Call the mayor, and schedule the parade.....the Los Angeles Clippers just signed Baron Davis...okay maybe the parade is a little premature, but make no mistake about it this was the biggest signing in Clippers history. Prior to this deal it was Kobe almost becoming a Clipper until he put the glue down and realized he was about to become a Clipper.



This deal is perfect for all parties involved. The Clippers were 23-59 last year, but with the addition of Davis the starting lineup could feature Elton Brand at power forward, Chris Kaman <http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3709>  at center, Al Thornton <http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=4292>  at small forward and Cuttino Mobley <http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=3284>  at shooting guard, alongside B. Diddy and Eric Gordon <http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/players/profile?statsId=4469>  coming off the bench....if he can manage to stop texting Kelvin Sampson for awhile.



For Davis this works because he gets to go back home and play in Los Angeles* even if it's for LA's minor league team, he can burn the Warriors and Don Nelson on multiple occasions,  oh yeah and he gets paid $$$$.( possibly 5 years and $65 million) Even with the price of gas, that's a lot of money.



This is a great move, but it doesn't guarantee a playoff spot in the loaded West. The Lakers are still up top, the Trailblazers will be next years Hornets, the Hornets will be the Hornets. Utah is a powerhouse for years to come with Williams and Boozer if he sticks around, Houston will have McGrady and Yao probably for 30 games the Suns have the Big Cactus turned rapper, Dallas is still a viable threat if Josh Howard doesn't party too hard with Ricky Williams and I haven't even mentioned Denver or Golden State.



We'll just have to wait and see how free agency works out, but next year should be just as exciting in the West.

By now I assume you've heard the Big Cactus' rap about Kobe. One thing is for sure, Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio has heard it. Sheriff Joe has gone on record stating, Shaquille O'Neal will lose his special deputy's badge in Maricopa County because of language he used in the rap video that mocks former teammate Kobe Bryant <http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/basketball/nba/players/3118> .

Arpaio claims Shaq's use of a racially derogatory word and other foul language left him no choice. Arpaio made Shaq a special deputy in 2006 and promoted him to colonel.

This got me thinking..if Joe can get his badge back, who else would like a mulligan..



Los Angeles Clippers- Drafted Michael Olowokandi 1998 first overall pick



Portland Trailblazers- Drafted Sam Bowie 1984 second overall pick in front of MJ

San Francisco Giants- Signing the wrong Barry..Zito  7yrs $126 million (13-24) 2-11 in 2008

San Diego Chargers-  Drafted Ryan Leaf ahead of Peyton Manning in 1998

ESPN-Created Bonds on Bonds and ESPN Hollywood

New York Yankees- Everyone on the current payroll and Carl Pavano and Jaret Wright and..........

New York Knicks-Letting Isaiah Thomas run the team

MLB-2002 All Star Game (the reason the game "counts" now)

Ken Griffey Jr.-Leaving Seattle and breaking down like a 68 Mustang

Kobe Bryant-Throwing everyone under the bus (Bynum, Kupchak, ...)

University of Tennessee- Allowing Bruce Pearl to wear an orange blazer

LeBron James-Being from Akron not New York

Whoever taught Curt Schilling how to use a computer-he blogs.......

Sunday NFL Countdown-Currently employ John Madden

Allen Iverson and practice-0 hrs @ practice= 0 rings

Chicago Cubs not allowing goats entry at Wrigley-last WS appearance 1945

Steve Bartman-Next time buy tickets behind home plate

Arthur Blank- Drafted dog lover Mike Vick

Ohio State- Winning the Big 10 and being forced to play in national title games

Shaq- Kazaam to name one

While most of California continues to bake under a heat wave that has engulfed the state, California's own Fresno State Bulldogs are sizzling as they get set to play Game 1 of the College World Series tonight in Omaha.



Let me guess this is the first you've heard of them or the World Series. I'll fill you in....After defeating North Carolina 6-1 on Sunday the Bulldogs became the first No. 4 regional seed to make the College World Series and must take down heavily favored Georgia in a best of three series beginning tonight.



There is however a mystery greater than the identity of "Deep Throat" at the center of the World Series, "Why are college football and college basketball so much more popular than college baseball."



