Winter Hibernation

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15 weeks of concussions, squeaky joints, bad hammy's and torn muscles. Turf toe, broken hands, high ankle sprains. Hot summers with 3 a days to full pads in the winter. It all adds up and it leaves teams like the Texans and Steelers reeling in pivotal games and teams like the Colts, 'Phins and Rams out of it before they can even get off the starting block. Wanna see what that looks like over 15 weeks? The chart below shows how many players were affected by injuries sustained over the first 15 weeks of the season:

Of the 59 players listed as out this past week, 25 were starters. A multitude of players that did in fact play were hampered by the injuries that had them listed as so. Ben Roethlisberger, Lamar Woodley, Willis McGahee to name a few. For playoff teams, the difference between, say a 12-4 number 2 or 3 seed that backs into the playoffs racked with injuries compared to rested, healthy and physically uninhibited 11-5 or 10-6 3 seed team can be monumental (Here's looking at you Texans). Its a common practice among teams already locked up in a playoff spot weeks before the first postseason game, but, I contest, if your guaranteed a playoff spot, why not take the chance let your starters get healthy and let your backups carry the load for the final game or two. Especially if the last two games are winnable without starters (here's looking at you Pittsburgh). 

Teams wanna see the Andre's Johnsons,
Ray Lewis' and Patrick Willis' on the field
and not on the sideline in the playoffs.

Unfortunately, teams aren't always afforded such a luxury so early in the season. Teams that could benefit include a Raven's team who need to get healthy up the middle to generate the anchor for a defense dependent on it (Ray Lewis, Haloti Ngata), the 49er's who will need Frank Gore 100% to control games against the NFC's offensively daunting playoff bunch and the Atlanta Falcons whose walking wounded include a Michael Turner, Julio Jones, Harry Douglas, Jasn Babineaux, Tony Gonzalez, two starting CB's and pass rushers. But, alas these teams will have to rough it in the next to weeks to maintain or gain ground on the plethora of teams in the playoff hunt.

However, and ironically enough, the two teams that can actually employ this tactic RIGHT NOW, are the last two participants in the Super Bowl, the Green Bay Packers and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Here's how and why they must take the opportunity to get healthy and get healthy now.

Pittsburgh Steelers

I doubt that I need to explain the importance of health to Steelers Nation after yesterday's nationally televised whooping.The walking wounded looked so bad the light man at Candlestick decided the game would be easier to watch in the dark for Steeler fans. Big Ben could barely walk. His two early interception's were his fault and his fault alone, the product of his inability to step in to throws to give his receivers a chance at the ball. Maurkice Pouncey, the Steelers All-Pro Center and best lineman couldn't play. Lamar Woodley exited with more hamstring problems and Troy Polamalu was a touch slowed by a hammy of his only, leaving Vernon Davis to be guarded by the Steelers lesser talents which resulted in Davis tearing apart the Steelers D and scoring a game-breaking TD. If you didn't notice, all of those players are of all pro caliber, all but one made last year's pro bowl. That hurts.

The Steelers have a very winnable remaining schedule at the Bradford-less Rams and the concussed Cleveland Browns. But they need help to get higher seeding. New England would have to lose to Buffalo and Miami. Baltimore would have to lose one or both of their final games (Cincinnati and Cleveland) for Pittsburgh to have a shot at the division or number one seed. Houston, missing a Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson, get a bit of a reprieve in the Colts and the Titans to help secure their seeding. Why not let the starters, grab the sideline, get healthy, get a chip on their shoulders and get to the playoffs. a Number 5 seed would have them play a weak first round matchup against and AFC West opponent or a the Texans, sans Matt Schaub, in the number 6. And though they would have a away schedule for the rest of the year, I think the Pittsburgh community would feel much more confident going through the playoffs with a Healthy Ben and healthy playmakers, rather than what was on the field last night. 

Green Bay Packers

The Pack were exposed. Sort of.

Missing burner and best wideout Greg Jennings, starting tackle Chad Clifton and starting G Josh Sitton,  the Packers were seemingly caught off guard by the athleticism and fire of the Kansas City Chiefs who made the line work and the receivers work harder. Amid a myriad of mind boggling drops by the Packers receivers that left Aaron Rodger's on the wrong side of 50% completion percentage at half, the Green Bay Packers took two more blows, losing Tackles Bryan Bulaga and Derrek Sherrod to leg injuries. To boot, a defense that finally seem to show up through the first 3 quarters ultimately showed further why the Packers health is paramount as the Chiefs were able to score the games first touchdown, a game breaker that made the Packers first touchdown nice but a bit late.

