Mike Fratello has been fired

more on this on the show today (Grizzlies Power Hour)
Bert Sugars Bowl Picks in the third hour

Jimmy Denunzio (Friday performance)

I am pretty sure he was hammered. Rusty also gave us some picks.

http://www.zshare.net/audio/jimmydenunzio12-22-06-mp3.html

Rest of the Picks (Philanthropy)

Verno's-- Central Mich -9.5 over MTSU
Tampa +3 over Cleveland

Verno's Philanthropy NFL Game of the Year
Indy -9 over Houston

Gary's King TUT Parlay (live like a king)
T- Texas A&M +6 over Cal
U- UCLA -5 over Fl. State
T- Tulsa +1.5 over Utah

I also like San Diego -4 and S Fran -4
I will also be all over the Hawaiian Massacre Part 4 in their Bowl Game

Rice -4.5 is one of the picks (tonight) i will get the rest up by the morning

LATE MONEY UPDATE: do not touch this game, I just got strong information that Rice is terrible.

Seriously, could I have been more right

Yesterday on crown em/ clown em, I decided to crown Greg Paulus even before last nights game vs. Gonzaga. I love this guy. I said he would pound Gonzaga and Ravio would do nothing. Guess what? He killed them, and Ravio had 4 pts. Paulus had a career high 20 and dove into the scorers table twice. The guy is bleeding from the head, gets stiches, and comes back in the game. If you don't like this kid there is something wrong with you. Oh, and this is perfect... Check out what Gary was forced to write about him after last night. Justice prevails, and more people learn to never doubt me. I am trying to improve your sports brain... just let me. I tried to make this clear when I gave this speech a few weeks ago. Just let go and submit to my incredible brain.

David Eckstein Audio (on the show Thursday)

World Series MVP David Eckstein Audio

ESPN Columnist Wright Thompson in studio today

Wright Thompson on the show at 5:30. He has a must-read incredible article on espn.com right now about a teacher and the Mannings. HERE IT IS.

Merry Christmas

PLEASE DO NOT PRESS PLAY IF YOU ARE EASILY OFFENDED BY CRUDE HUMOUR. OTHERWISE, YOU ARE WELCOME. Justin Timberlake and Andy Samberg (this is the uncensored version from SNL with Timberlake this week)

Eckstein and the quick Rocky review

Change of plans with Eckstein. I am not sure if he will be able to make it to the studio in time, but regardless, he will be on the show at 5. The World Series MVP David Eckstein.

I went to see the new Rocky movie last night. I had high expectations for the flick. It did not disappoint. I always felt like Rocky V was a horrible ending for a series of movies that I loved. I know some are better than others, but I love I-IV. So, with that being said, I wanted Rocky Balboa to be a proper ending to a great series. When I left the movie, Gary and I agreed that it was. That is what it is, its a wrap up that makes things come full circle. I will also tell you that the girlfriend has never seen any of the Rocky movies and she really liked it. For Rocky fans, it ties things together from other movies of the past, which was nice. If you are a Rocky fan, you will dig it. Antonio Tarver is in the movie, and he was on the show, audio below still if you missed it.

David Eckstein in studio and Congrats, Michael Heisley is still your owner

WORLD SERIES MVP DAVID ECKSTEIN WILL BE IN STUDIO THURSDAY.

THE ECK--- IN OUR STUDIOS!

We had Antonio Tarver on Monday (audio below if you missed it). Nice week at the end of the year for the show.

Now to the Grizzlies...

I was beside myself with some of the commentary of the calls we took on Tuesday. As many of you know, I was stunned by the negativity surrounding the Davis group and its attempt to buy the Grizzlies. My position from the jump was that if Davis and his group did not have the money, they would not get the team. That was a huge if, obviously. My stance had always been that David Stern and the board would not give a guy a team if they did not feel it was a stable situation.

Did I want the group bid to succeed? Sure I did. As I would with any group that said they would move to Memphis, embrace the city and the fans, and commit to a winning product. I am guilty of that optimism in this case. In addition to those qualities, I loved the idea of having a young African-American owner in Memphis. There was always a huge question of the money, but that was not for me to decide. That was for the NBA to decide, if it ever got to that point.

Why did I get so irritated with the "I told you so" people? Because in the end, Michael Heisley is still the owner of the team. What did you tell me? That I should never have been optimistic? That is exactly what I was talking about in the first place, and today reinforced my point. I wanted to believe in something better. I have never and will never get a good explanation of why people were so negative about the idea. Why could they not think like me and concede that if the money is not there, it would not happen? Today proved nothing except that some of the callers have no ability to process logical thought. I love the idea that a new ownership would have run the team in an undesirable way. Like say....

Have a boring coach that no one likes?

Create an environment that has little to no excitement and 10,000 in the stands?

Holds back a great GM from doing what he does best?

Holds back that same GM from making personnel moves and taking a run at a legit superstar?

