"2010 NBA Free Agent Preview" by Ronald Carthen

I can't wait until the clock strikes midnight as the most talked about free agency in years will officially begin. I'm ready to see where LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and others are going to play next season. I've made a list of where I think the top free agents will be playing next season. Check out my list and let the debates begin.

LeBron James, SF, 25 years old 
- If LeBron stays with the Cavs he'll be offered a 6-year/$125.5 million contract. If he goes to another team he could get a 5-year deal worth $96.1 million. The two-time MVP has given the Cavs the best record in the league in the last two seasons, but has failed to lead his team to the NBA Finals. I'll say it once and I'll say it again he needs another all-star to help him win a championship. I don't see anybody coming to Cleveland to help LeBron win a title in his city. I see him going to Chicago to play with Derrick Rose and others on the squad to help him win a championship.
Prediction: LeBron will play for the Chicago Bulls 

Dwyane Wade, SG, 28 years old 
- D Wade won a championship with Shaquille O'Neal in 2006 but hasn't made it past the first round of the playoffs in three of the last four seasons (they missed the playoffs in the 2007-08 season). I know he wants help very badly and wants to stay with the Heat. I can't imagine him leaving South Beach to return home to Chicago. My wild card in all this is moving to New York if things don't go well for Pat Riley and the Heat front office. I think he'll stay in Miami and someone will join him this upcoming season. He's not going to turn down a 6-year/$125 million contract.
Prediction: D Wade stays with the Miami Heat

Chris Bosh, PF, 26 years old  
- Chris Bosh is the will card of this entire free agency. You already know he's not going to stay with the Toronto Raptors. The question is will he join LeBron or D Wade or maybe be his own man and go somewhere else. Whatever the case, Bosh could make $96 million for the next five years if he signs with another team. He has never won a playoff series and he will finally sign with a team where he can begin to become more of a household name. Miami sounds real good but I think it'll take more time for him to win championships. If he joins LeBron he has a better chance to win a championship in a year or two either he goes to New York or Chicago. If he wants to be his own man, he could go to the Nets and play alongside Brook Lopez in the frontcourt. I think he'll head to Chicago to play with LeBron James.
Prediction: Bosh will play with the Chicago Bulls  

Dirk Nowitzki, PF, 32 years old  
- Dirk Nowitzki and the Dallas Mavericks lost to the Miami Heat in six games of the NBA Finals in the 2005-06 season. Since then he and the Mavs have been eliminated in the first round of the playoffs in three of the last four seasons. I wonder if Dirk believes the Mavs are finished and wants to move on, or does he want to stay and try to contend for a title. The only other team I can see him going to is the New Jersey Nets to play with his former coach Avery Johnson, who led the Mavs to the finals in the 2005-06 season. I think he stays put and will finish the rest of his career with the team
Prediction: Dirk stays with the Dallas Mavericks

Amar'e Stoudimire, PF, 27 years old
- Amar'e and the Phoenix Suns has reached the Western Conference finals in their last five playoff appearances, but always fail to reach the NBA finals. Steve Nash isn't getting any younger and I believe he needs to leave to have a better chance of winning a title. Miami sounds like a great choice to team up with D Wade and become the next big man to help him win a title. He could go to New York and join another player to take over the Garden. This is a tough decision but he'll go to the Knicks and rejoin Mike D'Antoni to run New York City.
Prediction: Amar'e goes to the New York Knicks 

Carlos Boozer, PF, 29 years old
- You already know Carlos Boozer will not join the Utah Jazz next season. Boozer is ready to play with another team that needs a power forward. He hasn't made it to the Western Conference finals since the 2006-07 season. I see him leaving the West and head back to the east and move to Miami, where he stays during the offseason. I think he'll be the power forward D Wade to make the Heat a favorite again.
Prediction: Carlos Boozer heads to the Miami Heat

Joe Johnson, SG, 29 years old
- I'm very angry with Joe Johnson saying he didn't care about of his fans showing up during his series when the Atlanta Hawks were swept by the Orlando Magic in the semifinals. He only averaged 12.8 points and shot over 29% from the field. He better be lucky that he'll get a max deal this offseason. If it were up to me he wouldn't get a max deal but New York looks like the favorite for a deal. A couple of other contenders could be the Bulls, Nets, and the Mavericks. I think the Knicks will sign him and he'll join Stoudimire at the Garden.
Predicition: Joe Johnson heads to the New York Knicks

Paul Pierce, SF, 32 years old
- Paul Pierce decides to opt out of his contract with the Celtics, but I think he'll stay with the team. Doc Rivers has decided to stay and I think Pierce will be loyal and stay. They made the NBA Finals in two out of the last three seasons. After winning a championship in 2008, you know he wants another crack at the title.
Predicition: Paul Pierce stays with the Boston Celtics

Rudy Gay, SF, 23 years old 
- Rudy Gay is most underrated free agent in this class. He's a restricted free agent but I don't see the Grizzlies matching any offers other teams are willing to give him. I can see him going to the Nets to help out the frontcourt with Brook Lopez and Derrick Favors. It would be a good fit for him as the Nets are looking to rebound from a 12-win season.
Prediction: Rudy Gay goes to the New Jersey Nets

Other Free Agents:   

Ray Allen, SG, 34 years old
Prediction: Ray Allen will play for the Chicago Bulls 

David Lee, PF, 27 years old
Prediction: David Lee will play for the Phoenix Suns

Luis Scola, PF, 30 years old
Prediction: Luis Scola stays put with the Rockets

John Salmons, SG, 30 years old
Prediction: John Salmons goes to the Dallas Mavericks

J.J. Redick, SG, 26 years old
Predicition: J.J. Redick goes to the Houston Rockets    

The Dream "Trilogy" for "Yamaha," "Nikki Pt. 2," and "Abyss" official video!!!!!

Keith Sweat ft Joe "Test Drive" official video!!!!!

"LeBron, D Wade, and Bosh could play in Miami?????" by Ronald Carthen

I can't believe there's a possibility that LeBron James, Dwyane Wade, and Chris Bosh could play for the Miami Heat next year. Who knows what all three of them were talking about this past weekend but reporters all over the country believe that their sources are accurate enough to report this story.

The Heat have enough money to sign two players to max deals but who is willing to take a pay cut to make this dream into a reality. I think it'll be LeBron or Bosh but either way both of them are ready to finally win their first NBA rings.

This reminds me of Paul Pierce and the Boston Celtics back in the summer of 2007, when Pierce was looking for a way to leave Beantown. Then Danny Ainge was able to get Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett to change the franchise around. They made to the NBA finals in two of the last three years and won the NBA title over the Los Angeles Lakers in 2008. You already know D Wade is ready to leave South Beach if Pat Riley wasn't committed to win another championship. Now we have a situation that he'll have a big three of his own, but these superstars are still young compared to the Celtic big three that are getting older and are running out of time to win another title.