Greg Jennings is only one of a bunch of downed Packers.

This game thoroughly showed the importance of getting the ENTIRE team on the field and playing without crutches, at full speed, full tilt, full confidence. If the line can't get healthy players like Jean Pierre-Paul, Ndamukong Suh and John Abraham will make Rodger's life much more difficult than it needs to be to return to the promised land.  Not to mention playing the starters the next to weeks against the Bears and the Lions severely puts Aaron Rodger's in danger of not finishing the season undinged, with the likes of Suh, Kyle Vanden Bosch, Nick Fairley, Brian Urlacher, Lance Briggs and Julius Peppers all licking their chops to knock off the their rival's golden boy in Rodger's and deal the number one team in the league a debilitating blow that the Pack can't not afford to take.

Thhhaaaaaaaaaattttttt Close

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Another year, another bottle popped for Shula, Mercury, Griese and the rest of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the last and only team to ever go undefeated. The Green Bay Packers have fallen line with other great teams that have tried and failed to beat the pressure and go undefeated.
In honor, or dishonor, depending on your opinion or affiliation, of the Packers inexplicable loss to the Kyle Orton led Kansas City Chiefs, I have compiled a list of the 5 OTHER teams that have gone to the promised land only to miss it by Thhhaaaaaaatttttttttt much. It's crazy to think of the teams that came so close. They are easily some of the best offenses and defenses in the history of the NFL. So with that, your list of those that got Thhhaaaaaaaaaattttttt Close.

1985 Bears

First Loss: Week 13

Opponent: Miami Dolphins

Score: 24-38

Breakdown:

Marino may have been the only qb ever
to been able to defeat these Bears.

IT was a fairy tale kind of game as the Miami Dolphins, owners of history's only undefeated season, thwarted the eventual Super Bowl Champion Chicago Bears attempt at a perfect season under the lights on Monday Night Football. The Bears where coming off three wins during which they outscored opponents 104-3. This defense, one of history's greatest, the vaunted Buddy Ryan 46 defense, was a hard blitzing defense that focused on forcing the quarterback to make a perfect throw against tight man coverage with at one free blitzer in his face nearly every play.

McMahon's injury hurt the
Bears chances to go undefeated.

So how could they be defeated? Two reasons. Their starting QB, the incomparable wild man Jim McMahon, was out of the game. The second? Possibly the only thing that could beat that defense in a year that  year (and the only thing that DID). Statistically, the great QB of all time, Dan Marino. The Dolphins used the Bears aggressiveness on defense to the their advantage. Because of Maraino's ability to hold the ball what seems like a lifetime longer than most quarterbacks, coupled with his ability to make that perfect throw so often, the Dolphins were able to pass to the middle of the field with ease and precision. The constant blitz left gaping holes in the defense, which allowed Marino to attack it with his tight ends and crossing patterns, and thus forced the secondary to make plays they had not been asked to make most of the year. The result? The Dolphins would hang 38 points on what would become a top 3 all time defense. That's one way to protect your franchise records.

Rest of the season:

The Bears bounced back nicely, finishing the rest of the regular season unscathed, then bulldozing through the playoffs with two shutouts, ten points allowed and a 46-10 victory in Super Bowl XX against the New England Patriots. 

1998 Broncos

First Loss: Week 15

Opponent: New York Giants

Score: 16-20

Breakdown:

This game was what we all love to call, and rightfully so a trap game. The 1998 Broncos were the 90's darling team and its greatest team.  They made 13-0 relatively easy and never met much a challenge season, with on 5 games decided by 7 points or less.
They made the trip to the Meadowlands to face the Kent Graham New York Giants, who were having another ho-hum season at a blistering 5-8. The Broncos fought to a workman like 16-13 lead behind a strong game by Terrell Davis, rushing for 147 yards on 28 carries.
However, Kent Graham, with an angel on his back and possessed by the ghost of Johnny Unitas, storm down the field and hit a strike to Amani Toomer in the corner of the end zone, who made an amazing catch falling out of the end zone. Initially, it was called an incomplete pass, but to the delight of Amani Toomer and chagrin of Bronco nation, a second official ran in to overturn the call, end the Broncos run at perfection and cementing the 98 Giants in history as the only team to beat the 98 Broncos.

