Tirico & Van Pelt: Audio Archive
November 22, 2009
Bob Costas, MLB Bob wants to know why Mike is quitting the show mid-week instead of finishing the week. Bob thinks it's ridiculous that Manny got a hero's welcome in Albuquerque.
Marc Stein, NBA Marc expects Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva to be Pistons very soon. As for the Lakers, they're going to do everything they can to bring everyone back.
Jayson Stark, MLB Jayson says the Dodgers are willing to trade anything for a starting pitcher. The Rangers want arms of any sort, too, but who they want doesn't exist.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Wilbon says Tiger isn't going to get into a back-and-forth match with Jim Brown. Tiger has no problem meeting with Jim Brown, as long as both have open minds.
Ellis Hobbs, Eagles CB Ellis says that Philadelphia is much more enjoyable from the top down. In New England, people were divided. He called it different strokes for different folks.
Ric Bucher, NBA Ric says that we should expect Ben Gordon to end up in Detroit, and that will set the tone for everything.
Joe Morgan, MLB Joe isn't sure if the Dodgers chemistry is going to be upset when Manny comes back. It's not like he's coming off of the DL. He did something illegal.
Tommy Smyth, Soccer Tommy talks about the U.S. soccer team, saying some players didn't belong, but it was a good experience to prepare for the World Cup.
Tim Kurkjian, MLB Tim talks about the Rays being the highest scoring team in the league right now. He's not certain they'll make the playoffs, but they should win 90 games.
Charlie Batch, Steelers QB Batch talks about this week's NFL rookie symposium and how he stressed to new players to save their money because of the potential lockout in 2011.
John Buccigross, NHL Bucci breaks down the Blackhawks' 12-year deal for Marian Hossa and the Sedin twins re-signing Vancouver. Bucci says the Sedins are unique.
Chris Broussard, NBA Chris thinks Detroit has helped itself greatly in free agency, but Ron Artest could change the league's landscape. Rasheed Wallace is another difference maker.
Peter Gammons, MLB HOFer Gammons talks about the struggling NL East. The Phillies are worried. The revitalized Giants are a serious contender for the Wild Card. Colorado is interesting, too.
Chris Mortensen, NFL Mort agrees Michael Vick has served his time; he should be allowed to play. Mort thinks Plaxico Burress could be suspended 6-8 games. He also discusses the commish.
Bud Collins, Tennis Bud Collins doesn't think the roof needed to be closed at Wimbledon. Maybe they wanted to show it off. He predicts Venus and Serena Williams to reach the women's finals.
Sam Presti, Thunder GM Sam Presti explains why Oklahoma City drafted James Harden instead of Ricky Rubio.
Steve Lavin, CBB Steve Lavin thinks that DeJuan Blair is going to change the Spurs' dimensions because he has enough talent to command a first round pick.
Kenny Perry, PGA Kenny Perry talks about competing in the Travelers Championship after a busy week at the U.S. Open.
Andy Bessette, Travelers EVP Andy Bessette says he is trying to make the Travelers Championship a family affair and create an experience so special that the players want to return.
Danny Ferry, Cavaliers GM Danny Ferry says he consulted LeBron James and several other players before acquiring Shaquille O'Neal.
Jim Brown, NFL Jim Brown thinks that minority athletes should be using some of their money to help the less fortunate people in their communities.
Bruce Bowen, Bucks F Bruce Bowen describes the conversation he had with San Antonio head coach Gregg Popovich after being traded to Milwaukee.
Jay Bilas, CBB Jay Bilas thinks that Blake Griffin is going to be a really good NBA player because he doesn't need the ball and he'll do whatever you ask him to do.
Ryen Russillo, NBA Ryen Russillo thinks that Hasheem Thabeet will be the second pick in the draft. Ryen finds Thabeet to be a special player.
Bob McKillop, Davidson Head Coach Bob McKillop says that Stephen Curry conquers a challenge whenever he is presented with one.
Fran Fraschilla, CBB Fran Fraschilla thinks there will be 10 point guards drafted in the first 35 picks because this is a weak NBA draft with no bigs.
Lucas Glover, Golf Lucas Glover says the most nervous he got during the U.S. Open was on the 17th tee in the final round. Lucas thinks the New York fans were great and very polite.
Ric Bucher, NBA Ric Bucher explains that the Spurs had been looking to make a deal for Vince Carter or Richard Jefferson since the season ended.
Joe Morgan, MLB Joe Morgan shares his thoughts on the Rockies' run and says that a change at manager can be good for a clubhouse.
Blake Griffin, NBA Blake Griffin dishes on the dinner he had with Clippers head coach Mike Dunleavy and his staff.
David Fay, USGA Executive Director David Fay explains the rain delays and the ticket situation at the U.S. Open.
Scott Van Pelt, Golf Scott Van Pelt thinks that Lucas Glover is ready to take the next step. Scott gives Ricky Barnes a lot of credit for holding on and finishing second.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips doesn't think anyone should be surprised that Donald Fehr has decided to step down. Steve points out that Fehr has had a lot of fingers pointed at him lately.
Curtis Strange, Golf Curtis Strange says it makes sense that Lucas Glover won the U.S. Open because he made fewer mistakes than the rest of the field.
Pat Williams, Magic VP Pat Williams says it was a tough loss in the NBA Finals for Orlando, but the team is hoping it can add some pieces in free agency and the draft to get back there next season.
Scott Van Pelt, Golf Scott Van Pelt is upset because his shoes are ruined and his suit is covered in mud.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips says it doesn't matter who you play in baseball, it's when you play that counts.
David Kahn, Timberwolves GM David Kahn says he laughed when he heard the rumor that he was looking to trade Al Jefferson. David thinks he would lose his card-carrying privilege if he dealt Jefferson.
Chris Wallace, Grizzlies GM Chris Wallace explains that his team is looking at trade options while also evaluating players. Chris admits there is a chance that Memphis could trade its first pick.
Mike Tirico, Golf Mike Tirico dishes on what all of the golfers were doing during the rain at the U.S. Open. Mike says there's a good chance that 36 holes will be played on Sunday.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons thinks that the Twins are a team to watch. If Minnesota gets everybody back in the lineup, Peter believes they're going to be the team to beat.
Ryan Braun, Brewers OF Ryan Braun wants every athlete to go out there and get as much money as he or she can. Ryan says ownership is out to get money, so players should do the same.
Huston Street, Rockies P Huston Street says Colorado has been a good team all season, but the club is starting to show it now.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon thinks that we're already in dangerous territory with athletes and Twitter.
Luke Walton, Lakers F Luke Walton thinks the team was better this season because of the experience it gained from last season's NBA Finals.
Scott Van Pelt, Golf Scott Van Pelt says Bethpage Black is going to play very long, which is good for Tiger Woods. Scott also notes that it's supposed to rain on every day of the U.S. Open.
Joe Morgan, MLB Joe Morgan gives the Red Sox an edge over the Yankees because Boston has an abundance of starting pitching.
Dr. Jack Ramsay, NBA Dr. Jack Ramsay says he got the feeling that this may be the end for Phil Jackson when they talked during the season.
Tim Legler, NBA Tim Legler thinks this will be Kobe Bryant's favorite title because it was achieved with little turmoil or stress.
U.S. Open Mike Tirico and Ryen Russillo look ahead to the U.S. Open and explain why this year's tournament should be tougher than the previous ones.
Bronson Burgoon, Texas A&M Bronson Burgoon is really excited to go to New York and play against the best in the world in the U.S. Open. Bronson knows the key is to keep the ball in the fairway.
Justin Verlander, Tigers P Justin Verlander says spirits are high and everyone is having fun in Detroit. Justin thinks the key for the Tigers is to stay loose.
Charles Barkley, NBA Charles Barkley thinks the Magic gave away the NBA title in Game 4. Charles feels that Orlando should have fouled Derek Fisher at the end of regulation.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips believes both the Yankees and the Red Sox will reach the playoffs. Steve also tells us why he never counts out the Angels.
Chris Paul, Hornets G Chris Paul says the thing he has enjoyed most about the NBA Finals is Dwight Howard's killer mentality. Chris has also been impressed by the play of Hedo Turkoglu.
Mitch Kupchak, Lakers GM Mitch Kupchak says we'll never know if Kobe Bryant is tired because he won't admit it and he doesn't react to fatigue like most people do.
Rocco Mediate, PGA Rocco Mediate thinks he learned a lot at the 2008 U.S. Open and knows it's really hard to get back into contention in events like that.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons talks about Chien-Ming Wang's struggles. Peter feels that the Yankees will realize that they need to put Phil Hughes back in the rotation soon.
Jeff Van Gundy, NBA Jeff Van Gundy thinks the Lakers had a great approach in Game 3. Jeff says Orlando won the contest, but Los Angeles didn't beat itself and lose.