I've always said LeBron will not win an NBA title if didn't have another all-star on the team, but heading to Miami with Bosh and D Wade would be more then enough to win a championship. I can see this team winning six championships, that's right I said it six rings. I'll be very interested to see if they can win an NBA title while Kobe Bryant and the Lakers are on top of the world, especially if Phil Jackson comes back for another season.

This move would spike NBA ratings through the roof. Can you imagine the national televised games they'll receive, or how many people will purchase NBA League Pass, or how many people will but season tickets no matter what the price. At the end of the day this will be a business decision for all three of these players to expand their brand other then how much money they'll make.

We already know every magazine and every sports writer will predict Heat vs Lakers in the NBA Finals as we finally see Kobe and LeBron in the Finals. This time it won't be who's better Kobe or LeBron, it'll be can Kobe stop the Heat big three. It would be the best championship series we'll see since the Lakers vs Celtics in the 80's and Michael Jordan and the Bulls vs the world in the 90's.

I can't wait for free agency to start on Thursday. This summer will change the NBA as we know it. We are going to see some players sign with teams that'll make us excited and others that'll surprise us. I'm excited to see what happens but if LeBron and Bosh join D Wade, you can forget about the rest of this free agency.               

DJ Khaled ft/ T-Pain, Diddy, Nicki Minaj, Busta Rhymes, Fabolous, Fat Joe, and Swizz Beats "All We Do Is Win" (RMX) official video!!!!!!

"Chris Brown steals the show at BET AWARDS!!!!!" by Ronald Carthen

I know everybody expects me to talk about sports but you know the first thing to come out of everyone's mouth is "Did you see the Chris Brown Michael Jackson Tribute?"

What you just saw was the best tribute I've seen anybody give to Michael Jackson on television. Chris Brown won many of his fans back with doing some of MJ's dance moves. I had a feeling it would be Chris because he's the only one that can dance like MJ. I knew it was going to be memorable and something we'll never forget and man he didn't disappoint.

Chris did a great job with dance moves to "The Way You Make Me Feel," "Remember The Time," and did the best moonwalk to "Billie Jean" that I've ever seen on stage, other then MJ of course. I also enjoyed the "Smooth Criminal" piece when the lights were out and the other dancers jackets and the hats light up I thought that was hot.  It was amazing to see how well choreography was for this tribute. It was like no one ever taught these guys how to dance and they were born with such a great gift.

My moment of the night was when Chris can hardly sing MJ's "Man In The Mirror." You can see the tears come out of his eyes and he was choking up as he showed so much emotion and so much pain for MJ's death and everything he went through for a whole year as well. The whole situation with him hitting Rihanna almost destroyed his entire career, but this performance will hopefully put that ugly incident to rest once and for all.

Either you like the BET Awards or for some strange reason you didn't like it, you can't hate on what Chris Brown accomplished last night. He won his fans back, he honored the legacy of the biggest icon in music, and more importantly it seems that a big weight of the Rihanna incident is finally off his shoulders. This was a great show last night full of great moments but Chris provided us with one of the best moments we've ever seen on television. Thank you Chris Brown for confirming to us that MJ's legacy will continue forever.

Here are other moments from the award show last night that I enjoyed including the return of Kanye West....  


Kanye West "Power"


Diddy-Dirty Money with Rick Ross, T.I., Nicki Minaj, and Waka Flocka


El Debarge performs many classics



Eminem, B.O.B., and Keyshia Cole perform Airplanes Pt 2. and Not Afraid

Eminem performs "Won't Back Down" with The Roots on Jimmy Fallon!!!!!

Waka Flocka performs in Raleigh, NC!!!!

Jay-Z & Eminem perform "Renegade" on David Letterman!!!!!

"Little Fockers" official trailer!!!!!

Fantasia "Bittersweet" official video!!!!!!!

Tribute to Michael Jackson...One year ago we lost the best performer ever!!!! Here's a few videos to remember a legend.

Michael Jackson "Billie Jean"


Michael Jackson "Thriller"


Michael Jackson "Dirty Diana"


Michael Jackson "Bad"


Michael Jackson "Remember The Time"


Michael Jackson "Rock With You"

Jay-Z and David Letterman discuss LeBron James!!!!!!

The Roots ft John Legend "Hard Times" (Live)

"WTH" Moment of the Day...Drake & Jimmy Kimmel "Tweet Tweet"

"2010 NBA MOCK DRAFT!!!!!!" by Ronald Carthen

1) Wizards- PG John Wall, Kentucky
- He's the most athletic player in this draft. I think he'll be great for Gilbert Arenas and can be a start to turning this franchise around. 

2) 76ers- SG/SF Evan Turner, Ohio State
- He's a great pick for the Sixers and with three years in college he'll turn things in Philly pretty soon.

3) Nets- PF Derrick Favors, Georgia Tech
- The Nets could have taken a chance to get a power forward in free agency, but Favors is much safer then losing power forwards in free agency.

4) Wolves- SF Wesley Johnson, Syracuse
- Wes is the best pick for the Wolves. He's a great shooter and can contribute right away.

5) Kings- PF/C DeMarcus Cousins, Kentucky
- DeMarcus's temper is a problem, but I think he'll make Tyreke Evans' life much easier on the court.

6) Warriors- C Greg Monroe, Georgetown
- He's the best passing big man in the draft. He would bring great size and a good basketball IQ in a good offensive team. 

7) Pistons- PF Ed Davis, North Carolina
- The Pistons need some big men to help a disappointing frontcourt. Ed Davis would be a great pick for this squad.

8) Clippers- SF Al-Farouq Aminu, Wake Forest
- I think Al would be a good pick to help Blake Griffin in the frontcourt. His ability to get to the basket will be a plus for the Clippers.

9) Jazz (from Knicks)- SF/PF Luke Babbit, Nevada
- Now that Carlos Boozer is parting ways with the Jazz, they need a big man to help Deron Williams. Luke Babbit is another unknown that Jerry Sloan can train to be a great player.

10) Pacers- PF Ekpe Udoh, Baylor
- The Pacers want a point guard but other then Wall, there's no PG that should be a lottery pick. If they keep this pick they should go after Ekpe Udoh. 

