The brand new site, SportsFullCircle 2.0, is set to launch on Jan. 1, 2012! This is something I have been wanting to do and am very excited to finally put into motion after a year or so of planning.

With the new site comes new opportunity. SFC is accepting more writer applications than ever before, so if you are interested in writing, simply shoot an email to jonalba@sportsfullcircle.com!

As for the site itself, I apologize for any slowness or messiness, as I am required to do some format changes in the coming days as I prepare for the new site. All in all, have a great holiday season, and I look forward to showing you the brand new features of SportsFullCircle soon!

With the holiday season upon us, it can only mean one thing. No, Santa isn’t coming to town yet, nor is it time to light the candles on the Menorah, but it is time for the Bowl Bash to begin! Here are my predictions and analysis of each of the bowl games upcoming this bowl season:

Gildan New Mexico Bowl

The first game of the bowl season will see the Temple Owls (8-4), expected to be contending for the MAC title this season, against the surprising Cowboys of Wyoming (8-4). The difference maker in this game will be Temple’s junior running back Bernard Pierce, who averages 125.5 yards per game on the ground. My Prediction:  Temple 20, Wyoming 10

Famous Idaho Potato Bowl

The once again renamed bowl on the blue turf of Boise will see the runner-up in the MAC title race Ohio Bobcats (9-4) face Utah State (7-5) from the Western Athletic Conference.The duo of Utah State quarterback Adam Kennedy and running back Robert Turbin will be a sight to see, while Ohio attempts to finish the season with double digit wins. My Prediction:  Ohio 27, Utah State 24

R+L Carriers New Orleans Bowl

The New Orleans Bowl will certainly be a showcase of high-powered offense. San Diego State (8-4) averages 29.8 points per game, while Louisiana-Lafayette (8-4) averages 32.3 points per game. The game will also showcase the country’s third leading rusher, the Aztecs’ Ronnie Hillman. My Prediction:  San Diego State 37, Louisiana-Lafayette 21

Beef ‘O’ Brady’s Bowl

Florida International (8-4) continues their upswing, bowl eligible once again under the leadership of quarterback Wesley Carroll. Meanwhile, Marshall’s Thundering Herd (6-6) look to finish the season with a winning record after finishing the season on a two game win streak to become bowl eligible. Florida International’s T.Y. Hilton will be looking for a number of passes from Carroll to come his way, averaging 14.8 yards per catch. Meanwhile, Marshall brings a slew of players from Florida, looking for a bowl win in the Sunshine State. My Prediction:  Florida International 31, Marshall 21

Poinsettia Bowl

This Christmas week staple this year features a western title battle, as Mountain West champ TCU (10-2, #18 BCS) battling WAC champ Louisiana Tech (8-4). TCU looks to continue their bowl dominance one year removed from a Rose Bowl victory over Wisconsin. Louisiana Tech meanwhile will be making their sixth bowl appearance in school history, facing a tough TCU defense that helped the team win ten of their last eleven games. My Prediction:  TCU 50, Louisiana Tech 16

Las Vegas Bowl

When Boise State (11-1, #7 BCS) isn’t playing in BCS bowl-land, they always seem to land in Vegas. And once again, after just missing out on the BCS after a close loss to TCU, the Broncos will head to Vegas to play the Sun Devils of Arizona State (6-6). Arizona State had a disappointing season overall, after starting the season as the favorites to win the Pac-12 South, they fell flat, jumping in and out of the BCS rankings before totally falling out late. Kellen Moore looks to pick apart the Sun Devils defense in Boise’s second home. My Prediction:  Boise State 52, Arizona State 27

Sheraton Hawaii Bowl

This Christmas Eve classic features another team that had BCS aspirations dashed by the system in Southern Mississippi (11-2, #21 BCS) holding court against the WAC’s (soon to be Mountain West’s) Nevada (7-5). After coach Larry Fedora sparked controversy by saying his Golden Eagles deserved a spot in the BCS after topping undefeated Houston in the Conference USA title game, the Southern Miss crowd will head to the Aloha State, looking to defeat the Wolfpack and quarterback Cody Fajardo, who leads Nevada’s eighth ranked rush attack. My Prediction:  Southern Mississippi 28, Nevada 17

Little Caesars Bowl

The second bowl out after Christmas will feature a frequent MAC championship contender in Western Michigan (7-5) takes on the resurgent Boilermakers of Purdue (6-6). Purdue returns to postseason form after being at the bottom of the Big Ten for years, while Western Michigan looks for a little home-field advantage while playing in Detroit. My Prediction:  Purdue 21, Western Michigan 17

