Meg
Jon M. Tessler (Reveryroadie)
Editor-in-Chief & Graphics Designer
NASCAR Contributor
Deb
Larry “Bud” Litle
Advisor & Contributor
Reg Advisor & Contributor
Tim Lumber Contributor
Fantasy Baseball Contributor
Mike MMA Contributor
Ray DeVone Contributor
Cathy MLB Contributor
Dust NHL Contributor
Golden Stomind March Madness & NBA Contributor
Greg (Stealersrule) NFL Contributor 2
The list above consists of the staff members who contributed to this month’s edition of the magazine.
For a full list of the magazine staff: Click on SJ Magazine Staff.
Logo by: mattyp2002 // Magazine Layout by bbyao06 Designs
TABLE OF CONTENTS What is Sports Jabber? _______________________________________________4 The Madness Comes to A Conclusion ________________________________5 Matthew Pellowski: Basketball, Baseball, & Boogey-Men ________ 7 A Look into the 2011 Red Sox: Moves and More Moves _________ 11 MMA Pound 4 Pound Rankings ___________________________________ 13 Fantasy Baseball Season __________________________________________ 14 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview _______________________________ 15 Is Parity What Nascar “Really” Wants? __________________________ 17 “The Pirate” Knocks Them Out: Leroy Pinckney, Jr. _____________ 18 SJ’s Mock Draft Database _________________________________________ 20 Sports Jabber’s 2011 Mock Draft _________________________________ 21 SJ Official NBA Power Rankings __________________________________ 22 NBA Playoff Predictions ___________________________________________ 23 Shoot Like the Pros with Adam Filippi ___________________________ 25 Top 10 Quarterbacks Going into the 2011 Season_______________ 28 SJ Official Mock Draft Contest_____________________________________ 30 What’s New at SJ __________________________________________________ 31 SJ’s Social Networks & Home of SJ Magazine ____________________ 32 Recognition ________________________________________________________ 34 3
WHAT IS SJ? SportsJabber.net provides complete coverage of the sporting world. While best-known for its always-active forums, it is much, much more. SJ is a multi-verse of inter-connected sports fan sites. It's an assembly of contributing blogger-authors providing expert analysis of their chosen sports, leaving no event uncovered or lacking importance. SJ provides a platform and an extensive marketing channel to promote the authors' original works. SJ operates multiple interactive sites among the major social networks (Facebook, Myspace, Twitter) & our home platform, providing fun and informative sports exchange among our many thousands of subscribers, "friends" and followers. SJ operates one of the largest and most comprehensive NFL Mock Draft Databases on the net. With our own mock draft, created & maintained by our cross-fan team of experts at its foundation, our database, unlike most, operates and is updated year-round. Of course, Jabberheads also unite in our highly interactive member forums, 24-7, for discussion of breaking sports news & daily events, enjoyment of competitive fantasy sports, & participation in fun & competitive prize-awarded contests. If you kick, throw, hit, or drive it...or enjoy watching it done, it's a jabber world made for you. Are you a Jabberhead? Do you want to be a Jabberhead? Step inside and join the fun.
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The Madness Comes to a Conclusion WRITTEN BY: GOLDEN STOMIND
All good things must come to an end, but most people would have liked to send this year's NCAA tournament out in better style. In a tournament where not a single 1 or 2 seed made the Final Four, this seemed to set the stage for a Cinderella.
Virginia Commonwealth, a team that many argued shouldn't have even made the tournament, made the Final Four for the first time in their school's history and was the first double-digit seed to make it since George Mason in 2006. Point guard Joey Rodriguez and post man Jamie Skeen stole the show and made a name for their selves. Skeen averaged 17.5 points and almost seven rebounds in the tournament while Rodriguez averaged nine points and almost eight assists while leading their team to the Final Four. VCU had to knock off Kansas, the team many considered the top team in the tournament and my personal pick to win it, in order to make the trip to Houston.
The defending runner-ups Butler seemed to shock the world once again. The Bulldogs defeated Old Dominion in the first round after a Matt Howard buzzer-beater and never looked back. Butler went on to defeat the #1 seeded Pittsburgh, #4 seeded Wisconsin, and #2 seeded Florida in order to take down fellow Cinderella VCU in the Final Four. Senior Matt Howard and guard Shelvin Mack led the team as they seeked redemption from last season. Without Howard's buzzer-beater against Old Dominion and his free throws with under a second left against Pittsburgh, Butler would not have made it even close to where they went. Howard averaged 14.8 points and seven rebounds while Mack averaged 20.3 points including a 30 point performance against Pittsburgh and 27 against Florida. The duo combined for 41 points against VCU as Butler returned to the Finals with a 70-62 win. Butler would be the lowest seeded team to make the Finals since Villanova won it back in 1985, but would not have the same result. 5
The Madness Comes to a Conclusion (cont.) WRITTEN BY: GOLDEN STOMIND On the other side of the bracket, Kentucky had to pull of some buzzer-beaters of their own. Freshman point guard Brandon Knight had a runner to beat Princeton in their opener as time expired and a jumper to beat top seeded Ohio State in the Sweet Sixteen. Kentucky had only one senior on their roster and was considered too young to make it as far as they did. Freshmen Knight and Terrance Jones headed the young roster and proved that their youth can beat experienced teams. After Knight's two-point performance against Princeton (the two biggest points of the game) he went on to average 19.5 points, 5.25 rebounds, and 4.25 assists in his Final Four run. Jones' tournament consisted of 10.4 points and 8.4 boards per contest, but found their tournament come to an end in a 56-55 thriller against the eventual champs Connecticut. Ironically, the year of the Cinderella ended with the highest-seeded team in the Final Four taking it home. #3 seed Connecticut finished their Big East regular season and began an undefeated 11-0 postseason run to win the Big East and NCAA title. Only one word was needed to describe the run: Kemba. Junior guard Kemba Walker averaged 26 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 4.2 assists in the Big East tournament and went on to average 23.5 points, 6 rebounds, and 5.7 assists in the NCAA tournament. Jaw-dropping numbers to say the least. UConn began their tournament with 81-52 and 69-58 routs over Bucknell and Cincinnati respectively. Their only 'upset' of the tournament came in the Sweet Sixteen against the #2 seed San Diego State. The Huskies defeated them 74-67 and went on to beat Arizona, Kentucky, and Butler in a snoozer to capture the 2011 crown. Kemba Walker's phenomenal play earned him the Final Four MVP honors and rightly so. It seemed as if last year was the year of the Cinderella, but 2011 proved that anything can happen in March. Can't wait till next year? Neither can I.
