My New York Jets: Taking "Laughingstock" to a Whole New Level

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As I watched the New York Jets get absolutely dismantled by the San Diego Chargers on their way to a dismal 1-4 record, I couldn't help but wonder aloud, "Are Woody Johnson, John Idzik and Rex Ryan surprised by what they are seeing on the field?"

In order to seriously answer that question, you have to address each party individually. 

1. Woody Johnson shouldn't be surprised by the Jets' horrific start to the season because he supported (and perhaps facilitated) the decision to remain roughly $21 million below the salary cap. Sometimes he seems more like a businessman than a sports owner who cares about winning. 

2. John Idzik is probably shocked because he's clueless in terms of talent evaluation and roster moves. If he believed in the moves he made this offseason, he probably thought the team would be better than it actually is. Put simply, I don't think there's any doubt that he's one of the worst GMs in professional sports. I will get to his specific decisions shortly. 

3. Rex Ryan is probably surprised because he only cares about defense, and the Jets do have one of the better front-sevens in the league. If he knew anything about offense he would have known this team was doomed from the get-go. 

Idzik's Offseason Moves

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Signing RB Chris Johnson to a two-year, $8 million contract:  This signing was completely asinine on so many different levels. I will gladly discuss each one:

1. In my opinion, the most important aspect of a GM's job is evaluating the talent on his current roster. If he cannot evaluate his own talent pool, he will not be able to address team needs and fill the holes that need to be filled. Johnson's two-year deal clearly displays that Idzik was unable to evaluate the talent on his own roster. 

Heading into the offseason, the Jets' best offensive weapon was RB Chris Ivory. I would argue that their second-best offensive weapon was RB Bilal Powell, who was versatile and effective in 2013. That leads us to the obvious question...WHY WOULD IDZIK SIGN A WASHED-UP RUNNING BACK FOR $8 MILLION WHEN HIS TOP TWO OFFENSIVE PLAYERS WERE RUNNING BACKS???

Please excuse the capital letters, but desperate times call for desperate measures. I'm willing to play devil's advocate to my own question. Here's a possible response: "Maybe he wanted to add depth to the position."

Yes, this would be a logical response if he added cheap running backs to back up Ivory and Powell. Idzik actually did this when he added RBs Daryl Richardson (former Rams starter) and Alex Green (started a handful of games for the Packers). Those signings I could live with; every team needs depth at the running back position. However, he didn't sign Johnson for depth. You don't dump $8 million on a reserve. He signed Johnson to be the starter, which means he thought he was better than both Ivory and Powell. Which leads me to my second point:

2. Chris Johnson is finished. How could Idzik possibly think he's better than Ivory or Powell? Let's start with what the naked eye tells us: Ivory is strong, aggressive, explosive and in his prime. Powell is shifty, smart, versatile and a great third-down player. Johnson is small, frail, old and un-explosive. 

Okay, so it couldn't have been the naked eye. Let's go to the statistics:

-In 2012, Johnson averaged 4.5 yards per carry. In his prime he averaged 4.9 (2008) and 5.6 (2009). In 2013, he dropped all the way down to 3.9 yards per carry. On film he looked beat up and slow. This is a guy who has been absorbing hits for a long time. The decline in his game has been blatantly obvious (to everyone except Idzik). 

-In 2012, Ivory averaged 5.4 yards per carry, followed by 4.6 in '13. He looked hungry and explosive on film. This is also a player who hasn't sustained much damage because he played behind Pierre Thomas and Mark Ingram in New Orleans. "Fresh legs," as they say. At this point in their respective careers, IVORY IS FAR SUPERIOR TO JOHNSON IN BOTH ABILITY AND PURE STATISTICS. 

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Let's not forget the fact that Johnson's mere presence on the roster takes snaps and touches away from both Ivory and Powell. Apparently the Jets play in an offensive system where the most dangerous players get less touches than the worthless players. This is an interesting strategy. I'll have to do some research on this. 

3. Signing a big-name free agent who is past his prime is never a good idea. It seems like the Jets have been obsessed with adding big names over the past few years, whether it's Johnson, Tim Tebow or the next man on my list...

Signing QB Michael Vick to a one-year, $4 million contract:  The first thing that comes to mind is jersey sales, which brings me back to my point about Woody Johnson being a businessman and not a football guy. 

I mean, why else would Idzik dump $4 million on a has-been quarterback who can never stay healthy? The move makes even less sense when you consider Idzik's obsession with Geno Smith. WHY BRING IN AN OVER-THE-HILL, BIG-NAME QUARTERBACK TO BACK UP YOUR YOUNG "FRANCHISE" QUARTERBACK WHEN YOU KNOW IT'S GOING TO PUT A TON OF PRESSURE ON HIM, ESPECIALLY CONSIDERING THE NEW YORK MEDIA AND FANBASE???

There's only one logical answer to that question...that Idzik didn't know. He didn't realize what kind of pressure Vick's presence puts upon Smith's shoulders. He didn't realize the New York media would be all over the Vick signing. He didn't realize the New York fans would be chanting for Vick the second Smith faltered. 

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Wait a minute, how could he not realize any of that? The only possible answer is that John Idzik is completely and utterly clueless. And why are we committing $12 million to two old bums? Why isn't the money going to fresh legs?

Signing WR Eric Decker to a five-year, $36.25 million contract:  Compared to Johnson and Vick, this was a good signing. Decker has had an excellent career and definitely has some prime left. However, another part of a GM's job is evaluating a player's production relative to where he played. 

For example, Decker put together back-to-back outstanding seasons while playing with Peyton Manning in Denver. On paper, his numbers suggest that he is a No. 1 receiver, but the circumstances of his success have to be considered. 1. Peyton Manning is one of the top two quarterbacks in the world (the other being Aaron Rodgers). 2. Demaryius Thomas is one of the premier wide receivers in the game. 3. Wes Welker is one of the premier slot receivers in the game. 4. Julius Thomas is one of the premier tight ends in the game. 

The repetition was intentional. What's the point? As long as you have decent skills, it's relatively easy to be a successful receiver in that system. Just because Decker had No. 1 receiver-type numbers, doesn't mean he's a No. 1 receiver. On a level playing field, I view Decker as a WR2. Nevertheless, this was still a decent signing meant to give Geno Smith a legitimate threat. Which brings us to more capital letters:

WHY DID IDZIK GIVE $12 MILLION TO SHITTY, NON-NECESSITIES LIKE JOHNSON AND VICK INSTEAD OF SIGNING ANOTHER QUALITY OUTSIDE RECEIVER LIKE EMMANUEL SANDERS OR STEVE SMITH? WHY DOES IDZIK THINK IT'S OKAY TO HAVE DAVID NELSON AND GREG SALAD DRESSING AS YOUR SECOND AND THIRD RECEIVERS???

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Let's explore this point a little more. David Nelson has been in the NFL since 2010 and his career high in receptions is 61. His career high in receiving yardage is 658. He averages 478 yards per season. This is our No. 2 receiver. Need I say more?

Greg Salas has been in the NFL since 2011 and his career high in receptions is 27. His career high in receiving yardage is 264. He averages 159 yards per season. This is our No. 3 receiver. Need I say more?

