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Saturday, March 23, 2002
BenMaller.com's NCAA Basketball Tournament picks (Elite Eight) (5)Indiana -3 1/2 vs. (10) Kent State   Ben's Pick: I've never been one to rip Cinderella... go golden flashes! They'll pull the stunner... as Bill Raftery would say... Onions! West At San Jose, Calif. (2) Oklahoma -6 vs. (12) Missouri   Ben's Pick: First Bob Stoops gets the Sooners to the BCS title game, now Kelvin Sampson gets the hoops team the Final Four. OU will cover the spread! permalink Friday, March 22, 2002
When do they hang the banner?  By Ben Maller In the past week I have had people tell me to get off Steve Lavin's ass. I've been told I know nothing about college basketball and that Lavin is a good coach. I have had alumni from Westwood e-mail me and question how I could possibly want to see Lavin fail. So I ask all of you, when are they going to have the parade in west LA with a "Sweet 16" banner hanging ceremony at Pauley Pavilion?  According to Steve Lavin the self-proclaimed "Human Piņata" this is a special accomplishment caused by his great ability to lead a basketball team. Beating a very poor Old Miss team and then taking advantage of a Cincinnati team that appeared to overlook the Bruins while their coach, Bob Huggins, had West Virginia on his mind. If it wasn't for Lavin, a No. 12 seed still would have never advanced to the Elite Eight. My friends in Missouri are very happy. Is a 21-12 record, sixth-place Pacific 10 Conference finish, first-round exit in the conference tournament and Sweet 16 elimination really all that good a season? UCLA basketball has gone from a program that strived to reach Final Fours and win national championships to this: a program that is satisfied with finishing in the middle of the PAC-10 and reaching the Sweet 16 and then going home. Pathetic! permalink
BenMaller.com's NCAA Basketball Tournament picks (Sweet 16) EAST At Syracuse, N.Y. (2) Connecticut -5 vs. (11) Southern Illinois   Ben's Pick: I'm aboard the Saluki's Bandwagon. Bet Southern Illinois and the points. Did You Know? Connecticut edged North Carolina State 77-74 on Sunday for its 11th win in a row. UConn is in the Sweet 16 for the first time since it won the national championship in 1999. Five of the Huskies' wins during their streak have been decided by six points or less, and another was a double-OT win over Pittsburgh in the Big East Tournament title game. Southern Illinois upset Texas Tech and Georgia over the weekend. The school had only one NCAA Tournament win coming into this season. The Salukis had 38 assists in the two games combined, compared to 22 for their opponents. Counting last weekend's games, SIU is 7-2 against teams in this year's field of 65. The Salukis knocked Bob Knight and Jim Harrick, two coaches with national championships, out of the tournament. Southern Illinois will now face 1999 champ Jim Calhoun and UConn on Friday. (1) Maryland -6 vs. (4) Kentucky   Ben's Pick: Terps all the way. Now that Duke is done this is their tournament. Did You Know? Maryland was the only school to win each of its first two NCAA Tournament games by 15 or more points. Juan Dixon scored 58 points over the weekend while shooting 55.6% from the floor (20-for-36) and 60.0% (9-for-15) from three-point range. Sunday, Dixon became the Terrapins' all-time leading scorer, passing Len Bias. The senior guard now has 2,172 points for his career and 197 in four trips to the NCAA Tournament. This is Maryland's 12th trip to the Sweet 16 and their fourth in the last five years. Last year the Terps made the Final Four for the first time ever. Kentucky is now 36-8 (.818) in the NCAA Tournament since coming off probation, including 14-3 (.824) under Tubby Smith. The Wildcats are 16-0 when they hit at least 30 percent of their three-point shots. Kentucky is 7-4 all-time against Maryland, including 3-1 since 1995. The schools split a pair of early-season games in 1999-00. MIDWEST At Madison, Wis. (2) Oregon -4 vs. (6) Texas   Ben's Pick: Quack Quack... The Ducks are the last Pac-10 team left and they advance to the Elite Eight and more importantly cover the spread. Did You Know? Luke Jackson, Luke Ridnour and Frederick Jones combined for 81 points in the Ducks 92-87 win over Wake Forest Saturday. Oregon hit 12 three-pointers against the Demon Deacons giving them 287 on the year, setting a new Pac-10 record. Oregon is the second best three-point shooting team in the nation behind Kansas. The Ducks are shooting 42.5% from beyond the arc. Oregon is 4-1 all-time vs. Texas. The Longhorns held Boston College to 