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MATTHEW PELLOWSKI: BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, & BOOGEY-MEN WRITTEN BY: TIM LUMBER I did my most extensive internet search of my writing career. What started as a goal, to find an athlete who was involved in the paranormal field, turned into a once in a lifetime interview chance. I have interviewed dozens of pro athletes in my day. I have never interviewed a former college sports star, turned movie director. Here is a guy who was once ranked in the Top 10 of the NCAA for rebounds, averaging 15 per game in basketball. He also won the Scholar Athlete Award. His father played for the New England Patriots, and was a writer for stand-up comedy god, Rodney Dangerfield. I bring to you Redline Studios Director/Producer, Matthew Pellowski. Read any of his profiles online, and you will see that this former sports star, has worked with the biggest stars in America. Just to name a few of the television shows he has worked on, including Late Night with Conan O’Brien, Lost, ESPN Sidelines, The Liza Minnelli show, The Apprentice, John Leguizamos Sexaholic, NBC’s Sports Desk and Inside Edition. Maybe I also need to remind you, besides basketball and all these famous shows, he was a all-star for the legendary Downtown Bulls semi-pro baseball team. I am not used to introducing a former athlete with so much star power. As a producer and director, he has worked on numerous promotional broadcasts and productions for such artists and companies as Jennifer Lopez, Ron Howard, Cedric the Entertainer, AZN television broadcasting, Warner Brothers, Trident, J. Walter Thompson Marketing, Prada Inc., Will Smith’s “Hitch,” H&M, ESPN, Harrah’s Commercials, Seinfeld, and CNN. After working steadily in television for 5 years, Matthew later went on to help form the independent film production company, Red Line Studios. Try to keep your head up folks. I thought I was a success in life for writing blogs. After reading this former athletes profile, I feel like a loser lol. I recently had the chance to interview this superstar, at everything he does. Without further due, I bring you Sports Jabber fans, a Q&A with Matthew Pellowski. Tim Lumber: Can you just start off, by telling us a little about your sports background? Matthew Pellowski: I played baseball and basketball in high school at Hillsborough High in New Jersey, I was the co-captain of my baseball team and later went on to play the same sports at Raritan Valley Community College in New Jersey. In college, I was ranked in the Top 10 of the nation for rebounds, averaging 15 rebounds and 13 points a game if I recall correctly, although it's been some time. I was always a better baseball player than basketball player but my coach in college was a jerk and both seasons I left the team before the season ended. I was captain of my basketball team in college during my senior year and won the Scholar Athlete Award. When college finished up, I could have went on to play basketball at small schools but I tried to realistically gauge my career in basketball and felt I was too small as a power forward (my 7 position / I am 6'4) to ever go on to play professionally so I decided to pursue my other love which is film.
MATTHEW PELLOWSKI: BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, & BOOGEY-MEN (cont.) Tim Lumber: I have seen on IMDd, a profile they have on you. It stated that your father played for the New England Patriots for a brief time. He was also a successful writer. These are two traits you both have in common. Having a father who played in the NFL and who was also a successful writer, do you think this pushed you harder to succeed in sports, and later on as a writer? And how instrumental do you think he was to your success? Matthew Pellowski: My father, being a former athlete, did push me to be active in sports when I was a child. Sports can be an amazing teaching tool for an individual. You learn a great deal about yourself when you play sports, how to be a leader, how to pursue and achieve something with hard work and integrity. During my college basketball career, I was on two different kinds of teams. One season, I was on a team that had a great deal of heart, played with pride, but we lost a great number of games. The second team won more frequently but there was no team unity, no togetherness, and no class in how we played. Understanding that to play with pride means that you give your blood sweat and tears and leave everything on the court regardless of the outcome, is something I carried over in my career in the arts. I remember the feeling of losing a game where I gave my entire body and soul to the sport versus winning a game where less effort was needed to put forth. Although it seems like a clichĂŠ, it made me realize the truth value in understanding that it doesn't matter if you win or lose, but how you truly do play the game. It's not about the score in the end and the school or fans you played for. It's playing in a fashion that you can feel good about yourself and what effort you gave. Understanding that losing in the end is not that important if your effort has dignity and pride is something that has always driven my career. It's liberating to not be afraid to fail. I believe that drive works well in film and television where many times rejection is not dependent on effort or skill, but politics or other uncontrollable factors. In our family, working in the arts or playing sports wasn't exactly demanded, but it was expected that what you do in life be nothing short of extraordinary in effort. I think as a collective, our family has attempted to leave a mark, to be remembered or immortalized in the films we produce or the books we write. It's not for fame or fortune, but because what's expected inherently in our general makeup. There is a phrase in sports that captains often lead by example, I think my father and family live by those virtues. Aside from my father and his work in sports and the arts, I have also drawn a great deal of inspiration from my mother in just the way she has worked very hard in life without question. They are tough people who set the bar high.
