

Showdown week for Mavs, Clippers, and Grizzlies

With the final four concluding Monday, it's time to hopefully collect your office pool winnings. It's also time to turn our attention to the professionals, where a fierce playoff battle is brewing in the nba's western conference. The Mavericks, Clippers, and Grizzlies have played musical chairs at the 4, 5, and 6 spot throughout the season. All three teams are within three games of the precious four seed, giving them home court advantage in the first round. All three teams are also a bad slide away from missing the playoffs all together. Crazy right? All three teams get a crack at each other in a week full of potential playoff previews.

Monday kicks off with the current fourth place Clippers visiting the current fifth place Mavericks, while sixth place Memphis and OKC tangle in Oklahoma City. The Thunder are 2-0 in their series with the Grizzlies, who are currently a half game behind Dallas.

Wednesday brings another set of showdowns. Memphis and Dallas are both getting healthy at the right time, and it should be a barn burner when they hook up in downtown Dallas. The Grizzlies won the first match up, but Dirk was Ze-Bo were out. Another possible first round preview. Later that night, the Lakers and Clippers battle for the division lead in their all important rubber match.

Saturday night the Mavs and Grizz conclude their season series in Memphis. Next Monday, the Grizz host the Clippers. What a week of incredible match ups. And just in time for the end of college hoops. Thank you basketball gods. follow @plcolter