Muhammad Ali was born 1942 on January 17th in Louisville, Kentucky, Cassius Marcellus Clay, Jr. His parents were Odessa, a house wife and Cassius, Sr. who worked as a billboard painter. He was named after his father, who was named after the 19thcentury abolitionist and politician Cassius Clay. Cassius had a younger brother named Rudolph (Rudy) Clay, who later became Rahman Ali. Even though Clay Sr. was a Methodist, Odessa raised the two boys as Baptist.The family lineage was of pre- civil war slaves. The family was also mixed with some English and Irish ancestry.

Cassius clay experienced everyday prejudices that most African-American boys experienced. Cassius had no idea that his life was about to change through circumstance which could have lead to a less admirable path. At the age of 12, he recalls his bike being stolen as the catalyst of his career choice. He recalls telling a white Louisville police officer, Joe martin that he wanted to find the culprit and beat him up. Joe Martin told this fuming and very determined boy that if he wanted to challenge someone, he would first have to learn how to fight. It just so happened, Martin trained young boxers at a nearby gym. Cassius also trained with a black American coach, Fred Stoner.

He was told he could make at least $4 a week on a local TV show, tomorrow’s Champions, which aired weekly and was hosted by Martin. Cassius would benefit by making money while being trained by Stoner, an even more experienced trainer than Martin. Under Stoners wing Cassius would go on to win not one but six Kentucky titles then two Golden Gloves Titles. He won the Amateur Athletic Union national Title. In 1960 he fought his way to a Gold medal at the 1960 Summer Olympic Games. Cassius couldn’t have been happier or more confident in who he was becoming and where he wanted to go. However,when he returned home he got into an altercation at a segregated restaurant with the establishment and a white gang.

In Cassius 1975 autobiography, he talks in detail about feeling angry and disappointed in how so many things he experienced as a child was still very much prevalent and did not discriminate in regards to popularity or talent. He realized black was black in America. In a statement of protest, he threw his Olympic Gold medal into the Ohio River.

Cleveland simply showed more enthusiasm than New York on defense. The Cavaliers offense had their way with the New York Knicks, causing mass confusion and drawing the Knicks into foul trouble. The Cavaliers were able to make their way to the free throw line frequently, attempting 44 shots during the game (15 more attempts than the Knicks). “Defensively, we’ve got a long ways to go,” Stoudemire said. “It takes time.”

Time is exactly what the Knicks are going to need to build up the chemistry they are going to need to be a real contender in the East. Unfortunately for New York, time is not on their side. And if they are looking to make a legitimate run at the Eastern Conference Finals this year, they are going to have to play with a lot more drive and intensity than we saw last night.

Rebounding was also a big issue last night. The Cavaliers out-rebounded the Knicks on defense 43-29 and 62-42 for the game; this from a team who only has 2 players in the top 50 in rebounding and whose top rebounder ranks 24th in the league. It seemed as though on every possession, there was a group of Cavaliers crashing the boards, while the Knicks were just hoping and praying that every shot would drop.

I am not saying that there is cause for concern…yet, but if the Knicks expected to walk onto the court and intimidate the Cavaliers, they were dead wrong. New York beat Cleveland in almost every box score stat, but it was the hustle and determination of the Cavs that is sending the Carmelo and the Knicks down to Miami in embarrassment.

Had it not been for Chauncy Billups, 9yes the Knicks did receive more than just Carmelo in the blockbuster trade, this game would have been an even bigger embarrassment. To add insult to injury, Anthony, an 82% free throw shooter, had an opportunity to cut the lead to 2 with 25 seconds left in the game, but missed the free throw and fouled out fighting for his missed shot. Afterwards, Carmelo mentioned that he banged his elbow in the second half and was experiencing numbness in his right elbow. Anthony is not expected to miss anytime and said he will be ready for Sunday’s matchup.

On The Web

• Cavs 115, Knicks 109: No Defense, No Problem for Cleveland (waitingfornextyear.com)
• “Cleveland Cavaliers Hand Carmelo Anthony His First Loss as a New York Knick” and related posts (nesn.com)
• Scott Credits Defense, Rebounding For Cavs’ Recent Success (waitingfornextyear.com)
• New York Knicks Vs. Cleveland Cavaliers NBA Handicapping Preview (bleacherreport.com)
• Latest setback hurts Carmelo (denverpost.com)
• Knicks Vs. Cavaliers Final Score: Carmelo Anthony, Amare Stoudemire Not Enough As Cleveland Wins, 115-109 (sbnation.com)

The Lakers and Celtics are loaded with talent with deep benches and all-stars at nearly every position. These two teams still seem to be the favorites to play for the title but there are some very good teams in the NBA this year, though no teams boast the depth these two do.

The Melo saga has ended… finally, and now the Knicks can continue building towards relevancy. With the tandem of Stoudemire and Anthony coach D’Antoni can finally employ his run and gun style of play that was so successful in Phoenix.

With the teaming up of star players the small-market teams are being shoved out of the NBA’s relevancy picture. These teams can’t afford to keep star players which they drafted and invested millions of dollars in, building their franchises around.

Instead, these teams get high draft picks, pick top talents, grow them and build around them for five to six years, and then lose their stars and have to start all over again. The Cleveland Cavaliers are the perfect example of this. They were really bad prior to drafting LeBron James. He took them to new heights, the playoffs nearly every year and even a finals appearance. The team ran out of time though and as soon as he could bolt he did, leaving the Cavaliers in ruins, back to the way they were prior to James.

