wall. In addition, the placement of a later “installation” that was used during both phases of LB II—in which a tall basaltic stele

ng the Late Bronze I Age, Yadin laments that many conclusions regarding the evaluation of structures, installations, and finds are difficult to make, owing to the enormous amount of leveling and looting that took place on the tel during the Solomonic period (Yadin, The Head, 125).55. Wood, “Let the Evidence Speak,” 78.56. Amnon Ben-Tor, “News and Notes,” IEJ 51:2 (2001), 238.57. Donald B. Redford, Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992), 160.58. Yadin, The Head, 200.59. James B. Pritchard, ANET (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1950), 242. Hazor is mentioned in a topographical list of Amenhotep II at Karnak (Bienkowski, “Role of Hazor,” 54).60. Omar Zuhdi, “Combined Arms Egyptian Style: Thutmose III Crosses the Euphrates,” KMT 18:3 (Fall 2007), 56.61. Pritchard, ANET, 239.62. Donald B. Redford, Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 1992), 158.63. Hoffmeier emphasizes that the conquest list of Thutmose III for this campaign was not a record of destroyed cities (James K. Hoffmeier, “Reconsidering Egypt’s Part in the Termination of the Middle Bronze Age in Palestine,” Levant 21 [1989], 187).64. As Hoffmeier correctly explains during his discussion of the primary battle of this campaign, which was fought at Megiddo, “While it is true that Thutmose III was concerned to have order and loyalty in Canaan, he was not going to destroy cities that could be useful to him” (Ibid., 187). For this reason, Hoffmeier concludes that Megiddo was not razed either, despite this city’s distinction of being the site from where the king of Kadesh launched his rebellion against the Egyptians at the outset of Thutmose III’s sole rule.65. Thutmose III undoubtedly would have followed the same foreign policy as that of the earlier pharaohs of the 18th Dynasty, including his grandfather, Thutmose I, who set the precedent for his progeny by venturing through Canaan and into Mesopotamia. “Because of Egyptian economic interest in the region, it would make little sense to adopt a scorched earth policy in Canaan. . . . [W]hen Thutmose I acceded the throne, he was able to march, apparently unmolested, all the way to the Euphrates river” (James K. Hoffmeier, “Aspects of Egyptian Foreign Policy in the 18th Dynasty in Western Asia and Nubia,” in Egypt, Israel, and the Ancient Mediterranean World: Studies in Honor of Donald B. Redford, ed. Gary N. Knoppers and Antoine Hirsch [Leiden: Brill, 2004], 133).66. One author calls the Egyptian advancement into upper Syria a direct attack on Mitanni, “which must long have been seen as one of Thutmose’s manifest goals” (Redford, Egypt, Canaan, and Israel, 159). Another writer suggests, in reference to Thutmose III’s renowned campaign into Mesopotamia, that “[t]his campaign was perhaps intended as a capstone ending a series of military operations begun twelve years earlier with the daring strike through the Aruna Pass at Megiddo” (Zuhdi, “Combined Arms,” 55).