OUR NO. 2 AND 3 OUTSIDE RECEIVERS AVERAGE 478 AND 159 YARDS PER SEASON! IDZIK DIDN'T THINK THIS WAS AN ISSUE HEADING INTO THE YEAR? HE THOUGHT THESE REJECTS WOULD AID IN GENO SMITH'S DEVELOPMENT?? HE GOES ALL-IN ON GENO IN THE DRAFT THEN DECIDES HE DOESN'T NEED ANY HELP TO SUCCEED??? WHY AM I JETS FAN????!!!!

Okay, now that I've calmed down, let's do a side-by-side comparison of what the offense is versus what it could (and should) have been:

QB:  Geno Smith/Geno Smith

WR1:  Eric Decker/Eric Decker or DeSean Jackson

WR2:  David Nelson/Steve Smith or Emmanuel Sanders

WR3:  Greg Salas/Devin Hester

Slot:  Jeremy Kerley/Jeremy Kerley

TE:  Jace Amaro/Owen Daniels

I don't know about you, but I like Emmanuel Sanders, Devin Hester and Owen Daniels better than David Nelson, Greg Salad Dressing and Jace "I knock the ball down more often than I catch it" Amaro. 

All of this would have been possible had the money been allocated properly. 

Conclusion

At the end of the day, for someone who has risked his job on Geno Smith, Jets GM John Idzik hasn't given his prized pick a legitimate chance to succeed. Do I think Smith has a future as a Super Bowl caliber quarterback? No, absolutely not. But could the Jets be better than 1-4 right now?

The answer is an unequivocal, "Yes."

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Smith's overall decision-making is questionable at best, but he has the ability to make tough throws if given protection and the proper offensive weapons. The Jets could have easily defeated the Packers, Bears and Lions (all tight losses) if they weren't relying so heavily upon Nelson and Salas in the absence of Decker. This was especially evident when the Jets' offense went completely stagnant after Decker left the Packers game with an injury. I think it's safe to say Smith would have been in much better hands with Emmanuel Sanders, Devin Hester and Owen Daniels. 

If John Frascella were the GM of the New York Jets, they would be 4-1 right now. But I'm not, and they're 1-4. 

This is the world I live in. 

2014 MLB Playoffs: Mind-Boggling Decisions Plague Williams, Mattingly & Yost

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After a long, boring, offense-starved MLB regular season, it has been a pleasure to see some clutch professional hitting in the postseason so far. Whether it's the exciting and explosive Orioles, always-reliable Cardinals or scrappy situational-hitting Royals, offensive sparks have been flying throughout the opening week of the 2014 playoffs. 

On the other hand, we've seen three of the worst managerial decisions in the history of playoff baseball. Read on to see Ned Yost, Matt Williams and Don Mattingly bashed to pieces. 

Baltimore Orioles leading the Detroit Tigers 2-0:  The best offensive team in baseball is off to an ideal start in their ALDS match-up against the experienced Tigers. When Detroit traded CF Austin Jackson for superstar SP David Price, its all-star laden starting rotation became a popular topic of discussion around the league. However, it has been Nelson Cruz, Delmon Young, Nick Markakis and the rest of the Orioles' big bats who have stolen the early spotlight.

The Tigers held a 6-4 lead late in Game 2 but Young, the oft-overlooked outfielder, gave the Orioles a one-run lead with a dramatic, bases-clearing double down the left field line off veteran reliever Joakim Soria. Young has always been an outstanding playoff performer, yet seemingly every offseason he has a difficult time finding his way on to a major league roster. There are likely two explanations for this: 1. His background as a "problem guy" -- a reputation that spawned from an incident in which he intentionally threw his bat at a minor league umpire and 2. His below-average defense, which stems from little-to-no range in the outfield. 

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Here's my issue with that: Delmon Young can hit. He hits the ball where it's pitched (uses all fields) and has raw, pure power. As ML front offices have over-emphasized individual defensive metrics and peripheral pitching statistics, bats like Young have continued to fall through the cracks. Young fell into the Orioles' lap, in addition to Cruz who is a legitimate AL MVP candidate, despite similar defensive shortcomings. 

As for the Price trade...there's no question that Price is a better player than Austin Jackson -- the former probably ranks somewhere between 15-20 overall, including position players -- but he may not be the better fit for the Tigers' roster. Given that they already had strong starting pitching featuring Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Anibal Sanchez and Rick Porcello, I actually think Jackson's bat was more valuable to them than Price's arm. This is the very same mistake that Oakland's famous GM Billy Beane made when he traded LF Yoenis Cespedes -- arguably his best power bat -- for playoff-tested SP Jon Lester. The A's offense collapsed when Cespedes' presence was removed from the middle of their lineup (and the trade looked even worse when Lester couldn't hold two nice leads in the Wild Card game). In the Tigers' case, they really don't get much offensive production outside of Miguel Cabrera, Victor Martinez and JD Martinez. 

Also, shame on top-tier GM Dave Dombrowski for thinking he could get by with Soria, Joba Chamberlain and Joe Nathan at the end of high-leverage postseason games. That's a trio of relievers whose primes are long gone. Their stuff lacks electricity. The Orioles should have little problem closing out this series and looking ahead Buck Showalter's boys have to be considered the favorite to win it all. 

P.S. I think Showalter is the best manager in the game. 

Kansas City Royals leading the Los Angels Angels 2-0:  Ned Yost may be the worst manager in the postseason, but the resilient and tenacious Royals aren't going to let him blow it for them. After giving up a devastating home run to Oakland's Brandon Moss in the AL Wild Card game, young fireballer Yordano Ventura bounced back with a dominant performance in Game 2 of the ALDS against Mike Scioscia's stumbling Angels. 

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Ventura was consistently 97-100 throughout his start, and his tight breaking ball was nastier than ever. On the flip side, the Angels' highly-touted offense has been non-existent through two games. Megastar Mike Trout has been invisible (.000 BA), playoff veterans Albert Pujols and Erick Aybar have struggled and Howie Kendrick has hit into some tough luck. The result? After trailing 7-3 late in the Wild Card game against the A's, the upstart Royals are now one victory away from the American League Championship Series. 

They've done it with clutch hitting -- i.e. Salvador Perez's game-winning single in the WC game, Mike Moustakas' late homer in Game 1 against the Angels and Eric Hosmer's dramatic two-run blast in Friday's extra-inning win -- and strong pitching from Jason Vargas, rookie left-hander Brandon Finnegan, Wade Davis, Greg Holland and Ventura (with the exception of his brief relief appearance that never should have occurred). 

If the Royals want to pose a legitimate threat to the Orioles in the ALCS, they will need to continue to pitch well and hit late in games with runners in scoring position. Easier said than done.

San Francisco Giants leading the Washington Nationals 2-0:  I thought Ned Yost's decision to go to Ventura over Shields, Finnegan, Danny Duffy or Kelvin Herrera vs. Brandon Moss was going to be the worst managerial decision of the entire postseason, but Nationals' skipper Matt Williams may have one-upped Yost tonight by making one of the worst decisions in the history of baseball. 

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Nationals starter Jordan Zimmermann, who threw a no-hitter in his final start of the regular season, was cruising along through one of the more dominant playoff performances of the past decade (8.2 innings, 3 hits, 1 walk, 0 ER) when Williams hustled out of the dugout to take the ball from him after a two-out walk on back-to-back fastballs that missed by a couple inches. The home crowd was completely behind Zimmermann and his stuff looked just as sharp as it did in the early innings, and yet Williams took him out as if he had nothing left in the tank. It was almost as if Williams was watching an entirely different ballgame. Immediately I tweeted, "Don't agree with this decision at all from Matt Williams. Jordan Zimmermann's stuff still looks sharp, no need for this."