Mike Tirico, NBA Mike Tirico thinks Orlando's fate rests in the play of its guards. Mike says Rafer Alston, Courtney Lee, Mickael Pietrus and Jameer Nelson have to score.
Tom Verducci, MLB Tom Verducci points out that the majority of games between the Yankees and Red Sox have been played in Boston this season.
Eddie Jordan, 76ers Head Coach Eddie Jordan talks about the trade his new team made with the Raptors, sending Reggie Evans to Toronto for Jason Kapono.
Jon Barry, NBA Jon Barry is going with the Magic in Game 3 because he feels they'll win a game if they just shoot the ball better.
Keith Law, MLB Keith Law thinks that Stephen Strasburg has been handled very well in college thanks to Tony Gwynn.
Joe Morgan, MLB Joe Morgan doesn't think the MLB draft works because he feels that you can't ask teams to give up large amounts of money for an unproven talent.
Devin Harris, Nets G Devin Harris doesn't think the NBA Finals have been too exciting because people didn't get the matchup that they wanted to see.
Bob DuPuy, MLB COO Bob DuPuy thinks the drug program is working in baseball.
Avery Johnson, NBA Avery Johnson thinks the Magic should be scared of how locked in Kobe Bryant is and how hungry the Lakers are.
Randy Johnson, Giants P Giants pitcher Randy Johnson reflects on winning 300 games. He says it's about consistency and longevity.
Roy Halladay, Blue Jays P Roy says Randy Johnson's 300th win is enormous. No one may accomplish that feat again. Halladay talks about pitching in Toronto and wanting a World Series.
Candace Parker, Sparks F Candace Parker says she's planning to be back on the court by July and she's hoping her daughter will choose tennis over basketball.
Jim Balsillie BlackBerry co-CEO Jim Balsillie discusses his $212.5 million bid for the Phoenix Coyotes, which is contingent upon moving the team to Ontario.
Mike Tirico, NBA Mike Tirico thinks the big question is whether or not the Lakers can guard Dwight Howard with one person.
Bill Laimbeer, NBA Bill Laimbeer thinks the Lakers have enough guys to handle Dwight Howard, so he has Los Angeles winning it all.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons doesn't think there will be a fire sale in Cleveland, but the Indians really struggle when Cliff Lee and Fausto Carmona aren't pitching well.
Charlie Villanueva, Bucks F Charlie Villanueva is a restricted free agent right now, and he thinks he would be a big asset to any team. Charlie says that he is addicted to Twitter.
Brian Wilson, Giants P Brian Wilson would like to see Randy Johnson pitch a perfect game for his 300th career win so he can celebrate on the field with the catcher.
Barry Melrose, NHL Barry Melrose thinks the Penguins did a nice job in forcing the Red Wings to make adjustments in Game 3.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon thinks that the Magic have a better chance of winning the title than most people think, but he has the Lakers taking the series in seven games.
Hubie Brown and Dr. Jack Ramsay, NBA Hubie Brown and Dr. Jack Ramsay look ahead to the 2009 NBA Finals with Mike Tirico.
Joe Mauer, Twins C Joe Mauer has always expected a lot out of himself. Joe says that people can put expectations on him, but his will always exceed theirs.
Joe Morgan, MLB Joe Morgan is surprised that the Yankees broke the record for most consecutive games without an error. Joe says their defense was a big question going into the season.
Steve Lavin, CBB Steve Lavin feels that Damion James could use another year in college after seeing him at the NBA Draft Combine.
Rashard Lewis, Magic F Rashard Lewis says the fact that Orlando didn't get respect just added fuel to the fire and motivated the team.
Colt McCoy, Texas QB Colt McCoy says last year's loss to Texas Tech has really motivated the Longhorns this season.
Jon Barry, NBA Jon Barry doesn't think that LeBron James or any of the Cavaliers needed to say anything to Orlando, but he believes they should have at least shook some hands.
Tom Jackson, NFL Tom Jackson thinks it's unrealistic for guys to shake hands after they've been eliminated in a game.
Tony Gwynn, San Diego State Coach Tony Gwynn doesn't doubt that Stephen Strasburg could have success right away, but there are still things he needs to work on.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips feels that Joe Torre deserves a lot of credit for getting the Dodgers back on track following the Manny Ramirez mess.
Kenny Mayne Kenny Mayne finds time to promote the new episodes of Mayne Street, which start on June 9.
Andy Katz, CBB Andy Katz thinks the NBA's rule is to be blamed for what happened with Derrick Rose. Andy says none of it would have happened if Rose was allowed to go straight to the NBA.
Bruce Feldman, CFB Bruce Feldman agrees with Joe Paterno about the Big Ten needing to expand. Bruce says the conference would have a more balanced schedule.
Jerry West, NBA Jerry West thinks Cleveland got the worst possible draw in the East finals. Jerry says LeBron James needs some help because he always looks tired at the end of games.
Nicklas Lidstrom, Red Wings D Nicklas Lidstrom doesn't think that playing on back-to-back days will have too much of an impact at this point in the playoffs.
Hubie Brown, NBA Hubie Brown previews Game 5 of the Orlando-Cleveland series, which could be the final one of LeBron James' MVP season if he doesn't get any help from his teammates.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons comments on Carlos Zambrano's antics and the controversial ejections in Thursday's Red Sox-Twins game.
Avery Johnson, NBA Avery Johnson thinks the Lakers need to rewind the tape to when they played serious basketball at both ends of the court.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon doesn't think the Cavaliers are good enough to win a title. Michael says the team could use a talented wing player.
Shane Battier, Rockets F Shane Battier says fear is his motivation when playing against guys like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Kenny Smith, NBA Kenny Smith is not surprised by how J.R. Smith handled himself in Game 4. Kenny says people know that Smith acts like a fool when it's not necessary.
Tommy Smyth, Soccer Tommy Smyth tells us why we should watch the UEFA Champions League final between Barcelona and Manchester United.
Joe Morgan, MLB Joe Morgan thinks that pitching and injuries have been the Cubs' biggest problems.
Chris Andersen, Nuggets F Chris Andersen thinks it was really important for the Nuggets to take Game 2 in Los Angeles.
Mike Dunleavy, Clippers Head Coach and GM Mike Dunleavy can't say who his team is going to take with the No. 1 pick but Blake Griffin is someone they are looking at. Mike also shares his thoughts on Ricky Rubio.
Jeff Van Gundy, NBA Jeff Van Gundy thinks the big difference in Game 2 of the Nuggets-Lakers series was that Denver didn't put Kobe Bryant at the free throw line in the 4th quarter.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips talks about Jake Peavy, no-trade clauses and the return of interleague play.
Bruce Bowen, Spurs F Bruce Bowen thinks the little things you can do to stop a guy is key when defending them. Bruce also compares Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.
Hubie Brown, NBA Hubie Brown thinks all of the high school and college kids that think they are ready for the NBA should watch the tape of Carmelo Anthony vs. Kobe Bryant from Game 1.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons talks about a possible Jake Peavy deal. Peter likes interleague play, but he doesn't like how it can impact the playoff race.
Ryen Russillo Scott Van Pelt and Mike Tirico welcome Ryen Russillo to the co-host chair. The guys preview Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals and explain just how bad the NBA draft is this year.
Mike Babcock, Red Wings Head Coach Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock talks about being up 2-0 and says he's concerned about his team's health through the rest of the playoffs.
Rich Beem, PGA Tour Golfer Rich Beem talks about donating $100 for every birdie he makes this weekend to help Cowboys scout Rich Behm.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon breaks down Lakers-Nuggets and says he doesn't see any way the Magic can beat LeBron and the Cavs.
Rafer Alston, Magic G Rafer Alston thinks that Rajon Rondo is one of the elite point guards in the NBA. Rafer says you need to stop LeBron James, Mo Williams and Delonte West to beat Cleveland.
Shaquille O'Neal, Suns C As part of his broadcasting class at Syracuse, Shaquille O'Neal interviews Mike Tirico to prepare for life after basketball. Shaq shares his thoughts on the Nuggets-Lakers series.
Chris Mortensen, NFL Chris Mortensen thinks we should see Michael Vick on a roster this year because there are a number of owners that think he has paid his debt to society.
Joe Morgan, MLB Joe Morgan thinks the Rangers have staying power at the top of the AL West. Joe says the Yankees seem to be having fun in their locker room, which is a huge help.
Jon Gruden, Monday Night Football Former NFL coach Jon Gruden talks about working on "Monday Night Football" in 2009.
Sam Perkins, Pacers VP of Player Relations Sam Perkins thinks what happened in the regular season doesn't matter much in the playoffs, but the Magic could draw some confidence from how they fared against Cleveland.
Jon Barry, NBA Jon Barry compares Kobe Bryant and LeBron James. Jon notes that the Cavaliers ask for more from LeBron, but he would still pick Kobe to win a game of one-on-one.
