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BOBBY JUST BEING BOBBY

07/03/06 - SEVEN

You may not want to hold your breath on that upcoming New Edition reunion tour if Sunday's Essence show was any sign of things to come.  According to reports Brown performed a whopping total of two songs with his fellow band mates, ignoring the others tightly choreographed dance moves while running around on stage like a mad man performing "raunchy" dance moves.  He then disappeared for the remainder of their set only to pop back up at the end for a few solo numbers that culminated with a shirtless Brown talking about his bedroom business while many of the audience (die hard NE fans) booed Brown and yelled at him to get off the stage.  That's just being Bobby Brown I guess.   

http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/03072006/2/entertainment-singer-bobby-brown-raunchy-reunion-new-edition-jeered-during.html

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AND THEN THERE WERE 14?

07/03/06 - SEVEN

We are still a few days away from the unveiling of this seasons cast of Big Brother Allstars but that doesn't mean that people with waaaay too much free time on their hands haven't started watching the live feeds.  Thats right apparently the live feeds of an empty house are up and running and images are being posted through the world web that is wide.  The biggest revelation so far?  14 chairs around the table.  That's right boys and girls, 14.  So the big question is will out last two houseplants be part of the previously announced 20, or someone else?  Stay tuned...

UPDATE:

Some more shots of the house went up later on this after noon and now there are only 12 seats at the table and 12 picture frames on the wall.  Did someone catch their mistake or is CBS just messing with the 10 people out there who are already desperate enough to be watching the live feeds before the show even starts? 

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NOT YOUR DAD'S NBA BALL

06/28/06 - SHOWTIME

The NBA has introduced a new Official Game Ball for the 2006-07 season.  The new ball manufactured by Spalding, features a new design and a new material that together offer better grip, feel, and consistency than that current leather ball.  This is the first change to the ball in over 35 years and only the second in 60 seasons.

The new ball features Spalding's Cross TraxxionTM technology.  The design is comprised of two interlocking, cross-shaped panels rather than the eight oblong panels found on traditional basketballs.  The material is a microfiber composite with moisture management that provides superior grip and feel throughout the course of a game.  Some say that the new composite material eliminates the need for a break-in period, which is necessary for the current leather ball.  If that is true, this is great news because now you won't have to subject your friends to play with your slick new leather ball until it becomes worn in.

This ball is for sale on NBAStore.com for $100 but it will not ship until October 31st.

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SAME BUCK, NEW COLOR

06/28/06 - SHOWTIME

After the logo was leaked months ago, the Milwaukee Bucks have officially unveiled their updated logo and new color scheme.  "We listened very closely to fan feedback and talked to our players.  We also consulted internally with key management, the NBA's creative staff, and the league licensees to arrive at this, our new identity," Bucks General Manager Larry Harris said.  "We're thrilled with the outcome.  Forest green has been a staple of our color scheme throughout team history, and we were able to couple that with the two other recognizable colors from the past - a striking version of red and silver from our previous logo."  The identity renewal process said to have lasted eighteen months.  The identity includes a refined primary logo, a refined secondary logo, and new home and road uniform designs that are suppose to drop in September.

“The historical Bucks forest green and the silver introduced in 1993 remain in the identity, but purple has been replaced by a deep red – more sophisticated than the classic red used in the Bucks’ color palette from 1968 through the mid-80’s,” Vice President of NBA Apparel Christopher Arena said. “The deep red is in line with the team’s history and representative of their renewed commitment to intensity and energy.”

The basic structure of the primary logo remains in place, but several areas have been enhanced. The wordmark “Bucks” now includes a more rigid, etched font with a retaining shape that mirrors the structure of the letters. The eyes of the buck have changed from purple to green, and the upside-down triangle that sits in the back of the logo has changed from purple to red. The box that outlines the word “Bucks” has been altered as well. A “MILWAUKEE” wordmark, although not used in the primary logo, was created and will be used on various team materials and licensed products. The secondary logo includes the same color changes, but also adds a shadowing effect to the antlers that provides more dimension to this mark.  In addition to the updated logo and new colors, the Bucks will also have a new playing court design for the Bradley Center and Training Center by late July to complement new uniforms for the 2006-07 season.

SHOWTIME'S TAKE:  For spending eighteen months on the design, it doesn't feel like much more than a new colorway to an existing logo.  I am in favor of the red over the purple but I can't possibly believe that this was the best concept presented.

