It’ll only end in tears.

Sure, ESPN has wasted millions in on-air time pontificating (as only they can) about the benefits of acquiring troubled players. You’ve seen the highlights: Dennis Rodman kicking people, Terrell Owens doing driveway ab crunches, Darryl Strawberry wiping white powder from under his nose, Steve Howe returning to the Yankees after his thousandth drug suspension. You know what? For once, I agree with the Boys from Bristol. The Sacramento Kings dealing for Ron Artest is fool’s gold. The idea that Artest will suddenly be a good citizen in the league’s most boring city (all right, Salt Lake City and Orlando, I see you waving your hands) is silly. Oh, sure, he’ll make nice for a couple of months, and maybe even get all the way through the playoffs without being filmed shirtless and in flipflops, storming and screaming at an opposing team’s bus. But eventually, and soon, the Kings are going to wish they’d never heard his name.

I grant you, they didn’t give up a lot: Peja Stojakovic seems disinterested these days (though Indiana gets to test-drive him for a couple months, and if they don’t like him, they get a big slobbering heap of cap relief for letting him walk away). But my argument is that a sane NBA franchise shouldn’t have taken on Artest even for free. He’s simply a coddled, immature ass with personal problems that make Robert Downey Jr. look like the Dalai Lama. You’ll wake up with your tea and crumpets one morning, turn on the tube, and learn that Artest has barricaded himself in a Denny’s and refuses to come out unless Michael Jackson frees Blanket. Or you’ll be driving home from work, tune into sports radio, and hear a report that Artest’s in hot water because his latest rap song calls for the overthrow of the Brazilian government. Really, that’s just about the only fun left with guys like Artest and T.O.: the impossible spectacle of their inevitable detonation.

Of course, before they detonate themselves, they will most certainly detonate their teams. Best of luck, Sacramento.

What was your impression of the AFC and NFC title games? How did the betting public do on those games?

Greg Jorssen, BoDog: The two Jakes sure didn’t come to play last Sunday, now did they? Plummer lived up to the belief that he cannot get it done, and the Seahawks did an incredible job shutting down the Delhomme/Smith passing attack. The betting public did pretty well on the Steeler victory, as they rode the Pittsburgh bandwagon, however they didn’t fare very well on the Seahawks’ win. Bettors were high on Carolina, basing that on Seahawks strength in schedule vs. Carolina’s, and the Panther road record. I suppose they forgot about Seattle’s secret weapon: The Twelfth Man. Boy was that stadium rocking on Sunday afternoon! The one saving grace for the books this past weekend was that the final scores knocked out most teasers. Since both wins were blowouts, this helped turn what should have been a losing day for the house into a money-making day.

We’ll have another week to really dip into Super Bowl analysis, but what’s your first impression of the Pittsburgh/Seattle line? Not asking for a pick, more just your thoughts as an expert on how the line got where it is, whether you expect it to move, etc….

GJ, BoDog: The line opened up as expected and should finally settle down around Pittsburgh -4

Philadelphia 76ers @ Washington Wizards, February 12: The 76ers are in second place in the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia is 9-10 SU and ATS in the last 19 games. The 76ers are 8-9 SU and 7-9-1 ATS in the last 17 road games. The 76ers are 2-2 SU and 1-3 ATS against the Wizards over the last two seasons. The 76ers are 1-2 SU and ATS on the road against the Wizards over the last two seasons. The Wizards are in second place in the Southeast Division. Washington is 16-12 in the last 28 games. The Wizards are 7-1 SU and 6-2 ATS in the last eight home games.

Detroit Pistons @ Miami Heat, February 12: The Pistons have a huge lead in the Central Division. Detroit is 15-3 SU and 9-8-1 ATS in the last 18 games. The Pistons are 7-3 SU and 6-4 SU in the last 10 road games. The Pistons are 2-1 SU and 1-2 ATS against the Heat over the last two seasons. The Pistons are 1-0 SU ATS on the road against the Heat over the last two seasons. The Heat have a lead in the Southeast Division. Miami is 16-9 SU 14-11 and ATS in the last 25 games. The Heat is 11-4 SU and 8-7 ATS in the last 15 home games.

