Booker: 'I'm Straight'

Freshman forward Anthony Booker participated in all practice drills Tuesday and said he is ready to play in Wednesday night's game in Terre Haute, Ind., against Indiana State.

Booker suffered a bruised right knee in Sunday's 68-62 win against Bradley. The reserve forward returned to the game after the injury, but re-aggravated it after a defensive rebound.

When I approached SIU head coach Chris Lowery after practice, he responded with a quick "He practiced. He's gonna go."

Keeping the 6-foot-8-inch forward could be important to a team that already has a shortened bench.

10 Things Barack Obama Should Do (Sports related, of course because what else matters)

Pretty self-explanatory. Here are 10 things I hope Barack Obama can accomplish in his first term in office.

1. Order the Chicago Cubs to win a World Series. Because it is obvious to everyone in the baseball world that they will not do it willingly.
2. Eliminate the Bowl Championship Series. Establish a playoff system that includes each conference's champion. Claim 10% of profits and use it to pay off the national debt.
3. Tell every free-wheeling owner if he wants to spend $1 billion on free agents then he must put the same amount of money back into the education system.
   
4. Banish all dumb, drunk White Sox fans to Oakland. They're giving Chicago baseball fans a bad name.
5. Do the same will all dumb, drunk Cubs fans. But not the cute girls, they can be saved!
6. Establish the Supreme Court of Sports with the honorable David Stern and Roger Goodell for starters. Remove Bud Selig and Gary Bettman from office.
7. Mandate price breaks on season and single-game tickets for die-hard fans. Tickets to big-time sporting events shouldn't cost an arm, leg and first-born child to attend.
8. Appoint PacMan Jones to a government job to keep him out of trouble. Get him an office with a stripper pole and he would never get in trouble.
9. Touchdown celebrations will no longer be penalized. Instead, they will be judged. Loser pays $10,000 towards the Shawn Kemp School of Learning.
10. Signing bonuses from Bart Scott and Brandon Jacobs should be donated to Saluki Way.

Five ideas that missed the cut:

• Mandatory retirement age for Brett Favre, Michael Jordan and Rickey Henderson
• "My President Is Black" by Young Jeezy replaces the 7th inning stretch and "Black President" by Nas replaces very home team's victory song
• Cruel and unusual punishment is legal for one thing and one thing only: Ruining The National Anthem will be punishable by law, preferably by launch via catapult
• Implementing cheerleaders for Bears games and Cubs games ... because I can't get enough of pretty blond girls
• Lower tariffs and taxes on imported 7-footers with low-post moves so the Bulls can sign one to team with Derrick Rose
  

Obamaclaus brings you the L.A. Dodgers preview

Not sure what President Barack Obama has to do with either the Los Angeles Dodgers or Santa Claus but I digress with another preview.

Hopefully "Obama Claus" brings Dodgers owner Frank McCourt some extra loot this offseason because they desperately need savior and resident wacko Manny Ramirez to return.

Okay, perhaps they don't NEED Ramirez back. The lineup is quite potent with youngsters Matt Kemp, Andre Eithier, James Loney and Russell Martin but Ramirez provides extra lineup protection and puts butts in the seats at Dodger Stadium.

This is really the key to the offseason for the L.A. blue other than replacing Derek Lowe's spot in the rotation after he departed for greener pastures in Atlanta.

Payroll flexibility shouldn't be a huge issue either as second baseman Jeff Kent's contract is off the books, ditto Lowe.

The Andruw Jones experiment is over after one injury riddled, mess of a season and although the Dodgers are still on the hook for $21 million next year, 16 of that will be deferred over a span of a few years like a bad credit card spending spree.

While in theory in doesn't save Los Angeles any money in the long run, it does give them instant flexibility to add another player this season. In terms of free agents, Ramirez has to figure to be the first choice especially after resigning Casey Blake and Rafael Furcal. They'll also need a second baseman but it isn't a position of worry nor should it be for the Dodgers deep lineup.

Ramirez is key because he is a draw for crowds who have a million things more interesting to do than watch baseball during the weekends. He brings the star power needed to be successful in a big market like Los Angeles but it was also a win-win situation because Manny could be Manny in an area where the media and fans aren't as ruthless.

All this being said, I wouldn't go more than three years on him because you never know when he'll leave the game mentally and become a poison for the team like he was toward the end in Boston. He is also 36-years-old.

