NBA Finals 2010 Kobe VS Rondo

The NBA finals 2010 are now just a day away. However, the finals are already ramping up, as the Lakers and Celtics can't wait to take the court. Phil Jackson upped the ante by calling the Celtics a 'smackdown' team - though that style both helped and hurt Boston against Orlando. Has the break healed them well enough for them to smack the Lakers down, as they did in 2008? Or has Los Angeles learned from their mistakes , making a repeat more likely? The NBA finals 2010 will begin to answer those questions tomorrow at the Staples Center.

Boston and Los Angeles are the last two champions, and are meeting again under unlikely circumstances. The Lakers were supposed to be here, but the window of opportunity for the Celtics was thought to be closed. Now that it's wide open again, the Celtics come in as underdogs for the NBA finals 2010, instead of the favorites they were in 2008.

Home court made a different for Boston back then, as they took the first two games in the Garden, then returned for a Game 6 walloping. This year, the Lakers have home court, and have not lost at the Staples Center all postseason. If Boston is to pull the upset, they must win at least once in L.A., which has seemed unlikely.

However, although the odds are against the Celtics, the NBA finals are still regarded as a close call. Given the Lakers-Celtics rivalry hype, they certainly won't predict it to be a lopsided series. Plus, after Boston handled Cleveland and Orlando so convincingly, the Celtics bandwagon has become crowded again. Yet after shutting down Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Dwight Howard, Boston now has Kobe Bryant to contend with.

A main finals subplot is Bryant taking on the Celtics again, after he couldn't deliver against them two years ago. When Bryant lost to them, there were still doubts on whether he could win with Shaq. Those questions have already been answered, but the media perceives that Bryant won't be happy until he avenges 2008.

The odds are in favor for Bryant to do this, although the league would like some suspense first. Before the NBA finals 2010, there were three second round sweeps and two conference finals that only got interesting late. A six or seven game series between the Lakers and Celtics would fix that, but with the league's luck, and with the Lakers' home court success, Los Angeles could be able to finish things in Boston.

No matter what, the NBA finals 2010 start tomorrow at 9 pm est in Los Angeles, with the Larry O'Brien trophy on stand-by for next week and beyond.

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Phoenix Suns and Los Angeles Lakers NBA Playoff 2010 Game 1 Preview

The Lakers have always had it going on. Ever since Kobe joined the team, the Lakers have been a dominant force in the NBA. With Kobe, Los Angeles has won four NBA Championships with titles in

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2000, 2001, 2002, and 2009. The Lakers are still up to the standard that they have set in the past with a star-filled lineup including Pau Gasol, Andrew Bynum, Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, and Ron Artest. Lamar Odom is also a star player who is the Lakers' sixth man.

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The Suns on the other hand also have a handful of stars and their starters include Amar'e Stoudamire, Jason Richardson, Steve Nash, Grant Hill, and Jarron Collins. The suns also have plenty of scorers on their bench including Channing Frye who averaged 11.7 points per game during the regular season, while shooting 44% from behind the arc. Phoenix also has Leandro Barbosa who averaged 9.5 points and Jared Dudley with 8.2 per game. Overall, both teams have quality benches, but the team with the better one might be the deciding factor in this series.

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Los Angeles started the postseason off with a little bit of a scare, winning their first two games at home, but then losing two games on the road to the Oklahoma City Thunder. The Lakers won game five and game six, with a little help from a Pau Gasol put back lay-up at the buzzer. Advancing on the play the Utah Jazz, the Lakers looked dominant in this series with a four game sweep, against a team that had just defeated the Denver Nuggets in six games. In game four of the series, the Lakers looked like the Jazz should have looked, as they played like a team scratching and clawing to avoid a series sweep. They controlled the whole game and ended with a final score of 111-96.

The Phoenix Suns are also looking very strong coming off of a sweep over the San Antonio Spurs. In the Suns' first series, they ousted the

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Portland Trail Blazers in six games. Against the Spurs, Phoenix scored over 100 points in all four games with 107 as their lowest point total. They are definitely one of the highest powered offenses in the NBA. Steve Nash, who had his eye swollen shut and had to get six stitches after receiving an accidental elbow to the face from Tim Duncan, was still able to score 20 points. According to NBA.com, the swelling in Nash's eye should be nearly gone by the time the series starts.

This series looks to be a close one. The match ups are pretty even, although the Lakers have the height advantage and probably more experience. Amar'e might have some trouble with Gasol and Bynum in the post, which could affect the Suns point total. To win this series, the Suns must have good contributions from their bench players including Goran Dragic, who scored 26 points with 23 in the fourth quarter of game three against the Spurs. Kobe and the Lakers offense could explode too as the Suns rank near the bottom in defense. The key to the Lakers success involves constantly moving the ball and attacking the much smaller big men of the Suns in the paint.

I believe the Suns take this series in six games. The Lakers could get too reliant on Kobe and scramble to find some offense. Meanwhile, the Suns have some veteran leadership, they can hit shots like crazy from three-point land, they have an up-tempo offense, and they know how to score with ease. Steve Nash can break down the Lakers defense and make them pay with his brilliant passing. With head coach Alvin Gentry leading them, the Phoenix Suns will win this series and advance to the NBA Finals.