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SPIDEY, SPIDEY, SPIDEY

06/27/06 - SEVEN

Words...can't...do...justice...

Just click the link and see it for yourself...

http://www.apple.com/trailers/sony_pictures/spider-man_3/

I'm not sure I've ever been this excited about a movie 10 months before it comes out...

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LONE WOLF - McCANTS COULD MISS ALL OF NEXT SEASON

06/26/06 - SHOWTIME

Rashad McCant will need to rehab from the microfracture surgery on his right knee and some say that it could take all of next season.  "That's the worst-case scenario," coach Dwane Casey said Monday. "That's a scenario that's there, that's real, and we have to be prepared for that. Hopefully it won't be for the whole season, but we're not going to put a timetable on it and rush him back."

McCants had soreness in his knee late last season, and Casey said it really started to flare up as the first-year player intensified his off-season workouts. McCants had surgery June 16, the same procedure that kept Phoenix star Amare Stoudemire out for most of last season. 

McCants averaged 7.9 points in 79 games this season but topped double figures in the last 12 games of the season as Casey increased his role with the team eliminated from playoff contention. He scored 28 points in a win over the Hawks on April 9 and developed into one of the team's best perimeter shooters, and one of the few young players on the team to build around. 

"He worked, he took the game seriously, he changed his approach and was really coming along," Casey said. "It will setback his progress. The most important thing is for him to continue his rehab and work hard on his rehabilitation and keep the same approach and focus that he had during the last two months of the season."  McCants spent the first few days after surgery at former MVP Kevin Garnett's house, a situation that Casey said helped lighten the youngster's mood.

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TAKE CARE...YOU TUBE!!!

06/24/06 - SEVEN

Okay so that headline was only funny to those of you who have heard Brian Regan.  Check him out if you have the chance.  That's not what I'm talking about though.  This week the Sports Guy posted his You Tube hall of fame.  You know, You Tube, the site that alongside Myspace and Droppin.com are changing the way kids with waaay to much time on their hands use the internet.  Anywho his list has a little too much Boston Sports in it for my taste, especially for a Yankee fan who would rather not remember game's 4-7, but there were a few items on their worth checking out.  Here are a few of my favorites:

This is your MVP?

The EPIC Jessie's Song

Time for the Birdman to fly

and the all time classic  BOOM GOES THE DYNAMITE

If you only watch one of these clips make sure you check out the boom goes the dynamite clip.  It's both the funniest and saddest thing I've seen in a long time.

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YOU LIKA DA JUICE?

06/24/06 - SHOWTIME

Randy Moss is broadening his expertise by becoming an executive and shareholder in the Inta Juice franchise which celebrated its grand opening today.  Inta Juice has 31 stores operating or scheduled to open in eight states.  They will sell over 50 different flavors of fruit smoothies, healthy snacks, and food products.

During the grand opening in Charleston, WV, Moss walked behind the counter in a pinstripe suit and traded his jacket for an apron and went to work making smoothies for customers.  In case you are wondering, the first smoothie Moss made was Luscious Lemon.

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UNI-FORUM: FROM SWAN TO UGLY DUCK

06/22/06 - SHOWTIME

The Anaheim Ducks unveiled the club's new logo, jerseys, and new name at a press conference held at the Arrowhead Pond of Anaheim.  They will no longer be called the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.  Owner Henry Samueli was quoted as saying, "We think the new logo and jersey portray the same passion and energy our players and fans bring to the building every night."

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OH BROTHER...

06/21/06 - SEVEN

It was tough but I managed to stomach a full hour of Julie Chen (and her fashion sense, seriously who dresses her?)  to find out who the 20 candidates for Big Brother 7 are.  Its pretty much who I thought it was give or take a Chicken George (no chance) or Monica, equally no chance.  If I had to put money on it here is who I think will be the 12 members of your Big Brother house (broken down into 6 women and 6 men of course).

Kaysar - If the voting is real he is the most popular player in BB history.

Will - Rumored to be one of the 6 who CBS promised a slot to.  I think he would get in on the vote but no way CBS misses a chance to put this villain back in.

Marcellas - Once again, the guy is on CBS's payroll and is essentially the face of BB.  he's in.

Howie - Fresh on everyone's mind but also rumored to be one of the 6 who was promised a slot.

