Okay, so you just read about who you can scratch off your draft boards this year, now you need to know who to go for, especially in the later rounds. Because, let’s be honest; your league is won by drafting well in the middle to later rounds. While last year, your opponent gambled in the 14th round on Bengals backup running back Bernard Scott, you took a chance on Eagles QB Michael Vick. Those are the picks that win championships. So, here you go; list #2 to take into your draft. The sleeper picks that will win you a fantasy football championship this year. (ADP is the Average Draft Position based on a 12-team standard league snake draft)

1. Sam Bradford – QB St. Louis Rams (ADP: 106) – Bradford finished in the Top 15 for QB’s last year as a rookie. He set records for completions and TD’s and only Peyton Manning threw for more yards as a rookie. All this with a makeshift receiving corps. The Rams have tried to help Bradford by bringing in talented, but injury-prone Mike Sims-Walker and by drafting Tight End Lance Kendricks and receiver Greg Salas. Bradford is getting drafted around the ninth and 10th round, but could easily reach the top ten for QBs this year with better receiving options and pass-happy Offensive Coordinator Josh McDaniels running the show. He’s a QB2 with significant upside.

2. Beanie Wells – RB Arizona Cardinals (ADP: 75) – Okay, I’m drinking the Kool-Aid. Last year Wells was drafted as a RB2, but produced as a RB5. He was terrible. But Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt said that Wells is the lead back in Arizona and not only do I believe it, but with new QB Kevin Kolb running the offense, I think the running game will significantly improve. Wells is someone who has the opportunity and potential to produce RB2 numbers at a RB4 price. I’m in.

3. Greg Olsen – TE Carolina Panthers (ADP: 155) – The Panthers traded for Olsen shortly after the lockout and it couldn’t be a better for him. In Chicago, Olsen’s talented were wasted as Offensive Coordinator Mike Martz apparently hates Tight Ends. Now in Carolina, not only is he in a TE-friendly offense, but with rookie QB Cam Newton running the show, he’s going to need a safety valve. Enter Olsen. He’s getting drafted as a flier at the end of the draft. Make him your flier as a TE2 and he will produce TE1 numbers.

4. Alex Henery – K Philadephia Eagles (ADP: 190) – Yeah, I get it. You’re asking yourself, “How can he put a kicker on a sleeper list?” Well, I admit, this is a homer pick. I’m a life-long Nebraskan and I would go against the grain and take former Husker Henery a round or two before the last round. But I have a legit reason. He is the most accurate kicker in the history of college football. Yeah, Henery is THE MOST ACCURATE KICKER IN COLLEGE FOOTBALL HISTORY. And he is on arguably the most high-powered offense in the NFL. That means he could very well win you ever close game that you are in. Trust me on this one.

5. Danny Woodhead – RB New England Patriots (ADP: 129) – The Patriots grabbed Woodhead off of the New York Jets practice squad early in the season and he ended up being a perfect flex player by the end of the season as he averaged 5.6 yards a carry and scored six touchdowns. He’s not a starter, but he will fill in better than most. And he graduated from my alma mater Chadron State College. But it’s not a homer pick…seriously.

6. Rashad Jennings – RB Jacksonville Jaguars (ADP: 134) – Jennings proved last year that he can handle the workload filling in admirably for lead RB Maurice Jones-Drew in the last two games of the year. MJD is recovering from off-season knee surgery and probably won’t make it through all 16 games this season. Whether you draft MJD (ADP: 13) or not, drafting Jennings anywhere after the 10th round is a steal.

7. Jacoby Ford – WR Oakland Raiders (ADP: 109) – Owner Al Davis loves speed and he has that with Jacoby Ford. He is a national champion sprinter and has the speed to take any reception to the house. He has a great repoir with QB Jason Campbell. With no other real competition, Ford could turn out to be  the #1 guy in Oakland which will yield some solid WR3 results at a WR4 price.

8. Jay Cutler – QB Chicago Bears (ADP: 125) – Cutler started off last year hotter than Olivia Wilde. But then his attitude started creeping in and he finished the year with an MCL injury that was universally-criticized. This season, he arrived to camp leaner and more focused. Being drafted as a low-end QB2 at the end of the 10th round, this could end up being Grand Theft Robbery.

So there you go. Sleepers to help you win your league. Did I miss one? Let me know who. Any other comments? Send them my way!

Okay, if you are reading this, you have probably read dozens of sleeper and bust articles on the web detailing why you should draft Cardinals RB Ryan Williams over Beanie Wells or some other combination. But this is the one you want to take with you into your draft. Why? Because I’m right. Well, I think I’m right. Anywho, you won’t be dissappointed if this is the only list you use in your draft. So without boosting my word count any more, here are the 10 players to completely avoid or, at least, don’t draft where they’re average draft position (ADP) is. (The ADP is based on a 12-team draft on Fantasy Football Calculator.)

