Road to the Super Bowl: Contenders will rise and pretenders will fall, who will be left standing #nflplayoffs

After nearly six months of NFL games the playoffs has arrived and all that remains are the serious contenders for the NFL title. Although there may still be a few more poser among the six teams remaining, at the end of the weekend their true colors will shine bright as only four teams will inch closer to representing their conference and ultimately celebrating a NFL championship in the Big Easy.

Six out of the head coaches remaining in this single elimination tournament are entering unchartered waters as they each attempt to build a legacy similar to one time Super Bowl Champion Packer Head Coach or four-time Super Bowl  winning Coach Belichick of the New England Patriots. Each of these franchises quarterbacks all have compelling stories: Peyton Manning’s (Denver Broncos) fused neck; Russell Wilson’s (Seattle Seahawks) small stature and 3rd draft selection; Colin Kaepernick (SF 49ers) youth and inexperience; Joe Flacco’s (Ravens) clutch gene missing an unaccounted for; Aaron Rodgers (GB Packers) will his arm hold up to three games of 60+ passes due to a deficient  running game; Matt Schuab (Houston Texans) will he finally get the monkey off his back and shake off the bug of inconsistency; Matt Ryan (Falcons)will he finally win a game when it counts the most; and last but not least Tom Brady (NE Patriots) will he be forced into another shootout.

Although each of these quarterback will get their fare share of headlines this weekend do not be fooled by their gold boy looks and smiles because the outcomes of each of these games will ultimately won on the defensive side of the ball. The Green Bay Packers and the New England Patriots bend but don’t break defenses have been serviceable during the regular season but they both know that the playoffs is a different beast all its own. Both former Super Bowl Champion teams will rely heavily on their secondary to produce turnovers. The Patriots corner back Aquib Talib will be left in man coverage against the Texans All-Pro wide receiver Andre Johnson. Green Bay’s Charles Woodson will certainly test the youth and inexperience of 49ers quarterback Kaepernick.

The Seahawks, 49ers, and Broncos each have a number of game breakers on the defensive side of the ball each team will certainly keep the offensive coordinator and the quarterback up the night before game day. The secondaries of the Seahawks and the 49ers play most games in man coverage which gives the defensive coordinator the luxury of blitzing at a high rate. The Broncos led by All-Pro linebacker Von Miller dominate the line of scrimmage giving opposing quarterbacks very little time in the pocket.

The Atlanta Falcons certainly have their fare share of talent on the defense including a stud at linebacker in Sean Witherspoon and free safety Will Moore in the secondary. Unlike their play-off peers the Falcons often gets overlooked but this weekend they will have an opportunity to cast their embarrassing loses to cellar dwellers into the sea of forgetfulness. As the epic battle of titans grows near tune be sure you have your pop corn ready, because this weekend its going down and it promises to be a good one Also be sure to join me Saturday 1030 EST for my NFL Playoff Primer for this weekend’s games. Stay tuned… I know I will – A. Denmark.

Anthony Denmark is a writer for eatdrnkslpsprtz.com. Follow him on Twitter@eatdrkslpsprtz2, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google

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My college football blues – The thrill is gone 9 months until the euphoria returns #collegefootball

The Euphoria that follows the kick off of a new season of college football unfortunately inches closer and closer to its final curtain call. The All-american teams have been announced, the hardware has been handed out, and the well deserved assistant has finally earned the chance to run a program. This year was marked by new faces like Johnny Manziel of Texas A&M becoming the first freshman to win the Heisman and the return of Notre Dame from the depth of mediocrity contending for a National Championship after so many years of years of disappointment. And who can forget Coach Petrino and the motorcycle scandal that kicked the 2012 college football season off with a bang conjuring up memories of another native Arkansan’s fall from grace.