The Gebel Barkal Stele of Thutmose III states that this
conquering pharaoh “crossed the Euphrates after the one who had attacked him, at the head of his armies seeking that feeble enemy [from] the land of Mitanni.” The subsequent victory caused Thutmose III to boast, “There is no opponent of mine in the southern lands, northerners come bowing because of my awe. It was Re who ordained it concerning me, I having bound together the Nine Bows, the islands in the midst of the sea, the Aegean and rebellious foreign lands” (Thutmose III, “The Gebel Barkal Stela of Thutmose III,” in Context of Scripture, vol. 2 [trans. James K. Hoffmeier], 15). All of this causes Hoffmeier to look back on this pharaoh’s first campaign and conclude that it already “suggests that Egypt was moving towards an imperial model of domination” (Hoffmeier, “Egyptian Foreign Policy,” in Egypt, Israel, and the Ancient Mediterranean, 134).67. Hoffmeier, “Egypt’s Part,” 187.68. Yadin, The Head, 32. Yadin’s reference to the middle of the 15th century BC for the timeframe of the occupational gap is purely speculative, as a connection to the Late Bronze I Age is the only certainty. The matter of import in his observation is that a large occupational gap did occur between Late Bronze I and Late Bronze II, before a later re-inhabitation finally took place.69. One may be tempted to accuse Amenhotep II of merely inflating the record, claiming to have conquered a city that he never actually defeated. This argument, however, is a weak and desperate one. If one randomly asserts that Hazor was not “destroyed” by Amenhotep II, why should this pharaoh not be accused of falsifying the conquest of some or all of the other sites on his conquest list? For that matter, why should Thutmose III be trusted to have “destroyed” Hazor as he stated in his conquest list? Thus one could dismiss the claims of any or every ancient conqueror who boasted of cities that he captured during his exploits abroad. The burden of proof should remain squarely upon the shoulders of the modern student of history to produce sufficient evidence when claiming that an ancient monarch falsified his records, rather than expecting the ancients to have justified their own claims somehow for the sake of future critics of history who might cavalierly distrust them. Amenhotep II, among others, deserves far better treatment than this.70. Yadin, The Head, 45.71. Betsy M. Bryan, “Antecedents to Amenhotep III,” in Amenhotep III: Perspectives on His Reign (ed. David O’Connor and Eric H. Cline; Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press, 2001), 46. The latest documented year of Thutmose IV’s reign is Year 8, which is attested to on the Konosso Stele (Ibid., 48, 54–55).72. Yadin, The Rediscovery, 59.73. Ibid., 63–64.74. Ibid., 65; idem, The Head, 46; Yigael Yadin, Yohanan Aharoni, Ruth Amiran, Trude Dothan, Immanuel Dunayevsky, and Jean Perrot, Hazor II: An Account of the Second Season of Excavations, 1956 (Jerusalem: Magnes Press, 1960), 153.75. Yadin et al., Hazor II, 153. Elsewhere, Yadin calls the pottery “the very end of the IIIA: 2 type” (Yadin, The Head, 46).76. Yadin, The Head, 46.77. Arne Furumark, Mycenaean Pottery II: Chronology (Stockholm: Skrifter Utgivna av Svenska Institutet i Athen, 1972), 115. In an earlier note, Kitchen’s quote reveals that he improperly dated Furumark’s Mycenaean pottery analysis to the 1940’s. Instead, the publication-date here reveals a time 30 years closer to the present than Kitchen declared; incidentally, Furumark lived until 1982.78. Examples of Yadin’s Late-Bronze-I finds include the following: Mycenaean vessels from Tomb 8144 and Tomb 8145, which are contemporaneous with a pear-shaped jar from Tomb 8065, all of which are characteristic of the later stage of IIIA:2; three jars (from Tomb 8065) that belong to the period of later IIIA:2; five stirrup-jars (from Tomb 8065), which are divided into three groups, two of which belong to later IIIA:2, and one Rosetta Stone