1. Kenny Britt – WR Tennessee Titans (ADP: 72) - There are two main reasons to drop him from your draft board. 1. He is incredibly injury-prone. He only played in 12 games and despite nine touchdowns, he was too boom or bust for me. Almost a third of his yards and exactly one-third of his touchdown total came in one game last year. Yes, when he’s on the field, he is a force, but how can he dominate with a 35-year-old Matt Hasselbeck and/or rookie Jake Locker running the offense? There is just too much risk for him to be rated as a Top 30 receiver.

2. Peyton Manning – QB Indianapolis Colts (ADP: 35) – Yeah, you read right. The most consisent QB of the past decade will be a bust this year. He’s coming off of his second neck surgery in 15 months and isn’t expected to play at all this preseason. Now, if there is anyone that can come back and play like he never left, it’s Manning. But I think he will have serious issues scanning the field with a bad neck. Add in an aging and inconsistent rest of the offense and the 35-year-old could be seeing the beginning of a slow steady decline.

3. BenJarvis Green-Ellis – RB New England Patriots (ADP: 67) – The Lawfirm came through as a waiver-wire savior last year, but when has coach Bill Belichek ever stuck with just one RB? Green-Ellis and Danny Woodhead were the one-two punch last year, but it’s just as possible that Belichek goes with two complete unknowns by Week 4. It’s not that The Lawfirm isn’t talented enough to be drafted as a mid-6th rounder, it’s that his coach may not give him the opportunity to do so. If he falls to the 8th round, I’d take him. But 6th? I’ll let someone else take a gamble on him.

4. Marques Colston – WR New Orleans Saints (ADP: 44) – Colston has had five knee surgeries in five seasons. His knees are bound to give out at some point and I’m betting it’s this year. Yes, the Saints are one of the biggest offenses in the league, but QB Drew Brees has 47 targets to throw to. Colston may be the go-to receiver for now, but I don’t see it lasting long if his knees can’t hold up. A mid-4th rounder it too high for a walking injury.

5. Ryan Matthews – RB San Diego Chargers (ADP: 39) – Last year, he was the rookie to draft going as high as the second round in fantasy drafts. This year, expectations are tempered, but he’s still going in the late 3rd and early 4th round. Matthews didn’t prove anything last year and he already battling a preseason injury. You can get his backup Mike Tolbert at least four rounds later and I’m betting they get the same stats. Take a sure thing around pick 40. Potential should be later in the draft.

6. Brandon Lloyd – WR Denver Broncos (ADP: 49) – Last season, Lloyd connected with QB Kyle Orton in then-head coach Josh McDaniels’ high-flying offense for 11 TDs and over 1400 yards. This year, new head coach John Fox is a much more conservative and run-oriented guy which does not bode well for Lloyd (or Orton for that matter). Lloyd didn’t do much the previous six years of his career and at the age of 30, I doubt he will again.

7. Frank Gore – RB San Francisco 49ers (ADP: 17) – Frank, you’ve had a lot of good years with San Fran and you have made many a fantasy owner very happy. But you are 28 and the punishment of being the only running back for four years is certainly taking its toll. You will probably put up solid numbers, but you missed the last five games of last year with a hip injury and the quarterback and receiver play can’t get much worse. You’re it and defenses know it. So do savvy fantasy owners. If you take Gore, you better have a solid #3 RB on your bench, you’re going to need him.

8. Jeremy Maclin – WR Philadelphia Eagles (ADP: 50) – I love Jeremy Maclin, but there is one major question with him. He reportedly had mono during the offseason and for the brief amount of time that he was in camp, he was weak and appeared frail. Now he is having tests done back in his hometown of St. Louis. The worst part? The Eagles are not saying a word about it. Nobody knows what is going on with Maclin, what is wrong  and when (or if) he’s going to be back. Don’t get me wrong, if he was healthy he’s easily a WR2. But I’m not spending a WR2 pick on someone who is the epitome of a question mark.

9. Marshawn Lynch – RB Seattle Seahawks (ADP: 68) – Lynch had one of the best runs in history during the playoffs against the Saints. But that’s not going to happen every week. In fact, with a patchwork offensive line (stud right tackle Russell Okung already has a high-ankle sprain) and the mediocre-at-best Tarvaris Jackson at QB, Lynch is going to have to shoulder a lot of the burden in Seattle. He might be able to, but I don’t think he has the ability to take over a team like Arian Foster did last year in Houston. Lynch is being drafted as a third RB, which is probably where he should be, but I see RB4 numbers with one or two breakout games mixed in. Good luck starting him in those games.

10. Michael Crabtree – WR San Francisco 49ers (ADP: 82) – Look, Crabtree thinks he’s Terrell Owens. “If I piss and moan enough then I’ll get the ball thrown my way and I’ll get my stats.” Reality check: Crabtree has done nothing to prove that he has TO’s skill set since he turned pro. Crabtree held out his rookie year and last year he played in every game, but the QB play was so horrific that he only caught 6 TDs and accumulated 741 yards. This year he’s already hurt, they brought in downfield threat Braylon Edwards and the QB play is not going to get any better with Alex Smith back and rookie Colin Kaepernick nipping at his heals. Crabtree is being drafted as a WR3, but he’s nothing more than a bye-week fill-in until things improve under center…and he gets his prima-donna tendencies in check.

