2012-13 College Basketball Predictions

John Calipari is on top of the college basketball world. He won the national championship and then reloaded with another top recruiting class. Can Nerilins Noel and company lead them to their third straight final four and another repeat? The road to Atlanta for the Final Four is about to begin.

All American Team
1st Team
F DeShaun Thomas Jr Ohio State
F Doug McDermott Jr Creighton
C Cody Zeller So Indiana
G Isaiah Canaan Sr Murray State
G Matthew Dellavedova Sr Saint Mary’s

2nd Team
F Christian Watford Sr Indiana
F Solomon Hill Sr Arizona
C Nerlens Noel Fr Kentucky
G Allen Crabbe Jr California
G Trey Burke So Michigan

3rd Team
F Shabazz Muhammad Fr UCLA
F Tim Hardaway Jr Jr Michigan
C Steven Adams Fr Pittsburgh
G Aaron Craft Jr Ohio State
G Marcus Smart Fr Oklahoma State

Regular Season Conference Champs for Power 8 leagues

ACC: North Carolina State Wolfpack

Atlantic 10: Saint Louis Billikens

Big 10: Indiana Hoosiers

Big East: Louisville Cardinals

Big 12: Kansas Jayhawks

C-USA: Memphis Tigers

Mountain West: UNLV Runnin Rebels

Pac 12: Arizona Wildcats

Four Sleeper Teams to make noise in March

Georgetown Hoyas

California Golden Bears

Drexel Dragons

Butler Bulldogs

High Seeded Early Exits in March

Syracuse Orangemen

Kansas Jayhawks

Gonzaga Bulldogs

North Carolina Tar Heels

Sweet 16 Bound

Duke Blue Devils

North Carolina State Wolfpack

Indiana Hoosiers

Michigan Wolverines

Louisville Cardinals

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

Arizona Wildcats

UCLA Bruins

Kentucky Wildcats

Florida Gators

Missouri Tigers

Creighton Bluejays

Saint Louis Billikens

San Diego State Aztecs

UNLV Runnin Rebels

Memphis Tigers

Elite 8 Predictions

Indiana Hoosiers

North Carolina State Wolfpack

Michigan Wolverines

UNLV Runnin Rebels

Kentucky Wildcats

Louisville Cardinals

Creighton Bluejays

Arizona Wildcats

2013 Final Four Predictions

Indiana Hoosiers over the Michigan Wolverines

Louisville Cardinals over the Kentucky Wildcats

2013 National Champions

The Indiana Hoosiers will win the National Championship on April 8, 2013 over the Louisville Cardinals

2012-13 NBA Predictions

LeBron finally shut every one up last year by winning the title. Can the Heat repeat as NBA champs? Will the new big 4 Lakers have the chemistry to win NBA title number six for Kobe? The Oklahoma City Thunder just traded James Harden for Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb but will that cost them the championship? Finally will Carmelo Anthony get a rare 1st round NBA playoff series win? This is how I see it this year.

Awards
2013 NBA MVP: Kevin Durant, SF, Oklahoma City Thunder

Defensive Player of the Year: Serge Ibaka, PF, Oklahoma City Thunder

Rookie of the Year:
Damian Lillard, PG, Portland Trail Blazers

Sixth Man of the Year: Kevin Martin, SG, Oklahoma City Thunder

Most Improved Player:
Nikola Pekovic, C, Minnesota Timberwolves

Coach of The Year: Rick Adelman, Minnesota Timberwolves

Three Things that will happen this season

1. Overrated Carmelo Anthony will lose in the first round again as the Knicks flop again.

2. Mike Brown will be fired by the Lakers after the season. He is a bozo and will cost the Lakers the title along with their inferior bench.

