L.A. Pride is a true sports enthusiast.  A former youth, and division II assistant basketball coach, who studied the martial arts, he enjoys and follows all sports, even hockey.  His quick wit and insight brings a fresh view to the world of sports. You may not always agree with him, but you will enjoy his highly opinionated thoughts.

Is it me…

Or did the NY Giants remind everyone that they are the defending Super Bowl Champions?  The Giants lived up to their name and played  ‘big’ on the road, easily defeating the San Francisco 49ers.  The Giants, who just go about their business and win big games, surprised everyone except themselves with the victory.  Maybe it is time to give ‘Big Blue’ the respect they are entitled to as champs.

Note to the Giants front office-sign Victor Cruz to a long-term deal.  He’s a keeper, good player and teammate, in addition to being a natural in front of the camera. I see a broadcasting career in the future.  Why not let him do the Giant’s game when his career is over.  He would be a perfect fit.

The Jets, Patriots and Dolphins are log jammed at the top of their division.  What does that say about the Patriots, this year, who typically win this division; is it parity or mediocrity?  We’ll find out this weekend, when the Jets and Patriots lock horns in New England.

The Baltimore Ravens suffered a real blow losing middle linebacker, Ray Lewis for the season.  Ray suffered  torn triceps muscle.  It is possible that Lewis at 37 years old and with 17 years in the league may retire.  It was a double hit for the Ravens, as cornerback L. Webb suffered a torn ACL in his knee and is also lost for the season.  Best wishes for speedy and full recoveries for both of these warriors.

Trailing by 24 points at halftime, Peyton Manning (quarterback) led the Denver Broncos to a come from behind 35-24 victory over the San Diego Chargers Monday night.  Manning who was 1-5 against the Chargers, showed why he is considered an elite quarterback and leader.

I guess Peyton is trying to live up to his younger brother (Eli Manning, NY Giants) doings.  Wouldn’t it be cool to have the Mannings meet in the Super Bowl?  The commercials alone would be worth it.

Who’s Hot?

Atlanta, NY Giants, Baltimore, and Denver

Who’s not?

Kansas City, Carolina, Dallas, San Diego, and Philadelphia

NFL teams continue to adjust and shape their rosters;

A list of current NFL transactions can be found at

http://www.cbssports.com/nfl/transactions/

Is it me…

Or is the NBA beginning to warm its engine?   The Brooklyn Nets played their first game in the Barclays Arena, in Brooklyn with a victory over the Washington Wizards.  The arena is the newest in the league and is a showplace for  the NBA.  The Nets, on paper, appear to be competitive, which is good news for the league.

Preseason all NBA selections:

LeBron James

Kevin Durant

Kobe Bryant

Dwight Howard

Chris Paul

NBA teams are adjusting their rosters.  Please follow this link for the latest information on your team:

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/teams/?eref=sinav

Is it me…

Or did the New York Yankees, Major League Baseball catch a bad break Saturday?  Captain and all-star shortstop Derek Jeter, fractured his ankle in the American League championship series against the Detroit Tigers.

The Yankees, who have played the entire season without Mariano Rivera, their star closer/pitcher, torn ACL (knee), can’t seem to catch a break, as they must now continue the playoffs without Jeter also.  Jeter will need approximately three months to recover.  The good news, if any, is that the injury does not appear career threatening.

Best wishes Derek for a healthy and speedy recovery.

Speaking of the Yankees, why are they making A-Rod the scapegoat for their ‘quiet’ bats.  Yes, A-Rod is struggling, but so are Cano, Swisher and Granderson, in other words the entire middle of the lineup.  Alex has been an easy target since joining the Yankees, because of his huge contract.  But no one forced the Yankees to pay him all that money.

Last night’s game ended after we went to press.

Is it me…

Or is the WNBA still playing games?  Yes the ladies are balling.  Indiana versus Minnesota for the prize.  The Indiana Fever lead the series 1-0.

We are predicting Tamika Catchings and the Fever will find a way to catch the championship.  But we know M. Moore, of the Lynx, would like to win it one more time, so we won’t be totally shocked if the Minnesota Lynx defend their championship and win it again.

This is why we play the games-anything can happen.

Is it me…

Or is MMA as brutal as it gets with rules?

Anderson Silva stopped Stephan Bonnar with a knee to the body with 20 seconds left in the first round Saturday night, winning his 17th consecutive fight in front of his home fans at UFC 153, in Brazil.

Silva (31-4) showed off his usual dominance while stopping Bonnar (17-8) for the first time in the veteran’s career. Silva dared Bonnar to take a shot at him in the early minutes before hurting him with a knee and finishing him with punches on the ground.

There is something very primitive and brutal about MMA, but you must admit it holds your interest.  What does that say about us as a society, when we cheer someone getting kicked and punched into submission?  Go figure!

Edited by D. Pride.