Swag Award February 2-8

On paper, the matchup was one that bookmakers and sports enthusiasts alike salivated over. The first time since 1994 that two #1 seeds faced one another in the Super Bowl. Two of the games most prolific offenses and two of the games most accurate quarterbacks duking it out for one of the most coveted prizes in all of sport; The Lombardi Trophy.

On paper it appeared that the Indianapolis Colts were the better team. Led by 2009 league MVP Peyton Manning, and well-rested after a 14-0 start the Colts seemed poised to win their second title in four years.

Outcomes are not decided on paper, and that my friends is why we play the game.

For the first 15 minutes of the game the New Orleans Saints, the laughing stock of the NFL for many seasons, the expansion team that hadn’t reached a Super Bowl in its first 43 years of existence looked every bit less experienced than their counterparts from Indy.

New Orleans could have rolled over at the end of the 1st quarter when they were down 10-0 and didn’t show any signs that they were capable of slowing down Peyton Manning’s methodic passing attack. New Orleans could have rolled over in the 2nd quarter when Indy stopped back-to-back runs on 3rd and 4th and goal, but they didn’t.

A wise man once told me that “a true champion prevails despite the circumstances,” and that is what the Saints did coming out of halftime. Despite being a slight underdog, and facing a 10-6 deficit at the half, the Saints put together an impressive 30 minutes of football; starting with a recovered onside kick to begin the second half.

That play, the first time an onside kick was attempted in a Super Bowl before the 4th quarter, was a game-changer and the catalyst the propelled the Saints to a 25-point second half and their first ever Super Bowl title.

It’s hard to not to root for a team like the Saints. There’s no way to measure what a Super Bowl title does for the spirits and emotions of the city of New Orleans, and the surrounding gulf region that is still recovering from the devastation of Hurricane Katrina. I think sports fans around the league won’t mind yelling out a resounding “Who Dat!??” in honor of the Saints’ tremendous season.

Any successful person will tell you that winners take risks, and the New Orleans took the necessary risks in Super Bowl XLIV to be crowned World Champions at games end. To the victor goes the spoils. Swagger!

Swag Award of the Week December 7-13

I am proud to announce that the "Swag Award of the Week" goes to Mark Ingram, RB from Alabama who was awarded the Heisman Trohpy this past weekend. Ingram was the offensive catalyst for the Crimson Tide team that went 13-0 this season and will face Texas for the national championship in a few weeks. In true Heisman form, Ingram brought his A-game to the biggest stages this season; 150 yds at Virginia Tech, 140 yds at Kentucky, 172 yds at Ole Miss, 99 yds vs. Tennessee, 144 vs. LSU & 149 at Mississippi St.

Those performances, while important in preserving Alabama’s national championship hopes paled in comparison to the show he put on against Florida in the SEC Championship game. At the time, Florida and ‘Bama were ranked #1 & #2 respectively and many fans and sports writers alike billed the matchup as the real national championship. Whether it was national championship or not, Ingram treated it as such and carried ‘Bama literally and figuratively 28 times for 113 yards and 3 touchdowns in a 32-13 drubbing of the heralded Gators.

For the majority of the college football season, Ingram remained a dark horse in the Heisman ballots, trailing Colt McCoy of Texas, Ndamukong Suh of Nebraska and 2007 Heisman winner Tim Tebow. The afore mentioned players all had a great deal of hype surrounding them, and NFL scouts water at the mouth when considering their draft prospects. Throughout the season Ingram remained on everyone’s radar, but was never considered the front-runner even as his team continued to win largely due to his efforts, in the toughest conference in the country.

See Mark’s emotional acceptance speech:

Alabama, one of the nation’s most storied football programs had never had a Heisman winner until Mark Ingram changed all of that. I think over 1500 yards and 15 touchdowns for an undefeated team in the SEC makes a very strong case. A case that sports writers ultimately could not overlook this year in the closest Heisman race ever. Ingram beat Stanford’s Toby Gerhart by merely 5 votes. Mark Ingram proves that despite the circumstances, the obstacles, the hype, if you are confident in yourself and your abilities then the sky is the limit. Now that's what I call swagger. Congratulations Mark.