Even if the Dodgers are unable to sign him, they are still the primary contender for the NL West title. This team has a great manager in Joe Torre and a young core throughout the lineup mixed with a rotation on the upswing with 20-year-old phenom Clayton Kershaw and 24-year-old Chad Billingsley.

The major issue at hand other than Ramirez is simply finding an innings eater like Lowe was. He tossed 211 innings last season to the tune of a 3.24 ERA. Jon Garland comes to mind as an obvious candidate because he is from the west coast (Valencia, Calif.) and he would be best suited for a National League club in a pitchers park.

It won't take a lot of additions for the Dodgers to have the opportunity to win the NL West again but advancing to a World Series is reliant on all their young players taking the extra step much like the young guns of the New York Yankees Dynasty in the '90s.

Just wanna make sure y'all are still with me

Just checking in, making sure everyone's still here.

Keeley Hazell sends her love from across the pond.

I promise tomorrow will be a normal day. At least that is my hope.

In the can I got some Cubs stuff, Bears stuff and Saluki hoops stuff.

Lotsa stuff. I hope you can bear through one day of real life.

Bush/Selig 2012? Not quite.

Former President George W. Bush might not care about black people, but he does care about baseball.

And while he wasn't the best Commander-in-Chief, he might make a very good baseball commissioner. In fact, if G-Dub needs and endorsement then he can have my stamp of approval.

Bush cares about baseball so much, he had Congress come to a stand-still as Rafael Palmeiro, Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire testified and admitted nothing in particular as Palmeiro lied, McGwire denied and Sosa just plain ol' forgot how to speak English.

But something happened out of it. America's Past Time implemented a much more strict steroid testing policy and in turn, the game has seen the inflation of power numbers return to normal.

And the best thing is that there are some ridiculously strong power hitters out there and there isn't a trace of BALCO products to be found.

Ryan Howard could crack the Liberty Bell with the kind of screamers he slams out of Philadelphia. Big Papi can still yank 'em around Pesky's Pole sending the Fenway faithful into a frenzy. Phat Albert can still hit him over and beyond the Arch in Saint Louis. And of course, Manny can still be Manny whether he makes a splash in the ballpark by The Bay or returns to Mannywood.

The point is that baseball needs a leader who cares about the game and is willing to lead baseball's middle-market teams out of some dark times. C'mon George, baseball teams in Pittsburgh, Kansas City and Miami need your help. Step to the plate and make a change.

So, why would I trust a man who is partially responsible for an economic downturn reminiscent of a classic Barry Zito 12-to-6 curveball with the world's my favorite sport?

Well, I have a feeling that after eight years of inexplicable failure, that son-of-a-Bush might want at least one shot of redemption.

Future Headline: Obama To Slay The BCS Monster

Someone should tell President Barack Obama that eliminating the Bowl Championship Series should be his top priority as he steps into the Oval Office today.

Sure, the economy is in dire need of a PacMan Jones, rain-induced boost. And yes, we should make a courtesy call to our worldly neighbors just to catch up. And we should most definitely drape the White House with a banner that proudly says "U.S.A.: Under New Management" as soon as possible.

But why deal with all the hard stuff first. Take care of the BCS and you would be crowned an instant success by people like me.

All I am asking you is to come in on your white horse and slay the evil BCS Monster once and for all.

Or at least come with your cavalcade of black GMC Sierras and sign a bill with that mighty pen that denounces the system that has caused as more message board wars than Barry Lamar Bonds, SpyGate and Lindsay Lohan's relationship status combined.

Take advantage of that whole "executive power" deal and help benefit America, because, truth is, a playoff benefits everyone.

And if those bowl-pushing bullies try to intimidate you, tell them they can keep their individual bowls featuring the barely bowl eligible WAC and MAC teams as long as the top teams can battle for a true national championship.

Use the BCS bowls as playoff sites that pit conference champions against one-another. Because that makes sense, and unlike the thinking of the previous presidential regime, making sense is a good thing.

And if Central Michigan wants to play Nevada in the Big Dead Sidebar Bowl of Mediocrity, so be it.

We really could use the advertising money.

Daily Dosage: Obamamania lives here

Michelle Obama, who will soon be known as The First Lady, is without a doubt the classiest woman to ever grace the pages of The Big Dead Sidebar. Hence, the use of the "Classy Girls" tag.