Rest of the season:

The Broncos would loss their next game as well, but then win the next four, including three in the playoffs in rout to John Elway's and the Denver Broncos second consecutive Championship, sending off Elway in style, as this would be his last season as the Broncos quarterback.

2005 Colts 

First Loss: Week 15

Opponent: San Diego Chargers

Score: 17-26

Breakdown:

The 2005 Colts were strangely similar to the other streak breakers on this list. Like the 85' Dolphins, they had one of history's top 5 qb's. Like the 98' Giants, they were losing nearly the entire game against the Chargers. And, like both streak breakers, would not see nary a minute of play during that years Super Bowl.
As luck would have the Colts ran into the Chargers who with this game, would begin an incredible December, going 21-1 from that game through the 2009 season. The 05' Drew Bress led Chargers used a quick punch score, a tough running game led by Ladanian Tomlinson and Michael Turner, and a stout defensive performance against Peyton Manning during his record breaking prime years to win the game without any true doubt to the outcome.
The Colts would try to comeback but would not get close again after Manning threw an interception into the end zone to seal their loss to the Chargers.

Rest of the Season:

The Colts would loss 2 of the next 3, including a memorable loss to eventual Champion Pittsburgh Steelers, in a game that featured a controversial Troy Polamalu interception and an anxiety-driven sequence that saw future Hall of Famer Jerome Bettis fumble at the goal-line, which was nearly returned for a game sealing touchdown by Nick Harper, who was tackled by a shoestring by the time Super Bowl Champ Ben Roethlisberger.

2007 Patriots 

First Loss: Super Bowl

Opponent: New York Giants

Score: 14-17




Breakdown:

THIS was the team. They were destined. No one could beat them. No one could get them to call of the dogs as they beat, battered and blistered teams to a pulp every week. They won by 19.7 every week. Moss broke the receiving TD record with 23. Tom Brady broke the passing TD record with 50. Wes Welker had 112 catches. Troy Brown had 102. Randy Moss 98. Some say, that only the Patriots could beat the Patriots. Or an act of God. Or simply, Karma for the way people thought they "carried on" late in games as they ran up scores.

Well, after defeating the New York Giants (nearly eliminating them from the playoffs. They "snuck in at healthy 10-6, outlasting the 9-7 Washington Redskins)

Then, the playoffs started. And the Pats started slowing down. A pair of stout defensive lines in the Jaguars and Chargers gave a glimmer of how to take down the juggernaut Pats. You cut off the head and the beast dies. You get to Brady and the offense flat lines.
In Super Bowl XLll, the rematch of the Giants game from week 17, the Giants Trio of Micheal Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and Justin Tuck, who combined for 32 regular season sacks, got to Brady three times out of five sacks and kept him frazzled the entire game, allowing, Eli Manning, Plaxico Burress and David Tyree to orchestrate a Super Bowl classic of a game winning drive to stun the 18-0 Patriots and seize the Lombardi Trophy while avenging their week 17 loss to the Pats.

2009 Colts


First Loss: Week 16
Opponent: New York Jets
Score: 15-2






Breakdown:

This is easily the most controversial loss of all the teams to flirt with an undefeated season, especially when one considers the end result. New Head Coach Jim Caldwell, with the support of his starters threw the game in an attempt to prepare the team for the playoffs, and guarantee that the majority of their  team was healthy entering the playoffs. The strategy worked to a degree. They made it to the Super Bowl but lost to the same quarterback who ended the Colts 2005 bid at a perfect regular season - Drew Brees - and his electric offense in the Saints. Ironically, the Colts would defeat those same Jets that they forfeited to in ending there perfect regular season bid, which gives credence to the thought that they had a great chance to get to the Super Bowl unscathed. 

So as history shows us, its incredibly tough to go undefeated, let alone make it to week 13 without a blemish in the loss column. Only 6 teams have done it, and none made it through a full season and playoff run without feeling defeat. But, in a slight mental victory for the Pack and its faithful, every NFC team and every team not named the Colts made it to and won that season's Super Bowl. But the formula has been unleashed on how to handle if not defeat the nearly unbeatable Packers. Pass rush, athletic cover corners and a  solid run game to control the clock and keep Green Bay off the field will give any team a chance to get the Packers on edge. Now that makes for an exciting finish to an already amazing season.