Jase - I don't know if he gets in on the vote, but CBS needs conflict and Jase delivers.

Cowboy - This may be more of a personal choice.  But a summer of Cowboy is just good TV.

Alison - She is the female Will, whether she is voted in or not she is in the house.

Danielle - Considered one of the greatest players in BB history.  I heard she wasn't interested so I wonder if she was just placed in the 20 to fill out the numbers of females.  If not she is in.

Janelle - Kind of fits the Howie roll where in she is fresh in everyone's mind.  She probably leads the women in the popular vote and I have a feeling CBS wants to push all the skin they can this season.

From this point on the last three women are a crap shoot.  My money is on Erika, Ivette and either Dianne or Lisa.  I heard Lisa wasn't interested and she seemed to not be very motivated in her segments during the show so who knows.

I think this mix of players gives CBS the proper balance of ruthless gameplay, conflicting personalities, potential love interests, entertaining charcaters and girls who are willing to bust out a PB bikini or two.  That's all CBS seems to want out of the show.  Personally I'd like to see James in but I'm not sure he has the fan base or the rep to get in.  Check out CBS.com to cast your vote and tune in July 6th to find out who is in the house.

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SPIDEY REVEALED...

06/21/06 - SEVEN

No not Spider Man 3.  This is actually a little bit of comic book news.   Well anyway if you have ever followed Spidey at all I think its safe to say that the one thing that has always been a big focus of his stories was his secret identity and the idea that he needed to do anything possible to keep it secret to save his loved ones.  He has failed time and again but that's besides the point.  Now Spidey (or rather the folks at Marvel) have done the unthinkable.  Spider Man has revealed his identity to the world.  Should make for some interesting stories if you are into that sort of thing.  Normally I wouldn't have a whole lot to say about a story in a comic book but this story was actually big enough to make the New York Times.  The last comic book story I recall that hit the major news was Superman's death.  Hey if its good enough for them its good enough for Droppin.com right? 

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BEAT THE CURSE  TO THE PUNCH

06/21/06 - SHOWTIME

In a stunning move today, EA Sports is trying to keep a step ahead of the "Cover Curse" by putting on a player who already has injury issues.  People can't possibly blame any future injuries on the cover, right?

I don't think the curse is established on NBA Live but this could be the start of one.  Why in the world is T-Mac on the cover?  This makes little sense to me.   EA props up T-Mac by stating that he led the league in scoring in 2003 (3 seasons ago?) and that he embodies athleticism and masterful skill (when he is playing that is).  I do not hate T-Mac at all, in fact when he is on, you can't stop him but I just feel that the timing is off on this one.  I know, Lebron is probably too expensive, Kobe still needs to prove himself but there are quite a few other players who are more popular right now.  For instance, what about the following:  Steve Nash (MVP?), Dirk Nowitzki, any of the Pistons, Gilbert Arenas, Elton Brand (yes, even a Dookie), or Shawn Marion?  Oh well, the game should still be fun.

[IN STORES SEPTEMBER 26th]

NBA LIVE COVER HISTORY - North America:

NBA LIVE 07 - Tracy McGrady, Houston Rockets
NBA LIVE 06 - Dwyane Wade, Miami Heat
NBA LIVE 2005 - Carmelo Anthony, Denver Nuggets
NBA LIVE 2004 - Vince Carter, Toronto Raptors
NBA LIVE 2003 - Jason Kidd, New Jersey Nets
NBA LIVE 2002 - Steve Francis, Houston Rockets
NBA LIVE 2001 - Kevin Garnett, Minnesota Timberwolves
NBA LIVE 2000 - Tim Duncan, San Antonio Spurs
NBA LIVE 1999 - Antoine Walker, Boston Celtics
NBA LIVE 1998 - Tim Hardaway, Miami Heat
NBA LIVE 1997 - Mitch Richmond, Sacramento Kings
NBA LIVE 1996 - Shaquille O'Neal, Orlando Magic
NBA LIVE 1995 - New York Knicks vs Houston Rockets

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THE HEAT IS ON!

06/20/06 - SHOWTIME

Well, Wade and the Miami Heat are champions of the NBA.  The Heat overcame a 2-0 deficit in the series battle and won 4 straight games!  Impressive.  Dwyane Wade wins MVP honors after leading the Heat to a 95-92 win over the Mavericks in Game 6. 