With no solution to this never-ending cycle, the smaller markets will continue to be bad, and in a worst-case scenario, these teams won’t be able to keep up and will either fold, or move to potentially bigger markets.

Another ‘scary’ trend of the NBA is the league becoming a player-driven league. Many said that the trio in Miami mapped out playing together. Coaches are routinely fired because players don’t like them or can’t handle their discipline. Carmelo Anthony held the Nuggets’ feet to the fire to trade him or get nothing. Jerry Sloan retired after an alleged skirmish with point guard at the time, Deron Williams.

The players are running the league and there seems to be no options to check this power. Ownership and management will routinely side with star players over anyone else, for fear of upsetting and losing them.

With a new Collective Bargaining Agreement on the horizon for the NBA these problems must be addressed. Another issue that has arisen is the one-and-done issue of college players leaving for the NBA after one year in college. This leads to many problems for both the NBA and college basketball. It hurts the NBA because the market is flooded with talented players that aren’t quite developed enough yet to play in the NBA. This forces teams to draft for talent at times and then wait for players to develop in the D-leagues.

For college it leads to rapid turnover and less fluency. Kids are playing to showcase their talents for NBA scouts and then get out. They only have to attend classes for one semester, and they are playing with one foot out the door.

One proposed solution has been to do what Major League Baseball has done. High school players would have the option to go straight to the NBA or enroll in college. If they chose college they would have to stay for three years. This would allow the stars of high school who are NBA ready to make their money right away while players who need a little more development would benefit from several years of the college basketball experience.

Hopefully all of these issues will be addressed to steady the NBA ship which looks like it could be on the verge of capsizing.

On The Web:

• LeBron James of Miami Heat says trades shift power to Eastern Conference (sports.espn.go.com)
• LeBron James and Carmelo Anthony: Are They Helping the Game or Killing It? (bleacherreport.com)
• NBA Trade Rumors: Gerald Wallace Draws Interest From Cavaliers, Blazers (sbnation.com)
• When Did The NBA Lose Its Mind? (oliverwillis.com)

Every year the contest becomes more difficult to compete in because so many dunks have been done. The creativity levels have to be raised to absurd levels or there is no ‘wow’ factor. Of course dunking over a car provides the wow factor, but unless guys are going to start dunking off trampolines or doing back flips, showmanship will be the only area participants can continue to creatively improve. With that said I began compiling a list of players that I would want to see face-off in an ultimate slam dunk contest, putting together the best and most exciting dunk contest participants of all time.

Michael Jordan

Jordan for most people defines the dunk contest. There have been posters printed around the world of his dunk from the foul line. He represents one of the last eras where super-stars would still compete in the dunk contest. Jordan could hang and glide through the air in a silky smooth type of way, and he was in the contest to win it every time.

Dominique Wilkins

Wilkins definitely knew how to put on a show whether he was battling it out with Spud Webb, or Michael Jordan, he never disappointed. Wilkins brought creativity and power, and was a great dunker. He probably should have won a couple slam dunk titles but look at his competition.

Vince Carter

Wow! That’s all people could say after Vince Carter would dunk. He could do 360′s or put the ball between his legs and finish with authority. After his dunks he would be fired up and the crowd would erupt. Vince Carter was the type of dunker who gave you chills long before the ball actually graced the net. His exclamatory “It’s over” will forever be remembered in dunk contest history.

Nate Robinson

Krypto-Nate is a little man with hops and a sense of showmanship. He is the only three-time champion even if his competition thinned out near the end. Nate can climb the ladder and perform dunks that far outdo his small stature. Plus Nate Robinson is a hero of the short guys and everyone loves a little man that can dunk.

Spud Webb

Speaking of little men who could dunk, this dude put sub-6-foot on the map. His ability to dunk alone was amazing but coupled with style points, Spud will be a contender. Who wouldn’t want to see Spud face off against Nate Robinson? This showdown of the shorties would be a show within a show and a perfect subplot.

Dwight Howard

This “superman” has to be involved in the show. It must have a monster, a big man with power to rock the rim. Howard could dunk on a 12 foot net with ease. What’s next, a 14 footer? Howard will come out in his cape, and with his ability to leap, he can do any dunk in the books. But his originality would keep the fans guessing, and the 10′s flowing.

Of course Blake Griffin could one day be added to this contest of historical competitors but his career is still young and his dunk performance is still fresh.

This would be an incredible event, a show for the ages. Just imagine Vince Carter trying to match what Jordan is pulling off. Then there are the two big guys providing the power dunks with Wilkins and Howard. The two little guys would provide context for each dunk, forcing Robinson and Webb to do more than just put the ball in the net, but also provide a show.

What an event this would be and who cares who would win. We would all be winners getting to see a show like that.

In Layman’s terms both sides want more money. The NFL owners claim they need more money as they accrue more expenses for new stadiums and to maintain daily operations. The old CBA gave the owners $1 billion off the top of around $9 billion, but the owners now want an additional $1 billion to help offset their costs. The players find this unacceptable and have even talked about breaking the union to gain leverage in the situation. This whole thing is simply a mess. Neither side can agree on anything and there are so many complications in the process that an agreement seems months away. First there’s the money. Next there’s the proposed 18 game schedule. Then there are talks about removing franchise tags and putting caps on rookie salaries.

The two sides have suspended negotiations because they were so far apart, they didn’t even believe that sitting in the same room would help anything.

Well there is good news for football fans. College football isn’t going anywhere. There will still be games played on Thursday nights and of course Saturdays. These kids, for the most part, aren’t playing for money or squabbling over contract negotiations. This is pure football where a single loss could destroy a season. And of course there will still be Friday night high school games, and midget football, back-yard football, and Madden.