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Tiger Woods at the Masters

A Tiger Woods Masters press conference has been scheduled. The Tiger Woods Masters press conference will take place on Monday, April 5th in preparation for his appearance at the 2010 Masters Golf Tournament. Tiger Woods has been out of the PGA Tour since his car accident back in November, and hasn't given an official news conference like this in quite a while. The drama in the personal life of Tiger Woods has also kept him off the golf course for that span of time, and there is no telling what type of golfer that the world is going to see at the 2010 Masters Golf Tournament. Will it be the same Tiger Woods? Or will he be very rusty in his first tournament back?

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The press interviews for the Masters Golf Tournament are intended to give reporters a chance to ask the golfers about the tournament and other PGA-related events. This meeting with the media could take on a life of its own though, because so many questions remain about the time that Woods spent away from the Tour. Woods may refuse to answer any questions about his personal life, the rumored affairs, or that infamous car accident, but that probably won't keep the press core from at least asking something about it. There are no other interviews scheduled for Monday at the Masters, so apparently they are setting aside more than the five minutes he gave his last two interviewers.

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Tiger Woods is coming back to defend his two consecutive wins at the Masters, the event that his name has become synonymous with over the years. In fact, Tiger Woods has won the Masters Tournament six times in his golfing career, and even after all his time away from the game he could still be the favorite to win this tournament. The Masters press interview is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST on Monday, April 5th, 2010 and may turn into a live broadcast for quite a few sports channels. Woods has always been interesting at the press meetings for events like this, but this one could end up being unlike anything we have witnessed him do before.


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USA's Olympic Ladies Figure Skating

 

You would think it would be disconcerting to the USA's Olympic Ladies Figure Skating contingent to be counted out as medal contenders, but their lack of "cred" doesn't seem to bother them much.

USA's 16-year-old Mirai Nagasu, who jokingly threatened to "bust out a quad," acknowledged, "We're 16 and 17, which has its advantages and disadvantages." Referring to gold medal favorite South Korea's Kim Yu-Na, she added, " (Kim) does have more international experience and she has more
experience in her skating because she's been skating longer. Because we don't know what she knows yet, we can just go in there with a blank mind and attack out there and have fun." Nagasu says, "I didn't come to the Olympics to be nervous and have the nerves overtake me. I came here to have fun, and that's what I'm doing."

USA"s 17-year-old Rachel Flatt, the newly-crowned US Champion, thinks coming in as an underdog helps."Mirai and I are both incredibly excited to go out there and kick some butt." Flatt is considered the most athletic skater the US has had since Tara Lipinski. Flatt performed seven triple jumps at nationals, most of them in combination. But she's heard the criticisms that "Flatt's program is flat." She concedes that she needs to work on her artistry. Flatt is a consistent skater, however, and has a good chance for a medal, especially if any of the leaders falter.

  

Reigning Olympic silver medallist Sasha Cohen, whose heartbreaking falls in her Romeo and Juliet program in Torino cost her the gold, told People Magazine, "The U.S. girls are young and haven't competed as much internationally, so they're kind of hit or miss. They're good skaters, they're just not at the same level as the international girls." Sasha, who could have been our best hope for a medal but can't seem to stay on her feet, didn't even qualify for the Olympics this year, so she might not want to speak out of school, especially after she predicted Evan Lysacek would only take bronze.

Even though these girls are being given short shrift, when you're counted out, and just go out there to do your best, your best just might end up being "the best." Odds are, however, this could be an Asian sweep. Favorites South Korea's Kim Yu-Na, and Japan's Mao Asada and
Miki Ando have all won the last three world titles.

  

South Korea's Kim Yu-Na and Japan's Mao Asada have a sizzling rivalry between them. Nineteen-year-old Kim is the reigning world champion, taking the title away from Asada. Kim has only lost twice in two years, both times to Asada. A gold for her would give South Korea its first Olympic figure skating gold.

Nineteen-year-old Mao Asada, the Japanese national champion, has been the only one to outskate Kim, twice in the past two seasons. She's had a rough couple of years, not qualifying for last year's Grand Prix final. But she does have those two wins against Kim, and all eyes will be on her. Asado's teammate, 22-year-old Miki Ando, is best known for her jumps, landing a quad in competition at age 14. Last year she won the Cup of Russia and NHK Trophy, and took bronze in the 2009 Worlds. She is definitely a contender. Japan's Akiko Suzuki, who won the Cup of China and placed second at nationals and third at the Grand Prix final, is also not counting herself out for a medal.

Twenty-two year old Canadian Joannie Rochette, six-time national champion, is Canada's best chance for a medal since Elizabeth Manley won the silver medal in 1988. Tragically, her mother has died in Vancouver over the weekend of a heart attack at age 55. Rochette is determined to compete, appearing on the practice rink the next morning, wiping tears away, but landing her jumps consistently.

The Ladies Short Program will be skated on Tuesday, February 23rd, the Long Program on Thursday, February 26th.