I personally like both teams and did not ultimately care which team won.  I can say however that I am glad Shaq won a title without Kobe (before Kobe) just to distance himself from the Lakers team a bit.  I do believe that LA made the right move by keeping Kobe and shipping off Shaq but I do not think they expected Shaq to win any more titles.  Shaq has got to be feeling great about that.

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DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH

06/18/06 - SEVEN

Sounds like Dustin Diamond, better known as the amazing Screech, is about to lose his home.  So whats a washed up former Saved By The Bell actor to do?  Well if he was Jesse he could get naked in a bad movie, if he was Slater he could take the hosting gig on whatever lame show his agent finds him, if he  was Lisa he could get a job in a Boys II Men music video and if he was Zack he would get cast in a TV  show that at one time looked promising but was suddenly cancelled shortly after he signed on.  Unfortunately for Dustin he is none of these, so he has decided to sell Screech T-Shirts for $15 a pop.  Now  all he has to do is sell 20,000 of em!  Let me be the first to say SOS...SAVE OUR SCREECH!!!  Aww screw that,  if he can do it why can't I?  Coming soon to a website near you...the SEVEN SHIRT!!!

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NEWS OF THE ODD

06/16/06 - SEVEN

Just a little bit of odd news I ran across while doing the daily news surf over on yahoo.

The song may say that dead puppies aren't much fun but they can be useful as a weapon!

Dead Puppies

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JP IS A MOOOOVIE STAR!

06/16/06 - SEVEN

What's left for JP to take over?  How about Hollywood!  As far as I'm concerned JP should be setting his sights much much higher...say the white house!  JP for President in 2008 BABY!  Well maybe not but if you want to hear about his future as a movie star check out the link below thanks to Dark Horizons

http://www.darkhorizons.com/news06/060615d.php

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24 in NY

06/16/06 - SEVEN

How many times can Jack Bauer save LA?  Well it doesn't sound like we will get to find out if he does it again.  News has come out today that Jack will be spending the next season of 24 saving NY.  

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Mi-POD

06/16/06 - SHOWTIME

It was reported today that Microsoft is developing a music and video device to compete with Apple's iPod and creating their own music service to compete with iTunes.  One person who has seen a demonstration of the service said it was better than iTunes.  However, it is unclear when they plan to launch the device and service and Microsoft has declined to comment on the news.

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THESE LADIES ARE MAKING IT "EASY"

06/16/06 - SHOWTIME

The fun-loving music group, Barenaked Ladies (BNL) are set to release their first studio album in three years.  The first single off the album, "Easy" will drop on July 17th and the entire album, "Barenaked Ladies Are Me" will hit stores on September 12th.  BNL seems to always have a flair for doing things different and this release will not be an exception.  BNL will be releasing these new tunes in a variety of ways.  They will release the standard 13-track audio CD but there will also be a 27-song "deluxe edition" which will feature two dozen non-album tracks from the recording sessions.  One begs to wonder if they didn't make the album why would you want the tracks but knowing BNL, they are bound to be entertaining from at least a comedic perspective.  This release will also be sold on a USB flash memory stick.  Beginning August 12th, fans can pre-order another version of the "deluxe edition" that includes 29 tracks exclusively via iTunes.  If you visit their website, http://www.bnlmusic.com/, BNL has also made "Easy" and four other new songs available for fans to remix.  The five best submissions to BNL's website will be featured on an upcoming EP.

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UNI-FORUM IS BACK

06/14/06 - SHOWTIME

We have finally converted UNI-FORUM to the new droppin format.  If you have a passion for sports logos, uniforms, sports marketing, etc. you will want to visit UNI-FORUM.  (Click on the banner below)

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DRUNKEN DEVIL CAUGHT RIDIN' DIRTY

06/13/06 - SHOWTIME

As if Duke hasn't had enough bad press lately, another one of their sports heroes is in the news and it couldn't have happened to better person.  Former basketball star J.J. Redick was arrested early Tuesday on charges of drunken driving.  Redick was released on $1,000 bond and has lost his driving privileges in North Carolina for 30 days.

Redick had this to say about the incident, "I regret what happened last night and want to apologize to my family and the Duke community for the incident."  Redick has been making the rounds around the NBA working out for various teams who may be interested in his shooting ability in the upcoming NBA draft on June 28th.  On Monday however, he canceled a Wednesday workout with the Magic who hold the no. 11 pick in the draft.  After hearing the news the Portland Trailblazers immediately contacted J.J.'s agent to schedule a workout and interview to continue the tradition of signing troublemakers.