11) Hornets- SF Gordon Hayward, Butler

12) Grizzlies- SF Paul George, Fresno State

13) Raptors- PF Patrick Patterson, Kentucky

14) Rockets- C Hassan Whiteside, Marshall

15) Bucks (from Bulls)- SG Xavier Henry, Kansas

16) T' Wolves (from Nuggets via Bobcats)- SG Avery Bradley, Texas

17) Wizards (from Bulls via Bucks)- SG James Anderson, Oklahoma State

18) Thunder (from Heat)- C Cole Aldrich, Kansas

19) Celtics- PG Eric Bledsoe, Kentucky

20) Spurs- C Solomon Alabi, Florida State

21) Thunder- PF Larry Sanders, VCU

22) Trail Blazers- SG Dominique Jones, South Florida

23) T' Wolves (from 76ers via Jazz)- PF/C Kevin Seraphin, France

24) Hawks- SG Jordan Crawford, Xavier

25) Grizzlies (from Nuggets)- SG Elliot Williams, Memphis

26) Thunder (from Suns)- SF Devin Ebanks, West Virginia

27) Nets (from Mavericks)- PF Craig Brackins, Iowa State

28) Grizzlies (from Lakers)- PG Armon Johnson, Nevada

29) Magic- SG Willie Warren, Oklahoma

30) Wizards (from Cavaliers)- PF/C Daniel Orton, Kentucky    

Drake x Alife Highlight performance!!!!!

Beanie Sigel disses Jay-Z and Drake!!!!!

Kid n' Play perform on Lopez Tonight!!!!!

Soulja Boy "Pretty Boy Swag" official video!!!!!

"WTH" Moments of the Day....Ron Artest flirting with Chelsea Lately and Nick Cannon dancing with a Big Girl!!!!!

"Landon Donovan saves America!!!!!" by Ronald Carthen

Thank you Landon Donovan for scoring the game-winning goal in the 91st minute (stoppage time) to help USA defeat Algeria 1-0 and advance to the second round of the World Cup. Not only did they advance, they finished on top in Group C. This was the first time they won a group since 1930. Can you believe this is their first World Cup win in eight years? It was a long time coming but man it was worth.

It didn't matter if you were drunk at a bar or watching it at home, we were all nervous in the last few minutes of the game. I have to admit, when England defeated Slovenia 1-0, I thought time was running out for the Americans and they were going to be eliminated again. I'm so happy that four minutes of extra time was added on in this game. It didn't take them long to realize that they had to hurry up and score right now.

Donovan brought the ball upfield and Jozy Altidore's shot on the breakaway was tipped by Clint Dempsey into Algeria goalkeeper Rais Bolihi. Then all of our prayers were answered when Dononvan had the rebound and scored from eight yards to give us the biggest moment in soccer in years or maybe ever.

Once the whistle blew and the game was over, you saw the emotion from players, coaches, and fans as we rejoiced and celebrate an amazing victory that you can tell your grandchildren for years to come. It just feels like the team and all of us won this game. While the team prepared in South Africa, we set our alarms to get out of bed and make a sacrifice to wait almost two hours to finally see a goal. It didn't matter if we were at work, at a bar getting drunk with your friends, or called your job and pretend you were sick, we all believe that this team can win this game.

I'm not sure what will happen when they face the runner-up of Group D (Germany, Ghana, Serbia, or Australia) on Saturday, but we all hope this team can get closer to the golden ball. They made it to the quarterfinals in 2002, but that was their best finish in the WC since 1930, when they finished in third place. From this point on they'll be the underdog for most of their matches, but it could be a good thing because expectations won't be so high. This team has the potential to be the best team we've had in years, but we have to play well in the Round of 16.

I'm so glad we don't have to sit through any more draws this weekend. This is the way I like it win or go home and I sure hope the Americans win and we continue to party.   

Sean Garrett (ft Nicki Minaj) "Get It All" official video!!!!!

"WTH" Moment of the Day...Frankie (Keyshia Cole's Mother) and Shawty dances on stage!!!!!

Yo Gotti "White World" official video!!!!!

"LeBron James and Chris Paul on the same team?????" by Ronald Carthen

Can you imagine LeBron James and Chris Paul on the same team? NBA powerbroker William Wesley is pitching to teams with salary cap space to trade for Chris Paul to increase their chances on getting LeBron James this summer. Wesley would love to have both of these close friends play on the same team.

I don't see the Hornets trading away Paul and help an NBA team become the most powerful franchise in sports besides the Los Angeles Lakers. He has two years and $31.3 million left on his contract until he can opt out of his contract in the 2012-13 season. Believe me when I tell you, he will be a free agent in 2012 and find a new team. Hornets coach Monty Williams and general manager Jeff Bower don't stand a chance on keeping CP3 because they will not have another superstar that are willing to come to New Orleans anytime soon.

The only two teams that I would see make any sense to make this deal is the Chicago Bulls and the New Jersey Nets. If I was the GM for the Bulls, my only scenario is to send Derrick Rose, Luol Deng, and a few draft picks for Paul so the Bulls can sign LeBron to a max deal. Another star point guard for another star point guard sounds fair to me, along with some help for their roster. CP3 and LeBron would be the best duo in Chi-Town since Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen. I can see them winning so many championships and start their own dynasty.

I heard the Hornets rejected the Nets offer that would give them a 3rd pick in the draft and Devin Harris in exchange for Chris Paul. I don't think that's a bad deal but the Hornets are going to want so much more. They could've had Derrick Favors in this week's draft, but I don't see the Hornets being a Top 5 team in the league. Everyone knows Avery Johnson wants LeBron and CP3 on the Nets, especially when he made a statement that he thinks LeBron will go to the Nets on ESPN before he was hired as the team's head coach.

I don't expect this to happen anytime soon as long as Chris Paul is under contract. CP3 deserves to play for a much better team and win a championship, but nobody in the league wants to see a CP3 & LeBron duo. Think about how many championships both of these guys would win if they were to play together. I still believe LeBron needs to have a second superstar on his team to win a championship. He will not win an NBA title with the Cavaliers if he has the same players on the roster next year. I wish there's a way to get CP3 in Cleveland and find a way to get rid of Mo Williams, who's not playoff material at all. Can't wait to see where LeBron ends up this summer, but I don't believe LeBron will have a great point guard like CP3 on the same team.                  

J. Cole "Who Dat" official video!!!!!

The Roots "Dear God 2.0" official video!!!!!

Diddy-Dirty Money (ft Nicki Minaj & Rick Ross) "Hello Good Morning" (RMX) official video!!!!!

"WTH" Moment of the Day....Kevin Hart impersonates Floyd Mayweather Jr.!!!!!

David Banner & 9th Wonder "Slow Down" official video!!!!!!!

Ron Artest "Champions" Official Video!!!!!

"Lakers Win Title The Hard Way" by Ronald Carthen

Game 6 of the 1998 NBA Finals, when Michael Jordan hit the game-winner to defeat the Utah Jazz and give the Bulls their sixth NBA title, will always go down as the most memorable game I've ever seen, but last night's Game 7 of the NBA Finals between the Celtics vs. Lakers will go down as the most physical and tougest NBA finals game that I've ever seen. Even Kobe Bryant couldn't figure out how he and the Lakers came back from a 12-point deficit to defeat the Celtics 83-79 and give the franchise their 16th championship. This is the first time the Lakers repeated as the champs since the Shaq/Kobe era from 2000-02. Now that Kobe has his fifth NBA ring, we will continue to debate if Kobe is better then Michael Jordan. I still say no, but it's time to put those comparisons to bed and just embrace Kobe's Legacy as one of the best players in NBA history.