And I was proven right just minutes later when Nats closer Drew Storen entered the game and immediately surrendered a single to Buster Posey, followed by a back-breaking, game-tying RBI double to Pablo Sandoval. What happened to the days when the manager went to the mound with confidence in his starter and said, "I'm not taking you out. This is your game to win or lose."? Bruce Bochy, the best manager in the NL, does that with his guys. Apparently this isn't a policy Williams subscribes to. He didn't even ask Zimmermann how he was feeling; he signaled to the bullpen before he was even half way to the mound. Not to mention the fact that Storen has always been a bit shaky. 

Down 2-0 with Madison Bumgarner on the horizon? The Nationals' season is over. Nice work, Matt Williams.

Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals tied 1-1:  We're less than a week into the postseason and we've already seen three of the most mind-boggling managerial decisions made in a long, long time. Zack Greinke was absolutely dominating the Cardinals' usually-clutch bats last night, with a line of 0 ER, 7 K's and only 2 H through seven innings. His four-seam fastball was as explosive as I've ever seen it (hitting 94-95 far more often than usual), his slider off the outside corner was virtually unhittable, his two-seamer inside to righties was working and he even mixed in a few of his lollipop curves. Simply put, the Cardinals had no shot. The game was in the bag. 

So Greinke heads out to the mound for the 8th and shockingly, Dodgers' manager Don Mattingly calls him back to the dugout so he can replace him with...JP Howell. 

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Yup. JP Howell. A soft-tossing, journeyman lefty who throws 86-88 MPH with a hanging breaking ball. Just think about what a move like that does for the collective psyche of the Cardinals' hitters -- one minute you're facing a superstar starting pitcher at his very best and the next, inexplicably, you're facing a weak lefty reliever who would likely have a difficult time succeeding in AA ball. Of course the Cardinals were salivating. Howell was greeted by a rocket single from Oscar Taveras, a crushing, game-tying bomb from Matt Carpenter (who has been the best hitter in the playoffs thus far) and another single from Jon Jay. A solid appearance for Howell. 

But it's not his fault! It's Mattingly's fault! How can you take a superstar out when he's cruising along, and replace him with a scrub? Like my buddy Sam Ytuarte said, it shows a clear lack of logic and a disconnection from reality. I honestly believe both Williams and Mattingly should be fired after this season. That is not hyperbole. 

Who knows what we'll see next...

NFL Power Rankings: The Window of Opportunity Opens for Stanton & Cousins

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Prior to the season, if you told me that Drew Stanton would be the poster boy for my first power rankings, I probably would have laughed and said his chances were as good as Dan Orlovsky's (UConnnnn).

Well, we're three weeks into the season and there he is...my featured player along with his super savvy head coach, Bruce Arians. That duo, along with a fast and relentless defensive unit, has been instrumental in the Cardinals' impressive 3-0 start. Let's find out exactly how much credit I'm giving them...

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-3):  Everything was fine and dandy when Chad Henne and the Jags opened up a nice lead over the Eagles in Week 1, but then the second half rolled around and the real Jaguars showed up. The hapless, under-talented, under-prepared and mistake-prone Jaguars. Those guys haven't left since.

It's a no-brainer for the organization to hand the keys over to Blake Bortles. He really should have been the starter from the get go. Everyone knew they were winning four games or less heading into the year, so why keep him on the sideline if they were going to suck either way? Might as well give him the opportunity to learn on the fly and get acclimated to real NFL game speed. 

31. Oakland Raiders (0-3):  The Raiders' brass was faced with the same quarterback conundrum as the Jaguars, but at least they made the aggressive and ultimately correct decision. Matt Schaub is to Henne as Derek Carr is to Bortles in this scenario. Carr has shown occasional flashes of ability thus far, and it's not as if Schaub would have changed the outcome of any of the Raiders' three losses. 

Oakland's defense played extremely well against the Patriots in Week 3; unfortunately the Patriots' complicated and ever-changing defensive schemes made it nearly impossible for the Raiders to sustain any type of offense. They played tough, but a loss is a loss. And they are certainly used to losing. 

30. Tampa Bay Bucs (0-3):  On Thursday night at the high-octane Atlanta Falcons, the Bucs may have played the worst "professional" football game I've ever seen. Offensively they were unable to run or pass, and defensively they weren't able to stop the run or pass. Their special teams play was also quite horrific. The long and short of it is that they were completely unwatchable.

They'll need RB Doug Martin fresh and at full strength to be competitive. 

29. Tennessee Titans (1-2):  I'm already convinced that the Titans' opening victory over the Chiefs was a fluke fueled by a combination of Week 1 hope and adrenaline. They've been the team I expected them to be since. Jake Locker is a decent quarterback (nothing special, really), but their rushing attack is weak featuring the duo of Shonn Greene and Bishop Sankey, and their receivers -- Justin Hunter, Kendall Wright and Nate Washington -- are underwhelming. It's not a good thing when Delanie Walker is your best weapon. 

This is an average defense and below-average team. 

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28. Minnesota Vikings (1-2):  Just as the Bortles era begins in Jacksonville, the Teddy Bridgewater era is now under way in Minnesota. Matt Cassel is out indefinitely with fractured bones in his left foot, so we'll all get a chance to see what Teddy can do. This team is irrelevant without Adrian Peterson, anyway. 

27. St. Louis Rams (1-2):  Zac Stacy is a fine running back, Jeff Fisher is still one of the premier head coaches in the NFL and he boasts a top-flight defense, but how far can this team really go with soft-tossing Austin Davis at the helm? Not far at all, in my opinion.

26. Miami Dolphins (1-2):  Remember what I said about the Titans winning on pure adrenaline in Week 1? Well, it's beginning to look like Joe Philbin's Dolphins did exactly the same against the Patriots in their opener. Since then Miami has regressed dramatically.

I thought this may have been a team that was starting to come together on both sides of the ball, but then I realized that they don't really have any game-changing playmakers. WR1 Mike Wallace has played well and is a solid pro and RB Lamar Miller shows sporadic flashes, but I don't think this team is dynamic enough to make any real noise. 

25. Cleveland Browns (1-2):  Congratulations to Johnny Manziel on taking over Tim Tebow's distinction as the most publicized player who has absolutely no effect on the NFL season. I don't think we'll be seeing him any time soon either, because Brian Hoyer is a gamer who has no intentions of losing his job. Hoyer played surprisingly well prior to his season-ending injury in 2013 and he's playing well again this year. 

The Browns are a scrappy bunch on both sides of the ball, and they've competed admirably in the absence of WR1 Josh Gordon and RB1 Ben Tate. I like this team's tenacity and competitiveness. 

24. Houston Texans (2-1):  How can a first-place team be ranked 24th, you ask? Two words for you: Ryan. Fitzpatrick.

Look, we can talk about rushing, defense, special teams and coaching all day long, but at the end of the day the quarterback position is what matters the most. And Fitzpatrick isn't a very good one. He's short, gets too many passes batted down at the line, doesn't have a particularly strong arm and isn't as accurate as he needs to be for this team to be a contender. 

It's a shame, too, because JJ Watt, Andre Johnson, Arian Foster, Brian Cushing and DeAndre Hopkins is up there with the top cores in the league. 