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MATTHEW PELLOWSKI: BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, & BOOGEY-MEN (cont.) Tim Lumber: You have a new documentary movie titled "Eyes of the Mothman". It is the first real documentary made on the Mothman. I am really looking forward to getting a copy of this on dvd. You go to Point Pleasant, WV. for this documentary. I seen the first 5 minutes of it, and I enjoyed it. You interviewed key witnesses and it also looks like you have some re-enactments in this movie as well. Can you give us a little info, on what made you want to do this project? Matthew Pellowski: I have always been interested in the paranormal. I had been researching strange and unusual phenomena since I was a child and I began writing about those subjects as a freelancer for various paranormal magazines in my late teens and early twenties. As I started to shift gears into film-making, I tried to merge my love for the paranormal and my career in film by producing projects that explored the unknown. I first discovered the story of the Mothman when a movie I went to see at the theater was sold out so I wandered into the Mothman Prophecies. When I discovered that it was inspired by true events, I was shocked that in all of my years of research, it was a tale I had never come across. Never had I witnessed a case involving the paranormal that had so many unusual elements, creatures, UFOs, men in black, curses and extraterrestrial encounters. Reading the Mothman Prophecies book shortly after, I realized that for the story to be truly told in detail would require doing so via a documentary. Although I enjoyed the narrative film, I thought to really do the story justice and incorporate all of the facets of the book, it had to be executed as a documentary. Our goal with producing this film was to produce the most in-depth, detailed, grounded and thorough investigation of the subject of Mothman and the curious history of events surrounding the town of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. We spent over a year’s time just in our research and establishing a relationship with the community to make sure we produced a film that acted as one voice for those who were actually there to witnesses these strange and tragic occurrences. We wanted our film to be a definitive authority on this story where someone researching the subject or visiting the town can watch our film and acquire a complete understanding of what transpired. Tim Lumber: You were a writer for UFO magazine, The Paranormal News in the UK, and Paranoia Magazine. I am sure you came across some wild stories while writing for these publications. If you had to name one, what would be the wildest story you covered while writing for these publications? Matthew Pellowski: I would have to say that to this day nothing has topped the collective strangeness of the story of Mothman. 9
MATTHEW PELLOWSKI: BASKETBALL, BASEBALL, & BOOGEY-MEN (cont.) Tim Lumber: Did you play for the famous Downtown Bulls semi-pro baseball team? Matthew Pellowski: Yes, the Downtown Bulls was a team I was on, I played third base and was selected as an All-Star one season. I recently retired completely from baseball due to too many arm and back injuries that prohibited me from playing to my potential. I am however working on producing more paranormal content in film and television as well as sports-related content. We also have a new documentary we are slated to shoot this year called "Last of the Breed." Those interested can visit www.lastofthebreed.tv for info on that project. It's a documentary about a famous bluegrass musician who was incarcerated for 8 years. Tim Lumber: Is there anything you would like to add? This is your chance to say anything, and promote anything you would like. Matthew Pellowski: Thank you for taking the time to interview me. For people interested in our film, they can visit www.eyesofthemothman.com
Sports Jabber Magazine would like to thank Matthew for taking the time out of his busy schedule to do this interview with us. We wish you the best of luck in all of your future projects and endeavors. 10
A LOOK INTO THE 2011 RED SOX: MOVES AND MORE MOVES WRITTEN BY: CATHY The Boston Red Sox were quite busy this offseason, acquiring incredible offense in Adrian Gonzalez and Carl Crawford and bullpen help in Dan Wheeler and Bobby Jenks. The additions of Gonzalez and Crawford will almost certainly help the Sox offensively, as Crawford is currently 2nd All-Time amongst active players in Stolen Bases, while Gonzalez has added pop to his bat (which the Sox have been lacking since they traded Manny Ramirez a couple of years ago). The addition of Gonzalez, however, will force former 1st Baseman Kevin Youkilis to move back to 3rd base. Youkilis began his MLB career at 3rd base, so he is very familiar with that position. Wheeler and Jenks prove to be significant additions to the Sox bullpen. Jenks was the closer for the White Sox before coming to Boston, while Wheeler spent his first two Major League Seasons in a Rays uniform before joining the Sox. The Red Sox also made a change in their coaching staff this offseason by adding Curt Young as their new Pitching Coach. Young replaces John Farrell, who was the team’s previous pitching coach but headed north of the border to manage the Toronto Blue Jays.
1). Jacoby Ellsbury, CF 2). Dustin Pedroia, 2B 3). Carl Crawford, LF 4). Kevin Youkilis, 3B 5). Adrian Gonzalez, 1B 6). David Ortiz, DH 7). JD Drew, RF 8). Jarrod Saltalamacchia, C 9). Marco Scutaro, SS 11
A LOOK INTO THE 2011 RED SOX: MOVES AND MORE MOVES (cont.) WRITTEN BY: CATHY
1). Jon Lester, LHP 2). John Lackey, RHP 3). Clay Buchholz, RHP 4). Josh Beckett, RHP 5). Daisuke Matsuzaka, RHP
91 51 61 52 58 49 35
Alfredo Aceves Daniel Bard Felix Doubront Bobby Jenks Jonathan Papelbon Tim Wakefield Dan Wheeler
Despite all of the wonderful acquisitions they made during the offseason, the Sox haven't turned out to be the team everyone thought they would be. As of April 10th, 2011, they are currently 1-7.