Cutting costs all across the board continually for 2 years?

Lying and saying his GM can make decisions in the basketball operations?

Wanting no part of owning the team anymore?

I apologize for wanting something better, and hoping someone could provide it. I am sorry. Do I wish they had the money? You are damn right I do. I will with the next group, and the next, and then next one after that.

My favorite line of the day was when a caller (Mario) blamed the Davis group for the Grizzlies not getting in the Iverson mix. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA, Seriously, Stop it, Hahahahaha! I was charged with being "duped" for wanting to believe in the Davis group. I host a radio show. Heisley was also just hoping too? He hand-cuffed Jerry West from improving the franchise status leaps and bounds without knowing for sure if the deal was kosher? He was just sitting at a table with his fingers crossed about the deal? He allowed an attainable superstar to be taken off the market for less than what the Grizz could offer because he was sure it was going through, right? Surely if Mario and my brilliant callers knew not to believe it could happen, a multi-millionaire should too, right? Don't give me that Davis gave him some piddly fee and that is why he thought it would go through. The facts are that Heisley is responsible for holding back Jerry West and he has been in cost-cutting mode for running on two years. Heisley should damn well better know that the deal is a sure thing before he makes the decision to not make moves that would help this franchise more than anything else ever has. Michael Heisley was at one time a very good owner. Now he is a guy trying to roll out, and he acts as such. This franchise could have gotten Allen Iverson. A franchise changing move stopped... and it is unforgivable. That was our chance, and I am supposed to blame a potential buyer who may never be seen or heard from again? Give me a freaking break. Unforgivable.

If you want to cheer, and celebrate, and act as if you knew all along, have fun. Are you happy that you were right and these guys did not have the money? Take pride in the fact that you were right in your assumption, but realize that now the mess only continues. Congrats, the Grizzlies are still owned by a guy that wants to get rid of them. Still happy?

Antonio Tarver Interview

Tarver is Mason "the line" Dixon in the new Rocky movie. He was on the show on Monday. Here it is... http://www.zshare.net/audio/antoniotarver-mp3.html

Just for you Geoff...

Couple of thoughts from last night...

I don't know what Mike Fratello says to the team before they come out, but I know it is terrible. Worst pre-game speech coach of all-time. He has to be. They can't even get to 20 in the first qtr.

It was only 2 minutes into his debut that Pau checked for blood. Hilarious. Of course I had several people mention this to me because they know how I love the toughness that Gasol exudes. 2 minutes in? Come on. I have not seen one other player in the league check for blood this year. 2 minutes. Battier had it all over his face, like a horror movie, and had to have someone bring it to his attention last year. 2 minutes. Also, good to see Gasol sold the Grizzlies 3 extra tickets for the game. Memphis was excited to get their paper all-star back. Max players are box office. And by the way, someone brought up Garnett yesterday... he sells you tickets.

Friday Incredible Brain

Tonight following the show from 6-6:30 stay tuned for the first Grizzly pre-game we will be doing on weeknight home games. Chris Herrington from the Flyer, who you hear on the show and is the leader in Grizz analytical insight and out-of-the-box thinking about the Grizzlies, will be my co-host.. BB Kings on Beale is the title sponsor and I encourage you to support them and the show by making it your stop before or after the games. I love BB Kings, it is Memphis, and could not be happier with having them on board.

Calkins predictably wrote about how great Pau is with Gasol's return coming in the next few games. Here is one of the quotes... "Consider the flotsam Gasol has had as teammates. Can you think of any really good, close-to-All-Star-level players he's had the opportunity to play with during his six years in the league?
Tim Duncan has Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli. Amare Stoudemire has Steve Nash and Shawn Marion. "

I have addressed this point of view a hundred times. Pau is not Tim Duncan, Pau is not Amare Stoudemire. He's not Steve Nash. The fact of the matter is this... it is more about those particular players than the players around them. All of the sudden, if Duncan was in the place of Pau, Miller would be awesome, and the other players all seem better. I will never understand how that is hard to understand. Superstars make the other guys better. I have no idea why it is always about who else is on the team. To constantly throw Pau in a category of a bonafide superstar like Duncan or Nash does a disservice to Pau and the players he has played with. He's not and will never be that guy. An offense that runs around Pau cannot win a playoff game. You think Tony Parker as a rookie wins more because of Parker, or could it be that he is on the team with Duncan? It is so absurd, yet professed as a fair point of view. But then again, there has never been a negative word written about Gasol in this town.... ever. When Pujols goes 0-5 in big spots, even in an incredibly easy media town like St. Louis, everyone doesn't blame the other players in the line-up. They put Pujols on the spot. Why? Because he is the guy. Gasol will never know how great he has it here media-wise until he goes to another city. And again, this team was built with Pau in mind, so when you lose him, you are gonna be awful. When the Grizzlies were good without Gasol in the past, the team was not built around him. And guess what... those "average" players won at a higher clip when he was out. How was that possible?