23. Buffalo Bills (2-1):  I'm sorry Mark Rue, but I'm just not sold on this team. I don't see much here to differentiate them from say, the Titans (ranked 29th), Rams (27th) or Browns (25th). I see distinct similarities in all four of these teams. The Bills were a nice story through the first two weeks of the season, but I think what we saw against the Chargers this week is what we should expect for the rest of the year.

This is also another team limited by its quarterback. Maybe someone other than EJ Manuel could make CJ Spiller, Fred Jackson, Sammy Watkins, Robert Woods and Marquise Goodwin as effective and productive as they should be. 

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22. Kansas City Chiefs (1-2):  After stinking up the joint in Week 1 against the Titans, Andy Reid's Chiefs gave the Broncos a scare in Week 2 and the Dolphins a beating in Week 3. They are trending upward. Their defense is beginning to click and Knile Davis is one of the top three back-up running backs in the game. He produces whenever the opportunity presents itself. 

21. Indianapolis Colts (1-2):  Nothing like a little rendezvous with the Jaguars to boost your confidence, right?

Andrew Luck and the boys let one slip away from them against the Eagles in Week 2, but they seemed to be over it as they ran up and down the field against Jacksonville. What I don't like about this team right now is their running game -- is Ahmad Bradshaw really the answer? Can he sustain this kind of production? -- and that they clearly miss Robert Mathis on defense. Just not quite the same team without him. 

20. New York Giants (1-2):  Things were looking grim for Tom Coughlin's Giants in the early going, but they seem to have figured something out in the past week-and-a-half or so. Their commitment to Rashad Jennings this week was encouraging, and the Eli Manning/Victor Cruz combination appeared to be back on the same page. 

In addition, Jason Pierre-Paul looked healthy and dangerous on the D-line, as Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and Antrel Rolle were making plays all over the defensive backfield. If they play like they did today, they'll have a shot in the NFC East. 

19. Dallas Cowboys (2-1):  Today's comeback victory over the Rams was impressive, but at the same time, how the hell did they fall that far behind to an Austin Davis-led offense? 

The answer is simple...this is still one of the absolute worst defensive teams on the planet. Just as in years past, in the long run this team will not be able to make stops when they need them. They need to hire a top-five defensive coordinator. 

18. New York Jets (1-1):  I honestly believe that Geno Smith is one of the game's rapidly-rising stars. He has good size, mobility and arm strength, and always seems to play with a ton of confidence. The obvious comparison is Colin Kaepernick, but I actually think that Geno is a more natural and polished thrower. Kap still seems to be lacking in touch -- the same could be said of Cam Newton -- but Geno has showcased the ability to make a wide variety of finesse throws.

So what's holding him back? Unfortunately, it's the Jets front office. Thankfully they added WR1 Eric Decker this offseason, but the Jets opted to remain $20 million under the cap while letting playmakers like Emmanuel Sanders and Steve Smith, Sr. sign affordable contracts elsewhere. Geno needs more than just Decker to become a Pro Bowl caliber quarterback. The moment Decker got hurt in the Jets' excruciating loss to the Packers in Week 2, New York's passing attack evaporated into thin air. Geno cannot reasonably be expected to play well when his primary targets are David Nelson and Greg Salas. 

Woody Johnson and GM John Idzik really dropped the ball this offseason. 

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17. Washington Redskins (1-2):  Is Kirk Cousins the next Tom Brady, Kurt Warner, Nick Foles, Josh McCown or none of the above?

I suppose only time will tell. 

I like the Redskins in this spot because of their deep playmaking core consisting of running backs Alfred Morris and Roy Helu, Jr., wide receivers Pierre Garcon and DeSean Jackson and tight ends Niles Paul and Jordan Reed. It's already clear that Cousins is far superior to Robert Griffin III in the pocket, and it certainly doesn't hurt for him to have all of these dangerous weapons flying around. This could be one of the most explosive offenses in the league. 

16. San Francisco 49ers (1-2):  My, how the mighty have fallen. Simply put...Jim Harbaugh has lost control of this team. The ridiculous slew of careless penalties they received against the Cardinals this week was a clear indication of this team's overall dysfunction.

Their rushing attack has been non-existent, Vernon Davis is injured, they rely too heavily upon Michael Crabtree and their defense isn't elite without injured superstar linebacker Navorro Bowman. Back to back weeks the Niners collapsed after strong starts. Jay Cutler picked them apart in the second half of their Week 2 loss, and journeyman Drew Stanton buried them in the second half of this week's brutal loss. This team's just a mess at this point. 

15. Green Bay Packers (1-2):  This team is difficult to figure out right now. I can give them a pass for Week 1 because it's extremely hard to come out of the gate against the speed, strength and relentlessness of the Seahawks' championship defense. Then they completed an impressive comeback to secure a victory over a tough Jets team in Week 2, only to follow up with an embarrassing offensive performance against the enigmatic Lions defense.

Mike McCarthy's guys could be as low as the mid-20s and as high as the top 10, so the next few weeks will determine which path they follow. It should be interesting. 

14. Chicago Bears (1-1):  After a stunning home loss to the Bills in Week 1 and a horrific first-half performance against the 49ers, I was ready to write this team off. But then Cutler came out firing in the second half, superstar Brandon Marshall hauled in three clutch touchdowns and the Bears' defense finally began to stop the run.

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There's an awful lot of talent on this team. Top cornerback and leader Charles Tillman will be missed, though. 

13. New Orleans Saints (1-2):  Is there a more polarized team than the New Orleans Saints? They can lose to anyone -- even some of the worst of the worst -- on the road, while simultaneously being unbeatable at home. Their fate is sort of up in the air like the Packers and Bears. We'll see which direction they go.

12. New England Patriots (2-1):  Three or four years ago I couldn't imagine myself asking this question, but, are we at the point where the Patriots defense has become the strength of the team?

If you watched this week's ugly win over the feisty Raiders, you would agree that I've posed a fair question. New England's offense just isn't what it used to be. They still have the second-best coach in all of professional sports (Bill Belichick is second to Gregg Popovich), but Brady's lack of mobility is hurting them, TE Rob Gronkowski has been reduced to a mere redzone threat, RB Shane Vereen's role has been undefined and the receiving corps has been quiet outside of Julian Edelman. 

Plain and simple, I do not see a Super Bowl contender here. 

11. Carolina Panthers (2-1):  Man, the Panthers really looked terrible hosting Big Ben and the Steelers tonight. It was a truly dreadful performance. Their vaunted defense was shredded by Roethlisberger, RBs Le'Veon Bell and LeGarrette Blount and WR1 Antonio Brown. It wasn't pretty. 

If I were HC Ron Rivera I'd be a little concerned after this one. Offensively they are being forced to rely too heavily upon rookie WR Kelvin Benjamin and veteran TE Greg Olsen. Cam Newton was also horribly inaccurate and constantly under pressure. For a 2-1 team, I'm not particularly high on these Panthers. 

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1):  Speaking of the Steelers...here they are. They looked overmatched on short rest in Week 2 against the Ravens, but bounced back beautifully this evening. Pittsburgh's defense played particularly well -- especially considering their laughable performance against Baltimore -- but I'm not sold on them because the Panthers' offense isn't enough of a barometer.

However, offensively, when the Steelers are clicking they should be right up there with the best in the league. Big Ben, Bell and Brown -- that's alot of B's and a helluva trio.

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9. Baltimore Ravens (2-1):  In spite of all the controversy and media coverage revolving around the above-featured player who will remain nameless because I'm sick and tired of hearing it, John Harbaugh's boys have pieced together back-to-back solid victories to go to 2-1. I don't think there's any question that John is the superior coach of the Harbaugh brothers. Jim lets his emotions boil out of control, and that lack of professionalism clearly trickles down to his players and infects them with irrationality and negative energy. 