Belk Bowl

The bowl in the Queen City will play host to in-state team NC State (7-5) against the Big East’s Louisville (7-5). Louisville was reinvigorated under the leadership of coach Charlie Strong, and was in the contention for a BCS birth down to the final week of the season. NC State, meanwhile, maintained from where they were under the leadership of last year’s quarterback Russell Wilson, and shocked the ACC ranks with a win against eventual champion Clemson (#7 in the BCS at the time). My Prediction:  Louisville 38, NC State 24

Armed Forces Bowl

The first in what ESPN is dubbing 12 hours of straight bowl games is the Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl between new independent BYU (9-3) taking on Tulsa (8-4) from Conference USA. BYU’s high-powered offense led by sophomore quarterback Jake Heaps will face a tough task of keeping up with the high-scoring Tulsa offense, led by running back Ja’Terian Douglas. This game will certainly be a high scoring affair, though I doubt it will reach the numbers in the previous night’s Alamo Bowl. My Prediction:  BYU 37, Tulsa 31

Pinstripe Bowl

The second year of the “Yankee Bowl” will see Rutgers (8-4) come across the river into New York to take on the Big 12′s Iowa State Cyclones (6-6). Rutgers is led by their standout wide receiver Mohammed Sanu, who is looking for a big game against the Cyclones D. However, the Cyclones come in looking to pull the upset after a huge win earlier this year in overtime, dashing Oklahoma State’s hopes at a national title game berth. My Prediction:  Rutgers 31, Iowa State 17

Music City Bowl

The Franklin American Mortgage Music City Bowl this year will pit Mississippi State (6-6) from the SEC against Wake Forest (6-6) from the ACC. Mississippi State comes into the game with a four game bowl win streak, and Dan Mullen plans to continue that streak against a surprising Demon Deacons squad that surprised many this year in the ACC. My Prediction:  Mississippi State 17, Wake Forest 14

More predictions to come as the bowl season continues…

Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images

According to Ken Rosenthal, the Miami Marlins have reached an agreement with former Chicago White Sox ace Mark Buehrle on a four-year, $58 million deal. The deal is unconfirmed at this point in time.

By signing the contract, Buehrle will be reunited with former White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, who was traded for and hired to helm the Marlins just a few months ago. Buerhle played eight seasons under Guillen.

In 12 seasons, Buehrle posts a 161-119 record overall, including a no-hitter and a perfect game to his accord. He also sports a 3.83 career ERA, and has mowed through 1396 batters over that time.

Prior to the move, the Marlins had been deadlocked in discussions with first baseman Albert Pujols alongside other ace on the market, C.J. Wilson. Buerhle, 32, will sign the contract after months of speculation over whether he may even retire.

Between the acquisitions of pitcher Heath Bell and shortstop Jose Reyes, the Marlins have now committed $191 million in just four days.

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“And they’re off!”

The winter meetings have officially begun in Dallas.  This has the potential to be the most exciting time of the offseason as teams will jockey for position in the race for Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder.  But it’s another name that is making headlines very early in the meetings.

Upon arrival, teams are learning that top-tier shortstop Jose Reyes is off the market.  Reyes agreed to a six-year deal worth $106 million. The deal is also said to have an option for a seventh year with a $4 million buyout, thus making the deal worth at least $110 million. So who was the team that outbid the Marlins $90 million offer? Why, it was the Marlins.

Upon hearing that Reyes would give the Mets a chance to counter Miami’s offer and the whispers that Milwaukee was planning to enter the race, the Marlins substantially bumped their initial offer to seal the deal as quickly as possible.  This agreement came on the same day that the Heath Bell signing became official, making it very clear that the Marlins are serious about being contenders. With Hanley Ramirez agreeing to move to third base, this gives the Marlins a very good left side. No one can deny that Reyes is a great pick up, but was this a wise business decision?

The positives are obvious but my favorite thing to do is look a the negative aspects of a deal. Lets state the facts.

Jose Reyes is a nine-year veteran of the league, having come up two months into the 2003 season and he has yet to realize his true potential due to a career riddled with injury. His rookie season was ended on Sept. 15 with a Grade-2 left ankle sprain.

In 2004, he strained his right hamstring and that sidelined him for three months. Later, in 2009, Reyes left the game on May 21 with a right calf strain. It was later determined that Reyes had a tear in his right hamstring tendon and he missed the rest of the season.

2010 saw three separate trips the the disabled list.  In his contract year last year, despite playing very well, he played only 126 games.  That is far too few for a player in the prime of his career.  What is most troubling about Reyes is that the majority of his time spent on the DL has been because of his legs. That is a glaring issue for any player, but even worse for one whose game relies on speed.

After analyzing all the injury data on Jose Reyes, it’s hard to believe the Marlins gave any of this a thought before paying out such a large amount of their money.  Was it necessary to pay him so much or could they have landed him with the previous offer of $90 million? When you have the winning bid on eBay, you don’t go ahead and up it anyway.  I don’t believe there was any real competition in the Jose Reyes sweepstakes (a fact that should be a red flag).