New Jersey Nets @ Detroit Pistons, February 14: The Nets have a slim lead in the Atlantic Division. New Jersey is 7-10 SU and 8-9 ATS in the last 17 games. The Nets are 1-9 SU and 3-7 ATS in the last 10 road games. The Nets are 2-3 SU and ATS against the Pistons over the last two seasons. The Nets are 0-1 SU ATS on the road against the Pistons over the last two seasons. The Pistons have a huge lead in the Central Division. Detroit is 15-3 SU and 9-8-1 ATS in the last 18 games. The Pistons are 8-1 SU and 3-5-1 ATS in the last nine home games.

San Antonio Spurs @ Philadelphia 76ers, February 15: The Spurs have a slim lead in the Southwest Division. San Antonio is 18-3 SU and 12-9 ATS in the last 21 games. The Spurs are 11-4 SU and 8-7 ATS in the last 15 road games. The Spurs are 3-0 SU and 2-0-1 ATS against the 76ers over the last two seasons. The Spurs are 1-0 SU and ATS on the road against the 76ers over the last two seasons. The 76ers are in second place in the Atlantic Division. Philadelphia is 9-10 SU and ATS in the last 19 games. The 76ers are 5-6 SU and ATS in the last 11 home games.

Phoenix Suns @ Denver Nuggets, February 15: The Suns have a slim lead in the Pacific Division. Phoenix is 14-6 SU and 11-9 ATS in the last 20 games. The Suns are 10-4 SU and 7-7 ATS in the last 14 road games. The Suns are 5-1 SU and 3-3 ATS against the Nuggets over the last two seasons. The Suns are 1-2 SU and ATS on the road against the Nuggets over the last two seasons. The Nuggets have a slim lead in the Northwest Division. Denver is 9-7 SU and 5-11 ATS in the last 16 games. The Nuggets are 5-2 SU and 2-5 ATS in the last seven home games.

Ken Angland is a documented member of the Professional Handicappers League.
Read all of his articles at http://www.procappers.com/Ken_Angland.htm

With Larry Hughes leaving to join LeBron James in Cleveland, how much left is there of the Wizards? More than Chicago and Phoenix, Washington was the surprise team last year. After all, Arenas, Hughes and Jamison failed as teammates with the Warriors. Now it’s a two-man show and a playoff appearance would again be amazing. Can they prove everyone wrong?

Some players are stepping up. Brendan Haywood has shot 56%, 3rd best in the NBA. But he’s only averaging 6.4 RPG. Antawn Jamison is averaging a crazy 11.5 RPG along with his 19.7 PPG. Caron Butler is a 6th man candidate averaging 14.5 PPG off the bench, and Jarvis Hayes has displayed a great form in shooting. Of course Gilbert Arenas can’t be ignored with his 27.7 PPG. It’s going to be interesting to see whether Arenas and Jamison both make the all-star team, their team might not be good enough to warrant two all-stars.

Most aren’t though. Jared Jeffries is on the last year of his contract, and if he keeps playing like he is now, he won’t get a new one. Jeffries as the starting Power Forward is only getting 5.1 and 4.6. Antonio Daniels provides a defensive presence but hasn’t contributed at all offensively with just 4.7 PPG.

This team completely relied on the big three of Jamison, Arenas and Larry Hughes to carry them last year. But with Hughes gone, Jamison and Arenas have been carrying the load. Either Hayes or Butler should sub in for Antonio Daniels to give them more scoring. Jarvis Hayes has major potential to be more than just a bench player. Etan Thomas is a hustler like Chris Kaman who needs more playing since Jeffries isn’t delivering.

I wasn’t sold on Washington with Hughes and I definitely am not now that they don’t have him. Arenas and Jamison can only compensate so much before teams start to adapt. Getting it out of Arenas’ hands is the best way to stop Washington. When it comes to the playoffs, they are but one of many teams looking on the outside in. They don’t have enough offensive and defensive weapons to compete with the other Eastern teams. Their only hope is to milk Jamison and Arenas for 50 a night.

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