Jocks and Call Girls in Denver; Avery Freezes Kidd; Isiah Is Done; A Little NFL Free Agency News

Call a girl in Denver

A high-end prostitution ring was busted in Denver (you know where this one is going). A few Denver Broncos players were on the “roll call.” Denver Nuggets players were, too. Arizona Diamondbacks players were prominent users. And it looks like some of the good Christians in the Colorado Rockies clubhouse were ——- hookin’ up for Jesus.

Now, if there are millionaire athletes involved with “garden tools” you can bet there are other pros in Denver ploughing the fertile territory of the call girl-prostitute ring:

Rating the Latest Flurry of NBA Trades

The NBA trade deadline has come and gone. In the coming weeks we will come to understand which GMs were proactive and which were reactive. And in the coming weeks we will know which moves brought their teams greater success and which moves were busts.

It is going to be a very interesting stretch run.

1. The Lakers go —- Pau!

The Los Angeles Lakers trade for Pau Gasol was so good it invited conspiracy theories. It was so good that San Antonio Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich advocated for the league to have the ability to determine that a trade was “stupid” and have it rescinded.

2007: The Year In Retrospect; May-June

May – NBA Playoffs, Michael Vick dominate the news

May 2: The month is off to a raucous start as the Golden State Warriors were in the midst of upsetting the Dallas Mavericks in the first round of the NBA playoffs. The defense played by Stephen Jackson on Dirk Nowitzki, the man who would be the MVP, is a sight to behold.

A University of Pennsylvania (Justin Wolfers) and Cornell University (Joseph Price, graduate student) study finds racial bias in NBA referees through the disparity on fouls called on black players. David Stern decries the study, but it turns out that the NBA privately gathered similar data.

NBA Power Rankings: The Top 10

Now that I’ve caught up with the happenings in The League, it’s time to lay down my power rankings.

1. Boston, 22-3: Could this pick be any more obvious?  At present the Cees are playing the best team defense and some of the most consistent offense in the NBA. Last season’ debacle in Beantown was a blessing in disguise because it allowed Rajon Rondo to play extended minutes. The experience readied Rondo for this season and he’s all the steadier for it. The only question for Boston is will they develop bench play that won’t relinquish leads or lose touch with opposing teams when they are behind in games. Kevin Garnett, Ray Allen, and Paul Pierce have to rest sometime and they need to know all their work won’t go out the window as soon as they hit the pine.

2. San Antonio, 20-7: The injury bug has finally made its way to the Spurs. Tim Duncan (sprained right ankle), Tony Parker (sprained left ankle), and Manu Ginobili (sprained left index finger) have all missed time. Additionally, Francisco Elson is battling a sore foot and Brent Barry’s calf is aching. With enough problems to tax the best of teams, Gregg Popovich and the reserves have managed to hold the team together.  If the Spurs can pull off 20 wins without their big three playing together, just think of what will happen when they’re all healthy.