Kobe might have finished with a game-high 23 points but he finished with 6-for-24 from the field. I didn't think the Lakers had a chance, but thank goodness he had some great teammates to help him step up in this game. I would never thought Ron Artest would step up on the offensive end in this game, but let's be honest he kept the team in the game. With the Lakers down 23-14 at the start of the second quarter, Artest scored 12 of the team's 20 second quarter points to put the team behind 40-34 at the half. Then in the fourth quarter is when he made some crucial baskets. With the Celtics up 61-58, after Ray Allen's eight-foot shot, he drew the foul on Paul Pierce and made the basket then hit his free throw to tie the game. Then with the Lakers up 76-73 with a minute left in the game, he hit a 26-foot jumper to extend the lead to six. Artest finished as the second-leading scorer for the Lakers with 20 points on 7-for-18 shooting. He made the Lakers and Queensbridge very proud and came thru when it mattered the most.

Pau Gasol didn't have a huge shooting night either, but he came up huge in the fourth quarter. He scored nine of his 19 points in this quarter by hitting the Lakers first foruth quarter basket and the foul on Glen Davis to swing the momentum of the game. He also did a great job drawing fouls down the stretch and was able to head to the free throw line hitting 5-of-9 of his free throws.

The Lakers only hit 32.5% of their shots, but it was their defense that was very impressive. The Celtics made 40.8% of their shots but only scored 79 points. Kevin Garnett drop 17 points and was 8-for-13 from the field, but Paul Pierce and Ray Allen combined for 31 points on only 8-for-29 shooting. Rajon Rondo did score 14 points and had 10 assists but a few of those shot selections were very questionable to me. The biggest problem for the Celtics was rebounding the ball. Kobe and Gasol combined for 33 of the Lakers 53 rebounds while the Celtics ended with 40. It was the offensive rebounds that hurt the Celtics the most as they were outrebounded 23-8. The Celtics fought so hard but was out of gas in the fourth quarter with scoring 22 points but only made seven shots.

This was the first time the Celtics lost a series with Kevin Garnett, but they never lost a series with KG, Pierce, Allen, Rondo, and Kendrick Perkins in the starting five.   

I know Kobe and the Lakers want Phil Jackson back so bad. Phil has now won 11 NBA titles and I honestly hope he stays for another season. I can also understand why he wants to retire as well. He won NBA titles with Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant there's nothing left to prove. He says he'll make a decision in a week but I hope he'll take his time and not make a decision he'll regret.

Congrats to the champs for being the first team to come back from 3-2 in a series, since the Houston Rockets over the New York Knicks in the 1994 NBA Finals, to win it all. Now that's how you win a title the hard way.     

N.E.R.D. ft Nelly Furtado "Hot N' Fun" official video!!!!!

Justin Bieber & Usher "Somebody To Love" (RMX) official video!!!!!

Snoop Dogg "Oh Sookie" official video tribute to Sookie from HBO's True Blood!!!!!

"The Smurfs" Teaser Movie Trailer!!!!!

"Stomp The Yard: Homecoming" Movie Trailer!!!!!

"Albert Haynesworth...Really?????!!!!!" by Ronald Carthen

Albert Haynesworth are you serious right now? You have the nerve to miss mandatory minicamp and demand a trade, how selfish can you be. I can't believe you are missing minicamp because you don't want ot play in Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett's new defensive scheme. So why don't you want to play in a 3-4 scheme, are you scared to play nose tackle come on. If someone pays me $100 million for the next seven years I would play any position in the league.

What really pisses me off is that coach Mike Shanahan told you in February that they would agree to release you for an exchange for not paying you a $21 million bonus due April 1. Nobody would ever turn down that kind of money, but to not show up at minicamp and run away with the check is a disgrace. I'm glad the Redskins want there money back and I hope they get back every penny. I don't get behind the team's front office very often but he's pushing it.

The team can find him up to $9,442 for missing the minicamp practice. Do you know the tears that would have come out of my eyes if I had to pay that much for anything, have some common sense. You have been paid $32 million of your $41 million guaranteed of your contract. You are already set for life and you want to play childish games.

I'm glad the whole team, including Mike Shanahan and London Fletcher, is calling you selfish and I hope they give you an earful when you get back. I haven't seen so much excitement from Redskins fans about a football season in a while and you want to ruin your teammates and fans trust over a 3-4 scheme, what's your problem.

I may understand if you are under paid, like Chris Johnson, but you have a contract that so many defensive players dream of. How about you get together Haynesworth, or else this will be a long season for you.                      

Ol' Skool Video of the Week....Luniz "I Got 5 On It" official video!!!! chosen by David Wynn

Kelis "4th of July" official video!!!!!

"WTH" Moment of the Day....Dancing Baby Doing The Samba in Brazil!!!!!

"Lakers vs Celtics Game 7...Get Ready!!!!!" by Ronald Carthen

I knew the Lakers would win this game, but I didn't expect the Celtics to wave the white flag in the middle of the second quarter. Kobe Bryant drop 26 points and grab 11 rebounds to lead the Lakers to defeat the Celtics 89-67 to even the series 3-3 and will play one of the biggest Game 7's in NBA history. The winner of this game will be the NBA Champion and I know doesn't want to see the Celtics win an NBA title on their home floor.

Kobe Bryant led the charge but it was how the team shared the ball and played together that earned them a victory and live to fight another day. Pau Gasol was one assist away from a triple-double with 17 points, 13 rebounds, and nine assists. As long as Gasol continues to play well in this series, the Lakers will not be stopped. Ron Artest scored a total of 24 points on 8-for-33 shooting and 3-for-14 from three-point range thru Games 2-5. It was about time he showed up in Game 6 as he drop 15 points on 6-for-11 shooting and 3-for-6 from beyond the arc.

How about the performance from the Lakers bench. They outscored the Celtics bench 25-13 and made everything so easy for the Kobe and the rest of the Laker starters. Lamar Odom and Sasha Vujacic combined for 17 points on 6-for-15 shooting. If anybody stoled the show in this game it was Shannon Brown. In the third quarter, he had two of the best dunks you'll see in the postseason. With the Lakers up 58-40, Kobe dished it to Brown for a breakaway dunk on transition as his head was up to the rim. Then a few plays later, Gasol throw an alley-oop pass to Brown for one of the sickest one-handed alley-oop dunks you'll ever see.