34.9% from the field in their 70-57 first round victory. Texas is 11-0 this season when holding opponents under 40% shooting. Rick Barnes' improved his NCAA record to 5-9 and advanced his team to the Sweet 16 for the second time (Clemson, 1997). Ironically, 1997 was also the last time Texas made it to the round of 16. In 1995, 11th seeded Texas beat 3rd seeded Oregon in the first round 90-73. Texas and Oregon are 1-1 vs. each other in the postseason. (1) Kansas -5 1/2 vs. (4) Illinois   Ben's Pick:It's too perfect for Kansas. Frank Williams and Illinois pull the Big Ben stunner! Did You Know? Kansas and Illinois square off for the second straight year in the Midwest semifinals. However, last year Kansas was the #4 seed and Illinois the #1. The Jayhawks are 1-3 all-time vs. Illinois. This is the fifth time Kansas has had the number one seed under Roy Williams. They never got past the third round in the four previous times they earned the top seed. Frank Williams scored all 20 of his points in the second half against Creighton. Williams was 7 of 10 from the field in the second half and finished with five assists and five rebounds in Illinois' 12-point victory. In the first two rounds Williams has shot 64%, well above his 38% season average, and has averaged 22.5 points, 6.5 assists and 4 rebounds. The Illini's chances of advancing might have a lot to do with how well senior Cory Bradford three-point shoots from three-point range. On the season, Bradford was a 38% three-point shooter but just 20.4% (9 of 44) from beyond the arc in Illinois losses. In wins, Bradford has shot 44.9% (62 of 138) from beyond the arc, including 6 of 11 in the first two rounds. permalink Thursday, March 21, 2002
BenMaller.com's NCAA Basketball Tournament picks (Sweet 16) South At Lexington, Ky. (3) Pittsburgh Pk vs. (10) Kent State  Ben's Pick: Kent State the Cinderella story continues. Did You Know? This is Pitt's first Sweet 16 berth since 1974, when they made the Elite Eight. The Panthers are 21-1 when they score 70 or more points. The Panthers are the stingiest defensive team left in the tournament, allowing opponents 60.4 points per game on the season. Over the last four seasons the Golden Flashes own a 99-30 (.767) record. First-year head coach Stan Heath has guided Kent State to 29 wins, eclipsing the school record of 24 victories set a year ago. He also led the Flashes to their first-ever MAC title this season. (1) Duke -12 1/2 vs. (5)Indiana  Ben's Pick: The Blue Devils will crush the outmanned Hoosiers. Did You Know? Mike Krzyzewski is now 58-14 (.806) in the NCAA Tournament. Duke and Indiana have combined for eight national titles and 20 Final Four appearances. Indiana shot over 55 percent from the field in both of their opening-round games, advancing past Utah and UNC-Wilmington. Big Ten teams are 6-3 in the tournament, but none have beaten a seed higher than 9. West At San Jose, Calif. (8) UCLA -1 1/2 vs. (12) Missouri  Ben's Pick: These two teams are very even. I'm guessing the Bruin magic ride will come to a crashing end. Take the Tigers. Did You Know? UCLA is making their fifth Sweet 16 appearance in six seasons under Steve Lavin. Lavin is one of just two coaches in the nation to accomplish this feat in the last six years. The other is Duke's Mike Krzyzewski. The Tigers advanced to the Sweet 16 for the first time since 1994. No 12th seeded team has ever gone beyond the regional semifinals. Missouri has trailed for a total of only 44 seconds in their two NCAA games. UCLA is a perfect 5-0 all-time against Missouri. That last meeting between Missouri and UCLA was in the second round of the NCAA Tournament in 1995. The Tigers lost the game, 75-74, when Tyus Edney hit a game-winning, buzzer-beating layup. (2) Oklahoma -3 vs. (3) Arizona  Ben's Pick: Wildcats will win one for Tucson. Did You Know? Oklahoma has now won 10 straight games and 14 of 15 overall. The Sooners have allowed only one of their last 10 opponents to shoot better than 44%. Over that 10 game stretch opponents are shooting only 38.4% and averaging 62.6 points. This is Arizona's 10th Sweet 16 appearance and their fifth in the last seven years. The Wildcats are 15-8 this year against the 2002 NCAA tournament field permalink Wednesday, March 20, 2002
Big Ben is PacMan  By Ben Maller While surfing around the web the other day, I came across a website that answers a question all guys have: if you were a video game, what video game character would you be? This site asks you 10 simple questions and will then tell you what pre-1985 video game character you are. I took the quiz and to my delight...