Of course there will be a huge whole on Sundays and Monday nights but you will find something to fill it with. Maybe T.O. and Ocho Cinco, I mean Chad Johnson, could put on a primetime show, or start another show that somehow rivals dancing with the stars. The NFL players could start a street league which I’m sure would get high viewership, unlike the videogame. Perhaps everyone will join the UFL and it will displace the NFL. The possibilities are endless.

With that said, the NFL needs to get this done. Although it would never take a hit like the MLB did, a missed season would turn fans off, and of course it would be a black eye for Roger Goodell. They should lock the two sides in a room until they come to an agreement, no matter how long that takes, even if it ends in a rock-paper-scissors contest at least there will be a solution.

This is the NFL’s chance to show why it is the best, most popular sport in America. To show that people can come to an agreement, and that the sport is bigger than the ego.

There are several problems though that the Cardinals don’t seem to be considering though. Pujols has been a career-long Cardinal, and although he seems to want to stay a Cardinal, he obviously wants to maximize his earnings while he can. Cardinal fans would be mortified if Pujols ended up on a rival team with money like the Cubs.

If Pujols makes it to free agency the price to sign him will definitely sky-rocket. Teams like the Red Sox and Yankees, who are already locked up at first base, will create a bidding war to drive up the price. Other teams like the Rangers or Angels could make an outrageous offer to Pujols, opening his eyes to the kind of money he could rake in. If the Cardinals are going to keep him, they should sign him now, whether he says negotiations are closed or not, because they will have to place a competitive bid for him on the free-agency market which will be more than he would accept right now.

Another problem the Cardinals could face is losing Pujols completely and having nothing to show for it. Pujols has a full no-trade clause and can deny any trade the Cardinals would want to make. If the Cardinals are competitive for the division, which they should be, St. Louis is as great a place as any to make a World Series run. He would have to be traded to a dynamic team that is going places like the Yankees, Red Sox, or Phillies, and the logistics of these trades would be quite difficult to work out. Some are saying a Texeira for Pujols deal straight-up, or Howard for Pujols deal, but the Cardinals would be taking on a ton of money in either case, and in all honesty downgrading at the position.

The Cardinals need to just bite the bullet, pay him what he wants and be done with it. As free-agency gets closer towards the end of the season, it is highly doubtful he would even consider negotiations with the Cardinals. Plus the union, who has already supposedly put pressure on Pujols to sign a record-breaking deal, would put even more pressure on him to test the waters as they approached.

Yes this is a ton of money! But this is what baseball is now, and to stay competitive and on top you have to keep your best players on your team. You don’t want to become the Pittsburgh Pirates.

On the golf course, Tiger Woods was overly scrutinized for spitting in disgust after missing a putt on the 12^th green of the Dubai Desert Classic. Of course the cameras cover Tiger’s every move and as the spit flew from his mouth the controversy arose.

So what is with the spitting? Spitting is fine in certain contexts, and sports seems like one place where spitting is nearly always acceptable. Football players walk the sidelines spitting on the grass, or spitting up Gatorade and water after taking a drink. Goalies in hockey spit water on the ice after taking a drink from their water bottles on top of the net. In baseball spitting is constant. David Ortiz spits into his batting gloves before stepping into the batter’s box. Pitchers stare in to get the signs, and then spit before getting set on the mound. Players spit chewing tobacco and sunflower seeds on the bench or in the field, and even fans spit seeds in the stands.

But these events were different. In the case of Jared Sullinger, spitting in the face is never acceptable and he had every right to be upset. As a fan you have a responsibility to conduct yourself in a certain manner that respects the game. It is great to have fun, heckle a bit, dress up in crazy Gumby outfits and start Jon Bieber chants (making fun of Jon Diebler and Justin Bieber). It crosses the line though when you spit on an opposing player. This is the lowest form of disrespect imaginable. At least when you punch somebody, not that that is being condoned in any way, you are inviting a fight, wanting to show who can take who, trying to make a show of physical dominance. When you spit on someone it makes you seem like a savage, the person spit on means nothing and is somehow less than human. This was just a horribly classless move by a couple of morons at Wisconsin when they should have simply overtly been enjoying the great victory their team just attained. I am not aiming this at Wisconsin. There are idiotic fans everywhere. But when you go to a sporting event have some class. Respect your team and respect yourself.

In the case of Tiger Woods the spitting was all about the context of the sport. Golf is supposed to be the high-class sport. Men dressed in khakis and Polos playing an expensive game on pristine courses in a “proper” setting. In some ways the game seems so sterile. The competitive nature of the sport is combated by handshakes, and hugs. Tiger is a little more of a lightning bolt to say the least although not to the extremes of John Daly. He curses if he hits a bad shot. He tosses his clubs when he is mad. He yells at photographers and fans to not disrupt his swing. And in this “classy” environment of hush hush and such he spit out of anger when missing a putt. Nick Swisher of the Yankees did this nearly every at bat last year if he swung and missed. SO WHAT! This is just another instance of over-publicizing something that was not a big deal, and golf getting in the way of itself again. Imagine if players were able to express themselves in ways other than they dressed, and no there wouldn’t be a Happy Gilmore on tour. This would simply contribute to the competitiveness of the sport and take away some of the “high class” stereotype.

In any case the important thing to know before you let that spit fly out of your mouth is to know whether it is socially acceptable or not, and if it is then let that spit fly, but if not, swallow the urge and live to spit another day.