Disagree with my assessments? Let me know in the comments.

So Ohio State coach Jim Tressel resigned just three days after I suggested it  (and probably after THE Ohio State University realized that he is the major reason the college will get major sanctions). OSU is trying to enact as much damage control as it can and Tressel’s resignation reeks of the college trying to save face. Now it’s just a matter of time before the Athletic Director “resigns” as well. He publicly supported Tressel after this all went down and now he will go down with the ship. Hey, I predicted Tressel’s resignation (actually I suggested that he be fired, but that’s a minor quibble), maybe I’ll be two for two!

Ohio State University (or THE Ohio State University if you’re nasty) is in a heap of trouble. Head football coach Jim Tressel revealed back on March 8, that he had withheld information from OSU’s Athletic Department regarding five of his players (including star QB Terrell Pryor) selling their Big Ten Championship rings and other memoribilia to the owner of a tattoo parlor for cash and free tattoos among other things. This scandal, which started off as another story of college athletes doing something stupid and turned into a stunning allegation against a (formerly) well-respected coach, is now making “THE” OSU appear more and more like enablers.

After the story broke about the improper benefits, OSU were just a couple of weeks away from playing in the Rose Bowl. The NCAA should have done the right thing and suspended these players right away. The players blatently broke NCAA rules, plain and simple. What did the NCAA do? Let them play in the Bowl game then suspended them for the first five games of next season. Who do they play in those five games? Akron, Toledo, Miami (FL), Colorado and Michigan State. Only Miami (FL) and Michigan State are relevant games and this is the weakest part of their schedule. If the NCAA wanted to penalize them, they needed to take them out of the Bowl game. Why didn’t they? Money.

After the suspensions were handed down in December, the NCAA decided to investigate the college. OSU held its own investigation as well. When interviewed, Tressel denied any knowledge of any of the violations. That turned out to be an outright lie. He received an email in April of 2010 from lawyer (and former OSU letterman) Chris Cicero that several of his players had sold signed memoribilia. Tressel acknowledged the email with the response, “I’ll get right on it.” His version of getting right on it? Keeping quiet. This was his first opportunity to let the school know what he found out.

Then, in September he signed an NCAA form stating that he had no knowledge of any violations. That was his second chance. Then he lied in December. He had three opportunities to clear the air and make things right. Did he? Nope. Why not? Well, a scandal would be detrimental to the football program especially if he revealed it when he found out in April. A scandal could mean fewer fans go to the games and watch them on TV. That would mean less money for the school. (Seeing a pattern here?)

Tressel finally admits that he lied and covered up what he knew and how long does he get suspended? Two games. Yep, he won’t be albe to coach the Akron or Toledo games. Seriously? I could coach those two games and OSU would win. Those are more like scrimmages. Tressel, however tries to rectify himself by self-imposing a five-game suspension, the same as his players. Well isn’t that nice. Now that you got caught with your hand stuck in the cookie jar, you’re going to try to give back the cookies? It doesn’t work like that. And what is the college doing? Defending him.

Yep, Athletic Director Gene Smith, when asked if he supports Tressel said, “Definitely, no question.” Really? You would defend a coach that withheld information, not once, not twice, but three times? Information that now could place your entire Athletic Department on NCAA probation or worse. You’re defending this? How can you trust him?

Yes, he’s an excellent coach. He’s brought a National Championship to OSU and had numerous players have very successful NFL careers. Players love him and he consistently has top recruiting classes. But at what point does integrity come into the picture? What he did was egregous, blatent and has now placed a bulls-eye squarely on OSU and its football program. The only way OSU can save face is to fire him. He didn’t make a mistake. He lied and withheld information hoping he wouldn’t get caught. As long as OSU keeps him as the head football coach, there will always be a cloud of doubt and distrust hanging over the program.

The best way to get rid of this? Fire Tressel and bring in someone else. Here’s a thought: How about Jon Gruden? He loves the spotlight, would be able to carry on the OSU tradition of dominance, recruit top-notch talent and bring in even more fans. This would be a fantastic fit and would make people forget about all of this very quickly. Even if Gruden doesn’t take the offer, there are several other coaches out there that you could slot in and keep the winning tradition.

Apparently AD Gene Smith doesn’t want this to just go away. He’s rather support a tarnished coach who can win games. Why? Because he wants to make sure the team is winning to keep bringing in the money. Okay, but when the NCAA comes down hard on OSU, Tressel and the football program, its on your head Mr. Smith.

(Editor’s note: This round of NBA musings come courtesy of someone who has so much NBA knowledge, you might as well call him Spalding; my good friend Ryan Wahl. Read and be enlightened.)

This has been an amazing year in the NBA Playoffs. The individual performances, the games, the emergence of new stars, the disappearance of old stars and the hype of the Heat have made these more memorable than any playoffs in a long time. Here are some musings on not only the playoffs, but some NBA chatter over the last month.