You wanna try your luck? CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT WHAT VIDEO GAME CHARACTER YOU WOULD BE? permalink
MLS WESTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW  By Dave Denholm for BenMaller.com RANKING THE UNITS: GOALKEEPING: 1) SAN JOSE 2) LOS ANGELES 3) KANSAS CITY 4) DALLAS 5) COLORADO DEFENDERS: 1) SAN JOSE 2) DALLAS 3) LOS ANGELES 4) KANSAS CITY 5) COLORADO MIDFIELDERS: 1) LOS ANGELES 2) COLORADO 3) SAN JOSE 4) KANSAS CITY 5) DALLAS FORWARDS: 1) SAN JOSE 2) DALLAS 3) COLORADO 4) LOS ANGELES 5) KANSAS CITY Much like the East, the goalkeeping and forward depth in the West is phenominal. No starting goalkeeper in MLS is weak. Unlike the East, the midfields of the West are loaded and very close in talent levels. Defense will be weak overall, with San Jose being the exception, and possibly Dallas. All-Conference XI GK: Joe Cannon, San Jose D: Ryan Suarez, Dallas D: Jeff Agoos, San Jose D: Troy Dayak, San Jose D: Ezra Hendrickson, Los Angeles M: Pablo Mastroeni, Colorado M: Simon Elliott, Los Angeles M: Ronnie Ekelund, San Jose M: Manny Lagos, San Jose F: Landon Donovan, San Jose F: John Spencer, Colorado 1ST PLACE: SAN JOSE  The surpise Cup champions of 2001 have a roster full of top-quality players, and a coach who knows how to use them in Frank Yallop. Unlike the surprise 2000 Kansas City Wizards, the Earthquakes will not come back down to earth. They don't have to, they have the talent to keep flying. When you see them play, you realize how well they impose their will on the opponent. A bandbox home field of Spartan Stadium doesn't hurt. Unfortunately, to paraphrase a line from the hag team owner in "Major League", "If only they could get someone to watch this team". Attack: San Jose's midfield is quietly one of the most effective units in MLS. Richar Mulrooney has risen to All-Star level, and Ronnie Ekelund was a perfect fit for the middle. Manny Lagos at times is Ryan Giggs-like and unstoppable, and Landon Donovan drops into the mid just enough to destroy an opponent in their defensive half. Donovan is the most talented player in MLS. He has vision and a touch that is unparralled, and now he has something San Jose was lacking, an absolute pure goal poaching fiend. Ariel Graziani, brought over in the trade with Dallas for Ronald Cerritos, is unabashedly a pain in the neck for defenders. Lose him for a split second and you're getting yelled at by your keeper, and picking the ball out of the back of the net. At times, he?s the most dangerous striker in the league. Not a consistent as Serna or Mathis, but just as deadly in front. And, to make matters worse for opponents, the Earthquakes now have depth with "Cup-game winning goal scorer" Canadian international Dwayne DeRosario and a bright young talent in Devin Barclay. You get the sense that a guy like Yallop can harness all that potential and energy Barclay possesses and turn him into an international talent. Overall: I wrote a lot about them because they are that good. San Jose will score as often as they want. Defense: Overlooked by me for too long, the Earthquakes defense is stellar. Troy Dayak returned from a serious neck injury, and was better than before. Jeff Agoos is unbeatable at this level, and Zak Ibsen, for what appears to be many shortcomings, is solid. Wade Barrett is a bulldog, even with some bad hair and facial hair decisions. And if you think you got the defenders guessing, Joe Cannon has the answer in net. Unheralded and unbeatable, Cannon will make a nice living in Europe soon. Overall: Consider yourself very fortunate to even get one against them. Yallop has all the pieces to repeat, and a rock-solid defense is a nice start. He's got the league's best player, and a nice mix of underappreciated stars. Should battle Chicago for the Cup, and could likely be only the second repeat champion. 2ND PLACE: LOS ANGELES  Always the bridesmaid. For their third time, the Galaxy fell short in an MLS Cup Final. That has to be on the team's mind as they head into 2002. The Galaxy have talent and the nucleus has been together. Questions remain, however, on the defensive side, as Greg Vanney has left for French club Bastia. Sigi Schmid has his team prepared every night. If you beat the Galaxy, you earn your three points. Attack: Like so many other teams, LA's attack will look a lot different up front. Gone is the hard-working, underachieving Luis Hernandez. He's replaced by Guatemalan international Carlos Ruiz. Ruiz may work just as hard as Hernandez, and will certainly be a better fit on this club. For starters, he's actually been in training camp acclimating to his new teammates. One of the new faces with Ruiz is DC United castoff Chris Albright. Expectations would have had Albright scoring 15 a year in Serie A by now. Albright, for all his gifts, has not put it together on the pitch. Maybe former tutor Schmid can elevate his level of play. The Galaxy rely heavily on as good a midfield as you'll find in MLS. Simon Elliott is the most talented in a very good group. Elliott might be one of the top 3-5 foreign players ever in MLS. He has it all, and a temper to boot. Mauricio Cienfuegos looked done in 2000, and a bit of 2001, but he rebounded at times last season to be very dangerous and skillful. Still, time is not on his side. There's a lot of skill here with Cobi Jones, Brian Mullen, and Pete Vagenas being more than capable of putting up big games and numbers. Overall: The Galaxy have never really had trouble scoring. They won't in 2002 either. But, it would behoove them to find one consistent 13-15 goal scorer. Ruiz? Defense: For years, LA has been top-class