Coach K has also provided his two cents on the situation by stating, "J.J. knows he made a mistake and regrets it.  He represented the very best in college athletics and exhibited outstanding character at Duke the last four years.  He is and will continue to be a credit to the Duke basketball family.  As his friend and his coach he has my total support."  He should have also added that J.J. will add to the long list of Duke players that have failed to succeed in the NBA.

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Exclusive NBA Finals Kicks

06/13/06 - SHOWTIME

As reported on dimemag.com, the NBA dropped their own limited edition, black and gold Finals Shoe at the world’s only NBA Store on 5th Avenue and NBAStore.com. Only 60 pairs have been made available to the public and each shoe has been individually spray painted by an artist with the Larry O’Brien Trophy featured on the undersole of the shoe. They retail for $175.

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DROPPIN MUSIC - JANET JACKSON

06/13/06 - SHOWTIME

Starting Monday, Janet Jackson fans will be able to hear her new single, "Call on Me," which features rapper Nelly, as it will hit radio outlets on Monday.  "Call on Me" is the lead single from her new album, "20 Years Old," to be released Sept. 26, Virgin Records announced Monday.  Producers on the album include Jackson's boyfriend, Jermaine Dupri, and her longtime collaborators, Jimmy "Jam" Harris and Terry Lewis.  The 40-year-old pop star's last record, "Damita Jo" was released in 2004. "20 Years Old" marks the anniversary of her star-making album, "Control," released in 1986.

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UNI-FORUM - Minnesota Vikings

05/27/06 - SHOWTIME

This news is about a month old but I am finally getting around to posting something.  The Vikings have unveiled new uniforms for the upcoming season.  Here are some excerpts from their release as well as some photos.

After opening the festivities, Allen introduced Vikings Vice President of Sales and Marketing, Steve LaCroix, to the crowd. He spoke about the process of finding the right mixture of "tradition and modernity."

A short video documenting the history of the team's uniforms was then shown as Allen introduced former Viking greats. The video was a cross-section of some of the franchise's greatest players from their greatest seasons. Tommy Mason (#20), Jim Marshall (#77), Paul Krause (#22), Joey Browner (#47) and Randall McDaniel (#64) were decked out in replica jerseys coinciding with their era.

Finally, current Vikings appeared, dawning the new uniforms for the first time. Three uniforms were on display - home, road and alternate jerseys. The home jerseys, showcased by Matt Birk, Pat Williams and Troy Williamson, consisted of purple tops with white bottoms -- the traditional color combination fans are accustomed to seeing. However, the design of the jersey is slightly different, as a white stripe streaks down either sides of the tops. The jerseys feature white lettering and numbering with gold trim. The road jerseys, modeled by Pat Williams and Jermaine Wiggins, consist of the traditional white tops, but brand new purple pants. There is a purple stripe down the sides of the tops, and the jerseys feature purple lettering and numbering with gold trim. Additionally, an alternate jersey was introduced, modeled by Mewelde Moore and Jim Kleinsasser. The new-edition jerseys had white tops and pants, with a purple stripe down each side and purple lettering and numbering with gold trim.
 

OLD HELMET	NEW HELMET

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E3-06

05/12/06 - SEVEN

E3 is wrapping up today and there is definitely much to talk about after a show that took the wraps off of the Wii, PS3 and Halo 3.  So I'll take a day or two to gather my thoughts and post a best of worst of E3-06 sometime next week.  Until then take a gander at some of the links below for the best coverage of e3 that the information superhighway has to offer.

http://www.gamespot.com/e3/index.html

http://www.ign.com/e3/2006/

http://e3.1up.com/

http://www.gamedaily.com/e3-2006/

http://www.e3insider.com/

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FINAL FANTASY XIII

05/08/06 - SEVEN

My words can't do it justice.  Check out Gamespot for all the details and the first amazing screenshots of the next masterpiece in the Final Fantasy series.

