The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/31)

Prince, you lucky piece of crap...

The Celtics drop the opener to the Heat, James Harden is traded, Indiana tops the initial CBB polls, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/30)

THE BIGGIE SIZE!!! I WANT THE BIGGIE
SIZE!!!

The 49ers and Broncos win big, Romeo Crennel is confused, the Eagles ponder significant changes, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/29)

Just when I thought we had lost every way possible...

Week 8 recap.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/26)

The Vikings may have lost, but we learned a
valuable lesson tonight. Don't EVER mess with
Jared Allen. Just leave him alone.

The Bucs hammer the Vikings and Week 8 picks.


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The Matt Barkley Sweepstakes: Week 7 Update

No, Matt, not #2 anymore.

All right, I give in. Joke’s on me. Just two weeks ago the outcome of this race seemed set in stone, with Geno Smith being the runaway #1 pick and the Cleveland Browns punting their way to an 0-16 record. Now? Well, other than the Browns still unnecessarily punting all the time, I don’t know what to think. On the NFL side, there are a number of teams still very much in the picture, but who the heck knows which college prospect is in that picture! Geno has put together two clunkers in a row, Matt Barkley has yet to perform against a team that isn’t Colorado or some other garbage school, E.J. Manuel is still surrounded by question marks, and the rest of the prospects have quickly fallen by the wayside. At this point it’s feasible that no QB will go in the top 5, though recent draft history suggests that somebody will reach for one of these guys. As for which one, however, your guess is as good as mine.

Let’s see where things stand through seven weeks:

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/25)

Better not criticize or Warren Moon will come and get you!

DeAngelo Hall tweaks the Giants and Warren Moon busts out the 'race card'...plus Bold Predictions!


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Meet the AFC, The New NBA Eastern Conference

How'd that work out for you, Pat?

For the better part of the 2000’s, the NBA had a major balance issue. The Western Conference soared far above their Eastern counterparts, regularly turning the Finals into a prolonged version of the victory formation rather than a climactic battle. Dynastic teams such as the Lakers and Spurs were the obvious standouts, but the West also featured other powerful squads such as the Mavs and Kings, both of which would have easily been the class of the East. From the end of the Bulls dynasty in 1998 up until now, the West has won 10 championships in 14 seasons, has produced 72 teams with 50 or more wins, has seen 10 teams with winning records miss the playoffs, and has seen exactly 0 teams with non-winning records make the playoffs. Contrast that to the East, who has produced just 33 teams with 50 or more wins, has seen just 2 winning teams miss the playoffs, and has seen a whopping 20 non-winning teams make the playoffs.

I mention this not because my mind is slowly being consumed by basketball – though that is indeed true – but because we’re seeing a similar development in the NFL. It was no secret prior to the season that the AFC was the weaker of the two conferences, but few could have foreseen just how lopsided it would be. At least then it appeared as if there would be a strong top end, but even that has fallen apart. The Ravens, once a strong Super Bowl contender, have been ravaged by debilitating injuries to their defense as well as further Joe Flacco related issues. They were just trounced by 30 points. And then there are the Patriots, who blew yet another big 4th quarter lead and continue to look like a team on the decline. Even the Texans, clearly the class of the conference, have issues. Not only have they lost Brian Cushing for the season, but they were basically publically executed by the Packers on national TV.

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/24)

Can Lebron and the Heat repeat? Here's hoping not...

NBA over/unders.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/23)

The Bears take down the Lions, the Patriots face serious questions, MJD gets bad news, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/22)

Week 7 recap including the death of the Ravens, a near disaster in New England, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/19)

Tough to beat anyone, much less the 49ers, when you
don't catch these.

The 49ers win ugly vs. the Seahawks and Week 7 picks.


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The Geno Smith Sweepstakes: Week 6 Update

Poor Geno couldn't escape Texas Tech...or the curse
of Prince's support!

How would I describe the Geno Smith Sweepstakes? Chaos. Complete and utter chaos. Just one week ago it looked like we had this thing all sorted out. Geno was a runaway #1 pick after annihilating Texas and the Browns were a mortal lock for 0-16 and the #1 pick. Now, Geno is coming off a rough outing (and a crushing loss) and the Browns random win has them in a 6 way tie for worst in the league. What will happen next? Your guess is as good as mine!

Let's sort through the wreckage after Week 6:

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/18)

Blame Prince!

Kevin Love breaks his hand, the Jets "call out" the Pats, and more...plus Bold Predictions!


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/17)

"Well, you see, we don't actually need Julio Jones because
I'm gonna draft this guy named Greg Little. Trust me, he'll
be great!"

Black Tuesday in the NFL, as the axe falls on Mike Holmgren and Juan Castillo, plus Power Rankings.


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Is Michael Vick Done?

Is Vick's turnover epidemic permanent?

