The switch in conferences absolutely made sense for the football program, winning the Big East automatically puts the Bulls in a BCS Bowl game, the additional exposure helps draw better prospects and makes students want to enroll in the school.

The best part of joining the Big East was the chance to team up with the elite programs in the country. Syracuse, Connecticut, Marquette, West Virginia, Louisville, Villanova and Georgetown aren’t just some of the best teams in the conference, year-in year-out they are among the best in the nation.

Florida is a hotbed for football recruiting, but basketball has always been an afterthought. The Bulls had some respectable teams during its history, making the NCAA Tournament in 1990 and 1992 but struggled to stay relevant as the team constantly switched confrences and shifted its focus to the football program, which played its first season in 1997.

When the Bulls joined the Big East many within the college basketball community knew the team would struggle, ESPN’s legendary analyst Dick Vitale dubbed the USF job the toughest in the country.

It’s hard to recruit kids to come to South Florida and compete against those elite programs. The Bulls don’t have the breathtaking on campus basketball court, or practice facility. The crowds are pretty sparse as basketball isn’t something people in Tampa are too concerned with.

Former coach Robert McCullum, who was at the helm when the program switched from Conference USA to the Big East, said when he was fired that he would have never accepted the job if he knew the Bulls were preparing to join the best basketball conference in the country.

During two horrible seasons under McCullum, the Bulls went 4-28 in conference play leading to his departure and the hiring of Stan Heath.

Slowly but surely, the Bulls turned it around, brought in some excellent recruits and watched guard Dominique Jones blossom into a NBA prospect.

Dominique Jones has forced basketball fans to pay attention to USF.

Even with Jones making a case to be named to the All-Big East First Team a year ago, the Bulls were still unprepared to deal with the Big East Conference. USF finished 4-14 in conference play and since the Big East expanded its conference tournament to include all 16 teams, the Bulls flew to Madison Square Garden as the 14-seed and were promptly knocked off by Seton Hall 68-54.

Thanks for coming out.

Once the 2009-10 season started, there was a different fell in the air. Heath brought in some highly rated recruits and the Bulls began their season with impressive wins over Virginia, Davidson and won the battle of USF over the University of San Francisco.

USF looked like it was reverting to its crappy ways, dropping the first four Big East Conference games, getting blown out by Louisville, Syracuse and West Virginia and losing a heart-breaker to Notre Dame.

Jones drew national attention as he dropped 46, leading the Bulls to an overtime win against Providence, to start a four-game win streak.

Out of nowhere, the Bulls knocked off No. 7 Georgetown in Washington D.C., dropped Pittsburgh and closed out the season by defeating Connecticut for the first time in the programs history to finish a surprising 9-9 in Big East.

Entering the Big East Tournament on the bubble, the Bulls needed to win its first round match up against DePaul, which they did 58-49, and need to win today against Georgetown to really make a push for the NCAA Tournament.

USF is an extremely likable team. Although they probably rely a little too much on Jones, he hasn’t been shy about carrying the burden. As the second leading scorer in the conference with 21.3 points per game, Jones plays a similar style game to Dwyane Wade, a former Marquette star.

Jones constantly attacks the rim, resulting in lay-ups, dunks and free throw attempts. The rest of the team plays with heart and hustle, diving for loose balls and trying to tap in any shot missed by Jones.

USF is the major underdog, and for once, have an actual shot of making the NCAA Tournament. Big things are happening for USF, make sure you’re tuning in to see it.

How crazy has the basketball season been this year? Connecticut and North Carolina, two of the top-5 basketball schools in the country, have NO chance of being a part of March Madness, while the Bulls needs one win to make their case.

For USF, the biggest game since making the NCAA Tournament 18 years ago tips off at noon.

#8 Georgetown (10-8 Big East) vs. #9 USF (10-9)

When: Wednesday at Noon

Channel: ESPN

So for once, I can finally have a realistic chance of going completely overboard on my NCAA Tournament bracket and pencil in my school to take it all.

Go Bulls!

Facing the New Jersey Nets, a team flirting with the worst record in NBA history, the Knicks left their fans with no choice but to boo the hell out of them. Everything about their game was just awful. It was more pathetic than a 25-year-old guy sacrificing his Saturday night to watch a Nets-Knicks game by himself.

Making a rare appearance on NBA-TV, the Knicks (21-41) were handed an absolute beat down by their cross-river rivals. New Jersey and clinched their ninth consecutive non-winning season. Their faint playoff hopes from the All-Star break, just three weeks ago, have disappeared.

That will happen when you lose 113-93 to the worst team in the NBA.

The Knicks aren't even good at celebrating things, because they aren't used to it.

New Jersey scored its most points of the season, secured its largest margin of victory, beat a second team for the second time this season (the Nets have beaten Charlotte twice as well) and point guard Devin Harris scored a season high 31 points, including a long three-pointer as the clock was winding down.

New York has lost by 20 or more for the sixth time this season (lost by 50 to Dallas, 33 to Chicago, 31 to Cleveland, 22 to Miami and 21 to Minnesota). What stands out from this game is how terrible the Knicks actually played.

At the beginning of the game, the Knicks looked untouchable. David Lee and Danilo Gallinari were knocking down early shots as New York jumped to a quick 18-4 lead.

In typical Knick fashion, as the game wore on, the crappier they became.

Even with New Jersey (7-55) missing 12 of their first 13 shot attempts, the Knicks non-existent defense kept them in the game. Once their shots started falling, the Knicks couldn’t find an answer on either end of the court.

The Nets connected on 14-of-24 attempts from downtown, a season high and 10 more threes than their average, as the Knicks didn’t fare so well. Coming in with the second most three-point field goals in the NBA, New York missed all 18 attempts from beyond the arc. The 0-for-18 mark sets a new NBA record for crappy three-point shooting.

Knicks basketball, feel the excitement!

Newly acquired Tracy McGrady received his first taste of serious New York venom as the crowed loudly booed his 2-point effort. The crowd continued to boo as New York launched brick after brick from downtown.

Tracy McGrady found out what it's like to play for the Knicks Saturday night.

McGrady has been up-and-down since joining the Knicks. One night he’ll score 26 points, the next just eight. The performance is to be expected, as T-Mac is still recovering from a knee injury, trying to get into basketball shape and learn the Knicks offense.

Shooting 1-for-6 from the field, it wasn’t the poor shooting performance that earned McGrady the hearty round of boos, it was the slow movement and lack of effort. On two occasions he let the player he was defending trot right past him for an easy score.

Since acquiring McGrady, the Knicks are 2-7 and the rest of the schedule is brutal. Following a home game against Atlanta on Monday, New York plays its next five games on the road and finishes the season with 13 of its last 19 games away from Manhattan.

It’s one thing to lose, but losing to the Nets, at any time, is unacceptable. New York should always beat New Jersey. Back when the Knicks were cool, a period which saw 14 consecutive playoff appearances (1987-88-200-01), New York always knocked off the Nets and when they dropped them with three straight wins to clinch a first-round victory of New Jersey in 1993-94, it was even more special.

The Nets are the leagues lowest scoring team, but Harris, Lee and center Brook Lopez dominated the game as the Madison Garden crowd could only boo on horror.

You don’t have to ask any fans now, those days are long gone. Even with the Nets giving the 1972-73 Philadelphia 76ers a run for the worst record in NBA history. During their historically bad season, Philadelphia clinched their seventh victory of the season by defeating the Knicks, who went on to win their second and final NBA championship that summer.

Thirty seven years later, the Knicks became the seventh victim of the Nets, but this summer the only thing the Knicks can win is securing a franchise changing free agent.

Since New York is headed for its sixth consecutive season outside of the playoffs, it’s easy to see why fans are looking forward to the free agency period, which begins July 1st.

As Courtney Lee was draining five three-pointers against the Knicks in the Garden, the team reached a new low. New York has wrestled the crown away from New Jersey to become the most horrible NBA team going. Forget the record, the teams split their four head-to-head meetings, but a 20 point blowout at home solidifies just how crappy the Knicks really are.

Three more wins and the Nets avoid the history books, one more loss and the Knicks clinch a ninth-straight losing season.

New York is the Mecca of basketball, too bad the professional franchises there don’t realize it.

What makes July 1st so special is the most complete player in NBA history can be had by (nearly) any team in the league. A super-star guard and former NBA Finals MVP can switch squads as quickly as he changed his shoe endorsement. Three forwards, each with multiple All-Star appearances and an appearance on the United States Olympic team can be the front court anchor on a new team.

Many teams have been absolutely terrible for the past decade, but fans can dream of finally being relevant again.

Maybe Dwyane Wade and LeBron James will team up this summer. Hopefully not like that though.

Growing up a Knicks fan, it’s difficult to watch an absolutely dead Madison Square Garden crowd. Gone are the intimidating chants for defense, so long to the crowd trying to throw Michael Jordan and Reggie Miller off their games.

Instead, the Garden is showering Kobe Bryant with vomit-inducing MVP chants, even Miller was ripping Knicks fans for that. Opposing players no longer fear coming to the World’s Most Famous Arena, instead, they circle it on their calendar as a day they can showcase their skills on a  national stage.

No one should look forward to playing the Knicks. It’s absolutely embarrassing how far the Knicks have really fallen.

The only saving grace New York fans have is luring away a superstar from another team. Watching Tracy McGrady limp around pretending his knees are ok is just infuriating.

The Knicks haven’t had a true star player since the departure of Patrick Ewing on Sept. 20, 2000. This off season, something major HAS to happen. There is no other possibility. New York needs someone to give them hope, 10 consecutive losing seasons will do that to you.

So July 1, 2010 really means something to Knicks fans, and really all NBA fans.

Seven teams have cleared enough cap space to land at least one marquee free agent by offering a max contract (approximately $11 million per season), players can resign with their current club for a maximum of seven years and if joining a new team, six seasons.