3. The Memphis Grizzlies will trade either Rudy Gay or Zach Randolph by the trading deadline.

Eastern Conference Playoff Teams
1. Miami Heat
2. Indiana Pacers
3. Brooklyn Nets
4. New York Knicks
5. Boston Celtics
6. Atlanta Hawks
7. Chicago Bulls
8. Philadelphia 76ers

Western Conference Playoff Teams
1. Oklahoma City Thunder
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. San Antonio Spurs
4. Los Angeles Clippers
5. Denver Nuggets
6. Memphis Grizzlies
7. Utah Jazz
8. Minnesota Timberwolves

Western Conference Finals: Oklahoma City Thunder over the Los Angeles Lakers in seven games

Eastern Conference Finals: Miami Heat over the Indiana Pacers in six games

2013 NBA Champions:

No Harden, no problem. The Thunder defeat the Heat in six games.

The Thunder will be ten deep on the rotation this year with the acquisitions of Kevin Martin and Jeremy Lamb for James Harden. Kevin Martin can score for days and lets not forget how Harden did not show up in the Finals. They also get Eric Maynor back from injury who did just as good as a backup PG as Harden did last season. Perry Jones may of been a flop on Baylor but his athletic ability should thrive in Oklahoma City. Scott Brooks has taken his team one step further each year since 2010 and this team should have the chemistry issues resolved by April 20th when the playoffs start. Perkins and Ibaka can defend Pau Gasol and Dwight Howard without double team help if they play in a seven game series. I just don’t believe the Lakers will get it done with that bench and Mike Brown. The Heat can repeat for sure but it is Durant’s time.

Ty’s 2012-13 NFL Predictions

It is that time of year again. Lets go.

Award predictions

NFL MVP: Tom Brady, QB, New England
Offensive Player of The Year: Arian Foster, RB, Houston
Defensive Player of The Year: Patrick Willis, LB, San Francisco
Offensive Rookie of The Year: Doug Martin, RB, Tampa Bay
Defensive Rookie of The Year: Chandler Jones, DE/LB, New England
Coach of The Year: Ron Rivera, Carolina

Breakout Player: Fred Davis, TE, Washington
Flop Player: Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta

Predicted order of finish in each division
* Wildcard team

AFC
East
1. New England Patriots
2. Buffalo Bills
3. New York Jets
4. Miami Dolphins

North
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
2. *Baltimore Ravens
3. Cincinnati Bengals
4. Cleveland Browns

South
1. Houston Texans
2. Tennessee Titans
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Jacksonville Jaguars

West
1. Kansas City Chiefs
2. *Denver Broncos
3. San Diego Chargers
4. Oakland Raiders

AFC Playoff Predictions

Wildcard Round
(6) Denver Broncos over (3) Pittsburgh Steelers
(5) Baltimore Ravens over (4) Kansas City Chiefs

Divisional Round
(1) New England Patriots over (6) Denver Broncos
(2) Houston Texans over (4) Baltimore Ravens

AFC Championship
(2) Houston Texans over (1) New England Patriots

NFC
East
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2. New York Giants
3. Dallas Cowboys
4. Washington Redskins

North
1. Green Bay Packers
2. *Chicago Bears
3. Detroit Lions
4. Minnesota Vikings

South
1. Atlanta Falcons
2. *Carolina Panthers
3. New Orleans Saints
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

West
1. San Francisco 49ers
2. St. Louis Rams
3. Seattle Seahawks
4. Arizona Cardinals

NFC Playoff Predictions

Wildcard Round
(3) Atlanta Falcons over (6) Carolina Panthers
(4) San Francisco 49ers over (5) Chicago Bears

Divisional Round
(1) Green Bay Packers over (4) San Francisco 49ers
(2) Philadelphia Eagles over (3) Atlanta Falcons

NFC Championship
(2) Philadelphia Eagles over (1) Green Bay Packers

Super Bowl XLVII Winner

Reid will finally win the Super Bowl

The Philadelphia Eagles will defeat the Houston Texans in Super Bowl XLVIII and you people will not be able to disrespect the great Andy Reid or Mike Vick again. They are loaded all over the field. I believe that they will have the best defense in the NFL this year which includes my 49ers.