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NFL Mock Draft 2010 (Running Backs)

Thanks for checking out my running back rankings for the 2010 NFL draft. If you are interested in my quarterback rankings for the 2010 NFL draft, then click this link. And for my latest 2010 NFL mock draft
click this link. But on to my running back rankings for the 2010 NFL draft. This is actually the top 10 running backs in the 2010 NFL draft because those are the ones most likely to be drafted.

1 C.J. Spiller- Clemson

C.J. Spiller is the best all around running back in the 2010 NFL draft. Spiller can run the ball and catch it as well as being a fine returner. C.J. Spiller may slip into the top ten if he runs a sub 4.4 40 yard dash at the NFL scouting combine.

2 Jonathan Dwyer-Georgia Tech

I have Dwyer ranked 2nd in the top ten running backs in the 2010 NFL draft due to his size over Best. Dwyer is fast enough and has decent size at 6ft and well over 200 pounds. Georgia Tech's rather weird offense may drop him like a rock however; as he may struggle to learn pass protection.

3 Jahvid Best-California

Best is just too small to take a constant pounding in the National Football League at 5ft 10 and around 195 pounds. He will probably struggle at picking up the blitz but is a good receiver coming out of the backfield. I think the Chargers may draft him at some point to replace Darren Sproles.

4 Joe McKnight-USC

Reggie Bush made over but this may hurt McKnight in the 2010 NFL draft. Bush has barely missed the bust label. McKnight may be able to impress enough people to make it in the NFL, and maybe not.

5 Toby Gerhart-Stanford

  

Toby Gerhard rounds out the top 5 running backs in the 2010 NFL draft. Mike Alstott comes to mind when I watch Gerhart play. He could be an awesome goal line back for some team (would love to see him with the Steelers) if he plays football instead of baseball.

6 Ryan Matthews-Fresno State

Has a chance to be a starter in the NFL if he can overcome the injury bug that struck him early in his college career.

7 Anthony Dixon-Mississippi State

Dixon is a load at 6ft 1 and close to 240 pounds and he could be a force on the right team. Dixon has to have a place on the top 10 running backs in the 2010 NFL draft list.


8 Montario Hardesty-Tennessee
Montario Hardesty can catch the football and is big enough to block as called on. He is a decent runner and had a good season on an average (at best) Tennessee team under Lane Kiffin.

9 LeGarrette Blount-Oregon

If some team cough Bengals cough can ignore his character problems Blount could be the steal of the 2010 NFL draft class of running backs. He has plenty of talent
if he can keep from punching people.

10 Ben Tate-Auburn

Tate had a great average per attempt in the rugged SEC and has decent weight on his 5ft 11 frame. Tate could be a special teams player and spot runner on some NFL team and he rounds out my list of the top ten running backs in the 2010 NFL draft.

Thanks for reading my 2010 running back rankings for the NFL draft. Please feel free to heap praise or insults on me in the comments below.And you can read this article to see my 2009 running back rankings for that draft.
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Latest NBA Trade Rumor 2010..Amare Stoudemire or Jamison to Cleveland?

Will the big trade in the NBA this year be Tracy McGrady to New York, or will Cleveland help Lebron James by picking up Amar'e Stoudemire or Antawan Jamison? As the NBA trade deadline approaches this Thursday, rumors are swirling around the basketball world. Every year there are trade rumors in the NBA that never materialize. This year will not be any different. In this article I am going to try to attempt to sort through which trades I think are likely to happen, and which NBA trades will never materialize into anything.

Houston's Tracy McGrady to the New York Knicks for draft picks:

The Knicks and Rockets are considering a deal that would involve New York's Jordan Hill, Jared Jeffries, and either Al Harrington or Larry Hughes for McGrady and scraps.

For the Knicks it will dump some big contracts and free them up for a major signing in the offseason. The Rockets will pick up Jordan Hill, the player that the Knicks selected with their 8th pick in the 2009 NBA draft, and draft picks.

This deal makes sense for both teams. The Knicks want to be players in the Lebron James sweepstakes over the offseason. Lebron James will be pushed by incentives in his Nike contract to leave Cleveland and sign with a major city. The New Jersey Nets are one of the possible destinations for Lebron James. If the New York Knicks want to counter any big signing by the Nets, then the Knicks need to free up money. The addition of Tracy McGrady's expiring contract will give the Knicks a lot of flexibility that they currently do not have. The Knicks will get the opportunity to audition Tracy McGrady with their team for the rest of the season and see if he would be a good fit for them. If they determine that he is not, then they will free up a lot of money to pursue a very talented class of free agents.

For Houston they will get a lot of young players in return for Tracy McGrady. Houston does not have a lot of attachment to Tracy McGrady even though he is considered a superstar in the NBA. He is injured, and their team isn't going to compete for the NBA championship. If they pull off this trade, the Rockets would instantly become one of the NBA's up and coming teams. Any rebuilding process would be sped up by at least three years. Reports say that the deal is 50-50. The desperation of the Knicks to dump salary, and their history of bad deals leads me to believe that this deal will get done.

Amar'e Stoudemire Trade:

Amar'e Stoudemire is the biggest name floating around in NBA trade rumors. These rumors have Amare Stoudemire going to the Cleveland Cavs, the Philadelphia 76ers, or the Miami Heat.