The salary cap is projected to be between $50.4-$53.6 million for the 2010-2011 season. At the trade deadline, almost every club was positioning themselves into position to welcome a superstar to their club.

Here’s a quick look at the seven franchises with enough money to land a big time free agent:

New York Knicks- $18.6 million committed for next season

• Pros- Coach Mike D’Antoni is an offense first coach, playing in the biggest market in the country means more endorsement dollars.
• Cons- Little talent on the team, no 2010 first round pick (Utah owns it), intense pressure from fans and media to win a championship.

New Jersey Nets- $26.6 million committed for next season

• Pros- Already have a young franchise center in Brook Lopez, low expectations, horrible season likely leads to #1 Draft selection in 2010.
• Cons- No question the worst team in the league, non-existent fan base, constantly overshadowed by the Knicks.

Miami Heat- $30.7 million committed for next season

• Pros- Florida has no state income tax, so contract is worth more money, chance to play with Dwayne Wade (if he stays) and Michael Beasley.
• Cons- Wade could leave, little fan support in Miami, roster will be completely overhauled next season, possibly having to fill Wade’s shoes.

Chicago Bulls- $31.9 million committed for next season

• Pros- Having Derrick Rose as a teammate, intense and knowledgeable fan base, one of the most young and talented teams in the league.
• Cons- Vinny Del Negro as head coach, team has been seeking a post presence for years, constant comparisons to Michael Jordan.

Los Angeles Clippers- $33.5 million committed for next season

• Pros- Team already has a young core (Eric Gordon, Blake Griffin and Chris Kaman), absolutely NO expectations to succeed quickly.
• Cons- Team is owned by Donald Sterling, the team is the Los Angeles Clippers, always will be lagging behind the Lakers in terms of relevancy.

Sacramento Kings- $33.9 million committed for next season

• Pros- Would join likely Rookie of the Year Tyreke Evans, a small-market team with an intense fan base, little expectations.
• Cons- The team hasn’t been showcased on national television since early part of the decade, tough draw for other free agents.

Minnesota Timberwolves- $35.2 million committed for next season

• Pros- Potential to play with Spanish guard Ricky Rubio, talented young team, will likely have a top-3 selection in 2010 NBA draft.
• Cons- The only superstar in team history is Kevin Garnett, little opportunity to be on national television, tough place to live in the winter.

We’ve taken a look at the seven major players in the free agent market, let’s take a closer look at six of the most talented players who can switch ball clubs and the likelihood of them joining specific teams.

-LeBron James

50%- Cleveland Cavaliers

The biggest thing the Cavs have going for them is James’ love for his teammates and his loyalty to Ohio. Growing up an hour away in Akron, James could cement his legacy as the best athlete in Cleveland history if he can lead his team to a championship this season.

LeBron James might have a whole new set of teammates to man hug next season.

35%- New York Knicks

James has constantly said he wants to become a billionaire and playing in New York, with all of its endorsement opportunities, is his best chance of reaching that goal. He loves playing in Madison Square Garden (averages over 30 points per game there) and would instantly become a global icon in a Knicks jersey.

10%- New Jersey Nets

New Jersey is going to have a new owner, be moving to Brooklyn and may have John Wall running the point with him. The Nets would become James’ personal franchise and when the team moves, they might as well let him rename the team to whatever he wants.

4%- Miami Heat

Miami has enough money to pair him with Dwyane Wade. The duo would be the most celebrated in league history, more than Scottie and MJ, Kareem and Magic or Bird and McHale. Plus LBJ might need an out from Cleveland after the embarrassing Snuggie-fest on ESPN last night. No one wears Snuggies in Miami.

1% – Other

Always the potential of pulling a wild card and signing with a team out of the blue. He can pay total homage to Jordan by winning a title in Chi-town, challenge Kobe for the limelight in Hollywood or say screw it, and join the Raptors, leading Canada to its first NBA title. Who knows?

-Dwyane Wade

40%- Miami Heat

Most people just assume Wade would never leave Miami. When he dueled Kobe on Thursday night for the best game of the NBA season, the crowd was still dead for most of the game. Miami is a great place to live and the only way Wade stays is if another marquee free agent agrees to join the Heat.

Dwyane Wade is ready for Round 2 vs. LeBron.

35%- Chicago Bulls

The most likely landing spot for the former Marquette star would be joining his hometown Bulls. Chicago has been seeking a true star since Jordan’s departure in 1998. Pairing with Derrick Rose gives them the most talented back court in the league and takes a ton of pressure off him. Hmm…

15%- New York Knicks

Plan B for the Knicks in case LeBron passes on the Big Apple has to be Wade. The team has enough money to pair him with another star, but would he really leave the cushy surroundings in Wade County to be constantly scrutinized in the Empire State? For #3 to land here, it would only be about the $$$.

5%- Los Angeles Clippers

A dark horse in the Wade chase, the Clippers would be an ideal fit (nice front court, young team) and he would be the ultimate competitor with Kobe for the top shooting guard in the league. A move out west would be interesting and if he could actually lead the Clippers to a title, he’ll never be forgotten.

5%- Other

The Nets could make sense, but who would ever leave Miami for New Jersey? Maybe Wade is a big fan of the Jersey Shore, Nets fans can hope right? Dallas has the ability to pull a sign and trade. But watch out for Oklahoma City, if Wade landed there, that team would be scary.

-Chris Bosh

30%- New York Knicks

Chris Bosh is a talented player, one of the best forwards in the league, but make no mistake, his prescence alone will not make a team a championship contender. New York will only get Bosh if it also signs a big time scorer along with him. Bosh can’t lead a team by himself in the post season.

Chris Bosh can choose who will cowboy up with him next season.

30%- Chicago Bulls

Chicago makes a ton of sense for Bosh as Chicago finally lands the post scorer it’s needed for years. Rose can be the offensive catalyst for the team, Bosh the second option and with Joakim Noah grabbing rebounds and playing pesky defense, Bosh’s addition turns Chicago into a legitimate title contender.

20%- Oklahoma City Thunder

Players always say they want to win championships, Bosh can prove it by landing with the Thunder. The team already belongs to Kevin Durant, a talented forward who will average 35 points per game during his career, and the average age is under-24. With Bosh, they would be unstoppable

15%- Dallas Mavericks

Bosh was born in Dallas and if he were to team with Dirk Nowitzki, the Mavericks would have the best duo of forwards since the Celtics were dominating the 80s with Larry Bird and Kevin McHale. Dallas has to move Erick Dampier’s contract to make it happen, but never doubt owner Mark Cuban in this situation.

5%- Other

Toronto still has a small chance to keep Bosh up north, but signing Hedo Turkoglu simply isn’t enough to keep him in Canada. Houston has the potential of signing Bosh if Yao Ming opts out and don’t be suprised if Miami makes a major push to pair him with Wade.

-Joe Johnson

45%- Atlanta Hawks

When Johnson was dealt to the Hawks from Phoenix in 2005, he instantly brought creditability to the franchise and turned Atlanta into one of the powerhouses in the east. Will that be enough to keep him in Atlanta? Loyalty would have to trump dollar signs for it to happen.

Joe Johnson turned the Hawks around, on the right team, he can do it again.

20%- Los Angeles Clippers

The Clippers have some money and need to spend it on a big name ot make the franchise relevant again. Johnson could be decent alternative if Wade signs elsewhere and his outside shooting would be a welcome addition for Griffin and Kaman.

15%- Chicago Bulls

Chicago will undoubtedly come away with someone big in free agency, if the holy trinity of James, Wade and Bosh pass on Chicago, look for the Bulls to target Johnson. Johnson wouldn’t be a bad gain for the team, Rose is the franchise player, JJ would be an excellent back court mate for him.

10%- New York Knicks

Worst case scenario for the team because Johnson is a reincarnation of Allan Houston, a talented player the Knicks previously paid way too much. Both have a sweet jump shot, a knack for scoring and a need for a dominant player to really be the team leader. Johnson is good, but like Bosh, needs an All-Star to be great.

5%- New Jersey Nets

The Nets are flirting with the worst record in the NBA, but the team really isn’t that bad. Johnson would be a significant upgrade at shooting guard and with Brook Lopez and Devin Harris, this team could easily compete in the Eastern Conference.

5%- Other

If Johnson was going to pass on every team on this list, look for Minnesota to be a factor. Seriously, stop laughing. The team has talent, will have a top pick and with little pressure, Johnson could easily be the leader the Timberwolves have been looking for since Kevin Garnett was dealt away to the Celtics.

-Carlos Boozer

30%- Chicago Bulls

Boozer and Joakim Noah could make one of the most lethal front court parings in the NBA. Both can rebound and play stingy defense, and with Noah not crying for the ball on the offensive end, it opens up the lane even more for Boozer and Derrick Rose. Chicago can easily make this happen.

Carlos Boozer can make friends off the court, a new team will help him on the court.

30%- Miami Heat

If Dwyane Wade stays in South Beach, look for Boozer, who already owns a home there, to join him. The two played well together on the Olympic team last summer and could spend a lot of time on the court next summer in the playoffs.

15%- New Jersey Nets

New Jersey has the money to land Boozer, but the best part of their plan is they don’t have to splurge now to make it happen. The biggest weakness the team has is at the forward position and Boozer coupled with a high draft pick, could turn the Nets into a real NBA team quickly.

15%- Sacramento Kings

If every team passes on Boozer, which would be  a mistake, the Kings have enough money to land him in Sacramento. Boozer has already rocked the purple jersey for the last six seasons in Utah and landing in Sacramento wouldn’t be too much of a transition.

10%- Other

Dallas has the assets to make a move for Boozer and the Rockets could also be in play. But if you are looking for a real sleeper, if the Bucks quietly have some cap room and if he was willing to take a slightly smaller contract, Boozer can make Milwaukee into a serious threat in the East.