http://www.gamespot.com/e3/e3story.html?sid=6149412

http://www.gamespot.com/e3/e3story.html?sid=6149480&pid=928790

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NFL DRAFT - OAKLAND RAIDERS

05/01/06 - SHOWTIME

I have to be honest, once Vince was off the board I was hoping that Leinart would fall to the Raiders but they went with the safe pick and took Michael Huff.  I think that Huff is a good pick and he will help out the team next year but I am still not comfortable with our quarterback situation.  The experts kept saying that Leinart can't throw the deep ball and that he can't make all the NFL throws but the guy is a winner.  Let's just hope his wins were due to the supporting cast at USC and that the scouts are right.  Here is how the draft rounded out for the Raiders:

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COVER BOY - REGGIE BUSH

05/01/06 - SHOWTIME

While at USC, Bush racked up numbers and made moves as if he was playing a video game and now he is on the cover of one.  Last week, EA announced that Reggie will appear on the cover of NCAA® Football 07.  About the honor, Bush said, "I’ve grown up playing EA SPORTS games and never imagined I would see myself on the cover of one.”  Bush joins the likes of Larry Fitzgerald, Carson Palmer, Joey Harrington, Chris Weinke, Shaun Alexander, and others to grace the cover of this successful franchise. 

NCAA Football 07 is all about turning the tide and features an all-new momentum system where big plays, defensive stops, and special teams keep you in constant struggle for momentum and can change the game at any time.  Developed in Orlando, Florida by EA Tiburon, NCAA Football 07 will be available in July on the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system.  It will also be available for the first time on the PSP handheld entertainment system.

For more info visit: www.ncaafootball07.com.

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BUSH LEAGUE

04/28/06 - SEVEN

Let me be the first to jump up and congratulate the Houston Texans for making what may go down in sports history as the biggest boneheaded draft move since The Nets and Rockets passed on Jordan.  It was announced today that the Texans had come to terms on a contract not with one of the greatest athletes to ever play football, but with NC State's Mario Williams.  Time will tell who was right but how do you even risk passing up a talent like Reggie Bush?  Guess that's why I'm not a pro GM.

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Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii...

04/27/06 - SEVEN

Well we were all told that eventually the Revolution name would be going away to be replaced by something else for Nintendo's upcoming system.  So here we are only a couple of weeks away from the grand unveiling at E3 and Nintendo drops a bombshell on an unsuspecting public by revealing today that the new name will be the Nintendo Wii (with two i's that's not a typo).  Love it or hate it in the end a name does not sell a system (come on who thought Playstation was a cool name when it came out).  So while most of the world seems to be in a tizzy about the new name and the seemingly better name of Revolution has been kicked to the curb yours truly still waits with baited breath until E3, when we see the games that are going to make this system sell.  Check out the news at Gamespot below.

http://www.gamespot.com/news/6148462.html

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A REVOLUTIONARY CHANGE FOR MADDEN

04/23/06 - SEVEN

Showtime is usually the man on the scene when it comes to all things newsworthy for EA sports but occasionally I beat him to the punch.  It was announced today that EA sports will serve up an all new version of Madden this fall to coincide with the launch of the Nintendo Revolution.  But wait folks, this isn't going to be your pappa's Madden.  By harnessing the abilities of the Revolutions unique control be prepared for an all new Madden experience.  Imaging if you will bringing the control back in your hands like you are gripping a football and doing a throwing motion to deliver the ball to your receiver in the end zone.  How fast or how slow you move your arm will determine if your pass is a bullet or a lob.  It sounds good on paper but we will have to wait until at least E3 before we see how this all plays out.

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QUICK-N-DIRTY-NBA PLAYOFFS

04/23/06 - SEVEN

I'm not going to take the time to make you a fancy table like Showtime did because that would probably take me until the playoffs are over.  So here are my quick and dirty predictions for the NBA Playoffs. 

Winners in the first round of the west will be San Antonio (in a much harder fought series with the Kings then anyone would think it would be), the Mavs, Clippers and Lakers.  That leaves us with Dallas Advancing over San Antonio which I really don't want to pick because everyone is picking it but Duncan just doesn't look like the same Duncan.  The other matchup is LA vs. LA and I give this nod to Kobe.  In the finals while I think the Lakers are playing great right now I don't think they beat Dallas so I give them the nod.

In the East it will be Detroit, The Wizards (waaay to much Lebron love out there.  He is great but his team sucks), The Pacers and the Heat.  From there I think the Pistons take the Wizards out to the woodshed for a beatin and the Heat will somehow outlast the Pacers even though Shaq will begin to appear approximately 87 during these playoffs.  In the finals Miami will be no match of the Pistons.

