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On Friday night, the Los Angeles Lakers and the Boston Celtics had themselves a basketball. It wasn’t shortly thereafter that everyone was talking about the revival of their old rivalry.

It’s not a rivalry. Not yet anyways.

These two teams haven’t faced one another in the playoffs since the 80s. They haven’t had highly anticipated games scheduled for Christmas. There’s a friendly rivalry between Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce, but it’s nothing like the rivalry between Magic Johnson and Larry Bird. Those two guys could be playing an exhibition game in the preseason, and they’d have the arena feeling like a playoff atmosphere.

As much as people want to see it, there’s no rivalry between these two teams just yet.

In fact, there aren’t too many rivalries in the NBA today period.

Sure, there’s a few matchups that people look forward to in the past few years. Mavericks vs Spurs. Mavericks vs Suns. Lakers vs Kings. There’s even been a few player matchups that generates a few extra ratings points. Bryant vs McGrady. Bryant vs Wade. Yao vs O’Neal. James vs Anthony.

However, none of those are really blood rivalries like the ones we witnessed several years ago.

Remember when the Boston Celtics and the Detroit Pistons would play? The league had to hire SWAT teams to replace the referees. During the playoffs, they had to use an entire section of the United States Army to keep control of the players. Broken teeth, bloody noses, groin shots, etc. And that was just during shootarounds and pregame interviews.

That type of rivalry defined intensity. It wasn’t just those two teams either.

The New York Knicks and the Miami Heat used to wage war against one another. Off the court, Alonzo Mourning and Patrick Ewing are as close as brothers. Once they put on those uniforms, they battled one another with the ferocity of pit bulls.

The Cleveland Cavaliers spent years chasing Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls. Though they never were able to beat the Great One, no one could possibly accuse them of not trying. They gave as much effort as humanly possible.

Those were rivalries. What we have today (including the “rivalry” between Los Angeles Lakers and Boston Celtics) doesn’t even come close.

Nazr Mohammed is on the trading block.

The Detroit Pistons are rumored to be very interested in bringing veteran Chris Webber back into the fold. In order to do that, they’re going to have to clear some money. With Nazr Mohammed making approximately $6 million a year and playing horribly thus far, he’s the prime candidate to be moved.

Nazr Mohammed has played in every game this season, but he’s averaging a little more than 10 minutes a game. There’s a good chance that the big man isn’t in line for more minutes as head coach Flip Saunders has started experimenting with rookie Cheikh Samb as the second big man off the bench. Jason Maxiell remains the Pistons’ primary backup big man.

When you’re the fourth or fifth big man in the rotation making $6 million a year, chance are you’re going to be on the trading block. It also doesn’t help when a former all-star is waiting in free agency to replace you.

With averages of 4 points and 3 rebounds a game, teams aren’t exactly banging on the Pistons’ door. However, one thing that Nazr Mohammed has that can never be taken away is the fact that he’s 6′11″, 260. Teams are still in need of size. Nazr Mohammed can still be a starter for a few teams in the league. At the very least, he can be the primary big man off the bench for teams.

The Cleveland Cavaliers would probably part with Eric Snow to acquire Nazr Mohammed if they’re absolutely certain that they won’t be able to bring back Anderson Varajao. Right now, the Cavaliers only have Drew Gooden and Zydrunas Ilgauskas as big men who have played more than 10 games this season.

It’ll be interesting to see what Joe Dumars can pull off. We’re sure he’s going to be working the phones pretty hard to make something happen so the team can bring back Chris Webber.

The New Mexico Lobos should be an easy pick Saturday as they face the UNLV Rebels. The spread set at New Mexico minus 10.5. UNLV has been very inconsistent and is even worse on the road. New Mexico should easily cover this by a touchdown or two. Free College Football pick: New Mexico - 10.5.

Washington Wizards guard Gilbert Arenas will be out for three months.