John, on the other hand, always seems to have things under control. I think he's right up there at the top of the list with Belichick and Pete Carroll. 

8. Detroit Lions (2-1):  They won with a dominant offensive performance in Week 1 against the Giants, but this week they dominated the Packers on the defensive side of the ball. That can mean one of two things: 1. They have a dominant offense and defense or 2. They don't know what their identity is, and neither unit is actually elite. It's a one or the other kind of thing. 

Let's see if Matthew Stafford and Ndamukong Suh can get their units going in the same game. Then maybe Jim Caldwell's guys would be on to something. 

7. Atlanta Falcons (2-1):  You could make the argument that Matt Ryan is the best quarterback in the NFL right now, and therefore the best player in the world. I'm not going to make that argument; I'm just saying that you could, and if anyone makes fun of you they simply haven't been watching enough football this season. 

At this point in the Mike Smith era, we know what to expect from these Falcons: A high-scoring offense led by Ryan and WRs Julio Jones and Roddy White, and a defense that could get torched at any given moment (especially on turf). Although the Bucs didn't seem capable of torching anyone. 

6. Philadelphia Eagles (3-0):  They were down 17-0 to the Jags in Week 1, had to come back in the 4th to steal one away from the Colts in Week 2 and trailed at a couple of different junctures in today's game against the Redskins, but here are Chip Kelly's high-flying Eagles...undefeated three weeks into the season.

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In terms of construction and organizational philosophy, this Eagles team is not too dissimilar from the aforementioned Saints and Falcons. This is a wide-open offense with a number of different weapons and a defense that could hardly be described as "stout." But pay that defense no mind, as Nick Foles continues to cement his position among the league's premier quarterbacks. I was never especially impressed by his arm strength, but he's really won me over with his surprising toughness and tremendous accuracy thus far this season. 

5. San Diego Chargers (2-1):  After back-to-back impressive wins over the defending-champion Seahawks and then-undefeated Bills, the Chargers are looking like one of the better teams in the NFL. So how are they doing it?

Offensively, Philip Rivers does an outstanding job picking up yardage when it's available; meaning he takes what the opposing defense gives to him. He rarely ever forces a throw. He gets the offense rolling on first down and generally has San Diego in very manageable third-and-short situations. The Chargers also have a high success rate in those third-and-short scenarios. In addition, they are among the league leaders in time of possession.

However, the big story this season has been their surprisingly top-flight defense led by LB Donald Butler, pass rusher Dwight Freeney, super safety Eric Weddle and newly-acquired CB Brandon Flowers. I've also been impressed by LB Manti Te'o and rookie CB Jason Verrett. The latter is definitely one of the best defensive rookies I've seen this season. This defensive unit is forcing its way into the discussion with the Seahawks, Bengals, Panthers and Cardinals. 

4. Denver Broncos (2-1):  Peyton Manning and his much-publicized Broncos offense put together a spectacular game-tying drive in just 50 seconds this week, but it was too little too late as the Seahawks buried them in overtime with an incredible drive of their own. If the Broncos offense had played with that kind of fearlessness, continuity and efficiency in the first three quarters, perhaps they would have come away with the victory. Instead they looked sluggish and overmatched (again) by Seattle's hyper-aggressive style of defensive play. WR1 Demaryius Thomas moped around and pouted most of the game. 

So what's the good news for John Fox and company? Their defense is definitely better than it was last season. DeMarcus Ware and Aquib Talib were obviously major acquisitions, and Denver is also ecstatic to have Von Miller and Chris Harris back healthy, two key players who did not suit up for the Super Bowl. I think they'll rank in the top 10 defenses at season's end. 

3. Arizona Cardinals (3-0):  Andddd the first major quarterback controversy of the season is under way. Drew Stanton has performed exceedingly well in back-to-back wins over the Giants and 49ers; so well, in fact, that I think he's actually better than Carson Palmer. I don't think his short-term success is a fluke. He's confident, he's making all of the throws and utilizing his weapons perfectly, and he really hangs in there against the rush. The veteran Palmer will be devastated if he's kept on the sideline; but this is the NFL, management shouldn't be worried about hurting a player's feelings. 

To me, Stanton is the guy. You remember what happened when Drew Bledsoe got hurt as a Patriot (Tom Brady). You remember what happened when Trent Green got hurt as a Ram (Kurt Warner). The Bears had the opportunity to let Josh McCown ride out a hot streak last season, but they decided to go back to Cutler, floundered down the stretch and missed the playoffs altogether. Bruce Arians...make the gutsy call. 

On the other side of the ball, the Cardinals' defense has been absolutely phenomenal. Led by Patrick Peterson, Tyrann Mathieu and Deone Bucannon in their lightning-fast secondary, this is not a unit to be taken lightly. There's no question that the Arizona Cardinals are the real deal right now, but they may not be as good if Palmer gets the ball back. 

2. Cincinnati Bengals (3-0):  If you're a Bengals fan, you couldn't have asked for a more perfect start to the 2014 season. Andy Dalton has been excellent (even when AJ Green hasn't been on the field), RB Giovani Bernard is a dangerous playmaker and WR2 Mohamed Sanu has stepped up nicely. 

But of course the story for this team has been its ridiculously-dominant defense. Geno Atkins and Carlos Dunlap are monsters on the D-line, LB Ray Maualuga has held down the fort in the absence of stud LB Vontaze Burfict (concussion) and veterans Leon Hall, Terence Newman and Reggie Nelson have anchored the Bengals' very solid secondary. 

This team isn't going anywhere. They will likely be engaged in a three-horse race with the Broncos and Chargers for the AFC crown. 

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1. Seattle Seahawks (2-1):  The Bengals and Cardinals are coming on strong, but I've never been one to supplant the defending champions so early in the season. Pete Carroll's men showcased their signature resiliency in their hard-fought Week 3 win over the Broncos, and they look nearly as good as they did last year. Remember that Packers, Chargers, Broncos is an awfully difficult way to open up the season. 

We all know about the Seahawks' physical and outstanding defense, but their game-winning drive displayed what makes their offense so tough to stop: Russell Wilson saves his scrambling for critical situations. Opposing defenses tend to settle into coverage throughout the course of a game -- maybe they begin to believe that Wilson is going to continue making plays with his arm -- and then he runs all over them late in games. Sure he made a couple of nice throws on that final drive, but the third-down scrambles for first downs were the overall key to the victory. 

The "Legion of Boom" wants to sack, strip and pick its way back to the Super Bowl. Repeat?

John Frascella is the author of Theo-logy: How a Boy Wonder Led the Red Sox to the Promised Land, the only book centered on popular executive Theo Epstein. Looking for a columnist? John can be reached at John.Frascella@gmail.com. 

Who Does LeBron "Love"? My Thoughts On a Monumental NBA Offseason

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If LeBron James takes his talents back to Cleveland, Kevin Love will follow. If LeBron stays in Miami, Chris Bosh will stay. If LeBron goes to Cleveland, Bosh goes to the Houston Rockets. If Bosh goes to the Rockets, Chandler Parsons goes to the Dallas Mavericks. If Bosh stays in Miami, Parsons stays in Houston. 

You with me?

Yeah, me neither. I can barely follow that and I wrote it. 