in defense. In 2002, what might eventually turn out to be a very strong unit has to be questioned. Tyrone Marshall comes over from Miami, and adds some needed quickness. He can play outside or in, and will probably settle in at left back. Danny Califf is one of the most overrated players in MLS. Califf has the gifts, and can shut down anyone one-on-one, but too often gets frustrated and commits the unnecessary, dumb fouls. Maturity is needed. Alexi Lalas is very mature, and playing good soccer. In fact, Alexi's 2001 season was about as good as he's done in MLS. Ezra Hendrickson is the wild card. EZ is by far the best offensive-defender in MLS. His runs down the right side can turn a game around. The St. Vincent and the Grenadines international is reliable in his shot, and doesn't do too bad with crosses either. But here's the thing no one pays attention to, Ezra is a very good one-on-one defender. His all-around game makes him special. The Galaxy have nice depth with the versatile Adam Frye and an underrated Craig Waibel. The only problem in goal is picking just one. Kevin Hartman and Matt Reis make Sigi's life nice and difficult at the same time. Both deserve 90 minutes. Hartman is the better shotstopper, Reis organizes and might be a bit more steady than Hartman. Either way, Schmid has little to worry about. Overall: Again, how this defense comes together is the key for LA in 2002. There?s enough talent and experience to suggest they'll be fine. LA has to be optimistic about this season. There is a good blend of youth, veteran leadership and excellent coaching. While they might not quite have enough defensively to win MLS Cup 2003, it would be a surprise to no one if they did. I see the Galaxy in the semi-finals, and maybe even losing their fourth Cup. Ouch. 3RD PLACE: DALLAS  This is a team that is brutally tough to figure out. There are some good reasons why you might think Dallas could win the West, and equally compelling arguments as to why they'll end up in the cellar. Mike Jeffries has the task of figuring his club out. Jeffries has had some tough personnel decisions to make, and has made them. But, he's not in his honeymoon period anymore, and fans at the Cotton Bowl want results. Attack: Jason Kreis gives the burn a legitimate goal scoring threat every night. He's sharp, and can beat defenders one-v-one any time. Still, for some reason, Kreis' games seems to have plateaud. The key question for the Burn in 2002 is whether Kreis pushes his game back to league-MVP standards. That's not to say the Burn don't have other weapons in the attack. Ronald Cerritos, the Burn half of the Graziani deal, is a fan favorite, and should be. The guy just gives his all every second, and is very good. There's talk of him playing more of a wing role with Dallas. Cerritos will be effective wherever you put him. Oscar Pareja is a workhorse with ability. He can take over games, and never backs down. Joselito Vaca, for all the praise heaped upon him, was not as dangerous as hoped. Did Jeffries shackle him" Was Vaca not completely comfortable" Maybe he just needed some time to get used to MLS? If he's ready to exert his talents on his opponent, Vaca could become the league's best midfielder. It's clear the skill is there. Ed Johnson needs a lot more minutes in 2002. The kid just looks like a great player when you watch him. Bobby Rhine comes off an injury that side-tracked what was a very nice season. Rhine is probably the reason the Burn dealt Graziani. Overall: Kreis must pick up his game, and someone must go with him. If those two things happen, they'll score often. If not, it's going to be a long, hot summer. Defense: This group epitomizes my feelings on the Burn in 2002. Either they will be world-beaters, or beaten like a drum. Tenywa Bonseu comes over from the Crew, and looks better on paper than on game day. Lee Morrison (draft), Steve Morrow (Northern Ireland), and Chris Gbandi (#1 pick) are all new. Gbandi is National-team material, but will be recovering from a knee injury until late in the season. The Burn's best (and maybe the league's) best defender is Ryan Suarez. Yes, he's young and does stupid young things, but he's got the game to play anywhere. Zarco Rodriguez is the Dallas Burn. Whether he lines up in back or at defensive mid, you won't beat him. In goal is the unappreciated Matt Jordan. Jordan is as good as any goalkeeper in MLS. Might not be as flashy or noticeable, but he's fine. D.J. Countess was just brought in from MetroStars to watch Jordan for about another year (can you say "Tim Howard"?). Overall: It could go either way here, but I think Dallas get scored upon a little too much for Jeffries liking. Dallas is the enigma of 2002, more so than Colorado or even New England are. The questions will be answered with Kreis and their back line. I say the answer lies somewhere around a possible trip to the semi-finals, but no further. 