- There seems to be an opinion that has popped up comparing Dirk Nowitzki to Larry Bird. To quote the wise philosopher Chad Ochocinco, “Child, please”! Now don’t get me wrong, Dirk is a monster and one of the best in the league. He’s having a legendary playoff run so far…essentially Bird-like. I must say, though, that one or two playoff series does not a career make. Larry Bird is a 3 time NBA champion, 3 time league MVP and 2 time Finals MVP. No disrespect, Dirk, but you are not in the rarified air that is Larry “Legend”.

- While watching the Chicago Bulls, I can’t help but think a solid offensive threat off the bench is needed. Here’s a wild “out of the box” idea…Allen Iverson. At this point of his career, AI would have no problem coming off the bench for a title contender. Why wouldn’t you want a guy who can get you to the free throw line, give you 15-20 points off the bench, keep an up tempo style of offense and has shown toughness few guys have?

- Before the series against Miami, the Chicago depth was the hot topic on every ESPN show I watched. “They have too many pieces.” Now that we are 4 games in to the series, they have all backed off and finally saw what I saw all season. Their depth is not what you may think. Other than Derrick Rose, what do they have? Carlos Boozer – Overpaid underachiever. He will give you two games worth mentioning in a seven game series. Luol Deng – Someone who will consistently disappear, occasionally making an appearance to make you remember he could be good. Kyle Korver – Good outside shooter and…oh yeah, nothing else. Keith Bogans? Joakim Noah – Hustle player but won’t give you anything you can guarantee. I never know if he’ll get a double-double or foul trouble. Taj Gibson? Really?

- Speaking of Taj Gibson: yes, his dunk on Dwyane Wade was impressive. Let’s get real folks. It wasn’t the series-defining play so many media members want you to believe. Why was that dunk any more impressive than Udonis Haslem’s dunk on Derrick Rose? It’s because of the nationwide Heat Hate. Let’s be real. Haslem’s dunk and overall game in game 2 changed the complexion of this entire series. Gibson had one game with 2 good dunks. That’s it. So really, who’s play was more impressive?

- The real key to the Heat-Bulls series is defense, but I ask you, why does this surprise people? It seemed to me that media and fans were shocked the Heat were this good defensively. Did we not watch LeBron James in Cleveland? He’s a 3 time NBA All-Defense First Team player. Dwyane Wade is a 3-time NBA All-Defense Second Team player. These guys play defense! This is why they are a title contender. They know how to contain teams.

- Speaking of the Heat, can we please stop asking “Is it LeBron’s team or Wade’s team?” It is a pointless question. We wonder who will take the shot at the end. You know who? The player who is hot and playing well! LeBron will always make the smart basketball play, whether it is taking the shot or passing it to a teammate. His basketball IQ is higher than any of the talking heads on TV so please, stop asking this foolish question.

- I may be alone, but I have grown to dislike Kevin Durant. I get it. He’s clean cut. There’s no tattoos or controversy around him. Congrats. Just a note for him, if you are going to flex and yell “It’s my team”; take control of your team. He’s a soft outside shooter with minimal post game for a guy almost seven feet tall. Carmelo is a superior offensive player. He can beat you inside and outside. Their defense is similar, as both don’t put forth full effort all the time.

Since I mentioned the Thunder, I’ve got a few more thoughts on them…

- Russell Westbrook…you are not Allen Iverson. You are not Derrick Rose. You are not even Stephon Marbury and he’s awful. (Editor’s thought: Yes, but is he Stevie Franchise?) Know who you are. You are a high volume shooter who should be shifted to the 2 guard spot. If I were the Thunder, I’d call the Hornets and get Chris Paul for him. The Lakers would also be in the market for a “point guard” and you could get something for him. The Durant-Westbrook dynamic will not work. That’s obvious.

- Kendrick Perkins is garbage! Yes, I have said it before and I will say it again. He has no offensive skills. He’s slow which makes him a defensive liability. He can act tough (a performance he learned from Kevin Garnett in Boston) and look mean, but come on. He flexed on Nene of the Nuggets, who got in his face while so tough Perkins backed down. Nene proceeded to abuse him and throw him around like a rag doll. Stop with the Perkins hype, please.

- The Washington Wizards new jerseys are sweet. I can’t lie, if they had a player worth a damn, I would buy one. They are sweet. Can I get a Chris Webber in the new style?

- LeBron James is great. Admit it. Stop the hate. No, he isn’t Michael Jordan but he never claimed to be. The media and fans put labels on him. He didn’t try to be anything he wasn’t. He is what he is, one of the greatest players the league has ever seen. He’s a guy who skipped college and has exceeded expectations. The other guys who skipped college never carried a team to the level he did at such an early age. Not only did he carry the Cavaliers, he carried them to become the top team in the league for a while. No he didn’t win a title but who wins titles with Anthony Parker, Mo Williams and Delonte West (or Anderson Varejo and aging vets Antawn Jamison and Shaq for that matter). Really?

- Dwight Howard will be in Orlando next year. Lakers fans should just stop it. Stop hoping. Quick fact for you; size wasn’t your issue. Poor point guard and aging superstars were. They should be doing whatever they can to get Chris Paul or Derron Williams. A few other issues with the Howard/LA nonsense:

- The collective bargaining agreement will prevent it. There will be a hard cap and they won’t be able to pay him his market value. Will he really take a pay cut to play in LA with a team aging and in flux? Doubtful.