-Amar’e Stoudemire

40%- Phoenix

In order for Stoudemire to become a free agent, he has to void the final year of his contract, which would cost him $17.69 million. Since he’s unlikely to recoup that money elsewhere, look for Stoudemire to remain in Phoenix and the trade rumors to continue until next February.

Amar'e Stoudemire has $17.69 million reasons to stay in Phoenix this summer.

20%- Los Angeles Clippers

They already have Blake Griffin and Chris Kaman, but Stoudemire could ease the pressure on both in the lineup. Los Angeles has enough money to be a factor in free agency, and since everything the Clippers do makes little sense, signing Stoudemire seems like a typical Clipper move.

10%- New Jersey

Stoudemire hasn’t played with a talented center in his prime (Shaq was done when he was dealt to Phoenix) and paring him with Brook Lopez (a great defender) would only make him that much better. Jersey can make some noise this off season and Stoudemire may be the most realistic option for the team.

10%- Chicago

If they whiff on both Bosh and Boozer, Stoudemire is a great alternative. The only thing Chicago has to avoid is pancaking like the Pistons did this summer and over pay for sub-par talent. They were wise to let Ben Gordon walk, and if they can land Stoudemire to anchor the middle, the Bulls will be the team to watch again.

5%- Miami

Even if Wade departs, Stoudemire could land in Miami as a second option. Stoudemire played his high school basketball in Florida and a return home would make a ton of sense for both sides. He’s a great offensive threat and only becomes more valuable if Wade remained with the Heat.

5%-Other

No matter which conference he plays in, Stoudemire has enough talent to be a perennial All-Star. In the East, teams like New York and Washington could make a push while Sacramento, Oklahoma City and Houston could land the five-time All-Star.

Making his debut with the Minnesota Timberwolves during a 109-107 loss to Oklahoma City, the former #2 selection of the 2003 NBA Draft had his best game of the season and briefly sparked a rally to bring Minnesota back into the ball game.

Take a look at what the Associated Press had to say about Milicic in it’s game story:

For the Timberwolves, the biggest surprise of the night was the play of Darko Milicic. The former No. 2 overall draft pick was acquired from the Knicks in a trade last week and played for the first time in more than three months.

He was on the floor when Minnesota played its best basketball and finished with eight points and eight rebounds in a season-high 19 minutes of action. Despite the Timberwolves losing, Minnesota was plus-35 with Milicic, who is admittedly out of game shape, on the floor.

“I was trying to focus on breathing,” Milicic said. “I was just focusing on breathing so I didn’t die.”

That was the problem during the crappy course of your NBA career? Are you kidding me? Your game plan was just to breathe while out on the court? Was the incessant pressure from the New York media really that tough on you?

Umm, the only story I can remember about Darko was when he told the New York Post he wanted to return to Europe next season. So it’s not like he was A-Rod hounded or anything by all of the reporters in New York.

Milicic fell off the NBA radar so bad that he was traded straight up for Brian Cardinal at the deadline.

If you get traded straight up for this guy, quit playing basketball. Seriously. Just Stop. Forever.

What’s crazy is with the age of the internet, and everyone willing to rip on everyone else, how much Milicic hasn’t been called out for just being a complete waste of space.

Two months ago, Milicic was named the biggest draft bust, in any sport, over the past decade. After his “breakout game” against the Thunder, it really should be revamped to the worst pick in NBA history.

Yes, we said it. Worst pick in NBA history.

We’re also going to clear up the myth about Sam Bowie being the worst selection in NBA Draft history, a distinction Sports Illustrated gave him in 2005, but is undeserved. Bowie wasn’t a great player, maybe not even a good player, but he was at least serviceable. Unfortunately for him, Bowie has the stigma of being the guy selected before Michael Jordan.

Could Darko even crack the Serbian Olympic team now? At least Sam Bowie balled out in college.

Here’s the tale of the tape, Bowie vs. Milicic, and we’re holding Darko to his word this is his final season in the NBA with a quick 5-on-5 career summary.

Sam Bowie- selected 2nd overall in the 1984 NBA Draft by the Portland Trail Blazers

• Selected before: 3rd- Michael Jordan, 5th- Charles Barkley and 16th- John Stockton
• Played 10 seasons for three different teams (Portland, New Jersey and the Los Angeles Lakers)
• Limited to 63 games during three seasons (‘85-86-’88-89) because of leg injuries, having five surgeries in that span
• Career year (1989-90) with New Jersey: 14.7 points, 10.1 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game
• Career averages: 10.9 points, 7.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game, earned a total of $23,202,500 during his career

Darko Milicic- selected 2nd overall in the 2003 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons

• Selected before: 3rd- Carmelo Anthony, 4th- Chris Bosh and 5th- Dwyane Wade
• Played seven seasons for five different teams (Detroit, Orlando, Memphis, New York and Minnesota)
• Never was seriously injured during his NBA career
• Career year (2006-07) with Orlando: eight points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game
• Career averages: 5.4 points, 4 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game, earned a total of $37,875,062 during his career

Look at those dollar figures again, I really wish I could earn nearly $40 million during my career, I’ll even write a post about how terrible I am at writing and everything.

I’ll settle for Bowie’s pay, you can cut me a check for $23 million, and I’m out. Bob’s Barricades and Bemis toilet seats haven’t hit me up yet, but if those checks come though, we’re getting there.

That’s what’s awesome about being an NBA player, even if you’re terrible, you can just stick around along enough and make enough for three generations of your family to be set.

Even if it sets back an NBA franchise a few years, what’s the big deal? At the end of the day, it’s the General Manager that has to own up to his mistake.

Here’s the thing, the Bowie selection was somewhat defensible.

First off, no one figured Jordan was going to become the greatest player in NBA history. Houston never flinched when selecting Hakeem Olajuwon with the first overall selection. Portland already had Clyde Drexler on board, why select another shooting guard?

And the two Hall-of-Famers that were selected later in the first round? One was made fun of constantly for being overweight and the other looked like a choir boy and was the last player clinging onto the the short shorts years after baggy shorts did basketball fans a huge favor.

Portland was trying to fill a need, a low post player that can rebound and protect the rim.Bowie appeared to be the best player to fill that void.

Say what you want about how he fared in the NBA, but his number is hanging in the rafters at Kentucky, one of the most dominant basketball schools in the history of college basketball. Selecting player from Kentucky with his number among the legends in school history isn’t that crazy of an idea. Just in Bowie’s case, it didn’t quite work out.

The Bowie selection made NBA scouts and general managers completely overhaul their draft selection process, drafting on potential instead of need.

That line of thinking is what led Pistons GM Joe Dumars to select Milicic instead of far more talented players.

Detroit fans have a good idea where Darko Milicic can jam his thumb.

The only reason Milicic hasn’t been blasted as much as Bowie is LeBron James was the first overall selection, not the third.

The Pistons took a big swing, but missed even bigger.

The NBA was at a point where GMs were enthralled with international players, hoping to pull the next draft day trade landing Dirk Nowitzki and dumping the horrendous Robert “Tractor” Traylor on some sucker team.

Too bad it never happened.

Nowitzki was selected 9th in 1998. From 1999-2003, there were 26 international players  selected in the first round. Only Andre Kirilenko (1999), Pau Gasol and Tony Parker (2001) and Yao Ming (2002) ever played in an All-Star game.

Besides Ming, the 2002 Draft produced three of the biggest foreign busts of all-time, including a misfire by the Rockets in the same round: Nikoloz Tskitishvili (5th by Denver), Bostjan Nachbar (15th by Houston) and Jiri Welsch (16th by Philadelphia).

The precedent for foreign busts was there. With each international pick, there was a huge “Buyer Beware” tag hanging around each prospects neck.

LeBron James was already a commodity coming out of high school. There was little doubt he would succeed, and Cleveland made the easy decision by selecting him first.

With Detroit on the clock, the choice was between Milicic and college superstar Carmelo Anthony.

Anthony just led Syracuse to its first national title, was the MOP during the NCAA Tournament (in NCAA basketball, it’s Most Outstanding Player, not Most Valuable Player. Why? I have no idea, just like the possession arrow instead of a jumpball, college basketball has some stupid quirks about it) and was the best college player, hands down in 2003.

Anthony averaged 22.1 points and 10 rebounds and lead his team to a 30-5 record during the regular season. During a legendary Final Four performance against Texas, Anthony proved he can play on the biggest of stages, lighting up the Longhorns for 33 points. He followed up with 20 points and 10 rebounds against Kansas to cement himself among the best college players in Syracuse history, after just one season.

Joe Dumars and the Detroit Pistons passed on Carmelo Anthony for wearing his hat backwards.

All casual fans knew about Milicic were some grainy highlight tapes from overseas. With little footage or international buzz about him, Milicic was a dark-horse entering the draft, but inexplicably billed as one of the best prospects in the class.

Milicic was supposed to be a superstar, a cross between Nowitzki’s outside shooting with a far superior low post game. Neither exists.

The Pistons did win the title during his rookie season, but Milicic provided little impact. Detroit’s foundation had gotten old, after reaching the Eastern Conference Finals a staggering six-straight times and without a superstar like Anthony, Bosh or Wade in the mix, the team will struggle for a long time.

Sure, Bowie was selected before Jordan, the greatest player of all-time. The Pistons selecting Milicic was even more of a blunder. Anthony and Wade will be perennial MVP candidates along with James, and Bosh has emerged as one of the best inside players in the game.

Three All-Stars were selected, in succession, after Milicic. That makes the Pistons selection even worse. In the most loaded draft of the decade, and a toss-up with the 1996 Draft as the greatest ever, Detroit came up empty. 1984 was a good Draft, but hardly one of the best classes ever.

Any questions lingering about Bowie vs. Milic?

Bowie was a draft bust, no question, but biggest in NBA history? Far from it. Here’s a list of 10 players selected with one of the top-3 selections after Bowie that were actually worse. Luckily for them, Jordan wasn’t behind them. And yes, in a game of one-on-one, Bowie would ball out on them.