I have future wager bets on Philadelphia (12-1), San Francisco (12-1), Chicago (25-1) and Houston (12-1) to win the Super Bowl. That is how I’m going with it this year. This is better to me than loading up on Green Bay or New England (Both 6-1). Since the year 2000 only one opening preseason Vegas favorite has won the Super Bowl and that was the 2006 Indianapolis Colts. They are also the only single digit favorite (9-1 or less) to win the Super Bowl so I am going with that trend to continue.

Official Talk 2012 College Football Predictions

The season is finally here.  The offseason of chaos involving Penn State and the rest of the non sense can be put on the backburner for now.  Its all about watching the games on Saturdays from noon to midnight and following the road to the BCS Championship on January 7, 2013 in Miami, Florida.

The predictions of the 2012-12 college football season from Kevin, Alex and myself are below in the table.

Champion	Alex	Ty	Kevin
ACC Atlantic	Clemson	Florida State	Florida State
ACC Coastal	Virginia Tech	Virginia Tech	Virginia Tech
ACC Champion	Virginia Tech	Florida State	Florida State
Big East	South Florida	South Florida	Louisville
Big 10 Leaders	Wisconsin	Wisconsin	Wisconsin
Big 10 Legends	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan State
Big 10 Champion	Michigan	Michigan	Michigan State
Big 12	Oklahoma	Oklahoma	Oklahoma
SEC East	Georgia	Georgia	Georgia
SEC West	LSU	LSU	LSU
SEC Champion	LSU	LSU	Georgia
PAC12 North	Oregon	Oregon	Oregon
PAC12 South	USC	USC	USC
PAC12 Champion	USC	USC	USC
Mountain West	Fresno State	Nevada	Fresno State
C-USA West	SMU	SMU	Houston
C-USA East	Southern Miss	Southern Miss	Southern Miss
C-USA Champion	SMU over Southern Miss	SMU over Southern Miss	Houston over Southern Miss
MAC East	Bowling Green	Ohio	Miami OH
MAC West	Western Michigan	Western Michigan	Western Michigan
MAC Champion	Bowling Green	Western Michigan	Western Michigan
WAC	Louisana Tech	Louisana Tech	Louisana Tech
Sun Belt	Louisana	Louisana	FIU
Notre Dame’s W-L record for 2012	7-5	8-4	9-3
Sleepers to win BCS Title	BYU and Arkansas	Texas and Arkansas	West Virginia and Texas
2012 Heisman Trophy Winner	Denard Robinson, QB, Michigan, Senior	Matt Barkley, QB, USC, Senior	Matt Barkley, QB, USC, Senior
2012 Fraud Team that is overrated right now	Florida State	TCU	Florida
2013 BCS National Title Game	LSU over Michigan	USC over Florida State	Florida State over Georgia

Ty’s 2011-12 NBA Predictions

I’d like to thank the greedy NBA players and owners for coming to this agreement because a spring without the NBA playoffs may of been depressing.

On with the show!!!

Award Predictions:

Most Improved Player: James Anderson, G/F, San Antonio

I would not be surprised if Evan Turner wins this award.

6th Man:  James Harden, G, Oklahoma City

Big game James will be ready to play as usual and continue to embrace his bench role.

Rookie of The Year:  Kyrie Irving, G, Cleveland

Horrible rookie class this year but Irving will win ROY over Kemba Walker in the end.

Defensive Player:  Dwight Howard, C, Orlando (For Now)

I do not think he finishes the season in Orlando but he will be the best interior defender in the NBA regardless of where he plays.

Coach:  Vinny Del Negro,  Los Angeles Clippers

You have to be a tard to mess up the CP3/Blake Griffin duo

MVP:  Kevin Durant, F, Oklahoma City

It will be Kevin Durant’s NBA this year and we will just watch him own it.