Greg Paulus, Syracuse QB Greg Paulus says he chose Syracuse because it had the most to offer. Greg wants to be a part of building Syracuse's football program back up again.
Darryl Strawberry, MLB Darryl Strawberry talks about the many insecurities and issues he had before becoming a baseball player. Darryl thinks not having a father figure led him down a bad road.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips doesn't think Yankee fans are going to be very forgiving of Alex Rodriguez. Steve expects A-Rod to get a mixed reception from the Yankee Stadium crowd.
Randy Moss, Horse Racing Randy Moss doesn't think that Mine That Bird's chances are lessened because Mike Smith is riding him.
Bob Rosburg Passes Mike reacts to the passing of Bob Rosburg. A PGA Champ 50 years ago, Rosburg was a mentor and friend who spent 32 years defining the on-course golf reporter role.
Mike Brown, Cavaliers Head Coach Mike Brown knew early in the year that his team really enjoyed hanging out with each other off the court.
Nick Swisher, Yankees OF Nick Swisher will no longer be jumping up to high five the fans in right field. Nick says Alex Rodriguez has been a great teammate and is really good in the clubhouse.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons thinks Paul Schreiber and the umpires' union acted quickly in apologizing and saying Schreiber was wrong to touch Magglio Ordonez on Wednesday.
Mike Tirico, NBA Mike Tirico has the latest on the Dwight Howard-Stan Van Gundy situation. Mike also reminds us about the influences of Kendrick Perkins and Jameer Nelson.
Jeff Van Gundy, NBA Jeff Van Gundy, Stan's brother, thinks that Dwight Howard needs to hold himself accountable because he called out his coach and other players, but not himself.
Michael Wilbon, NBA Michael Wilbon thinks the Lakers will close things out in Game 6 now that they have woken up.
Darren Rovell Darren Rovell doesn't think we should get too excited about Delaware allowing sports betting just yet.
Darren Pang, NHL Darren Pang thinks the home team has to be careful in a Game 7 because the visitors have a chance to sneak in and take the game if frustration creeps in for the hosts.
Joe Torre, Dodgers Joe Torre talks about how he has dealt with the Manny Ramirez situation. Joe thinks Manny is embarrassed that he put himself in this spot.
Charles Barkley, NBA Charles Barkley previews the Tuesday night action in the playoffs and tells us that the Nuggets are the favorites in the West.
Joe Morgan, MLB Joe Morgan gives us his take on Roger Clemens' comments. Joe is disappointed that the "steroid era" seems to have no end.
Shane Battier, Rockets F Shane Battier is looking forward to Game 5 in Los Angeles and knows he may be in for a long night guarding Kobe Bryant.
Isiah Thomas, FIU Isiah Thomas reflects on the passing of Chuck Daly, his former coach.
Spike Lee, NBA Spike Lee tells us about "Kobe Doin' Work," his new documentary on a game in the life of Kobe Bryant.
Mike Tyson Mike Tyson and director James Toback discuss the documentary "Tyson" with Mike Tirico and Scott Van Pelt. Mike Tyson talks about his roller-coaster life and learning to live out of the spotlight.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips doesn't think that players are fully educated when it comes to steroids in baseball. Steve says it's in the best interest of the MLBPA to educate them.
Jon Barry, NBA Jon Barry likes Boston and Los Angeles to win on Friday night. Jon thinks Doc Rivers has found something with the little lineup that he's been using.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons talks about his conversation with Scott Boras and what's next for Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers.
Barry Zito, Giants Giants pitcher Barry Zito says he's shocked by the news of Manny Ramirez's suspension, but he's not jumping to any conclusions about what Manny took.
T.J. Simers, MLB T.J. Simers is disappointed in Manny Ramirez because he can't believe he acted so irresponsibly. Ramirez has become an icon in Los Angeles, and T.J. thinks this is a shame.
Lawrence Frank, Nets Head Coach Lawrence Frank offers his thoughts on Wednesday night's hard fouls in the NBA playoffs.
Paul Silas, NBA Paul Silas thinks LeBron James' biggest improvements have been his outside and three-point shots. LeBron now has the confidence to challenge the best player on the other team.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon thinks guys like Brett Favre should play as long as they can. However, it really bothers Michael that Favre continues to retire and then return.
Ernie Johnson, NBA Ernie Johnson is more concerned about the Celtics than the Lakers because Kevin Garnett is a major key that is missing.
Hubie Brown, ESPN NBA Analyst Brown talks about Game 1 home defeats by the Lakers and Celtics. Hubie says the Rockets have to play good defense and control the tempo to win.
Joel Quenneville, Blackhawks Coach Coach talks about earning a split in Vancouver and hosting Game 3 tonight in Chicago. He also discusses other intriguing second round series.
Joe Morgan, ESPN MLB Hall of Famer Morgan talks about what Zack Greinke's 6-0 start means for the Royals and thinks the Dodgers can run away with the NL West.
Mike Woodson, Hawks Head Coach Mike Woodson thinks the Celtics taught his team how to play playoff basketball last year. Mike says that experience definitely helped this time around.
Trey Hillman, Royals Manager Trey Hillman has never witnessed anything like what Zack Greinke is doing. Trey is just glad that he doesn't have to stand in front of Greinke with a bat.
Jason Whitlock, MLB Jason Whitlock feels that Selena Roberts' book is basically a blog. Jason doesn't get why something with so many unnamed sources is being taken as fact.
Vinny Del Negro, Bulls Head Coach Vinny Del Negro thinks the NBA should look at Rajon Rondo's actions in Game 6.
Darrius Heyward-Bey, Raiders WR Darrius Heyward-Bey says he knew there was a chance that Oakland could take him with the seventh pick because he had a good workout with the team.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips thinks Alex Rodriguez's start is going to be so important when he returns because it will be worse for him than it is now if he doesn't play well.
Steve Smith, NBA Steve Smith thinks Atlanta would be a tougher matchup for Cleveland than the Heat.
George Karl, Nuggets Head Coach George Karl tells us about the impact Chauncey Billups has had on his team. George says Chris Anderson was an incredible find.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons is not too worried about the Rays' 8-14 start, but he does wonder about the core of their pitching staff.
Jon Barry, NBA Jon Barry won't be surprised if Portland wins on Thursday night. Jon feels that Shane Battier needs to continue to step up if the Rockets want to win the series.
Damien Woody, Jets OL Damien Woody isn't sure which QB gives his team the best chance to win just yet. Damien thinks the difference between the organizations in Detroit and New England is stability.
Ric Bucher, NBA Ric Bucher says the NBA is oblivious to the name on the back of the jersey when trying to decide whether or not to suspend a player.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon finds the Dwight Howard elbow more egregious than Rajon Rondo's actions.
Brad Childress, Vikings Head Coach Brad Childress says Minnesota selected Percy Harvin because he's the total package. Brad spent quite a bit of time with Percy and was pleased with what he saw.
Barry Melrose, NHL Barry Melrose thinks the Hawks are the hottest team right now and it's great for both Chicago and the NHL to have them in the playoffs.
Rocco Mediate, PGA Rocco Mediate can't wait to play in this year's U.S. Open. Rocco tells us that he would have been devastated if he had lost to anyone other than Tiger Woods last year.
Joe Morgan, MLB Joe Morgan thinks that every team has question marks, including the Red Sox. Joe says there is no favorite in the NL, but the Dodgers are getting better by the day.
Tom Engle, ESPN Tom Engle talks about the high school pitcher who is attempting to throw his fifth-straight no-hitter. Tom is tied for the all-time national record.
Josh McDaniels, Broncos Head Coach Josh McDaniels thinks his first draft was pretty exciting. Josh says it was fun to end the day knowing that you made an impact on your team.
Ken Whisenhunt, Cardinals Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt says no one has made an offer close enough to anything the team would entertain for Anquan Boldin.
Bill Polian, Colts GM Bill Polian believes this year's draft was very thin because so many guys stayed in school. There just wasn't any depth at certain positions.
Todd McShay, NFL Todd McShay believes it takes three to five years to determine how a team's draft class turned out. The number of years varies by the player's position.
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew reminds us why he wears No. 32 and shares his thoughts on being the shortest guy in the NFL.
Todd McShay, NFL Todd McShay looks ahead to some of the players that could stand out in the second round of the NFL draft.
Mike Fratello, NBA Mike Fratello shares his thoughts on the opening round of the NBA playoffs, including why the Celtics were able to run away from the Bulls on Thursday night.
Mike Tirico, NFL Mike Tirico helps us look ahead to the 2009 NFL draft.
John Clayton, NFL John Clayton says Seattle will likely take Michael Crabtree over Mark Sanchez because Matt Hasselbeck has at least a couple of years left and they want to keep him happy.