Gilbert Arenas had surgery on his knee late last season. He probably should have kept the receipt since he had to undergo two different surgical procedures on Wednesday to reduce the swelling and soreness. The knee has been bothering GIlbert Arenas all season. Of course, you wouldn’t know it by watching him play since he was still able to produce 22 points, 6 assists, 4 rebounds, and 2 steals a game.

As expected, Gilbert Arenas had plenty to say about the situation. He talked about doing the surgery now as opposed to risking his long term durability. Some may foolishly think that he’s being selfish, but we’re pretty sure that the guys that’s paying him millions of dollars would rather have him for the long term.

While the Wizards managed to win without Gilbert Arenas, they do realize that those two wins were over the Portland Trailblazers and the Philadelphia 76ers. Right now, that’s not necessarily an impossible feat. The Wizards aren’t foolish enough to think that it won’t be difficult without Gilbert Arenas. However, it’s not entirely impossible for them to stay afloat while their leader is out.

Right now, the Wizards have forward Caron Butler and forward Antawn Jamison averaging a combined 41 points a game. With Gilbert Arenas out, those two guys are certainly going to be getting more shots per game. They should be able to bump their combined average to about 45-50 points a game.

Guard Antonio Daniels will step into the starting lineup to fill in for Gilbert Arenas. As primarily a backup this year, Antonio Daniels is averaging 6 points and 4 assists a game. He’s doing that in 25 minutes of play. With more minutes available and more shots available, we’re pretty sure Antonio Daniels can up his average to 12 points and 7 assists. He might even score more than that. The former lottery pick has never been shy about launching the ball.

When looking over the Wizards bench, there’s not really anyone that stands out as being capable of doubling their scoring average. The best the team can hope for is that everyone collectively increases their averages.

Without Gilbert Arenas, the Wizards aren’t going to be as fun to watch. Nor will they be as fun to listen to. However, they’ll still be in the hunt.

Every year during Thanksgiving, people enjoy a relaxing time with family, eating delicious food and for many, watching the traditional Macy’s Thanksgiving parade along with the NFL games throughout the day. NFL games during Thanksgiving have been memorable and give all of us something to enjoy. Dallas, Green Bay, and Detroit have been staples during these games and it is good to see these teams this year along with some new teams as well. The NFL matchups this year are lopsided however as two games feature a team with a great winning record against a losing one the other game features a slightly above 500 team.

The early game is between the dominating Green Bay Packers who are 9-1 against the Detroit Lions who are 6-4. This seems like it is going to be a game dominated by the Packers as Brett just has thrown like his old days of glory and Detroit seems mediocre at best right now compared to other teams. The team has plenty of talent, especially at the wide receiver position but just has not beat teams that it should. The only plus for the Lions here is that it is a Thanksgiving day game and the team is 4-1 at home but the minuses are that they are playing against the prolific Brett Farve and his rejuvenated passing game.

The second game features a very lopsided match with America’s team, the Dallas Cowboys, going against the New York Jets. The Boys are 9-1 this season and are always great for Thanksgiving games, especially for those games where Leon Lett played. The team has been dominating teams in the second half except for the game against the Patriots. The 2-8 Jets have switched to quarterback Kellen Clemens, are without one of their best receivers in Laveranues Coles, and have been without LB Jonathan Vilma for a while. This should be a big mismatch but hopefully the Jets will bring an extra punch for this game and keep it interesting for people watching.

The last game of the day will feature another lopsided match as Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts bring their 8-2 record against the 3-7 Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons won 2 games in a row before losing the last. Read Petrino Benches Winning QB for my views on that. Atlanta’s run game has been abysmal and it’s passing game has not been any better with average QB and receivers who do not stand out and drop plenty of passes. Warrick Dunn is still the starting running back even with a talented backup, Jerious Norwood, who could start somewhere else. Atlanta maybe able to pull a win here if Petrino would stick to what he has got in talent because Indianapolis struggled against Kansas City last week and are full of injuries.

Well Happy Thanksgiving to all the fans out there and have fun watching those NFL games. Maybe next year we should do a special NFL Thanksgiving meal plates and see what everyone eats.