Baseball became an organized sport in 1876 when the National League was formed. Before the league was formed, however, teams were already organizing. The Cincinnati Red Stockings became the first professional team in 1869. However, the organization and the teams that quickly formed were designed for white players only. Even so, the history of the Negro Baseball League dates back to the same time that these teams were coming together. In the 1860s, black amateur teams like the Colored Union Club and the Pythian Club were playing in Philadelphia and Brooklyn respectively. The Cuban Giants, a team in New York, was the first all-black professional baseball team formed in 1885. Through the 1890s, most professional Negro players were limited to playing in exhibition games on all-black teams. Still, even this far back, black and white teams played one another, but the teams were never comprised of mixed races until decades later.

In 1920, the Negro National League was formed with eight teams playing out of Chicago, Dayton, Detroit, Indianapolis, Kansas City, St. Louis and New York. The man behind this organization was Andrew “Rube” Foster. He drove the creation of the organization and served as its president. Because of his role in leading the early years of Negro baseball, Foster is considered the father of black baseball. In 1923, the Eastern Colored League was formed, and the two Leagues held the first Negro World Series in 1924. The ECL collapsed and reemerged as the American Negro League in 1929. The NNL was successfully operated until 1931.

The years of the depression were difficult for black baseball leagues and teams. Several new leagues were formed, but evaporated after only a few years, some even before the first season was through. The leagues that stuck around after the depression were the NNL and the Negro American League, one that was formed in 1937 and comprised of teams from the South and Midwest United States. In 1949, they were absorbed into one League, sticking with the NAL moniker, which operated through 1960.

Through the years, eleven Black World Series competitions were held between the different leagues. Also, in 1933, black teams began an all-star game competition known as the East-West game. It was played yearly in the summer at Comiskey Park in Chicago. At the time, the game was considered by many to be more important than the World Series. Between 20,000 and 50,000 fans were attracted to watch each year.

Soccer is considered to be one of the world’s original sports. 3,000 years ago in ancient China, a game was documented during the Han Dynasty that involved players kicking a ball into a net. In another part of the world, namely Greece and Rome, ancients played a game of up to 27 players on each side. In the modern game of soccer, there are only 11 players on each side, but other similarities in game play cause soccer to be considered one of the game’s descendents. In slightly more recent times, the British devised a war game in the 8th century that they called football. In this gruesome version, the head of a fallen Danish Prince was used as the ball. In these early years of soccer in England, villages where pitted against each other where games turned more into battles. With no structured rules, kicking, biting and punching were commonly seen. In 1331, King Edward III of England passed a law abolishing the game. Queen Elizabeth I got onboard and ordered one week in prison for anyone caught playing the violent game. These efforts were futile however, and the game only grew in popularity over the centuries until it evolved into one of the most popularly-played games in the country.

The only shortcoming of the game at this point in its history was its lack of standards. In 1851, however, rules were officially established by Eton College, a well-known school in England. Other schools and universities were to adopt the rules. The standard version of soccer, known as the Cambridge Rules, was finally implemented by most universities in England by 1848. Still, some schools employed the Rugby-associated rules that allowed for carrying of the ball as well as kicking of the shins.

In 1863, a single set of rules was put together by 11 English soccer clubs who got together and formed The Football Association. The rules were altered a little in 1869 where the use of hands was forbidden, expect by the goalie. This version of soccer is how you know it to be today. The English continue to call the game “football,” but the word “soccer” was introduced by an Oxford student named Charles Brown. Those who attended Oxford were known for adding “er” to the end of words to make them slang, and the term “soccer” stuck. Today, the sport is played globally and is considered the most popular game in history.

The Vince Lombardi trophy is headed home to Green Bay. After a 31-25 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Green Bay Packers are world champions. Aaron Rodgers was awarded Super Bowl MVP, and teammate Clay Mathews draped a championship belt over his shoulder as he received the award. Rodgers made the belt his trademark, mimicking putting it around his waist after big plays throughout the season. He won’t have to pretend any longer though; he has a real championship, the belt and a ring to go with it. The game looked like it was on the verge of getting out of hand when the Packers took advantage of Steelers’ turnovers and led 21-3 just before the half. The Steelers scored a touchdown just before half and unfortunately several key Packers’ players were injured and unable to play in the second half including veterans Charles Woodson and Donald Driver.

The Steelers were able to make an exciting game out of it under the leadership of Big Ben, and the Steeler offense while the defense held the short-handed Packers in check. Momentum seemed to change though as late in the fourth quarter Steeler running back Rashard Mendenhall fumbled the ball on a big collision with Clay Matthews, the third turnover by the Steelers. Although the Steelers still had a chance to win the game at the end, the emotionally charged Packers were able to hold on to the lead and experience the confetti shower.

The Super Bowl is an event like no other, and although the game is the main attraction the events surrounding the Super Bowl are always fun to experience and analyze as well. There were a number of funny commercials, but Doritos, Pepsi Max, and Bud light brought the most laughs.

In my favorite commercial, a man is teasing a little dog through a glass door, telling him to come get some Doritos. The dog sprints towards the door headed for an almost certain collision as the man’s girlfriend tells him not to hurt her dog. The dog is eyeing the bag as it sprints in slow motion towards the door. Suddenly it smashes the door on top of the man, pinning him under it as it eats the rest of the bag.

Another Doritos commercial featured a man at work finishing a bag of Doritos when a coworker approaches and asks if he can have the rest. The man replies that they are all gone, and the coworker says, not the best part, and then sucks the cheese of the man’s fingers. This continues on for several more scenarios as the coworker continuously finishes off any trace of the tasty chips.