The Wilpon’s are running a small market team in a large market and it’s time that people recognize that.  There was no way they were going to compete with a $90 million offer.  Milwaukee may have been interested, but an offer was not yet made.  The Marlins simply outbid themselves to win Jose Reyes. In doing so, they effectively swelled the contract and now it will be way more difficult to unload in a trade should they ever need to do so.

The Marlins have made it there goal to become the official team of Hispanic America. Reyes is an attractive option with this goal in mind but I can’t help but think that this goal clouded the teams judgement on the deal and maybe they were a bit trigger happy.  As always, time will tell. All in all, good acquisition at a bad price.

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Ken Rosenthal has reported that the Miami Marlins have agreed to a deal with Jose Reyes. The deal is said to be a six-year deal worth $106 million. There is no confirmation on the signing as of yet.

Reyes has played nine seasons in Major League Baseball, all with the New York Mets. Over his career, he sports a .292 batting average alongside 1300 career hits and 423 RBI’s. He won the 2011 batting title as he hit .337 in 537 at-bats for New York.

The Marlins had been long-rumored to be in pursuit of the superstar shortstop, and had already acquired Heath Bell on a three-year deal earlier in the week. Miami is also said to be making a move towards signing White Sox ace Mark Buehrle, as he played under new manager Ozzie Guillen while in Chicago.

Mets general manager Sandy Alderson stated earlier in the day that if the Marlins over was as high as being reported, he would not be able to top it. This appears to in fact be true, as the MLB Winter Meetings kick off tomorrow. A Reyes signing is expected to be announced.

Follow Jon Alba on Twitter for more on this story.

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Peyton Manning is considered to be one of the greatest quarterbacks of our generation. He turned a 3-13 team around in the matter of one season and has consistently kept the Colts on an elite level. An early first-round exit in last year’s playoffs and numerous neck surgeries later, Manning faces possibilities of retirement or even being traded to another team.

In the 1998 NFL Draft, the biggest question was, “Ryan Leaf or Peyton Manning?” Then-general manager Bill Polian had to deal with more than just one issue. The good news was Polian had some experience under his belt, winning Executive of the Year four times with the Carolina Panthers and the Buffalo Bills.

Through the 1995-1997 seasons, the Colts went from a surprising AFC Championship team to a complete mess. Since the loss to the Steelers in that 1995 game, Polian fired his head coach, released the starting quarterback, and was now working under new owner Jim Irsay. Polian responded by drafting Peyton Manning with his first-overall pick in the 1998 NFL Draft and hiring Jim Mora Sr. as the new head coach.

Of course as we all know, this decision paid off big time. After a 1998 season when the Colts and a rookie Manning went a miserable 3-13, Indianapolis then went on to 13-3 in the 1999 season and clinch their division. At the time, this was the biggest comeback season of any team in the history of the league. Peyton Manning has been consistent ever since, even claiming a Super Bowl title in 2006.

Fast-forward to the 2011 season. Peyton Manning has been sitting out all year with neck injuries. He even had one surgery before the season even started. Without Manning this season, the Colts are 0-11 and could be the rightful owners of the first pick in the 2012 NFL Draft. That pick might be used to draft QB prospect Andrew Luck, as many people are assuming.

Why would the Colts draft a quarterback with their first pick if they already have one? Peyton Manning is entering the twilight of his career; the late 30′s. Along with that, his health is starting to deteriorate. Everyone can see that the Colts offense is lost without a legitimate quarterback. Mostly everyone is saying that Luck would be the perfect quarterback for Manning to “pass the torch” to.

What will Manning do now in this situation? If the Colts draft Luck, they might be forced to trade Manning. Why would you spend $40 million on two quarterbacks, one who won’t even be on the field? Teams that make sense to trade for Peyton Manning are the Washington Redskins, Miami Dolphins, Denver Broncos, Minnesota Vikings, and New York Jets. Manning might be even forced to retire because of his injuries.

To be talking about trading or the retirement of one of the greatest quarterbacks to ever play the game is a disgrace. But it’s just another part of the sports world. People have to understand that the NFL isn’t all about football, but mainly all business. If one man goes down, another man steps up. This is the same for every elite athlete. From Joe Namath to Brett Favre, NFL stars have their highs and lows. Peyton Manning, as much as we all love him, is another victim of this sad trend.

Stephen Dunn/Getty Images

It’s round two of my many mock drafts. The standings have changed somewhat and the values of players have also changed based on their performances. As always please comment with your own questions or suggestions for picks of your favorite team. Also a second round will be added around Christmas when the regular season is over for college football.