Donald Brown, NFL Draft Donald Brown has to pinch himself every once in a while because it's the NFL and it's a big deal.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons doesn't think Cleveland is going to trade Cliff Lee. The Indians have a great chance to win their division, so there's no reason to even consider it.
Mike Fish Mike Fish walked away from Lenny Dykstra just shaking his head. It boggles Mike's mind that so many people gave this guy money without pealing away the skin.
Michael Crabtree, NFL Draft Michael Crabtree says you can't think about where you're going to end up in the NFL draft because it will mess with your head.
Chris Mortensen, NFL Chris Mortensen says the Lions are currently negotiating with Matthew Stafford and teams won't be bothered too much by Percy Harvin's positive marijuana test.
Michael Wilbon, MLB Michael Wilbon thinks baseball owners are getting what they deserve with empty seats in these big, brand new ballparks.
David Stern, NBA David Stern thinks the NBA is in its glory days with all the great young talent that it has right now. David talks about LeBron James and the league's other talents.
Jason Smith, NFL Draft Jason Smith doesn't need anything fancy because he's a country boy. However, Jason will wear a suit on Saturday because the NFL draft is a big event.
Nnamdi Asomugha, Raiders CB Nnamdi Asomugha has never been able to figure out Randy Moss. Nnamdi thinks Moss is the hardest guy to cover because he plays mind games.
Mark Jackson, NBA Mark Jackson doesn't think we've ever seen a player like LeBron James. Mark also touches on the Lakers' defense and the pressure the Celtics and Spurs are facing.
Mark Sanchez, NFL Draft Mark Sanchez is pinching himself every day and trying to keep himself calm. Mark has been on edge leading up to the NFL draft.
Jeremy Maclin, NFL Draft Jeremy Maclin is relieved that the NFL draft is less than a week away. Jeremy feels that he brings a lot more to the table than other guys at his position do.
Aaron Curry, NFL Draft Aaron Curry always imagined himself with a star on his helmet when he was a little kid. Aaron says he'll bring leadership to the team that drafts him.
Hubie Brown, ESPN NBA Analyst Brown talks about coaching adjustments in the playoffs. He thinks injuries will play a factor. Brown breaks down Spurs-Mavs and the rest of the first round.
Jon Barry, ESPN NBA Analyst Barry thinks Bulls-Celtics will be a great series. He talks about playoff intensity and the likelihood we'll see the Cavs and Lakers in the finals. Watch out for Portland.
Kirk Herbstreit, ESPN CFB Analyst Kirk says Mark Sanchez and Matthew Stafford are both elite, but Stafford has the edge. He talks about Greg Paulus, Ole Miss. and Florida's future.
Steve Phillips, ESPN MLB Analyst Steve talks about how much he enjoys Citi Field and the huge outfield. He thinks the Marlins can contend because of their great pitching.
Todd McShay, NFL Todd says Matthew Stafford is a can't miss No. 1 for Detroit, and Mark Sanchez has great leadership skills. However, neither will be an elite QB like Big Ben.
Peter Gammons, MLB Gammons says most of the early injuries have been freak things. The Red Sox are definitely being affected by injury. Plus, the new Yankee Stadium opened today.
Barry Melrose, NHL Barry says it's great for the NHL that St. Louis, Boston and Chicago are all back in the playoffs. He previews the first round playoff series.
Eli Manning, Giants QB Eli Manning has looked at his team's 2009 schedule and he really likes the fact that they get a rest in November.
Bernie Williams, MLB Bernie Williams says there is nothing that can replace his days with the Yankees. Music is as challenging as baseball, but it's not the same.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon hasn't finished filling out his NBA awards ballot. Michael is having some difficulty selecting a winner for Most Improved and Coach of the Year.
Cliff Lee, Indians Pitcher Lee isn't familiar with Twitter, talks about the Indians slow start and thinks it will be cool to start in the Yankee Stadium opener. He likes the new Stadium.
Shane Battier, Rockets Forward After some Twitter and golf chat, Battier talks about how the Rockets pride themselves on defense and says Ron Artest is a good teammate and competitor.
Chris Mortensen, ESPN Sr. NFL Analyst Mort thinks the Lions have to take Matthew Stafford, says signability is an overblown story and predicts this will be a deep NFL draft for offensive tackles.
Joe Morgan, MLB HOFer Joe started in the big leagues when Kalas did and the two became good friends. It's a tough day for Morgan, who also talks about Mark Fidrych's passing.
Andy North, Golf Andy North helps Mike Tirico and Scott Van Pelt recap another fun weekend at the Masters.
Jayson Stark, MLB Jayson Stark shares his memories of Harry Kalas only hours after his tragic passing. Jayson was not only a colleague, but also a friend of the Kalas family.
Avery Johnson, NBA Avery Johnson helps us prepare for the start of the NBA playoffs and explains what the Cavaliers' win over the Celtics on Sunday really means.
Scott Van Pelt, Golf Scott Van Pelt joins us from the Masters.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips tells us how the Angels will attempt to deal with the tragic death of Nick Adenhart.
Jalen Rose, NBA Jalen Rose has the Cavaliers as his favorites heading into the playoffs because it will be really hard to beat LeBron James in a series. Jalen also has LeBron as his MVP.
Ron Sirak, Golf Ron Sirak is still thinking that the eventual winner of the green jacket isn't on the leaderboard yet.
Mike Tirico, The Masters Joining us from Augusta, Mike doesn't think anything of the results following the Par 3. He says Tim Clark has just as good a chance to win as anybody.
Peter Gammons, MLB Gammons reacts to the tragic death of Angels pitcher Nick Adenhart.
Chad Ford, NBA Chad says Blake Griffin is a better rebounder than Amare Stoudemire. He is a no-brainer as an NBA player. Griffin's only weakness is that he's an indifferent defender.
Roy Williams, North Carolina Roy Williams thinks the character of a student-athlete is the most important thing. Roy doesn't mind having a kid for only one year as long as he's a character guy.
Mel Kiper Jr., NFL Mel Kiper Jr. thinks that Michael Crabtree would have been No. 1 on the draft board if it wasn't for his injury.
Gene Wojciechowski on the Masters Gene Wojciechowski is taking Tiger Woods over the other 95 golfers to win the Masters this weekend. Gene thinks there are about seven to 10 guys who could win.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight is surprised that Michigan State tried playing North Carolina's game. The Spartans played at such a fast pace from the very beginning.
Andy Katz, CBB Andy Katz says the national title game felt like deja vu because he was there the last time that North Carolina destroyed Michigan State.
Mike Tirico, CBB Mike Tirico thinks that Michigan State got sucked into playing North Carolina's game and tempo.
Joe Morgan, MLB Joe Morgan is most interested in how every team's pitching will hold up over the season. Joe thinks the Yankees are the perfect example of this.
Doug Gottlieb, CBB Doug Gottlieb says people need to stop killing the Big East for not sending a team to the national title game.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight didn't try to do anything different for the Final Four or title game. Bob thinks you just have to go out and play the best basketball you can play.
Jay Bilas, CBB Jay Bilas thinks Michigan State has saved the Final Four. It would still be good if the Spartans weren't there, but it's a huge deal because they are.
Pat Forde, CBB Pat Forde says the Tar Heels were supposed to be in the Detroit Lions' locker room, but they won't go near it out of superstition.
Tim Kurkjian, MLB Tim Kurkjian goes through the over/unders for each team with Erik Kuselias. Tim has the Cubs and the Yankees meeting in the World Series.
Peter Pascarelli, MLB Peter Pascarelli knows that a lot of teams like to open their seasons at home, but it doesn't make any sense for the Red Sox to be playing against the Rays in Boston.
John Jurkovich, NFL John Jurkovich tells us how fans in Chicago are reacting to Jay Cutler's trade to the Bears.
Jay Bilas, CBB Jay Bilas previews the Final Four from Detroit.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips previews the 2009 Major League Baseball season.
Tim Kurkjian and Orestes Destrade, MLB Tim Kurkjian, Orestes Destrade, Scott and Erik Kuselias participate in a Baseball Roundtable discussion to preview the 2009 season.
Andy Katz, ESPN.com Senior CBB Writer Katz thinks USC is a better job than Arizona. Tim Floyd shouldn't leave. Arizona is losing most of its best players. Plus, how about Bruce Pearl to Memphis?
Tom Lewand, Lions President Tom Lewand thinks it's time for his team to find a replacement for Bobby Lane. Tom wouldn't comment on Jay Cutler because he is still on the Denver roster.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons thinks the Dodgers are really good after seeing them in Spring Training. Peter feels that Kansas City and Cincinnati both made huge leaps, as well.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon can't understand why everyone is so high on Jay Cutler. Michael wouldn't want Cutler in Washington with the Redskins.
Chris Mortensen, NFL Chris Mortensen says 12 teams have contacted the Broncos over the last week about Jay Cutler and six of them are serious.