- The alpha dog issue with Kobe Bryant. He’s arrogant enough to think he’s still the best player in the league and will likely always think that, despite physical evidence to the contrary. That dynamic will not work. Howard will not take Bryant’s volatility and it will be ugly.

- Orlando will continue to trade and try to build around Dwight Howard. He is their centerpiece and he knows it. He runs that town and franchise. They’ll do right by him and he knows it.

- The media and fans will turn this into another Carmelo Anthony situation thus causing unneeded public backlash towards him. Let it play itself out. Stop with the internet articles and talk shows beating it to death. We get it. He’s a free agent after next season. He’ll make a decision when he wants to. He has that right. Stop trying to force a decision. Stop with unnecessary distractions.

- Finally, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar is asking for a statue. What happened to the days when players were honored to get anything, such as a retired number or something like that? Now we have players begging for statues and saying they feel “disrespected” and “slighted” about not getting a statue? This is ridiculous. Quick note to Kareem; you are not a Greek God. You played basketball with one of the best players ever in Magic Johnson. The 5 titles in LA had more to do with him than you, in my humble opinion. Be proud your number is retired by the Lakers. Maybe your poor attitude towards media and management didn’t exactly endear you to them. Fact is no one is owed a statue. No one. It’s an honor if they decide to, but come on. This is ridiculous. I will thank Kareem for one thing, though. His comments sparked a great discussion amongst friends regarding statues. Let’s have some fun; if you could give just one statue to represent an NBA franchise, who would you give that honor to? Have some fun with that. I’ll post my choices next time.

I’m out but always remember one thing…Wahl knows Ball.

So we are about a third of the way through the 2011 baseball season and there are some definite surprises and things most baseball fans are not used to seeing. All five teams in the AL East are within 3.5 games of first, and there are just three games separating first and last in the AL West. The Chicago White Sox are slumping in the surprisingly weak AL Central and the LA Dodgers are doing even worse. There are a few signs of normalcy, however. Philadelphia Phillies and St. Louis Cardinals are dominating and the Chicago Cubs still suck. Houston Astros and San Diego Padres are once again barely a blip on the radar and the NY Mets are one owner tirade away from becoming the Dodgers. That said; here are the top five surprises so far:

1. Cleveland Indians – Not only do they have the best record in the majors (30-15) but their run differential (the difference between runs scored and runs allowed) is +67, by far the best in the majors. Their bats killing opponents (Third in Batting Average (.265), On Base Percentage (.334) and Slugging Percentage (.425) and fourth in Runs (231)). Their pitching is dynamite as well (Sixth in ERA (3.38) and seventh in Opponents Batting Average (.239)). They have a legit early MVP candidate in shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera and they are in a division that, up to this point, has been under-achieving. As of May 23, they are seven games in front of the Detroit Tigers (the only other AL Central team over .500) and if this keeps up, they could be playing a lot of playoff baseball in Cleveland. That’s something the city of Cleveland can celebrate (as opposed to the #1 draft pick…again!)

2. Jose Bautista, OF Toronto Blue Jays – How can a career .250 hitter start out a season like this?! Through 39 games (he missed eight due to an injury), he has 19 home runs, 32 RBIs and an astounding .353 batting average. Usually, if a player is hitting for power, he either homers or strikes out (see: Mark Reynolds, OF Baltimore Orioles). Bautista only has 23 strikeouts in 139 plate appearances. As of May 23, Bautista leads the AL in home runs, runs scored (39), walks (41), On Base Percentage (.503) and Slugging Percentage (.827) and he’s second in Batting Average. If he keeps up this pace, he will have 65 home runs, 110 RBIs and only 79 strikeouts. That is a unanimous MVP right there.

3. Pittsburgh Pirates and Kansas City Royals – These two perennial cellar-dwellers have posted respectable records so far this season. Both are just two games under .500 (22-24) and appear to be building for the future. In KC, outfielder Alex Gordon was actually starting to live up to his #2 overall draft pick status before the month of May knocked him back to reality. He’s only batting .158 in May as of May 23. OF Jeff Francoeur is enjoying a nice resurgence leading the team in homers (9) and RBIs (28) and On Base Percentage (.860). First baseman and top prospect Eric Hosmer was called up early in the season and has been a pleasant surprise as well. The Pirates have not had a winning season in two decades. So, like a forlorn Cubs fan “Could this be the year?!” Well, with Neil Walker and speedster Andrew McCutchen (who also leads the team with eight homers and is one of my favorite players), it’s a start. As long as the upper management doesn’t clean house like they tend to do every year, the Pirates may just have a winning season yet.

4. Minnesota Twins – The Twins are almost always in the playoff hunt, but at the third-year point this year, they have the worst record in the majors (15-31). Why? Injuries have ravaged them. Mainly franchise catcher Joe Mauer, who has missed 37 games and counting with leg fatigue and there is no end in sight. Designated hitter Jim Thome is just returning from a stint on the Disabled List as well. They are last in runs scored (160) and On Base Percentage (.295), next-to-last in Slugging Percentage (.337) and 28^th in Batting Average (.233). The other franchise player, first baseman Justin Morneau is batting just .229 with a measly .288 On Base Percentage. If they are going to get out of the bottom of the AL Central, they have to get a healthy Mauer and Morneau needs to step it up.