4TH PLACE: COLORADO RAPIDS  The Rapids are the proof as to just how much more competitive MLS has become after contraction. They have a very nice looking roster, and would have likely been a favorite to win the West any other previous year with this group. But, this is a new MLS and head coach Tim Hankinson has to know that. Attack: John Spencer is the essence of what you want your three senior internationals to be. Relentless, good team player, and knows how to play the game. Spencer was awesome in 2001, and will likely fit in better with the new talent around him. If Daniel Amokachi (new SI signing) is half as effective as Spencer was, look out defenders! I'd be lying if I told you I knew a lot about him, but the word is that if the knee is healthy, Daniel will score. He'll have the ageless Carlos Valderrama to feed him perfect breakaway passes. Valderrama, even at 40, is what he's always been. A spot-on passer with the perfect vision and touch. Some have complained that Valderrama is too focused on that one dimension of his game, but when that one dimension is that good, you don't screw with it. And now, the Rapids have wing players that will make opponents respect their offense. Mark Chung and Chris Henderson aren't National team players anymore, but they can play for my league club anytime. I want to see Kyle Beckerman get some run in the center of the pitch and see what happens. It's time to let him play. Maybe Carlos can rest on occasion . Chris Carrieri will (continue to) justify his #1 overall draft status. Overall: If the ball is won, and given to this offense, they'll find the back of the net. Defense: Robin Fraser is nice in the middle, but he better be healthy as a horse. Stephen Herdsman is alledged to be the fastest man in the league, for what it's worth. New blood Ricky Titus, Danny Jackson, and Jeff Stewart will be in the mix, and Ritchie Kotschau is capable. The Rapids will use contraction acquisition Pablo Mastroeni to clean up after Valderrama. Mastroeni will do this defense a world of good, and might be the key to the offense as well. Scott Garlick might be the most barraged goalkeeper in league history. Every time you see him, he's fighting off shot after shot. Not the best keeper, but no complaints with him in net. Overall: Hard to envision them not giving up a lot of goals. Pablo better be up to the DM task. The Rapids will find that even with all this new talent, it will be tough going in a deep West. Mastroeni and Spencer hold the keys. Colorado will make the playoffs, but go no further. 5TH PLACE: KANSAS CITY WIZARDS  Just two seasons removed form their impressive 2000 Cup championship, the Wizards now look like a team trying to find their way up the hill. Is there any one thing special about Bob Gansler's team? I'm still looking. Attack: They have the makings of the worst attack in MLS. Onandi Lowe is gone to Third Division Rushden and Diamonds in England. Roy Lassiter is their main scoring threat, and he's easily put aside anymore. Preki is back again, and will have to carry much of the offensive burden in the mid. Francisco Gomez was never the answer as creative midfielder. Chris Klein does yeoman's work and is reliable. Eric Quill might need to score 15 for this team to do anything. And, no offense to Eric, that is obviously not happening. Overall: This could get ugly to watch up front. Defense: The unit that won them the Cup in 2000 was beaten down in 2001. So who shows up in '02? Tony Meola is still able to pitch a shutout almost at will. But, he does need help in front of him. Diego Gutierrez, acquired from the Fire, will help the back line and will even spring an attack or two per game. I like Nick Garcia a lot. I'm talking US National Team, anywhere in Europe a lot. Matt McKeon is the biggest hack in all the league, and he's pretty effective. Overall: Could be the dominant '00 or beatable '01. The truth for '02 lies somewhere in the middle with this group. Kansas City is just not good enough to compete in this division. Too little offense will be the downfall. They are one of the ugliest teams to watch, and always have been. Bob Gansler may soon start feeling some heat, but the Cup should have bought him at least until 2003. A minor coup is making the playoffs, a major would be to win even a playoff game. permalink
MLS EASTERN CONFERENCE PREVIEW  By Dave Denholm for BenMaller.com RANKING THE UNITS GOALKEEPING: 1) METROSTARS 2) DC UNITED 3) CHICAGO 4) NEW ENGLAND 5) COLUMBUS DEFENDERS: 1) CHICAGO 2) METROSTARS 3) NEW ENGLAND 4) DC UNITED 5) COLUMBUS MIDFIELDERS: 1) CHICAGO 2) DC UNITED 3) NEW ENGLAND 4) COLUMBUS 5) METROSTARS FORWARDS: 1) METROSTARS 2) NEW ENGLAND 3) CHICAGO 4) COLUMBUS 5) DC UNITED Don't be put off by the order of the goalkeepers and forwards. This conference is loaded with good ones on each club. There are no weak starting goalkeepers, and the forward units have excellent depth, with even the fifth ranked DC United with a lot of potential firepower. Defenders and midfielders are slightly weaker overall, with the exception being Chicago in both categories. All-Conference XI GK: Tim Howard, MET D: Carlos Bocanegra, CHI D: Mike Petke, MET D: Carlos Llamosa, NE D: Daniel Torres, CLB M: DaMarcus Beasley, CHI M: Peter Nowak, CHI M: Marco Etcheverry, DC M: Steve Ralston, NE F: Clint Mathis, MET F: Alex Pineda Chacon, NE 1st PLACE: CHICAGO FIRE  The Fire will have to deal with more issues than just about any other club. Between World Cup call-ups and the usual suspects being injury prone, the start of the season could be slow. Of course, head coach Bob Bradley is the great equalizer in that regard. When the playoffs kick off, Chicago will be the team to beat. Attack: Can beat you from any position of the attack, and in different ways. Speed, skill, set pieces. You name it and they can score that way. Peter Nowak is the lynchpin. Every time I see this guy, he amazes me. I would believe he's 26 years old if I didn't know better. Avoid the nagging injuries, Peter, and you'll dominate. Josh Wolff is a pure scorer. On a different level than most of the defenders in MLS. He could lead the league in goals scored were it not for him being busy in June. Hristo Stoitchkov has the greatest soccer mind in MLS history. Unfortunately, his body is not willing. Expect to see 10-15 unbelievable plays, and about 10-15 