The Lakers defense surprised me big time in this game. They held the Celtics to the second-worst NBA Finals scoring performance with 67 points (Utah Jazz scored 54 points vs Chicago Bulls in 1998). The Lakers D held the Celtics to only 33.3% from the field. When the Lakers went on a 17-7 run in the first seven minutes of the second quarter to led the game 45-25, the Celtics waved the white flag. Paul Pierce and Kevin Garnett combined for only 25 points in this game, while Ray Allen had 19 points and was the only Celtics that showed up. Rajon Rondo played one of his worst games of the playoffs dropping only 10 points on 5-for-15 shooting, six assists, and three turnovers.

The biggest concern for the Celtics is Kendrick Perkins, who left the game with a sprain right knee in the first quarter. I don't think Perkins will miss this game, but I don't expect him to play so many minutes. This is going to be a huge problem, especially when they were outrebounded 52-39 in this game. There's no way Rasheed Wallace and Glen Davis will be able to shut down Gasol or Andrew Bynum on the offense or defensive side of the ball.

I originally pick the Lakers in seven games and I better stick with it. I can't wait for this game on Thursday night. So every one get your dinner and party ready because this will be the biggest Game 7 that you'll ever see.                   

Birdman ft Lil Wayne & Tyga "Loyalty" official video!!!!!

B.O.B. ft Hayley Williams "Airplanes" official video!!!!!

Katy Perry ft Snoop Dogg "California Gurls" official video!!!!!

"WTH" Moment of the Day....Seattle Cop Punches a 17-year old Girl in the Face!!!!!

"Texas and the rest of the Big XII stick together" by Ronald Carthen

I'm so glad that Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma St. will stick together and stay with the Big XII. Texas played a huge role on the decision of heading to the Pac-10, but as soon as the Longhorns said no to Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott's invitation, Oklahoma an Oklahoma St. followed while Texas A&M said no to the the Pac-10 and the SEC. Everybody knows all four schools stayed in their conference because of money, it's the only thing that matters in college athletics these days.

Texas had a meeting on Monday with the other nine remaining schools to in the conference to talk about a Fox Sports TV deal that Big XII commissioner Dan Beebe put together. Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Oklahoma St. would earn at least $20 million a year, while the the other schools could earn between $14 million and $17 million. Last year, the schools divided between $7 million and $10 million each depending on how many appearances they made on regional and national TV.

Now the Pac-10 and Scott will be looking for at least one more member to get 12 teams by 2012 when Colorado joins the conference. Utah from the Mountain West conference is a likely candidate to join the this conference.

Even though Nebraska, who's heading to the Big Ten in 2011, and Colorado are leaving the Big XII, I'm glad the rest of the conference will make a ten-team conference work in 2012. For a second there, I really thought I was going to see the Pac-10 become second best conference, behind the SEC, in the country. This was going to ruin both basketball and especially football. Can you imagine Texas and Oklahoma not in your conference anymore. How about the Kansas Jayhawks basketball program, how will they get the best players in the nation with Kansas State, Baylor, Missouri, and Iowa State in their conference? Now the Pac-10 is back to the same USC or the field football conference and one of the worst basketball conference in the country.

The Big XII will not have a football conference championship game by 2012, but the Red River shootout between Texas and Oklahoma will be a much bigger football game now. This game will determine who will win the conference championship year after year.

Even though Nebraska heading to the Big Ten hurts a little bit in football, this conference will survive as long as you have the Longhorns and the Sooners. I didn't mention Colorado because nobody cares about this school in football and especially basketball. They will not hurt anybody's pockets anytime soon.

I think it's great to see the Big XII survive, but man they were this close from being as bad as Conference USA, the Sun Belt, or the WAC.

Rhymefest "Prosperity" official video!!!!!

Junior Reid ft Cassidy "I'm So Crazy" official video!!!!!

Styles P ft Sheek Louch and Mr Tyler Woods "Mr Invincible" official video!!!!!

"Paul Pierce and the Celtics are one win away" by Ronald Carthen

Paul Pierce played his best game in the NBA Finals by far. Pierce drop 27 points to lead the Celtics pass the Lakers 92-86 to lead the series 3-2 and are one win away to their 18th NBA Championship. Kobe Bryant scored 38 points and did everything he could to keep the Lakers in this game, but too bad his teammates weren't on the same page. I can't wait to see how this will shape out in Los Angeles on Tuesday. Check out what else I learned in Game 5 of this series.

Paul Pierce is stepping up at the right time!!!!!

Ron Artest did everything he could to stop Paul Pierce, but Pierce has had the better of him in the last two games. Pierce drop 27 points on 12-for-21 shooting in 43 minutes of this contest. Pierce was getting into the Lakers heads the entire night. Kobe was so pissed on how Artest couldn't stop, he told Phil Jackson "Let me guard him." Pierce's biggest play of the game came with the Celtics up 87-82 with 38 seconds left in the game. After Artest missed both free throws and the Celtics called a 20 second timeout, Kevin Garnett threw a long pass inbounds pass to Pierce. Then as Pierce was about to head out of bounds, he found Rajon Rondo and threw a touchdown pass to him for an easy layup to extend the lead to seven and put the Lakers away for good. Pierce has scored 46 points and shot 19-for-33 from the field in the last two games. As long as Pierce plays well, the Celtics will be tough to beat in LA.

"Kobe vs. Celtics" didn't work for long!!!!! 

Kobe Bryant was the only Laker that showed up and wanted to win this game. Kobe drop 38 points on 13-for-27 shooting while the rest of his starters scored a combine 34 points on 12-for-36 shooting. He only scored 10 points at the end of the first half, but in the second half he went off. In the first eight minutes of the third quarter, he drop 19 points on 7-for-8 shooting. He scored 23 straigtht Laker points between the 4:23 mark in the second quarter to 2:13 left to go in the third quarter. He was the first player to score 20 straight points in a playoff game since LeBron James, when he scored 25 straigth points for the Cavaliers in double-overtime win over the Pistons in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference finals. It was amazing how he was playing "1-on-5" and he was still able to keep the Lakers in the game. I could say something about Kobe shooting 9-for-32 in the last three fourth quarters, but last night he did what he could to win this game. The only other player in double-figures last night was Pau Gasol with 12 points, but he didn't show either. I know I said Kobe has to play well in the fourth quarter, but his teammates have played in enough big games to know that they have to step up. Despite last night's loss, Kobe became only the second player to score 600 points in the playoffs three times. The only other player to do that was Michael Jordan (1992, '93 and '98).

Where was the rest of the Lakers?????!!!!!