Thoughts...

Yao is the best center in the NBA, and it is not close right now.

Alex Smith is much, much better than I thought he would be.

I like when Joey Porter talks crazy. Especially about a guy like Kellen Winslow.

How many games are the Sixers gonna lose before they get a deal done for A.I.?

If the Davis group bid does not go down, will Heisley keep the Logo's hands tied?

I saw a story saying Jeff Bagwell was retiring. I thought he already had.

Holler.

Jerry West blows up at Mike Fratello

very, very interesting... here is the link if you want to read for yourself

Jerry West and Mike Fratello blow up on each other
Posted by Frank Hughes

The buzz in the Sonics' locker room before Wednesday's game vs. Chicago was an apparent blowup between Memphis Grizzlies GM Jerry West and coach Mike Fratello, who apparently got in each's other faces on Wednesday. West supposedly told Fratello that he needs to stop making excuses for the team losing. The Grizzlies are 5-16 and have the worst record in the league -- though, to their defense, they have played the entire season without Pau Gasol. Anyway, the players were saying that West never liked Fratello, and that he wanted to hire Eric Musselman all along, the reason West put Musselman on Fratello's staff before Musselman got hired by Sacramento. It was owner Michael Heisley who made the decision to hire Fratello. I don't have any insider knowledge, but to me that would seem to spell the beginning of the end for Fratello. There would seem to be no way he wins a power struggle with The Logo, although you have to wonder how the pending sale of the franchise factors into everything.

thanks to Mark for the link

more on this, etc. in the mornin

a big thanks to all of you that came out to Hooters on Wed.

verno

Today at Mt. Moriah Hooters

I've got the tix for Rocky Balboa. Eric Hasseltine will be out there with us. Make plans and come by from 3-6. It's the 2007 Hooters Calender signing from 5-7. Get there early if you can.
Teen Wolf would want you to.

Verno

SOUTHLAND MONDAY FROM 3-6.

As you may have heard, what was Southland Greyhound Park, has made about a bazillion dollars in upgrades and we are taking the show on the road there for Monday from 3-6 and then after for MNF.
I have possibly the greatest reason ever to come on, besides seeing the new Southland and the greatest radio show on earth.... I have passes for you to go to a sneak preview of the new Rocky movie before it comes out. Gary and I talked about this last week, and turns out, the powers that be were put in contact with us and made it happen. Come to Southland and get the passes, and we will have a bunch of other stuff to register for and win. Holler.

I mentioned the Rocky production folks getting with us for this. Big thanks to Johnny Betts, a Memphian, and his outstanding movie review site for regular people.... http://www.themoviemark.com/. Check out the site.

Come to Southland on Monday, sneak it in the schedule. Teen Wolf would want you to.

Jimmy Deunzio Segment

The world's greatest handicapper joins Gary and I every Friday. In this weeks installment, we finally talk to the mysterious Rusty. Here it is...

http://www.zshare.net/audio/jimmydenunzio12-8-06-mp3.html

BALLER

I have not seen anything like Chris Lofton's performance in a long time. That was a serious whoopin. Tennessee put it on Memphis something awful. I have said that I was looking forward to this game after every Tiger game so far (since Maui neutral court games) has looked like the Globetrotters vs. the Generals. Well, I saw it, and it was not pretty. They, like I said, have a lot of athleticism and not a lot of really "skilled" basketball players. When I say that I mean to say guys that really know how to play. Dorsey is 35 years old with still no clue. Tennessee could subdue the press and athleticism, and then had "that guy." The question of who will be the run stopper, and who will be "that guy" is still completely unanswered for Memphis. When that game was getting away, Hunt tried and he could not throw it in the ocean. There are only a few good games on the Tiger schedule, at least two of them have been embarrassing defeats so far. Chris Lofton= Baller.

Philanthropy (The Picks)

Verno's You Can Trust Me Ricky Peete No Losing Allowed Parlay
N-- Navy -20 over Army
L-- La Monroe +3 over La Laffayette
A-- Arkansas +3 over Florida

Verno's Reputation on the line, team with ancient city for name vs. awful team GAME OF THE YEAR!
Troy -10.5 over Fl Int

Gary's Claw Parlay
C-- Colorado St -4 over SDSU
L-- Louisville -24 over Uconn
A-- Air Force +17 over TCU
W-- West Virginia -8.5 over Rutgers

Gary's Since He can't bet against Memphis, the closest thing is betting against DeAngelo MNF
Philly +points over Carolina

Bert Sugar's Picks 68.5% this year on the show
Arkansas +3 over Florida
WVU -8.5 over Rutgers
Navy -20 vs Army
Oklahoma -3.5 over Nebraska
USC -13.5 over UCLA

Have a great weekend millionaires.

Bonus Pick.....

Lion Wins over the Bear in animal warfare.