missed games. Ante Razov works hard. The one piece that could take the Fire attack to a level like no other is DaMarcus Beasley. His speed is impossible to contain. Beasley could also be a consistent "12 goals 12 assists" man in this offense. He plays too much defense to score that often, but that's not a terrible thing. A concern in the attack could be depth. Dema Kovalenko returning from German club FC St. Pauli answers that question. Overall: The Fire attack is as good as it gets. Defense: And their defense ain't too bad either. If you get by Chris Armas in the mid, you probably are not getting past Carlos Bocanegra or C.J. Brown. Jim Curtin was very steady as a rookie, and who wouldn't like his size Evan Whitfield is a poor man's Ezra Hendrickson, with better defensive skills. And Zach Thornton is top-quality in the net. He led the league in goals against average with good reason. Like the attack, the weakness on defense is depth. Kelly Gray could answer some questions. Gray should develop into an eventual all-star under Bradley. Overall: There's no reason to think you're going to score much on them this year. Among the many strengths of the Chicago Fire is continuity. The boys have played together, and won together a lot. Nothing changes this year. Health would be the only reason the Fire are not playing for MLS Cup 2002. 2nd PLACE: METROSTARS  The MetroStars have the firepower (no pun intended) to overtake Chicago, and a very solid defense. But, linking those two in the midfield will be their achilles? heel. I'm not sold on the gameday decision-making by Octavio Zambrano. OZ, baby, unshackle 'em. Zambrano can find talent, however. Who else thought Rodrigo Faria would become a true threat? Attack: If you aren't giddy about seeing Diego Serna combining with Clint Mathis up top, you must be an opposing defender! Mathis is the best striker in MLS, and Serna is breathing down his neck for that honor. The aforementioned Faria is not chopped liver either, but he needs to avoid any sophomore slump because Clint will be gone a lot. It's scary to think how much damage Mathis and Serna could really do every night. And lest you think Serna can?t handle playing with an equally ball-hungry forward, look up the assist category for 2001. Diego passes and shoots with aplomb. But the problem in the attack will be the service from midfield. There are times when Petter Villegas looks unstoppable on the wing, and then there's the other 87 minutes of the match. Tab Ramos was arguably the most talented American player ever, but the key word is "was." Tab still has enough left to be burdened with most of the playmaking responsibilities, but if OZ was smart, he'd let an underrated and underappreciated Ross Paule take control. It's your call, OZ. But, I'd be worried, MetroStars fans. Overall: If they get service to the forwards, they will score, and score, and score. If. Defense: This is where the MetroStars separate themselves from the three teams below them in the East. Tim Howard in goal is the league's best. I love his toughness, but he doesn't solely rely on that. He's as athletic as any keeper. We know what players like Mike Petke (all-conference to me), Steve Jolley (tough, but sometimes acts too tough), Orlando Perez (not bad) and Daniel Hernandez (skillful grit) bring to an imposing defense. But the key lies in Marcelo Balboa. If he has a great year tying all these guys together, then look out. Overall: Just a notch below Chicago, but could become even better. Scoring against them will be a chore. The MetroStars are a talented team. They go as far as Zambrano lets them. That's second place, and a likely trip to the semi-finals. Winning the Cup is not far-fetched. 3rd PLACE: DC UNITED Even more changes for what was once one of the best teams in the Americas. It's not good for the league when the most hated club stinks. That needs to change, and former Miami Fusion head coach Ray Hudson is the man responsible for making that happen on the pitch. United does have talent. But, does this assembled talent know how to win consistently, Aye, there's the rub. When healthy, they have no major deficiencies, but expecting DC United to be healthy is like expecting Stoitchkov to play 28 games. Yeah, right. Attack: When the United attack is in sync and firing on all cylinders, it's a thing of beauty. Imagine the post-game comments from Hudson after a game where his offense "finds itself" this season. Health is the question for two of the top foreign players MLS has ever signed, Jaime Moreno and Marco Etcheverry. Moreno might be the most skilled player in the league when he's on his game. Jaime can score, pass, and create all kinds of problems for defenses. Etcheverry is a genius with the ball on his left foot. Like all geniuses, sometimes you wonder where his mind is. If Marco feels like it, he can dominate the midfield like no other MLS player. United has to be excited about their possibilities throughout the attack. Santino Quaranta has unlimited potential, and he's tough. You aren't taught how to score goals at his age, you just know how. I've been waiting for Chino Alegria to become a true weapon in the mid. Maybe my wait is over this year? Bobby Convey has nothing but upside. The 18-year old could become one of the few American players to take over central mid for his club team, and don't count out him doing that for the National side soon. Ben Olsen is a very talented MLS player who is also very injured. Abdul Thompson Conteh is a guy every club should have. Can come off the bench and score, can go 90 and score. Can just score. It ain't pretty, but this ain't figure