The latest rumor have Amar'e Stoudemire headed to Cleveland for J.J Hickson (the 19th pick of the 2008 draft), Cleveland's 2010 first round pick, and a player like Zydrunas Ilgauskas who has an expiring contract. Phoenix would save some money and get two young players in return. J.J Hickson is a young power forward who is averaging 7.4 pts and 4.4 rebounds per game this year. Phoenix would gain him and Cleveland's first round pick that will be late in the first round. The players drafted in that range of the NBA draft usually are not impact players.

Phoenix has been floating Stoudemire around for a couple of years now, and nothing has materialized. I think that this latest round of trade rumors will be more of the same. If we want to know the value of a player like Stoudemire, then we can see what the Lakers gave up for Pau Gasol. That package included two first round picks and three role players from the Lakers to the Grizzles. The compensation that Cleveland is offering for Stoudemire is comparable to the Gasol trade. Cleveland would love to land Stoudemire so that they can give Lebron James a chance to win a championship in Cleveland. The Cavs believe that making a move for Stoudemire will entice Lebron James to resign with Cleveland.

Everything looks like it should work with this trade, but I don't think that it will happen. The Suns have been shopping Stoudemire for over a year now, and they cannot get anything done. Having Stoudemire play alongside Shaq didn't work Phoenix, so why would Amar'e Stoudemire agree to try it again? To add to the complications in this deal, the Phoenix Suns are still a playoff team. Trading Stoudemire will alienate their fan base and anger their players. I don't see him leaving Phoenix before the NBA trade deadline.

NBA 2010 Trade Rumors

With the NBA trade deadline rapidly approaching on Thursday February 18 at 3pm EDT, there are a bunch of deals that are circulating. This year there may even be more activity than normal as team's try to get themselves further and further under the cap in preparation for the Summer 2010 free agent class. It should be a wild week so let's start our analysis. I've ranked the rumors in likeliness that they will actually happen.

Rumor # 1(allegedly close to being finalized) - Amare Stoudemire is traded to the Cleveland Cavaliers
This one has been making the rounds over the last 48 hours. The latest iteration has the Phoenix Suns sending Stoudemire and his chronically sensitive knee to the Cavs for power forward J.J. Hickson and veteran center Zyrdunas Ilgauskas (my gosh, he's still playing?) . The word is that the Suns would immediately waive Ilgauskas so that the Cavs could pick him back up. Phoenix would get younger with the acquisition of Hickson and the Cavs feel that bringing Stoudemire in would guarantee that LeBron James would re-sign with them this summer.

Chance of happening: Very Good

Rumor # 2 - Stoudemire is traded to the Miami Heat for Michael Beasley and others
When an athletic power forward is put on the market, you know Pat Riley is going to be interested. This deal has Miami sending forward Beasley and Dorell Wright along with Quentin Richardson and Jermaine O'Neal to to Phoenix for Stoudemire. More likely that the Cleveland deal gets done, but keep your eyes on this one.

Rumor # 3 (added 2/15) - Stoudemire is traded to Phialdelphia for Andre Iguodala
ESPN.com has reported that since word leaked out that the Cavaliers and Suns were getting close to locking into a deal other teams have now stepped up their offers. A 1-for-1 deal has been proposed that would send Iguodala to the Suns for Stoudemire however the Sixers are somewhat reticent to get this done because Iguodala is their best player and they want Stoudemire teamed with talent.

Rumor # 4 - Tracy McGrady is traded from Houston with Aaron Brooks to the Knicks for Nate Robinson and Al Harrington
An interesting combination of players but will this really help either team? Robinson seems to only be able to win slam dunk contests, Harrington has passed his prime, and McGrady hasn't played competitive basketball in eons.If Houston can pull this off, they immediately receive cap relief as they get out from under McGrady's contract.

Rumor #5 - Philadelphia sends Andre Iguodala and Samuel Dalembert to the Clippers for a bunch of expiring contracts.
The names that I saw coming from the Clippers in this deal include Marcus Camby, Rasual Butler, Mardy Collins and Ricky Davis, Al Thornton and DeAndre Jordan. Jordan and Thornton would provide young, inexpensive assets for the 76ers, while the rest simply take the form of expiring contracts. Dalmebert and Iquodala would provide a compelling core to play alongside Chris Kaman, Baron Davis and a healthy Blake Griffin.

2010 Super Bowl Ads and CBS

2010 Super Bowl commercials are being shared by CBS.com in order to create super excitement. CBS has 2010 Super Bowl commercials on their web site right now to give a quick sneak peek into what will be aired during the Super Bowl on Sunday. These aren't all of the 2010 Super Bowl commercials, but it gives a look at a few on them from companies like E-Trade and Audi.

The E-Trade one is a very familiar line of commercials where they use a baby to talk about what is going on with stocks in the market. They have tapped that well a couple of times, and are looking for fans to stick with them for another year during the Super Bowl.

One of the other 2010 Super Bowl commercials that are being given the sneak preview treatment is from Audi, as they show how they are focusing on improving the environment through the production of their cars. It's a good green advertisement for the car company, but it is only revealed in parts rather than showing the full commercial.