ROUND 1

1) Colts- ANDREW LUCK, QB STANFORD
Don’t believe the talk, Andrew Luck is THAT good. Jim Irsay has stated that Peyton Manning is fine with the team taking a Quarterback with its first round selection. Despite this, there’s once again a monkey wrench in this pick. Peyton is recovering better of late (so say the media) and he has stated he should be fine for the 2012 season. Andrew Luck has stated that he doesn’t want to sit. He will request a trade or go back for a fifth season, which he is eligible to do. This could present a problem for the Colts as the draft gets closer. If they don’t trade Peyton or the pick, Trent Richardson is becoming more and more likely.

2) Rams- MATT KALIL, OT USC
Yes the Rams do need some defense, but when the next Walter Jones/ Orlando Pace/ Jake Long is coming out at tackle when you desperately need to protect your franchise quarterback, the obvious pick is Kalil.

3) Vikings- MORRIS CLAIBORNE, CB LSU
So despite the dominant front four the Vikings have, their defense is still not up to snuff. There 28th in the league against the pass and as I stated in my last mock the wide receiving talent is so deep that I see Claiborne the pick over Blackmon.

4) Panthers- QUENTIN COPLES, DE NORTH CAROLINA
The Panthers need any defense they can get and Coples is the best defensive lineman by far in this draft. Coples is the pick.

5) Jaguars- JUSTIN BLACKMON, WR OKLAHOMA ST
Well Jacksonville I have caved. All I have heard is how the plan is to let Gabbert throw the ball more and become their next Brunell. Well if that’s the plan, you need a true number one receiver. Blackmon may not be the most skilled physically as Michael Floyd is taking scouts by storm, but he’s the best route runner and the pick here for the Jags.

6) Seahawks- MATT BARKLEY, QB USC
USC connection strikes again for Pete Carrol. The Seahawks need a quarterback desperately to provide balance to their offense and take it back to the level it was at in the mid 2000’s. Barkley has proven to me that he is clearly the second best QB in the draft rather than Landry Jones. His accuracy is very good and he has shown great command over his offense. The question with Barkley, which is the question with most of the USC QB’s to come out lately, is his arm strength and the ability to make tough NFL throws. We’ll have to wait and see but I think he can.

7) Cardinals- RILEY REIFF, OT IOWA

The Cardinals next year will need to protect Kevin Kolb, or whoever is quarterbacking, much better than they have this year. I love every lineman out of Stanford this year and  Reiff is no different. Not only can he pass block, but he can provide stability at the tackle position for a team that struggles to block the better pass rushers in the NFC.

8) Redskins- LANDRY JONES, QB OKLAHOMA
This is a tough decision here for Washington. Trent Richardson is available, which would definitely be the feature back Shanahan is looking for, but Jones could be the quarterback they desperately need. I right now think Jones would be the pick but I see some obvious flaws. For starters he needs to improve his accuracy. Jones has a tendency to miss throws that in the NFL he must make. Two he has obvious Brett Favre-itis, if you will. He forces too many throws to his number one read on a play rather than going to his second and third reads. I currently say Jones is the pick, but that could change fast.

9) Browns- TRENT RICHARDSON, RB ALABAMA
Cleveland has decided that they will not resign Peyton Hillis, which means they need a feature back. There’s nothing Richardson can’t do well at the running back position so this is a no brainer.

10) Chargers- DRE KIRKPATRICK, CB ALABAMA
The Chargers need secondary so badly. They can’t stop anyone who can pass even a little. Kirkpatrick good man coverage will go a long way towards improving their back seven.

11) Dolphins- LUKE KEUCHLY, MLB BOSTON COLLEGE
Based on the top three quarterbacks being gone I don’t see the fish reaching for Ryan Tannehill or anyone like that. Keuchly is flying up draft boards and could make the front seven of the Dolphins one of the best in the league. Truthfully in this scenario, I see the Dolphins trading the pick, but in this case where there are no trades, I see Keuchly as a great fit.

12) Buccaneers- JONATHAN MARTIN, OT STANFORD

Just from watching the Bucs o-line this season they appear to be both inconsistent and not very talented. Martin is a good run blocking offensive lineman, the question is whether he can protect Freeman at a high level. But for a team that wants to get back to pounding the rock and playing defense, Martin makes sense.

13) Bills- MICHAEL FLOYD, WR NOTRE DAME
Anybody heard of a guy named Randy Moss? Terrell Owens? Well meet the next of freak wide receivers. Floyd is an absolute monster, incredible body control, great hands, ridiculous leaping ability and a great blocker. Best part, he’s currently not rated as the best wide out. What a steal here for the Bills.

14) Eagles- VONTAZE BURFECT, MLB ARIZONA ST
Obviously the Eagles need linebackers and since Burfect is a walking clone of some of the best linebackers to play the position in terms of his sideline to sideline speed and tackling ability, he’s the obvious choice.