Eastern Conference Order of Finish Predictions

(*) Division Winner

1. *Miami Heat      Will LeBron stop choking?
   

   These jokes "should" end this June but we will see

2. *Chicago Bulls   Richard Hamilton will help at the 2 guard but Boozer stinks.
3. *NY Knicks   Tyson Chandler was a huge addition that will improve the defense.  If  B Diddy still has anything left then the Knicks can make a deep playoff run.
4. Boston Celtics   This team is old as dirt and the music stops this year.
5. Orlando Magic  Hopefully they get a good deal for Dwight Howard.
6. Atlanta Hawks  Team will miss Crawford but Smitty needs to step up on offense.
7. Indiana Pacers   David West was a nice addition to and already decent front line.
8. Philly 76ers   The 76ers sneak in and get the last playoff spot.
9. Milwaukee Bucks  It would not surprise me to see the Bucks get in with Stephen Jackson on the team now.
10. Washington Wizards  John Wall will take it to the next level this season but the rest of the team needs to become better passers.
11. New Jersey Nets  If the don’t resign Deron Williams then the move to Brooklyn will be a dud.
12. Detroit Pistons  Joe Dumars used to be the man at GM but now he is epic failing by signing Charlie Villenueva type players to overpaid contracts.
13. Toronto Raptors  Contraction?
14. Cleveland Cavaliers  Kyrie Irving will gun at will to win ROY easily.
15. Charlotte Bobcats  0-66?  Lol impossible but this will be a pathetic basketball team at best.

Eastern Conference Finals:  Miami Heat over the Chicago Bulls in six games.

Western Conference Order of Finish Predictions

1. *Oklahoma City Thunder   If Westbrook can pass to Durant then a championship will be won in June.
2. *L.A. Clippers  The CP3 and Blake show will be must see TV this season.
3. L.A. Lakers  Team is aging and Mike Brown has not been the greatest NBA head coach but he knows how to coach elite defense.
4. *Memphis Grizzlies  Lionel Hollins has a squad here in Memphis.  Zach Randolph is a boss on and off the court.
5. Dallas Mavericks   Defending champs will miss Chandler and Barea.  Vince Carter is soft as a Downy pillow.
6. Portland Trail Blazers   No longer known as the Jail Blazers.   Wes Matthews, Crawford and Aldridge can take this team to the conference finals.
7. San Antonio Spurs   This will probably be the last year of Duncan, Manu and Parker.   They need to get younger.
8. Denver Nuggets   Ronnie Brewer will help on defense.  Aron Affalo is underrated and Nene will continue to get it done on defense.
9. Houston Rockets  If they would of allowed the first CP3 trade then the Rockets would of been a 5 seed.
10. Utah Jazz   Derrick Favors and Gordon Haywood’s development will be the difference between playoffs and no playoffs.
11. Golden State Warriors   Mark Jackson will have success here but not this season.  They need to trade Monta Ellis to free up Curry.
12. Minnesota T-Wolves  Time to see if Ricky Rubio is all hype.
13. New Orleans Hornets  Team has some talent with Gordon and Landry but it will have bad chemistry due to lockout ball.
14. Sacramento Kings  DeMarcus Cousins could be the real deal if he can get his head right.
15. Phoenix Suns  Epic Fail

Western Conference Finals:  Oklahoma City Thunder over the Los Angeles Lakers in six games.

2012 NBA Finals Winner: 

LeBron saw a sports psychiatrist during the lockout to get over the choking

Miami Heat over the Oklahoma City Thunder in seven games.   The Finals should be great with Durant vs the South Beach Big 3 but with another year together the Heat should be nearly unstoppable this season.