The biggest commercial disappointment though was the overly hyped appearance of Justin Bieber with Ozzy Osbourne in a Best Buy commercial. It fell a little short, both in length and making it to a punch line in a case where the big names at two different ends of the social spectrum had a lot of potential for funniness.

There was also a really cool Chrysler commercial about the city of Detroit and all that it has been through and the new cars the company is coming out with.

One of the most exciting movie previews was for the next Pirates of the Caribbean that will come out this summer. The movie looked exciting, and right on par with the previous three.

The halftime show didn’t seem too special in any way. The Black Eyed Peas were featured, with appearances by Slash, and Usher. There were a lot of awesome eye stimulating special effects throughout the show though as choreographed dancers lit up in different colors throughout the various songs. But in the end, Fergie’s attempts to over-sing made the actual music a little painful at times.

The biggest drama going into the game though was the name Brett Favre. His name was mentioned only once; as Terry Bradshaw handed to Lombardi trophy to Aaron Rodgers he listed the past Packer quarterbacks to claim the same prize. Aaron Rodgers shined, and although Brett Favre will always be idolized in Green Bay, the team has finally ended the drama, Favre will retire a Packer, and the team is set at the position for years and years to come.

Hank Aaron, born Henry Louis Aaron in 1934, played his 23-year career from 1954 to 1976 for the Milwaukee Braves-later the Atlanta Braves-and the Milwaukee Brewers. He has many records to his name, including 2,297 runs batted in; 1,477 total bases; 2,297 extra base hits; and 15 years with 30 or greater homeruns. Over the length of his career, Aaron hit 755 homeruns, another baseball record which was held strong until August 2007 when Barry Bonds hit his 756th homerun. While Aaron rose to hold many baseball records, he did not start off his life with fame and fortune. Aaron was born in a poor part of Mobile, Alabama and showed an interest for baseball at an early age. His attention was centered on the sport rather than school, so he played shortstop on his high school baseball team. He quit school altogether in 1951 to join the Negro Leagues, playing for the Indianapolis Clowns. After leading his club in the victorious win of the 1952 World Series, he was recruited to play for the Milwaukee Braves in June of the next year when he was only 19 years old. He joined the majors a year after that when an injured outfielder opened up a spot for him on the Major League team.

While the color barrier had been broken by Jackie Robinson seven years earlier, African-American players still had to work harder than their white teammates to prove their worth on the team. In the 1957 season, Aaron displayed unrivaled skill at bat with 44 homeruns and a .322 batting average. Also that year, he hit a homerun in the 11th inning, propelling the Braves to play in the World Series where they beat the New York Yankees. Over the next 15 years, Aaron played excellently each season, busting out 30- and 40-homerun seasons.

In 1973, Aaron was 39 years old and still a force to be reckoned with. He finished the season with 40 homeruns, now just one run behind Babe Ruth’s record of 714. Despite the hate mail, mingled with letters of congratulations, Aaron did not let the color of his skin hold him back. On April 15, 1974, he beat the homerun record to 50,000 fans cheering him on, a band playing and fireworks bursting. He played for two more years, finishing out his career where it all began in Milwaukee. His accomplishments earned him a spot in the Hall of Fame in 1982.

Once again it seems everything does have a price. English Premier League giants Liverpool FC appear to have thought twice about their decision to keep Spanish striker Fernando Torres, having originally stated the player was not for sale. This was their original response to rivals Chelsea, after a bid to purchase the player was leveled on Friday. This all changed Sunday when the BBC reported a source within Anfield stated Liverpool would be willing to part with their star striker for £45 million plus Chelsea’s Nicolas Anelka. If that wasn’t acceptable, a flat fee of £50 million cash would suffice. Well it seems the flat fee was enough to see the Spaniard prepare to head to West London. According to Liverpool’s official website: “Liverpool Football Club tonight confirmed they have agreed a fee with Chelsea for the sale of Fernando Torres… The player has now been given permission to speak to the London club.” It is understood that Torres arrived in London on Monday evening to undergo a medical at Chelsea’s Cobham training ground.

Arriving at Merseyside from Atletico Madrid in 2007, Torres has failed to hit his top form at Anfield this season, scoring just seven Premier League goals for the Reds – three of them in recent games. His tally currently stands at 65 goals in 102 Premier League games. Those recent goals have shown Torres to be on the path to finding his form, though, and this is good news for Chelsea as the Spaniard will be ready to see action against his former club this weekend. He will undoubtedly appear in their next Champions League match against FC Copenhagen as well.

Liverpool also announced they had agreed a club-record fee for Newcastle’s England striker Andy Carroll. Their website reported on Monday evening that Carroll was on the way for personal talks and a medical, meaning he is likely to join newly signed, Uruguay World Cup striker Luis Suarez at the club. Liverpool fans displayed their thoughts on the Torres deal by taking to the streets, burning the number 9 jersey.

The first African-American players of baseball were not allowed to play on professional teams with white players. 1885 marks the year of the first all-black professional baseball team, the Cuban Giants, which played out of Brooklyn. The very first known professional black baseball player was Bud Fowler, a player who participated in more organized baseball games than any other African-American until Jackie Robinson completed his 11th season in 1956. Fowler began playing baseball before the Cuban Giants team was formed. He played with white players on an Iowa team of the Western League. The concept of Negro Major League baseball was first thought of in 1907 but it did not come to fruition until 1920. Andrew “Rube” Foster is credited as the organizer of the Negro National League (NNL). This new league gave blacks a chance to try out for the professional teams, putting their baseball skills to the test and mastering their natural talents. A few notable players in this league include Oscar Charleston, John Henry Lloyd and Biz Mackey, all of whom were inducted into the Hall of Fame after their deaths.