The Preseason Magazine you bought in May is now wrinkled up in your bathroom or its being used for scrap paper for the little ones. And although your favorite team may have made it to a bowl game, your jubilation at their success is met with sadness because the next game will be the last game. Each week you feverishly switched channels and scheduled your days around the big game that was coming on that Saturday.With each punt return or hail mary that was answered it was the topic of conversation with your friends and peers in the workplace.

Only a Handful of days remain, when we must find something else to fill this void and although the NFL and basketball are options, they just do not hit the spot. What is the cure for this madness? How can we go on? preseason magazines do not come out til June and recruiting will be over in February. The agony the pain of college football fever, an addiction that spreads from coast to coast, from sea to shining sea.

A Toast to a great season, may it hold us over until another arises that first fateful day in September. Too the true college football fans continue to EAT DRINK SLEEP SPORTZ and we shall enjoy each touchdown as if it was the last one. Be sure to check out my radio show eatdrnkslpsprtz radio every Tues/Thurs. 630 EST and Sat 10am EST for more sports news from myself and friends. Stay tuned… I know I will. – A.Denmark (eatdrkslpsprtz2)

Anthony Denmark is a writer for eatdrnkslpsprtz.com. Follow him on Twitter@eatdrkslpsprtz2, “Like” him on Facebook or add him to your network on Google

What I learned from the 2012 College Football Season! #road2bcs #collegefootball

There is one week left in the 2012 College Football season. One week left of fight songs, trash talk, and bad bowl games before we finish off the season with Alabama and Notre Dame going head to head for the BCS National Championship.

With that in mind, here are my Top 5 things we learned in 2012:

5) Florida State isn’t back…yet: 11-2, ACC Champions and a spot in a BCS bowl game for the first time since the 2005 season. Am I a spoiled fan, or an I being realistic? Many would say I’m a spoiled fan, but here’s why I expected more from 2012. I never thought this FSU team would win a BCS title, but I thought there was a good shot at being in the conversation. That all ended with a mind-boggling 1-point loss to a bad NC State team. Near-losses to VT and GT, combined with a 1-1 record against ranked teams and you can see why I say FSU isn’t back…yet. This program is headed in the right direction. Head Coach Jimbo Fisher is recruiting the right type of players and coaches. He’s shown that he has an eye for talent and he’s certainly learned to be a more effective head coach, winning some games the Noles would have lost in previous years. While I still believe Fisher needs to hand over play calling duties to an offensive coordinator, if he can continue to build on his success, the Noles can be in the hunt in 2013 and beyond.

4) It’s time for Mack Brown to retire. Mack Brown is getting dangerously close to being forced into retirement much the way several legends have in the past. His 2010 season was a disastrous 5-7, but he recovered with a decent 8-5 in 2011 which had many thinking it was just a blip on the radar. However, the Longhorns struggled to an 8-4 regular season mark in 2012 and showed no signs of returning to the college football elite. The defense, which thrived in 2011 regressed this year, giving up 30+ points 6 times. The offense struggled to find an identity, changing QBs several times as neither David Ash or Case McCoy has been able to be “the guy” for Texas. Mack Brown has earned the opportunity for one more year, but at some point, it’s time to move on.

3) The coaching world has changed. Years ago, coaches were given 5 years to prove whether they were the right guy for the job. While that changed a few years ago (see Tyrone Willingham at ND), what we’ve seen this year has been downright crazy. Gene Chizik won a National Championship at Auburn in 2010 and was fired 2 seasons later, albeit after a disastrous 3-9 season where AU became the first SEC team to have a conference title and a winless conference season. Ellis Johnson was given one year at Southern Miss where he took them to an 0-12 season. Patience is a virtue and college football has none (patience or virtue). In this win or else era, it’ll be interesting to see how many programs get caught breaking rules in the coming years. Then again, with Auburn, they were supposedly cheating and still  went 3-9.

2) Preseason Polls mean NOTHING.

