OPINION:
Just wanted to point out one thing before repeating myself that this losing gig is getting old…. Last season through 19 games the Ducks were 9 – 7 – 3 for 21 points. This season they are 6 – 10 – 3 for 15 points. That is only a 6 point difference, which yeah equals 3 games they need to win to be where they were last season.. but it’s only a 6 point difference. Also, last season they were one of the teams with the most games played, waiting for every other team to catch up– this season they are one of the teams with the least games played. Most teams have 3 more games played than us. Win those 3 in hand and hopefully some of those teams start losing a few and we’re right in the mix of things.

On Tuesday night, the USC men’s basketball team played its season opener under first year head coach Kevin O’Neill, but unless your were an extremely devoted Trojan hoops fan or someone wandering Figueroa Street around 7:00 PM, than you most likely missed it.

Mike Scioscia was named the AL Manager of the Year for 2009 while Jim Tracy of the Rockies won the award in the NL. Scioscia led the Angels through a long season filled with injuries, struggles and tragedy.

All baseball fans remember the loss of Nick Adenhart after his first start of the 2009 season. Nick started for the Angels on April 8 and threw six shutout innings against the Athletics in what would be his last trip to the mound. He was killed by a drunk driver later that night. That loss led to months of mourning that still continues within the Angels family.

On the field the Angels struggled and after a blowout loss to the Tampa Bay Rays, the team was 29-29 and Scioscia vowed change if things didn’t turn around. The halos responded and finished the season with 97 wins.

Many valuable players missed time this season. Lackey, Santana, Escobar, Saunders, Guerrero and Hunter all missed considerable time and young players had to step up to get this team to the playoffs.

No they didn’t win the World Series. No they didn’t even make it passed the Yankees. What they did do is overcome multiple obstacles during the regular season and then sweep their arch rival Red Sox in the first round of the playoffs.

Scioscia has led the team to the playoffs five of the last six years and six times since 2002, the year he and his club erased years of misery. Scioscia won his second Manager of the Year title, but he could easily also be known as the Manager of the Decade.

-JT Onyett

After last night’s dismantling of the Lakers by the Houston Rockets, Kobe Bryant was revealed to have a groin injury suffered during their win against the New Orleans Hornets exactly a week prior to last night’s game. Kobe pulled his groin muscle when he pushed his foot forward to lunge at stealing the ball from Chris Paul. This wasn’t the first time Kobe has injured himself attempting to make a defensive play. If you can remember, Kobe injured his shooting hand when he tried to slap the ball away from Jason Kidd almost two years ago.

What can be said that hasn’t already been said? As Coach Carroll put it, the Trojans got their butts kicked yesterday. Sodomized by The Tree. The only remotely positive was Harbaugh’s insane decision to poke the bear at the end of the game that may or may not turn Pete into the Incredible Hulk.

OPINION:
First let me start off with the final score looks worse than what actually happened. It looks like we got bombed, and we did. But the Ducks had battled back THREE times to tie the score (2-2; 3-3; 4-4). Then Hiller let in 2 weak goals, and finally the Wings got an empty netter. So don’t judge a book by it’s cover, this game was anyone’s game up until Hiller fell asleep for the last 5 minutes. The first period was crap. 0 – 2, Really? The 2nd period was better, they got themselves into the game, gave themselves a chance. Then the 3rd came where penalties became the Ducks enemy.

Angels allegedly in talks to acquire Tigers’ outfielder

In the last three years Curtis Granderson has averaged 25 HR and just under 20 stolen bases a season. Bobby Abreu has averaged 17 HR and just over 25 stolen bases during that same three-year span. With Granderson on the trading block and Abreu already signed, there is a chance the two could be patrolling the same outfield in 2010 and beyond.

Abreu’s bat and leadership led the Halos to the playoffs last season while many of the other leaders spent considerable time on the Disabled List. Granderson also matches Abreu in durability; both averaging over 155 games played a season over the last 4. While his eye is not as established as Abreu he is a much better defender and is only 28.

The real comparison should be with the current left fielder on the Angels, Juan Rivera. Although Rivera did have a repeat of his breakout season of 2006 last year, his horrendous defense and lack of speed have hurt the Angels in the past. Torii Hunter is getting older and cannot continue to have to worry about below average defenders on both sides of him. The addition of Granderson would move Rivera to DH or make him available in trade for a starter or reliever.

Talks have allegedly included Brandon Wood and Mike Napoli. If it takes one of those plus a prospect to get Granderson, Tony Reagins should pull the trigger. Wood is blocked by Figgins (hopefully) at third and Aybar at Short. Plus Matt Brown and others can fill the void of a top prospect that never gets to play in the Majors. Jeff Mathis proved in the playoffs that he can be a regular and Bobby Wilson or a veteran free agent can be a backup.

Some teams have been criticized for having too many of the same type of player. There is no problem with having too many Bobby Abreus. It’s all conjecture at this point but it would be great to see Bobby and “Bobby- Light”.

At last! An opponent that the UCLA Bruins clearly have more talent than!

A team that the Bruins are actually expected to beat.

And a golden opportunity to win their second Pac-10 Conference game, establish a winning streak, and return to .500 for the season.

That is the situation facing UCLA as they venture to Pullman, WA to face a Washington State Cougar team that is among the worst in the country.

This was supposed to be a tough game for the Lakers (7-1). But instead it turned out to be a walk in the park destroying the Phoenix Suns (8-2) 121-102 and extending their winning streak to 6. They also knocked off the Suns from the top spot in the Pacific Division.

Kobe Bryant and Andrew Bynum double-teamed the Suns combining for 55 points and outscoring the entire starting lineup for Phoenix.