I was this close to putting Sarah Palin on here, but she will get her time four years from now. I hope this blog is still around to cover that event.

Are you ready for a full day of posts revolving about how her hubby will squash the BCS and do other sports related things? I hope so.

Until then, here is the rest of your Daily Dosage.

Bradley shuffles out of SIU Arena with loss. I couldn't help but to put that in a headline. For most of the game, the SIU men's basketball team beasted on Bradley. They outhustled and outplayed the then-first place Braves.

The Salukis 21-point lead turned into a six-point win as tired legs fell upon the team down the stretch.

All in all, a win is a win.

SIU beats Bradley, bounces Braves from first; Saluki hoops feels the love. [Daily Egyptian]

Quality Linkage:

• Once questioned about his journalistic integrity by a certain sports writer, Bob Kravitz drops a good read on us about Pacers star Danny Granger. [Indy Star]
• Donovan McNabb's 'Zona crib vandalized. Can't be worse than his Philly pad, right? [Yahoo!]
• Who wants to get on the Twitter bandwagon with me? [NY Times]
• Brenda Warner got kinda hot. [Deadspin]
  

Beware of Barack

Alright, I get it. Today is an important day in American history.

Barack Obama will officially become America's 44th President and will attempt to clean up in four years the mess George Bush created in eight.

Good luck, B.O.

And while most people will focus on the economy, foreign affairs and bailing out big business, The Big Dead Sidebar will take a look at what President Obama can do to improve sports.

Because, really, that is all I care about.

Holliday on the Rocks: Hold the Holliday

Looking at the Colorado Rockies it's hard to fathom that this very team made the World Series in 2007.

It just goes to show you what a couple hot months down the stretch can do for a baseball team.

Obviously, 2008 was a step in the wrong direction for a variety of reasons. The Rockies went from 90 wins in 2007 to 74 in 2008 with roughly the same team returning but injuries ruined their chances early.

Troy Tulowitzki had the epitome of a sophomore slump: a batting average around the Mendoza line and a load of unlucky injuries. Tulowitzki rebounded toward the end of the season to post a respectable .263 average thanks to a .330 average in the final month of the season. His power numbers were in the single digits, however.

The face of the franchise didn't escape the injury bug either. Todd Helton, a 35-year-old first baseman, posted the worst numbers of his career and played in the lowest amount of games (83) since his rookie season in 1997. Helton has a chance to rebound because his trade isn't solely relient on power numbers. Despite a .264 average in 2008, Helton has put up a .300-plus average in every full season he has participated in at the major league level.

Third baseman Garrett Atkins also took a step backward after posting career highs of 29 home runs and 116 RBIs in 2007. Atkins numbers weren't far off in 2008 with 25 home runs and 85 RBIs but the majority of it came during a three-month stretch from June to August when he clubbed 19 home runs and 57 RBIs. In April, May and September he posted poor power numbers coupled with a dreadful batting average.

The lineup, however, wasn't the only culprit for Colorado.

After a phenomal stretch of late season pitching by the Rockies in 2007, the bottom fell out early in 2008 much to the dismay of many baseball experts that expected the young guns (Ubaldo Jimenez and Franklin Morales) to build on their late season progress that led the team to a National League title.

Jimenez bounced back after a rough early going to finish 12-12 with an ERA of 3.99 but Morales was banished to the minors after posting a ERA of 6.39 that featured a loss of control with his pitches.

World Series starter Jeff Francis struggled as well with a 4-10 record along with a 5.01 ERA.

Aaron Cook was a breath of fresh air for the rotation. Cook posted a 3.96 ERA coupled with 16 wins for a troubled rotation.

To make matters worse for the immediate future, the Rockies had to trade left fielder Matt Holliday to avoid the risk of losing him after the 2008 season without any immediate compensation.

The haul brought back in exchange for the all-star was solid. Huston Street struggled in the closer role in Oakland during the 2008 season and dealt with injuries but a permanent move to the set up role should be helpful as Manny Corpas takes over for departed free agent Brian Fuentes. Greg Smith also came over in the deal and should help fortify the back end of the rotation while the gem of the trade should be an opening day starter as well.

Outfielder Carlos Gonzalez didn't do anything earth shattering in his first half-season in the MLB but he's had a five-tool stud label attached to him since he was in the Arizona Diamondbacks system. Gonzalez should give the Rockies more speed at the left field position.

