wolf stansson

This is awesome. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=idLG6jh23yE&feature=player_embedded Nike has the best commercials.

He is very important to them. The most obvious replacement is Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen), but he doesn't see eye to eye with the national coach. The smart money seems to be on young Sami Khedira (VfB Stuttgart) to get his big chance now. Schweinsteiger has been superb in the holding role for Bayern this year. They could move him back there.

Now that I look at it more closely, maybe not. I somehow was forgetting about Gibson. Still though, they'd be pretty close. Factoring in that if they get the first pick they could potentially use Harris in a trade package or even a sign & trade for Bosh, they could be markedly better (disclaimer, I have no idea if that would work cap space wise or money matching). Harris in a sign & trade is infinitely more attractive than Luol Deng in a sign & trade. It just comes down to a few things. Playing in Newark for 3 years v Chicago. Playing second fiddle to the Knicks. Playing with a big man who demands shots to be valuable (an admittedly weak point considering LeBron's willingness to defer) as opposed to playing with one who doesn't and is much more active defensively, much bigger hustle factor. Playing with Derrick Rose (sure thing) v John Wall (not quite a sure thing). John Calipari not necessarily wanting to go back to NJ if the package deals are to be believed.

Henry to NYRB is finally final.

And the Nets. Apparently big Oak came out today and said it's either Miami or Chicago.

I've already heard German commentators saying this means the quarter finals is the best they can hope for now. Was Ballack even starting for Germany? Yeah man, he's their captain. Gooch extends his AC Milan deal one season for $0.00: http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2010/05/morning-ticker-onyewu-extends-ac-milan-deal-ballack-ruled-out-and-more.html Seems a little desperate, but I can't blame him. At the end of my career, I'd be more proud for having been an AC Milan player for 3 years (and maybe more if this gamble pays off) than I would an extra 2 million or so in the bank. I don't think it'd be foolish to speculate about his contract probably including some performance incentives in that final year. At the very least he's taking a 33% pay cut for the next two seasons and probably getting it on the back end of the "free" year. So basically he added another year to the contract without adding to the contract's total value. I’d like to see some follow up as the story so far has been American bloggers piggy backing off a gazzetto dello sporte or whatever that paper is called because I think there’s probably more to it. Another thing that could be brewing is a potential transfer. A team like Ajax who showed a ton of interest would be more willing to throw 8 million or so at Milan to buy him if there was another year with a more affordable per annum on his base salary. Gooch would then pocket 10% of the transfer fee (for the sake of argument lets say the price $8,000,000 in which case he’d pocket $800,000) which would be close enough to a year’s salary that he’d end up breaking even with another year tacked on of guaranteed salary as well as the potential for more playing time wherever he ends up. Totally baseless speculation but I’m just trying to spitball things that would make this deal make sense from a business perspective for the big man.

I don't think loyalty to the city will figure into the equation nearly as much as likelihood to sustain a championship dynasty, but none of us know for sure. I will say I'm with you 100% with the Jordan legacy nonsense. That's just fans and pundits projecting their own feelings onto someone else. LeBron isn't afraid of Jordan's legacy nor should he be.

Benny Feilhaber's team was relegated so definitely look for him to make a move after the World Cup.

What does being on a bad team have to do with PER? Doesn't PER take that type of stuff into consideration. Lopez and Rose could both be top 25 players next year and going forward. Noah is good, but how much better can he get? PER certainly has it's flaws. Especially in it's complete crap evaluation of defense as well as it's overvaluing of players who don't play many minutes. It also doesn't take into consideration a player's role on his team, whether the system he plays in suits his strengths. Have you noticed how much that hurts a player like Noah who has offensive skills being stunted by Del Negro's offense as well as his primary value being in rebounding (which isn't in PER) and intangibles like effort, strength and conditioning (also not in PER)? Basketball isn't a sport that lends itself to crude statistical analysis. It's useful to a point, but it won't take you all the way. Unlike baseball, there are important intangibles to building a good team. You using PER and trying to throw it against the wall and believing it will stick isn't a great idea. Also, this Rose and LeBron not being a cohesive fit talk is absolute nonsense. Just because they fulfill each other's every weakness and compliment each other's every strength doesn't mean they wouldn't be one of the best pairings in the game. Sure, if Derrick could knock down open 3's it would be better, but that doesn't mean you can't win a title with them as your best two players. You absolutely can. Besides, it's not that hard to find a SG who can knock down an open three. What it is hard to find are two studs who are physical mismatches at their positions who can find their own shot almost at will. It's hard to find a big man who wants to do all the dirty work and doesn't want the ball on offense. It's hard to find a stud, top 10 player in the league who knows how and when to take over but at the same time relishes deferring to the better player at any time. The Bulls have those pieces and that is so far and away a better basketball situation for LeBron than what he has in Cleveland or would have on any other team with the cap space that nitpicking is silly straw grasping. It's arguing for the sake of arguing.