Did the rest of the Lakers stay on the team bus? I haven't seen Kobe work so hard without his teammates since Kwame Brown and Smush Parker were in the starting five. While Kobe drop 38 points, the rest of the team scored only 48 points (34 from starters and 14 from the bench). It was good to see Andrew Bynum play 32 minutes, but he only had six points and one rebound in this game. Pau Gasol was the only other player with 12 points but Kevin Garnett and Kendrick Perkins abused him all night with a lot of physical contact. You can tell his boby was taking a beating with a few cuts and brusies on his body. Please don't get me started with Ron Artest. You can't miss both free throws miss throws like that with your team down 87-82 with 40 seconds left in the game. Artest and Derek Fisher combined for 4-for-18 shooting and combined for only 16 points. The Lakers have to win back-to-back at home to win the NBA Championship. The last team in the NBA Finals down 3-2 and won back-to-back home games to win the championship was the Houston Rockets over the New York Knicks in the 1993-94 season.

KG, Rondo, and Allen stepped up in Boston!!!!!

I know Paul Pierce was happy to see his other starters step up in this game. They scored a combine 52 points and help the team shoot 56.3% from the field while the Lakers shot only 39.7%. Kevin Garnett once again destroyed Pau Gasol with 18 points and 10 rebounds. It feels like I'm watching the 2008 NBA Finals all over again. Rajon Rondo finished with 18 points on 9-for-12 from the field and eight assists, but seven turnovers is not a good sign at all. Rondo has to make better decisions with the ball or else it could cause this team the championship. Ray Allen scored 12 points but I can't believe he has missed his last 16 three-pointers since his 32-point performance in Game 2 of the finals. The Celtics have to learn to keep a lead as well. The Celtics were up 87-75 with less then four minutes left in the game, but Kobe cut the lead to five with 1:30 left in the game. They better play much better in the fourth quarter in LA or else it could come back to hurt them in Game 6 or possibly Game 7 of the Fianls.                          

           

Miguel ft J. Cole "All I Want Is You" official video!!!!!

Eminem, Royce Da 5'9, Mr. Porter Freestyle on Westwood Show

Big Boi "General Patton" official video!!!!!

"Nicki Minaj vs Lil Kim...Really?????" by David Wynn

Nikki Minaj vs Lil Kim? One Question: Why?


My people, my people. We went from Harriet Tubman to Fannie Lou Hamer to Oprah to this nonsense. I don’t even know where to start. Even in today’s nonsensical rap environment, this “beef” takes home the prize for dumbest sh** I have ever heard. Not since Lil Romeo and Bow Wow exchanged corny battle jingles have two more irrelevant artists battled it out. Apparently Lil Kim has taken exception to the fact that Nikki Minaj has not paid homage to her female MC prowess and taken her style. I guess wearing crazy hair styles and rapping about your poonanny was a patented style of Lil Kim. Ok, fair enough. And the fact that Diddy dropped his association with Lil Kim the moment she got locked up and now cosigns every Nikki Minaj move probably does not do a lot for Lil Kim’s feelings. But this is a classic example of a veteran in the game being sensitive to the success of a newcomer. (LL Cool J vs Canibus anybody?)

Let me first point that neither one of these women has dropped an album (Lil Kim in ages and Nikki Minaj has never) to make them relevant. This is a classic example of why beefs today are so wack; Because they never take place on wax, just Youtube and blogs. Stupid comments made, not to beats, but to DJs and blog sites.

By the way if we’re going off looks, Nikki Minaj wins hands down. At least her assets are real.

"WTH" Moment of the Day...Vince Young gets in a fight at a Strip Club!!!!!

Jay-Z brings out Kanye West on "Run This Town" at the Isle of Wight Festival!!!!!

"Mortal Kombat" Video Game Trailer!!!!!

"Glen Davis and Nate Robinson steal the show" by Ronald Carthen

Glen "Big Baby" Davis has had a good series, but I didn't expect him to go off like he did last night. Big Baby, Nate Robinson, and the rest of the Celtics bench took over in the fourth quarter as they led the Celtics to a 96-89 win to even the series at 2-2. I couldn't believe the Lakers starters allowed them to ball out of control like that. Not to mention how Lamar Odom couldn't defend Big Baby and how Nate was scoring at will. I don't expect the bench to play that well again, but it was great to see your bench players step up. By the way, where has Kobe Bryant been in the last two fourth quarters of this series? Let's take a look of what I learned in Game 4 of this series.

"Big Baby," Lil' Nate, and the Celtics bench stepped up when it mattered!!!!! 

Doc Rivers went with Suns coach Alvin Gentry's approach and stick with his bench players to takeover in the fourth quarter. The Celtics bench scored 21 of the team's 36 points in the fourth quarter in 9:09 of the quarter. Glen "Big Baby" Davis scored nine of his 18 points in the fourth quarter to lead his team to victory. "Big Baby" has stepped up for the majority of this series, but this was his best game of the series. Did you see how he bullied Lamar Odom in the post? He went left with his shoulder and was able to get easy layups. Odom can't let that happen despite the fact that Davis is much wider then he is. I'll always enjoy the moment when the Celtics were up 68-64 when Tony Allen missed his layup and "Big Baby" grabs the rebound with the put back and the foul, especially when Nate Robinson jumped on his back as Davis was drooling like a "Big Baby." Nate played 17 minutes and made his mark while Rajon Rondo was on the bench. Nate drop 12 points and even made Odom scared to put a hand up as he was hitting some jumpers and floaters. Come on Odom he's 5-9 are you kidding me? The Celtics bench outscored the Lakers bench 36-18 in this contest. The Lakers role players have to play much better in a very important Game 5 in Boston on Sunday.

Where is Kobe Bryant in the fourth quarter?????!!!!! 

Once again Kobe Bryant, who finished with 33 points, played well in the first three quarters then he was very tired in the fourth quarter. Kobe scored 12 points but he was only 2-for-6 from the field. Kobe has combined for 14 points on 3-for-12 shooting in the last two fourth quarters of this series. Yes I understand he played a total of 87 minutes in the last two games, thank you Phil Jackson for playing him too much, and was double-teamed on some of those possessions, but facts are facts he's not shooting the ball well. He didn't handle the ball well either as he had seven turnovers the entire game.  Tony Allen better stay on Kobe as much as possible if the Celtics want to win this series. He has done a great job shutting him down at times in this series.

Paul Pierce bullies Ron Artest the entire game!!!!! 

What ever happened to Ron Artest on the defensive end against Paul Pierce? Pierce led the Celtics with 19 points on 7-for-12 shooting. He was able to drive to the basket, hit jumpers, and draw fouls as much as he wanted. Artest never looked as bad on defense as he did in this game. Pierce only made 7-for-23 baskets in the last two games prior to this game. What's up with Artest in this series on the offensive end. He's only averaged 8.0 points and only shot 11-for-34 in this entire series. Artest better wake up on offense sooner or later but it's when he doesn't perform well on defense is when he falls apart.