skating. Overall: United does not usually have a problem scoring, and Hudson's club will often times look beautiful doing it. Quaranta could hit for 12-15 this season. Defense: This is the reason United went from perennial champions to laughing stock. Then-GM Kevin Payne took this defense painfully young in 2001. Hudson made some changes in the unit, and looks to shore it up ever further with the recent acquisition of Milton Reyes. United's defensive woes have not seemed due to a lack of individual skill, but tactical in nature. Eddie Pope, one of the best defenders in the world, must right this ship. He is in charge, but needs help from Reyes, and an interesting Brandon Prideaux. Prideaux, acquired in a trade from Kansas City, was unbeatable in 2000 on the Wizards' way to a surprising Cup-winning season. Prideaux, like the rest of the Wizards defense, was beaten like a drum last season. Still, he has the gifts to be a shut-down defender.. Defensive midfield should be rock-solid with Ivan McKinley and Richie Williams both comfortable playing the destroyer. Nick Rimando in goal is a nice step-up for DC. Rimando is not big, but makes up for it with great reflexes and positioning. He stops shots as well as any keeper. If he were 3 inches taller, Europe would have already come calling. Overall: Thank goodness Rimando is a good shot stopper, because he'll need to be. Reyes helps, but the defense still is not back to United's championship level. You can't underestimate Ray Hudson's passion and what that can do for a club over a long season. Still, United will score and be scored upon. That translates to a very average record, a certain playoff berth, and at best a trip to the semi-finals. At best. 4th PLACE: NEW ENGLAND REVOLUTION  There is no club any more different after contraction than the Revolution, and that's a good thing for loyal fans in New England. The Revs have been a poor team throughout the short history of the league. Things appear to be ready to change in 2002. Head Coach Fernando Clavijo has more talent than he could have imagined after last year's dismal display. Chemistry is an overused word in sports, but it does apply here as a concern. I've selected three Revs players for All-Conference, and none of them played with the club last season. The times they are a changin'. Attack: New England did not have a consistent offensive threat in 2001. Wolde Harris is back at less money, but may not get a lot of time. Mamadou Diallo (Tampa Bay), Alex Pineda Chacon (Miami), and Steve Ralston (Tampa Bay) are all post-contraction new editions, and all will play a huge role in providing the attack. Diallo dropped off dramatically from his 26 goals in '99, but he played for the Mutiny! Chacon was the goal scoring leader of MLS last season with 19. He may be called on to drop even further into the mid for the Revs, so his numbers, but not his effectiveness, should take a hit. Ralston is a machine. He would have to be chosen for an all-MLS History XI. Taylor Twellman is a mystery man, brought back from Germany. He adds to some nice depth for the Revs, which has to be a first for the club. Overall: Big Mama could hit 20, or hit the skids. Chacon could hit 20, or he could get forced too much into the mid, and get lost. I'm betting on an abundance of goals for the Revs in '01. Defense: Clavijo has two slightly above-average keepers to choose from. Adin Brown can get very hot, and stop anything at times. Juergen Sommer is pretty consistent, but not special. Goalkeeping will not a problem for the Revs. The rest of the defense might be. The addition of Carlos Llamosa (Miami) through contraction immediately shores up what was a porous central defense. Llamosa is much more stay-at-home than his predecessor, Mauricio Wright. Rusty Pierce is tough as nails, but not terribly talented. Joe Franchino can shut down an offense on the left side, but needs consistency. Leo Cullen and Jay Heaps provide depth. Cullen has been an underachiever, and Heaps seems to secretly wish he was a forward. Jim Rooney (Miami) might be the biggest acquisition for the Revs defensively. If Rooney plays in a defensive midfielders' role, he can be very effective in igniting an attack. Jim has a large task at hand. Overall: Just not enough talent on the defense for the Revolution. They will be scored upon by the league's new and improved offenses. New England fans have been unhappy with Fernando Clavijo, which is deserved. Clavijo has been gifted a lot more talent, so he has no excuses. The Revs will play a lot of 3-2 games, and should be on the losing end of a few more than they win. Will probably make the playoffs, and lose badly in the first round. 5th PLACE: COLUMBUS CREW  It was Dr. Jekyll/Mr. Hyde for the 2001 Columbus Crew. Greg Andrulis took over a squad after Tom Fitzgerald was fired that looked destined to miss the playoffs. Andrulis got the team righted, and the Crew looked as dangerous as anyone heading into the post-season. But a funny thing happened on the way to a championship in The United States' professional soccer capital. The Crew got drubbed by the real champions, San Jose. You'd think Crew fans would still be optimistic about 2002. There is a lot of talent on the squad, but everybody else got better too. It could be a long year. Attack: Like every other team in the East, Columbus has myriad weapons up front. Trying to scheme a defense to stop Brian McBride, Jeff Cunningham, Dante Washington, and Brian West has got to be a nightmare. They have speed, vision, strength, and flair. John Wilmar Perez fits in nicely as the engine, along with a "Steve Ralston-type" in Brian Maisonneuve. There is a potential for the Crew to have 3 attackers earn All-MLS honors this season, in McBride (trip to Korea will affect this), Cunnigham, and West. Edson Buddle has talent to keep an eye on. I am excited about seeing Kyle Martino in the midfield, but the mid doesn?t have a lot of depth beyond the starters. permalink Tuesday, March 19, 2002