Check out some of Ingram’s highlights from this season:

Swag Award of the Week August 10-16

Talk about an upset.. This is a David vs. Goliath story if I've ever heard one. Y.E. Yang, ranked #110 in the world at the outset of the PGA Championship out dueled Tiger Woods in the final round to win the tournament by three strokes.

Woods entered the final round with a two stroke lead and for the first time in his professional career relinquished a final round lead in a major. Woods had previously won all 14 majors when entering the final round with a lead.

With the victory, Yang became the first Asian-born golfer to win a major. For his efforts, Yang received $1.35 million, the 44-pound Wanamaker Trophy, and a five year exemption on the PGA Tour and all majors. Woods' loss means he will finish the year without a win at a major for the first time since 2004.

Congrats Mr. Yang for not backing down as the Tiger roared, as so many golfers have in the past. Watch the highlights here.

Mike Vick speaks for the first time since his release

Yesterday evening Mike Vick, former NFL superstar turned convict spoke to James Brown of CBS Sports on 60 Minutes for his first formal interview since his release from prison following a two year stint for bankrolling an intrastate dogfighting ring.

In the interview Vick told Brown that the magnitude and severity of his actions did not really sink in until the door of the prison cell slammed shut in Leavenworth, Kansas. He also said that he initially lied about the allegations because he was scared, and knew his career was in jeopardy and also, that lying to his sponsors, teammates and Falcons owner Arthur Blank backfired on him tremendously.

Vick's interview was one of the more honest, sincere interviews I've seen in a while, especially compared to A-Roid's interview a few months back with Peter Gammons of ESPN.

Personally, I'm happy the Vick is back in the league. I think he is contrite, humbled, and eager to revive his NFL career and his standing in the eyes of the public. Vick has a team of image coaches assisting him with his return to game. Former NFL coach Tony Dungy, who regularly visits prisons to speak with inmates has been serving as a mentor to Mike for months. Vick has also teamed up with the Humane Society and has already begun making appreances to speak out against cruelty to animals.

I have enjoyed watching Mike Vick play football since his college days. His athletic prowess was/is undeniable. Everyone makes mistakes, and he has without question paid the price for the biggest mistake of his life. I wish him all the best on his road to redemption.

Usain Bolt is fast

He did it again.. Another race, another world record. This past weekend, Usain Bolt raised the bar again as he won the 100m dash at the IAAF T&F Trials in Germany in a hasty time of 9.58 seconds.

I was at the Olympics last year when Bolt shocked the world and coasted to the finish line and still set a world record then with a 9.69 time.

At 6'5, Bolt towers over the competition and his long strides make it hard for anyone to keep up once he reaches top speed. Apparently running the 100m dash in 9.58 seconds is equivalent to running 30MPH...Wow. The man is fast...like lightning. I can't think of a more appropriate last name for a sprinter as fast as he.

Are you ready for some football??

Apparently Reggie Wayne is, as he showed up to the Colts training camp a few days back in a dump truck..

Equipped with his hard hat and lunchbox, Wayne said he was ready to start rebuilding the road to the the Super Bowl. If you remember, it was Wayne & the Colts who won Super Bowl XLI back in 2006 beating the Chicago Bears 29-17.

Good luck this year Reggie. Usually antics like this would have been all over the TV, but it's hard to get in the limelight with Mike Vick trying to make a comeback, Steve McNair's untimely death, T.O.'s realty show, and Brett Favre's saga. Gotta love the NFL. Getcha popcorn ready.

Video of LeBron James getting dunked on..

Sports enthusiasts have been hearing about this and anticipating the footage for weeks now... The footage of Jordan Crawford, the sophomore at Xavier University who dunked on LeBron James at his Nike sponsored skills camp.


Well, after some internet scouring BDumasonline has found the video. See the dunk for yourself:

If you're not aware of the situation, my boys over at the Campus Socialite have a good synopsis of what happened.