There is also a fun commercial from a new web site that will be renting homes rather than hotel rooms for people taking vacations. A nice placement by Chevy Chase in the commercial could indeed draw a few extra laughs from fans that enjoyed Chase in all of the National Lampoon's movies.

Don't get overly excited about the commercials that are being made available early, because CBS isn't revealing everything just yet. We linked the video where advertising critic Barbara Lippet and Harry Smith talk about some of them, but they don't reveal all that many in the segment.

CBS also created a show for the best Super Bowl advertisements of all time, and have linked some of them in order to drum up interest. This is in addition to the show that CBS was airing on Wednesday night to try and promote their ideas of the greatest Super Bowl commercials of all time.

There will still be quite a few commercials kept under wraps until the Super Bowl on Sunday, and we will have to wait until then to find out which ones are going to be talked about the most on Monday.

Wanna do a Sports Bet?

Have you ever tried betting on the outcome of a sporting event? Sports are a great source of entertainment for people of all ages. No matter which is your favorite sport game the excitement and the anxiety that it creates is just difficult to express.

 

The demand for different sports has resulted in increase in demand for online Sports betting line all over the world. Sports' betting is a general activity whereby you can predict sport results by betting on the outcome of any sporting event. Many sports fans believe that sports betting increases the excitement of the game, which thereby benefits the leagues, teams and players. Though many bet on sports to make money there are many who bet just to add that excitement and anxiety to the sports activity.

 

Sports betting enable sports fans to wager on various sports competitions including golf, basketball, hockey, soccer, horse racing and boxing.

 

Types of Bet

 

There are different types of sports bet available for a sports gambler. Lets take a glance on the different types

 

·Proposition Bets: This is an interesting type of sport bet whereby wagers are made on a very specific outcome of a match. For instance betting on the number of goal that each team will score or betting that a basketball player of one team will have more hits that another player of the opposing team.

 

·Parlays: Parlay form of betting enables sport fans to have multiple bets on a sport activity. This form of betting rewards successful bettors with a large payout.

 

·Run line, puck line or goal line bets: These are fixed point-spread bets that offer higher payouts for the favorite and a lower one for the underdog.

 

·Future Wagers: These types are wagers are predicted for the future activity of any sports. For instance a certain NFL team will win the Super bowl for the upcoming season.

 

Also find out about Sports odds betting.

 

Different sport fans have interest in different types of sports activity and increase their wagering amount when the specific sports activity are going on. The demand for different sports in different seasons varies the betting volume of sports book throughout the year.

Manny Ramirez and steroids

Manny Ramirez and steroids haven't yet gone together, though Manny
Ramirez has garnered controversy for everything except steroids. But
Manny Ramirez had been regarded as clean, and one of the few power
hitters yet that hadn't gotten major steroid allegations yet. But
today, not only has Manny Ramirez been linked to steroids, he has
become the first major name to get a 50-game, first-time suspension
under the new steroid policy.

The news came this morning that Manny Ramirez tested positive, though
for what specific drug is unknown. Ramirez will now immediately serve
a 50-game suspension, taking him out of action just as the Los Angeles
Dodgers were getting off to a blazing start.

Major League Baseball has had this steroid policy for a few years, as
it is advertised as a stronger stance against performance-enhancing
drugs. But thus far, the policy had only nabbed smaller names that
weren't big stars. Ramirez is the very first major superstar to
receive this 50-game suspension under the new policy.

Headlines over the policy were made just a few months ago, when
Phillies reliever J.C. Romero was suspended. However, that decision
came under much controversy when Romero tested positive for an element
in one of his nutritional supplements that he didn't know was banned.
Romero tried to file a lawsuit over the decision this week.

As for Ramirez, he released a statement in which he claimed that the
positive test came from a medication that he took for a "personal
health issue." The medication, which was not named, is apparently
banned under the steroid policy.

Whether it is a questionable enforcement of the rules, like Romero's
case might have been, will be up for debate in the coming weeks. If it
isn't, Ramirez's story will rival the growing A-Rod scandal as a black
mark on the early season.

Whatever the circumstances, the Dodgers are now facing the worst
possible cold shower, after their blazing start to the season. The
Dodgers have won their first 13 home games and have the best record in
baseball, with Ramirez putting up his usual numbers. But now, the
Dodgers have to go back to the pre-Manny days until early July.

The Dodgers were irrelevant until Ramirez was traded to Los Angeles,
and have been one of the hottest tickets in town ever since. Now, the
Dodgers face an uncertain short-term future, as they hope to still be
among the best teams in baseball when Manny returns.

The legacy of Manny Ramirez faces an even more uncertain future,
depending on the specific circumstances of his drug test. If it isn't
as innocent as Ramirez claims, then baseball will have taken yet
another giant hit in the steroid era.

Sports Poster

When you want to print brochures, flyers and other marketing materials, you might think it’s best to try to save money by printing them yourself.

But no desktop printer can print with the quality you can get from a commercial printing press especially poster printing. Commercial printers use four-color process printing (also known as CMYK printing), which is best for big projects, such as 500 to 50,000 brochures. Commercial printers can also help you in other ways, like binding your brochures and using special paper or ink to make your marketing materials shine.