Charles Barkley, TNT Barkley tries to defend his golf game. He thinks it's improved thanks to working with Hank Haney. Barkley says it's been hard work. He doesn't want to disappoint Hank.
Jason Giambi, Oakland A's Giambi talks about his adjustment back in Oakland, where he doesn't know many people. With all the young players, he's looking forward to his new role as a mentor.
Jalen Rose, ESPN NBA Analyst Jalen says the Fab Five was about more than basketball. He's thrilled to have the Final Four in Detroit. He congratulates Tom Izzo and Michigan State.
Tom Izzo, Michigan State Tom Izzo says his kids were so focused that they knew every play the morning before the game. Tom went from thinking his team could win to knowing his team could win.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight doesn't think you can tell if a coach is going to be a good fit at a school. Bob isn't sure if John Calipari is a good match for Kentucky.
Dick Enberg, CBB Dick Enberg tells us how important it is for Michigan State to be in the Final Four in Detroit.
Pat Forde, CBB Pat Forde expects UK to get a deal done with John Calipari as early as tomorrow. Pat thinks Kentucky needs to take things with a great deal of caution.
Jay Wright, Villanova Head Coach Jay Wright says his team is very hungry right now and it's really cool to see. Jay loves where he's at and isn't focused on the newly open Kentucky job.
Dick Vitale, CBB Dick Vitale says we're seeing a lot of sophisticated defenses, which is resulting in poor shooting percentages. Dick thinks that Pitt has a tough task ahead of itself.
Jay Bilas, CBB Jay Bilas thinks that Duke definitely needs to get better and upgrade at the PG position. The Blue Devils also need a reliable post game.
Jimmy Dykes, CBB Jimmy Dykes has known for weeks that Billy Gillespie was going to be out at Kentucky. The school was just waiting for the team to lose.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips compares A-Rod to Britney Spears because it's like a train wreck that's happening in front of us.
Jim Boeheim, Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim wants to win for his kids so badly because he wants them to have the chance to get to the Final Four.
Len Elmore, CBB Len Elmore says Arizona is playing with a chip on its shoulder, but the Wildcats need to develop stamina and make good shots if they want to beat Louisville.
Michael Wilbon, CBB Michael Wilbon thinks the actual Larry Bird-Magic Johnson NCAA title game wasn't that good. The real story was the season that Bird and Indiana State had to get there.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons believes that most of the divisions have pretty interesting races this year. Peter feels that the Phillies go into the season as the NL favorite.
Mike Anderson, Missouri Head Coach Mike Anderson says his team won't get away from what it always does, which is pressure defense.
Doug Gottlieb, CBB Doug Gottlieb has Louisville and Kansas winning in the Midwest Region, and Oklahoma and North Carolina triumphing in the South Region.
Tom Brennan, CBB Tom Brennan has Pitt and Villanova coming out on top in the East Region, and UConn and Memphis winning in the West Region.
Bill Self, Kansas Head Coach Bill Self thinks that his team is a much better club than the one that got housed at Michigan State in early January.
Andy Katz, CBB Andy Katz thinks UNC has the toughest road to the Final Four of any No. 1 seed because Gonzaga, Syracuse and Oklahoma all have the players to beat them.
Jay Williams, CBB Jay Williams helps us break down the Sweet 16 and predicts Gonzaga is going to provide a lot of problems for UNC.
Mike Tirico, NFL Mike Tirico is out at the NFL owners meetings in California, where there is a lot of support to increase the regular season to 17 games.
Mike Krzyzewski, Duke Head Coach Mike Krzyzewski wants his team to have an ego and the swagger of a squad that deserves to be in the Sweet 16. Coach K feels like he's a detriment to his team at times.
Chris Paul, Hornets PG Chris Paul is really glad that the Tyson Chandler trade didn't work out. Chris thinks he makes Tyson a better player, and Tyson makes him a better player.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight says the two games he's looking forward to this week are Memphis-Missouri and Villanova-Duke.
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse PG Jonny Flynn tells us that we shouldn't worry about how his legs are feeling because he's young and bounces back fast.
Jay Bilas, CBB Jay Bilas doesn't think UCLA is a great team and feels that they look really tired. Jay thinks Villanova is a better team.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips thinks the NCAA tournament is a great way for baseball teams to build. Everyone fills out brackets and competes against each other.
Trent Johnson, LSU Head Coach Trent Johnson talks about the Tigers' 75-71 win over Butler in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
John Calipari, Memphis Head Coach John Calipari tells us why the Tigers struggled in their 81-70 win over No. 15 seed Cal State Northridge.
Mark Turgeon, Texas A&M Head Coach Mark Turgeon dishes on the Aggies' hot start in their 79-66 upset of eighth-seeded BYU.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight thinks part of Memphis' problem is that they played mediocre teams to finish the season. Bob feels that this is the best thing that could have happened to the Tigers.
Mike Schmidt, Team USA Mike Schmidt didn't know what a dogpile was until Tuesday night after the walk-off win against Puerto Rico.
Michael Wilbon, CBB Michael Wilbon limits himself to two brackets. One is what he really thinks is going to happen and the other is what he picks out of his stupid instincts.
Andy Katz, CBB Andy Katz says they had to sneak President Obama's bracket out of the White House because everyone was so curious to see who he picked.
Tom Izzo, Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo roots for his conference in the tournament and throughout the whole season. Tom says that defense and limiting turnovers are the keys in March.
Jonny Flynn, Syracuse PG Jonny Flynn thinks the Big East prepares you for the tournament because you play all kinds of teams.
Steve Lavin, CBB Steve Lavin says a guard that can cause matchup problems and isn't afraid to take the game over is exactly what a team needs in March.
Chris Mortensen, NFL Chris Mortensen thinks that trade talks for Jay Cutler could heat up at the NFL's owner meetings next week in California.
Roy Williams, North Carolina Head Coach Roy Williams knows more about Radford than you would think because one of his current assistant coaches played there.
Jeff Capel, Oklahoma Head Coach Jeff Capel says his team had an idea of where it was going to be seeded, but the waiting around made it anticlimatic.
Gary Williams, Maryland Head Coach Gary Williams tells us that yesterday was really wild when the Terrapins found out they had made it into the tournament.
Joe Lunardi, CBB Joe Lunardi might need to retire because he got one team wrong. Joe didn't have Arizona in and feels that San Diego State probably got the snub as a result.
Rachel Nichols, NFL Rachel Nichols says that Josh McDaniels told his players not to get too involved with the Jay Cutler situation.
Sean McDonough, CBB Sean McDonough thinks the officials easily could have ruined the Syracuse-UConn game if they had made a bad call, but they did a great job.
Ned Colletti, Dodgers GM Ned Colletti says Pedro Martinez isn't really on the Dodgers' radar, he's more on the media's radar.
Stephen Curry, Davidson G Stephen Curry says his team has the NIT to look forward to at the very least. There is a slim chance they can still get into the big dance, but it's unlikely.
Mike Tranghese, Big East Commissioner Mike Tranghese feels that UConn is a No. 1 seed, but there's really not a big difference between the top two seeds.
Jay Bilas, CBB Jay Bilas says UConn may have lost the game last night, but look what Syracuse had to do to beat them.
Mark Few, Gonzaga Head Coach Mark Few thinks that Memphis is a very good basketball team and they should be a No. 1 seed. Mark thinks they're just as good as UConn and some of the other top teams.
Todd McShay on draft 3/12 Todd McShay says Andre Smith needs to realize that falling out of the top 10 in the NFL draft will likely cost him millions.
Fran McCaffery, Siena Head Coach Fran McCaffery doesn't consider his team to be a Cinderella because they're good and can compete at a high level. Beating a better-ranked team wouldn't really surprise Fran.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight doesn't think it really makes a difference when a top team loses in the first round of their conference tournament.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons thinks Jonathan Papelbon used the wrong word when describing what Manny Ramirez was like with the Red Sox.
Gene Wojciechowski, NFL Gene Wojciechowski thinks that T.O. needs to use Randy Moss as his role model. Gene says this is T.O.'s last opportunity to do something to fix things.
Chris Mortensen, NFL Chris Mortensen thinks that Jay Cutler needs to move on and start learning his new playbook because the Broncos probably aren't going to trade him.
Mel Kiper Jr., NFL Mel Kiper Jr. says that after Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez, we probably won't see another QB taken until the fifth round or beyond.
Michael Wilbon, NBA Michael Wilbon thinks the Suns' owner is the one who should get the blame for the demise of the franchise.
Jerry Wainwright, DePaul Head Coach Jerry Wainwright thinks his team has a long way to go to be as good as all of the other programs in the Big East. Beating Cincinnati was a way to build momentum for next season.
Andy Katz, CBB Andy Katz isn't giving up on UCLA yet. The Bruins have experience and that counts for something. Their point guard has been to three Final Fours.
