So do the ’10-’11 Heat have a realistic chance at making history and joining the ranks of their elite predecessors?  Van Gundy argues “if their healthy, the discrepancy between their talent level and the next level is so great, that I just don’t see how they lose games.”  They may win more than they will lose, don’t be so certain this year’s Heat are as well rounded as that Bulls team.  Wade and James are superstars and Bosh is close, if not already there, but together they the team’s two premiere players too closely mimic each other.  Neither is reliable from outside nor have a Jordan-esque killer instinct in big games (though Wade is more likely to assume that role).  Bosh posts impressive 20-10 numbers, but Rodman’s 15 rebounds per game may be more valuable to a team loaded already loaded with firepower.  Overall only time will tell if the Heat have what it takes to reach the next plateau of NBA greatness; doing so will take more than a 3-man effort.

Of course, playing in front of foreign crowds may benefit the NBA in terms of relevance and exposure overseas, furthering its already widespread global fan base (thank you Dream Team), however there are significant logistical concerns to playing a game so far away in the midst of a normal regular season schedule.  For starters, the NBA season is grueling, spanning 82 high energy games, already posing a problem for even well conditioned rookies who tend to hit a wall after the first half of the season.  Even savvy veterans have struggled to put up the same numbers or missed time with injury in season’s following off-season tournaments such as the FIBA World Championship.  With jet lag, travel time and the additional fatigue such a trip could place on the body, is it worth the publicity to spend and regular season time abroad?  Furthermore, does it place the teams that make the trip at a competitive disadvantage? Don’t expect to see the Kobe Bryants of the league to quietly make the trip without raising the issue. This year, at least, competitive balance should be relatively unaffected as both Toronto and New Jersey look to be locked deep in the cellar, leaving Londoners wondering, “is there anything on TV that night?”

When he took the tee at Whistling Straits, for the first time in a long time someone other than Woods was actually favored to win a tournament in which Woods was in the field, in terms of actual betting odds.  In Las Vegas, gamblers found Mickelson listed as the 12-1 favorite to win the tournament.  Woods was tied as the runner up with young Irishman Rory McIlroy, given a 15-1 chance.  In a tournament that featured north of 150 players, such odds might have been considered reasonably good, but considering that prior to Woods’ forgettable showing at Bridgestone Woods odds to win were 6-1, the disparity between the two figures paints a graver picture.  Despite all of his domestic troubles and sporadic play since his brief leave of absence from the Tour, there were still a large contingent of golf fans who expected Tiger to challenge for the trophy, if not win the weekend, every time he took the tee.  In this sense, Bridgestone represented a remarkably tangible turning point in Tiger Woods career,  an unscheduled stop on the Tiger Woods bandwagon where it appears a lot of believers finally chose to take the exit.  Will Tiger make it back to his elite status, filling his once preordained destiny as the greatest golfer of all-time.  It’s certainly still possible, though the PGA Championship did little, if any, to provide a sense of optimism.

Jerry Rice – Rice was an obvious selection in his first showing on the Hall of Fame ballot.  The most prolific receiver in NFL history, Rice set the standard for the position while catching passes from fellow Canton residents Steve Young and Joe Montana for the 49ers.  The 13 time Pro-Bowler is the league’s all time leader in TD receptions (197), receptions (1,549) and receiving yards (22,895).

Emmitt Smith – The NFL’s all-time rushing leader certainly had no doubt he would find himself in the Hall of Fame as soon as he became eligible.  Not only did he set the league’s high watermark for rushing yards (18,355), he is also the record holder for rushing TDs (164) and rushing attempts (4,409), spending all but the final two years of his career with the Cowboys.

John Randle – Once an undrafted free agent, Randle terrorized quarterbacks from the defensive tackle position for the Minnesota Vikings, made famous not only by his signature sacks but his face painting antics and a trash talking mouth that would make Gary Payton look like Mr. Rogers.

Russ Grimm – The former offensive guard for the Redskins was part of the legendary front line dubbed “The Hogs,” flattening defenders for the better part of a decade, helping skill position players such as Art Monk and John Riggins to enter the HOF years earlier.

Rickey Jackson – After roaming the midfield as a linebacker for the Saints from ’81 to ’93, Jackson finally won a Super Bowl with the 49ers, though his heart will always be with WhoDat Nation.  Jackson recorded 10+ sacks in 6 separate seasons, retiring as the Saints all time sack leader and second in NFL history with 28 fumble recoveries, one behind Jim Marshall.

After choosing to skip the Redskin’s off-season workouts entirely, followed by his appearance at only one day of the Redskins’ mandatory mini-camp, Albert Haynesworth was the only Redskin player required to pass a conditioning test before being declared physically fit enough to participate in official team practices.  Dissatisfied with the direction of the Redskins defense under Defensive Coordinator Jim Haslett, implementing a switch from a 4-3 scheme to a 3-4 in which he would have to line up at nose tackle, Haynesworth’s absence loomed nearly as large as his imposing figure would have in the team locker room, though throughout the episode he claimed he would be in shape and ready to play when the time came.  Upon return his return, however, Haynesworth failed the conditioning test, which according to most accounts, is quite standard across the NFL and by no means a high bar for a reasonably in shape regular Joe, much less a professional athlete.

To start the test, a player must complete a 300 yard shuttle run, at 25-yard increments, in under 1 minute and 10 seconds.  The player is then given a three and a half minute break, after which he is required to complete the same task, this time in less than 1 minute and 13 seconds.  That’s it.  No 5 mile run; no carrying a baby calf up a mountain.  Haynesworth finally completed the fitness test on Saturday morning, after multiple attempts and 10 days deep into training camp, though his knee was too sore afterwards to practice, he began practice this week, allegedly “competing” for a starting job according to Coach Shanahan.