Ty’s 2011-12 College Basketball Predictions

The 2011-12 college basketball season should be one of the best seasons in years with the surprise returns of Perry Jones, Terrence Jones, Harrison Barnes, Jared Sullinger and Tyler Zeller.   The sport is loaded with talent and since the NBA was to fight over percentage points, this maybe all the basketball we have this year.

All American 1st Team

G        Jeremy Lamb     UConn    Soph

F        Harrison Barnes   UNC    Soph

F        Perry Jones    Baylor    Soph

C        Jared Sullinger    Ohio State   Soph

C       Anthony Davis    Kentucky   Freshman

2nd Team

G   John Jenkins   Vandy  Junior

G   Jordan Taylor   Wisconsin Sr

F   Terrence Jones   Kentucky  Soph

F   Doug McDermott Creighton So

C    Tyler Zeller  UNC  Sr

Regular Season Conference Champion Predictions

ACC:  North Carolina Tar Heels

Atlantic 10:  Xavier Minutemen

Big10:  Ohio State Buckeyes

Big East:  UConn Huskies

Big12:  Baylor Bears

C-USA: Memphis Tigers

Mountain West:  New Mexico Lobos

Missouri Valley:  Creighton Bluejays

Pac-12:  Arizona Wildcats

Sleeper Teams to make noise

Cal Golden Bears

Wichiata State Shockers

Virginia Cavaliers

Detroit Mercy (Ray McCallum is the real deal)

Sweet 16 Bound

North Carolina Tar Heels

Duke Blue Devils

Ohio State Buckeyes

Michigan Wolverines

Pittsburgh Panthers

Syracuse Orangemen

UConn Huskies

Baylor Bears

Memphis Tigers

Creighton Bluejays

Xavier Minutemen

Kentucky Wildcats

Vanderblit Commedores

Florida Gators

Arizona Wildcats

UCLA Bruins

Elite 8 Predictions

North Carolina over Syracuse

Kentucky over Duke

Ohio State over Vanderblit

UConn over Baylor

Final Four Predictions

North Carolina over UConn

Ohio State over Kentucky

National Championship Game

The Ohio State Buckeyes will upset the North Carolina Tar Heels on April 2nd to win the National Championship.  Thad Matta finally gets his first championship ring.

Raiders trade TWO HIGH DRAFT PICKS for a BAG OF SALT!! WHAT!?

The Oakland Raiders traded their 2012 first round pick and 2013 second round pick with conditional conditions.  If the Raiders win a playoff game this season the pick then becomes a first round draft pick as well.  Two high draft picks for……..Carson Palmer?! Huh? The same Carson Palmer who has done squat since suffering a torn ACL in the 2005 playoff game versus Pittsburgh? That guy?!

"I should have played baseball"

In defense for the Raiders, they did just lose their starting QB Jason Campbell for the season.  The Raiders record currently stands at 4-2, and are in prime position to make a run for the division or a wild card berth.  This is the Raiders best season since the 2002 Super Bowl run. The Raiders record after that season is a combined 37-91 not counting this season, so I can understand the necessity of winning now, but TWO potential first rounders can kill long term growth for a team.  That is two potential starters that the Raiders will miss out on for a player that has not played all season.  Did the Raiders not see how the Colts have failed this season with now injured Kerry Collins?! Kerry Collins was drinking a beer and eating chips on his couch when the Colts called him to play football a couple weeks before the season started.  Guess who was sitting next to him? Carson Palmer!

"This was a disaster"

Raiders coach Hue Jackson better hope this experiment works, if it doesn’t heads will roll.  Next year the Raiders only have a fifth and sixth round draft picks.  The Raiders do expect to earn compensatory picks for losing Nnamdi Asomugha, Zach Miller, Robert Gallery, Bruce Gradkowski, and Thomas Howard to free agency this past offseason.  Still the Raiders leave a lot of head scratching on this move, like who was really behind giving up TWO potential first rounders?  One first round pick is extremely too much for Carson Palmer! But TWO!  I guess the Raiders are on a Super Bowl or Bust mindset, unfortunately BUST is more likely to happen.