Trade talks involving Philadelphia 76ers guard Andre Miller have been heating up as of late.

First of all, this is a great position for the 76ers to be in. They’re not desperate to get rid of Andre Miller by any means. They’re simply entertaining offers because he’s a wanted commodity right now.

A lot of casual fans don’t realize how valuable of a player that Andre Miller is. They’re accustomed to seeing flashy passing and high flying dunks. That’s not what Andre Miller is about. What he is is a steady veteran guard who is more than capable of running an offense. In fact, if you’re talking about “pure” point guards, he ranks right behind Steve Nash and Jason Kidd. For these guys, passing isn’t just the first option. It’s not just the second option. It’s also the third option. Scoring comes in dead last on their priority list.

The two biggest suitors for Andre Miller right now appear to be the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat.

For the Cavaliers, Andre Miller would relieve LeBron James of quite a bit of the ballhandling duties. It would allow him to roam more often on the offensive side to exploit mismatches. If Andre Miller was more capable of shooting, then this trade would be perfect. LeBron James should still do some playmaking and ballhandling because very few forwards can defend him when he’s doing that. However, he would need a sharpshooting guard to kick it out to.

The Miami Heat realize how Andre Miller would be more valuable on a veteran team like their’s than he is on a young team like the 76ers. With Dwayne Wade, Ricky Davis, and Shaquille O’Neal, scoring is the last thing that the team would ask of Andre Miller. Plus, with that many options on offense, Andre Miller should be able to get in 10 assists nightly.

There’s also a few other unnamed teams that are interested in Andre Miller. It’ll be interesting to see where he goes.

The Los Angeles Lakers traded guard Maurice Evans and forward Brian Cook to the Orlando Magic for guard Trevor Ariza.

Since it didn’t involve a big name player, the majority of NBA fans basically shrugged their shoulders and ignored this trade. The hardcore basketball fans, though, see the potential for this trade to help out both teams.

Maurice Evans will never be a superstar, but he’s a solid role player who can provide backup minutes at both wing spots.

Out of the three players involved in this trade, Brian Cook has the most potential to make the biggest impact. No, he’s not going to be providing 20 points and 10 rebounds a night. He won’t be even close. What he will provide is an outside shooting threat that can pull the opposing forwards and centers away from the paint. His ability to free up space for Dwight Howard to dominate inside is going to be very valuable.

Trevor Ariza is far from being an all-star player, but he does have potential to explode against certain matchups. If he can provide enough of a burst off the bench for the Lakers at the two wing spots, then he’ll be worth the two veteran role players that the Lakers gave up to get him.

Under appreciated trades like these are great for the league.

Bobby Petrino has to be a nut job or thinks that he is still in the NCAA fighting for a Big East title with Louisville. After winning two games in a row, he decides to change the quarterback position up and see how the game goes and the end result is a blowout loss.

Granted, Joey Harrington, the starting quarterback during the team’s minimal win streak was lack luster at best with 14 completions in 25 attempts, 138 passing, and 1 interception, and 0 touchdowns in week 9 versus a weaker San Francisco team and with 19 completions in 26 attempts, 192 passing, and o interceptions, and 1 touchdown in week 10 versus the Carolina Panthers. The run game contributed a lot during these games as well but the end result of the team winning two in a row is what counts.

Petrino decides to pull Harrington after the Carolina win and try a slower, immobile Byron Leftwich who went 15 for 28 with 3 sack, 2 interceptions, and a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. Tampa Bay is not the time to switch out a quarterback when your on a roll and it’s not the best time to test the timing of receivers and the new quarterback even if in practice there appears to be chemistry. The team won two games in a row with the starters and that is how it should have remained Mr Petrino.

Oh yeah, Harrington came in after Leftwich went to the bench and went 16 for 20 and a touchdown. We know both of these guys are not a permanent solution but why change the quarterback when you were winning. Brilliant idea, very brilliant idea.