Onto the list:

1. Chris Washburn- selected 3rd overall in 1986, averaged 3.1 points and 2.4 rebounds and was banned for life in 1989 for failing a third drug test.
2. Dennis Hopson- selected 3rd overall in 1987, was dubbed the “Next Michael” didn’t happen, averaged 10.9 points for his career and was never mistaken for MJ. Ever.
3. Pervis Ellison- selected 1st overall in 1989, earned the name “Nervous Pervis” in Boston after balling out, for real, two seasons in Washington
4. Danny Ferry- selected 2nd overall in 1989, he’s the Honus Wagner of crappy NBA players out of Duke, really the first superstar of the group
5. Billy Owens- selected 3rd overall in 1991, he was billed as the next Larry Bird, but his weight issues turned out to be what was exaggerated about Barkley
6. Shawn Bradley- selected 2nd overall in 1993, he’s the most dunked on man in NBA history, Bradley is the epitome of the white stiff (good porn name) in the NBA
7. Joe Smith- selected 1st overall in 1995, played for 10 teams and was part of a huge salary cap scandal with Minnesota, the questoin remains: Why? He’s terrible. And his absolute average play cost the T-Wolves 3 draft picks.
8. Michael Olowokandi- selected 1st overall in 1998, averaged 8.3 points and 6.8 rebounds for his career, aka: crap
9. Raef LaFrentz- selected 3rd overall in 1998, the only memorable moment for him was when SportsCenter anchors would announce his name Scarface style, which didn’t happen too often
10. Kwame Brown- selected 1st overall in 2001, became the face of commissioner David Stern’s push to disallow players to jump straight from high school to the NBA

There you have it, 10 other players worse than Sam Bowie (and that’s without ragging on Christian Laettner, couldn’t do it, he’s in the original NBA Jam, so he’s untouchable), the absolutely horrible 2000 Draft class and giving some time to Greg Oden, who may become the new Bowie with the way Kevin Durant is playing. Plus the second overall pick from last year, Connecticut’s Hasheem Thabeet, was sent to the NBA Developmental League. The guy was selected 2nd!!! How pathetic is that?

Sorry Grizzlie fans, your boy will be on this list in years to come.

So quit ragging on Sam Bowie. You’re better than that.

With Thursday marking the final day teams can deal players, a few teams were scrambling to jostle into the race to land James and the rest of the most talented free agency class of all-time. Joining King James could be Dwyane Wade, Joe Johnson, Amar’e Stoudemire,Chris Bosh, Carlos Boozer and Dirk Nowitzki causing every team out of contention to shuffle its roster around hoping to quickly turn into contenders.

Five teams successfully made deals to either attract a marquee free agent listed above, or made a significant move in hopes to keep a star player from bolting July 1. In many instances, the deals made over the past week can be viewed as potentially paving the way for James, Wade etc, so with that factored in, the move could potentially save the franchise.

Let’s take a closer look at these five teams and the deals they made and the likelihood of landing James and/or another franchise player.

1. Cleveland Cavaliers

Acquired: Antwan Jamison and Sebastian Telfair

Lost: Zydrunas Ilgauskas, the rights to Emir Predlzic and a 2010 first round draft selection

Cleveland was already considered the favorite in the Eastern Conference throwing Jamison a life preserver from the horrible situation he was facing in Washington. Inserting Jamison into the starting lineup allows James to attack the rim and the ability to kick it out to a respectable long-range threat (Jamison is just under 35% from three-point range for his career) and enables Shaquille O’Neal more room to operate in the post.

The most important part of the deal for Cleveland was retaining second year power forward J.J. Hickson giving James a young asset for the future. Landing Jamison only helps Cleveland for its playoff run and the Cavaliers are praying he will be enough to keep James from bolting during the summer.

Final Grade: A-

2. Dallas Mavericks

Acquired: Caron Butler, Brendan Haywood and DeShawn Stevenson

Lost: Josh Howard, Drew Gooden, James Singleton and Quinton Ross

The Washington Wizards turned into sellers following the Gilbert Arenas saga and decided to completely blow up its team and try and start from scratch. The Mavericks were the first team to swoop in, pillaging Butler away from the team for a poo-poo platter heavily involving another guy with character issues (Howard) and two backup guards thrown in just to make the deal work.

More importantly, Dallas has the cap room to potentially land a big time free agent, especially with Nowitzki owning a player option for the next season. The Mavericks improved at the right time, with everyone essentially handing over the Western Conference’s slot in the championship to the Lakers, Dallas bulked up it team into a legitimate threat.

Final Grade: A

3. Chicago Bulls

Acquired: Hakim Warrick, Joe Alexander, Flip Murray, Acie Law and a future first round draft pick

Lost: Tyrus Thomas, John Salmons 2010 and 2011 second round draft picks

The Bulls moved Thomas and Salmons, two of the few contracts the team has beyond this summer, vaulting them into contention with the other teams in the upcoming free agent scramble.

The good news for Chicago is the team picked up quality players in the meantime, Warrick has been an under-utilized player for much of his career (averaging just 21 minutes per game) and could make an impact. And if he doesn’t? No big deal, the Bulls can let him walk at the end of the season.

Chicago is now in prime position to lure away Wade from Miami. Wade grew up in the Windy City and his return could give the Bulls one of the greatest back courts of all time (joining reigning Rookie of the Year and All-Star point guard Derrick Rose) and the team has a young, talented foundation to draw other talent if the hometown kid passes on the Bulls.

Final Grade: B+

4. Los Angeles Clippers

Acquired: Drew Gooden

Lost: Al Thorton

The move in itself is really insignificant, but with Gooden being a free agent once the summer hits, the Clippers have suddenly become the dark-horse pick to poach a significant free agent this summer.

If players are truly concerned about winning, which every athlete claims, then the Clippers are the franchise to join. Blake Griffin, the number one selection in last year’s draft should be ready to make his debut after a knee injury kept him sidelined this year, and with Eric Gordon, Baron Davis and All-Star center Chris Kaman rounding out the roster, Los Angeles has everything in place to be a force for years to come.

With a record of 21-33, the Clippers will be in the lottery once again, but the pick coupled with a significant free agent signing could finally help the team shed its black sheep label in Hollywood.

Final Grade: B

5. New York Knicks

Acquired: Tracy McGrady, Eddie House, Brian Cardinal Bill Walker, J.R. Giddens and Sergio Rodriguez

Lost: Nate Robinson, Jordan Hill, Jared Jeffries, Darko Milicic and first round draft pick in 2012

Four years ago, the Knicks signed forward Jared Jeffries to one of the most ridiculous contracts in NBA history.

Former general manager Isiah Thomas was at an auction by himself, bid five-years and $30 million when no one else would offer even $1o million. Thomas had to drunk dial Jared Jeffries’ agent, blurted something out about $50 million by mistake and was forced to settle for $30 million. This is the only circumstance where Jared Jeffries lands a contract for 30 mill instead of $30.

That contract could have been the lone thing standing in the way of landing James. Somehow, the Knicks were able to deal Jeffires away, packaging him with rookie forward Hill and a future first round pick.

The deal is an absolute home run for New York and landing McGrady, one of the most talented players of the past decade, for half a season is just a bonus.

But in typical Knicks fashion, the team makes a side trade that is absolutely stupid.

Nate Robinson was disgruntled, but New York dealt him away for a crappier version of Nate Robinson (Eddie House) and the likelihood of Crypto-Nate biting the Knicks in the butt at some point has to be hovering around the 88% mark.

You know what, who cares?

The Knicks finally made a move the fan base can support, McGrady has been fun to watch during his career, and if he turns out to suck? Oh, well, the Knicks saved $9 million in cap room and have enough to pursue two players listed above and potentially resign David Lee.

It’s a good day to be a Knicks fan, and there haven’t be a lot of those lately.

Final Grade: B

Knicks-Bulls.

Forget anything else. During the 1990s, the Bulls and Knicks had the most heated rivalry in all of sports.

Knicks and Bulls always was an intense match-up.

The two teams became fierce competitors following a trade in 1988 when the Knicks sent Bill Cartwright to Chicago for power forward Charles Oakley. Following that deal, it was on. The Windy City vs. the Big Apple. A dominant center vs. the most dominant player the NBA has ever seen.

Every time the two teams would tip off there was a different buzz in the air. Each possession meant life or death. Fans didn’t chant defense, they would plea for it. When the Knicks and Bulls were playing, everything around you would stop. There was no question the game would be intense, memorable and legendary.

If it wasn’t for his performances against the Knicks, Michael Jordan would not be as legendary as he is today. Patrick Ewing is remembered for his shortcomings against Chicago more than anything else.

The two are constantly intertwined, almost like Tupac and Biggie. Fans to this day trade war stories about when the two battled.

Take a look at a few of the highligts from the rivalry:

• From 1988-1994, the two teams met in the playoffs all but once during that six year stretch
• Three of those series went seven games
• The two played some of the most physical games ever seen, the first suggestion in youtube when you type “Knicks-Bulls” is fight
• Michael Jordan always stepped up against the Knicks, look at one of  his most famous dunks
• John Starks returned the favor in 1993 with this game winning dunk
• Scottie Pippen delivered the biggest posterization of Patrick Ewing here

Chicago prevailed each time (except in 1994, with Jordan playing baseball) and it still took the Knicks seven games (and some questionable officiating) to finally knock off the Bulls.

After a two-year hiatius, Jordan returned to the NBA simply by announching “I’m Back.”

For Knicks fans, it meant, “It’s on.”

Jordan’s always saved his best performances for the Knicks. He owns the highest career average at Madison Square Garden for an opposing player. His third game back from retirement, rocking a #45 jersey, Jordan dropped 55 in New York and quickly proved he was still the greatest.