That gives us what I consider to be a lackluster finals in Dallas VS Detroit and I think Detroit will take home another NBA Championship in easy fashion.

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NBA PLAYOFFS - THE SAGA

04/22/06 - SHOWTIME

The Playoffs are here and the real season is about to begin.  There are some interesting match-ups and some terrible seating this year but we will have to see how the playoffs unfold this year.  Will there be a repeat (Spurs)?  Will an up and coming team shock the world (Cavs)?  Or will a team finally cross the hump and live up to expectations (Heat)?  I will do my best to predict the winner below.

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SHOWTIMERS THREE-PEAT, DYNASTY?

04/22/06 - SHOWTIME

I don't think it is too early to start talking dynasty when referring to the fantasy basketball performance of the SHOWTIMERS.  That's right boys and girls, the SHOWTIMERS walked away with another championship for the 2005-06 season.  The latest championship makes three in a row for the SHOWTIMERS and four out of the five years that they have participated.  The manager, SHOWTIME, attributes all of his success to one thing, the draft.  The SHOWTIMERS are usually near the bottom of the league when it comes to transactions which is a sign that they know how to draft.  This year the champs were led by: Chauncey Billups, Tim Duncan, Vince Carter, Jason Richardson, Gerald Wallace, Josh Smith, and others.  SHOWTIME is thinking about taking his squad to a bigger stage next year to see if they can continue their domination.  In related news, Droppin.com's Seven placed third with his squad, the Superstars.

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SCRATCH ALEXANDER OFF YOUR LIST

04/22/06 - SHOWTIME

Due to the running game focus in Madden 07, Shaun Alexander has been selected to be on the cover and if you believe in the curse, this means that he will not be worthy of a first round selection in your fantasy draft this year.  However, it would be nice to see this streak put to an end, and Shaun could be the one to do it.  After all, Shaun graced the cover of NCAA Football 2001 and has had a good career so far. Wouldn't it be nice to reverse the curse so that the cover boy would actually improve in the year to follow.  Although, most of the Super Bowl teams as of late have had disappointing years following the big game.  This really doesn't look good for Shaun.

This will be Madden's 17th year and I proudly have played them all.  Curse or not, this is still the best video game on the planet and purchasing this game is one of the staples in my life.  In fact, I treat the release date in August almost like a holiday by blocking off time to set up my players, season, plays, etc.   

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EA SPORTS - HEAD COACH

04/22/06 - SHOWTIME

A new game has spawned off from the franchise hit Madden but this game will most likely appeal to a slightly different audience.  This game is more about the decisions behind the game rather than actually playing the game of football.  The concepts seems to expand on the dynasty mode found in the Madden games and for me, I usually sim through those events anyway so I doubt I will pick this title up.  Also, the Steelers coach, Bill Cower will be the cover boy, I wonder if the jinx will transfer to this title as well.  Here are a few excerpts from an article on EA Sports:

World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers Coach Bill Cowher will be on the cover of NFL Head Coach, available in stores June 20.  NFL Head Coach challenges gamers to build and manage every aspect of a football team from the ground up. A simple conversation system and an engaging graphical interface allow users to immerse themselves into the lives of an NFL head coach. As head coach, you develop a team strategy, execute it on and off the field, and try to build a winning organization year after year. Your status as a coaching legend will rise and fall based on all of your actions as you strive to become the greatest head coach of all time.  In NFL Head Coach, you can try to become the next Bill Cowher, utilizing your full range of coaching and managing talents, including:

• Building your team through drafts, trades and free agency

• Developing and refining your own playbook and strategies

• Motivating players during practice and games to maximize their success

• Overseeing a full staff of assistants and coordinators to help you run the team

• Scouting each opponent and devising special game-plans for every game

• Calling all the shots, from preseason training camp, practices and games

• Instilling a winning attitude that will make your team a champion and make you a Hall Of Fame head coach.

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LEBRON IV

04/17/06 - SEVEN

Here it is folks, a picture of the upcoming (November) LBJ IV.   I don't know much about the shoe but I did hear some rumors a while back that it would feature foamposite technology and judging from the looks of it that could be the case.  If so expect the price to be somewhere in the $175 range. 