Essentially, LeBron James was dunked on in a pickup game...A semi-embarrassing moment for the league MVP. Nike confiscated all videos of the dunk, saying it is against policy to film pickup games... Right. Nike/LeBron were just trying to save face.

I wonder what Bron Bron's response to this mishap will be?? Look for King James in the NBA Finals next season. As for the collegiate Jordan Crawford...I hope that dunk will not be the crowning achievement of his basketball career. It remains to be seen.

Blast from the past: M.Jackson vs. M. Jordan

Only a few days removed from the shocking news of Michael Jackson's death, radio station playlists and TV coverage are still devoting a great deal of time and attention to the pop icons music. 

Remember the song Jam from Jackson's 1991 album "Dangerous" ? The song had cameos from Kriss Kross, a verse from Heavy D, and more importantly Michael "His Airness" Jordan was featured alongside Jackson shooting hoops and dancing.

Never before had two powerhouses of sports and entertainment been featured together in a music video..

Here is some footage of Jackson talking about playing ball with Jordan & showing him some of his patented dance moves.

Nowadays, cameos such as the one Michael Jordan made are commonplace. Athletes frequently appear in music videos, and musicians frequently support athletes in the arenas (i.e. Jay-Z & LeBron James).

LeBron actually has a similar cameo to Michael Jordan in Jay-Z's new video for his single 'Death of Autotune.' People always say nothing is new under the sun. Michael Jackson was the first to feature a prominent athlete in his video over 15 years ago...The man truly was a pioneer.

Jay-Z: 'Death of Autotune' video (LeBron cameo @ 3:55)

Pat Tomasulo: Sports reporter/ A**hole...watch the video

Taking candy from a baby ranks pretty high on the list of things you don't do unless you're a bad person. I think dunking on a toddler on television should be on the list too after watching this video.

During a broadcast, WGN Sports reporter Pat Tomasulo on a road trip of some sort was giving a report from some family's driveway. Pat and a little boy were playing some ball when Pat decides to step things up a notch. Pat proceeds to put his low post most moves on a three year old, back him down to the hoop a-la Shaq, spin around and dunk over him...on TV no less.

As if the dunk weren't enough, Pat then proceeds to talk trash to the kid telling him, "you don't bring any of that in my house!" at which point the little guy breaks out in tears. 

Pat responds by saying "kids are soft these days and need to be toughened up."

What an a**hole! 

Swag Award of the Week June 8-15

Behind every great team, lies a great coach. The general, the director, the puppeteer. The person who develops the plan of action, pulls the strings and puts the pieces together in order to achieve maximum results.

With the Los Angeles Lakers' series clinching victory over Orlando, Phil Jackson etched his name in the annals of sports becoming the only coach in NBA history to win 10 titles. Think about that...10 titles. That's a championship for each finger. Pretty impressive.

There is no question that Jackson is a great coach. He won six titles in Chicago with the likes of Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Dennis Rodman. He won three in Los Angeles with Kobe Bryant and Shaquille O'Neal. And the win last night ensures that he will go down as one of, if not the best coach to ever step onto the hardwood.

What I like most about Phil is his demeanor; his 'swag' if you will. Even in defeat, Phil Jackson remains collected, always composed and never flustered. Many coaches around the league let their emotions get the best of them. Not Jackson. 

Coaches on the professional level have a lot of variables to deal with in order to achieve success. Pressure from ownership, fans expectations, overly-critical journalists, over-paid players and the egos that come with their salaries. Let's not forget the X's & O's of the game as well. For his entire career, Jackson has somehow managed to put all of that noise behind he and his players to make beautiful music on the court. Speaking of beautiful music...10 titles has a nice ring to it don't you think? RESPECT.

HONORABLE MENTION:

As much as I despise the University of Connecticut in all things athletic, objectivity is important at BDumasonline.com and I must give credit where it is due.

Jim Calhoun, head coach of the UCONN Huskies was cycling in his charity bike race this weekend. Around the 50 mile marker out of 67, Calhoun hit a pothole, fell off his bike and broke five ribs.. Calhoun was not deterred, as he biked at 16 more miles to the finish with broken ribs. Upon crossing the finish line, Calhoun collapsed and was taken to the hospital and treated for his injuries. He has already been released from the hospital. 