Rooting for the Knicks in this rivalry was never fun because Jordan always had an extra gear, the I WILL NOT LOSE switch that was always flipped when he was playing New York.

In return, the Knicks did everything they could to batter, bruise and knockout his Airness on his way to the basket. Usually, the basketball game quickly turned into a rugby match. Oakley and Horace Grant would trade elbows after each rebound. John Starks would send Jordan to the ground during a fast break attempt.

No excuse was too small for these two teams to come to blows.

Following Jordan’s retirement and Ewing’s departure from the Knicks, the rivalry quickly faded. The teams even became frequent trading partners.

• 2004- Chicago sends Jamal Crawford and Jerome Williams to New York for Dikembe Mutombo, Othella Harrington, Frank Wiliams and Cezary Trybanski
• 2005- New York sends two first round picks, Michael Sweetney and Tim Thomas to Chicago for Eddy Curry and Antonio Davis
• 2009- Chicago sends Larry Hughes to New York for Tim Thomas, Jerome James and Anthony Roberson

These trades would have never happened during the 1990s. But the end of the rivalry opened the doors to one sided trades (two of the three were ridiculously favored Chicago)

Tuesday night the Knicks traveled to Chicago in the first game for each team since the All-Star break. The teams square off again tonight in Madison Square Garden.

Knicks-Bulls lost its luster years ago. Now the rivalry is dead.

Both teams are battling for the final playoff spot in the East, with Chicago 25-26 and New York 19-32.

The only thing missing is any passion.

Prior to tip off, the two sides were joking with each other. Talking during the lay-up line and probably were making dinner plans with each other for after the game.

Even the United Center crowd wasn’t into it. The chants for defense were weak. The WGN announcers didn’t treat this game special at all.

Sure the Knicks haven’t been a marquee match-up since the new millennium. But old-time rivals are always supposed to make the game bigger than it is. No matter what the standings say, when the Red Sox square off with the Yankees, it’s a big game. There’s a buzz in the air, build up until the opening pitch.

Not so much with the Knicks and Bulls.

Especially with New York having the worst starting power forward (Jared Jeffries) and point guard (former Bull Chris Duhon) in the entire league.

So Derrick Rose and the Bulls throttled New York, providing a setback and taking a 2-1 advantage in the head-to-head match-up this season. Chicago stands in the way of the Knicks postseason hopes.

Last nights game left me shaking my head and wondering why the Knicks can never beat the Bulls.

Maybe, somethings never change.

After 10 seasons, New York finally has its first All-Star as David Lee was added to the roster following Allen Iverson’s departure from the game because of a family illness.

Finally having an All-Star makes things a little better (even if Josh Smith was more deserving) but what makes All-Star weekend so depressing is this is it for Knicks fans. This is our Super Bowl.

Every team has finished with at least 5o games (out of an 82 game season) the Knicks are having their best season since the beginning of the century. The only problem is that’s not saying too much. Standing at 19-32, the Knicks trail Milwaukee and Philadelphia in pursuit of Chicago for the final playoff slot in the Eastern Conference.

The team doesn’t have a legitimate point guard, the starting power forward plays defense like a chicken with its head cut-off and the most explosive scorer on the roster has only appeared in 30 games, not because of injuries, but for being in coach Mike D’Antoni’s doghouse.

New York is poised to miss the playoffs for the sixth consecutive season and finish below .500 for the ninth straight year.

As the trade deadline approaches (just four days remaining) the Knicks are mulling a deal for Tracy McGrady and his assortment of ailments, but rolling the dice on him makes sense.

The only distraction New York has from its LeBron James countdown (Valentine’s Day marks just136 days until his free agency begins) came Saturday night.

Photoshop is all Knicks fans have right now.

In typical Knick fashion, the night was an ultimate disappointment. Sophomore forward Danilo Gallinari submitted one of the poorest performances in the three-point contest and defending Slam Dunk champion Nate Robinson retained his crown pretty much by sucking less than everyone else.

When future generations of basketball fans look back on this era, Nate Robinson will be looked at as one of the greatest dunkers all-time.

Honestly, he deserves some of the billing, standing at just 5′9 he has pulled off some of the most incredible dunks in contest history. Check out his performance in 2006, when he captured the first of his record three Slam Dunk contest titles.

Winning three times is an accomplishment, the only problem is the titles are a little tainted. Robinson completed some of the nicest dunks the contest has ever seen, but after failing to connect on the attempted jam numerous times. Robinson submitted nice performances on three different occasions now, but each title comes with a little bit of a flaw.

Plus, Robinson was in the contest even though during the regular season he’s only had three dunks out of 152 made shots this year.

The 2010 contest featured rookie DeMar DeRozan, veteran high-flier Gerald Wallace and guard Shannon Brown, one of the fierest in-game dunkers going today.Wallace is the only All-Star in the group, but since he plays for Charlotte, he isn’t among the most popular players going today.

Want to generate some buzz? Why not do the same thing baseball does with the Home Run Derby and only have players on the All-Star team be able to participate? Does that make too much sense?

Brown sucked, Wallace was boring and DeRozan was a little too weird to win the title.

The ideal lineup would have been LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, Kobe Bryant and Dwight Howard.

Since there is an unwritten rule about the dunk contest having to be lame, we’re stuck with d-list basketball celebrities for the event.

Why?

Howard participated and increased his popularity throughout the league tremendously. He’s now in T-Mobile, adidas and McDonald commercials and is quickly becoming one of the most prominent faces in the NBA. His performances in 2007 and 2008 were truly legendary and showed everyone how cool the Dunk Contest can be, it should be even cooler than watching ‘roided up guys bash a ball 700 feet. See for yourself:

The momentum he generated from the dunk contest coupled with his improbable run to the finals last season has made Howard one of the most marketable athletes going.

Since Vince Carter dominated the contest in 2000 (check it out below) no superstar at the top of their game has participated other than Howard.

Most participants have followed the lines of someone like Kenny “Sky” Walker, a dunk contest legend known more for his performance on All-Star Saturday than anything he did on the court.

Let’s look at three such Slam Dunk Contest legends from the past five years:

3. Fred Jones

Resume: Winner of the 2004 Dunk Contest

Jones dazzled basketball fans since his days playing at the University of Oregon, he was a SportsCenter highlight waiting to happen. His athleticism had the Indiana Pacers thinking Jones would be a player like Wade when the selected him 14th in the 2002 NBA Draft.

Never happened.

Jones averaged 10 points just once in his seven seasons and the highlight of his career came during his only Dunk Contest performance in 2004. Jones played for five teams during his seven-year career, only topping 10 points per game once. Jones hasn’t played since being released by the Los Angeles Clippers a year ago.

2. Desmond Mason

Resume: Winner of the 2001 Dunk Contest, runner up in 2003

No question the best player on this list (Mason averaged 17.2 points per game in 2004-05) Mason’s athleticism made him one of my favorite players, as I would posterize any opponent with him in NBA Live.

Selected 17th in the 2000 NBA Draft, Mason showed flashes of being a real overall talent, but his lack of a long-range jump shot ultimately made his offense predictable and he never turned the corner to become a legitimate star.

Anyway, blessed with as much athleticism as anyone in the league, Mason could fly to the basket with the best of them. His raw talent enabled him to win the contest in 2001, knocking off Baron Davis in the process.

1. Gerald Green

Resume: Slam Dunk Contest winner in 2007, runner-up in 2008

Green first appeared on the scene with an incredible performance in the McDonald’s All-American Game and a dunk contest held during the competition.

He is the most athletic player in the NBA today, but with little else to round out his game, he’s been buried on the bench during most of his five-year career.

Although he hasn’t lived up to his billing (selected 18th overall in the 2005 Draft) and is now playing in Russia, Green’s impact on the Dunk Contest can only be described as legendary.

Look at his display from 2007:

His dunk contest in 2007 was great, but the following year he submitted my favorite dunk of all-time.

The infamous cupcake dunk:

Gerald Green: Slam Dunk Legend.

Bowen was the perfect storm of an annoying basketball player, consider the following 5 factors

1. He played for San Antonio

2. He was the most dirty player in the NBA

3. He would start fights then retreat and never throw or receive a punch

4. His eyes bugged out when something went against him

5. He was just good enough to force defenses to pay attention to him

Besides, how many black guys named Bruce have you come across? This guy was destined to be a douche.

Bowen even received consideration for the 2008 Olympic Team in Greece because of his prowess on the defensive end. His physical style of play even earned him the nickname Edward Scissorhands from Lakers coach Phil Jackson.

So basically, even his nickname was annoying.

How could such a guy be replaced?

We asked, you voted and the overwhelming choice was Lakers guard Sasha Vujacic.

It takes an especially annoying player to compete with Bruce Bowen.

With 13 different choices to replace Bowen as the most annoying NBA player, Vujacic garnered an impressive 23 percent of the votes, edging out Cleveland’s Anderson Varejao by seven percent.

Vujacic has the amazing ability to fluctuate how annoying he is simply with a haircut. a trait perfected by Dallas forward Dirk Nowitzki.

Check out typical Euro-douche Vujacic

vs.

Not annoying haircut Vujacic

Much like Bowen he has a stupid nickname, The Machine, and Vujacic has five factors going for him to become the most annoying guy in the league:

1. Plays for the Lakers in a small role, but announcers make a big deal about him all the time

2. Like so many European players, he flops every time he gets a chance

3.  People act like when he winds up for a three, it’s automatically going in even though he hits nothing but glass

4. It’s fun to watch him cry

5. Even Lakers fans hate him

Check out the comment one of our readers left (thanks Wayne!), it describes him perfectly:

I voted for this guy…the machine…Sasha Vujacic…he is more like the messed up vending machine that has your favorite snacks but it never works. He continues to eat up your money and just when you think you’re going to get the snack you want, the one you finally have the money for or that you haven’t had for awhile…it gets snagged or stuck in the metal ring when you go to purchase it. You have to keep kicking and hitting the machine because it never produces and steals your money…lol. Also, He used to where a purple head band too! Thats why he gets my vote.

