It is NEVER better for the league when the Lakers miss the playoffs. Not ever. Not only are they the big dog in the 2nd largest television market, they have a huge national following matched only by Boston. Who outside of Utah cares about the Jazz? Hell, I'd bet you a hundred bucks more than half of the people in this country couldn't find Utah on a U.S. map. And that more than that couldn't name their basketball team.

Exponentially more fans + far far higher TV ratings = Lakers in the playoffs are much better for the league than the Jazz.

I'd have taken this TD, but that's the entire argument. There is nothing left to say. Couldn't stretch that out for 3 args...

That was a bad joke, right? Nobody in the game had more heart than Jordan. THAT is what made him better than everyone else. There were/are guys at least as physically talented as MJ but didn't have the confidence, will, desire...Heart...to refuse to lose that Jordan had regardless of situation.

As for being a d bag...he was. So what? So was Babe Ruth. So was Mickey Mantle. So is Lebron and Kobe. So were a **** of sports superstars. That has no bearing at all on any discussion of 'best ever'

Flacco has less guaranteed money than Brady despite being 8 years younger. That's a simple fact no matter how YOU try to spin it.

Brady absolutely DOES have $57mil guaranteed.

Until the agreement was revealed Monday, Brady was under contract to the Patriots for two seasons with a contract containing $30 million in guarantees. Now he???s under contract for five seasons with $57 million guaranteed for injury.

The deal includes a $30 million signing bonus, which will be paid out over a period that extends to Feb. 15, 2015, a league source told the website. -NY Post & ESPN

For an old QB to nearly double his guaranteed money two years before being eligible to be a free agent he was NOT giving any "discounts", he was taking sure money rather than risk not getting the money down the road. It's a trade off that happens all the time with older star players. If Brady suffers a career ending injury in week 1 of the season he will STILL get $57mil.

There is $24 mil that is not guaranteed if he is released for performance reasons prior to the end of 2014. if he is on the roster the last week of 2014 that money becomes guaranteed as well. All of it is guaranteed against injury.

Not my fault you have no clue what the contracts you are talking about actually entail.

The $120mil number is the joke, and clearly Jim doesn't understand what little it means. Only $52mil is guaranteed, the rest is funny money. Brady has $57mil guaranteed in his new deal. Tom's old contract guaranteed just $30mil...his new deal gave him $30mil just in signing bonus, alone. Brady didn't give any "discounts" at all, it is just an accounting maneuver to create cap space and nearly double Toms guaranteed bank account. Pretty damn good deal for a 36 year old QB who hasn't won a ring in nearly a decade.

Awfully difficult for any division to have 3 playoff teams with the uneven schedules. Not sure why you expect the Dodgers to disappoint. With that much pitching in that park they will certainly give the Giants a run for their money.

True they got blown out by Boston in beantown, but they also blew the Celtics out in LA.

"Trout, got robbed of the MVP."

Are you nuts? Cabrera won the triple crown. You have any idea how rare that is? Then add in that HIS team actually went to the World Series while Trouts team....well....didn't and it's not even close, let alone 'robbed'.

I think it's the Yankees to lose one more time before the over-paid old guys combine with managements demands to slash payroll before next year turns them into a 4th or 5th place team for a few years.

It's not going to work the way people are expecting it to. I see them fighting both Boston and Baltimore for 3rd place.

Plus, I don't see how Hamilton is a "distraction" at all. He's a bigger risk than most guys for sure, but how is he a distraction?

He played in the house that Bonds built...old hat for them.

Heat will be splitting up after '14.

Thunder are not the same team without Harden. Trading him was a huge mistake. Should have gone with the Clippers here.

Yankees are in serious decline and under orders to slash more payroll before next year.

Reds? You trying to buy Prophecy's vote, or something?

Interesting that you call Hamilton and Yunel "biggest distraction in baseball" but make no mention of Melky being a "distraction"...You know, the guy who was suspended for 50 games last year for using and then was named in connection with the Fla PED investigation. What kind of reception you think he's gonna get?

It's the Marlins, nobody buys tickets anyhow. They have trouble getting people to show up with free tix.

More food for thought on Buehrle against the AL East...he's been downright awful.

Current Yankees have lit him up for an average slash line of .311/.364/.470

Boston has destroyed him to the tune of .345/.371/.547

Tampa has hit him at .318/.344/.424

Even Baltimore has managed .302/.338/.433

Kinda makes one wonder if anyone in the Jays front office bothered to look into his history against their division before acquiring him.

If you took a new job with a company in a location on the beach you loved and a promise you could stay there as long as you wanted you'd likely be very productive. If a year later your boss came and said you were being transferred to Siberia, you have no choice, your family can't go, your non-compete clause prohibits you from quitting and taking a job elsewhere, and oh by the way your paycheck is going to be smaller too (no state income tax in FL)...would your productivity not suffer because you are a "professional"? We often lose sight of the fact that these are living breathing people, not computer generated fantasy players. If you think their mindset doesn't affect their play on the field you're fooling yourself.

They had a great off season. Suckered the tax payers into footing the bill for a $600mil+ ball park that sits half empty then dropped payroll to $31mil, slightly more than the Yanks are gonna pay ARod to not play. They were going to suck in an empty park either way so now they can do it cheap, collect money from the Yankees and Dodgers, and got a boat load of prospects...their AAA team may be better than they are, but they are set up for yet another quick turnaround in a couple years. Loria might be the worst owner in sports from a fan perspective, but at least he knows how to make money from a losing proposition and how to re-build a team. Can't really argue with a business model that has worked twice already.

I've watched his entire career and have seen pretty much every quote he's ever made. Guy talks...a lot and isn't afraid to say what's on his mind.

Reyes public comments indicate otherwise. And again, when he ain't happy...fergetaboutit. He ain't performing. He's got 5 more years on that deal, he doesn't have to do **** but collect a paycheck, be a problem child, and force Toronto to deal him or eat the contract.

No way did MB refuse to move his family because of a DOG. Yes, I know all about his affinity for his dogs...I also know his kids are young and he's huge on family. You telling me you buy the story of him choosing the dog over having his family with him because he didn't think it was responsible to hire someone else to care for the mutt? Please. His wife refused to leave South Beach for Ontario. I'm 95% sure, and who could blame her?. I'd be surprised if he hasn't already asked for a trade and knowing Mark like I do I wouldn't be surprised if he just up and retired. He's been talking about it for years and said many times when he became a free agent that there were only a couple of places he wanted to play and he'd retire before playing anywhere else. Has repeated over and over it's not about money because he already has more than he or his family will ever need. Rare guy. We'll see, but I don't see that one working out at all. I don't buy the theory of trying hard so he can be traded either...he doesn't want to play in MOST places so it's not just a matter of getting out of Toronto.

I'm just saying...when a player isn't happy with where he is, the results often suffer and in the case of these two in particular there are even more extenuating circumstances. I'm not saying it was a bad trade for Toronto. Quite the contrary. It was a GREAT trade...if this were fantasy baseball. IOW, on paper it was a great deal but under the circumstances I'm not so sure. It's more likely to backfire than not.

Not the White Sox. Only big loss was a 36 year old catcher (AJ Pierzynski) but re-signed Peavy and picked up a solid fielding contact hitter to fill a major need as the #2 hitter. Nothing flashy, but certainly not among the worst (though a lot of White Sox fans think so)

Yankees off season was miserable, but that was out of necessity. Old team that is trying to shed tons of payroll for the first time in 20 years. That said, they should still be very competitive assuming the old guys don't all break down at once.