15) Titans- DAVID DECASTRO, OG STANFORD
Giving CJ2K the benefit of the doubt for his poor season, the Titans need to block better for Johnson. DeCastro is a phenomenal guard and one of the best offensive linemen in a good offensive line draft. Another one of my underrated players in this draft, I like this fit.

16) Chiefs- DEVON STILL, DT PENN ST
Here’s a test. How do you fix a run defense that’s 28th in the league? By picking the best 3-4 defensive tackle in the draft to sure up your defensive line. Still, despite his last game, has flown up draft boards because of his great pursuit to the ball on running plays. Another option here is Manti Te’o, the MLB for Notre Dame, but because of Derrick Johnson’s strong play I like Still.

17) Broncos- RYAN TANNEHILL, QB TEXAS A&M
I don’t care what Tim Tebow has done. No team can win a super bowl in this era with the 31st rank passing offense. Tannehill is the next best quarterback and must be the pick, no questions asked, no other options, unless it’s another quarterback.

18) Bears- COURTNEY UPSHAW, OLB ALABAMA
Whether the Bears resign Lance Briggs or not, they still need an outside linebacker and still need linebacking depth. Upshaw’s pass rushing ability with Julius Peppers would make this front seven absolutely incredible.

19) Jets- MARK BARRON, S ALABAMA
Eric Smith, while he has been good, makes too many mental mistakes to be the long term option. Barron is a beast, good against the pass, ridiculous against the run and a great tackler. Rex Ryan, here’s your Troy Polamalu.

20) Giants- MANTI TE’O MLB, NOTRE DAME
Another easy pick. Te’o is the best MLB on the board and the Giants need a dominant linebacker. Michael Boley, while playing middle, is actually an outside linebacker. Te’o has incredible sideline to sideline speed as do the other two middle linebackers mentioned.

21) Bengals- ALSHON JEFFREY, WR SOUTH CAROLINA
Do the Bengals have more pressing needs? Sure. But remember, they have two first round picks due to the Carson Palmer deal. Jeffrey is a monster 6’4 230 lbs. He’s not the fastest guy, but he is a great possession receiver and a phenomenal red zone target. Lining him up opposite AJ Green and with Dalton at quarterback would make that offense something incredible to watch in a few years.

22) Lions- ALFONZO DENNARD, CB NEBRASKA
I’ve watched Dennard play a few times this year because I’m a Michigan fan. He is really good. He plays terrific press coverage and has a great nose for the ball. I think he needs to become a better tackler, but he is another one of my underrated first rounder’s and a great fit for the Lions.

23) Browns via Falcons- CORDY GLENN, OG GEORGIA
Glenn hasn’t been great this year, but he’s much better then he’s played. He’s a terrific run blocker and for a team that likes to pound the football, he should fit right in. The question mark is his pass blocking. He’s given up a ton of sacks and has struggled to pick up assignments when teams run blitzes at Georgia’s offensive line, but Alex Mack and Joe Thomas should be able to help him learn.

24) Texans- BRANDON THOMPSON, DT CLEMSON
The Texans have completely revamped their defense and made it one of the best in the league. Shaun Cody has played well, but he’s not the long term answer at nose tackle. Thompson gives then a big nose tackle that plays the run very well. Thompson is a great fit for Houston.

25) Bengals via Raiders- LAMAR MILLER, RB MIAMI FLORIDA
No change here. The Bengals know Cedric Benson is not the guy for the future and Miller is the second best running back in the draft.

26) Cowboys- JANORIS JENKINS, CB NORTHERN ALABAMA
As I said in my last mock draft, Jenkins can fall to the late first round, early second round because of his character flaws and off the field issues. He is incredibly talented and a god cover corner with supreme ball hawking skill and athleticism, but his comparisons to Adam “Pacman” Jones has scouts and teams worried. One team that generally doesn’t worry about character flaws is Dallas, so I see Dallas jumping on his talent and ignoring the issues.

27) Steelers- MELVIN INGRAM, DE SOUTH CAROLINA
The Steelers do need to sure up their defensive lineman and Ingram has top 15 talent. He’s a great pass rusher, solid against the run, and for a team aging in the front seven, Ingram makes sense here.

28) 49ers- JAYRON HOSLEY, CB VIRGINIA TECH
The 49ers need secondary help, but the question will become whether this pick will be Hosley or Brandon Boykin. Boykin is playing extremely well of late and Hosley gives up too many big plays for me to say without question he’s a first round pick. I’ll give the edge to Hosley for now, but look for Boykin to potentially move ahead of him if Hosley doesn’t step up.

29) Patriots via Saints- KEVIN RIDDICK OLB NORTH CAROLINA
DE-FENSE (clap clap). THE PATRIOTS STILL DON’T HAVE IT!!!!!! I don’t care how “well” they have looked against offensively challenged teams of late, when Julian Edelman, A WIDE RECEIVER, is playing nickel back for your team, you have issues.

