McNair's death tough one to swallow

Being a Jacksonville Jaguars fan, I know all the tough losses my team has been dealt from Steve McNair. The most pain? The 1999 AFC Championship Game loss to the physical Titans. When I heard the news of McNair's death, I felt a shot to the gut. This has been one of the craziest weeks that I can remember with the loss of a ton of famous people (McMahon, Jackson). But as I took in McNair's death, I felt ever more anguished being as this man was a great player. From the Oilers to the Titans, McNair flourished in the NFL with his toughness, play-making and incredible desire to win. The death of McNair is tragic. Even as we think these players can't be touched, they can. At any moment lives can be taken. Even heroes that we look up to. God bless the McNair family as they try and get through this hard time.

Alabama placed on probation

The University of Alabama was put on three years' probation by the NCAA after major violations due to misuse of free textbooks. The NCAA said that 201 student-athletes in the 16 sports, including men's basketball, obtained "impermissible benefits" by using their scholarships to obtain free textbooks for other students. It also found the university guilty of "failure to monitor." Boy, do the administrators, boosters and staff at Alabama have that hard of a time following the rules? Apparently so. This is the second time this decade that Alabama has been placed on probation. The last time was in 2002 when Alabama was placed on probation for basketball violations. How can a major institution, with top-line athletics, continue to allow this poor behavior? When shortcuts are taken by people, or athletes, you risk ruining everything that's been placed in your bread basket. And for Alabama, once again, they've chosen not to follow the rules. Good for the NCAA; maybe this recent judgment on the Crimson Tide will knock some sense into them.

Nelson would be foolish to play

Jameer Nelson, read these words: Do not play. A story on SI.com reported that Magic players believed Nelson would participate in the Finals. The series begins this Thursday with Orlando traveling out west. Why would you risk further injury, even if you had been sidelined for more than three months? A torn labrum, which Nelson suffered this season, directly affects his shooting. He's a right-handed player and I highly doubt he was practicing left-handed during the time off. Also, you'd have to bet that if Nelson returned he'd mess up the chemistry that the Magic have right now. Rafer Alston had done more than enough to make the Magic's opponents respect their inside-outside game. We've seen too many athletes try to come back after major surgeries only to re-injure the same thing. Don't risk your career for one series when you have your whole career ahead of you.

Howard, Magic have sights set

After criticizing Dwight Howard's Game Four performance, the man-freak turned in two big-time performances helping Orlando get to the Finals. His 40 points in Game Six came against little resistance from the Cavaliers. Zydrunas Ilgauskas still looked lost and the rest of Cleveland's defense was useless against Howard. The Magic also had their way from the three-point line. Orlando hit 12 shots from beyond-the-arc headed by Mickael Pietrus. Fast forwarding to the Finals, the aforementioned Pietrus is the key. He's long, lengthy and can turn into one of the best shooters in an instant. How will the Lakers matchup with the tall, rangy shooters of the Magic? It should be an interesting chess match starting this Thursday.

Inside-outside game key for Magic

Dwight Howard's 30 points and Rashard Lewis' 22 proved to be enought in the Magic's Game One victory over the Cleveland Cavaliers. Howard made Zydrunas Ilgauskas look silly inside with his quick feet and Lewis continued to hit the outside jumper with consistency. The go-ahead shot by Lewis in the final seconds was exactly what Orlando needed and now they have the Cavs back-against-the-wall. Cleveland's performance, check that, Lebron's performance was great with 49 points. But as any person could tell, the fatigue had set in for James who was a one-man show. The Cavaliers' prized mid-season acquisition of Mo Williams didn't exactly go how it had in the regular season. Williams shot the ball 19 times and only connected on six of those attempts. By stealing the first game in the Eastern Conference Finals, Orlando has to feel a heck-of-a-lot more confident knowing if they just play their game, they have the better team.

Superman? Uh, not quite

He's the biggest guy (usually) on the court. He can out-muscle nearly everybody in the NBA. Unfortunately for Dwight Howard, though, his mental makeup allows him to play as soft as Brawny paper towels. Orlando's 'Man of Steel' might want to reconsider his comic book description because if Superman did exist he'd teach Howard a lesson about being the “one.” Howard's Game 5 performance against the Boston Celtics was atrocious. 11 points on 5-of-10 shooting with 17 rebounds. That's what a superstar does? In one word: No. Not it a million years. Do the Magic even play better with him in the lineup? The last three minutes of the game, Howard touched the ball once. And defensively he couldn't even box out Kendrick Perkins after a controversial play involving the 24-second shot clock. He didn't do any good in crunch time in Game 5. But why should we expect him to? Howard has produced the Magic franchise one playoff series victory in five years. I guess that's the premium now for number-one overall picks.

Great career choice for Paulus

From starting point guard of the Duke Blue Devils to Syracuse Orange quarterback? Why would Greg Paulus want to play at Syracuse? They have been one of the worst programs in college football this decade and the future doesn't look bright. If you didn't know, Paulus was an excellent prep quarterback and had even flirted playing college football. But instead he went to Duke to play with Coach K. For the present though, Paulus should reconsider, heavily, the possible trip up to New York. Syracuse is the worst team in the Big East, they have a new coach and they don't have any talent. If Paulus did join them, he wouldn't help at all.