Here are some tips for using commercial printers.

Some printers specialize in short runs, which can save you money. A short run in printing is considered to be about 7,500 to 100,000, but you can get even lower quantities. If you only need 200 flyers printed, there’s no reason to pay for 500 just because that’s the minimum at some of the bigger printers. Shop around for short run printers who can print whatever quantity you need. PsPrint (www.psprint.com) has print runs for catalogs, brochures and other materials such poster printing available in lower quantities.

Commercial printers aren’t just for projects with deadlines weeks or months away. You can use commercial printers even when you need something the next business day (if you order early in the morning). Anymore, with many printers using digital technology, you can get your printed materials as soon as one business day. With online ordering, you can approve your proof online and then get your item printed the same day or the next day.

You can customize your brochures, flyers or catalogs. If you want to add something special to your direct mail pieces, like a special die cut or embossing, you’ll need to contact a commercial printer. These little added touches can change your postcard’s potential trash factor to an attention-getting postcard that will get read. Very cool presentation piece that will have prospects talking in sales presentations.

Some printers will do all the order fulfilling for you. This means not only will they print and bind your materials, but they’ll also mail them for you, saving you yet another step.

Ask what they charge for overages. Most printers have a clause that lets them print 5 to 10% under or over the number of items you ordered. Then they charge you for the exact amount printed. Make sure you ask how much this charge is per piece.

Lebron James NBA MVP 2009

LeBron James is the 2008-2009 NBA MVP. It has a good ring to it, as now one of the best players in the NBA right now can simply be called "MVP LeBron James" now. Being declared the MVP (Most Valuable Player) denotes quite an accomplishment for him, as he has really led his team to much success. The Cleveland Cavaliers finished the 2008-2009 season with their best record in franchise history, including a 40-1 record at home. They are currently in the Playoffs as the #1 seed in the Eastern Conference, hoping to make it all the way to the NBA Finals.

During the season, LeBron James played an average of 37.7 minutes per game for the Cavs, which marked the lowest number of minutes he had played in his career. That had been one of the plans for the Cavs, which intended to rest him when needed so that he would have a lot of energy for the Playoffs. It became much easier when the Cavs started beating other teams by wide margins during the season, meaning that James could sit out much of the fourth quarter a number of times. Now he has some extra energy for this post-season, and this freight train will be something that nobody wants to get in front of.

LeBron James put up some impressive statistics during the past season, playing in 81 games, and averaging 28.4 points per game. He also pulled down 7.6 rebounds per game, and dished out 7.2 assists per game. His shooting percentage also went up to the highest of his career, with a 48.9% field goal percentage as well as a 78% free throw rate. It was definitely a remarkable year for James on the court, and his statistics, combined with the enormous success that Cleveland has had, led to him being selected as this year's NBA MVP.

The announcement that James would be named the NBA MVP was leaked from league sources, and planned for an official announcement at St. Vincent Mary High School where James went to high school. Not only is James going to take home the MVP trophy, but his coach, Mike Brown, has already received NBA Coach of the Year, as the Cavs put up an amazing record of 66-16 in the NBA season. This could be the first of many NBA MVP awards that LeBron James wins, but his eyes are still set on taking home an NBA Title above anything else.

Cutler Trade Could Have Impact On Seahawks First Round Choice

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As if the 2009 Draft hasn’t been hyped up enough, the recent trade of Jay Cutler to the Bears has added a completely different dynamic toward projections of what may happen with the Seahawks first round pick. While the consensus among many seemed to be that Seattle would likely draft tackle Eugene Monroe or Jason Smith, linebacker Aaron Curry, or either quarterback Matt Stafford or Mark Sanchez, the ability for Denver to use either both or one of their two first round picks to potentially trade up may mix things up a bit.

Unless Hasselbeck is severely dinged to the point where the organization doesn’t believe he’s going to be able to go at the beginning of the season, I just can’t see Seattle taking a quarterback with the first pick. Considering the number of years that Matt could potentially have with the team, and the money that goes along with picking the first or second quarterback in the draft, it doesn't make sense financially. Look at a guy like Matt Ryan, drafted third last year, and is making an average of $5 million over the next five years. That’s a lot of money to pay a guy to be a backup for the next few years. I have a gut feeling that the Hawks are hyping up the fact they could go QB as ammunition to get a team like Denver or San Francisco to trade up.

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The greatest need for the Hawks, with the aging Walter Jones and the success they had while having a solid left side, has to be on offensive line. While taking Curry fourth would probably be a no-brainer if he were to fall that far, linebacker isn’t a desperate need—even with Peterson’s departure. Considering some believe the top two tackles in the draft may go in the first three picks, it could be that the talent that the Hawks would be willing to pay fourth-pick money to is off the board. If Curry and the two tackles are gone, it leaves them in the perfect position to trade down and allow another team to move up and pick the top QB. Considering the number of teams looking for a quarterback (Jets, Broncos, 49ers, even the Jaguars may have interest), Denver would now seem to have the most ammunition to move up.