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Rankings as of: Apr. 2011 1. Anderson Silva 28 - 4 - 0 6'2" (188 cm) 185 lbs (84 kg) 2. George St. Pierre 21-2-0 5'10" (178 cm) 170 lbs (78 kg) 3. Jose Aldo 18 - 1 - 0 5'7" (171 cm) 145 lbs (66 kg) 4. Gilbert Melendez 18-2-0 5’9” (175 cm) 155 lbs (70 kg) 5. Jake Shields 26 - 4 - 1 6'0" (183 cm) 170 lbs (78 kg) 6. Dominick Cruz 17-1-0 5’8” (173 cm) 135 lbs (61 kg) 5. Frank Edgar 13 - 1 - 1 5'6" (168 cm) 154 lbs (70kg) 8. Jon Fitch 23-3-1 6’1” (184 cm) 170 lbs (77 kg) 9. Rashad Evans 15-1-1 5’11” (108 cm) 205 lbs (93 kg) 10. Nick13Diaz 24-7-0 6’1” (184 cm) 170 lbs (80 kg)
FANTASY BASEBALL SEASON WRITTEN BY: LARRY “BUD” LITLE If you had a really good fantasy draft ten years ago, you would be set for your fantasy baseball season. Back then, the draft made or broke your season. You kept track of your players for injuries and an occasional gem of a free agent but not on a daily basis. Much has changed since those days. Now everyone has access to the latest fantasy baseball information at our fingertips with the Internet. Ten years ago, people were still looking at last year’s stats to determine who to draft and fantasy baseball magazines (with months’ old data) were just starting to become popular. I remember during the middle of the 2000’s, having secret websites that gave me an advantage but now everyone knows about the RotoWorlds and RotoWires of the Internet. There is not as much chance that you will be able to find those steals of the draft because everyone now knows about them. Most leagues were Roto style leagues ten years ago. Traditional Roto style does not have a bench so all of your players are in your line up continually. Many of those leagues would not let you pick up free agents unless you had injuries. Nowadays, Head to Head leagues and Roto leagues with benches have replaced many of the traditional leagues and they demand that you pay attention to the lineup. You now have to manage a bench, off days, and probable starting pitchers. However, the draft is still important. You do not want to lay an egg at the draft. But if you don’t hit a home run at your draft, you can still win your league. You have to work your team and roster daily. You need to find those key free agents, pick up and rotate your players appropriately. Some owners will do this through the first part of May and then start taking days and then weeks off. Many owners will stop changing their lineup except once a week by the All-Star Break. If you are in a Head to Head league, you only need to make the playoffs to have a chance. I came back from a 15 point deficit at the All-Star Break in a traditional Roto League because I stayed on my top of my team and also because of a little luck. The key is to outwork your opponents. This is true for the draft and for the season. Do not let the long season wear you down. Stay on top of it if you want to win and it will pay off much of the time. With such a long season, the cream does float to the top unlike in Fantasy Football where I have seen the best team not make the playoffs because of bad luck. I have won nine championships in fourteen seasons (with 4 more Top 3 finishes) in my local traditional Roto League because I outworked my opposition. You can do the same but you have to be 14 dedicated to your fantasy team(s).
2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview WRITTEN BY: Dust As the season winds down and as the playoff picture becomes clearer and clearer, the 2011 NHL Playoffs are looking like it’ll be a very exciting and entertaining two months of hockey. Here, exclusively on SJ Magazine, I give you the playoffs preview for the first round of the 2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs. = Must Watch
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2011 Stanley Cup Playoffs Preview (cont.) WRITTEN BY: Dust
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IS PARITY WHAT NASCAR “REALLY” WANTS? WRITTEN BY: Jon M. Tessler (Reveryroadie)
We are 7 races into the 2010 Nascar season, and some big names are outside the Top 12 in points, and some unlikely drivers are either in the Top 12 or are hanging around real close. Is this what Nascar intended? More to the point is this good for the sport? The season started off with 20-year old-Trevor Bayne shocking everyone by taking the Wood Brothers back to victory lane in the season’s biggest race, The Daytona 500. This Daytona race saw the two car tango as opposed to big packs of cars running single file, and made for exciting racing, with more passing then ever before. In the 2nd race at Phoenix, Jeff Gordon finally ended his long winless drought by taking the 24 car back to victory lane. People were wondering what happened to the guy who won everything in sight, when partnered up with Ray Evernham, and the majority of the blame was on crew chief Steve Letarte. In the offseason, team owner Rick Hendrick swapped a bunch of his crew chiefs around to see if that would create a spark, and so far it has. Carl Edwards won at Las Vegas, and Kyle Busch won at Bristol, in a race that was rather boring compared to past few races with little to no "beating and banging". Kevin Harvick won at California and Martinsville. This week we saw Matt Kenseth end his long winless streak by winning at Texas. Looking at the standings after 7 races, we see some familiar names, and one not so familiar name. Sitting in 6th place is Dale Jr. who is finally having the kind of season he was expected to have when he joined Hendrick Motorsports. He hasn't won a race yet, but he is definitely getting close to getting that monkey off his back. Sitting 8th is former IRL driver Juan Pablo Montoya. He has finally toned down his rough driving style, and it has paid off for him. In 11th place is Paul Menard. Who is he you ask? He is the highest paid driver in the Richard Childress Racing (RCR) stable. Menard has always been looked down on because he runs with sponsorship from his family’s business and was generally considered to be just a "rich kid playing with daddies money". 17