30) Patriots- BRANDON BOYKIN, CB GEORGIA
Guess what has changed for their last pick? Nothing. They’re still picking defense.

31) Ravens- ZEBRIE SANDERS, OT FLORIDA STATE
With the uncertainty of losing Ben Grubbs to free agency, I think the Ravens will look to bolster their offensive line. I like Sanders’s size and run blocking ability and I think he would fit in well with the Ravens.

32) Packers- ALAMENDA TA’AMU, DT WASHINGTON
While B.J Raji has played well, they still look like they’re missing Cullen Jenkins. The Pack haven’t been the best defensive team despite being 11-0 this year. Ta’amu (6’2 334 lbs) can add attitude and another big, physical presence to a defensive line that always gets hurt. Plus he could play an end for the Packers because they play a 3-4 defense. Is he quick? No. However, as long as he takes up space, he can create lanes for the pass rushers that the Packers have, similar to what the Ravens did in the late 90’s, early 2000’s with Tony Siragusa and Sam Adams.

Tom Pennington/Getty Images

It smells like Christmas. And no, not ironically because the tentatively resolved NBA season is positioned to start with its signature Christmas Day slate of games; but because it is ripe with potential. Just brimming with possibilities.

The NBA’s David Aldridge already highlighted the 10 things he is looking forward to; it’s totally a great read. So while he covers the season’s top concerns, I wanted to bring attention to the top 3 concerns presented by an issue not discussed in the article: the condensed season length. So without further ado, here is my new column.

Jared Greenspan’s: The Trinity

At the forefront of this issue is the modification of the season’s length.

1) 66 Games – Yeah, we know its more than the previous lockout in which NBA teams only played 50, but how exactly will the season’s dynamic be effected by such a transition? As far as the schedule’s proposed structure, each team would play approximately 48 conference games, and 18 games against the opposing conference. This means each team only plays three teams in the other conference on each of their respective home courts.

This is a game-changer for young rebuilding franchises like the Golden State Warriors and the Los Angeles Clippers, who could potentially be on the cusp of a playoff-berth. If they only have to play an eastern powerhouse like Miami or the Bulls once on and on their home court, they have a shot at obtaining the seventh or eighth seed in the rugged Western Conference. At least in Golden State’s case, they will be heading towards the lottery if they are the one team in their division slumming a back-to-back-to-back road-trip against the Knicks, Celtics and the Magic respectively.

2) Age – You look at teams like the Spurs who have been poised for their “final” championship run for the last five years and you see the young guns like Memphis who upset them during the playoffs. So does 16 less games help or hinder the “old guard” (think Spurs, Celtics, Lakers)?

As an avid Spurs fan, I note that this is definitely a disadvantage. Remember, just because the season only lost 16 games, does not discount the fact that it lost more than 16 games worth of days. This is not Shane Battier’s ideal 70 game season, which would stretch 70 games over the normal season length. There are going to be more back to backs and less three and four-day rests. It probably won’t aid younger teams like the Oklahoma City Thunder as much as people might think, because we have seen young, vital pieces like a Kendrick Perkins get hurt mid-season.

3) Chemistry – Yes, this would be something to talk about even if there was no impending lockout which cast a black cloud over the NBA season. No, there is not a team shrouded in question marks like Miami was last year. With that being said, one could easily make the argument that a shortened training camp will lead to a hyper integration of all offseason acquisitions.

Rookies are going to have to hit the ground running, but free agents and trade bait are going to have to learn alot about new environments very quickly, and adapt even faster. Statistically speaking, the Knicks did not get any better after acquiring Carmelo Anthony mid-season. This means that an effective sign-and-trade deal for big names such as Dwight Howard, Chris Paul and Deron Williams will probably be executed sooner rather than later, if at all.

With teams vying for free agents, it will be very interesting to see not only which pieces fit where, but whether or not they will integrate properly into a new system. More to come on that free agency as the season draws closer.

Go NBA, Go Spurs, Go SportsFullCircle – its great to be back.

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The NBA owners and the NBAPA have tentatively agreed to a new labor contract, league commissioner David Stern announced early Saturday morning.

“We’ve reached a tentative understanding that is subject to a variety of approvals and very complex machinations,” Stern said following Friday’s final 15-hour negotiating session. “But we’re optimistic that that will all come to pass, and that the N.B.A. season will begin on Dec. 25, Christmas Day, with a tripleheader.”

The 2011-2012 season will consist of 66 games, with Christmas Day featuring three contests between the Knicks/Celtics, Heat/Mavericks, and Bulls/Lakers respectively. Any remaining games for the season will be released in a re-constructed schedule later in the week.

In 1999, a 50-game schedule was played after a lockout too held that season short. Since there is a pressing need to accommodate for a short schedule this time as well, the season has been pushed back into late-April, moving the playoffs deeper into the summer as well.