Bill Cowher, Meet the Dolphins

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James Walker, blogger for the AFC North division on ESPN. 

"The Dolphins didn't handle the Sparano situation well and that will not look good among the coaching community. Miami also plans to retain general manager Jeff Ireland, doesn't have a franchise quarterback and has to compete with winning programs like the New England Patriots and New York Jets in the AFC East. Top coaching candidates may see other jobs around the league as more attractive"

Jerome Bettis, former all-pro, Cowher RB and current commentator for the NFL Network

"It would have to be farfetched -- and this would never happen -- it would have to (be) something like Andy Reid gets fired or something crazy," Bettis said. "Something to that degree." ... That's the type of scenario that Coach Cowher would have to really give some thought, because now you're not coming in coaching a last-place team. You've got a quality football team that needs direction and understanding." 

"I don't think a Miami job will entice him because there are so many issues, No. 1 being the quarterback position," Bettis said. "The one thing I do know is he's not going anywhere that doesn't have a solid quarterback already in place."

If we are to listen to the ideas of others we might forget to see the reality of some situations. Both James Walker and Jerome Bettis have great knowledge of these situations and respected opinions. But one thing about the NFL is the unexpected is always right around the corner. And if you take a look at what it takes to make Cowher happy and what the Dolphins have to offer, you might be surprised with what you find. 

1) An established team

First things first, Bill Cowher wants to walk into a good situation. He's not going to want a Jaguars team that has a rookie quarterback he probably would not have wanted or a defense that is light years away from Super Bowl or mid-90's Steelers quality. Kansas City has an opening, stars on both side of the ball, great fight, great fans and great upside. Downside? Meet GM Scott Pioli. He's going NOwhere. That leaves potential openings in Minnesota and San Diego. But Minnesota has Adrian Peterson and nothing else and Norv Turner just seems to be that cat with 9 lives, so we can rule them out. 

The Dolphins? More established than you think.

Defense

They have a great defense. Yes, THAT Miami Dolphins defense. YES, the 2011 version. They are sneaky third in the league in Rush Defense. As for their 25th ranked Pass D? You can attribute that to three gashings courtesy of Tom Brady, Eli manning and Philip Rivers. Remove those outliers and the Defense jumps to a respectable 11th overall. And on top of that, since the offense has learned to control the clock with Reggie Bush and smart passing, (2nd in the league in Time of Possession for the past 6 weeks with a 4-2 record) the defense is able to use its assets and play fast and quality defense, similar to what the Steelers used to and still value. 

Davis is starting to join the conversation of  top 3 corners in the league.

Davis is starting to join the conversation
of  top 3 corners in the league.

Now imagine how quickly this defense would turn around in a 3-4 Zone Blitz scheme that Cowher would undoubtedly deploy? 3-4's need linebackers with speed for the edge and cover skills for the middle (Taylor, Wake, Dansby and Burnett are perfect fits) Ends and tackles that take up blockers, (Merling is a start and DT is abundant in the coming draft, a Cowher specialty) and Man to Man corners that can hold their own (Vontae Davis is a star and Sean Smith is a solid starter). Cowher would only have to add his scheme to let this Defense reach its potential. The sacks would add up quick and the corners would do excellent jobs of capitalizing on quarterback mistakes because of the rush. A match made in heaven in my opinion. 

Offense 

The offensive line is strength. Jake Long is a true star and lead while Vernon Carey, Young Mike Pouncey and Incognito play with a mean streak similar to what Cowher loves for his teams to push the defense back with the running game. Anthony Fasano, for all his receiving ups and downs, is a great run blocker, the real reason he is still in Orange and Teal. He is cut from the same mold of Mark Bruener, a favorite from Cowher's Pittsburgh days.

Marshall could finally reach his potential with a leader and disciplinarian like Cowher.

Marshall could finally reach his
potential with a leader and
disciplinarian like Cowher. 

At running back there may be a snag. We know that Cowher loves a bruiser and the Dolphins just don't have one. Reggie has developed a great attitude over the past few weeks and is really trying to run guys over when on the field, contributing to his recent 100 yard efforts, and Daniel Thomas is a great, strong and young complement to Reggie. But Cowher may want someone that can tote it 30 times a game that he can trust at the goal line. 