The National Hockey League (NHL) announced today that Anaheim Ducks Owner Henry Samueli has been reinstated as an active NHL owner. Co-Owner Susan Samueli, who was abiding by the terms of her husband’s suspension (June 24, 2008), is also returning to her ownership role. NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman issued the following statement:

“We welcome Henry and Susan Samueli back as fully reinstated owners and members of the NHL community,” said Commissioner Bettman.

Kareem has leukemia.  Not the bombshell that Magic’s announcement that he was HIV positive was years before but startling nonetheless.  The center known  during his playing days as “Cap” is battling chronic myeloid leukemia.  Thankfully, his prognosis is good.

Kobe is at the top of his game.  He is arguably the best player in the game today and at 31 not showing signs of slowing down.  The self-anointed “Black Mamba” leads the league in points and is second in steals.  In addition to being basketball’s present he is keenly aware of its past.

It’s Kobe’s connection to and appreciation of the past that will have me in front of the TV tonight to watch his Lakers take on the Suns.  Sure, it’s a battle of two of the top teams in the league early into the season; but that doesn’t pique my interest.  The game will showcase the aforementioned leading scorer and a two time League MVP in Steve Nash… yawn.  No, I will be watching the game tonight for one reason and one reason only, the skyhook.

The Lakers of the 80’s were amazing to watch.  The rebound would come to one of the Laker’s forward who would quickly find Magic and the race was on.  Sometimes, the fastbreak wasn’t there however and instead of enjoying one of Magic’s look-here, pass there assists we got to wait for the inevitable.  The break stalled and in time Kareem came into view.  He would position himself just left or right of the basket, it didn’t really matter which side, and wait for the entry pass.  The crowd knew what was coming, Chick Hearn knew what was coming, heck even the defender knew what was coming but there was nothing he could do to stop it.  Chick said it best, “They give it to Kareem. He’ll swing left, shoot right. He swings left, shoots right … the 12-foot skyhook is good!”

We were so spoiled as Laker fans back then.  If Magic didn’t awe us, Kareem did.  Have you ever tried a skyhook?  It’s not easy.  The shot is mostly powered by the wrist.  It’s not a hook shot that uses the momentum of your arm swinging to power the ball to the rim; the skyhook is wrist powered.  Try to throw a basketball at the rim from twelve feet away with just your wrist.  Now, do it while your arm is stretched high over your head.  Finally, do it with Bill Walton, Artis Gilmore or the 7 foot 250 pound person of your choice trying to stop you!  Not easy but Kareem made it look effortless.

Now, before I go on and on about the wonder of days gone by I want to reiterate my love for the game today.  Specifically, my admiration for today’s best player.  Kobe has hinted that he might throw some love Kareem’s way by tossing up his version of the skyhook tonight.  “I stole it from him when I was a kid,” Bryant said when discussing Abdul-Jabbar’s illness and referring to tonight’s game against the Suns. “I’ve used it in games a couple times. I might use it the next game, just because.”

I’m counting on it.

In addition to the competitiveness we haven’t seen on the court since MJ, the knack for getting that last shot to go more often than not and his willingness to always grow as a player, I love Kobe’s appreciation for those that came before him.  I was in Chicago one night when Michael Jordan went off for 50 plus against the Blazers.  He was amazing to watch.  Kobe seems to share MJ’s passion to win that drives him to dominate in November against the Warriors as well in Game 7 of the Finals.  ESPN recently asked its SportsNation who they would rather see take the last shot in an NBA Game.  The options were Kobe and three others.  SportsNation said Kobe in a landslide.  Duh.  All that aside however, if he swings left and shoots right tonight as he said he might Kobe will have climbed a level higher in the iconic-classy-player category.  One area he has left MJ way behind in.

Will he or won’t he?  Man, I wish I knew.  But the possibility of it happening is whats driving me to the couch tonight.  He might because he respects all that Kareem did for the game and the Lakers.  He might not if the game is tight and the opportunity doesn’t present itself.  Of course, word that Kareem has officially trademarked “skyhook” may dissuade him. OK, probably not.  Either way if he does do it I’ll be watching and my respect for number 24 will move up.

Too bad Chick won’t be there to call it.

- Jose Salviati

Now that Bobby Abreu is signed there are three other ex-Angel free-agents who’s futures are uncertain. So how should the Angels approach this offseason?

Priority #1- John Lackey and/or another solid starting pitcher. If the Angels were to lose Big John we would be left with four solid starting pitchers, but that’s a downgrade from what we had last season. With all due respect for O’Sullivan, Palmer, and Bell, none of them will be number one or each number two starters any time soon. You just can’t win without pitching which is why this is priority.

By Brent Hubbard – AngelsWin.com Columnist

And tonight, the leading off for your Los Angeles Angels will be…

Third baseman Chone Figgins? Left Fielder Chone Figgins? Designated Hitter Bobby Abreu? Shortstop Erick Aybar? Second baseman Howie Kendrick? Infielder Macier Izturis?

Someone else?

The Lakers are 6-1, just half a game from the top spot in the Pacific Division, and own the longest winning streak in the NBA right now at 5. But this early success doesn’t tell the entire story. There are still a few lingering problems that I think the Lakers must resolve this season but none as big as the current state of Jordan Farmar, Sasha Vujacic, and Luke Walton.

A lot is being made about the USC offense and Matt Barkley’s recent “struggles.” When asked about this Matt Barkley told the LA Times:

“I’ll take the responsibility for that and for the offense because it does start with the quarterback.”

I would personally put the blame on the play calling, injuries, stupid penalties and some costly drops by our tight ends, but what do I know. To read the full article click here.