Let's start with Scenario #1...if LeBron and Love both end up in Cleveland, they will instantly be the clear-cut favorite to come out of the Eastern Conference. Love and Kyrie Irving will go from carrying sub-par teams and getting primary defensive attention, to playing off the ball more and reaping the benefits of LeBron's textbook drive-and-kicks. The looks Love and Irving will get will be almost too good to be true. 

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The Cavs will be far from a perfect team -- Irving, Dion Waiters and Love leave much to be desired defensively -- but they should be virtually unstoppable offensively, as Waiters and Tristan Thompson are also skilled on that end. LeBron will also get his teammates to elevate their collective defensive effort and effectiveness. They have enough athleticism to improve. 

Scenario #2...if LeBron stays in Miami, Bosh will stay and of course Dwyane Wade remains. They also added Josh McRoberts and Shabazz Napier, who should certainly outperform Udonis Haslem and Mario Chalmers. Chalmers played the worst basketball of his life this postseason. Of course Napier is only a rookie, but he's already fearless and LeBron's wholehearted support doesn't hurt. McRoberts was also one of the most improved all-around players in the NBA over the course of the past two seasons. If LeBron stays they will be the clear favorites in the East, especially if Lance Stephenson leaves the Pacers. 

Scenario #3...Bosh heads for Houston because LeBron went home. This immediately drops the Heat to a bottom seed in the East, if not out of the playoffs altogether. The Cavs take over as the class of the conference, but we still have to keep an eye on Love. Is there a scenario in which LeBron returns to Cleveland but Love doesn't follow? The East becomes a free-for-all if the Cavs have LeBron without Love. The Cavs, Pacers, Bulls, Wizards, Nets and Hawks would all have legitimate shots to reach the Finals.

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What does this do for Houston? Not much, I don't think. Adding Bosh means losing Parsons, and I don't see much of a difference in value at this stage in their respective careers. Bosh complements Dwight Howard's game well, but a gaping hole emerges at the small forward position. I don't see Bosh propelling the Rockets to the very top of the West. I think they basically stay where they are, in the 3-to-6 range. 

Scenario #4...Signing Bosh means the Rockets don't have the ability to keep Parsons, who then joins Monta Ellis, Dirk Nowitzki, Tyson Chandler and Rick Carlisle in Dallas. The NBA Playoffs are a long haul and people tend to forget what happened in the first round, but the Mavs forced the Spurs to a Game 7 this postseason. The same Spurs team that embarrassed the defending-champion Heat and upstart Portland Trail Blazers, in addition to disposing the dynamic duo of Russell Westbrook and Kevin Durant. Carlisle is also the second-best head coach in the league (behind Pop, of course). 

This would make the Mavs a serious contender, though I don't like the idea of Raymond Felton inheriting many of Jose Calderon's minutes. I think Carlisle will hate the way Felton plays. Devin Harris will probably be the starter and Dallas could potentially add another point guard at the deadline. 

Scenario #5...Bosh and Parsons both stay put. This is pretty self-explantory -- the Heat and Rockets stay where they are in the grand scheme. 

So what about the rest of the offseason frenzy?

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Well, not surprisingly, I'm very happy to hear that Carmelo Anthony is staying with Phil Jackson and the Knicks. Gives me another team to watch when my Nets aren't on. The Knicks would have been completely unwatchable if Melo skipped town. I already like what the Zenmaster has accomplished, dumping Chandler and Felton's contracts and working diligently to do the same with Amar'e Stoudemire, though I don't see the latter happening. That would be nothing short of a miracle. 

Not really sure where Stephenson will land. He's such a bizarre player I could see another team getting frustrated with his style. Some games he's your best all-around player, others he's a complete non-factor. He's a true wild card. 

Guys like Vince Carter, Mike Miller, and Ray Allen don't matter until we see where the big dogs land. I'm curious about Greg Monroe, Luol Deng and Gordon Hayward as well. 

All right, LeBron...make a decision! I'm dying here. Then we can see where the rest of the chips fall. 

Ranking the NBA's 10 Worst Coaches: Is Mike Woodson the Worst in the League?

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What's the easiest way to evaluate an NBA head coach?

Look at his talent pool and determine whether or not his team is underachieving, overachieving or playing about as well as it should. For example, it's easy to see what a tremendous coach Rick Carlisle is when his team of misfits, castoffs and scrap parts is seeded ahead of more naturally-talented teams like the Warriors, Nuggets, Timberwolves and Kings in the loaded Western Conference. 

On the opposite end of the spectrum, it was easy to see what a terrible coach Mo Cheeks was for the Pistons when a team with Greg Monroe, Andre Drummond, Josh Smith (the elite rebounding frontcourt in the league) and Brandon Jennings failed to settle into a playoff spot in the laughable Eastern Conference. A completely justifiable firing. 

Anyway, let's get into the rankings (starting with 30 because that's where they rank in the grand scheme)...

30. Larry Drew, Milwaukee Bucks:  I'm not necessarily taking sides on this particular topic, but today's NBA players are very sensitive about their roles. They really want to know when they will be playing, and for how many minutes. 

That being said, Larry Drew has managed his rotation worse than every other coach in the league this season. He's had players go from not playing at all (i.e. Luke Ridnour) to the starting lineup, then back to nothing. Nate Wolters is another example of a player who has suffered through Coach Drew's whimsical decision making. I'd be shocked to see him back on the Bucks' bench next year. 

29. John Loyer, Detroit Pistons:  He's only coached a couple of games since Mo Cheeks' firing, but I like what he's done with the rotation. He's played Greg Monroe more down the stretch and stopped wasting playing time on scrubs like Josh Harrellson, Gigi Datome and Charlie Villanueva. Just play the guys who are actually professional ballers. 

28. Mike Brown, Cleveland Cavaliers:  When I watched the struggling Knicks demolish the Cavs a couple weeks ago, I couldn't help but think, "Nothing about what the Cavs are doing resembles anything near professional basketball." 

Their "star" player, Kyrie Irving, plays selfishly and shows no commitment to helping his teammates gel or improve. A terrible trait for a franchise point guard. Their offense consisted of four guys playing one-on-one (Irving, Dion Waiters, Tristan Thompson and Jarrett Jack) with no cutting, passing or continuity. Their collective lack of defensive effort was appalling. Their body language suggested a team defeated before it even touched the floor. 

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Simply put, it was an absolute shitshow and it was a direct reflection of their clueless head coach, Mike Brown. After the Pacers and Heat, the Cavs have one of the better individual talent pools in the light East, and yet they are 20-33, ranked 11th in the conference. Not acceptable. However, the Cavs have won four in a row, a fact which rescued Coach Brown from the dreaded No. 30 spot. 

27. Mike Woodson, New York Knicks:  You can't win 50+ games one season, come back the next year in an even weaker Eastern Conference, and suddenly become one of the worst teams in the NBA. I'm not blaming everything on Coach Woodson, but the Knicks play sloppy and ugly basketball on both ends of the floor. Offensively they stand around and watch Carmelo Anthony and J.R. Smith play one-on-one, and defensively they don't help or rotate.

It's just an absolute disaster. He clearly has to go.

26. Tyrone Corbin, Utah Jazz:  It's difficult to evaluate a head coach when he has one of the youngest and rawest rosters in the league. Utah has potential with players like PG Trey Burke, SG Gordon Hayward, PF Derrick Favors and C Enes Kanter, but I'm not sure any of those guys have superstar upside. With that in mind, it's tough to expect much from this season's Jazz in the stacked Wild West. 