The receivers do well in their ability to catch the ball and create, when the ball gets to them in timely fashion. Brandon Marshall is a tar. Along with Devon Bess, they play with chips on their shoulder and are both threats in the receiving games. A true compliment to them is that they have finally put into their games the ability to block down field and seek that block to spring the runner. If you watch the film, Bush gets big yardage when he can hit the hole and have help at the second level, where the TE and WR's have been flourishing in their down field blocking. 

That brings us to another sticking point in bring Cowher to South Florida

2) Quarterback.

Cowher won only when he drafted his QB 
in 2004. In Ben first season Pittsburgh
was 15-1.

This is one piece of the team that many would feel as the though the most experience would be warranted from Cowher to bring him into the fold. The Dolphins have a competent passer in Matt Moore, but he, like Tommy Maddox, is not a franchise style or Super Bowl type QB. But what the Dolphins do have over any other team is the ability to add a star quarterback through the draft immediately, with the perks of:

a) Not ruffling feathers of the current incumbent and causing locker room/Front Office friction (Jaand Gabbert, Minnesota and Ponder, KC Cassel and Pioli)

b) A draft class for Qb's that rivals 2004, during which Cowher hand pick his man in Ben Roethlisberger

c) Setting the tone of his tenure with the franchise with his kind of Quarterback

Cowher gets to pick from, Robert Griffin III (Heisman and pro style in college), Mark Bradley (Great leader, measurables and pedigree coming from USC) Landry Jones (Great competitor and numbers) and to a lesser extent, if they can jump high enough, prized QB Andrew Luck (Highest rated QB prospect ever).

It’s not as if the QB position would be a drawback. Cowher could choose his guy; build around him while finally being the guy to bring the first Franchise QB to Miami since Marino retired.

And don't be surprised if said QB gets hands on training with Marino, good friend and co-worker of Cowher, from Pittsburgh, living in Miami. 

However, moves like that might require

 3) GM Power  

Is Ireland worth missing out on Cowher?

Is Ireland worth missing out on Cowher?

And that may be the sticking point. This is where it gets scary for Miami fans. Do the Dol-fans want a new GM. Hell yes. One that doesn’t draft like a Sputnik? Missed on Ginn Jr. Missed chances at three prime needs in 2010 draft (passed on RB Mark Ingram in 1st round, DT Marvin Austin in 2nd round, and QB Ryan Mallet in the 3rd). Offended Dez Bryant to the point of undraftable in 2010.  He's done a good job somewhat on the defense but Cowher's track record (and yes I realize that Cowher was never a GM in Pittsburgh, but his power over decisions in player personnel decisions was strongly apparent.) is amazing in the draft an beyond it. His ability to find players that fit and play the right way is uncanny. Hines Ward, Jason Gildon, Joel Steed, Mike Vrabel, Max Starks, and Joey Porter where all deep draft picks that he found and made stars. Wondering what he could add to the Dolphins squad is as easy as looking at his teams that ruled the AFC Central and North for years is all one needs to do.

However, Steve Ross may be able to afford Cowher but must find away to let Cowher run things unopposed. Cowher's distaste for Front Office opposition is one well chronicled in the Pittsburgh area and is the main reason he has waited so long to return.

 This will probably end the same as it has the past few years. Some flirting, some courting, some questions, but no connections. But there will be no doubting Ross doesn't want to repeat what happened last year in missing his man in Jim Harbaugh. Cowher is the number one target for Ross. He's wants him and he'll ante up. But ultimately, it is up to Team Cowher to see the potential that the Dolphins have to pull 2011 49ers on the league. A match made in heaven? Maybe not. But the best option for Cowher? The only way a better situation comes along is if Mike McCarthy suddenly retires. This is it for Cowher, time to dust off the chin and get started.

CP3 and Griffin are nice, but what else?

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Chris Paul to the Lakers! Nixed. Chris Paul to the Knicks! Never was on the table! Chris Paul to the Clippers? Sterling won't do it. Lakers back? Lakers gone. Clippers back, back, back, Home run!!!

There you have it. Donald Sterling's Clippers are, on paper, better than the Lakers, or at least comparable. Star player with bad knees? Check. Star youth with sky high potential but scary health risk? Check. Strong defensive coach? Check. But what else do the Clips have? What else do they need to become a the best team in the West, let alone the best team in their own city?