5. Albert Pujols, 1B St. Louis Cardinals – The start of the season has not been kind to Pujols. A career .329 hitter, he is batting .268 and he just snapped a 105 at-bat homerless streak May 23, the longest drought of his career. This is a guy who is a free agent at the end of the year and before the season started, experts were throwing around numbers like $300 million. As in, Pujols may be asking for a contract in the vicinity of 10-year $300 million. Is he worth it? Well, he has been so good for so long that if he is even remotely below a .300 average, he’s not playing up to his lofty standards. But he is a former Rookie of the Year and three-time NL MVP, so you know what you are getting with Pujols and this isn’t it. I think he’ll pick it up and lead the Cardinals to another NL Central divisional title, especially with a potentially historic payday on the horizon. It also helps that the Cards are leading the majors in Batting Average (.282), Runs (246) and On Base Percentage (.361) and are second in Slugging Percentage (.425) even with Pujols slumping.

So there are my surprises. What are yours? Leave me a comment and let me know what I hit, missed and fouled off.

So now we are down to the Final Four in the NBA and most players are carving out their roles for their respective teams. Some however, are being paid way more than they should for their roles. Here are the top five players in the NBA that are still in the hunt for a championship, but are being paid a butt-load more than their on-court output.

5. Caron Butler, F Dallas Mavericks (Salary: $10,561,960) – If it wasn’t for a ruptured right patella tendon suffered on New Year’s Day, then Butler does not appear on this list. As it stands, he only played 29 games and is now collecting a paycheck to dress up and get courtside seats to every Mavs game from here on out. There’s an outside shot he plays if they reach the Finals, but that chance is slim.

4. Nick Collison, PF OKC Thunder (Salary: 13,270,000) – Yes, Collison’s defense on Memphis Grizzlies PF Zach Randolph helped the Thunder win Game 7 and advance to this stage of the Playoffs, but let’s put this into perspective. We had barely heard Collison’s name all postseason until he shut down the Grizzlies top player…for one game. Why? Because he’s averaging just under six points and just over five rebounds a game in these playoffs. The worst part? He is the highest paid player on the Thunder, nearly doubling the second highest paid player…

3. Nazr Mohammed, C OKC Thunder (Salary: $6,883,800) – Averaging 2.7 points and 2.4 rebounds a game in just under 12 minutes a game in the Playoffs, Mohammed makes more than every other Thunder player except Collison (who makes more than Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook combined!) and has virtually nothing to show for it.

2. Mike Miller, G Miami Heat (Salary: $5,000,000) – Congratulations! You are the winner of the “Money for Nothing/Get Your Checks for Free” Award! Miller has had injuries to both thumbs this year which has severely limited his productivity this year, but he was almost non-existant even when healthy. In the playoffs, he has played a total of 38 minutes and has five points, 10 rebounds and five assists. That’s not an average; that’s total. He was supposed to be one of the key role players for the Heat’s run to the championship, but the team brought in Mike Bibby to take over for Miller and he has done just that, relegating Miller to the invisible numbers that he has produced so far. But Miller’s productivity doesn’t compare to his teammate…

1. Chris Bosh, F Miami Heat (Salary: $14,500,000) – Yes, Bosh has been decent, but he has not been spectacular. When you are getting paid exactly the same as LeBron James and more than Dwyane Wade, you need to be spectacular. LBJ is averaging 25 points, nine rebounds and five assists a game. Wade is almost identical at 25.5 points, seven rebounds and five assists. Bosh? 17.5 points, 9.5 rebounds and one assist. This includes his 30 point explosion against the Chicago Bulls in Game 1 of the Conference Finals. Celtics forward Kevin Garnett exposed Bosh in Games 1 and 3 of the Conference Semifinals where Bosh went a combined 4-16 shooting, scoring just 13 points. And let’s not forget about the 1-18 shooting performance (.056 percentage, mostly inside the paint) against none other than the Bulls back on February 24.  Bosh has to step it up in order help LBJ and Wade get the Heat to the Promised Land. He has to justify that ridiculous salary and a 1-18 shooting night won’t do it.

That’s my take. What’s yours? Let me know in your comments.

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I understand why Cleveland is pissed off at LeBron James. He became a star in Akron, Ohio and a superstar in Cleveland with the Cavaliers. He had seven years for owner Dan Gilbert to get some decent players to help him out and after seven years, he didn’t get it done. He, being Gilbert, not LeBron. James scored 48% of the Cavs points last year and had to deal with the supporting cast of oft-injured and frequently under-performing point guard Mo Williams, the streaky guard Delante West, Sideshow Bob look-alike and general nuisance Anderson Varejao and the shell of Shaquille O’Neal. Even Michael Jordan needed Scottie Pippen, John Paxson and Horace Grant. James couldn’t do it on his own and he knew he couldn’t win in Cleveland.