Look at the preseason AP poll (granted the AP poll means nothing anyway). Atop the poll, you will see the USC Trojans. The top ranked team in the nation finished 7-5. Look at the current AP poll. The top ranked ND Fighting Irish are nowhere to be found. They finished the season 12-0. At some point the AP and Coaches polls need to realize that preseason polls are useless and are based off of last year’s finishes, rumors, innuendos, and practice reports. While we all love to see the polls and talk about them, this year truly has shown us how worthless being the pre-season #1 team in the country is.

1) It’s the SEC and everyone else.

I admit it, I’m an SEC hater. I can’t stand when people root for their conference as if Alabama winning a national title means Auburn won one too. I’m a Nole fan and I NEVER want to see Miami or UF win a national title. Sorry, it’s the truth. And while I think the SEC was somewhat overrated (or rather overvalued) this year, they were still the best conference in college football. The reason I say they were overvalued is because the majority of the conference refuses to play legitimate out of conference schedules (yes I know we played Murray State and Savannah State), and the polls seem to disregard losses when they occur within this conference (see Alabama barely falling after a loss and 2-loss SEC teams jumping 1-loss teams all season). That said, this conference still has 5 of the top 10 teams in college football (Alabama, Georgia, Florida, LSU and Texas A&M). With a chance at a 7th straight National Champion coming from the SEC, the other conferences have a lot of catching up to do.

As we close out another college football season, it’s time to also look forward. In less than 2 months, signing day will be upon us. In less than 4 months, spring practice will start. 8 months from now, those meaningless pre-season polls will be out and fall camps will begin. And before you know it, that first kickoff weekend will be here!

Enjoy the off-season!

Dwight Howard – ailing back, 4th quarter liability, questionable work ethic = Max contract?? #dwightmare

Last night Dwight Howard record his fifth consecutive double-double, but what did it matter if the Los Angeles Lakers continued their losing ways with a dismal 2-8 road record. Although Dwight has already been voted to his 6th consecutive All-Star game the question must be asked, has he reached his ceiling? Have we already seen the best of what he has to offer? For nearly nine seasons fans have witnessed Superman run like a gazelle and dish out punishment leading the league in rebounding and block shots.

But after off-season back surgery fans have only seen glimpses of the dominant force who clearly is not operating at 100%. Although his early return may be for the good of the team in the long run Dwight is only doing himself and the Laker franchise a disservice. Dwight is currently averaging career lows in a contract year and after a disastrous last season which ended with his exit more than his performance will be used to determine who enters the Dwight-sweepstakes and what will be the final asking price this summer.

Yes, Dwight is averaging 20 points and 11 rebounds but have anyone ever left you so unimpressed because the player was truly capable of doing more especially judging by his performances in season’s past. Although D-12 may never be considered a mediocre player averaging twenty points per game does not automatically make you elite or does it automatically give you entry into the NBA Basketball Hall of Fame.

When compared to the other big men who dawned the purple and gold Dwight ranks in a distant seventh at best when compared to the other Laker big men:

1. Wilt Chamberlin
2. Kareem Abdul-Jabbar
3. Shaquille O’Neal
4. George Mikan
5. Bill Walton
6. Pau Gasol
7. Dwight Howard

The big men ranked ahead of Dwight were dominant big men who took pride in their craft whose games and skills expanded and improved each year while they were in the NBA. Although Dwight’s legacy has yet to be determined in its entirety an ailing back and a continued lack of maturity may end up being his demise.

Each year in the league his current teammate Kobe Bryant added something new to his repertoire in his quest for greatness. Since coming into the league straight from high school what new has Dwight Howard added to his game beside the occasional dunk and swat. Those who are great are always working on their games, its apparent that the same cannot be said about Dwight Howard who seems to be more concerned with becoming an actor and promoting his new Adidas shoes.