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If by some crazy chance a QB hasn’t dropped off the board by the Hawks first pick, how great would it be if Denver were willing to give up both their first round picks to move up? It would give Seattle a look at potentially taking a couple guys like cornerback Malcolm Jenkins and tackle Andre Smith. Or if they’re still looking to go with a QB in the first round, Josh Freeman could be available.

A potential wild card could be a guy that was heavily talked about going to Seattle prior to the combine and Seattle signing Houshmanzada in free agency. Will the Hawks still be considering Michael Crabtree at that spot? A lot has been made about the guy’s recent injury and the fact that he came up a couple inches shorter than what he was listed, but the fact remains that he flat-out balled at Texas Tech. Just watching that guy play last year made me wonder if he could be the next Larry Fitzgerald. If the Hawks could get a playmaker like that, suddenly it doesn’t matter as much who’s behind center. So maybe he’s still an option at the fourth pick.

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Ultimately, a lot is going to depend on what the Lions do with their pick. With the Cutler deal, and the fact that Detroit still needs a QB, they could take Sanchez or Stafford and Denver could trade up ahead of Seattle to take the second quarterback off the board. Everything seems to point to the Rams taking a tackle, and that would still leave an abundance of options for the Hawks. Any way you look at it, it’s shaping up to be an interesting first hour.

I’m going to be watching this closely, and for those who will be Twittering on draft day, look for me online under the handle mil_seahawkers.

One Shining moment

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In 2009, the One Shining Moment of college basketball was expected to
go to the North Carolina Tar Heels in preseason. When CBS aired One
Shining Moment, the Tar Heels were expected to have the last image of
the famed montage as 2009 NCAA champions. Although the Big East took
up most of the headlines for the last few months, the Tar Heels
returned to their position as favorites by the Final Four. And indeed,
when the 2009 version of One Shining Moment played on CBS at around
midnight, North Carolina was still celebrating.

North Carolina did not get fazed by Michigan State's destiny, 72,000
fans, or by their previous Final Four disaster last year. Instead, the
Tar Heels claimed their one shining moment in pretty much 10 minutes.

Like in all but one of their NCAA Tournament games, North Carolina had
the game won within minutes, and just ran out the clock the rest of
the way. The 89-72 win over the Spartans gave the Tar Heels the one
shining moment in 2009 that they had been pointing to for 12 months.

Tyler Hansbrough, Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington, coach Roy Williams and
the Tar Heels were number one in the preseason, and number one at the
end. It was only three months ago that North Carolina was being talked
of as an undefeated team, until losing their first two ACC games.

College basketball fans almost forgot about North Carolina for the
next few months, despite their various victories, while the Big East
took over the sport.

But the Big East ultimately tripped over itself, while North Carolina
reverted back to their early season dominance. The formula became
painfully clear for their opponents, and for any fans who wanted
competitive games, in the Tar Heels last four wins.

Gonzaga, Oklahoma, Villanova and Michigan State all fell into the same
Tar Heel trap. Get down by about 10 points in the first few minutes,
miss almost every jump shot, watch North Carolina make every early
three-pointer, and do absolutely nothing on the inside.

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With no chance
to play anything but North Carolina's game, the opponent is done
within a half hour.

For the first half, North Carolina seemed ready to threaten the record
for biggest national championship game blowout, set by UNLV over Duke
in 1990. But the Spartans did not lose by 33, or even by 35, as they
did to the Tar Heels in December. Still, Michigan State was never
close.

CBS wrapped up the NCAA tournament with One Shining Moment, which
North Carolina felt should have ended with their championship the last
two seasons. But in Hansbrough, Lawson and Ellington's last shot, the
Tar Heels finally took their place at the end of the final NCAA
Tournament recap.

Will the Yankees Need Team Chemistry This Season?

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Free agents C.C. Sabathia, A.J. Burnett, and Mark Texeira cashed in with the Yankees, but the Bronx Bombers' spending spree did not buy one critical element to a team's success: Chemistry. Can the Yankees put talent before team chemistry and return to their World Series glories of the late '90s?

Let's state the obvious: No team can match the Yankees' own version of murderer's row, especially when Alex Rodriguez returns from his hip injury later this spring. On paper, it doesn't seem like any pitching rotation can hold the Yanks down for long.

Sabathia, Burnett, Chien-Mang Wang, Andy Pettitte, and Joba Chamberlain also comprise a strong rotation - but again, the rotation's strength is on paper at this point

Let's break down the Yankees' vaunted pitching rotation and bullpen:

Sabathia, an AL Cy Young winner in 2007, had a rollercoaster AL 2008 stint before Milwaukee acquired his services from Cleveland. No question, Sabathia was phenomenal in the National League; however, he was pitching against lesser hitting talent. He has a career ERA of 3.66 and has never finished with a seasonal ERA lower than a 3.21 pitching in the American League. Sabathia is a winner - he has better than a .600 winning percentage - but will he go the way of other recent high-priced Yankees pitching acquisitions? Remember Randy Johnson, Carl Pavano, Kevin Brown, and Javier Vasquez to name four?

Burnett has dominant stuff, no one argues that point. He led the American League in strikeouts, yet his ERA was still over 4.00. For every two or three good starts, expect a clunker out of Burnett. His command will come and go, and based on his history - outside of last season - Burnett is a good bet to hit the disabled list at some point in 2009.