Rodney Stuckey, Pistons PG Rodney Stuckey talks about his development with Detroit and how much better the team is playing now.
Jon Barry, NBA Jon Barry says it's not always the best player in the NBA who wins the MVP award. Jon would give it to Kobe Bryant he feels that the best player should get it.
Pat Forde, CBB Pat Forde says it makes him sick to think about the possibility of eight Big East teams getting into the NCAA tournament.
Joe Lunardi, CBB Joe Lunardi says that conference tournaments are usually for show, but not this year. The conference tournaments will make or break several teams this week.
Marcus Stroud, Bills DT Marcus Stroud was excited when he found out that T.O. was going to be a Bill.
Thurman Thomas, NFL Thurman Thomas' first reaction to the T.O. signing was "Wow!" Thurman is shocked to see the franchise step out of the box.
Fran Fraschilla, ESPN College Basketball Fraschilla previews Texas A&M vs. Missouri and UConn vs. Pitt. He also sees a lot of mediocrity in the college game.
Jay Bilas, ESPN College Basketball Analyst Bilas thinks intentional foul calls need to be changed, previews the Pittsburgh vs. UConn matchup and doesn't think there's a good team in the Pac-10.
Steve Phillips, ESPN MLB Analyst Phillips will be calling the World Baseball Classic. He says U.S. fans need to support their team more in the WBC. Other countries get much better support.
Everett Brown, NFL Hopeful The former Florida State player talks about the NFL combine and says the mental part is more important than the physical in showing teams what you can do.
Bobby Carpenter, Cowboys LB Bobby Carpenter was shocked when he first heard that T.O. was released by the Cowboys. Bobby and his teammates have mixed emotions about it.
Stephen A. Smith, NFL Stephen A. Smith doesn't like the way that the Cowboys do things. Stephen's biggest issue with Dallas is that they're blaming T.O. for everything, and it's not all his fault.
Joe Flacco, Ravens QB Joe Flacco was glad to hear that Ray Lewis is coming back because he's intense and is the guy that motivates the team.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons thinks the A-Rod injury could be very serious for the Yankees. Another MLB player had hip surgery and said it took him two months to learn to walk again.
Bob Knight Bob Knight says there's always a coach out there who feels like he can fix a player's problems. Bob thinks someone will pick up T.O. and think that they can fix him.
Gene Wojciechowski Gene Wojciechowski thinks Jay Cutler has to win a playoff game before he gets hurt by trade rumors.
Matt Mosley, NFL Matt Mosley breaks down the latest from the NFL off-season, including whether or not Plaxico Burress will be in New York next season.
Chauncey Billups, Nuggets G Chauncey Billups had goose bumps listening to the announcer introduce him before his return to Detroit.
Tom Izzo, Michigan State Head Coach Tom Izzo is going to shave his head because he promised the students he would if they won the Big 10, but he's going to wait until the after the season.
Jeff Capel, Oklahoma Head Coach Jeff Capel didn't know a lot about the state of Oklahoma when he took the job a couple of years ago, but he had already heard about Blake Griffin.
Seth Davis, CBB Seth Davis thinks the top four teams are in a group by themselves, but there is not as much separation as there was last season.
Ric Bucher, NBA Ric Bucher says Shaq never became as good as he could have been.
Knowshon Moreno, RB Knowshon Moreno was asked if he would be a dog or a cat if he was an animal at the combine. It was the strangest question Knowshon encountered.
Chris Mortensen, NFL Chris Mortensen says Jay Cutler is most bothered by the fact that Denver won't admit to shopping him.
Andy Katz, CBB Andy Katz thinks you need to watch LSU, UCLA and Washington while leading up to Selection Sunday because they will all be trying to make a push for higher seeds.
Len Pasquarelli, NFL Len Pasquarelli thinks free agency isn't good for NFL purists. Len is a Steelers fan who likes continuity and feels that the best way to do things is through the draft.
Pat Forde, CBB Pat Forde thinks there are about seven teams that could win the national title right now.
Trent Dilfer, NFL Trent Dilfer can understand why Jay Cutler is upset, but he needs to realize that the NFL is a business.
Michael Smith, NFL Michael Smith says the Patriots were going to get a second round pick for Matt Cassel and Mike Vrabel no matter what.
Joe Lunardi, CBB Joe Lunardi goes through who is in the NCAA tournament with 13 days to go. There are eight teams that have work to do in order to get in.
It's Almost March Erik Kuselias doesn't know what to make of Memphis, but he is still taking UConn or UNC vs. the field.
Curt Schilling, MLB Curt Schilling says there is a 20 percent chance that he will throw a pitch this season.
Steven Jackson, Rams RB Steven Jackson thinks his franchise has a direction and is campaigning for the Rams to take Baylor OT Jason Smith with the 2nd pick in the NFL Draft.
Jim Palmer, MLB Jim Palmer thinks it's more difficult to pitch in this era, but Earl Weaver always gave him the luxury of winning or losing a game. Jim also previews the Orioles' season.
John Franco, MLB John Franco says the bullpen was the Mets' Achilles' heel last season, but they retooled that by adding two closers. John also discusses Manny Ramirez and A-Rod.
Chris Singleton, MLB Chris Singleton says a lot of teams are concerned with chemistry and that's why the Dodgers are the only players in the Manny Ramirez negotiations.
Rashard Lewis, Magic F Rashard Lewis shares some of his NBA superlatives, including the toughest power forward to guard, the biggest trash talker and his favorite places to play.
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jaguars RB Maurice Jones-Drew is a fantasy football player and even won his league against guys like Larry Fitzgerald and Steven Jackson.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight says you can learn from winning and losing, but he has never subscribed to the "good loss" theory.
Donnie Edwards, NFL Donnie Edwards doesn't want to go to a team that is rebuilding because he isn't sure how many years he has left.
Tim Kurkjian, MLB Tim Kurkjian says the Dodgers will be the favorite in the NL West if Manny Ramirez returns and thinks April is the most important month in A-Rod's career.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon thinks Kurt Warner should make more money than Donovan McNabb because he has the Super Bowl rings.
Bob Harig, PGA Bob Harig tells us that the other golfers are happy to have Tiger Woods back because a win against him means more.
Mel Kiper Jr., NFL Mel Kiper Jr. talks about winners and losers from the NFL Combine. Mel thinks Mark Sanchez should go in the top five, but he's not sure who is going to take him.
50 Cent 50 Cent says the NBA is his favorite sport and Kobe Bryant is his favorite player.
Brendan Jones, PGA Brendan Jones has the luck of drawing a matchup with Tiger Woods. Jones is going to try to play a little more aggressively than if it was a normal stroke play event.
Mike Montgomery, California Head Coach Mike Montgomery says the pro game is different enough that if you haven't played or coached in the NBA for a while there's an adjustment period that is hard to get past.
Mo Williams, Cavaliers G Mo Williams guarantees that the Cavaliers will be in the NBA Finals.
John Calipari, Memphis Coach John Calipari says college players should go to the NBA if they're good enough. John always has a simple message for those who are trying to make the decision.
ESPN analyst Andy North Andy North expects to see a very fit Tiger Woods play well. What people don't realize is that Tiger does get nervous, he just handles it better than everyone else.
Andy Katz, CBB Andy Katz thinks Blake Griffin is not going to play until he is cleared by the doctors and DeJuan Blair is one of the top five players in the country.
Pat Forde, CBB Pat Forde thinks Jim Calhoun could have handled the situation better because he gave in and did exactly what the questioner wanted him to do.
Todd McShay, NFL Todd McShay thinks it's clear that Matthew Stafford is a better player than Mark Sanchez, but there's something intriguing about Sanchez.
Lorenzo Romar, Washington Head Coach Lorenzo Romar thinks the Pac-10 is still as competitive as it was last year despite the loss of several players to the NBA.
Bill Self, Kansas Head Coach Bill Self's current squad is very young and green, but there are a few things that this group of guys can actually do better than last year's team.
Joe Lunardi, CBB Joe Lunardi thinks Michigan hurt itself the most this past weekend by losing to Iowa in OT.
ESPN golf analyst Andy North Andy North thinks Tiger is going to hit the ground running and bring the buzz back to golf. Andy compares Tiger's absence to the Lakers being in town without Kobe Bryant.
Mike Fish, MLB ESPN.com investigative reporter Mike Fish says Angel Presinal is very well-respected by Latin ballplayers. Presinal has worked with a group of about 15 big-name players.
Scott Burnside, NHL ESPN.com NHL writer Scott Burnside explains how the story that linked the Kostitsyn brothers with an organized crime investigation came together.
Tim Kurkjian, MLB Tim Kurkjian says A-Rod is in big trouble, more trouble than he was in the other day. If A-Rod thought he could get away with all of this, he was mistaken.