Dwight will certainly become a wealthy man because of the game of basketball but once he can no longer run faster or jump higher than his peers what legacy will he leave. In the NBA there are many tells of ‘shoulda, coulda woulda’s, if Dwight does not grow up he will end up on that list and not in the Hall of Fame. As the season progresses he future with the Lakers and his play will be watched closely. Will he be a Laker next year? Another True Hollywood Story, stay tuned… I know I will – A. Denmark

Los Angeles Lakers: From first to worst? Another true hollywood story #lakernation

Last night the Los Angeles Lakers reached a new low as they were run out of the arena by the Cleveland Cavaliers bringing their abysmal road record to 2-7. At the start of the season the Laker faithful envisioned a return of the Showtime Lakers but so far this season it seems like Kobe has been the only one who is showing up for games while his peers look like their just collecting checks. The personnel on the court clearly do not fit the system that D’Antoni wants to run and with the front office already strapped for cash the question many will ask is what do they do now?

An 82-game season has already cost the Lakers their starting point guard Steve Nash the first quarter of the season, due to age and nerve damage in his shin his return continues to be unknown. In his quest for the big stage among the stars of Hollywood Dwight Howard has consistently folded under pressure, proving to be liability and deflecting blame for his poor play in crunch time. (9-21 from the stripe against his former team the Orlando Magic).

Too make matters worst the wear and tear of 16 year pro career in addition to his yearly commitment to the Spanish National Team has finally caught up to Pau Gasol who is currently collecting DNP (do not plays) due to arthritis in his knees. Although he has struggled to assimilate into D’Antoni’s offense the contributions of a career 18 pt 10 reb has certainly been missed.

With the Laker front office having large contracts and no desirable assets outside of Kobe Bryant it looks like a long season of unmet expectations appears to be in store. As the frustration continues to mount expect there to come a time when Kobe reaches his breaking point like he did back in 2007 when he demanded to be traded.  Although Phil Jackson is somewhere laughing at the current state of the Lakers it is critical that this team exhibit some resilience or they risk missing the playoffs all together.

If the Lakers went from title favorite to not even sniffing the playoffs a once proud franchise would be in a complete state of embarrassment and total disarray. At this rate its safe to assume that Gasol and Metta World Peace have played their last season in a Laker uniform as their contracts are likely to be bought out at season’s end. The fate of Dwight Howard remains unknown but judging by Coach D’Antoni’s man crush it appears that the Lakers are committed to making Dwight their franchise player.

Despite failing to meet expections the Lakers have been anything but boring so far this season. As D’Antoni’s former team the New York Knicks continue to thrive his Lakers continue to lose using the same broken system that cost him his job in New York. Who would have imagined that the Lakers would have to settle with the Knicks sloppy seconds. If only the Lakers front office had a reset button the season may have turned out so different. As the drama and suspense continues stay tuned. I know I will – A. Denmark

New England Patriot Dominance and NFC Parody – in search of a NFC King #superbowl

Parody in the NFL has become a widespread phenomenon that has infected the entire NFC. The only team that appears to be immune to its elixir are the New England Patriots who continue to widen the gap of dominance over their AFC counterparts. NFC division leaders New York Giants, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers, and Atlanta Falcons have all been remarkably inconsistent all season suffering loses to unacceptable opponents and conference cellar dwellers.

The regular season is nearly over and no dominant team from the NFC has separated themselves from the pack as a prohibitive favorite to represent the conference for the Super Bowl in New Orleans. Unlike the NFC teams the Patriots continue to stomp on the throat of their opponents and it would not be considered presumptuous for their fans to start booking flights and making hotel arrangements to Bourbon street for another shot at another Super Bowl.

As the playoff picture begins to become more clear fans and odds makers alike have no clue who will contend. At the start of the season the Green Bay Packers were projected to have the best chance to win another Superbowl.

Although the play of the Packers has been impressive at times, the Packers have failed to overcome the injury bug as well as produce a serviceable running game. Last week against the reigning Super Bowl Champion New York Giants they were thoroughly dominated as the G-men defensive line made life for Aaron Rodgers a nightmare.

