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NFL Mock Draft 2009 Draft of 2009 Lacks Star Power NFL Draft 2009: Getting Started Super Bowl Well Worth Tuning In For
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Prospects On Center Stage NBA Preview 2008/09: Final Call
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Spurs Still Elite By Ron Jumper With the Mavs and Suns playing so well, the San Antonio Spurs seem to have been forgotten in the discussion of elite NBA teams. I would have to argue that this team still has just as good a shot as anyone of cutting down the nets come playoff time. It is amazing how quick the media forgets about the most complete big man in the game. Tim Duncan is the most fundamental big man ever to play the game. Even the buzz about Tony Parker and Eva Longoria seems have died down as of late. Regardless of it all, the Spurs have been playing phenomenal basketball as of late. Currently riding a 6-game winning streak, the Spurs have been dominant. During this stretch, they have outscored their opponents by 101 points. The closest game has been 7 points. The most important win was at Detroit, who also has been playing very well since acquiring Chris Webber. The Spurs had played the night before in New Jersey, so to come out and beat the Pistons by 9 at The Palace was no easy feat. For those that don’t know, playing back-to-back road games in the NBA is one of the toughest challenges in all of sports. Players, coaches, and owners complain about the rigorousness of the NBA schedule only to no avail. Personally, I don’t mind because it sure makes it easier to handicap the games. As for the good of the game, I guess I could live without it. What have the Spurs been doing different lately, you might ask? For the most part, they really haven’t changed much. One difference is the play of Francisco Elson inside, he has become a key contributor on the frontline for several reasons. The main reason is that he provides much need athleticism at the center position. While I like Fabricio Oberto, he isn’t a great defender or emphatic finisher in the paint. Elson gives them the better chance to win in my opinion. Here is a crazy stat that proves my point, the Spurs are 19-2 when Elson plays at least 20 minutes. When he plays less than 20 minutes, the Spurs are only 20-16. If that doesn’t prove my point I don’t what will. With Duncan averaging his usual 20 and 10, people seem to forget his value as well. I still say Tim Duncan is the safest and easiest player to build a championship around. I ask people who would they take first to build a team around for one season. Some say Dwyane Wade or Lebron, I even get a few Shaqs and Dirks thrown in there. What about Timmy? Tim Duncan plays fundamental team basketball as well as it can be played. He gets 20 and 10 without having to dominate the ball every play. He is very easy to play alongside. Not to knock Tony Parker or Manu Ginobili, but they wouldn’t be having the same kind of careers had they been drafted by some other franchise. I truly believe that. All in all, I just wanted to remind everyone this is still a great Spurs team that has all the pieces to make a run in the playoffs. The media always talks about how Shaq saves himself for the playoffs so he can be fresh. Other than Parker and Ginobili, the Spurs are a pretty old team across the board. This isn’t a team built to bring it every night. However, when the playoffs come they will be ready. ******************** Upper Deck: The Ultimate Investment? By Chase McCracken As a collector, it didn’t get much more frustrating than buying a pack of Upper Deck growing up. Being the first to come out with jersey cards in the 1996 Series 2 baseball, your odds were stacked next to none of actually getting one of these. Plus, there were no serial numbers, though these babies sold for ridiculous prices. Following the bankruptcy of Fleer earlier this decade, Upper Deck has sought to capture the avid collector with cards so rare that their value seems exponential. Also, they were one of the first to come up with the idea of “graded packs”, which is brilliant with regard to controlling market value of a player and a grade all at once. Would you take a Dwight Howard autographed patch rookie card numbered out of 25? One recently netted a whopping $870 at the prince of online purchasing: eBay. Would you like to take a guess what the grade was? BGS 9 mint!!! While Howard could be a poor example of what the set is worth across the board, it is a good indication of how well Upper Deck is now controlling market values, ESPECIALLY a grade of BGS 9 mint. Another good example is the Lebron James rookie card from 2003’s Ultimate Collection set. Graded at a BGS 10 Pristine and a 10 on the autograph, it is like a gold mine waiting to be tapped; for those of you wondering, it remains on eBay with a Buy it Now set at $4100 (It has changed hands 7 times according to the seller, going for a minimum of $3000 every time!!!!).Is that