BCS Championship

Mark Ingram and the tide are on their way to victory in the second quarter with a 7-6 lead. This may seem like a small lead, but with Texas' shining star at quarterback injured, it might get ugly.

Bay signs lucrative contract, looks to repair mets

Jason Bay will receive a multi-million dollar contract from the New York Mets. The former Red Sox right fielder was a premier offensive threat in the American League, carrying his team to the playoffs. For the Mets, the addition of Bay will improve their league worst home run total.

Signing Rating: A-

Boston Keeps Magic Contained

In game two of the five games on Christmas day, the Celtics beat the Magic with defense. They held the Magic to a meager eight points in the second quarter, where they outscored them by 12. Vince Carter was the lone star for Orlando, as he was the only Orlando player to have more than 20 points.

Lebron v. Kobe: Holiday Special

There has been an ongoing debate over who the best player in the NBA is. Is it Kobe Bryant, one of the most clutch performers in history, or King James? Could the best player even be Dwayne Wade or Carmelo Anthony? Many match ups this weekend might help us, especially when the Lakers take on the Cavaliers. Here are the cases for each superstar:

1.Kobe Bryant: What's not to like about Kobe. On offense he is silky smooth, pulling up from anywhere on the court. He also possesses super strength driving to the basket. He is also a lockdown defender who can guard anyone at anytime. He can play through injuries and is unstoppable in the fourth quarter. The only knock on him is that he is a ball-hog, something that is going away at this point in his career.
Offense:A+ Defense:A Teamwork:B+ Clutch:A+ Highlight Plays:A- Mentality:A

2.Lebron James: The King has to be in the talks of the leagues best player. He is unstoppable driving to the hoop, displaying unearthly slams. His three point shooting is a bit lacking, but he can knock down the deep shots when the game is on the line. Lebron is also an elite defender, and is the best shot blocker on this list. His weaknesses are that his three point shooting could be better, and that he has a tendency to let his emotions get the best of him when he isn't having his best day.
Offense:A Defense:A- Teamwork:A- Clutch:A Highlight Plays:A+ Mentality:B+

3.Dwayne Wade: He is nicknamed "Flash" in Miami for a reason. He possesses blow by speed at both the point guard and shooting guard position. Wade can do it all on offense, as he possesses three point shooting as well as the ability to finish at the rim. His defense is not that of Kobe, but he is still a solid defender. He can perform in clutch situations, especially in the playoffs. Some people say that Wade should pass more, but since he plays for Miami, he gets a little bit of a break.
Offense:A Defense:B+ Teamwork:A- Clutch:A Highlight Plays:A- Mentality:A

4.Carmelo Anthony: Many people will say that Melo shouldn't be put with this list of people. They say he is immature and can't lead a team. Actually, Melo has grown up. He no longer complains, and at points in the playoff chase last year, has taken the Nuggets under his arm. His pure skill can definitely be mentioned with the above names. He is an outstanding shooter, and goes strong to the basket. He is currently neck and neck with Kobe for the league lead in points per game. He is strong at the end of games and plays solid defense when he puts his mind to it. His passing skills are also greatly underrated for a forward.
Offense:A Defense:B Teamwork:A- Clutch:A- Highlight Plays:A- Mentality:A

Yankees pad rotation, steal Vazquez

The Atlanta Braves decided to free up some cash as they traded Javier Vazquez to the New York Yankees for Melky Cabrera. Vazquez was 15-10 last year, putting up career numbers. Melky Cabrera put up decent numbers, but did not put up the all star productivity that Vazquez did. This move frees up a corner outfield position for the Yankees. The Yankees probably won't go after Jason Bay, or Matt Holliday, but might go after a smaller name like Xavier Nady.

Overall, the Yankees got a steal as they now have four starters who are potential all stars.

Troubled Liverpool

With a 2-0 defeat against Portsmouth, Liverpool is facing the reality that a top four finish is unlikely. Throughout the match against Portsmouth, Liverpool's defense seemed slow. Even their normally high scoring attack was weak, mustering very little shots on goal. A few weeks ago I would have called their upcoming match against Wolverhampton a sure win, but I am now not so sure. Without Mascherano in the lineup for next weekends matchup, Liverpool's character and determination will be put to the test.

Hawks Flying High

So far, the Atlanta Hawks have been the NBA's surprise of the year. Led by scorer Joe Johnson (21.5 ppg) and highlight reel Josh Smith (2.4 blks per game and many flashy slams), the Hawks are one of the Eastern Conferences elite teams. The question is whether they can stay strong down the stretch, and match up with the much bigger Celtics and Magic in the playoffs. Another question is whether streak shooter Jamal Crawford can stay hot throughout the year.