Andrew Bynum's knee not getting any better!!!!!

Andrew Bynum only played 12 minutes in this game but didn't step on the court at all in the second half. You knew something was wrong with his knee as he was showing signs of discomfort on the basketball court. As he head back to the bench at the start of the third quarter, you knew he wouldn't be back in this game. The Lakers better be thankful they have two days off, as they hope his knee will get better for the next game.

Fouls, Fouls, and more Fouls!!!!!

I've never seen horrible officiating in my life like I've seen in the NBA Finals. Both teams combined for 44 fouls in this game. It wasn't like they were obvious fouls, they were nothing but touch fouls or when a player bumps into him and the defensive player was called. For instance Rasheed Wallace's second and third of his fouls were insane. Tell me why he was called for playing great defense. Get it together refs this is the NBA Finals not the Summer League.     

Travie McCoy (ft T-Pain & Young Cash) "The Manual"

Gucci Mane "Everybody Looking" official video!!!!!

"WTH" Moment of the Day....Salma Hayek jumps out of chair during an interview while snake came on the set!!!!

Ol Skool Video of the Week....Ice Cube "Today Was A Good Day" official video!!!! chosen by Ronald Carthen

"World Cup Predicitons Round of 16" by Ronald Carthen

I can't wait to set my alarm in the morning and get ready to watch the first World Cup match of the day between South Africa and Mexico. I enjoy watching 32 soccer teams and many soccers fans show great passion to the greatest sporting event every four years. Today we take a look at who I think will win the 2010 World Cup. A couple of days ago I chose the top teams of each group that'll move on to the second round. I can't wait to show everyone who I think will take home the golden trophy and brag for the next four years how they took some of the best soccer players around the world. Here are my predictions and let the debates begin.

Second Round
(1C) England over (2D) Ghana
(2B) Nigeria over (1A) France 
England will meet Nigeria in the Quarterfinals 

(1G) Brazil over (2H) Switzerland
(1E) Netherlands over (2F) Paraguay
Brazil will meet Netherlands in the Quarterfinals  

(1B) Argentina over (2A) Mexico
(2C) USA over (1D) Germany
Argentina will meet USA in the Quarterfinals

(1H) Spain over (2G) Portugal
(1E) Italy over (2E) Cameroon
Spain will meet Italy in the Quarterfinals

Quarterfinals
(1C) England over (2B) Nigeria
(1G) Brazil over (1E) Netherlands
England will meet Brazil in the Semifinals

(1B) Argentina over (2C) USA
(1H) Spain over (1E) Italy
Argentina will meet Spain in the Semifinals 

Semifinals
(1G) Brazil over (1C) England
(1B) Argentina over (1H) Spain
Argentina will meet Brazil in the Finals

Finals
(1B) Argentina over (1G) Brazil
Argentina wins the World Cup for the first time since 1986!!!!!

"Derek Fisher saves Lakers in Boston" by Ronald Carthen

Kobe Bryant was so tired in the fourth quarter as I thought the Lakers was going to fall apart at any minute. Who would of ever thought Derek Fisher would drop 11 of his 16 points in the fourth quarter to give the Lakers a 91-84 win over the Celtics and lead the series 2-1. I feel bad for Kevin Garnett for playing such a great game but where was Paul Pierce, Rajon Rondo, and especially Ray Allen. Allen was 0-for-the entire basketball game. Let's take a look of what I learned in Game 3 of this contest.

Derek Fisher takes over Boston in the 4th quarter!!!!!

Kobe played well in the first three quarters of the game, but in the fourth quarter he struggled and he was gasping for air at times as he was looking very tired. Fortunately for Kobe, Derek Fisher came to the rescue and save the Lakers from a possible humiliating loss. Fisher only scored five point in the first three quarters of the game, but in the fourth quarter he took over the game like Rajon Rondo did in Game 2 of the finals. Fisher drop 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting in the four quarter and finished with 16 points in this contest. My play of the game was when Fisher took it down court, while the Celtics were not getting back, and made the toughest layup in the playoffs and the foul to extend the lead to seven with less then a minute left in the game. Kobe's reaction was priceless when he was pumping his fist and was happy to see his 35-year old teammate stepping up when it mattered most.

Kobe Bryant was great until the 4th quarter!!!!! 

Kobe Bryant had another brillant performance, at least in the first three quarters. Kobe drop 29 points, seven rebounds, four assists, two steals, and three blocks. In the fourth quarter, you couldn't tell he was looking so great. He only scored four points on 1-for-6 shooting when he is suppose to shine the most. You can tell he was out of gas and looked very fatigue. His shooting in the last two games has been a bit of a concern as well. The Celtics defense has made Kobe shoot only 18-for-49 in the last two games. He's only shooting over 39% in this entire series. On any other night when Kobe played as bad as he did in the fourth quarter, the Lakers would lose this game. The Lakers can't expect Fisher to play this well in the fourth quarter again. Kobe better figure out a way to make better shot selections. I will say his leadership continues to make his teammates better, especially when Kobe missed his shot, ran after his own offensive rebound and throws it to Andrew Bynum for a layup and the foul on Kevin Garnett. That showed heart and a lot of guts on that play.

Kevin Garnett bullied Pau Gasol all night long!!!!! 

Can you believe Kevin Garnett attacked Pau Gasol and made him look Ga-Soft like he did in the 2008 NBA Finals. KG drop 25 points on 11-for-16 shooting and grabbed six rebounds in this contest. He was very dominate in the paint as he was aggresive to the basket. He caught easy alley-oops, did a few spin moves, and made Gasol look scared to play some defense. In the fourth quarter, he continued to lead the charge to cut the Lakers lead 82-80 with more then 2:00 minutes left in the game, but that was as close as the Celtics would get in this game.  He tried to set the tempo of the game on scoring the Celtics first six points of the game, but too bad the rest of his starters didn't feed off his energy. Gasol only made 13 points on only 5-for-11 shooting and grabbed 10 rebounds. If he thinks the Lakers will continue to win as he struggles he can forget it. He has two more games in Boston and he better show up.

Where was the rest of the Celtics starters?????!!!!!  

Kevin Garnett played well but where was the rest of the starters on his team. Did they know that they were playing at home and had to win Game 3? The rest of his starters scored 33 points on 11-for-39 shooting, that's unacceptable. Don't get me started on Ray Allen as he went 0-for-13 shooting and only scored two points after playing the biggest game of his career when he made 32 points and eight three-pointers. I knew he wouldn't score 30 or more points again but this was outrageous. I'll give Rajon Rondo credit for eight assists in this game, but he only scored 11 points on 5-for-10 shooting. Can someone tell me where is Paul Pierce in this series? Pierce only scored 15 points but look at what's going on in this series. He's only averaging 16.3 points and only shooting over 36% shooting in the NBA Finals. The sad part was Luke Walton defended him almost as much as Ron Artest and he still couldn't get his shots. Let's see if he steps up in Game 4 in Boston, and by the way Pierce, you will have to win the championship in LA.