“THE PIRATE” KNOCKS ‘EM OUT: AFA STAR LB, LEROY PINCKNEY, JR. WRITTEN BY: TIM LUMBER I have covered and have seen hundreds of football players in the semi-pro and arena leagues. The one player, I have continued to cover is the legendary linebacker, Leroy Pinckney Jr. He is the captain of the Baltimore Pirates semi-pro football team, and a U.S. war veteran from the legendary streets of Central Harlem. You can cover the local sports market and never come across a talent like Leroy in your lifetime. Nicknamed "The Pirate", this guy hits 4 times harder than that little pirate BlackBeard! I once watched Leroy from the sideline in a exhibition game. His hits were devastating. I heard one player saying, "I am never playing football again." after “The Pirate," Leroy Pinckney Jr. KO'd him out of the game. All in all, 3 players would be pulled off the grounds unable to walk on their own two feet after feeling his wrath! This month for SJ, I bring you the most entertaining player in semi-pro football. I present to you Leroy Pinckey Jr., the middle linebacker and captain of the Baltimore Pirates semi-pro football team. I recently caught up with the baddest damn Pirate in America, and here is what he had to say.... Tim Lumber: I first off want to thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule for "Sports Jabber Magazine". I wanted to do something different with you, then I have ever done in my sports interviewing career. I always said, they could probably make a true story movie on you one day. Who knows, maybe someone will read this, with some Hollywood muscle. My first question is...anything you would want to share about when you lived in Harlem, NY, has it helped make you a tougher person, and is there any wild experiences you have had you would want to share? Leroy Pinckney Jr: I think the thing that I would most want people to know about me growing up in Harlem is don’t always believe in statistics. People always said "you are a reflection of your environment." This is true. But you can do whatever you want in this life no matter where you come from. I grew up during the crack cocaine era in Central Harlem where the movie New Jack City was made. I overcame tremendous adversity to make it to be the person that I am today. Never believe in your naysayers. Always focus on the 18 bigger, better prize and you will always come out on top.
“THE PIRATE” KNOCKS ‘EM OUT: AFA STAR LB, LEROY PINCKNEY, JR. (cont.) Tim Lumber: You are also a military man. Can you tell us a little about it? Leroy Pinckney Jr: Yes, I served honorably in the U.S. Army for five years. I was deployed to Iraq in 2003 and served my country in combat for 11 months. It gave me a lot of character and attention to detail. I would recommend service for anyone who needs a change in their life. It helped to sculpt me into the man that I am today. I have several lifelong friends because of my service. It helped me also with selfless service which allows me to help my fellow man and not to always think of self. Tim Lumber: Out of any player I have ever covered, you by far have the most motivation, and you are the biggest team player by far. You are the captain of the Baltimore Pirates semi-pro football team. Anything you would like to share with us on the Pirates or any football memories? Leroy Pinckney Jr: The Baltimore Pirates are now in our second year of operation. People say a lot of things about us. Some are negative and some are positive. But this is for sure: We have tremendous heart, passion for the game, tenacity, and great leadership on this team. We also will play anyone, anywhere at any time and will NEVER back down from a challenge. We have had a lot of ups and downs but our nucleus is still in tact. We have some really promising young players that I feel will be an impact in our spring league, the AFA (www.afaleague.com). Our coaches, Coach Paul, Coach Tim and Coach AP are grade A guys. I respect them all tremendously as well as all of my teammates. I couldn't be the leader that people say I am if it wasn't for them. I love my team! I have too many memories to put here, maybe in a future interview!! Tim Lumber: I would also like to congratulate you and your wife on having a daughter this past October. I wanted to leave this last question, as basically a way for you to give a shout out to anyone you want, or anything you want to say. Thanks for taking the time out to interview with Sports Jabber Magazine as well! Leroy Pinckney Jr: I would like to give thanks to Him on high, our Father God for without him, nothing is possible. i would also like to thank my beautiful wife, LaToie Pinckney and our kids for being there for me and supporting me. I also want to tell our fans and family to have faith in us. We will not let you all down!! We will be competitive this upcoming season. Check us out at http://www.baltimorepiratesfootball.com/ for all info on the Pirates, or join our Facebook fan page as well!!! Once again Tim thank you for supporting myself and on behalf of the entire Baltimore Pirates organization: THANK YOU!!! Look forward to seeing you at an upcoming game!!! 19
www.afaleague.com
SJ’S OFFICIAL MOCK DRAFT DATABASE SPORTS JABBER PRESENTS: the Scott Wedell Memorial Mock Draft Database The SJ Scott Wedell Memorial Mock Draft Database is one of the largest and most comprehensive mock draft databases on the net. We focus on the NFL Draft year-round and have been focused since mid-2010 on the 2011 NFL Draft. Sports Jabber will directly link you to hundreds of NFL mock drafts and player profiles by the time it’s over. This database is updated daily to provide you with the most current projections possible. So, BOOKMARK this page now and check back often! SUBSCRIBERS TO (LISTINGS ON) THIS DATABASE ENJOY TREMENDOUS WORLDWIDE EXPOSURE & TRAFFIC TO THEIR SITES…FOR FREE! FOR INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR MOCK DRAFT, INCLUDING PARTICIPATION IN THE HIGHER-TRAFFIC-PRECIPITATING “PREFERRED MOCKS” SECTION, CLICK HERE.