Charleston is considered one the best defensive center fielders in the history of baseball. He was also a powerful hitter with a career batting average of .348. He died at age 57 and was inducted into the hall of fame in 1976. Lloyd is considered to be one of the best baseball players ever. That fact was agreed upon by both Babe Ruth and Ted Harlow. He was a renowned shortstop as well as a strong batter with an average of .337 during his time in the Negro Leagues. He died in 1964 and was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 1977. Mackey was a prominent catcher. That along with his strong arm and batting skills placed his hitting average at .322 and earned him a place in the Hall of Fame in 2006, 41 years after his death.

Another Negro baseball league was formed in 1923, called the Eastern Colored League (ECL). This organization fought to claim these top players for their teams, but in the end they decided to respect the contracts and the arrangement of the Negro League World Series was created in 1924. 23 years later, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier and joined the previously all-white Brooklyn Dodgers team. Clearly, he set the stage for many successful multiracial baseball teams which feature talented African-American players who lead their teams to victory.

The Buckeyes are for real this season, and a more complete team then they have ever been before.

Not only is the team winning on the court, but they are bonding as a team off the floor as well as seen through their youtube video “Party in the OSU.”

The team has faced a lot of challenges through the season so far, and as the last undefeated team left in the country and the No. 1 ranking, they are in the crosshairs of every team they face for the rest of the year. There are several key factors that make this Buckeyes team so complete and has allowed them to remain atop the NCAA this year. But there are also what some potential footfalls that could eventual trip them up.

Strengths: Well-rounded: Any one player can go off any night for a big game and points seem to come from everywhere. Three players are serious threats from the outside, Lighty, Buford, and most notably, Diebler which helps to off-set teams who want to double down Sullinger on the post. The team gets good help off the bench with Craft who has stepped up big for the team on defense and offense, and also Thomas, who can be a scoring machine. The team also has one of the top shot-blockers in the country with Lauderdale.

Leadership: A fifth-year senior, two seniors and a junior help to bring experience which fuses together with the young raw talent the Buckeyes possess. Lighty has seen it all and played on a No. 1 team before. He was on the team with Oden that went to the championship game in 2007 and has played with Evan Turner, former Player of the Year winner. These players know what it’s like to play in front of crazy fans expect every teams best shot like Iowa, Penn State, and Northwestern. They help to keep the freshmen in the game and focused on the tasks at hand.

Athleticism: The Buckeyes’ lineup is full of size and agility, helping to create a great offensive and defensive combination. They are tough to guard because they have tall guards who can break down a defender with the dribble to drive or create their own shot. Get lost helping out, and Diebler will pierce a three from the corner. Sullinger is a nightmare for teams down low with a myriad of post moves and a rather polished jump shot. Plus he’s unmovable with the way he controls his body and throws around his weight he has become a candidate for Player of the Year.

Weaknesses: No go-to player: Although everyone on the team contributes, the Buckeyes lack one player to go to in crunch time, or when they need a last second shot. Different players have stepped up in the clutch, but there is no clear-cut player that needs to have the ball in his hands at the end of games.

Youth: The young players on the team have never played a season in the Big Ten, going to hostile environments, and traveling throughout the Midwest. Most of these players have played in a ton of games with AAU, High School, and summer ball, but this is a different level of basketball, and more trying on players physically and psychologically, especially with the added pressures of being undefeated and No. 1 in the country.

Depth: Coach Matta generally only plays a seven to eight man rotation hardly going much deeper into his bench. This has caused players to rack up minutes, and although these athletes are in peak physical condition, it is a trying task to have fresh legs come tournament time. If the Buckeyes’ bigs get into foul trouble, there is little to no experience or help that the Buckeyes can look to eat up minutes on the floor. This could really hurt the Buckeyes in the long run.

If the Buckeyes are able to capitalize on these strengths and their weaknesses are not exposed, they have a very legitimate shot at running the table this year continuing the run all the way through the tournament. Don’t be surprised if they get tripped up along the way but with the team chemistry and leadership they should be able to refocus and make a run deep into the tourney.

Basketball is an international sport with an American beginning. The game is well over 100 years old with origins tracing back to 1891. In December of that year, Dr. James Naismith invented the game in Springfield, Massachusetts. Naismith was hired as the physical education teacher at the International YMCA Institute where he was warned that the participants in the class were a bunch of savages. These students loved outdoor contact sports like football and rugby but despised boring indoor activities. What they sought was a team sport with real action that required skill, not simple games like leap frog and tumbling. Naismith had two weeks to develop something that would satisfy his students. One day before his deadline, he had fabricated an idea that required two peach baskets nailed seven feet high on the wall and a soccer ball to play the game. When Naismith’s rowdy class came in, he explained that this new game was a no-contact sport that required players to pass the ball from one another up the court to get the ball into the peach baskets. The very first game of basketball was soon underway. Just like today, the game was started when the ball was thrown into the air and snatched by one of the players. The only score of the game was tossed by William Chase, a future executive of the YMCA.

Basketball was added as a sport in the Olympics in 1936, the year it took place in Berlin. Before this, the International Basketball Federation was inducted in 1932. Eight nations were originally involved, including Argentina, Greece, Italy, Portugal, Switzerland and more. The National Basketball Association grew in popularity in the United States and by the late 1940s, 17 teams had joined the association. While the original basketballs were brown, the color was changed to the modern orange in the 1950s because the visibility of the brown ball was poor. College level basketballs, however, look different than the ones used by the NBA today.