Thanks goes out as always to the guys over at nike talk for keeping us up to date on the info.  Check out the link below for the official Lebron IV thread where credit is given to those who put the pictures out into the light of day.

http://www.niketalk.com/

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MVM - MOST VALUABLE MAMBA

04/12/06 - SEVEN

You all know that if I had a vote for the NBA's MVP then it would be given to Kobe Bryant.  But now none other then Bill Simmons himself, a self proclaimed Mamba hater, has written an article breaking down the NBA's MVP race and who should he dub this seasons MVP?  That's right Kobe Bryant.  Love him or hate him you have to admit it, he's the best player in the NBA hands down (although personally I think LBJ has the award wrapped up)

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=simmons/060414

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OH BROTHER...

04/11/06 - SEVEN

Word came down the pike today that the upcoming seventh installment of everyone's favorite Summer time killer aka Big Brother would be an All-Star Edition!!!  Actually I have to admit those exclamation points are merely fake enthusiasm.  I mean you just know the Holly's and Jase's of the world are going to be stinking up my TV screen again and I'm not sure I can take it.  Not to mention the fact that if any member of the friendship is on board I think I may have to start petitioning for a national boycott of the show.  All we can hope for is a house full of Kaysar's, Howies, Drew's and heck I'd even take a Cowboy at this point (who am I kidding this show has to have Cowboy, the world needs another summer of Cowboy).  At least fandom will get to have some say on who goes into the house according to the article.  Then again this is Reality TV we are talking about, I highly doubt they are above fudging an internet poll to get who they want in the house...

Anyway I came up with a pool of 22 people who I think are likely to be in the running to be on the show, not who I would pick but who I think they are likely to try and get cause they were good game players or made for good TV (in their eyes).  Granted this is all assuming that these folks would actually want to do it again:

Season 2-Bunky, Hardy, Mike, Will, Shannon

Season 3-Lisa, Jason, Marcellas

Season 4-Allison, Jun, Jee

Season 5-Drew, Cowboy, Holly, Diane, Nakomis, Jase, Will

Season 6-Kaysar, Ivette, James, Janelle

As you can tell I didn't pick any members from season one, for three reasons.  First of all the game was played completely different the first season because America chose who got voted off.  Its like comparing apples to oranges when you put them in a group with the others.  Secondly I hardly watched the first season so none of the cast sticks out.  Lastly for some strange reason CBS doesn't have a website for the first season and I don't feel like searching around the internet to find out who was on the show.

Also I think a real problem that CBS will have is the majority of good game players and likable characters on this show have been men.  I was really struggling to come up with as many women as I did.  So I'm pretty sure we will end up getting some fringe choices on the girls (say someone like Amy from season 3) or just downright horrible choices (Maggie or April spring to mind).  What I think would be more interesting is if CBS took former Survivor tribemates and threw them in the big brother house.  Now that would be entertainment!

Send me off your votes for an all star cast and I'll publish the results here.

Big Brother 7 News

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HUMAN "HALL"-LIGHT

03/31/06 - SHOWTIME

Congratulations Nique on making it to the Hall of Fame!  Growing up, when everyone was jumping on the Jordan bandwagon, Nique was my man.  I had his posters, jersey, sweatbands, etc.  I even made a wood puppet of the human highlight in cub scouts.    In his 17-year NBA career, Wilkins scored 26,668 points (one of 12 players to score more than 25k), averaging 24.8 points per game, and played in nine All-Star games.  He was also a two time winner of the NBA Slam-Dunk Championship (should have been 3 - robbed by Jordan hype) and to think, he was drafted by the Utah Jazz.  I am glad to see that your skills have been recoginzed. 

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RAIDERS 2006 OPPONENTS

03/31/06 - SHOWTIME

PRE-SEASON OPPONENTS

Aug. 6 vs Philadelphia Eagles

Aug. 14 at Minnesota Vikings

Aug. 17-21 vs San Francisco 49ers

Aug. 24-28 vs Detroit Lions

Aug. 31 - Sept. 2 at Seattle Seahawks

REGULAR SEASON

Home: Cardinals, Browns, Broncos, Texans, Chiefs, Steelers, Rams, Chargers

Away: Ravens, Bengals, Broncos, Chiefs, Jets, Chargers, 49ers, Seahawks

The Raiders will open the regular season in prime time when they will host the Chargers on Monday night, September 11, on ESPN.  This game is part of a MNF doubleheader and will start at 10:15 Eastern Time in Oakland.