However, Corbin doesn't articulate himself well and doesn't sound like a great tactician. I'm not sure how well he communicates with his young players. 

25. Jacque Vaughn, Orlando Magic:  Another example of a team with a very limited talent pool. Orlando has solid guys like Arron Afflalo, Nikola Vucevic, Jameer Nelson and Tobias Harris, but there isn't much explosiveness or upside here. 

On the other hand, they should be a decent halfcourt team with their specific personnel. And yet, they are not. They have struggled against every possible type of opposition. This is (in part) a reflection of Coach Vaughn's strategical shortcomings. 

24. Brett Brown, Philadelphia 76ers:  After a surprising 3-0 start to their season, the Sixers have been one of the worst teams in the history of professional basketball. I have never seen a more embarrassing defensive unit. Lazy, uninterested and seemingly lacking guidance and leadership. I think Coach Brown has done a shockingly terrible job with his young guys this season. 

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23. Brian Shaw, Denver Nuggets:  Maybe this is too generous of a ranking for Coach Shaw. The Nuggets still have Lawson, Chandler and Faried (a big part of their core from last season's playoff team) and yet they are devolving into one of the weaker teams in the West. He doesn't play Timofey Mozgov -- his most skilled big -- enough and even when he does, he doesn't emphasize getting Mozgov the ball in the proper post position. The Nuggets are a bad team right now, and Shaw has been a major coaching disappointment. 

22. Mike Malone, Sacramento Kings:  Give me DeMarcus Cousins, Rudy Gay, Isaiah Thomas (the most improved player in the game?) and Marcus Thornton, and I will have this team in the hunt for the 8-seed in the Western Conference. But Coach Malone is having the same problem as Coach Brown in Philly...he can't get these kids to understand the importance of a consistent defensive effort. Not only is there a lack of effort, there seems to be a misunderstanding of rotations and individual defensive responsibilities. That's a major issue against top-tier competition. 

21. Monty Williams, New Orleans Pelicans:  Maybe I am being too tough on Monty (no Ryan Anderson or Jrue Holiday), but I expect better from him. He was a Coach of the Year candidate a handful of years back, and now he often seems too frustrated or apathetic. Outside of the Timberwolves, the Pelicans have been the worst fourth quarter team in the league this season, and that generally speaks volumes about a head coach's offensive sets and timeout playcalls. 

Congrats fellas, on being the worst of the worst. 

NBA Top 10: My Favorite Players to Watch

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Michael Jordan is the reason I fell in love with basketball. As a kid I remember my dad, aka "Big Fro," talking about Michael like he was a superhuman, mythical living legend. 

And that he was. 

Clearly, MJ was my favorite childhood basketball player. Growing up, I didn't really care about any teams other than the Chicago Bulls. After Michael retired, Stephon Marbury became my favorite player. I was mesmerized by Starbury's quickness, explosiveness and ability to dominate a game as a scorer and/or distributor. And as his career spiraled out of control and people began to hate him more and more, my admiration for him only increased. 

I have always supported athletes who are held to unfair expectations. Steph's situation with the Knicks is strikingly similar to Carmelo Anthony's right now. The media and public like to blame a struggling team's star player, instead of focusing on the fact that their supporting cast is barely NBA level. Anyone who expected Steph's Knicks to thrive, didn't know basketball. The same goes for people calling for Melo's head in New York (although the haters have quieted down since his already-legendary 62-point performance on Friday). 

After Starbury faded into tragic oblivion, Kobe Bryant became my favorite player. Why? Because to this day, he still reminds me of Jordan more than anyone. Unshakable confidence, uncanny ability, fearless under the brightest of bright lights. But now, as Kobe limps toward retirement (and isn't even active), it's time for him to pass the torch. Let's take a look at the candidates...

Honorable Mention

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Dwight Howard, C, Houston Rockets:  Like Marbury as a Knick, Chris Bosh early in his tenure with the Heat or even Carlos Boozer with the Bulls, I tend to root for the guy who everyone likes to bash. Dwight has been referred to as "the biggest baby in the NBA" and a "headcase" and yet he's the best true center of his generation. Everyone knows he's one of the premier rebounders and defenders in the game, but his excellent offensive ability is often overlooked or dismissed altogether. Dwight has a quick first step for a player of his size and stature, and he's arguably the strongest two-hand finisher of the last decade. Novice fans forget how difficult it is for a 7-footer to catch and finish with the consistency of a superstar like Howard.

James Harden, SG/SF, Houston Rockets:  One of the two or three most gifted offensive players in the world, and let's be real...world-class offense is a lot more fun to watch than world-class defense. I appreciate and understand the value of quality team defense, but that doesn't make it more fun to watch than an offensive player who can put an entire team on his shoulders at crunch time. That's Harden in a nutshell. 

Goran Dragic, PG, Phoenix Suns:  I call him "Mini-Harden." Lefty, quick, explosive, fearless and most of all...unpredictable. Dragic, like Harden, can turn a coach's, "No, no, no!" into a "nice shot, good job" in a matter of seconds. 

Nikola Pekovic, C, Minnesota Timberwolves:  "Pek" is one of the most consistent and under-appreciated players in the NBA. Personally, I value consistency as much or more than anything else. Pek always plays with maximum effort, but he's not simply a hustle player -- he's actually one of the most skilled finishers in the game. As an undersized center with little-to-no hops, Pek has become an efficient and effective scorer because of his incredibly soft touch around the rim. Any team in the league would be lucky to have him. 

Paul George, SF, Indiana Pacers:  Everyone seems to love this guy these days, right? "PG" is one of my favorite players because of the way he went toe-to-toe with LeBron James in back-to-back postseasons. LeBron is one of the top two players in the world so he won out over time, but PG proved he was a superstar on the rise and his stock continues to climb as the Pacers dominate the Eastern Conference this year. 

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Jeremy Lamb, SG/SF, Oklahoma City Thunder:  Can you say, UConn bias? I'm not ashamed to admit it in this case. Along with another tough, confident, fearless guard who you'll see in my top 10, "Lamb Chop" led my Huskies to the 2010-11 NCAA Men's Basketball Championship. I am ecstatic to see Jeremy getting the run he deserves with the white-hot Thunder, and I imagine his role will only increase over time.

Vince Carter, SG/SF, Dallas Mavericks:  Loved him during his stint with my Nets. Smooth, confident, fun to watch and always willing to carry the team during periods of offensive stagnation. What a tremendous career "Half-Man, Half-Amazing" has had. Hope he gets the credit he deserves in the Hall of Fame. 

Kevin Durant, SG/SF, Oklahoma City Thunder:  He's everybody's favorite player right now. I love him, I'm just trying to avoid the cliche selections. 

Top 10: My Favorite Players to Watch

10. Gerald Green, SG/SF, Phoenix Suns

I suppose I could have Gerald even higher than this, but I recently spotlighted him in my 10 Most Undervalued Players piece so I don't want to over-saturate (the same could be said of the player at my  No. 9 spot). I love this kid because he is probably the most explosive leaper I have ever seen in my life. He's a true, high-flying show stopper. Never gave up on his dream, even when he was fighting for his basketball life down in the NBDL. Now's he a major contributor for the NBA's biggest surprise team, Jeff Hornacek's Phoenix Suns. Go get 'em, Gerald. 