The free pick tonight is for men’s NCAA college basketball in the Penn vs. Citadel match-up.  Although Citadel has been blown out in it’s two losses by more than 20 points each outing, Penn has not any games period. Citadel faced two tough opponents in Southern Cal and South Carolina so comparing their match-up against Penn cannot be determined. Demetrius Nelson should keep Citadel close in the game, well under the 16 point spread. Our view, take Citadel plus 16 points.

The NCAA college football roller-coaster continues with the loss of the Oregon Ducks to the Arizona Wildcats in a 34-24 routing that ended in the first quarter after star quarterback Dennis Dixon went down after re-injuring his knee. The championship hopeful team is just a number of teams that have brought hope to students, alumni, and fans only to let the chance to win the national championship slip between the crack. Lets look at some of the major upsets this year.

The biggest upset this year and probably other years occurred in the very first week as Appalachian State upset then number 5 ranked Michigan who was so favored to win that there was not even a sports betting line on the game. Michigan fans got their hopes dashed in the very first game and Lloyd Carr, well the question if he would remain Michigan’s head coach definitely lingered in people’s minds.

Both UCLA fans and Georgia fans followed in misery after both teams loss in the following weeks. Georgia loss only by 4 points to a touch South Carolina team but the Bruins got dominated by Utah in a lopsided 44-6 loss where the team only mustered 2 field goals. Number 9 ranked Louisville also showed their weak defense that week in a shootout loss to the Kentucky Wildcats and would lose the following week to a very sorry Syracuse team. Meanwhile the Big Ten conference does what it normally does which is beat up each other with Michigan beating Penn State.

Week 5 brought a surprising end to West Virginia and Pat White and Steve Slaton’s championship run as the South Florida Bulls made their own run in a 21-13 defensive struggle. The same week, both number 3 Oklahoma and number 7 Texas both were upset before their Big Red River Shootout and Auburn again beat an undefeated Florida team.

Week 6 saw the end of the Wisconsin Badgers championship hope with a loss to Ron Zook’s Illini team and one of the bigger upsets of the year as Jim Harbaugh lead his Stanford Cardinals to one of their biggest wins of the year over then number 2 USC. This meant that the Trojans were kicked out of any chance of winning a national championship by losing to a team other PAC-10 teams just dominated.

The South Florida Bulls brought an overrated number 2 ranking into week 8 and were upset by a very talented team in Rutgers. South Florida has always been overrated to me with a decent defense but a mediocre offense. If they played any elite school like LSU or Ohio State, they would get demolished. Sorry Bull fans but that’s just how it is after the loss to Rutgers but the loss to Connecticut and Cincinnati the following weeks just showed the team could not be balanced enough.

Arizona State brought one of it’s highest rankings in years into a battle against Oregon but failed to deliver fans an exciting outcome by losing 35-23 and Boston College and New England fans finally bit the final nail as the Eagles lost to Florida State 27-17. Boston College just didn’t have enough steam in tougher match-ups to live up to the ranking.

Ohio State Buckeye fans were shocked to see their number 1 ranked team and national championship hopeful fall to Ron Zook’s talented Illini team 28-21. With that upset, everything was again shaken up in the college football ranking with only 1 unbeaten team left, Kansas, with a very tough schedule remaining in Missouri and Oklahoma.

Number 2 Oregon’s loss means that several teams have a chance at the national championship with LSU in the lead and in control and Kansas, if they can win out, will make a surprising visit to Mark Magino’s first Championship appearance.  Jayhawk nation will certainly be in an uproar for the next couple of weeks to see if their team can reach the big game by beating a pair of the Big 12’s best teams in Missouri and Oklahoma. LSU has an easier schedule in Mississippi and Arkansas but will face a challenge in the SEC championship game.

The chance to be in the national championship is definitely not set in stone as the season has shown many teams faltering with their chances and so many teams with one or two losses ready to take the leap at either a shot at the big game or at least a BCS bowl berth. My prediction is LSU holds on to the number 1 spot and Oklahoma takes out Kansas to take over the number 2 spot and play for the national championship.