Led by Eli these same New York Giants have also been remarkably inconsistent recently ending a 4-game no touchdown pass drought. Despite holding onto a slim lead in the division over the resurgent Washington Redskins there chances of repeating and potentially missing the playoffs all seem like unsurprising outcomes. Their NFC Conference Championship foe the San Francisco 49ers are still breaking in quarterback Colin Kaepernick who has been both electrifying and riddled with mistakes all alike.

The Falcon continue to prove pundits right with two embarrassing loses to two teams with records below .500. Despite an 11-2 record has their ever been a team with such an impressive record that everyone presumes will make an early playoff exit like they have done in times past The last three Super Bowl winners were NFL wildcards which means teams like the dangerous Seattle Seahawks and the talented but inconsistent Chicago Bears may serve as more than just first round exits during the postseason.

As the season progresses the Patriots eventual crowning as AFC Champion seems like a certainty. However, history has shown us that the Super Bowl Champion may come from the NFC for the fourth time in five years. Although the Patriot’s eventual foe has yet to be determined their challenger promises to be compelling none the less. Will the Giants and Falcons shake the bug of inconsistency? Will the 49ers led by their unproven quarterback prove pundits wrong and return to the site of their last Super Bowl run in 1990? Stay tuned… I know I will – A. Denmark

Road2Final4: Louisville Cardinals, second in the state but favorite to win NCAA title #louisvillecardinals

The state of Kentucky is home to one of the most heated rivalries in the country, longtime friends and family members often do not speak when the Kentucky Wildcats and the Louisville Cardinals battle for state supremacy. Since Coach Calipari’s arrival to the Bluegrass State the Wildcats have dominated the rivalry, attracted the nation’s top recruits, and won conference and national championships.

However, only a few miles away another Hall-of-Fame coach was slowly building an elite program by developing talent with diamond in the roughs who did not appear destined to shake the hands of Commissioner Stern after playing one year of college basketball. The talent that Rick Pitino has assembled in Louisville finally looks ready to not only to regain state supremacy but also bring another national championship back to the state of Kentucky.

The Cardinals are led by senior point guard Peyton Silva and slasher Russ Smith who each spent the summer improving their games and ignored the lure of the NBA Draft. Silva was once known just for his scoring but each year he has continued to refine his skills by getting his teammates the ball.  Not known to see a shot he did not like Russ nicknamed ‘Russ-diculous’ by Coach Pitino has finally begun to play within the offense and seldom goes rogue unless a scoring punch is needed (scoring a career-high 31 points against UMKC.)

The frontcourt is led by Gorgui Dieng an import from Sudan who brings a defensive presence to the Cardinal frontcourt that makes opponents think twice before coming into the lane. His partner in crime Chane Behannan who despite being an undersized forward is a monster on the boards who has finally shook the injury bug that plagued him last year.

Pitino appears to have the pieces in place to make some noise in March, there is very little drop off from the second unit who are led by sophomore guard Wayne Blackshear and two former Parade All-Americans, sophomore guard Kevin Ware and former Virginia Tech commit forward Montrezl Harrell.

Expectations in Louisville could not be higher and although the Cards have lost their defensive intimidator in Gorgui Dieng to a broken wrist until December 19th their play in his absence has truly been impressive. Coach Pitino has used the absence of his defensive stopper as an opportunity to build depth and get minutes for his talented but inexperienced big men who he will need come tournament time.

Although it has taken Pitino longer than expected to build another title contender armed with the experience from last year’s final four run the time to crown a new king of Kentucky may be fast approaching. The Cardinals have the senior leadership and the talent to contend, but will they finally win when it counts? The battle for Kentucky on December 29th will determine more than just a ‘W,’ but bragging rights, recruits, and maaybe even a number seed in the tournament. Stay tuned… I know I will – A. Denmark

Lin-who? Lin-what? Lin-plz?: New York Knicks, a contender to remember? #nyknicks

148 days and $25 million dollars ago fans of the New York Knicks was unsure of what the future held for their promising franchise. The anxiety felt by the Madison Garden faithful was understandable due to the many questionable off-season moves the Knicks front office had made in the past. With those memories still fresh in the minds of many, the Knicks front office decision to part ways with Jeremy Lin a break star who had become a global icon and over-night sensation. But eighteen games into this season the decision to pass on Lin-sanity looks like a brilliant move that has not only saved the franchise millions but also gave them the flexibility to sign point guard Raymond Felton and Jason Kidd at bargain prices and also retain their two 3-pt marksmen, JR Smith and Steve ‘discount-double-check’ Novak.