silly? There is more to be told gang. The reason Upper Deck is dominating the big spenders in the collecting business is because they have limited production. As Beckett often says, “more than a couple and less than a few is just the right number.” Now, other sets with the Lebron James RC will do very well, such as Topps Pristine and SPx. But, if you want to be one of only a handful of people holding a Lebron RC that has a high grade, then you know to bring your business to Upper Deck. One VERY important reason you should test this market hard is because of the limitations there are on an identical second one existing. Look hard, when you can, for extravagant combinations of player/jersey (i.e. red/blue ink auto’s and 4 color jersey fabrics, or “patches” as they are known) since they will nearly quadruple in value when the time is right. Look at last year’s “media darling” Pittsburgh Steelers. You have a relatively good player in Ben Roethlisberger whose market value became enormous almost overnight after the Pittsburgh appearance in the Super Bowl. They hadn’t even won it yet, and Big Ben was soaring on eBay and other auction sites. Why? If you can make the distant connection between Terry Bradshaw and Ben Roethlisberger, then you have the answer right off the bat. While Bradshaw did things that Ben may never do, the Super Bowl appearance for Pittsburgh fans was the return to glory. The Steelers’ fan base was littered with people willing to spend whatever it took to get a winner, a hometown hero, and a jersey rookie card all in the same sitting. Since then, Ben’s value has shockingly come back down from the stratosphere. Play the timing game on some of the extremely rare cards gang because it pays huge dividends in the short term. Moreover, the Ultimate Collection stuff is so rare it is almost difficult to lose value on them. The next time you go to your local hobby shop, be sure to check out the graded card market in Ultimate Collection. There are some great bargains to be had, and I touch base on a few of these later on. So, when the dealer asks you if you want an insurance policy on an ace, tell him or her you’ll take Upper Deck Ultimate Collection stuff instead. Cards to Look For: There are a number of cards you can count on gaining value in the Ultimate Collection set. Your best bet is to try and nail a BGS 8.5 RC Near-Mint Plus for dirt cheap, especially if it has a multi-color relic inside. Here are a few that are burning it up (Notice, I’m assuming the Lebron rookies are outside budgetary constraints for most collectors): 1) Chris Paul 05-06 Ultimate Collection autographed rookie card #d/250- This card has done exceptionally well due to Paul’s outright ridiculous rookie season (16.1 ppg along side 7.8 apg). It would be an excellent investment because of his discipline and patience from the perimeter. He is as unlikely as anyone to make stupid basketball plays. 2) Dwight Howard 04-05 Ultimate Collection autographed patch rookie card #d/100- If one guy in the NBA has the highest threshold of potential, it is without a doubt Man Child. He has boosted a struggling Orlando club to a hopeful playoff run, feeding off of good guard play in Carlos Arroyo and Jameer Nelson (And Grant Hill might be healthy for a grand total of 10 games). When the time is right, you can strike gold in a buying or selling of a Dwight Howard rookie card out of this set. Limited production pays HUGE dividends. 3) 02-03 Caron Butler Ultimate Collection autographed rc #d/250- With the recent tit for tat injury to Antwan Jamison, Caron Butler has adapted very well to his new role in Washington. He is emerging as one of the leaders on a Wizards team that is bound to make a playoff appearance (Refer to Ron’s excellent points about the “Easy East” in his article titled, “The NBA’s Balancing Act”) If you can only afford to invest in one rookie card from Ultimate Collection, it doesn’t get much safer than Caron Butler. He is making his first career all-star appearance in Las Vegas this year, and I am most certain it will not be his last. BGS 9 would be a great value for an even better price. 4) 05-06 Ultimate Collection Deron Williams autographed rc #d/250- The Jazz are on a role, and they have made two quite impressive showings without their main man Boozer. Deron Williams is second in the league in assists and seems to make big plays when he has to. Okur makes for a valuable partner in the East/West tango, giving the Jazz an excellent chance at playoff basketball. Try to nail this one in a BGS 9 or better and sit on it for a while. Williams is sure to be one of the best in days to come. March 2, 2007 |
| NCAA Football | |
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Be Careful What You Wish For
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| NCAA Basketball | |
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Jumpology: My Bracket Jumpology: Scouting The Heavyweights Jumpology: Reviewing The Bracket
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