Ric Bucher, NBA Ric Bucher says KG's injury isn't that serious, but the Celtics will be as cautious as possible with him when he returns.
Jay Bilas, CBB Jay Bilas thinks Texas isn't in too much danger of missing the NCAA tournament, but it is important for them to win the rest of their games.
Andrew Marchand, MLB Andrew Marchand says things could get ugly if A-Rod admits to hanging around Angel Presinal.
Jon Barry, NBA Jon Barry thinks the only trade that will have an impact is the one that sent Rafer Alston to the Magic.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight feels that Duke has done well with the talent that they have. Bob says the Blue Devils don't have as much athleticism as other teams do.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons thinks it makes complete sense for Ken Griffey Jr. to go back to Seattle, both for the Mariners and him.
J.A. Adande, NBA J.A. Adande says there's no deal that makes sense for Vince Carter because the Nets wouldn't get anything back in return.
Chad Ford, NBA Chad Ford says a Shaq trade is very unlikely because the Suns want Wally Szczerbiak's expiring contract instead of Ben Wallace's, and the Cavaliers don't want to give that up.
Dominique Wilkins, Hawks VP of Basketball Dominique Wilkins says there's no question in his mind that the Hawks will get into the playoffs, it's just a matter of what they do when they get there.
Gene Wojciechowski Gene Wojciechowski can't and doesn't believe anything that A-Rod says. Gene compares A-Rod's apology to Michael Vick's.
Mel Kiper Jr., NFL Draft Mel Kiper Jr. thinks teams need to stop overrating WRs based on their 40 times. Just because a guy isn't fast doesn't mean he won't be good.
Jayson Stark, MLB Jayson Stark thinks A-Rod told us a different story at his press conference than he did when he spoke with Peter Gammons last week.
Marc Stein, NBA Marc Stein says all the signals point to Amare Stoudemire being off the market. Marc also tells us that Chris Bosh isn't going anywhere.
Bob Holtzman, MLB ESPN reporter Bob Holtzman says people were surprised by how quickly A-Rod's news conference ended. Bob thought A-Rod was well-prepared to handle the media's questions.
Andy Katz, CBB Andy Katz would be shocked if Pitt wasn't a No. 1 seed come NCAA Tournament time. Andy believes they can win a title, but there are a few teams that could run past them.
Jamie Dixon, Pittsburgh Head Coach Jamie Dixon says his team didn't shoot well last night, but they kept battling. Jamie feels that his team needs to win a national title for people look at them at another level.
Hubie Brown, NBA Hubie Brown thinks the biggest problem with the Suns is their bench because they can't replace the guys they got rid of. Hubie feels that Terry Porter was just the scapegoat.
Jalen Rose, NBA Jalen Rose says we're spoiled because we're used to Hall of Famers in the Slam Dunk Contest like Michael Jordan and Dominique Wilkins.
Pat Forde, CBB Pat Forde talks about why Butler has been so successful at the mid-major level.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon thinks the highlight from NBA All-Star Weekend was Shaq dancing. It's all that anyone was talking about.
Bill Raftery, CBB Bill Raftery thinks that Hasheem Thabeet has the most dominant presence in the paint that he has ever seen in college basketball.
Joe Lunardi, CBB Joe Lunardi has West Virginia and Providence in the NCAA Tournament as of right now, and feels that Tennessee and LSU are in good positions to get in.
ESPN analyst Andy North Andy North feels that Tiger Woods being out with an injury has hurt golf's TV ratings and revenue.
Chris Paul, Hornets G Chris Paul tells us that LeBron James and he are like brothers off the court. Chris knows they can't act like that on the court, but they do talk to one another about everything.
Wyc Grousbeck, Celtics Owner Wyc Grousbeck says the Celtics aren't feeling the impact of the economy yet. Wyc wouldn't be surprised if we lose some teams in other leagues.
David Falk, NBA David Falk talks about negotiating big contracts for guys like Michael Jordan. David says they weren't sure how marketable Jordan would be in the beginning.
Chris Mottram, Sporting News Blogger Chris talks about how he broke into the sports blogging world, how fans take in sports reporting, and reacts to Mitch Albom's comments about bloggers.
Blake Griffin, Oklahoma Blake Griffin has been called "a beast" by many, but the sophomore really feels that he needs to improve his shot to make strides in his game.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight talks about North Carolina-Duke and his love of Oklahoma's Blake Griffin. Plus, Bob talks about the role of the media in sports.
Mitch Albom Mitch Albom is an example of what a regular old sportswriter can do now that there are many more outlets. Mitch is not a fan of bloggers.
Rusty Wallace, NASCAR Rusty Wallace is in Daytona for Daytona 500 qualifying. Rusty says the economy hasn't slowed attendance as much as analysts thought it would.
Jay Bilas, CBB Jay Bilas says there's a different kind of tension in the air when Duke plays North Carolina. You prepare the same, but the feeling in the gym is different. Everyone goes harder.
Gene Wojciechowski, NFL Gene Wojciechowski thinks Brett Favre's retirement wasn't unexpected, but the NFL will miss him.
Kellen Clemens, Jets QB Kellen Clemens actually found out about Brett Favre's retirement from SportsCenter.
Damien Woody, Jets C Damien Woody isn't sure if Kellen Clemens has "it", but he's got a lot of good pieces around him.
Mike Schmidt, MLB Mike Schmidt doesn't feel that he can throw stones at A-Rod because he's not squeaky clean.
Chris Mortensen, NFL Chris Mortensen thinks the Jets will allow Kellen Clemens to compete for the vacancy left by Brett Favre, but they will also likely draft a QB.
Milt Ahlerich, NFL VP of NFL Security Milt Ahlerich talks about teaching players how to handle themselves and how to keep a low profile.
Joel Burriss, CBB Joel Burriss tells us that people have been at Krzyzewskiville since December 26, but tents couldn't be set up until early January.
Andy Katz, CBB Andy Katz thinks eight ACC teams can get in to the NCAA Tournament. Actually, more like seven.
Joe Navarro, MLB Joe Navarro, a non-verbal expert, watched the A-Rod interview with the sound off. Joe says A-Rod's apology appeared to be genuine and he is truly sorry.
State of Sports Scott lists off all the great things about sports: Fenway Park, Butler basketball, Ben Roethlisberger, Warrick Dunn, Derrick Brooks and more.
Jim Boeheim, Syracuse Head Coach Jim Boeheim talks about how satisfying it is to be able to give back. Jim is very involved with Coaches versus Cancer.
Steve Phillips, MLB Steve Phillips thinks the Astros have to be consistent with Miguel Tejada. They've stuck by him before and they need to stick by him now.
Lester Munson, MLB Lester Munson says Miguel Tejada could face jail time for lying to Congress about using steroids.
Richard Justice, MLB Richard Justice feels so stupid that he didn't know about the underground steroid stuff. Richard tells us there are players that told him they didn't know about it, either.
Peter Gammons Peter Gammons tells Mike Tirico about his interview with Alex Rodriguez. He says Rodriguez seemed sincere and emotional in his interview with him.
John Kruk, MLB John Kruk is glad that someone finally admitted steroid use. He was young and he made mistakes, but John isn't buying everything that A-Rod said.
Howard Bryant, MLB Howard Bryant thinks baseball needs to come out, admit that it made a mistake in the steroid era and put it behind them. Everyone should pay the price.
Tim Kurkjian, MLB Tim gives Alex Rodriguez credit for coming clean and tells us that he would still vote for A-Rod for the Hall of Fame.
Todd Walker, MLB Todd Walker had no clue that guys were using steroids when he was playing. However, Todd did notice guys getting larger.
Darren Rovell, MLB Darren Rovell says A-Rod doesn't make that much money in endorsements because most corporations don't feel he has what they want.
Jon Heyman, MLB Jon Heyman thinks the union made a huge mistake because they had ample opportunity to get rid of the positive results.
Joe Lunardi, CBB Joe Lunardi doesn't think that the Pac-10 is as strong as it was a year ago, but they've got six teams who will make it into the NCAA Tournament as of right now.
Michael Smith, ESPN Smith is at the Pro Bowl and talks about the issues facing the Cardinals (Anquan Boldin, coaching staff) and Ravens (Ray Lewis).
Jay Bilas, ESPN College Basketball Bilas says Gonzaga is improving, thinks Bob Knight would be a good fit at Georgia, and likes Louisville and Michigan State as Final Four contenders.
Pat Summitt, Tennessee Tennessee head coach Pat Summitt talks about winning 1,000 games. She says the University of Tennessee deserves a lot of credit for getting behind the women's program when it wasn't popular to do so.
Jim Calhoun, UConn Head Coach UConn head coach Jim Calhoun says it's not a big deal to be No. 1 at this point in the season, but he was happy to beat Louisville after getting to the top spot.