http://sportsjabber.net/mock-draft-database/
To check out mocks from SJ members: 20 SJ Member Mocks
SJ’S OFFICIAL MOCK DRAFT DATABASE Sports Jabber Brings You… Its Official 2011 NFL Mock Draft 1. Carolina (2-14) - Blaine Gabbert, QB, Missouri 2. Denver (4-12) - Marcell Dareus, DT, Alabama 3. Buffalo (4-12) - Cam Newton, QB, Auburn 4. Cincinnati (4-12) - A.J. Green, WR, Georgia 5. Arizona (5-11) - Von Miller, OLB, Texas A&M 6. Cleveland (5-11) - Robert Quinn, DE, North Carolina 7. San Francisco (6-10) - Patrick Peterson, CB, LSU 8. Tennessee (6-10) - Nick Fairley, DT, Auburn 9. Dallas (6-10) - Prince Amukamara, CB, Nebraska 10. Washington (6-10) - Da'Quan Bowers, DE, Clemson 11. Houston (6-10) - J.J. Watt, DE, Wisconsin 12. Minnesota (6-10) - Jake Locker, QB, Washington 13. Detroit (6-10) - Tyron Smith, OT, USC 14. St. Louis (7-9) - Julio Jones, WR, Alabama 15. Miami (7-9) - Mark Ingram, RB, Alabama 16. Jacksonville (8-8) - Ryan Kerrigan, DE, Purdue 17. New England - from Oakland (8-8) - Anthony Castonzo, OT, Boston College 18. San Diego (9-7) - Cam Jordan, DE, California 19. New York Giants (10-6) - Akeem Ayers, OLB, UCLA 20. Tampa Bay (10-6) - Aldon Smith, DE, Missouri 21. Kansas City (10-6) - Phil Taylor, NT, Baylor 22. Indianapolis (10-6) - Nate Solder, OT, Colorado 23. Philadelphia (10-6) - Brandon Harris, CB, Miami 24. New Orleans (11-5) - Justin Houston, DE/OLB, Georgia 25. Seattle (7-9) - Jimmy Smith, CB, Colorado 26. Baltimore (12-4) - Leonard Hankerson, WR, Miami 27. Atlanta (13-3) - Brooks Reed, DE, Arizona 28. New England (14-2) - Cameron Heyward, DE, Ohio State 29. Chicago (11-5) - Gabe Carimi, OT, Wisconsin 30. New York Jets (11-5) - Marvin Austin, DT, UNC 31. Pittsburgh (12-4) - Mike 21 Pouncey, OG, Florida 32. Green Bay (10-6) - Martez Wilson, ILB, Illinois Click HERE to comment or discuss .
SJ’S OFFICIAL NBA POWER RANKINGS Once again, brought to you by: Keith, mrtxstar, Chuck, and Reg. The way it works: Each member that participates submits their own ranking to Reg which are then aggregated and combined into one Official SJ NBA Power Ranking. However, if for any reason, there are any ties, they are broken by the point system (how they are ranked on everyone’s polls).
Do you agree or disagree with this week’s rankings? Want to make some predictions of your own? SJ’s NBA Week 23 Rankings
Want to see past weeks’ rankings? SJ’s 2010-2011 NBA Rankings Archive Edition
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The Reg-inator and Golden Stomind Bring You Their 2011 NBA Playoff Predictions WRITTEN BY: Reg and Golden Stomind
NBA EASTERN CONFERENCE Bulls vs. Pacers Winner: Bulls Series Projection: 4-0 Why the Bulls Win: Do I even need to explain this? The Pacers are a sub-500 team that’s in the playoffs by default. The default being the NBA insists on putting 8 teams from each conference in the playoffs & most of the Eastern Conference sucks. The Bulls could take this series without D-Rose.
Magic vs. Hawks Winner: Magic Series Projection: 4-2 Why the Magic Win: Dwight Howard, Dwight Howard & Dwight Howard. The Hawks have a couple of nice players on Joe Johnson & Al Horford, but none that can match-up with “Superman”. Throw in the Magic’s “Mystical Rain of Treys” and the Hawks have little-no chance in this series.
Celtics vs. Knicks Winner: Celtics Series Projection: 4-2 Why the Celtics Win: The re-formed Knicks may contend next season, but not this one. The aging, banged-up but titlecontending Celtics will be far too much for the still-figuring-it-out Knicks.
Heat vs. Sixers Winner: Heat Series Projection: 4-1 Why the Heat Win: The Heat Big 3. Another case of a title contender going up against a team that’s in the playoffs due to no other sorry team stepping up. The Sixers have some young guns, ie Elton Brand & Evan Turner, and are well-coached, though. The Heat have no bench, but they don’t need one against the fun-to-watch but not-ready-for23prime-time Sixers.
The Reg-inator and Golden Stomind Bring You Their 2011 NBA Playoff Predictions (cont.) WRITTEN BY: Reg and Golden Stomind
NBA WESTERN CONFERENCE Spurs vs. Grizzlies Winner: Spurs Series Projection: 4-1 Why the Spurs Win: Experience vs. youth, but the experienced team is more talented too. I may be going out on a limb by saying Memphis wins one game, but the Grizzlies did win both of their home games against the Spurs this season. I don't see the Grizzlies pulling off any magic here, so San Antonio in 5.
Lakers vs. Hornets Winner: Lakers Series Projection: 4-0 Why the Lakers Win: Los Angeles swept the regular season series, and I expect the same here. New Orleans won't be able to handle the towers up front and that guy named Kobe should be hard to stop as well. Hornets should be happy if they win one.
Mavericks vs. Trail Blazers Winner: Trail Blazers Series Projection: 4-3 Why the Trail Blazers Win: Portland is coming into the playoffs hot, with a 4-1 record in April, with one win coming over Dallas. The Mavericks have seemed to disappoint in the past couple years and are a bit banged up. The addition of Gerald Wallace have helped Portland tremendously and should be able to slow down Dirk with his top-notch defense. This can go either way, but I think Portland pulls off the upset in seven games.