While a deal has been agreed upon, there is still some work to be done. Issues such as drug testing, the age-limit, D-League concerns, and the actual ratification of the collective bargaining agreement are on the table, but can be settled amidst the reformation process. The players must also recertify their union.

The agreement is expected to be worth 10 seasons, with an option for either side to opt-out after six. It is the longest deal in league history.

NYT reporter Howard Beck believes that the deal undoubtedly favors the owners.

“The deal will feature a 50-50 split of revenues, but with the possibility of the players making as much as 51 percent or as little as 49, depending on whether the league exceeds or falls short of projections,” says Beck. “The players had been earning 57 percent.”

Free-agency and training camp will both start on Dec. 9, creating a whirlwind of excitement going into a season that few have seen before.

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Last night, I was fortunate enough to be in attendance for the 25th edition of WWE’s Survivor Series. Madison Square Garden was electric, and the place was as packed as it could be. Unfortunately, certain things did not pan out as the 16,749 in the building made sure their displeasure was known.

First though, let us review some of the night’s action.

United States Championship match: Dolph Ziggler def. John Morrison

Let me make this clear from the start: Zack Ryder needed to be in this match. There was literally no reason for him not to be.

To say the crowd was hot for Ryder is an understatement. Prior to the show beginning, there were no “Rocky” chants, but those requesting for Ryder instead. This was in essentially his home town, and he had been pushed to the moon in the past few weeks.

So was there a logical explanation for him to not be in it? Perhaps they want to extend the feud unnecessarily longer? Who knows, but come next month’s pay-per-view, Ryder will be the U.S. champion.

As for the match itself, Ziggler proved why he is one of the best in the company. He has a way of selling like few others in the business do, and he had a huge pop to go alongside him. Very little of the crowd was pro-Morrison, and many at the arena knew it could possibly have been his final match with WWE.

Even so, it was an enjoyable match with a great finish by Ziggler, and kicked off the night with an energized start.

It should also be noted, however, that before the Ryder run-in, the screen displayed part of Zack Ryder’s video with no music playing, spoiling it. Even so, crowd went insane.

Match grade: 7.5/10

Lumberjill match for WWE Diva’s Championship: Beth Phoenix def. Eve Torres

Many will roll their eyes about how this was an average match for the girls, but I honestly enjoyed it. It is a pleasure to say I have seen Beth Phoenix in the ring, because she honestly is one of the best the division has ever seen.

Not to mention, give much credit to Eve. Her ring-work has improved greatly over the past few months, and she has taken some brutal spots of late. The finisher in this contest got the entire place riled up, and was a nice touch.

Certainly not the cleanest match, but not bad at all either.

Match grade: 6/10

Traditional Survivor Series 5-on-5 match: Team Barrett (Wade Barrett, Cody Rhodes, Dolph Ziggler, Hunico, and Jack Swagger) def. Team Orton (Randy Orton, Sheamus, Kofi Kingston, Sin Cara, and Mason Ryan)

I came into this match very excited about what was ahead. This match had a chance to showcase some of the best youth the company has to offer, and as an admitted mark for Rhodes, I was pulling for the heels to win this one.

The crowd was extremely hot for this one. Some excellent back-and-forth action between many of the competitors, even by Ziggler who got knocked off in the first two minutes. Mostly everybody had a solid outing in this one, and much of the match was very well-executed.

And then there was the botch hear around the world. Sin Cara and Kofi Kingston go for a double-rope dive, Cara gets caught, and ends up with a ruptured patella tendon.

Of course, you never wish injury on anybody, that is a given. Yet as it happened, I alongside several in attendance jumped out of their seats screaming at what had just occurred, as I believe a majority of the “smarks” are done with Cara. His run in WWE has been nothing short of a mess, be it from his early botches to his suspension to now this. His counterpart, Hunico, is a far better competitor than him, and could have stayed under the Cara mask if they had wished. I hope he has a speedy recovery, but there is no reason for them to bring him back.

Another note of pessimism I have is how much heat there is on Mason Ryan. There was virtually no pop for him whatsoever, and he still is dominated by Batista chants. However, Rhodes kick to Ryan’s face and subsequent elimination was one of the highlights of the match and even the night.

As for the rest of the match, some great spots were included, and the place erupted over the painfully predictable yet incredibly awesome RKO off the rope on Hunico to knock him out. The finish saw Barrett planting the Wasteland on Orton, who was outmatched 2-1 at that point. Orton has no problem putting people over, and it paid off, as both Barrett and Rhodes established themselves as legitimate contenders down the stretch with the win.

For the most part, only bad part of this match was Cara’s injury. Otherwise, very enjoyable contest.