"Jeah! Send the Trade!"

Ty’s Midseason College Predictions and Review

The BCS was just released and it was what we all expected.   LSU, Alabama, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State and Boise State are the top 5 teams right now and I could not disagree.   Is that how things will stand on Sunday, December 4th for the Bowl Selection Show?  Since current #1 LSU will play #2 Alabama on November 5th, and #3 Oklahoma will travel to Stillwater to face Oklahoma State for Bedlam on December 3rd, we know for sure that two of the top five will lose at least one game.  Here is how I think it will unfold from here along with a review and player/team awards.  For the record those of you who saw my picks in July I had Alabama over Oklahoma in the BCS Title Game.

Midseason Awards:

Epic Fail Award for a team:  Florida State Seminoles

This team made me look stupid again this season but they pretty much made everybody look stupid this year.

Epic Fail Award for a player:  Steven Garcia, QB, South Carolina

He is trash and always has been trash.   It is a shame that it took Spurrier four years to kick him off the team.

"I am the Legend"

Surprise Team Award:  Kansas State Wildcats

Bill Synder is doing it again.   He is a legend

Surprise Player Award:  Tyrann Mathieu, CB, LSU

The “Honey Badger” is the new Charles Woodson of CFB

National Freshman of the Year:  Sammy Watkins, WR, Clemson

This kid is going to win the ACC MVP as a freshman.   He is could be one of the best players in ACC history when it is all said and done.

National Defensive Player of Year: Melvin Ingram, DE, South Carolina

I think he has more touchdowns than WR and teammate Alshon Jeffery lol

"Either run with me, or run from me, or get ran OVER!"F

Midseason Heisman Winner:  Trent Richardson, RB, Alabama

Sticking with my July prediction here.

Midseason Conference Champion Predictions

ACC:   Clemson over Virginia Tech

Big East: West Virginia

Big10:  Wisconsin over Nebraska

Big12:  Oklahoma Sooners

CUSA:  Houston over Southern Miss

MAC:  Toledo over Temple

Mountain West: Boise State Broncos

SEC:  Alabama over Georgia

Sun Belt: Louisana-Lafayette Ragin Cajins

Pac12:  Stanford over Arizona State

WAC: Nevada Wolfpack

BCS Bowl Predictions

Rose:   Stanford Cardinal vs Wisconsin Badgers

Sugar:  LSU Tigers vs Oregon Ducks

Orange:  Clemson Tigers vs West Virginia Mountaineers

Fiesta:  Oklahoma State Cowboys vs Boise State Broncos

BCS National Championship Game:  Alabama Crimson Tide vs Oklahoma Sooners

Sticking with my prediction from July.  To all the gamblers out there I would recommend putting some money on Oklahoma State to win it all.  They were 15-1 yesterday on a few sites and they control their own destiny.

Enough of the DRAMA! Pac-12 stays at TWELVE!

"What character should each Big 12 school play??"

As the college football world turns…….the Big 12 needs to just get it together!  With all the “will they stay” and “will they go” drama going on the Pac-12 made the decision for the four Big 12 teams that have been speculated in joining the conference, “After careful review we have determined that it is in the best interests of our member institutions, student-athletes and fans to remain a 12-team conference,” straight from Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott’s mouth.  Their are many issues in regards of the revenue sharing between the other 15 supposed Pac-12 schools and the University of Texas’s “Longhorn Network.”  The top issue was: Texas was not going to share any revenue with the other schools.

Now the Big 12 is still in need of adding one team to three teams, and that is if it can keep Missouri who has been rumored to being the SEC’s 14th school.  Not to mention, Texas can still leave to the ACC or go independent. Texas and Oklahoma officials are supposed to meet this week to discuss a possible five-year commitment from all the current Big 12 teams.  Oklahoma wants the Big 12 to put regulations on Texas and their Longhorn Network, and also is calling for the ousting of current Big 12 commissioner Dan Beebe.  Oklahoma believes Beebe is not a functional commissioner especially with the Big 12 losing Nebraska and Texas A&M under his watch.  In order to change the commissioner though, a majority vote has to be reached by the nine Big 12 school presidents.