That came from one of the most diehard Laker fans that I know, and there’s only a few things that I have to add.

There is absolutely no doubt that he hits on everyone of his teammates girlfriends once they have their back turned. He just has that look to him, no way Kobe trusts him, if Karl Malone made advances at his wife, no way this Slovenian butthole hasn’t.

It’s just tough to root for a guy like this, he’s been reduced to the fifth guard in the Lakers rotation (behind Kobe Bryant, Derek Fisher, Shannon Brown and Jordan Farmar) but since he’s on Los Angeles, we’re stuck watching him until the end of the season (like Bowen) simply because he’s on a talented team.

It is just awful that we have to watch this guy pretend to play all the way through June.

According to his Wikipedia page, he enjoys playing soccer, volleyball and tennis, rounding out the douche we all thought he was.

To top it all off, of course the most annoying player in the NBA has an amazingly hot girlfriend. This is what may push him even over the top of Bowen, because we never knew what his girlfriend looked like.

So there you have it, the perfect formula for annoying basketball players, goofy Euro-docuhe with a more annoying haircut, have a name that really belongs to a girl, dates an amazingly hot girl, plays in Los Angeles for a championship caliber team, contributes little to nothing on the court, has a stupid nickname, is constantly being touted by announcers for his abilities and has a face that even people who root for the Lakers want to punch in.

Congratulations to Sasha Vujacic, the new Most Annoying Player in the NBA, give him a round of applause ladies and gentlemen.

Michael. Wayne. Willie.

You get the idea, once an athlete establishes himself among the great ones, everyone needs just one name to immediately recognize them.

LeBron. Kobe. Brian.

Ok, maybe Brian Scalabrine isn’t there. Yet.

Maybe Brian Scalabrine isn't an NBA legend to you. But he does have a ring.

Between the internet, constant updates on SportsCenter and the other 24-hour sports networks, hearing a singular, or even a full name can lead to some confusion.

Sometimes athletes take it upon themselves to resolve the situation. Take a look at point guard Tony Parker of the San Antonio Spurs and shooting guard Anthony Parker of the Cleveland Cavaliers.

What’s even weirder about this duo is both of them are less famous than the hot ladies in their life. For Tony Parker it’s his wife Eva Longoria and Anthony Parker isn’t as famous as his basketball playing sister Candace Parker.

Is it possible that before entering the league Tony called Anthony and threatened him about trying to move in on his name? Did they flip for the right to be called Tony? Is there a secret rivalry between them?

Lots of questions, unfortunately they can’t be answered.

This can happen in everyday life. With the passing of Michael Jackson, two of the most common names in America were completely dominated by one person.

Will there ever be another Michael Jackson?

Can someone step up and become the new Michael Jackson? Is it possible anyone can have that name and become famous and lead a normal life?

Hopefully we can find out.

In sports there are plenty of instances where prominent athletes share a name.

Unfortunately times when no one wants to go by a different name and force the average fan to figure out who is being talked about.

ManWhole.com isn’t just about pointing out problems. No way booster, we’re here to solve them.

So here are some cases where an athlete shares the same last name or even have the same name, play the same sport and same position.

Steven Jackson (Rams) vs.  Stephen Jackson (Bobcats)

A few years ago, Steven Jackson was the top running back in the NFL. Despite numerous injuries, Jackson has been one of the most consistent backs in the league, topping the 1,000-yard mark each of the past five seasons.

No matter what Stephen Jackson does for the rest of his career, he’ll be defined by his role in the infamous brawl with Piston fans when he and Ron Artest jumped in the stands and started throwing hay makers at every fan.

Ryan Howard vs. Dwight Howard

This is a big debate.

Ryan has won a World Series title and was named MVP in 2006. What is even crazier is many people might be thinking about the character from The Office. But Ryan is one of the most dominant players in baseball and is one of the guys MLB is trying to push on fans and move past the steroid era.

Dwight Howard may not of had the success Ryan has, but Dwight did lead his team to the Finals last season and won gold medal in 2008. Not only is he an amazing player, he is slowly becoming one of the faces of the league and his outgoing personality makes him one of the most marketable athletes going today.

Brian Westbrook vs. Russell Westbrook

No player has thrilled and disappointed fantasy football owners quite like Philadelphia Eagles running back Brian Westbrook. His tremendous skill both rushing and receiving makes him one of the top selections every season but the way he is ridiculously injury prone and when he took a knee at the one yard line against Dallas frustrates fantasy players to no end.

Russell Westbrook is one of the most exciting and under rated players in the game today. Suiting up for the Oklahoma City Thunder doesn’t help his cause, most casual basketball fans are still unaware that the NBA has a franchise in Oklahoma, but his play is one of the reasons why the team is making a push for the playoffs.

Steve Smith (Panthers) vs. Steve Smith (Giants)

No debate will be more heated than this one.

Steve Smith (Carolina) has been one of the most dominant receivers in the game, even though he stands at just 5-foot-9. Five times he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark receiving and during the 2o05 season posted a career high 12 touchdowns. If you Google Steve Smith, his profile is the first one to pop up.

Even though Steve Smith (Giants) isn’t the first one to pop up when Googled, he is gaining ground on the guy from Carolina. This past season the Giants wide out caught 42 more passes (107 to 65) for 238 more yards (1,220 to 982) and plays in a bigger market. Steve Smith might belong to New York next season.

Roy Williams (Cowboys) vs. Roy Williams (Bengals) vs. Roy Williams (North Carolina Coach)

What’s weird about part of this debate is both of the NFL versions played for the Dallas Cowboys and if Dallas plays the Cincinnati Bengals, Roy Williams (Bengals safety) can tackle Roy Williams (Cowboys receiver) on a play. The NFL tried to push the Roy E. Williams for the Cowboys player, but it never really stuck.

The safety was one of the biggest hitters in the NFL while the receiver has shown flashes of becoming an impact player but has struggled with consistency issues.

Even though he has no ties to the Dallas Cowboys or the NFL, Roy Williams (North Carolina) is the most successful of the trio, but can a coach in college basketball have more of a claim to a name than an NFL player?

Chris Johnson (Titans) vs. Andre Johnson (Texans) vs. Josh Johnson (Marlins) vs. Joe Johnson (Hawks)

The final debate is of course about Johnsons.

Chris Johnson came from a small school (East Carolina) into the NFL as a virtual unknown. After rushing for over 2,000 yards, just the sixth back in NFL history to do so, Chris has become one of the best players in the NFL in just his second season.

The best wide receiver in the NFL has gone virtually unnoticed because he plays in Houston. Having never led his team to the post season, Andre is the last person to point a finger at, as he is coming off his second straight season with over 1,500 receiving yards.

Every year the Florida Marlins are among the biggest surprises in baseball because they always seem to find talented young players and roll the dice while keeping salaries at the minimum. Josh is one of the biggest reasons for the teams success, posting a 15-5 record with a 3.23, helping his team to an 87-75 record with the lowest payroll in baseball.

Joe Johnson isn’t one of the flashy players in the NBA, but one look at his stats and it’s easy to see why he’s part of this debate. With a picture perfect jump shot, Joe can release a dagger from anywhere on the court with ease. His signing made the Atlanta Hawks into a relevant franchise for the first time since Dominique Wilkins left the team.

The most anticipated free agent in sports history will likely choose which team he will play for July 1, 2010. That’s the day LeBron James is officially a free agent and every team has at least some hope of bringing in the most talented player in the NBA.

No free agent in history, yes this includes when Shaquille O’Neal left the Orlando Magic to join the Los Angeles Lakers, has ever drawn this much interest. James a 25-year-old superstar just beginning to reach his peak as a player and his presence alone can turn around a team down on its luck into a championship contender.

Since he never went to college, James should announce his choice the same way elite high school athletes do: have three hats with each possible teams logo on them and make his choice from there. James can add dramatic effect when he picks one up, says just kidding, puts it down and dons the cap of his new team.

And it should be televised on ESPN, like you wouldn’t tune into that show?

Will LeBron James and Chris Bosh suit up for different teams next year?

Since he is close to Jay-Z, a partial owner of the New Jersey Nets, there was speculation after the franchise relocated to Brooklyn, James would join the team and instantly become the face of the franchise.

The Nets already have a talented core (though their record doesn’t show it) with Brook Lopez and Devin Harris, plus the horrible season the team is having may be beneficial in the long run. New Jersey will likely have the best odds of landing the first overall selection in the 2010 NBA Draft.

Even with Harris playing the point guard position, the Nets could select Kentucky’s John Wall and play him at the two-guard position, even if he’s a little undersized (Wall is the same height as Dwyane Wade) giving the Nets one of the youngest and most talented teams in league history.

With an additional first round selection from the Dallas Mavericks in this years draft as a result of the Jason Kidd trade, New Jersey could add a power forward through the draft, or try and sign one via free agency to team with James.

New Jersey could easily lure a power forward at below market value; the potential of winning a title seduced Karl Malone and Gary Payton into signing with the 2004 Los Angeles Lakers for a fraction of what they could have made elsewhere, and have the most exciting team ever.

LeBron will change the landscape of the NBA no matter what it says on the front of his jersey.

New Jersey has $20 million in cap space, meaning the team is able to bring in Amar’e Stoudemire or another power forward, giving them a starting lineup of Lopez, Stoudemire, James, Wall and Harris with Courtney Lee, Chris Douglas-Roberts, Yi Jianlian , Terrence Williams and Sean Williams coming off the bench.

Adding James could easily transform the Nets into the most dominant franchise in the league.

Harris is a true point guard, something James hasn’t had with Cleveland, and Lopez is a dominant post presence in his prime, another upgrade over any teammate he’s ever had.