Match grade: 8.5/10

World Heavyweight Championship match: Big Show def. Mark Henry via disqualification

Their match at Vengeance was spectacular. It was completely unexpected to see them move so well, and even with a no contest, everyone was left happy.

This one was a lot slower than their first encounter, and I do believe they wanted you to feel the build-up. What’s weird is that they’re starting to show Henry as a coward almost, as he squirmed out of the ring several times and ended up retaining the title via the low-blow. Henry doesn’t need that type of heel heat, as he alone as a dominant force who destroys everything works.

Nonetheless, cheers for both sides in this one, including a nice little “Sexual Chocolate” throwback. Highlight of the match and one of the highlights of the night was Big Show going to the top rope for the elbow drop, which many thought he’d bail on due to his inability at first to balance. For a short time, I believed we’d see the return of Kane when Henry went to crush Big Show’s leg, but it was nice to see the tables turn. The feud is still fresh, but the match was average until the final five minutes or so.

Match grade: 7/10

WWE Championship match: CM Punk def. Alberto Del Rio

I’ll be honest, I did not see this one coming. I fully believed they’d give Del Rio one more month with it and have Punk win at TLC. I won’t complain though.

It is truly amazing to witness in person how over CM Punk is. Months ago, this man was the most under-appreciated star in the business. Today, he’s larger than life.

Having  Howard Finkel announce Punk was unbelievable, and perhaps that was the biggest pop of the night by the audience. The Fink has the best voice the industry has ever seen, and it has been a long time since we’ve seen him. Classic Survivor Series moment that I can say I was a part of.

The bout got off to a little bit of a slow start, but picked up about halfway through. Thereafter, there were some fantastic maneuvers that kept a quick-pace and provided for some enjoyable spots.

Punk won the title just over 17 minutes into the match with the Anaconda Vice, which was a nice change from the typical GTS for the finish. Del Rio sold the move very well, scratching and clawing at Punk’s face just to break it. The crowd erupted as he tapped, and stood on their feet even as he dove into the first few rows up front.

Del Rio did a great job in this match, and Punk proves why he’s the best in the world. Certainly a match-of-the-year candidate.

Match grade: 9/10

Tag team match: John Cena/The Rock def. The Awesome Truth (R-Truth/The Miz)

Let the rant begin.

When Kevin Nash debuted at SummerSlam in August, that was supposed to be the beginning of the build-up for Survivor Series. When R-Truth and The Miz got in the face of Punk and Triple H after their Night of Champions match, that was supposed to be the build-up for Survivor Series. At Hell in a Cell, R-Truth and The Miz caused Cena to lose his title, and were working for a “higher power.” That was supposed to be the build-up for Survivor Series.

So where did this angle go? Nowhere. It was quickly abandoned. They spent three months building an angle that they never even remotely settled.

Instead, we’re left with this weird regular tag match featuring the return of The Rock. No implications were on the table, and had it not been Johnson’s return to the ring after a seven-year absence, this could have headlined RAW.

Nonetheless, the place went insane for The Rock, who looked absolutely fantastic in the ring. His physique in person is tremendous to see, and he really does have a power to captivate an audience like no other person in the business has ever had. The crowd even called for him not to tag in Cena.

This brings me to my next point. John Cena, whether he is actually a heel or not, will receive no love going into WrestleMania. The entire universe will be behind The Rock, and thus there is no reason for Cena to be a face. Even so, a brawl to end this would have accomplished something, just as long as they did not win. There needed to be some clear miscommunication between Rock and Cena, and it needed to cost them.

Instead, they go over. While the people got what they wanted to see in The Rock returning, this does nothing for either party. Awesome Truth, who once again proved they are legitimate with a solid performance in the ring, get completely buried. There is not a single scenario in which they benefit from this. On the other spectrum, the only scuffle occurred after the match, as The Rock laid out Cena. Even so, tension alone does nothing for their feud. It needs to escalate, and there needed to be a reason for that tension. Losing would have been the perfect way.

I know I am not alone in this sentiment. While people were happy to see The Rock do his thing, many around me were shocked with the finish as well. And it certainly was not a good shock.

Match grade: 5/10

As for the top pops and heat…

Top Pops:

1. The Rock
2. CM Punk
3. Zack Ryder
4. Howard Finkel
5. Randy Orton

Top Heat:

1. John Cena
2. Michael Cole
3. John Morrison
4. Alberto Del Rio
5. Jinder Mahal

Overall, Survivor Series as a very enjoyable experience to be a part of, with an incredible letdown of a main event. The crowd was absolutely insane, and undoubtedly had an effect on the atmosphere and overall progression of the card. It was one of the hottest crowds since Money in the Bank in Chicago for sure.

Unfortunately, the 25th edition of Survivor Series will be tainted with a main event that was more about ego than quality, and sent many fans home on a disappointed note.

Survivor Series grade: 7/10

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