So he moved on. Not because he hates Cleveland or Akron or his hometown. He wants to win championships and he couldn’t do it in Cleveland. Other major athletes have done it before and nobody was even remotely this riled up about it. Moses Malone went to the Philadelphia 76ers and won with Julius (Dr. J) Erving. Alex Rodriguez left the Texas Rangers to win with Derek Jeter and the New York Yankees. Hell, even Shaq left Orlando and went on to win three consecutive titles with Kobe and the Lakers. Then he went and one another in Miami with Dwyane Wade, who is now LeBron’s teammate.

The only thing LeBron did wrong was feed his ego and have a bloated hour-long special to announce his decision. He left six teams (New York Knicks, New Jersey Nets, L.A. Clippers, Chicago Bulls, Heat and Cavs) hanging on his decision and that was not fair to them. Do what everybody else does, hold a press conference, answer a few questions and call it good. An hour-long special was a ridiculous way for ESPN to continue to stroke LeBron’s ego.

Is he the best player in the NBA? Yes. No question. You could make an argument for Kobe, but I still go with LeBron. There is no way that Kobe wins 66 regular season games with that supporting cast in Cleveland. Kobe has 7-foot power forward Pau Gasol, the clutch guard Derek Fisher, defensive specialist Ron Artest, twin towers Lamar Odom and Andrew Bynum and great role players in Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar coming off the bench. If Kobe and LeBron switch spots, LeBron wins the title this year. Hands Down.

That’s why he went to the Miami Heat. He is joined by Wade and power forward Chris Bosh to form, arguably the best threesome (no pun intended) in the history of the NBA. Only time will tell if this was worth it for LeBron, but if he is going to be known as one of the greatest of all time, he needs to win a championship. He’d much rather be in the same company as title holders Jordan, Magic and Bird, than Steve Nash, John Stockton and Karl Malone; great players who never one the big one.

The NFL Draft is less than two weeks away and I, like most sports writers, are stoked about the NFL Draft. Loaded with talent, especially on the defensive end, this is one draft where no pick (even the Rams at #1) is a dead-ringer. So, here is how I think the first round will shake out. At the end, I will post the five surprises that I think could or should happen.

1. St. Louis Rams: Sam Bradford, QB Oklahoma – The Rams need almost every position, but more than anything, they need a QB and Bradford (who would have been the #1 pick last year had he declared for the draft early) is as solid a QB as you’ll get.

2. Detroit Lions: Ndamukong Suh, DT Nebraska – Suh is the best player in the draft and he will anchor a resurgent Lions defense for at least the next decade. He’s a Hall of Famer in the making.

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Gerald McCoy, DT Oklahoma – The Bucs get the #1 defensive tackle in any other draft year with a guy who can stuff the run and force double teams on almost every down. Tampa Bay hasn’t had a DT this good since Warren Sapp.

4. Washington Redskins: Russell Okung, OT Oklahoma State – The fourth Big 12 player picked, Okung is as steady as they come on the offensive line. That’s exactly what new QB Donovan McNabb needs, especially since the ‘Skins don’t pick again until No. 103.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: Eric Berry, S Tennessee – The Chiefs D flat-out sucked last year and they desperately need help at all defensive positions. So why not start with the best safety in the last five drafts? Berry should help the secondary immediately.

6. Seattle Seahawks: Trent Williams, OT Oklahoma – Superb talent that can start from day one, if he can stay committed, which is his one question mark.

7. Cleveland Browns: Dan Williams, DT Tennessee – With Shaun Rogers checking his brain with his loaded gun at an airport, the Browns, need to start looking for a replacement on the defensive line and Williams is the top nose tackle in the draft.

8. Oakland Raiders: Bruce Campbell, OT Maryland – This is way too high for the combine phenom (he’s barely a 1st rounder), but when has owner Al Davis ever made sense? Not since 1986. Campbell is a physical specimen, but will that translate to performance on the field? Davis loves speed and power. He has drafted almost strictly using this mantra which has yielded busts G Robert Gallery, QB JaMarcus Russell, WR Darrius Heyward-Bey, S Mike Mitchell in the last five years alone, and now Campbell. Expect the Raiders to be in the top 10 in next year’s draft as well.

9. Buffalo Bills: Jimmy Clausen, QB Notre Dame – The Bills need a QB in the worst way. But they need an offensive tackle first. They should take a tackle and wait until the second round to take Colt McCoy or Dan LeFevour, but they will reach for Clausen and watch him get pounded by opposing defenses all year long. If they’re smart, they’ll let starting QB Trent Edwards take the pounding and give Clausen a chance to learn how to scramble.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars: Rolando McClain, ILB Alabama – The Jags upgraded their defense by adding former Packers DE Aaron Kampman and they continue that trend by taking the best defensive player from last year’s national champions. McClain can start right away and he can be the centerpiece of a rebuilding Jags D.

11. Denver Broncos: Dez Bryant, WR Oklahoma State – Even if WR Brandon Marshall is not traded, the Broncos need offensive weapons in the worst way. After Marshall, they have Eddie Royal and that is about it. Bryant is a speedster who can stretch the field and take away the double teams that Marshall had to face all year.