http://www.soccerbyives.net/soccer_by_ives/2010/05/thursday-kickoff-davies-blasts-fc-sochaux-president.html Charlie not a fan of his club's president.

John Terry's foot is fine, but Eddie Johnson's hamstring is not. Buddle is inevitable. EDSON [expletive] BUDDLE IS GOING TO A WORLD CUP IN A US KIT. Go back in time and tell yourself that and see what past you does. He probably punches you in the face while sobbing.

Blessing in disguise.

I think it means they totally buy in to Gomez's insane GPM rate in Mexico. Do you buy his GPM rate? Can't say. I've only seen the highlights. I have no idea what he looks like off the ball. Gun to my head I'd say no. Saw too much of him in MLS, even though he was played out of position int he midfield, to think that he's all of a sudden a top level American striker. I just haven't seen enough. But I'll say I like his inclusion more than our alternatives and I think he's better than Buddle.

I think it means they totally buy in to Gomez's insane GPM rate in Mexico.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/postcard-europe-fulham-supporters-over-moon-about-dempsey Good article about Fulham's love for Dempsey.

Yep.

I like Amare but I don't think he's leaving. I don't think Boozer gets a max. I'd love to try to sign Boozer and wait for Carmelo. Basically if you can't get LeBron, add a piece and wait for Carmelo.

How do you know he didn't just have a bad sandwich? Because he was apparently hanging with Chad Ochocinco at the time and when you are with Chad Ochocinco, you don't get served a bad sandwich.

You think Joe Johnson and Channing Frye is the best way to go to build a contender? Channing Frye would be an ok piece to spread the floor, but he's a guy. That's it. Joe Johnson is going to get a max or close to it contract. He's 28. The wheels fall off the shooting guards around age 28-30 and you want to pay him max money? That's your plan for beating LeBron and Howard? Bad plan.

I'm saying Charlie's out based on this: http://twitter.com/JozyAltidore17/status/13767815352

I bet Beasley got the invite. The thing about Charlie is that most of the optimism has been based on stuff he's said. He's not the most objective evaluator of where he is in his rehab, I'm sure. Oh well, I hope he's there. Yes. GolTv.

What's crazy is they are going to have to rebuild the squad right after setting the record for Goals for in the Premiership. They had a great season, now they need to get young fast. Getting Sergio Aguero is a good start. But really, they need some good defensive youngsters. He's overrated. If they have a chance to use the same money to get Torres or cover most of the cost, they should do it.

What's crazy is they are going to have to rebuild the squad right after setting the record for Goals for in the Premiership. They had a great season, now they need to get young fast.

LeBron has such supreme (justified) confidence that I don't think the Jordan thing would bother him. The only statement of intent that I trust to be more than just LeBron being diplomatic is when he and Maverick Carter talk about their desire to build a global brand, on par with Jumpman, how he wants to be a billionaire mogul and win championships. In my opinion he could accomplish all of that in Cleveland if they prove they can build a championship supporting cast around him every season. It would be easier for him to do that from a business standpoint in a Knicks jersey. From a basketball standpoint, in a Bulls jersey.

I've heard part of Miami's pitch to Wade is Riley returning to the bench. If that happens, I'd gladly take Spoelstra. We're definitely not hiring someone with no NBA head coaching experience and all the other candidates are stale. I think he's a good coach too.