Thunder vs. Nuggets Winner: Thunder Series Projection: 4-2 Why the Thunder Win: Denver has played surprisingly well after the Carmelo trade, but I don't see them winning this one. After last season, OKC now has a feel for the playoffs and the combo of Durant and Westbrook are 24 averaging almost 50 combined points per game. The Thunder are underdogs no more.
SHOOT LIKE THE PROS WITH ADAM FILIPPI WRITTEN BY: REG & RAY DEVONE
A Sports Jabber-Exclusive Interview With Lakers' International Scouting Director & Author, Adam Filippi Conducted by Reg & Ray DeVone SJ: First off…I must inform you that you’re talking to the two world’s greatest Lakers fans, although Jack Nicholson THINKS he is, LOL. So tell Kobe & the Purple & Gold Crew that Reg & Ray said….GOOOOO MIGHTY Lake Show! You are the Lakers' Director of International Scouting---What does your role entail? Adam: I'm in charge of scouting the entire international scene. International scouting is a big part of the NBA. European basketball affects the whole of the NBA. NBA teams have to know what's going on with European players and how it can affect the draft. I'm based in Italy, which is centrally located from an international basketball perspective. I've been with the Lakers for 10 years and with the NBA for 13 years. SJ: What NBA players have you scouted that have achieved NBA success? Adam: Among many others...Pau & Marc Gasol, Rudy Fernandez, and Tony Parker...all of whom I scouted when they were really young. I also scouted Manu Ginobli. I was not, however, working for the Lakers at the time. Manu was playing in the Italian 2nd Division. He had an unorthodox shooting form, but was a great competitor. What really caught my attention was that he was so athletic and smart. He was the 2nd to the last pick in the 1999 draft. I bet if that draft could be done over, Manu would be a top 4 pick. I got into scouting and player development at the right time. SJ: We couldn't agree with you more about Manu. He's a great player. What other basketball or other sports-related-jobs have you had…in the NBA and otherwise? Adam: I've always worked in basketball...specifically in scouting. I've been involved as such since age 25. I started in Europe, then went on to the NBA. I also got involved 25 with individual player development coaching. Scouting and player development complement each other. Scouting is the blueprint for player development.
SHOOT LIKE THE PROS WITH ADAM FILIPPI (cont.) SJ: We read the Foreword to your new book…“Shoot Like The Pros: The Road to a Successful Shooting Technique“, so we have a feel for the answer to this question. But for our readers who haven’t done so yet…What inspired you to write this book? Adam: As I said previously, I've focused a great deal on player development. I've always enjoyed teaching...shooting the most, with emphasis on player technique. Initially, I didn't know I was writing a book, as I was originally writing an article. But I loved writing on the subject and the article became a booklet and then a book. SJ: I (Reg) was never a very good basketball player…barely made my HS school team. I could never shoot worth a dime…wish I’d had your book…Fred Flintstone & I definitely coulda used it, LOL. But I shudder at what I see today as a lack of overall fundamental soundness in so many of today’s players. Is it just me? …Do you also see that?….in general and in shooting? Why is that? What happened? Why aren’t fundamentals taught more diligently? Adam: I grew up watching & studying the game in the 80's. No question that overall fundamentals have declined. Part of the reason is shorter college basketball seasons & restrictions on practice time. Hence, there's not enough time to properly work on fundamentals. Also, many of today's players do not study the history of the game. Therefore, they aren't aware of the greatness in fundamentals that many great former players possessed. A counter-example though is Kobe Bryant. His father was a friend of mine and "Jelly Bean" instilled in Kobe at an early age a respect for & need to grasp the game's history. So, Kobe became a student of the game at an early age. SJ: Who could benefit from reading/following the instructions/guidance of this book? Adam: Players and coaches at any level will benefit from this book. The great ones know how to coach themselves...Kobe Bryant for example. But players at all levels need direction and must be given resources so they can learn to coach themselves. SJ: Who have been &/or are your greatest influencers in basketball in general and of great shooting technique?..and in what way? Adam: I developed my own way of coaching and teaching shooting. However, I've been influenced to some degree with my shooting drills by Lakers' assistant coach Bill Bertka's overall methodology for basketball drills. I've been a great observer since I was a kid. I still like to watch people...how they walk, talk, 26 dress, act, react, etc. Scouting is observing. By watching players, I found that there are a lot of great shooters, but they all don't shoot the same. There is no perfect shot.