After two convincing wins over the defending NBA Champion Miami Heat the Knicks are entering the unchartered territory of expectation. Projected to finish no better than fifth in the Eastern Conference the New York Knicks currently sit in first place. What makes the Knicks ascension so impressive is that the Knicks have yet to play a game with their full arsenal of players ( Shumpert out with knee & Stoudamire out with knee). Coach Mike Woodson has done a remarkable job of instilling a tough defensive mentality in players who used to be only concerned with scoring. Although Carmelo my never contend for defensive MVP the effort that he has begun to exert on the defense has set a tone of unselfishness and sacrifice required of a star if he wants to contend for a NBA title.

Once only known for scoring it appears that Carmelo has finally came into his own as the leader of this franchise. His growth as player may largely be attributed to future Hall-of-Fame point guard Jason Kidd who became a Knick this off-season. With Melo out due to a laceration on his shooting hand Coach Woodson continues to build depth and solidify a solid second unit that will become an asset during the playoffs.

At this point it appears that the entire Knicks franchise has bought into the Woodson philosophy but everyone will hold their breath to see if Amare Stoudamire and Imam Shumpert follow suit. As the season progresses the expectations for the New York Knicks will continue to mount. It has been nearly four years since Madison Garden was home to an NBA Champion. They have the star in Carmelo, the defensive stalwart in Tyson, the bench and defensive minded coach to contend for a title. As the season continues NY loyalist will prepare to be disappointed but hope to be proven wrong. Stay tuned… I know I will. –  A. Denmark

Tennessee Volunteers: When you are, what you thought you weren’t – average and not elite #volnation

On Thursday, Volnation woke up too a harsh reality, that the once proud program that won a National Championship in 1998 and was a NFL pipeline for first round picks and pro bowlers has yet to fill its coaching vacancy. Although hiring ESPN analyst Jon Gruden was considered a long shot the fact other promising coaches like Mike Gundy of Oklahoma State, Charlie Strong of Louisville, and Gary Patterson of TCU had passed on what many considered to be one of the premiere jobs in college football was both humbling and embarrassing.

Too make matter worst, the fact that less lucrative coaching vacancies have been filled makes the reality for Volnation that much tougher to swallow. Their SEC counterparts, Arkansas an Auburn excited their fans, their recruits with their coaching hires (Bret Bielema 3-time Big Ten Championship Coach to Arkansas & National Championship winning offensive mastermind Guz Malzhan returned to Auburn). Even annual Pac 12 cellar dweller Colorado has lured in promising coach Butch Jones who has continued the resurgence of the Cincinnati Bearcat football program (UPDATE Butch Jones declines Colorado offer).

With very few promising coaches available there appears to be very little lucrative options left for the Tennessee Volunteer programs to turn. Although their next coach won’t bring the buzz many had hoped at this point the longer the job goes unfilled the more the football program will sink in the public eye and in the views of potential recruits Athletic Director Dave Hart must act quickly in order to not only salvage the current recruiting class, but also potentially prompt star quarterback Tyler Bray and his stud receivers Justin Hunter and Cordarrelle Patterson to return to Rocky Top and not declare for the NFL Draft.

Not too long ago Knoxville was home to an elite football program that was always in contention for an SEC Championship and top 5 recruiting class. But the Vols tailspin toward mediocrity began when the former athletic director Hamilton failed to find the right hire to replace Hall-of-Fame Coach Phil Fulmer.