The first women’s college to play the sport was located in Massachusetts, the same state that the game was invented, only a year after it was played by Naismith’s physical education class. Blacks first joined the NBA in 1950. The rules of the game have morphed over time to meet the demands of the players. The most dissimilar original rule was that you could not run with the ball at all but had to pass it to a teammate wherever the ball was caught.

English Premier League club Liverpool has rejected an offer for Spanish striker Fernando Torres from reigning champions Chelsea on Friday. The reported £35million bid was immediately turned down by the Merseyside, and they insist, “The player is not for sale.” The Blues have long admired the talents of the 26-year-old, and it was reported that the Spaniard asked Liverpool to at least consider Chelsea’s request. Though he struggled to find his form for most of the season, recent outings have seen Torres finding his feet again. He scored three times since the Reds’ legend Kenny Dalglish took over as manager for the floundering club, bringing his season total to nine.

At a press conference, Chelsea manager Carlo Ancelotti kept mum on the subject. He said, “I don’t want to speak about this, you will have to ask the club. He is not my player and I have to have respect for Liverpool. I don’t like to speak about this.” He did say he was delighted to see the club backing him in the transfer market, allowing for the chance at offers to some of the world’s top strikers. “I am happy because the club is doing a fantastic job in this transfer market. The club is trying to do everything to improve the squad.”

The news of the failed bid on Torres comes amid reports of other failed bids by the desperate champions. Spanish club Atletico Madrid reported they had turned down Chelsea’s $82 million bid for Argentina striker Sergio Aguero and 24-year-old defender Diego Godin, from Uruguay, as well as a collapsed attempt at landing David Luiz, a Brazilian defender at Portuguese club Benfica.

Shortly after the news of rejecting Chelsea’s bid, Liverpool announced an agreed £22.8million deal with Ajax for star Uruguayan striker Luis Suarez. With this developing story and the rumors that Chelsea may up the bid to £50million, we just may see Fernando Torres donning the blue jersey at Stamford Bridge before the season’s out.

Jay Cutler disappointed a lot of Bears fans on Sunday with what appeared to be a lack of toughness, or fear of commitment. The Bears had a chance to go to the Super Bowl, as their defense came up big drive after drive, not allowing the hot-handed Aaron Rodgers to have his way after jumping out to a 14-0 lead. Cutler had “no comment” for those questioning his toughness but his teammates had his back. Brian Urlacher didn’t question whether his quarterback was too hurt to play, with an angry retort to reporters when asked about Cutler after the game. He even had a few choice expletives to throw around as well reminiscent of T.O. talking about Tony Romo. On twitter, Mark Schlereth had this to say. “As a guy who had 20 knee surgeries you’d have to drag me out on a stretcher to leave a championship game.”

Another tweet retweeted by ESPN’s Bob Ley stated “Willis Reed, Isaiah Thomas, Byron Leftwich, Tiger Woods, Michael Jordan, Brett Favre altogether now to Jay Cutler: Dude really?”As Bears fans watched a young quarterback with no NFL experience lead the team back they also saw Cutler standing on the sideline in no apparent or obvious pain simply watching the game. He wasn’t sitting on the bench or carted into the locker room for X-rays or MRIs, no those could wait for another day. He seemed tough for a half, taking lots of hits and even bleeding through his long sleeve white tee-shirt but to many that image was lost rather quickly.

Perhaps it says somewhere in his contract that he will only play through x amount of pain, and this was exceeding that. Brett Favre would have dragged his leg back onto the field for another shot at the Super Bowl. Even Mark Sanchez, after taking a monstrous hit in the second game, shook off what appeared to be a shoulder-popping blow, and came back in to finish the game. The cream always rises to the top, and although the NFL is a league full of disparity the Super Bowl usually seems to get it right. Both games this weekend had the potential for blowouts, but teams stepped up big when faced with adversity. The Jets down 24-3 at half did not allow another point in the game, chipping away at a lead that was just too insurmountable. The Bears third-stringer stepped up big and nearly pulled off the comeback.

There is no doubt that teams like the Falcons, Saints, Patriots, Bears and Jets had great seasons but they all had their flaws. The Saints had a vulnerable defense when it came to big games, the Falcons couldn’t pound the ball, the Patriots were under-sized on offense, the Bears weren’t tough enough on offense, and the Jets had trouble stopping the run, and moving the ball through the air with the young quarterback.

This year’s Super Bowl matches two hot teams with hot-handed quarterbacks and stout defenses. The game should be another great one, and let’s hope for some epic commercials too.

Traces of American football can be seen in early soccer and rugby games. Both of these games can trace their origins to the United Kingdom where they were played in the mid-1800s. The idea was to kick the ball over a line or at a goal. Soccer and football both feature 22 players on the field and similar terms are used for certain positions, like fullback and halfback. Scoring points in football can be accomplished by either getting the ball into the end zone, as long as it is in the hands of a player, or kicking the football through the goal posts.The man who is considered to be the Father of American Football was named Walter Camp. He was responsible for beginning the process of changing the rules between rugby and a new game called football. A few notable changes he suggested were changing the distance and rule of “downs” and changing the line of scrimmage. The forward pass was introduced by college sports coaches in the later 1800s and early 1900s. Some of these men include Amos Alonzo Stagg, Glen Pop Warner and Knute Rockne.