A few things here:

A. I'm not even sure if I can bike 67 miles in one day

B. I definitely can't bike 16 miles with 5 broken ribs

C. Jim Calhoun is 67 and he biked 16 miles with 5 broken ribs

D. Damn! That's impressive!

Much like Phil Jackson in the pro ranks, Jim Calhoun by most accounts is one of the best coaches in college. His 805 wins puts him at #6 all-time and second among active coaches. Calhoun has already been inducted into the NCAA hall of fame and I'm sure his efforts today will earn him even more respect from his players and fellow coaches. Get well soon coach.

Herschel Walker to begin MMA fighting career

That's right. According to Sports Illustrated's own Peter King, Herschel Walker has announced his plans to enter the realm of mixed martial arts this fall. 

The 1982 Heisman Trophy winner has been incorporating martial arts into his training regimen for nearly 30 years. Despite his age (47), Herschel Walker is a beast, and he's been training with martial arts probably longer than his competition has been alive. I pity the fool who steps in the ring with him. Would you want to step into a cage with minimal padding and maximum pain with this man?

Swag Award of the Week June 1-7

This pains me, but for the sake of objectivity I have to give Kobe this weeks 'Swag Award.' His performances last week in the NBA finals have been impressive. His 40 point performance in game one of the finals helped the Lakers cruise to a 25-point victory. In game two, Bryant dropped 29 as LA won in overtime.  

In addition to his efforts on the floor, Nike has been hanging from Bryant's (and LeBron's..) jock strap with its series of MVP-Most Valuable Puppets commercials. 

To top off the love fest, Lil' Wayne, arguably the hottest MC in music right now blessed the internet with a tribute to Kobe and all of his greatness...

LeBron will be there soon, but this past week showed us that Kobe is still the NBA's top dog. 

Broncos WR Brandon Marshall cleared on domestic violence charges

Brandon Marshall is a firecracker, that much is obvious. His nickname is "The Beast," and anyone who knows him knows that he is a fierce competitor who enjoys punishing defenders on his way to the end zone. What is less apparent is how much that "beast" mentality he takes with him off the field and into his personal life.

NFL league spokesperson Greg Aiello announced today that Marshall will not face disciplinary action from the league in response to an incident that occurred on March 1 in Atlanta, where he and his new fiancee were arrested following a domestic dispute. 

This was not Marshall's first time under NFL scrutiny for a domestic dispute. In fact Marshall's past is as tainted as any one's, consisting of numerous domestic disputes and arrests with his former girlfriend Rasheeda Watley between 2006 and 2008. A timeline of Marshall's domestic past here. Marshall was suspended for one game for violating the league's personal conduct policy in 2008. Just by looking at the facts, it appears as if Marshall has some anger management issues that he needs to address..

Here is a piece ESPN ran on Marshall's past domestic disputes and subsequent run-ins with the law:

I don't like to make assumptions and/or judge a situation without all the facts...but I'm just saying. Over 10 domestic incidents with two different women in a three year NFL career doesn't look good. Life and football aren't the same Brandon. You can't stiff arm your girl like you do opponents. That ferocity on the field earned Marshall a spot on his first Pro-Bowl this past season. That ferocity off the field has ended one of his relationships, and could jeopardize his NFL career. I have ZERO tolerance for men who hit women. Judging by the remarks from the parents of Marshall's ex-girlfriend Rasheedah Watley, the Denver Broncos seem to be a little more sympathetic towards their superstar receiver. Get it together Brandon. The NFL let you off the hook this time. Next time, you may not be so lucky. Just ask Mike Vick.

NBA Spoof.."Where Caucasian Happens"

For whatever reason, white guys in the NBA tend to get a pretty bad rap. Ever since Wesley Snipes and Woody Harrelson came out with 'White Men Can't Jump' in 1992, sports enthusiasts have debated and even mocked the role of caucasian players in the league over the years. The game has taken on a noticeably darker hue since the 90's when I started really following the game. 