Perhaps it's because baseball coaches don't have difficult names to spell or say (See Duke Basketball) so it's not as educational for students who watch games. There is a tournament, but no Madness or Brackets.... No **** Vitale or Lee Corso, but Erin Andrews isn't a bad substitute.



What it boils down to is fans are guaranteed the opportunity to watch the best amateur athletes in the country when it comes to college football and basketball due to age limit rules that have been instituted by the NFL and NBA. NCAAB and NCAAF are showcase's for athletes that are just one step away from the big $ (Except for those at USC....they already get big $)



Major League Baseball does not have an age limit, so the best players in the country can

graduate high school and sign a minor league contract with a professional team. Some

College Baseball players are athletes who weren't good enough to sign with a major

league team, and the season lasts longer than a visit to the dentist. Fans get disinterested.



With all that being said, if college baseball wants to become relevant it

needs..................CHEERLEADERS..

What a difference a week makes....On Monday morning the Boys in Blue had lost five straight games and six of their last seven games. Everything was going wrong for the Blue Crew, they couldn't hit, (three runs in three games against San Diego) or pitch (22 runs in three games to Detroit).

Leave it to Cincinnati to give Dodger fans hope. LA mauled the Reds in a three game sweep that ended with a 7-4 victory yesterday. Tonight the Dodgers face the Cleveland Indians in the first game of a nine game home stand, and will once again leave their fans feeling like a child after being told Santa isn't real.

Fans are optimistic because..well LA is in the worst division in baseball (1 team over .500) they're only 4.5 games out, they have a four-time world champion managing the club and it's all you can eat out in right field....

Don't be fooled...the three reasons (Andruw Jones, Jason Schmidt, and Rafael Furcal) a beer rivals the price of a barrel of crude oil are all on the disabled list. The three highest paid players on the club have not contributed the way the Dodgers had hoped. The ace of the staff, Brad Penny has lost the ability to consistently throw strikes while Derek Lowe leads the team with 5 wins. Clayton Kershaw is young, great, but young. He needs time, and if Torre's smart he won't burn him up.

Even better is the powerful Dodger offense, and by powerful I mean like Spelling Bee participant strong.....The motorcycle man, Jeff Kent leads the team with a whopping eight home runs. When the guy leading your team in home runs is also getting AARP letters in the mail, that's not good sign.

For those that think LA can make a few deals at the deadline in order to make a push towards October, what do they have that a team would want? LA won't part ways with its young stars(Martin, Kemp, Loney, Eithier, Billingsley, Kershaw)......I bet there's a huge market for a guy that hits .280 with 0 HRS and  has to hit the cutoff man in order to get the ball to second base from shallow left....and gets paid $8million a year..

Despite all of this overwhelming evidence fans will come in groves to the ravine tonight for the first pitch (3rd inning) and stay till the last out(7th inning) in hopes that their beloved Dodgers can return to the glory days of the late eighties.. After all if a roster comprised of Ronny Turiaf, Vladimir Radmonvic, Chris Mihm, DJ.Mbenga could make it to the NBA Finals, why can't the Dodgers return to the fall classic.

For the second time in his 12 year NBA career Kobe Bryant is on the losing end of the NBA Finals. This time is a little different though, no center to call overweight, no GM to blame, no more teammates to throw under the bus. Although Bryant went through the season like Jim Carrey's character in, "Me, Myself and Irene", the last few months Bryant has been extremely outspoken about his love for his teammates, and general manager. The 2008 MVP has been buying teammates expensive dinners and watches, and that's not because he ordered room service again.....It's because he has as he put it, "Changed his ways." He has learned to trust his teammates, but midway through the second quarter it looked like the only thing Bryant could count on was a Lamar Odom brick or a Vladimir Radmanovic air ball.



Kobe finished with 22 points and one assist, yes one....on the bright side that's half as many offensive rebounds as the entire Laker team had on Tuesday night.



After his Game 6 performance you wonder if the only reason Bryant wanted to make the trip back to Boston was to see his dear friend Curt Schilling. Or maybe he wanted to go on a double date with the Bundchens. Whatever the reason, fans around Southern California must hope that Kobe owns some Listerine, otherwise the taste of a 39 point beat down in Game 6 of the NBA Finals might cause Bryant to snap in mid-July....reducing him to a parking lot cameo waiting to happen again.....  not for jumping over snakes or cars, but for stepping on the throats of his teammates and bosses.