So here’s a newsflash for everyone – Michael Vick and the Eagles are a mess. A complete and utter mess. Philly currently sits just one game out in the NFC East at 3-3, but that really doesn’t tell the story of how bad things have been. The highlights (lowlights) of their season include:

- Losing their last two and three of their last four.
- Coughing up fourth quarter leads in each of their last three games.
- Winning their three games by a combined total of just 4 points.
- Nearly losing to the Browns, which is the worst fate imaginable.

Worse yet, the Eagles seem to be their own worst enemy, turning the ball over at an alarming rate and doing everything in their power to turn the entire city of Philadelphia against them.

Perhaps this shouldn’t be surprising considering what happened last year, but it bears watching anytime a team wastes as much talent as the Eagles have. After all, the Eagles were supposed to be leading the NFC in categories such as points, yards and wins; not fumbles and total giveaways. Yet, here we are, six games into the 2012 season, and the “Dream Team” is at or near the bottom of not only those categories, but also penalties and third down conversion rate. The quarterback can’t hold onto the ball, the head coach is practically a wanted man and the fans are ready to riot. It’s entirely possible that this iteration of the Philadelphia Eagles is one of the biggest disappointments in NFL history.

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/16)

No way Ray's career ends this way, right?

Denver rallies to beat San Diego, the Ravens defense suffers catastrophe, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/15)

Welcome back, Packers offense.

Week 6 recap including a huge Green Bay statement, a muddled AFC picture, a pair of clock management fiascos, and more.


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How Bad is Blaine Gabbert?

Can Gabbert salvage his career?

If you’ve spent any amount of time listening to our podcasts or reading our posts, you should be well aware of the very strong feelings we have towards Blaine Gabbert. Not a feeling of hatred, mind you, as it would seem almost immoral to actually hate someone like him. What would be the point? What good would it do to actually hate someone playing with such an obvious handicap? You wouldn’t hate an elderly person for forgetting where they parked, would you? So why hate Gabbert when he clearly doesn’t have the talent to be an NFL quarterback?

Nevertheless, Gabbert is an NFL quarterback – and a terrible one, at that. Handicap (lack of talent) or no, the heavy criticism and widespread mocking are completely warranted. His 19 career starts have been a complete disaster, begging the questions of a.) why he was ever drafted so high and b.) why in the world Jacksonville continually runs him out there. As to the first question…I have no earthly idea. Heading into the draft, I called Gabbert a “second or third round prospect, at best” and even that seems like a gross overvaluation given how things have turned out.  As to the second question…I once again have no earthly idea. Stupidity? Arrogance? Stupidity and arrogance? Who knows?

What we do know is that Gabbert has been bad, but given his age and inexperience, it’s worth wondering just how bad he’s actually been. Young starting QB’s typically struggle, after all. Maybe the Blaine Gabbert Experiment hasn’t gone as poorly as we all thought. 

Uh, no. Not even close. 

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/12)

Somehow, this is still a story...

The Titans upset the Steelers, Mike Vick gets a a dog, the NFL drops the ball, and more...plus Week 6 picks.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/11)

Brady and I are very excited to have tied
up Bold Predictions...and yes, I checked
the tape!

Rex Ryan does some waffling, Lance Armstrong gets thrown under the bus, and Kentucky loads up for 2013...plus Bold Predictions!


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The Geno Smith Sweepstakes: Week 5 Update

So, I guess he's for real...

So, about this whole Geno Smith thing…does anybody have any questions? Anybody? No, didn’t think so.  Not after what Geno did to Texas on Saturday. Make no mistake, the Longhorns defense is no joke. Granted, I wouldn’t put them up there with the Alabama’s or the LSU’s of the world, but with four players currently projected as first or second round picks, they certainly have enough talent to present a formidable challenge. Not only did Geno decimate that challenge, he did so at DKR Memorial Stadium, an always difficult and hostile environment. So yeah, this guy is good and there’s almost no chance Matt Barkley or any other clown catches up to him in this race.

But while the drama is sapped from one half of the race, the drama in the other half is just starting to heat up. In fact, you could argue that the drama will only intensify now that Geno has clearly established himself as an elite prospect. Teams that were previously on the fence about tanking their seasons now have ample motivation to do crazy/fishy things such as put guys on IR when they clearly could return, call long passing plays on 4th and inches (a Pat Shurmur specialty), and make mysterious switches to players such as Terrelle Pryor (or mysteriously stick with players such as BADGABMAXULTRA). Game on, people!

Let’s see where things stand through five weeks:

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/10)

Uh-oh

Rex Ryan supports Sanchez, the Texans suffer a huge loss, and Roger Goodell upholds the Saints' suspensions, plus Power Rankings.


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What is Wrong With the Packers?

Far too common a sight for the Packers.

Anymore, it seems like the NFL’s primary mission is to confound its fans. Every year, the league seemingly invents new and radical ways to prove just how wacky and random it truly is. Two years ago, it was the Chiefs winning their division and the Chargers missing the playoffs despite being ranked first in both total offense and total defense. Last year, it was the Eagles fumbling their way out of the playoffs and the 49ers scooping up those fumbles to get themselves in. This year…well, I’m not sure it’s fair to call this year more random than years past, but it certainly isn’t any less. (So basically, more…glad we settled that.)

