Sports Right Now - Jan. 22, 2009

By Joshua Wilson
Fenway2Freeway.com

My 2009 NBA Eastern Conference All-Stars

1st Team
Guard - Dwayne Wade: Playing the highest level of basketball in the world right now.
Guard - Danny Granger: Although he is not eligible at guard on the NBA's official ballot, Granger deserves to start and certainly can play the SG.
Forward - LeBron James: More confidence and better results with his shooting this year...scary.
Forward - Kevin Garnett: Numbers don't tell the true story of KG's level of play.
Center - Dwight Howard: MVP-consideration is warranted.

2nd Team
Guard - Devin Harris: Lighting-quick PG has cooled slightly since his sizzling start.
Guard - Joe Johnson: One of few constants among the oft-injured yet successful Hawks squad.
Forward - Andre Iguodala: Needs to play at this recent level with or without Elton Brand on the court.
Forward - Antawn Jamison: Playing for the miserable Wizards, but still producing strong individual efforts.
Center - Chris Bosh: 6'10" Bosh deserves to be grouped with the best big-men in the league. Really only plays center when necessary and is the third best forward in the East, but I'm not comfortable picking a true center from the East.

Last Two
Guard - Jameer Nelson: Most improved player outside of Devin Harris. Deserves the all-star accolade.
Guard - Ray Allen: By a slight margin over Rajon Rondo. He is the consummate professional, and his jump shot is a thing of beauty.

My 2009 NBA Western Conference All-Stars

1st Team
Guard - Chris Paul: Quietly dominating the league again at 6'0" and 23 years old.
Guard - Kobe Bryant: Reigning MVP now looking for 4th NBA Title.
Forward - Dirk Nowitzki: Carrying the Mavs, while Amare just not doing it.
Forward - Tim Duncan: Stepped up enormously with Ginobili and Parker hurt. Has Spurs poised for a strong second half.
Center - Yao Ming: Slight nod over Shaq because Yao has stayed healthy and kept Rockets competitive in West.

2nd Team
Guard - Chauncey Billups: Definition of a winner.
Guard - Brandon Roy: Killer instincts and clutch shots have Roy in the upper echelon of superstars in the league.
Forward - Amare Stoudemire: Hasn't played his best ball so far this season.
Forward - Pau Gasol: Kobe trusts him and it's not hard to see why.
Center - Shaquille O'Neal: Playing physical and smart has given Shaq a second wind.

Last Two
Guard - Tony Parker: Collected 55 points, 10 assists in fourth game of the year and hasn't looked back since, maintaining career-bests of 20.4 points and 6.7 assists per contest.
Forward/Center - Al Jefferson: The T-Wolves big gets the nod over other deserving candidates, Kevin Durant and Paul Millsap.

NFL Tidbits.
Thank goodness the Patriots intend to place the franchise tag on Matt Cassell, as I'm increasingly worried about Tom Brady. The 3-time Super Bowl champ is 31-years old, coming off multiple surgeries, and apparently, in love. Brady and Gisele are supposedly engaged. Tough to blame Brady as the Brazilian supermodel is freaking gorgeous, but I just hope she doesn't make the Patriots QB go soft (please note the sexual innuendo).

I'm not saying this is a Tony Romo-type tabloid-overload situation that affects the whole team, but I am saying that it would be comforting to have Cassell as security.

Naming Children after Sports.
Kevin James named his daughter Shea after the Mets stadium that closed in 2008. Here is what the King of Queens star said, "I have been a Mets fan my whole life and [have] such good memories going to Shea Stadium. Her middle name is Joelle after my dad Joe who passed away. I brought it in because he used to take me to Shea all the time."

Eric Mangini, the former Jets coach and current Browns coach, named his son Zach Brett Mangini. The middle name was a tribute to QB Brett Favre, and it's notable that the child was born between Week 5 and 6. The Mangini's also have another son named Luke William, which is in honor of Patriots coach Bill Belichick. Coach Mangini might want to think twice about how both relationships deteriorated soon after giving out the honorary names, although it's only a middle name.

FIFA World Player of the Year for 2008.
Christiano Ronaldo (Man Utd) won the award. Lionel Messi (Barcelona) finished second and Fernando Torres (Liverpool), third.

Kobe Bryant's 81 Points - Anniversary Today.
The following video condenses the remarkable 81 points into 3-minutes of basketball brilliance.