"Well that is a $997,000 question!"

If the Big 12 stays together the major changes that were to happen to college football will be delayed, while the minor changes will have some effect.  But mainly in basketball.  While in football it is rumored that BYU will be the school that replaces A&M in the conference, but it wants to be assured that the Big 12 conference will remain intact before they begin the application process.  If the Big 12 loses Missouri to the SEC as well, Southern Methodist University or the University of Houston would replace Missouri in the Big 12.  If somehow the Big 12 can convince TCU to renege on the Big East and join the Big 12 that would be a great benefit to the conference as  well.  In fact add in Rice as well.  Bring back all the old Texas rivalries!!

"Only in Texas do people get excited about Rice vs Houston!!!"

Kobe Time! In Italy??!

"Future Mitchell and Ness Jersey??!"

There are exactly TWO WEEKS till training camps across the NBA are scheduled to start, if the players aren’t locked-out of course! Today is the 82nd day since the NBA players went on strike, and it seems as if NOTHING has changed since Day 1.  Few of the players from the NBA took matters into their own hands and…..left the NBA.  Forever? Maybe not, but for now, yes.  Many of the players that left temporary(again, maybe) are players like Leandro Barboso(Toronto) and Nicolas Batum (Portland) are returning back to Brazil and France, their country of origin.  Foreign-born players were always speculated to leaving the NBA for basketball leagues in their home country.  What many people were waiting on was a BIG name player to take their talents overseas.  Deron Williams of the New Jersey Nets was the first big name to ink with an overseas team, “Beşiktaş” from the Turkish basketball league.  Other big name players like Carmelo Anthony and Kevin Durant have flirted publicly that playing overseas is an option that they may exercise.  The big name though, Kobe Bryant, has been mentioned many times about playing overseas.  Kobe has publicly came forward during interviews and expressed his desire in continuing to play professional basketball during the lockout, and it seems as if Kobe’s agent, Rob Pelinka, has made that desire come true.  Kobe’s camp is currently hammering out a deal that will pay Kobe $600,000 each game for the Italian team “Virtus Bologna.”  Kobe is due to make $25 million this season from the Lakers, but if their is no season, then no money.

Kobe’s love for the game cannot be bought.  Kobe has played in games ranging from the Olympics to Rucker Park, it does not matter to him as long as their is a hoop.  Kobe playing the season in Italy is a huge possibility, he spent plenty of years in Italy and is fluent in Italian.  The NBA doesn’t seem as if it will begin on time, let alone at all.  If the NBA does begin sometime this season their is a clause in the contract that allows Kobe to leave the team and return back to LA.  So why not?!

An injury could jeopardize the $25 million or even the entire contract itself which is a three-year $90 million contract. Small potatoes.  That is money that Kobe will only miss out on, not lose. The same Owner of the Virtus Bologna, Claudio Sabatini, is also trying to lure back former Bologna star Mannu Ginobili back to the team as well.  Seems as if it could be the making of a colossal team in Bologna?! Everyone knows how much Kobe wants to play with a competitive team, and to say that you won a NBA Championship, Olympic Gold Metal, and a Italian League Championship, not many players can say that.  The NBA lockout does not look like its going to end anytime soon, and life does go on and bills have to be paid.  If Kobe joins the growing pool of NBA players  this offseason that have defected from the NBA to an overseas team, the owners may have to rethink their negotiating strategies.  If their are no NBA players left, then their will be no league.  So who will be the next NBA superstar to go, cause it doesn’t look like the owners are going to back down anytime soon!

"Turkey, Italy, or Spain???"