The Cunninlynguists brought more attention to the issue with their latest, a spoof of the NBA's "Where Amazing Happens Campaign..."

Swag Award of the Week May 18-25

Congrats to the mighty Syracuse Orange who defeated Cornell 10-9 in overtime today to win their 11th national championship in school history. The Orange were on the verge of defeat, but scored three goals in four minutes, including the game-tying goal with 4.5 seconds left to send the game into overtime. With the win, Syracuse defended last years title and became the first school since Princeton in '97-98 to win back-to-back championships.

Highlights of the overtime thriller:

I've become a lacrosse fan since attending Syracuse. As a young, aspiring sports journalist it was imperative to not only become familiar with the schools rich football and basketball traditions, but lacrosse as well. While at Syracuse, I had the pleasure of meeting and interviewing NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown who was also a standout for the lacrosse program. Brown is the only athlete to have been enshrined in the NFL, NCAA Football and NCAA Lacrosse Halls of Fame. His speed and power (he was an NFL fullback in case you forgot) revolutionized college lacrosse, and a rule was implemented after his departure to even the playing field.

Jim Brown during his LAX days

Congrats again to the Syracuse lacrosse program. With its 26 final four visits, 16 championship appearances and now 11 national titles, SU LAX continues to validate its reputation as one of the premiere programs in college lacrosse. 

Shaq takes broadcasting classes at Syracuse

NBA star Shaquille O'Neal is attending "Sportscaster U, " a two-day journalism course at Syracuse. Shaq is preparing himself for a career behind the camera once his playing days are over. Apparently, his first interview was with former Duke basketball star, Greg Paulus who is also taking graduate classes at the Cuse as he prepares to compete for time at quarterback this season for the Orange football team. 

Shaq's thoughts on polishing up his on camera appearance in the off-season:

Shaq always seems to find some extra-curricular activities to keep himself busy. Remember, there was a time when Shaq was an honorary Sheriff in Miami and was fired after a video surfaced of him making some less than desirable comments about Kobe Bryant...

Swag Award of the Week May 4-10

Earlier this week, the NBA crowned LeBron as the league's Most Valuable Player. At 24 years old, King James edged out Kobe Bryant & Dwyane Wade for the league's most coveted individual accolade. In his sixth season, LeBron averaged  28.4 points, 7.6 rebounds and 7.2 assists and lead Cleveland to a 39-2 record at home and the best overall record in the league at 66-16.

That dominance by LeBron and the Cavs has carried over to the playoffs where they are a prefect 6 for 6. After sweeping Detroit, Cleveland is off to a roaring start against the Atlanta Hawks. Last night, James scored 27 points in only three quarters as the Cavs again crushed the Hawks 105-85. This postseason, LeBron is averaging 32 points, 11.3 rebound and 7.5 assists and has lead his team in scoring in all six games. 

LeBron has often looked unstoppable this season, shedding defenders, blocking shots, hitting jumpers, and throwing down some of the most ferocious dunks I have ever seen. Yes he is good, correction, he is great. What I like most about him is his demeanor and humility. Often times athletes who achieve at a high level become overly cocky and have an air of entitlement. That is not the impression I get from Bron Bron. For the MVP ceremony, LeBron chose to have it at his high school in Ohio, and invited all of his teammates and coaches to take part in the celebration. In LeBron's eyes, despite its individual nature the MVP award is a team accomplishment.

Congratulations LeBron. You are my favorite player in the league, and it doesn't upset me that you are embarrassing my Atlanta Hawks in the postseason because that's the kind of monster you are. Your persona, attitude, and love for the game are refreshing and it is a pleasure to watch you play. I'm hoping for a Cavs-Lakers finals so that all of the Kobe Bryant lovers will understand that we are now in the era of Lebron and Kobe's reign is over. We are all witnesses. 

I'll leave you with LeBron's 10 best plays of this season. Click on the 'HQ' button for the hi quality version:

Manny being a moron; latest MLB superstar embroiled in the steroids controversy

Only a few months after becoming the very first recipient of my Swag Award, Manny Ramirez is back on BDumasonline.com but for much different reasons this time. Ramirez has permanently damaged his legacy as one of baseball's best hitters as his name has been thrown in the pot along with the likes of Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez as prominent MLB players who have been implicated in the steroids controversy. 