9. Nate Robinson, G, Denver Nuggets

I can't believe he tore his ACL and is out for the season. What a devastating blow for the Nuggets and all fans of explosive athleticism or streak-shooting a la Allen Iverson or Nick Van Exel. Nate is simply a joy to watch -- never afraid of his opponent or The Moment. When I coach youth players, this is the type of confidence I'd like to instill in them. You will be missed for the rest of the season, Nate-Rob. 

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8. Joe Johnson, SG, Brooklyn Nets

The numbers don't lie...Joe Johnson is one of the premier closers in the history of the NBA. He has the highest field goal percentage on game-winning shot attempts over the past three seasons. If he could play with that type of efficiency and focus for 48 minutes a night (like Kevin Durant or LeBron James, true superstars) he would definitely be my favorite player in the world. Until then, he resides in the bottom half of my top 10. 

7. Mike Conley, Jr., PG, Memphis Grizzlies

Everyone likes a guy who suits up, quietly goes about his business and always gets the job done well, right?

Well, that's pretty much Mike Conley. I love this guy. In college, scouts and analysts were highly critical of his perimeter shooting, but every time I watched Ohio State in a tight game, Conley was usually the one knocking down the clutch outside shots. Of course, since then his shooting mechanics and touch have only continued to improve on a yearly basis. Now he is regarded by opposing defenses as a legitimate three-point shooting threat. 

In addition, Conley's ability to drive and finish with his right hand (that's his off hand) has drastically improved to the point where you don't even have to play him to his right. It makes no difference. He drives quickly and effectively with both hands. And, any time I've watched this guy in the postseason, he rises to the occasion down the stretch of close games. He's also one of the premier defenders at the point guard position. There is nothing not to like about this guy. I would take him over more-heralded point guards -- like say, Kyrie Irving -- any day of the week. 

6. Dirk Nowitzki, PF, Dallas Mavericks

If "The Big German" wasn't nearing retirement, he'd definitely be in my top five. However, I can't punish Kobe for being on his way out, and not do the same to Dirk. That wouldn't be fair. Therefore here he sits, one outside of the big five. 

Anyone who doesn't like Dirk either doesn't know basketball or is a die-hard fan of the Miami Heat. Otherwise, you have to admire this guy. A seven-footer with the pure shooting stroke of legends like Larry Bird, Jerry West and Reggie Miller. The consummate teammate -- always willing to take pay cuts to allow the Mavs the opportunity to strengthen their roster. Always willing to make the right team play, even if there's a decent shot available to him. Always says all of the right things to the media. 

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In general, such a true class act. Basketball wise? I can't think of a more satisfying performance than his spirited, relentless assault of the more athletic, talented and publicized Heat in the 2010-11 NBA Finals. I will never forget that series or his deserving teammates including Jason Kidd, Shawn Marion, Jason Terry and Tyson Chandler -- all first-time champions. 

5. Kemba Walker, PG, Charlotte Bobcats

Finally a great draft pick by Michael Jordan. Yikes, it took awhile. What Michael likely saw in Kemba is what we all see these days...a kid who plays basketball with joy, passion, swagger and pure natural ability. Kemba was a hero for my Huskies during our 2010-11 National Championship run, and now he's taking a lackluster NBA franchise and turning it into a playoff contender in the hapless Eastern Conference. Is that really a compliment? I'm not entirely sure. 

Anyway, any of the Bobcats shortcomings have nothing to do with Kemba. He continues to impress with his ankle-breaking ballhandling, pretty mid-range game and late-game three-point makes. 

4. Jamal Crawford, G, Los Angeles Clippers

You watch some guys play ball and can't help but think, "He must have been dribbling a basketball since he was two or three years old."

Jamal Crawford, aka "J-Crossover" is certainly one of those players. Known for his signature killer crossover and jaw-dropping one-on-one ability, Crawford is mesmerizing on the court. Also, a couple of years ago, he made one of the funniest comments in league history. Please visit that link. If you love basketball, you will love that story. 

I really enjoyed watching J-Cross during his days as a Knick, and my admiration for his natural offensive skills has only intensified over the years. Keep firing, Jamal!

3. Zach Randolph, PF, Memphis Grizzlies

Think about the evolution of the power forward position in the NBA. Karl Malone and Charles Barkley were the kings of the court awhile back, two moderately-sized bigs who would have struggled to dominate against the power forward crop that followed them: Tim Duncan and Kevin Garnett. TD and KG brought raw size, length and incredible defensive ability to the position. Offensively, Dirk Nowitzki joined them to revolutionize the way we view and analyze power forwards. 

Now it's the era of Blake Griffin (arguably the greatest athlete in the history of the position), LaMarcus Aldridge (the best all-around PF with a true low post game), Kevin Love (stretching the floor like Dirk) and DeMarcus Cousins (the wild card). And yet, as the talent pool expands, there is one constant...Zach Randolph, best known as "Z-Bo."

While Duncan, Garnett, Aldridge and Cousins are all at or around seven feet, Z-Bo stands just 6-foot-9 (a generous listing by the Grizzlies media staff). Z-Bo doesn't jump high or run fast. He doesn't have any natural gifts. What he does have is unparalleled offensive rebounding positioning, the softest and surest hands in the game and the unrelenting desire to outwork his bigger and more talented opponents on the glass. Z-Bo is the master of second-chance points, a statistic that directly coincides with a team's offensive morale. The more second-chance points, the more unstoppable an offensive unit feels. 

Simply put, Z-Bo is a dream teammate. Gotta love this guy. 

2. Russell Westbrook, PG, Oklahoma City Thunder

For the past couple of seasons, I've casually said to my friends, "Russell Westbrook is my favorite player right now." I don't know if that made it official or binding, but it would probably still be the case if he could stay on the court this season. Unfortunately, he is out again right now and the scorching-hot Thunder don't seem to mind. 

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What do I love about Russ? Well, he has the same kind of show-stopping athleticism that Gerald Green has (in different ways), but he's a far superior all-around basketball player. I think he's the best one-man fast break I've ever seen. And, like his teammate KD, he brings it every friggin' night. When you watch Westbrook play, you can feel how hungry he is to succeed. He has the hunger to prove himself on a nightly basis, and to earn that championship ring that has eluded him thus far. 

Something tells me it's coming this season. 

1. Carmelo Anthony, SF, New York Knicks

Okay, so this decision may or may not have been influenced by the fact that I was at Madison Square Garden for Melo's incredible 62-point performance against the helpless Bobcats. May or may not. I can't really say. 

Anyway, Melo is the second-most gifted scorer in the NBA (behind Durant, of course) and he's the MOST unfairly treated basketball player in the universe. The fans complain about him. The media points at him when the Knicks struggle. And the referees NEVER give him a call, particularly at crunch time when Melo and the Knicks need it the most. 

And yet, Melo takes the abuse in stride. Always calm, collected and insightful during interviews. Always doing his best to smile and have fun while playing the game. Always willing to take the big shot, even if opposing defenses know the ball is going to be in his hands in an isolation scenario. 

You know what else I love? After Melo hit the halfcourt shot to end the first half of his 62-point game, I could see how much his teammates admired and looked up to him. The admiration was crystal clear. Even from a guy like Tyson Chandler, who already won a championship with the Dallas Mavs and has seen many spectacular performances in his career. He was in awe of what Melo was doing, and he was truly happy for his teammate and fellow leader. 

Michael Jordan. Stephon Marbury. Kobe Bryant. 

And now Carmelo Anthony. Number one in my book.