* Big Ben just hit the mother load with an eight year deal worth $102 million. Roethlisberger joins Peytong Manning, Brett Favre, Carson Palmer, Donovan McNabb and the suspended Vick in the $100 million club for signal callers. Many people are questioning whether the Steelers should extend the wealthiest contract in franchise history, but I personally think Ben deserves every dime. Lets just hope there was a provision in the contract for staying away from motorcycles.

* The Houston Rockets won their 15th game in a row matching a franchise record. That is all well and good, but now that Yao is out of the season the Rockets will be lucky to make it to the playoffs. Remember this statement!

* Michael “The Burner” Turner has signed a lucrative deal with the Atlanta Falcons and should be the starting running back in ‘08 for Hotlanta. Turner has been mired behind Tomlinson for years in San Diego and I fully expect a huge season this coming year. Nice work by the Falcons especially after so many dumb moves in recent months. On a side note Warrick Dunn immediately asked for a release due to this acquisition.

* Kobe dropped 52 yesterday in a win over the Dallas Mavericks. The Lakers only lost TWO games in all of February and are a legitimate threat to win it all this year.

* Ernie Els won the Honda Classic yesterday ending a four-year winless drought. Whoopty do! Els is no longer a top player in the game and is not competition for Tiger Woods.

The NBA has declined in popularity in recent years for many reasons so I’m not sure how many people realize the season actually begins today. Ron Artest, Tim Donaghy, David Stern, Kobe Bryant, Allen Iverson, Steven Jackson and the thug persona is definitely a tarnish, but all in all I am still a NBA fan. The season is too long and more effort could be exerted on a nightly basis, but the NBA still has one of the greatest collection of professional athletes in the entire world. Tonight’s games are listed below.

Portland @ San Antonio
Houston @ LA Lakers
Utah @ Golden State

The silly overhyped feud is finally over it seems. ABC will not have the Lakers and Heat play again this Christmas after doing so the last three years. Instead Shaq and gang will be facing King James and the Cavs on Xmas.

Check this link for the latest one - Kobe to be traded. I’m sure he really wants to land in Memphis and play with the Grizzlies.

Hell no!  I can’t imagine he is pleased with the Lakers taking a shot hungry point guard in Javaris Crittenton from Georgia Tech with their first round pick.  I actually think I heard Kobe whining from the east coast with the announcement of LA’s pick. 

This seems to be the question going on right now with Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers. Kobe made a lot of noise with the media yesterday when he announced on Steven A Smith’s radio show that he has been lied to by the Lakers and wants to be traded. He said he was promised the Lakers would build an adequate team around him after the departure of Shaquille O’Neal, but there haven’t been any big additions to the team and they don’t plan on doing much in this off-season.

A few hours after Kobe said he must be traded he backed off these statements and said he really wants things to work out. How do you back track that much in the same day Kobe? You shouldn’t make such damaging statements and then just take them back as if it wasn’t a big deal. Don’t forget this was the same team and organization that stood behind you during your off-court isssues a couple of years back and do you really need another PR problem?

Mr. Bryant has dropped at least 50 points in a row the last four games. It’s a shame the Lakers are in the West because if they were in the East we could watch LA and Kobe put on a show in the NBA Finals. No one in the East could beat the Lakers if Kobe played like this video clip below, but they just don’t stand a chance in the West.

We are sometimes pretty hard on Kobe Bryant here at the Underground so today we want to give him some proprs.  Check out this video clip of highlights from Kobe Bryant scoring 65 against the Portland Trailblazers.  Kobe is EN FUEGO!

It is going to be time for some serious Zen soon for Mr. Jackson.  His Lakers just lost their seventh game in a row which is the first time in Phil’s coaching career this has happened.  The Lakers have a lot of injuries and Kobe is getting supsended every other game these days it seems, but seven in a row in the NBA?  Anybody want to bet Phil is gone after this year? 

Kobe Bryant was beside himself after he learned of his one game suspension handed down from the NBA Tuesday for his elbow to Ginobli of the Spurs this past weekend. The Lakers were set to play the New York Knicks Tuesday evening so Kobe requested an immediate appeal hearing to the NBA office, but around 5:00 om ET the league turned down the request. Kobe was not allowed to play in Madison Square Garden and the Lakers lost 94-99. Kobe was and I’m sure is still livid about this questionable suspension and I doubt this will be the last we hear about it.