Granted, we’re only five weeks into the season, so things can still turn towards normalcy, but my goodness some of these early returns are head scratchers. Minnesota and Arizona at the top of their divisions at 4-1? Rams above .500? Saints not above .500…or even close to it? Carson Palmer with fewer INT’s than Rodgers, Ryan, Manning, Manning, Brees, and 24 others? Silly stuff!

This brings me to what is, in my mind, the biggest shocker of the 2012 season, the 2-3 start of the Green Bay Packers. At least with the Saints there is a plausible reason for their struggles. What excuse do the Packers have? This was a 15-1 team last season, a team that won games by an average of nearly two TD’s, a team that, prior to this season, had piled up 21 wins (including a Super Bowl run) in the time it took them to collect the same amount of losses they have this year. And they brought pretty much the same group back! Same quarterback, same head coach, same group of receivers, same everything. Yet, here the Packers are with three losses and staring up at 10 teams in the NFC. Not exactly what they had in mind, I’m assuming.

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/9)

This probably could have been handled a bit better...

More Week 5 recap, including another Sanchez stinker, a special RIP segment, and an early look at the MVP race.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/8)

Dead.

Week 5 recap, including a shocking Green Bay loss, an even more shocking 4-1 start for Minnesota, and another disaster filled day for the Eagles.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/5)

This could not have gone any worse for Kolb.

The Rams upset the Cardinals and the NHL cancels regular season games, plus Week 5 picks.


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The Geno Smith Sweepstakes: Week 4 Update

Celebrate, Geno! You're the new Grand Prize!

The unthinkable has happened. OK, maybe using the word ‘unthinkable’ is a bit much, but the switch to ‘The Geno Smith Sweepstakes’ is certainly not something I anticipated when the season started. Other than the most rabid West Virginia fans, who really could have? Barkley, with all his talents, all his experience, and all his pedigree seemed like an unassailable lock for the Sweepstakes Grand Prize. Just four games later, though, he’s now staring up a guy playing like a video game version of himself. And if he doesn’t get his stuff together, he’ll soon find himself sinking under the sudden E.J. Manuel surge as well.

The question now is whether ANY of these QB’s will end up being the top overall pick. I may be going out on a limb here, but I’m actually going to predict that three of these guys will end up as top 10 picks, with QB’s going 1-2 in the draft just like they did last year. My picks; Geno Smith #1 overall, E.J. Manuel #2. In many ways, Smith and Manuel closely resemble Robert Griffin (Smith) and Cam Newton (Manuel).  In a copycat league like the NFL, you know those comparisons will run wild and will carry a lot of weight come draft day. While I don’t think either player is quite as gifted as their supposed doppelganger, they would certainly make excellent prizes for any number of QB needy teams.

Let’s see where things stand through four weeks:

MLB Postseason Preview

Sorry, Casey. Bud Selig cannot hear your angry cries.

Written by: Casey Richey


After a long paid vacation away from Boris Diaw Time, I am happy to make my triumphant return and bring baseball back to the blog!  Okay, so you know that’s not the truth.  It wasn’t a paid vacation.  No, I was in a coma for a year after hearing the news about the atrocious format changes that Bud Selig has brought to the postseason.  I’m not gonna lie, if it wasn’t for the Pirates coming through for me at the last minute, staging an unthinkable ‘comeback’ to finish out the year, I may not have found the strength to come out of my hibernation and write again.  But when it feels like the whole world is changing around you, you can always count on an old friend to come through for you and bring some stability into your life.  Here’s to another 20 years, Pittsburgh!

Now, on to the postseason – I am going to keep this simple.  I’m previewing each team in the postseason and providing my best guess at their odds of winning the World Series.  Please keep in mind, folks: this is not basketball or football.  There are only 10 teams, and you can’t definitively say any team has NO chance of winning it all.  Baseball is just weird like that.  However, I didn’t just pull these percentages out of thin air – these really are my best guesses, and I’ve done some scenario mapping to back up the numbers if anyone is interested.  Enjoy!

The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/4)

We were awesome on this podcast...if you don't count
the 37 minutes we talked.

Leroy Harris rips J.J. Watt, Lolo Jones sends an unfortunate tweet, and the NBA legislates against flopping...plus Bold Predictions!


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/3)

A samurai sword? Yes, a samurai sword...

A look at the NFL landscape at the quarter mark, plus the dumbest discussion you will ever hear in your life.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/2)

An NFL coach's biggest nightmare!

More Week 4 recap, including a Cowboys crash-and-burn, a tale of cowardly coaching, and more.


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The Boris Diaw Time Show (10/1)

Week 4 recap, featuring "real" ref incompetence, key victories by the Packers, Patriots, and Broncos, and crushing losses by the Saints, Seahawks, and Lions.


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