Jamie Moyer, Phillies P Phillies pitcher Jamie Moyer discusses how he's been able to pitch into his 40s and what makes the Phillies a good team.
Steve Phillips Steve Phillips says the Dodgers should tell Manny Ramirez to take another offer, if there's one he likes better. There doesn't seem to be a better offer out there.
Mark Fainaruwada, ESPN Mark says it's a good day in Barry Bonds camp as the judge will exclude some substantial evidence. But the defense has to worry about what witnesses saw.
Kenny Smith, TNT Kenny thinks the Lakers are a much more likely title contender than the Cavaliers. Kenny also talks about Jameer Nelson and HORSE.
Peter Gammons, MLB Peter Gammons is overwhelmed by all of the Barry Bonds stuff.
Mike Breen, NBA Mike Breen thinks we make too much of the Lakers and Celtics in the regular season. Boston will be on a mission to kill Los Angeles tonight.
Peter King, NFL Peter King says the Steelers are built on personal respect of everyone in the building, and that's why they've been so successful.
Gene Wojciechowski, CFB Gene Wojciechowski thinks National Signing Day is absurd because you can't really decide how well a recruiting class is going to be right away, but he's fascinated by it.
Ruthless Scott feels that LeBron James is gifted and talented, but he's not ruthless. Scott thinks there is no way LeBron will try to go for 62 points tonight in New York.
Derek Fisher, Lakers G Derek Fisher says not having Andrew Bynum makes everyone else's job harder. It takes away match-up advantages and makes things difficult.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon finds National Signing Day frightening because he doesn't feel that kids should be getting all of this attention for where they're going to college.
Todd McShay, CFB Todd McShay thinks it has become very common for kids to back out of their verbal commitments.
Tiger Talks Mike Tirico and Scott Van Pelt share their thoughts on Tiger Woods' recent comments and discuss when he might return to competitive play.
Ben Roethlisberger, Steelers QB Big Ben talks about what it's been like since winning the Steelers sixth Super Bowl, how the parade was, and took us through the final drive to beat Arizona.
Chris Mortensen, NFL Chris Mortensen says the story to follow over the next couple of weeks is the future of Brett Favre. The Jets hope to make a decision on Favre by February 18.
Tim Legler, NBA Tim Legler says Kobe Bryant makes it look so easy when he goes off and scores a ton of points. Tim feels that Bryant will go down in history as the best offensive player ever.
Andy Katz, CBB Andy Katz feels that the schedule will allow for UConn, Oklahoma, Pittsburgh and North Carolina to be the four No. 1 seeds come NCAA Tournament time.
Tommy Tuberville, CFB Tommy Tuberville says it's a tough time for a coach because it's the day before National Signing Day in college football. Schools have their lists, but anything can happen.
Pat Forde, CBB Pat Forde points out that UConn is now ranked No. 1 just in time to travel to No. 7 Louisville. Pat thinks this is going to be a physical game inside.
Tim Hasselbeck, NFL Tim Hasselbeck wasn't really happy with some of the calls by the officials, especially not having a review of the Kurt Warner fumble.
John Ireland, NBA Andrew Bynum will miss eight to 12 weeks, but John Ireland doesn't think it's going to be a big deal. Ireland says that's what everyone thought last year.
Santonio Holmes, Steelers WR Santonio Holmes still hasn't slept since Saturday night. Santonio thought he had lost the game by missing the pass on first down.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight has not been contacted by Georgia about their vacant head coaching position. Bob says he would be interested if the right situation came up.
Cris Carter, NFL Cris Carter says it's one thing to be on the same page with a QB, but if he is running around, the WR gains an extra advantage.
Ken Whisenhunt, Cardinals Head Coach Ken Whisenhunt discusses the 4th quarter rally, which mistakes cost his team and what the locker room was like after the game with Mike Tirico.
LaMarr Woodley, Steelers LB LaMarr Woodley talks about the defensive strategy, James Harrison's interception and experiencing the Super Bowl with Mike Tirico.
Ike Taylor, Steelers CB Ike Taylor tells Mike Tirico about the clutch play of the offense and what it's like to win a second Super Bowl.
Ryan Clark, Steelers S Ryan Clark discusses the defensive scheme, watching the final drive and winning his first Super Bowl with Mike Tirico.
Nate Washington, Steelers WR Nate Washington talks to Mike Tirico about the injury he suffered, Ben Roethlisberger's ability in the clutch and having two Super Bowl MVP WRs on the roster.
Matt Leinart, Cardinals QB Matt Leinart tells Mike Tirico about the emotion in the Arizona locker room after the game and the team's offensive strategy.
Donovan McNabb, Eagles QB Donovan McNabb breaks down the Super Bowl and talks about the situation with the Eagles and Andy Reid. Donovan is also joined by his parents, Wilma and Sam.
Tony Dungy, NFL The greatest accomplishment Tony Dungy can think of in the NFL is Marv Levy taking the Bills to four-straight Super Bowls.
Matt Cassel, Patriots QB Matt Cassel says it was difficult to sit on the bench all of those years waiting for his chance to play.
Joe Greene, NFL Joe Greene thinks that the Steelers are going to win, even though the Cardinals really believe they are going to win.
Matthew Stafford, Georgia QB Matthew Stafford is going to do the team interviews and all of the poking and prodding at the combine, but he's not sure if he is going to work out yet.
Ray Lewis, Ravens LB Ray Lewis isn't going to comment on his pending free agency because he thinks you should live your life and let business take care of itself.
Drew Brees, Saints QB Drew Brees didn't realize he was only 15 yards away from Dan Marino's record.
Derrick Brooks, Buccaneers LB Derrick Brooks says the guys that are speaking out may have had more intimate relationships with Jon Gruden that Derrick didn't know about.
Bob Knight, CBB Bob Knight thinks Duke has some weaknesses and Wake Forest was able to exploit some of them.
Ron Jaworski, NFL Ron Jaworski says despite what most people think, Arizona defense blitzes just as much as the Steelers in passing situations. Jaws likes Pittsburgh to pull out a 21-20 win.
Faith Hill Faith Hill has become a sports fan out of necessity because of her husband. Faith says the Sunday Night Football theme song is constantly stuck in her head.
Brandon Jacobs, Giants RB If Plaxico Burress can get rid of the legal trouble, Brandon Jacobs thinks he should be back with the Giants next season.
Joe Montana, NFL Joe Montana would much rather be playing in the game than walking around the Super Bowl scene.
Michael Strahan, NFL Michael Strahan shares stories from last year's Super Bowl and says he doesn't really miss playing because he enjoys his time in front of the camera.
Marshall Faulk, NFL Marshall Faulk believes the Cardinals have to make the Steelers think about whether or not they should be blitzing.
Michael Wilbon, PTI Michael Wilbon says the overall growth of the Super Bowl has been staggering.
Stephon Marbury, Knicks Stephon Marbury updates Mike Tirico and Scott Van Pelt on the latest with the Knicks, offering to give back money and what he wants to happen next.
Maurice Jones-Drew, Jags RB After playing the Steelers earlier this season and twice last year, Maurice thinks Pittsburgh's defense is playing better as a team than last season.
Mike Ditka, ESPN NFL HOFer Coach talks about how the Super Bowl has changed since he was coaching. He discusses Mike Tomlin's work and apologizes to the Cardinals.
Doug Williams, Former NFL QB Williams talks about the evolution of black quarterbacks in the NFL. He's proud to be part of the legacy.
Dan Dierdorf, Former Cardinal/HOFer Dan, an ex-broadcaster, had to check his pulse to make sure he was still alive when he realized the Cardinals were going to the Super Bowl.
Dick Haley, Fmr. Steelers Director Haley was the architect of the Steelers' success in the 1970s. He's enjoyed watching his son, Todd, develop as a coach with Arizona.
Gene Wojciechowski, ESPN.com Wojciechowski talks about what went on during the Super Bowl Media Day extravaganza.
Warrick Dunn, Buccaneers RB Warrick Dunn is looking forward to having Raheem Morris as his head coach because he is young and energetic.
Cadillac Williams, Buccaneers RB Cadillac Williams welcomes Mike and Scott to Tampa to talk about his recovery from a knee injury and the firing of his former head coach Jon Gruden.
Chris Mortensen, NFL Chris Mortensen discusses the firing of Herman Edwards, the Chiefs' head coaching search and LaDainian Tomlinson's future in San Diego.
Lynn Swann, NFL Lynn Swann doesn't really think about all of the plays he made in the Super Bowl. Lynn also shares some advice he would give to the players that have yet to play in the big game.
Rich Eisen, NFL Rich Eisen knows every Super Bowl team is being disrespected and the media spends the whole week talking about the distractions.
Cris Carter, NFL Cris Carter thinks it's easy to get young guys or the players that aren't normally film guys to buy into the things that are helping you win games, including watching tape.
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