Lamar Odom finally shows up last night!!!!! 

Welcome to the NBA Finals Lamar Odom it's about time you showed up. Odom came off the bench and finally showed up in this game. After only scoring eight points on 3-for-9 shooting, he played 28 minutes and drop 12 points on 5-for-5 shooting. Thank you for finally playing some ball and now just maybe you can step up the rest of the NBA Finals. You are going to have to play well especially how good the Celtics bench has played in the last couple of games.       

Trey Songz "Already Taken" official video!!!!!

Redman "Lookin' Fly" official video!!!!!

"2010 World Cup Group Stage Predictions" by Ronald Carthen

I'm so excited that it's three more days until the World Cup in South Africa. Every four years I look forward to watching 32 teams battle on the soccer field to prove who's the best in the world. Today I'll break down who will be the top two teams in each group that will make it to the Round of 16. On Thursday, I'll predict who'll win the World Cup. Get ready soccer fans for a great event and let the debates begin.

Group A

1) France
- Forwards Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka will look to avenge their 2006 World Cup defeat over Italy and win the country's first WC since 1998.

2) Mexico
- Mexico has advance in the second round in thier last four World Cup appearances, but have they have not advance out of the second round since 1986. 37-year old Cuauhtemoc Blanco will have to lead the charge with great young players Carlos Vela, Giovani dos Santos, and Efrain Juarez, who all played for the 2005 U-17 World Cup team.

3) Uruguay
-  This will be their first WC appearance since 2002 and they haven't advance to the quarterfinals since 1970, when they finished fourth. Forwards Luis Suarez and Diego Floran will have to come up with big goals in the match in order to make the round of 16.

4) South Africa
- A host country has never failed to reach the second round, but I think South Africa will be the first. Steven Pinnear and Katlego Mphela will have to bring their European experience to this event.

Group B

1) Argentina   
- Lionel Messi, world player of the year will try to lead Argentina to their first WC title since 1986. Coach Diego Maradona led the team to the WC in '86 and now must lead his country to the grand prize.

2) Nigeria
- Nigeria missed the World Cup in 2006. Obafemi Martins and Ayegbeni Yakubu will look to send Nigeria to the second round for the first time since 1998. This is the club's fourth WC appearance.  

3) South Korea
- Park Ji-Sung and Ki Sung-Yong are looking to give South Korea the same success they had in the 2002, when they finished in the semifinals as the co-host of the WC.

4) Greece 
- This is only the second WC appearance for this club. I don't think Georgios Samaras and Theofanis Gekas will have enough fire power to succed in this tourney.

Group C 
1) England
- Losing captain Rio Ferdinand was a big lost for England, but I think Wayne Rooney will make it out of the quarterfinals for the first time since 1990, when they finished fourth in the WC.  

2) USA
- Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey will look to avenge their terrible 2006 WC and make it back to the round of 16 like they did in 2002, when they made it to the quarterfinals.

3) Slovenia
- Goalkeeper Smir Handanovic and Slovenia's defense allowed only four goals in 10 games of the qualifying group. They haven't made the round of 16 since 1990, when they were Yugoslavia.  

4) Algeria 
- This is Algeria's third WC appearance and their first since 1986. Antar Yahia and Yazid Mansouri will not be enough for this team to advance.

Group D
1) Germany
- Michael Ballack is out of the WC, but forwards Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski will score enough goals to get out of this group and look to give Germany their first WC title since 1990, when they were East Germany.   

2) Ghana
- Ghana made their WC debut in 2006 and advanced to the second round of the tourney. Stephen Appiah and Sulley Muntari will try to make this team become the first African to make it to the semifinals.

3) Serbia
- This will be Serbia's first WC as a seperate nation. Dejan Stankovic and Milan Jovanovic will look take this team to the second round for the first time since 1998.    

4) Australia
- This will be Australia's third WC appearance. In 2006, they made it as far as the second round. I don't expect Tim Cahill and goalkeeper Mark Schwarzer and help this team to get out of this tough group.

Group E
1) Netherlands
- Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben will look to give this country their first ever World Cup. They haven't advance out of the second round of the World Cup since 1998.    

2) Cameroon
- Cameroon hasn't made it to the second round since 1990. Samuel Eto'o and company are looking to make a great run after missing the WC in 2006.

3) Denmark
- This will be Denmark's fourth WC appearance and their first since 2002. Denmark has always made it out of the first round but I think Nicklas Bendtner and Denmark will miss the first round for the first time.

4) Japan
- Japan has made it to the World Cup three times since 1998. Shinji Okazaki and company will not advance in the second round like they did in 2002. 

Group F
1) Italy 
- The defending WC champs will play well in this group. Goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon and midfielder Andrea Pirlo will keep this team in line for another WC title.  

2) Paraguay
- Paraguay has never made it past the second round of the WC. Oscar Cardozo and Roque Santa Cruz will help this team advance to the second round, but will they advance to the quarterfinals is the big question.

3) Slovakia
- This will be Slovakia's first WC since 1990 and their first as an independant country. Robert Vittek will look to give this team the first WC title but they won't get pass Paraguay. 

4) New Zealand
- This will be New Zealand's first WC appearance since they made their debut in 1982. Ryan Nelsen and Shane Smeltz will look to give their country something to watch but it won't last.

Group G
1) Brazil
- Brazil is the only team to play in every World Cup. Kaka and Luis Fabiano will look to give Brazil their first WC since 2002. I hope they play better then they did in 2006, when they lost in the quarterfinals.

2) Portugal
- Cristiano Ronaldo will look to give Portugal their first World Cup title. They finished fourth in the 2006 WC.

3) Ivory Coast 
- Didier Drogba's broken arm will hurt the Ivory Coast's chances in this tourney. I don't see them playing well without him in their second WC appearance.

4) North Korea  
- This is North Korea's second World Cup and their first since 1966. Hong Yong-Jo and his squad don't stand a chance. 
Group H
1) Spain
- David Villa and Fernando Torres will look to win Spain their first WC. They should have no problem getting out of this group.

2) Switzerland
- Switzerland has made it to the second round five times but hasn't made the quarterfinals since 1954. Tranquillo Barnetta and Alexander Frei will pass Chile and make it to their third straight second round appearance.

3) Chile
- This will be Chile's first World Cup since 1998. Alexis Sanchez and Matias Fernandez will not be enough to get pass Switzerland and move to the next round.

4) Honduras
- This is only Honduras's second WC appearance and their first since 1982. Carlos Pavon and David Suazo will not be enough to get pass this group.