12. Miami Dolphins: Derrick Morgan, DE Georgia Tech – If Bryant is available I think the Fins will snatch him up, but if not, they desperately need help on the defensive line and Morgan is the best available.

13. San Francisco 49ers: Earl Thomas, S Texas – San Fran has two of the next five picks and they will take the best available player in Thomas. In almost any other draft, he’s easily a Top 10 pick, but the Niners will gladly take this Day One starter here.

14. Seattle Seahawks: Sergio Kindle, DE/OLB Texas – The Big 12 onslaught continues with some defensive help for a Seahawks team that needs to find someone who can take the reins from the aging LB Lofa Tatupu.

15. New York Giants: Mike Iuputi, G Idaho – I watched this guy play and he is the best guard by far in this draft. He is a force and the Giants need that since they rely so heavily on the running game. If either McClain or Kindle are available, however, I think they take one of them.

16. Tennessee Titans: Jason Pierre-Paul, DE South Florida – Raw, but undeniably talented, Pierre-Paul can be molded by coach Jeff Fisher to step in immediately for the recently-departed Kyle Vanden Bosh (Detroit).

17. San Francisco 49ers: Anthony Davis, OT Rutgers – The Niners need another solid tackle and Davis fits that role.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers: Maurkice Pouncey, G/C Florida – The one thing the Steelers need more than anything (beside S Troy Polomolu healthy) is help on the offensive line. Pouncey can either anchor the line at center or he can play guard just as effectively. This is a shoo-in.

19. Atlanta Falcons: Brandon Graham, DE Michigan – The national leader in tackles for a loss will fit in perfectly on a defense that had a tough time against the run last year.

20. Houston Texans: Joe Haden, CB Florida – The Texans have no secondary with the departure of Dunta Robinson to Atlanta, but Haden can start the rebuilding immediately.

21. Cincinnati Bengals: C.J. Spiller, RB Clemson – Spiller’s free fall ends here with the Bengals looking for offensive weapons, Spiller is quite possibly the biggest offensive weapon in the draft. He would compliment RB Cedric Benson perfectly.

22. New England Patriots: Everson Griffen, DE USC – Although I think the Pats will trade out of this spot, Griffen makes sense and can atone for the Adelius Thomas mistake. (That sounds like a band name.)

23. Green Bay Packers: Charles Brown, OT USC – The Packers need to keep QB Aaron Rogers upright and Brown is the best tackle available.

24. Philadelphia Eagles: Taylor Mays, S USC – Back-to-back-to-back Trojans go off the board capped by a significant upgrade to the Eagles secondary. Mays has the potential to be the next Brian Dawkins for Philly, despite his inconsistancy.

25. Baltimore Ravens: Jermaine Gresham, TE Oklahoma – The Ravens already got WRs Anquan Boldin and Donte Stallworth to help QB Joe Flacco, now they get the best tight end on the board to compliment oft-injured Todd Heap.

26. Arizona Cardinals: Demaryius Thomas, WR Georgia Tech – The Cards need to replace Boldin and Thomas has the speed and toughness to do just that.

27. Dallas Cowboys: Kyle Wilson, CB Boise State – Wilson can help the Cowboys in the secondary and Wilson is the best available.

28. San Diego Chargers: Ryan Matthews, RB Fresno State – He would be the perfect compliment to the speedy RB Darren Sproles.

29. New York Jets: Jerry Hughes, DE/OLB TCU – He can supplant 1st round bust Vernon Gholston and upgrade an already very dominant defense.

30. Minnesota Vikings: Kareem Jackson, CB Alabama – Possible steal of the draft right here. This is where “glaring need” meets “best player available.”

31. Indianapolis Colts: Jared Odrick, DE Penn State – The Colts need some muscle on the defensive line and Odrick is the right pick. He’s not flashy, but when have the Colts D ever been flashy?

32. New Orleans Saints: Sean Witherspoon, OLB Missouri – Another perfect match of need and “best player available.” Coach Sean Payton could do wonders with Witherspoon.

Five bold predictions that should happen during the draft:

1. Some team will trade up to get C. J. Spiller, my guess, Chicago Bears. There is no way that he falls into the 20s in the first round. He is too good.

2. If Jimmy Clausen falls past the Bills at #9, another team will trade up to get him in the teens. My guess, Washington.

3. Brandon Marshall will not get traded and once the Broncos take Dez Bryant, Marshall will no longer ask to be traded. They will become the best receiving duo in the league with Brady Quinn at QB.

4. The Raiders draft will be so awful that Mel Kiper Jr. will actually grade it an F. (Last year, they took WR Darrius Heyward-Bey at #7 overall, when he was barely a 1st round prospect and S Mike Mitchell at #37 overall. Kiper Jr. had Mitchell as a borderline 5th-6th and possibly even a 7th round pick.) Kiper Jr. gave the Raiders a D- last year.

5. This will be one of those drafts that in 10 years, experts will be saying how this was one of the best drafts, talent-wise, in history.

There you go. Let me know what you think in the comments.