One huge obstacle standing in the way of James landing on the Nets could be its ownership as Russian billionaire Mikhail D. Prokhorov is attempting to purchase 80 percent of the franchise and become the first foreign majority owner in NBA history.

If James passes on an offer from the Nets, the two other likely destinations would be either to remain in Cleveland with the Cavaliers or head to New York to try and resurrect the Knicks.

LeBron James won his first Most Valuable Player award last season. The only question is whether he'll be collecting trophies in a Cavalier uniform after this year.

LBJ grew up in Akron, Ohio, about an hour from Cleveland, and when the Cavaliers landed the first overall pick in the 2003 NBA Draft, it seemed like destiny. King James never failed to live up to expectations, becoming the youngest player and first Cavalier ever to capture Rookie of the Year honors at the end of the 2003-04 season.

Ever since, Cleveland and NBA fans became witnesses to greatness. James has established himself as the most dominant all-around player in the NBA (sorry Kobe fans), he can score from anywhere on the floor, handle the ball, and find open teammates all while playing intimidating interior and perimeter defense.

LeBron James is the biggest star in Cleveland and possibly in all of sports today.

The city of Cleveland needs LeBron more than anything. Without a title since running back Jim Brown led the Browns to the 1964 NFL Championship, (the first Super Bowl was played three years later) fans in Cleveland have even been counting down until James leads the Cavaliers to a title. The Indians and Browns are terrible and are years away from seriously competing for a title.

Cleveland’s hopes for a championship begin and end with the Cavaliers.

The thing is, Cleveland fans are used to disappointment. Some of the most infamous moments in sports history happened against Cleveland. Take a look for yourself, each team has been a victim of a legendary loss. (If you like the Indians, Cavaliers or the Browns, you may want to skip this section of the story)

The Catch

Red Right 88

The Drive

The Shot

All of these moments have left Cleveland fans wondering if all of their teams are cursed.

Cleveland even had to suffer through having its NFL franchise ripped away from them, the biggest injustice in league history, when owner Art Modell and the original Browns fled for Baltimore after the 1995 season. It seemed like Cleveland was the most depressed sports city in the world.

Of course, those same Baltimore Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV five years later and have had one of the most dominant defenses in NFL history for the past decade.  Cleveland was eventually awarded another Browns franchise but has won zero playoff games and had only two winning seasons since their return in 1999.

Plus the Ravens routinely beat down the Browns twice a year as AFC North rivals.

This season the only real highlight for Browns fans was beating the Pittsburgh Steelers, snapping a 12-game skid against their arch enemies. The rest of the year was pretty forgettable in Cleveland, as they struggled establishing a starting quarterback and traded away wide receiver Braylon Edwards following an alleged incident where Edwards punched out one of LeBron James’ friends.

The Indians haven’t won a World Series title since 1948. From 1955-1994, the team failed to make a playoff appearance and were perennially one of the worst teams in all of baseball. During the 1995 season, Cleveland won 100 games for just the second time in team history (and first since 1948) before falling to the Atlanta Braves in the World Series.

Cleveland remained competitive and once again made the World Series two years later, but lost a heartbreaking Game 7 to the Florida Marlins, a franchise in just its fifth year of existence.

Last season, the Indians finished 65-97, tied with Kansas City for the second worst record in the American League. Plus Cleveland saw former aces C.C. Sabathia and Cliff Lee duel for the World Series title.

The Cavaliers have never won an NBA championship since entering the league during the 1970-71 season and had a losing record for five consecutive seasons before James’ arrival in 2003.

LeBron James is the only positive thing in the Cleveland sports scene.

Since James has been on the team, the Cavaliers have been one of the best and most exciting teams in the league. For the past three seasons Cleveland  has even been considered a favorite to win the championship as James transformed into a dominant player.

In 2007, Cleveland reached the Finals for the first time in team history, but coach Mike Brown’s predictable offense (just give LeBron the ball and have four players watch him) didn’t faze the San Antonio Spurs during their four game sweep.

The next season, Cleveland gave the eventual champion Boston Celtics their toughest test en rout to their 17th NBA title. During a legendary Game 7 performance in Boston, James dropped 45 points and was the sole reason (Delonte West was the only other Cavalier to score in double digits, 15 points) the Cavaliers were even in the game during a 97-92 loss.

Although his team hasn’t won a championship, yet, James has enjoyed tremendous playoff success during his four playoff appearances. For his career, James is averaging 29.4 points, 8.3 rebounds and 7.3 assists per game.

Last season general manager Danny Ferry failed to improve the team even though he had Wally Szczerbiak’s massive expiring contract ($13 million) which could have been moved to bring in a scorer at the power forward position (Antawn Jamison for example) to take some pressure off of James.

In the playoffs, the Orlando Magic exposed Cleveland’s weaknesses (three-point defense, a short back court, lack of a post game and no other fourth quarter options other than James) which could have easily been addressed before the trading deadline.

Instead, Cleveland stood still and was knocked out of the playoffs. In the off-season, the Cavaliers brought in Shaquille O’Neal, which helps with the post scoring, but his presence also clogs the lane for James, limiting some of his effectiveness as he attacks the rim.

Since the Cavaliers drafted him, they also have an advantage when it some to signing a contract: Cleveland can offer a seven-year deal while every other team can only offer six-years as part of the Collective Bargaining Agreement. The additional year may be an incentive to keep him in Ohio, but only James can determine the value of the extra season.

James has been a celebrity in Ohio since he was in high school. He has earned a special place with Cleveland’s fan base because he really has been the child star that has lived up to, if not surpassed, every expectation. James is often referred to as “The Chosen One” because of his Sports Illustrated cover but has really become the symbol of the city during his seven-year career.

Not everyone has been as successful turning from a prep phenom into NBA superstar. The long list of players that couldn’t handle the transition is staggering and the NBA has since instituted a rule preventing players entering the NBA Draft without at least one year since graduating high school.

Sebastian Telfair, a star point guard at Brooklyn’s Lincoln High School, was selected 13th overall by the Portland Trail Blazers in the 2004 NBA Draft. His dominant play in high school made him look like he was poised to become a superstar, he even inked a $15 million shoe deal with adidas before playing in an NBA game.

During his six-year career, Telfair has bounced around the league, playing for Portland, Boston, Minnesota and now the Los Angeles Clippers and has only started 50 games (out of a possible 82 regular season games) just once.

James has flourished since entering the league, during his first career game, he scored 25 points on 12-of-20 shooting with nine assits and six rebounds. His sophomore season he was selected to his first All-Star game and will be selected for the sixth consecutive time this year, he has won two All-Star Game MVP awards (2005-06 and 2007-08), led the NBA in scoring (2007-08) and is the reigning MVP.

LeBron James has lived up to the hype while Sebastian Telfair (left) is mainly famous for his starring role in the documentary "Through the Wire," not his play as a backup point guard.

Even though the Cavaliers are among the elite teams in the Eastern Conference, there is constant fear King James will flee once the season ends.

In an attempt to increase his marketability, Cavaliers owner Dan Gilbert agreed to sell 15 percent of the franchise to a Chinese investment group. The deal is thought to be incentive for James to remain in Cleveland and allow him to make a significant impact in Asia, one of the largest growing populations of basketball fans, and transform James into the most popular athlete worldwide.

Will the move be a savvy one? Only if James agrees to remain in a Cavalier uniform, he is already one of the most popular athletes in the largest market in the world and remaining in Cleveland may already be a done deal for LBJ.

One of the saving graces for Cleveland fans is James’ penchant for loyalty. He has successfully established a group of longtime friends in Cleveland that have carefully crafted his public persona, and have been completely successful. James is one of the most universally loved athletes playing today.

But a relocation is absolutely possible.

The teams that can offer James a maximum contract (which is 30% of the salary cap, which fluctuates every year, but worth approximately $14.5 million this year, so James can see deals worth six-years approximately $90 million) and seven teams have enough salary cap room to offer him the highest amount of money:

• Cleveland Cavaliers
• New York Knicks
• New Jersey Nets
• Oklahoma City Thunder
• Memphis Grizzlies
• Miami Heat
• Chicago Bulls
• Los Angels Clippers

Any team would be lucky to land James because he is the epitome of a team player. LBJ is just as likely to find an open teammate with the game on the line as he is to bury the shot himself.  The other four players on the floor with him look better because of the passing opportunities presented from James.

No matter which team his is suiting up for, Cleveland, Eastern Conference All-Stars or the Olympic team, he is the most popular player on the team. Just take a look at Cleveland’s pre-game rituals and it’s easy to see why he is the ultimate teammate. He is a superstar player without the inflated ego to match.

Along with New Jersey and New York, there have been rumors James could end up with Olympic teammate Dwyane Wade in Miami next season. The Chicago Bulls will have over $20 million in cap room to try and bring in James and a team like the Dallas Mavericks are always a player in the free agent market.

No free agent has ever drawn this amount of internet buzz (a google search for “LeBron James rumors” turns up over 565,000 results) and everything he has said for the past three years has been constantly scrutinized as everyone is trying to figure out exactly where he will be next season.

The amount of interest in his next move has gotten so overwhelming that James had to say he wasn’t going to talk about free agency anymore, so everything you read (including this article) over the next few months is just speculation.

Although he isn’t talking about free agency, many of his actions can been viewed as at least flirting with other teams. Why else would a person who has never lived in New York release shoes where the bottoms say “I Love NY” he has to be considering a new team at the very least. And that’s why there is so much internet speculation about his move next summer.

Could the King rest his crown in Manhattan?

One of the biggest reasons James is expected to leave, even though he is known for his loyalty, is because he can become a bigger star in a larger market such as New York, Chicago or Los Angeles.

Honestly, James is already a mega-star, he’s hosted Saturday Night Live, has tons of endorsements in everything from shoes to gum. King James has said one of his goals is to become a billionaire. But does he really have to leave Cleveland to do so?