Congratulations To Joe & Michelle    I'm very excited for my brother Joe and his wife Michelle who are the proud new parents of a beautiful baby girl named Lila Zoe. According to sources the new super star debuted at 8lbs 8oz on Tuesday, March 19 at 3:40am in Manhattan. A BenMaller.com mole tells me that Dad Mom and baby are doing well... My Mom the brand new Grandma is beaming from coast to coast... As for me let the Jokes Begin... I'm now "UNCLE BEN" permalink
West Should Head East  By Ben Maller The hottest name among NBA teams is not Shaquille O'Neal or Kobe Bryant it's Jerry West. The former Lakers executive is a free agent and is looking for the right team. According to reports West has been contacted by at least three teams. BenMaller.com has learned those teams are: the Atlanta Hawks, Golden State Warriors and New York Knicks. I would imagine that other teams will join the pursuit of West. The Memphis Grizzlies and Seattle Sonics come to mind. Many feel that West has the value of a Vince Carter or Tim Duncan in that he can turn the direction of a franchise around all by himself.  Mr. Clutch is always going to be a Laker at heart. He was an All-Star 14 years, from 1961-74, his number 44 is retired and he is in the basketball hall of fame. If he is going to leave the West Coast, he should take the premiere job in the NBA President of the New York Knicks. Its not the best situation for a quick turn around, considering that New York is in serious salary cap trouble, however there is hope.  The Knicks don't not have a true center and their best low-post player, Marcus Camby, is as soft as a new pillow. Shooting guard, Latrell Sprewell, is a good player who has a bad attitude and Allen Houston is a good shooter who is over paid. West is a man that was able to help maintain the Lakers' dynasty of the 1980's and keep the team competitive during the rebuilding years to create the dynasty of the 2000's. West was the guy that traded Vlade Divac to Charlotte for the right to get high school kid Kobe Bryant. West also was able to get Shaquille O'Neal to sign his name on the dotted line to leave the Orlando Magic as a free agent. If West wants the challenge with the best payoff, he will look no further than Madison Square Garden. Win in Atlanta or Oakland and nobody cares. Win in New York and it's special. permalink Monday, March 18, 2002
Big Ben Closing in on Kruk  By Ben Maller If you check the current standing at FoxSports.com I have closed the gap to getting out of last place. As you know I was picked as an expert for Fox Sports.com Bracket's Blast Game but got off to a horrible start ranking last after the first two days.  The good news is heading into the sweet 16 I'm only five points and two picks behind John Kruk of the best damn sports show. Kruk was one of my favorite players during his days with the Phillies. He was the commen man's ballplayer. Just a regular beer drinking guy from West Virginia who batted .300 lifetime. I have respect for Kruk but this is my reputation on the line. I must escape the cellar!! permalink
Lavin's Magic Trick  By Ben Maller So the NCAA Tournament is down to its final 16 and the bad news bears from UCLA are alive and well. UCLA played like the team they SHOULD have been ALL SEASON. The double overtime win against a good Cincinnati team is exactly the reason that Bruin head coach Steve "Over His Head" Lavin gets so much crap from media wise guys like myself. This basketball team has blue chip after blue chip player and yet they finished sixth in the Pac-10 during the 2001-02 season while they lost 11 games. As far as I'm concerned being average during the regular season and getting to the Sweet 16 is not enough for UCLA.  Any Bruins fans who jumped on the bandwagon after this win against the Bearcats are flat out gullible. I guarantee that Steve Lavin will disappoint all of you in the end. Ask the fans in Pittsburgh who jumped on me for months about Kordell Stewart. In the end I was right about the Steelers as they lost the AFC championship game to the Patriots and Kordell Stewart threw three interceptions. When they start hanging Sweet 16 banners at Pauley Pavilion then let me know and I'll give Steve Lavin his due. permalink Sunday, March 17, 2002
BenMaller.com's NCAA Basketball Tournament picks (Regional Second Round)
Sunday At Pittsburgh South (3) Pittsburgh -2 1/2 vs. (6) California  Ben's Pick: Golden Bears get a Golden Upset. WEST (1) Cincinnati -8 1/2 vs. (8) UCLA  Ben's Pick: Bearcats in a Cincy Rout! Lavin's a Loser. At Washington EAST (2) Connecticut - 1 1/2 vs. (7) N.C. State  Ben's Pick: UConn is no con they will win and cover. (1) Maryland -13 1/2 vs. (8) Wisconsin  Ben's Pick: Terps run past the Badgers to cover the number. At Chicago MIDWEST (4) Illinois -10 vs. (12) Creighton  Ben's Pick: I like the Illini to pound the Blue Jays. (3) Georgia -2 vs. (11) Southern Illinois  Ben's Pick: Its gonna be a ball burner. Go with my new favorite team the Salukis. At Dallas MIDWEST (6) Texas -1 vs. (3) Mississippi State  Ben's Pick: I'm going with the SEC Champs in this one. WEST (2) Oklahoma -6 vs. (7) Xavier  Ben's Pick: Sooner Nation. Bob Stoops has inspired the basketball team to cover. permalink |
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