Well for starters, last year's arguably number 1 and 2 point guards in the Western Conference now belong to the Los Angeles Clippers. Number one obviously being Chris Paul. The second? He just came through the back door while everyone watched Chris Paul walk through the front. Chauncey Billups. Be sure that I know that this is not 2004. Billups is far from what he once was, but is still a major talent and a major asset to the team as a locker room presence (he helped harness the insanity that was Rasheed Wallace and focused the lax Carmelo Anthony into an elite player). What Chris Paul doesn't already know as the league predominant floor general Billups knows and mastered in his days as Detroit's finest. He is a fighter who earned his role in the NBA and can teach this squad how to fight to the top. And don't forget to mention that Billups defensive capabilities, and ability to shoot the rock and play without it allows the Clippers to run both he and Paul simultaneously.

He may be tough to get but Aaron Afflalo could be
the difference from a good showing this year and
trip to the finals.

At the same position the Clippers have Mo Williams. Subtract Billups winning history ad intangibles, we have a poor man's Billups. Lower totals across the board but, for a back up, potentially number 3 point guard, Williams is as good as it gets and, expendable. Considering that the Clippers need a legit shooting guard to take advantage of the room Paul and Griffin will allow them while Billups is not on the floor, the Clippers need to use Williams and his $8 million dollar salary and flip him for  a sharp shooting, defensive minded guard. Aaron Affalo, the burgeoning name on the free agent market could be had in a sign and trade. Though he is close to a new deal with the Nuggets, the Clippers still have assets to make the trade work. Lesser options include Nick Young, shooting but no D, Willie Green, solid but not great, O.J. Mayo, who could benefit from a solid locker room and tough coach in Vinnie Del Negro, or Jamal Crawford, but I think he would be too expensive and too Jekyll and Hyde. I like Afflalo or Mayo here.


Caron Butler is a good SF. Don't fool yourself into thinking he's overpaid, under-talented, or overrated. I believe the role he is set to play on this team, the contract he signed and the way he plays the game are a perfect fit for this team. Now his balky knee isn't as great of an addition. There's only room for Paul and Griffin's knee's around here so he needs to stay healthy. But when he is healthy he's scrappy, he plays solid team defense and shoots a solid clip from the strip and within the ark. And he has a reason to play with a chip on shoulder this season, with all the doubts he has been faced with and the truths he has had to face (like that he is not a franchise player and hasn't played more than 50 games in a year since 2008.) If Butler can p,lay a solid 25 a game for 50 plus games and his back up is solid, the Clips should be set with a classic, gritty swingman on the wing.

As for his backup, well for one thing its looking more and more that Ryan Gomes and his $4 million dollar contract will become an amnesty victim. The best option here is a solid two faze player, shooter and defender. There aren't many left that can play the wing and I won't pretend to know any that are available on the trade market. But the way things are shaping up with the amnesty clause and free agency, the Clippers will be able to find a player worth taking a flyer on. Maurice Evans is solid on Defense with a decent stroke from 3, and should still have a place to stay in La-La Land. As long as he keeps the ball out of his offensively when he's not shooting the corner 3 he would be a great, experienced and cheap addition to the bench, or someone like him.



And lastly, we have DeAndre Jordan. Lets get this straight. The kid is a beast. Had Blake Griffin not be 360 dunking on everybody in the league we would have noticed DeAndre's progressive growth to #BEASTMODE status as Blake's huge partner in dunking crime. Aside from his freakish athleticism that rivals Dwight Howard's jumps, the opportunity to grow into a Tyson Chandler on caffeine with Chris Paul in town is about as apparent as what your about to witness if you see a dog alone in a room fool of people food. Your gonna see some hunger. For three season, DeAndre has averaged, per 36 minutes, a nice .649 shooting percentage, nearly 11 rebounds, nearly 3 blocks and 10 points per. And that includes only one year with Blake make space and three fighting for time from Chris Kaman. It is insanely easy to see that the addition of Paul, who witnessed and nurtured Chandler's growth into a force in the middle, and  his natural growth as a player in the NBA (three years experience and is only 23) can truly vault him into top 3 center territory. How's that for a bold prediction.

No matter what happens, with the NBA's version of Occupy New Orleans Front Office officially broken up by the trade police for vandalizing further the NBA's appeal, this will easily be the most fascinating team to watch grow together.  More than the Heat because we won't hate them. More than the Lakers, well because they got CP3 and Jim Buss didn't. And more than any other team because this will go amazingly well, or, horribly wrong. Either way, I'm ready to see what Chriffin and friends have in store for us this season.