As the coaching search continues many more names will be rumored to be in the running like Butch Jones from Cincinnati, Al Golden from Miami, Gary Andersen from Utah State, or maybe LSU DC and former volunteer John Chavis. But if these candidates decline the Vols may find their search entering the uncharted territory of NCAA sanctioned coaches. Although former Ohio State Coach Jim Tressel has an impressive record his firing may still be too fresh for Volnation to overlook. Former UNC Coach Butch Davis would have also been a big splash hire but due to his NCAA academic scandal he may also make many college programs think twice.

19 days in and vultures are picking at their current recruiting class and stars contemplating declaring for the NFL draft; a lot is at stake! The former AD dropped the ball with the Dooley hire the Vols can not afford (9 mil in counting) for current AD Dave Hart to do the same the same mistake twice. A new coach will bring clarity and closure to a program in need of a fresh start and wanting to return to the glory years. This off-season continues to be a compelling one on Rocky Top. What happens next? Stay tuned.. I know I will – A. Denmark

New York Knicks: Empire State of Mind – Fast start but how will they finish? #knicks

Despite the New York Knicks being in the largest media market in the world they began the season completely under the radar. Many assumed that all was lost when the Knicks parted ways with Jeremy Lin and signed 37-year-old  point guard Jason Kidd who made headlines this summer for his drunken rendition of dance fever in the Hamptons.

After an early exit in the playoffs at the hand of the eventual NBA champions the Knicks entered the off-season with a lot of questions. Carmelo’s return to his hometown had yet to meet the expectations of Madison Garden’s faithful who presumed that his paring with Amare Stoudemire and defensive stalwart Tyson Chandler would yield more than just a first round exit.

Several of the Knicks battled nagging injuries last season but they wisely used the off-season to rest and get stronger. The same Knicks front office that is known more for its blunders than its successes struck gold yet again in signing point guard Raymond Felton whose on his second tour with the Knicks and adding power forwards Marcus Camby, Kurt Thomas and Rasheed Wallace who will add much-needed veteran leadership to the franchise. The Knicks also were fortunate enough to resign three-point shooting ace Steve ‘discount-double check’ Novak who had the best season of his career leading the entire in NBA in 3-point percentage.

Regretfully the same injury bug that has nagged the New York Knicks struck quickly when starting power forward Amare Stoudemire went down with another knee injury. Since signing with Knicks this talented young man has been a shadow of himself whose fashion cents have garnered more attention that his play on the court. Although his return to the court has yet to be determined The team adjusted almost seamlessly by moving Carmelo to power forward which has been a match-up nightmare for opposing teams.

At 7-1 it finally seems that the entire team has bought into the concept of playing defense led by former Defensive Player of the Year, Tyson Chandler. Although the season is still young the Knicks have already collected impressive wins over the NBA’s elite – the Heat and Spurs.

However, only 8 games into an 82-game season the NBA landscape can change quickly. The chemistry on the team appears to be solid but how will things change once Amare Stoudemire returns from injury?  It may be in the teams best interest to bring him off the bench but will the perennial All-Star accept a diminished role. Due to his 5-year $100 million dollar contract and his well documented injury history Amare has zero trade value so if he fails to accept his new role he may be asked to stay home ‘a la Marbury’s $22 million dollar bench role in 2008.

Another development to keep a close eye on throughout the season is the health of the veterans on the Knicks roster, currently they have four of oldest players in the league (Marcus Camby, Rasheed Wallace, Kurt Thomas, and Jason Kidd). However, the Knicks will add much-needed depth when guard Iman Shumpert returns after the All-Star break from a torn ACL that he suffered in last year’s playoffs.

Many questions remain for this talented squad but the success of their season will ultimately be determined not by Carmelo’s scoring but by his ability to contribute on both ends of the floor. Although Melo may be the face of the franchise the Knicks will go as far as their leader defensive minded Tyson Chandler takes them. Stay tuned… I know I will – A. Denmark