Landing in New York, for example, would be one of the biggest stories in the country. It would pass any test, even my mom would be asking me about him at that point, so his exposure would increase. If he were to drag either the Nets or the Knicks to a title, he would be a legend in the “Mecca of Basketball” but would that necessarily mean more endorsement dollars?

In the NFL, Peyton Manning has become the league’s biggest star, and largest endorser of products, and he plays in one of the smallest markets in the country (look at the Pacers attendance records), and much like James, Manning turned around a smaller market franchise and turned them into one of the most popular throughout the league.

Will James follow Manning’s footsteps and remain with one team throughout his career (Manning in anything other than a Colts jersey can’t happen) and lead them to a title? He would be loved even more in Cleveland if he did, even Skip Bayless would have to give him props.

Cavalier fans certainly hope so, but it is far from a sure thing.

For years teams have been preparing the summer of 2010 as James, Wade, Stoudemire, Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dirk Nowitzki, among others, hit free agency.

The abundance of talent hitting the open market has caused teams to openly throw away this season, clear cap room and try and hit big in the summer.

The best example of this has to be the New York Knicks.

There's not much else to do in New York other than wait for LeBron.

One of the marquee franchises in the NBA, New York hasn’t fielded a legitimately competitive team since the turn of the century. The Knicks haven’t had an All-Star in nine seasons (Latrell Sprewell and Allan Houston both were selected in 2001), haven’t won a playoff series since the 1999-00 season, made the playoffs since 2003-04 and will finish below .500 for the ninth consecutive season once this crappy year of Knicks basketball is finished.

Factor in the Knicks have consistently had one of the highest payrolls in the league, it’s easy to understand the frustrations from the crowds in Madison Square Garden.

Inept general managers, horrible coaches, head-scratching draft selections, terrible free agent signings and off the court controversies have driven away thousands of fans from New York.

New York’s last savior was supposed to be Larry Brown. His tenure was an absolute debacle (signed for a five-year deal worth between $50-$60 million, making him the highest paid coach in NBA history) leading the Knicks to a 23-59 record, was fired after the season and bled the Knicks for an $18 million buyout.

Stephon Marbury was brought in on January 5, 2004 in an attempt to resurrect the franchise. Hailing from Coney Island, Marbury was a representation for New York basketball, a tough, high scoring point guard with a mean streak. Unfortunately, his tenure was marked with horrible off the court confrontations with front office personnel, (leading the him saying the immortal “I never called her a black bitch, I called her a bitch,” defense) and his stint with the Knicks was an absolute bust.

During his final season in New York, he sulked on the bench while earning $23 million, was eventually told to stay away from the team and wound up in Boston, the biggest stab in the back you can ever pull on New York fans, hoping to latch on for a championship season.

Don’t even get me started on the Isiah Thomas era in New York, a tenure so dismal New York Magazine wrote a giant feature labeling the Knicks “Absolutely, Positively the worst team in the History of Professional Sports“ so, at least the Knicks won something, right?

Um, yeah, that pretty much sums it all up.

The only saving grace for Knicks fans for the past five seasons has been the thought of landing James. Every time he comes to the World’s Most Famous Arena, he puts on a show.

Last season, just two nights after Kobe Bryant dropped 61 on the Knicks, a record at Madison Square Garden, James followed by scoring 52 and was robbed of a triple-double when the official scorer took away one of his rebounds.

During his lone visit to New York this year, James scored 33 points and is averaging 30.4 points per game at MSG during his career.

His love for playing in New York has caused the team to slash payroll at every turn, only six players on the roster are signed for next season, putting the projected payroll at just under $28 million, so bringing in James and another player is possible.

To make the signing of James an even more realistic option, the team is trying desperately to move Jarred Jeffries and Eddy Curry, two of the six Knicks under contract after this season.

New York fans are so desperate for James to wear a Knicks jersey that one group launched NYCforLeBron.com a website that is trying to collect donations that will be used to help lure LeBron to the Big Apple by giving him a New York gift basket that would include “his own suite at Yankee Stadium, additional salary, Gloria James (his mother) courtside seats, (and a) Ferrari.”

Knicks fans are seriously trying to raise money for a guy that has already earned hundreds of millions of dollars and the next NBA contract he signs will likely have nine figures in the deal. Landing James is the only thing keeping New Yorkers somewhat sane, imagine if he doesn’t come?

LeBron would actually give the Knicks hope for a title. Knicks and hope haven't gone together lately.

The likelihood of James playing in New York can significantly increase, as mentioned above, if the Knicks can find takers for Curry ($11,276,863 next season) and/or Jeffries ($6,883,400 next year). The duo is scheduled a combined $18 million+ next year. Moving either, or both, would allow the Knicks to comfortably sign two premier free agents.

With a disgruntled but talented scorer, Nate Robinson, banished on the bench, the Knicks could easily package Robinson with either Curry or Jeffries for an expiring contract (Tracy McGrady and his $23 million for example) to make a huge splash next summer. Robinson, one of the most talented players on the team, has asked for a trade and was fined $25,000 for doing so, likely bringing an end to his Knick career.

If the team can resign David Lee and bring in two marquee free agents, New York would actually have a shot at a championship.

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There has been much speculation about where James will call home next season, but there is a strong possibility both New York and Cleveland could miss out on the biggest free agent signing ever.

The stakes are high and the two fan bases are on the complete opposite ends of the spectrum, both New York and Cleveland desperately want James as the cornerstone of their franchise and the announcement will absolutely devastate one fan base.

No matter where LeBron lands, at least one fan base is going to react like one of the paternity test moms from the Maury show that just found out the guy she swore fathered her child isn’t the dad.

The other side will be freaking out like this guy when he finds out he isn’t the father and doesn’t have to pay child support.

Either way, it’ll play out just like it does on Maury, one side will react with sheer terror while the other side hollering like they just won the lottery. There is no in between. Can we get Maury Povich to announce this decision? Imagine him saying: Cleveland, you are SIGNING LEBRON JAMES! The decision would immediately be followed by a massive celebration in Cleveland and riots in New York.

Maury Povich can handle the pandemonium that will follow when LeBron James makes his decision.

You’ll see people wandering around city streets aimlessly, with tears in their eyes, massive confusion in their head and complete devastation on their faces. Many will just collapse and cry uncontrollably because the basketball savior passed on their team.

Think about it like this. If LeBron James was a girl and two guys were in love with her, one her boyfriend and the other a guy who really is her ideal fit and constantly thought about her. Then she decides to leave both of them for a guy that wears sweaters tied around his neck, boat shoes and drives a BMW that his parents bought him.

Who would be more heartbroken? The guy that was dating her and lost her or the guy that never knew what it was like to be with her?

You can make an argument for both sides, but here is my take (the guy that dated her is more heartbroken for sure, but he was probably a loser anyway, but it’s almost as bad for the guy who lost out completely) on the LeBron situation.

Both fan bases would  be totally ruined, I guarantee a riot in either city for losing out on him, but for New York it has to be worse and here’s why: New York would blame LeBron for screwing them over (even though he never said he was coming to the Knicks), signing LeBron has to happen in New York.

The only consultation for a decade of crappy basketball in the Big Apple has been the thought of landing James. His face has been in the light at the end of the tunnel for Knicks fans. If they don’t get him, it’ll go over as well as a dad who promised a trip to Dinsey World and failed to deliver.

New York hasn’t had an explosive scorer of James’ caliber since Bernard King was holding it down in Madison Square Garden during the early 1980s. Patrick Ewing was the team’s last superstar and they tossed him aside following the 1999-00 season.  New York needs something and they have their heart set on James, losing him would lead to a Chernobyl-style meltdown for Knicks fans.

If LeBron James doesn't sign with the Knicks, he might as will pee on them with Calvin.

Cleveland would be mad at James, but ultimately decide his departure was caused by incompetency from its front office that forced James to suit up in a different jersey.

Cavalier fans already are preparing themselves for James to leave, unfortunately part of being a Cleveland fan means having battle scars from complete disappointment at any time.

Cleveland would blame general manager Danny Ferry for stupid free agent signings (Donyell Marshall, for example) busted draft selections (Luke Jackson) after James and the city itself for causing James to leave.

Losing James would obviously be a huge blow, but a somewhat expected one. Cleveland could imagine this day, even predicted it would happen. Bad things always happen to Cleveland, this would just be the worst.

Knicks fans are completely delusional. They are absolutely convinced James will be wearing a Knick uniform next season, there are no other options.

The general consensus is Donnie Walsh is doing a good job as general manager (he signed Darko Milicic and no one called for his head, HOW???) even though he made Chris Duhon his franchise point guard, passed on Brandon Jennings in the draft to select Jordan Hill, a player who has played in just 10 games this season and isn’t injured.

The only positive thing from his two-year tenure has been bringing in coach Mike D’Antoni, who’s offensive system would allow James to flourish even more and potentially enable him to become the first player since Oscar Robertson in 1961-62 to average a triple-double for an entire season.

D’Antoni was brought as bait to lure LBJ to jump ship in Cleveland and join the Knicks. Without him, New York is doomed to an extended stretch of terrible basketball with no hope on the horizon. Anything less than James is unacceptable after finishing the previous nine years 298-440.

General manager Donnie Walsh and MSG chairman James Dolan could become the dynamic duo of bad basketball if the Knicks don't get LeBron James.

The Knicks really haven’t improved since Walsh took over two seasons ago (no question he walked into a horrible situation, but honestly what has he done?) and the only way he can salvage anything is to land James.

The Knicks second option is rumored to be signing Atlanta Hawks guard Joe Johnson, who is a good player and all, but didn’t New York already go through the Allan Houston era?

Anything short of bringing King James to New York is a bust.

Allowing LeBron to leave home would ruin the state of Ohio.

In seven months, James will instantly change the fortunes of two franchises and the face of the NBA.