Wang is apt to become the most consistent pitcher on the Yankees' staff. He had back-to-back 19-game winning seasons in 2006 and 2007, and was on pace to win 20 games last year before a foot injury saw him miss more than half the season. He's not a strikeout pitcher, but he keeps the ball in the park and keeps the Yankees in games with a devastating sinker.

Pettitte was something of a mystery, and his disintegration in the latter part of 2008 had many thinking he was done in the big leagues. We all known that starting left-handers are a commodity, and Pettitte is still good enough to remain the fourth starter on most teams' pitching staffs. He signed a one-year deal laced with incentives, and a 15-win season is not out of the question.

Chamberlain was a phenom as a set-up guy for closer Mariano Rivera. So far, the jury is still out on Joba as a starter. He wore down last season and was bothered by nagging injuries. His velocity is down a couple MPH from the 98 and 99 MPH he was hitting two years ago, and perhaps the American League is starting to figure him out. Nonetheless, if Chamberlain remains healthy, no team in the Major League can run out a fifth starter of his caliber.

Rivera has enjoyed more success closing games than any pitcher in baseball over the last decade. He's a sure-fire Hall-of-Famer once he hangs up the cleats, yet he is moving toward the twilight of his career, and is coming off shoulder surgery. Expect the same Mariano magic, although the cast of characters punching the clock in the seventh and eighth innings really hold the key.

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Brian Bruney is set to become Rivera's prime right-handed set-up man. Bruney missed much of last year with an injury, but was terrific in limited duty finishing with a 1.83 ERA in 32 appearances. In his only full season with the Yankees, Bruney had a 4.68 ERA in 2007, and he struggled with his control. Yankees fans hope he replicates his 2008 performance.

Damaso Marte came over from Pittsburgh late last season, and he'll share set-up duties, while also appearing situationally against tough left-handed hitters. Jose Veras proved a durable middle innings reliever, and Phil Coke is a young power pitcher with electric stuff. He just needs more seasoning at the big-league level.

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Bottom line: The Yankees will score runs, and have captain Derek Jeter leading a talented roster. Texeira and A-Rod are 30-homer guys, Xavier Nady and Hideki Matsui are solid complimentary guys who should approach 100 RBI, Robinson Cano should rebound from last season and hit well over .300. Johnny Damon will steal bases and score runs, and catcher Jorge Posada looks fully recovered from last year's injury.

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Roger Clemens is one of the few pitchers signed as a free agent over the past decade-plus whose contributions directly led to a title. History suggests that Sabathia and Burnett will not earn the coin each is getting paid this season, and if history repeats itself, the Yankees' World Series drought will continue.

Jay Cutler a Chicago Bear

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Jay Cutler finally escaped from the Denver Broncos to a team that wants him, namely the Chicago Bears. If reports are true this afternoon, Jay Cutler is now a Chicago Bear, having been traded for two first round picks, one third round pick, and the Bears' Kyle Orton. Obviously, it will look like the Bears got the best end of the deal by getting Cutler, and the Broncos lost big time by getting Orton. Will that really be the case?

The case for the Bears making out like a bandit is obvious. Cutler may be the most prolific quarterback the Bears have had in decades, at least according to stats. Every year, the Bears have had a great defense, and little to no productivity from their quarterbacks. For all of Cutler's recent faults, he flung for over 4,000 yards last year, which are foreign numbers for Bears quarterbacks. With the Bears finally getting a high flying quarterback, at a time where there is no dominant team in the NFC Central, the Bears will instantly be pegged as an NFC favorite. However, Cutler got his yards and touchdowns in the AFC, where there was often little defense.

How will Cutler fare against the bruising, defensive attacks of the Bears' NFC Central rivals?

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Can Cutler's style blend in among the Bears, and the NFC? There is more of a chance that it won't than one might think, especially with all the negativity Cutler has to overcome from this offseason. However, even if Cutler doesn't deliver, the Bears will get applause for taking a chance. The Broncos, on the other hand, have a lot more to lose. Losing Cutler has been a black mark for the new administration of coach Josh McDaniels.

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Even worse, McDaniels' replacement seems to be Kyle Orton, who frequently disappointed for the Bears.

Broncos fans are bound to think that replacing Orton for Cutler is a big step down. If that turns out to be the case, McDaniels will be in a hole which he may not recover from. But McDaniels comes from the England Patriots">New England Patriots system, where they could interchange anyone. The Patriots' system turned an unlikely player named Tom Brady into a superstar, and turned Matt Cassel from a backup to a star last year. If he wants to stick with Orton, McDaniels could work around his weaknesses and develop him into a success within his system, like his Patriots bosses did for Brady and Cassel. In addition, with the AFC West having taken a big step down last year, the Broncos may only have the Chargers to deal with.

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With brand new draft picks out of the deal, McDaniels may be able to develop the Broncos into a long term success, even if Orton doesn't work in the short term.

Still, McDaniels, Orton and the Broncos have a shorter margin for error to work with than Cutler and the Bears do. But if things pay off for Cutler and the Bears, Chicago may finally have a feared offense for the first time that anyone can remember.