All in all it's not unreasonable to see Colorado compete for a division title in the wide open NL West but it requires a lot of things to its way. The team will have to be healthy while hoping that their younger players across the board take the next step. I would guess they fall in between their 2007 and 2008 win totals and will be somewhere in the 80s.

Look for a Los Angeles Dodgers preview to come in the next day or two.

Can the Unthinkable Happen?

As I'm sure everyone's aware of, the Arizona Cardinals are headed to Tampa to partake in Super Bowl XLIII.

Yes, the Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl.

For years, everyone lumped this franchise in with other bottom-feeders such as Detroit, Oakland, and Cincinnati. But in just his second year at the helm in Phoenix, Ken Whisenhunt has done the unthinkable as he has taken his team to the biggest game of all.

And Arizona's going to be facing something eerily similar in the Super Bowl that they have in the last three playoff games. Once again, the Cardinals will be the underdog, this time to the Pittsburgh Steelers. Not only have the Cardinals embraced the role of the underdog, they also have some very recent history to feel good about.

Just last year, the New York Giants entered the playoffs as the fifth seed in the NFC. Their road to the championship has been described as the toughest road that any team has ever taken en route to a title. They began by going on the road against Tampa Bay and defeating the Buccaners. Then the following week, they stunned the #1 seed Dallas Cowboys at Texas Stadium. They then managed to overcome sub-zero conditions and Lawrence Tynes' chokejob at the end of regulation to beat the Packers at Lambeau Field to advance to the Super Bowl. One of the biggest upsets in sports history happened two weeks later at the University of Phoenix Stadium (where the Cardinals call home) by defeating the 18-0 New England Patriots.

The blueprint is there for the Cardinals. And an even bigger blueprint is that coach Ken Whisenhunt and assistant head coach/offensive line coach Russ Grimm were assistants on the Steelers' Super Bowl winning team just three short years ago under Bill Cowher. A lot has changed then as Cowher retired and Mike Tomlin has stepped in. But in a regular season game at Arizona last year, the Cardinals were able to defeat the Steelers in Week 3 to give Whisenhunt his first career victory as an NFL head coach.

The Cardinals may have been a 9-7 team to reach the playoffs, but they are a much different team than they were in the regular season. The offensive line grew more confident in their run-blocking abilities as Edgerrin James has had a career revival of sorts after wanting to be released by the Cardinals just a few weeks before the beginning of the playoffs. Tim Hightower has been a huge addition for the Cardinals as a goal line back, including catching the game-winning touchdown throw from Kurt Warner in today's NFC Championship Game.

While the Cardinals are running the ball much better than at any point of the season, they still have their explosive downfield game as Larry Fitzgerald is having one of the best postseasons of any player in league history. Anquan Boldin might be playing in his final game as a Cardinal at Tampa in two weeks, but he is still a top five receiver in the league. Even though Steve Breaston is the Cardinals third wideout, there's no question that he could be a number one receiver on several teams in the league, especially teams like the Bears and Raiders. Oh, and that Kurt Warner guy is still kind of good as well.

The Steelers are going to pose a very tough challenge to the Cardinals assault with the number one defense in all of football. I believe that they'll more than likely be able to handle the Cardinals ground game. But all throughout the postseason, the Cardinals have been able to feed off of the opponents' ability just to respect that ground game. When the Cardinals spread the field and go to their four wide receiver package, will the Steelers be able to match up with the speed of Steve Breaston and Jeremy Urban? Plus Larry Fitzgerald has proven that as long as you throw the ball up to him in his general direction, he'll come down with the ball even if he's in the middle of two defenders.

It's an exciting time to be one of the few legitimate Arizona Cardinal fans down here in Carbondale. The Packers will always hold a much higher standing in my heart. More than likely, I would've broken down after a game like this if the Packers were in it and won (sort of like last year except with a better outcome). And all of this is possible thanks to the likes of Josh McCown and Nate Poole. Without them, I'd just be like everyone else down here and probably wouldn't care all that much that the Cardinals are in the Super Bowl (for people that don't know what I'm talking about: check out the YouTube video below.)

The unthinkable is about to take place in Tampa Bay on February 1st. The Arizona Cardinals will raise the Vince Lombardi trophy as kings of the football world.