Yesterday, Commissioner Bud Selig slapped a 50 game suspension on Ramirez for violating the league's drug policy after it became known that Manny had high levels of artificial testosterone in his body and tested positive for human chorionic gonadotropin or HGC. According to experts, HGC is a women's fertility drug and is often used by steroid users to restart natural testosterone production in the body after a cycle of steroids has been completed...How else can a man justify taking a women's fertility drug?? 

Damn Manny, people said you were a moron but I gave you the benefit of the doubt and like Barry Bonds, A-Roid and the like, you let me down. It remains to be seen how the sport will recover from this period but as I fan I feel cheated, and these revelations make it more and more difficult to justify paying ridiculous prices for tickets to see a bunch of cheaters. Yet another dark day for MLB.

Below is an ESPN piece on the prevalence of performing enhancers in MLB and its top athletes.

Fight of the Year: Manny Pacquiao TKO's Ricky Hatton in 2nd Round

Wow. Talk about a convincing fight. Manny Pacquiao of the Philippines knocked out England's Ricky Hatton last night in the second round, further validating his title as the best pound-for-pound boxer in the world. The scene in my apartment was electric last night. Equipped 70 wings, 5 friends, a six-pack, 6 40's, and a '42 plasma, my little studio looked more like a sports bar than a residence. With the win, Pacquiao tied Oscar De La Hoya's record winning six titles in six different weight classes.

From the starting bell, Pacquiao asserted himself and set the tone for the fight. Pacquiao's lightning punches overwhelmed Ricky Hatton who looked more like a human punching bag than the pride of England. Hatton was knocked down twice in the first round and hit the ground in a heap in the second as a vicious left from Pacquiao ended his evening. 

In case you weren't at a sports bar and/or opted against paying $50 to watch at home, here is 

the fight:

Following the fight Floyd Mayweather Sr., Hatton's trainer, suggested that the 30 year-old boxer call it quits. Hatton has lost his last two bouts by knockout; to Pacquiao last night and last year to Mayweather's son Floyd Jr. 

The Mayweather family made more news as Floyd "Pretty Boy Floyd" Mayweather Jr. announced he was coming out of retirement to fight Manuel Marquez in July. Should Mayweather (39-0) defeat Marquez, the stage would be set for a bout of epic proportions between Manny Pacquiao & Mayweather Jr. to determine once and for all who is the best pound-for-pound fighter in the land. Mayweather Jr. held the title until he retired after defeating Ricky Hatton last year.

Many people argue that boxing is dead and that mixed martial arts (MMA) is the more popular and lucrative sport. That's debatable. Even the under cards were solid last night. Pacquiao vs. Hatton proved that boxing still has the characters and entertainment value to make it relevant for years to come. HBO just needs to do something about that $49.95 fee...seriously.

Is Bruce Pearl America's coolest coach??

Bruce Pearl, the animated head coach of the Tennessee men's basketball team has done it again. Another shirtless appearance that has made national TV. 

The University of Tennessee recently held an awards ceremony called The Volscars. Half Grammy's half, Oscars, The Volscars recognizes the accomplishments of student athletes at the university. 

Being the showman that he is, Bruce Pearl graced the stage to do a shirtless rap to the beat of 'Put On' by Young Jeezy. Equipped with shades, gold chain, a tie, and a jacket that resembles the checkered end zone at Neyland Stadium, Pearl rocked the house and stole the show by most accounts. 

Still not convinced he's the man? There's the photo at the top that was taken at a UT women's basketball game that Pearl attended, where he served as the 'V' in 'GO VOLS' with five other students in the student section.

Still not convinced? You must not have seen the photos of a shirtless Pearl schmoozing with some college co-eds on a boat during the summer of 2007. 

How many coaches can you think of in the country that are as fun-loving as Bruce Pearl? I can't imagine Bill Belichick freestyling, or Coach K going shirtless. I think Bruce just might be the coolest coach in America.