1892 is the year that professional football can be traced back to. Back then, a $500 contract was offered to William “Pudge” Heffelfinger to play for the Allegheny Athletic Association. American Professional Football began in 1920 and the first game was played in Ohio pitting the Dayton Triangles against the Columbus Panhandles. The Triangles won 14-10. College football is what really put the sport on the map. Not only was it hugely popular, but it was the most dominant version of the game through the early 1900s. Huge audiences showed up for the Bowl games because rivalries between colleges back then were just as strong as they are today.

In 1922, the official name National Football League, or NFL, was established. This is the name the league goes by today. A second league, the American Football League, or AFL, began in 1960 as a rival league. The strain that formed between the two leagues before they merged is how the Super Bowl began, an event that is now the most-watched televised event in the United States. While American football may have been played in the US first, there are football leagues all over the world today. Countries like Mexico, Sweden, Germany, Japan and the United Kingdom all have football teams that play professionally.

Brett Favre files paperwork for retirement and hopefully this time it is for real. The longer he stays in the NFL the more he seems to taint his legacy. At first everyone was on Favre’s side believing the Packers had made a mistake, and that the team owed the face of their franchise the ability to return if he so pleased. His debut with the Jets was weird at first, but at least he was still wearing that number four on his chest, and the jet green wasn’t too drastically different. Packers fans could take solace in being Favre fans, feeling the team had burned its bridges and Brett was in the right. Then the season was over the Jets had fallen short, and reports from the locker room painted a different picture of the always smiling happy-go-lucky Favre. Brett Favre waffled in the off-season again, making ESPN headlines weekly, and setting Rachel Nichols up in what must have been a shanty out front of Favre’s home. He did the unthinkable, he returned to the NFL but for a rival team and looking ridiculous in purple. This was hard to fathom, especially after watching a Favre retirement tribute on ESPN for the second year in a row.

This move stung Packer fans a little bit, was he trying to stick it to the Packers, or was he simply trying to win? Fans outside of Green Bay began to fall off just a little bit, some excited to see what Favre could do with a really good team, and the true NFL fans simply excited to see such a great player stay in the league. Brett Favre proved all the naysayers wrong that year, having an incredible season that came up just short, on an errant and misadvised throw that seems to define this chapter of his career. So once again Favre mulled over retirement, holding the Vikings hostage. Should they move on, or hold out hope that their over-the-hill quarterback would return with the same energy and greatness as the season before.

Then after weeks of reporting on Brett Favre once again, a posse of Vikings skipped out on camp and convinced the old man to come back, to give it one more shot, one I’m sure he would love to have back like those many ill-advised passes. This year was sad. Watching Favre beat up, knocked around, hobbling on the field and grimacing in pain. To see an NFL icon rubbed in the dirt and ruined. And as his game was falling apart on the field it seemed to be doing the same off; with reports of sketchy text-messages to women and exposing pictures.

The once proud and boy-like star grew old rapidly. It was like his beard turned gray overnight, and his bones became brittle. He was no longer the player fans loved to watch. He was sad, disappointing, and for some fans even ruined. So now this chapter of Favre is finally ending, and it’s about time. Hopefully the great memories of Favre with the Packers will white-wash this chapter of his life clean, and the historical perspective of his career will be remembered and respected for the things he accomplished and the longevity of his career rather than the broken and tainted old man that held on for too long.

Favre says he is cheering for the Packers to win the Super Bowl now and it makes sense. The Chicago Bears were one of his fiercest rivals while he played for both the Packers and Vikings. Favre’s bad history with the Jets makes sense that he would steer away from them, and Favre has no real affiliation with the Steelers. That leaves the Packers, the team he spent the majority of his career with, and although it would probably sting somewhat to Favre’s ego if his protégé, Aaron Rodgers won a super bowl so quickly, somewhere in that green heart of his would be joy for Packer nation, and those players he shared so many memories with.

The National Football League, or NFL, has been around for 90 years. Between the time that the NFL was organized in 1920 and 1933, there were 13 African-American players spread across the 11 original teams. In 1932, only two players remained and by the year 1934, there were no black players at all on any NFL team. The entry of Redskins owner George Preston Marshall, an openly bigoted man, resulted in the vanishing of all professional African-American NFL players until after the end of World War II. Marshall was a leading owner in the league and openly refused to allow black players on his team. Reportedly, he put pressure on other team owners within the league to follow his example. Before the 1946 season began, the NFL’s Cleveland Rams were hoping to move to Los Angeles. Because of their lease with the L.A. Coliseum, they were forced to integrate their team before the move could be made. However, instead of drafting African-American players to allow the move, the Rams simply signed a contract with Kenny Washington and Woody Strode. The same year, an All-American Football Conference team, the Cleveland Browns, drafted two African-American players for their team. These men were Bill Willis and Marion Motley.

Despite the willingness of teams in other leagues to integrate their players, Marshall remained strict in his ways. Even with his biased attitude, which would not be stood for today, Marshall was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1963. The reasoning behind his induction states that as a coach, Marshall was completely involved in the operation of his team and endured criticism until he was forced to integrate his team in 1962. This is quite different reasoning than would be found today. Marshall was forced to integrate when civil-rights legal action was threatened by the Kennedy administration. Before they could play in their home stadium again, they had to recruit colored players to their team.

Because of the way that integration was introduced in the NFL, by force, the drafted athletes were clearly treated with inequality. As it was reported, black players received lower contract values than whites of equal positions in the NFL. The American Football League, on the other hand, had no such racial distinctions. This league was formed in 1960 and merged with the NFL in 1969. Today, a total of 32 teams play football as members of the NFL.