SHOOT LIKE THE PROS WITH ADAM FILIPPI (cont.) SJ: Give us the names of a few great players who in your mind exhibit or exhibited great shooting technique. Adam: I've studied many great shooters. I was mesmerized by Oscar Schmidt, the greatest shooter I've ever seen, yet he never played in the NBA. Walter Davis seemingly did not miss. Brian Winters was another great shooter that majorly impressed me. Glen Rice and Ray Allen have shown the most consistent forms. SJ: Phil Jackson said of your book..."The best book on this topic that I have ever read." HMMMMmmm...Let's see..."PJ" has 11 rings. I'd say that you can't have a more solid endorsement than that of "PJ". So, where can our readers purchase your great book? Adam: My book can be purchased both online...ie, Amazon...or at bookstores. SJ: Is there a link, phone number &/or publisher contact email address that our readers may have in case they want further pre-purchase information? Adam: Josh Williams Associate Publicist | Triumph Books | 542 S. Dearborn, Ste. 750 | Chicago, IL 60605 | (312) 252-1261 / (608) 469-8027 | j.williams@triumphbooks.com | www.triumphbooks.com SJ: So…AHEM…"objectively" speaking…assess the Lakers’ chances for the 3-peat, please. Adam: I like our chances. I'd be really happy for "PJ". The League is a lot more competitive though. We are not superior to anyone, but as I see it there's only a couple of teams that have the potential to beat us four times. I have tremendous respect for the Celtics, Spurs, and Heat. I think the Spurs have the experience but maybe not the personnel. The Celtics have both. The Bulls, I think, while possessing Rose and playing at a high level, are a bit too inexperienced right now. The Heat are simply extremely talented. Having said all of that, I see added excitement to come from the likes of the Blazers, Nuggets, and Thunder. SJ: Thanks for taking the time to do this interview, Adam. Good luck with your book and your career. Please pass along our thanks to Josh & Stephen at Triumph Books for organizing this interview and providing the books for our giveaway-promotions*. *For a chance to win copies of Adam's book, play SJ NBA PLAYOFFS SWAMI. 27
TOP TEN QUARTERBACKS GOING INTO THE 2011 SEASON WRITTEN BY: Greg (Stealersrule) Tom Brady and Peyton Manning have been fan favorites for years. Using the last three years’ statistics, and other weighted factors, it appears they are not the top of the class any more, but are still Top Ten. Mike Vick deserves Honorable Mention but he has only recently played the last two years and I felt while he is a Top Ten quarterback, it is not fair to include him and handicapped him for the first year (2008) I considered. The quarterbacks I considered were (not in final rated order): 1. Peyton Manning 2. Phillip Rivers 3. Aaron Rodgers 4. Drew Brees 5. Tom Brady 6. Matt Ryan 7. Tony Romo 8. Ben Roth 9. Matt Cassel 10. Brett Favre 11. Eli Manning 12. Carson Palmer 13. Joe Flacco 14. Donovan McNabb In doing my research for this article I used weighted factors to classify who is Top Ten and who is not. I excluded Brett Favre as he has likely retired for the 2011 season. The considerations I used are: 1.Won Division 2. Went to Conference Championship 3. Went to Super Bowl 4. QB Rating 5. % Completions 6. # Yards Passing 7. Yards lost due to Sacks 8. Interceptions 9. # Fumbles 10. # Yards Rushing 11. Yards Per Attempt 12. It28Factor
TOP TEN QUARTERBACKS GOING INTO THE 2011 SEASON (cont.) WRITTEN BY: Stealersrule Items 1 through 11 were obtained through Yahoo Sports Stats. Item 12 is subjective values based on the quarterbacks come from behind abilities, leadership factors, teammates willingness to follow you, winning clutch games, recent playoff success. Etc‌ After putting this all together my final top ten list of QBs going into 2011 (with honorable mention to Joe Flacco and Mike Vick): 1. Aaron Rodgers 2. Drew Brees 3. Peyton Manning 4. Ben Roethlisberger 5. Eli Manning 6. Tom Brady 7. Phillip Rivers 8. Tony Romo 9. Matt Ryan 10. Matt Cassel These ratings may be skewed if you have personal bias towards one of the quarterbacks, but from the what have you done for me lately perspective, going into 2011, it is a fair analysis.
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SJ MOCK DRAFT CONTEST Be ready because this is not the only contest you are going to see....our mock team is really working hard. This will be the first of some exciting things made available for your participation. RULES: 1. One entry per person. Final edit must be done before actual draft begins. Mark will lock the thread at the appropriate time. 2. Each line entry is worth a maximum of 3 points: a. 1 point for matching team and draft position b. 1 point for matching player and position c. 1 point for matching player and team 3. Partial points will be awarded as follows: a. 2 points for matching player and position b. 2 points for matching player and team 4. No points will be awarded for matching team and draft position ONLY. 5. A maximum score of 96 is possible. 6. As a tie-breaker, please complete the full Lions draft for all 7 rounds. (Good luck with that! 7. Thread will be closed before the draft. Mike will lock the thread at the appropriate time. Scoring examples: Contest entry Actual NFL Draft results Points 1. DET, Matt Stafford 1. DET, Matt Stafford 3 2. STL, Aaron Curry 2. STL, Andre Smith 0 3. KC, Mark Sanchez 8. KC, Mark Sanchez 2 4. SEA, Michael Crabtree 4. MIN, Michael Crabtree 2 Please post your best first-round mock draft (with tie-breakers) HERE in THIS thread. Entries outside this thread or on any other forum will not be accepted. 30
Go here to enter and for more information: Sports Jabber Mock Draft Contest Thread
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WHAT’S NEW AT SJ? There's always something new at SJ, because...well...that's what we do. Since our last edition, we have had some changes and new additions at Sports Jabber, to make the site and forum run a little bit smoother as well as to recognize all of those for their accomplishments.
Some great new and exciting additions to the Sports Jabber community are several contests in which you can enter and win fantastic prizes, simply by using your sports knowledge or a simple “eenie, meenie, miney, moe” technique which we all know and love.
SJ NBA PLAYOFFS SWAMI Third Annual Sports Jabber Mock Draft Contest We also have an ongoing Mock Selection Draft in the SJ Official NFL Draft Headquarters where our members are voting on who the NFL teams will pick in the upcoming 2011 NFL Draft.
DeMOCKracy 2011 And last but not least, as always, we bring to you, up-to-date coverage of the ongoing playoffs in both the NBA and NHL arenas. Want to predict who will win each round? Want to talk smack about your team’s rival? Visit these threads and get all of your latest NBA and NHL Playoff Coverage brought to you by your SJ Family.
NBA Playoff Coverage/Discussion Threads NHL Playoff Coverage/Discussion Threads 31
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