No princesses are known to have been mothered by Mutnofret,

but the possibility does exist; if Mutnofret did bear a daughter, undoubtedly this princess—given the ages of the princes—would have been old enough to qualify.e. Hatshepsut’s Position as the Most Likely Candidate. All of the evidence points to Hatshepsut as the most likely candidate for Moses’ stepmother, for several reasons: (1) Hatshepsut’s blood-sister, Princess Akhbetneferu, was the only other daughter whom Queen Ahmose is known to have borne, but her death in infancy eliminates her candidacy. (2) Lady Mutnofret bore several sons to Thutmose I before she died, but there is no indication that she ever bore him any daughters.166 (3) The text of Exod 2:10 states that after “the child [Moses] grew, she [his mother] brought him to Pharaoh’s daughter, and he became her son.” Therefore, Moses’ Egyptian stepmother obviously lived a considerable length of time after she retrieved him from the Nile, increasing the likelihood that an account of this “Daughter of Pharaoh” (Exod 2:5) would be documented and preserved somewhere in the Egyptians’ detailed records, a qualification true of Hatshepsut alone.2. Identifying the Defacer of Hatshepsut’s Image. At some indeterminable time after Hatshepsut’s death, a serious attempt was made to obliterate all record of her from history. Many inscribed cartouches of her were erased, while her busts were smashed or broken into pieces, perhaps by gangs of workmen dispatched to various sites throughout Egypt. In some cases, the culprits carefully and completely hacked out the silhouette of her image from carvings, often leaving a distinct, Hatshepsut-shaped lacuna in the middle of a scene, often as a preliminary step to replacing it with a different image or royal cartouche, usually that of Thutmose I or II.167 At Karnak, her obelisks were walled-up and incorporated into the vestibule in front of Pylon V, while at Djeser-Djeseru her statues and sphinxes were removed, smashed, and cast into trash dumps.168a. Thutmose III as the Defacer of Hatshepsut’s Image. According to most Egyptologists, this massive effort to destroy all record of Hatshepsut’s existence was launched by Thutmose III, with a predictable motive: out of sexist pride, he attempted to eliminate every trace of this dreaded female pharaoh’s rule, intending to rewrite Egyptian history to portray a smooth succession of male rulers from Thutmose I to himself.169 “Wounded male pride may also have played a part in his decision to act; the mighty warrior king may have balked at being recorded for posterity as the man who ruled for 20 years under the thumb of a mere woman.”170 But was Thutmose III actually the perpetrator? Did he seethe with hatred and resentment toward his former coruler before viciously attacking all remnants of her? Are cavalier accusations of sexism justifiable? The theory that Thutmose III was the culprit behind this vicious crime is severely weakened by several factors.(1) If Thutmose III did deface her image, it would be inconsistent with how he otherwise related to her memory. A scene on the dismantled Chapelle Rouge at Djeser-Djeseru portrays Hatshepsut and identifies her as “The Good God, Lady of the Two Lands, Daughter of Ra, Hatshepsut.”171 Thutmose III, who is pictured as steering his barque toward Deir el-Bahri, actually completed the Chapelle Rouge, added the topmost register of decorations in his own name, then claimed the shrine as his own. Also, Hatshepsut’s name is still preserved in her Monthu temple at Armant, which Thutmose III enlarged. Such preservation of her handiwork and further construction on her building projects would be extremely unlikely if he truly despised Hatshepsut so greatly. Furthermore, Thutmose III planned the construction of his own temple to Amun, called Djeser-Akhet, which was to be built at Deir el-Bahri, directly south of Djeser-Djeseru. Since Hatshepsut greatly built-up Deir el-Bahri, including massive terraces and her own temple next to the one that Thutmose III subsequently built, this construction site is inexplicable if he felt such overwhelming, sexist hatred toward her.172(2) If Thutmose III was the culprit, he waited at least 20 years after she left office before whimsically desecrating her image. He could not have accomplished the feat before his 42nd regnal year, a full 20 years after Hatshepsut left office. Thutmose III’s construction projects at Karnak—which include the Hall of Annals, whose texts were written no earlier than Year 42—inadvertently concealed a few inscriptions and illustrations related to Hatshepsut. The scenes were in place by Year 42, yet show no signs whatsoever of any desecration. Conversely, those parts of the scenes that were unprotected by his post-Year-42 construction were defaced during the anti-Hatshepsut campaign. It seems impossible that he would wait until over 20 years after she had left office to initiate a campaign of anti-feminism out of personal hatred. “While it is possible to imagine and even empathize with Thutmose III indulging in a sudden whim of hatred against his stepmother immediately after her death, it is far harder to imagine him overcome by such a whim some 20 years later.”173 Moreover, this whim would have been a schizophrenic one, given Thutmose III's recent positive disposition toward Hatshepsut, as displayed by his completion of her projects at Djeser-Djeseru and Armant.(3) If Thutmose III was the culprit, he must have had sufficient motive to attempt to prevent her from living eternally. According to Egyptian religion, removing the name or image of a deceased person was a direct assault on his/her spirit. For him to live forever in the Field of Reeds, his body, image, or name must survive on earth. If all memory of him were lost or destroyed, the spirit too would perish, initiating the much-dreaded “second death,” a total obliteration from which there could be no return. This act against Hatshepsut was an attempt to condemn her to oblivion – a fate worse than death for an Egyptian.174 Thus the extermination of Hatshepsut’s image from the earth was indeed a drastic step: the removal of her spirit from its perpetual existence in the afterlife.175 Such reprisal seems far too severe to fit the motive of mere sexism.(4) If Thutmose III was the culprit, why were there also attacks against the name and monuments of Senenmut, the foreign chief-advisor of Hatshepsut who disappeared from record in or after Hatshepsut’s 19th regnal year (ca. 1488/7 BC)? Occasionally his name was violated while his image remained intact, but some of his statues were smashed and literally thrown out of temples.176 This attack upon her male chief-advisor’s image can hardly be justified if Thutmose III was motivated purely by anti-feministic hatred toward Hatshepsut. Other options are offered to justify this extreme act committed by Thutmose III. (1) He wanted to atone for the offense of a female pharaoh against maat (“justice, truth”), a word used to describe the continuity in the universe that derived from the approval of the gods.177 (2) The unorthodox coregency might have cast serious doubt on the legitimacy of his own right to rule, so he wanted to ensure both the legitimacy of his reign and his legacy. Neither of these options, however, addresses why Thutmose III would wait so long before beginning his anti-Hatshepsut campaign. Certainly he did not learn of the compromise that Hatshepsut’s reign was to the state of maat only after he was an aged king; likewise, after 20 years of sole rule, his reign was secure, and his successful campaigning already had solidified for him a lasting legacy, so defiling her image would not, in any conceivable way, further legitimize his reign.b. Amenhotep II as the Defacer of Hatshepsut’s Image. No Egyptologist has answered satisfactorily the nagging question of who was responsible for the widespread campaign to obliterate Hatshepsut’s image from Egypt’s annals, and what possible motive there could be for such a severe act of rage. Since the responsible



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person carried out the act only after Year 42 of Thutmose III,

the desecration occurred no earlier than ca. 1464 BC. It is also difficult to envision that the culprit lived long after both Hatshepsut and her memory disappeared from the earth, since the movement of time and the existence of motive are inversely proportionate. Accordingly, two possible scenarios exist that could incriminate Amenhotep II as culpable for the crime. (1) Amenhotep II contributed in the campaign to destroy Hatshepsut’s image, but he was not the initial perpetrator. Tyldesley observes that “[i]t is perhaps not too fanciful a leap of the imagination to suggest that Thutmose III, having started the persecution relatively late in the reign, may have died before it was concluded. His son and successor, Amenhotep II, with no personal involvement in the campaign, may have been content to allow the vendetta to lapse.”178 Tyldesley does not explain why without personal involvement. Bryan believes that “Amenhotep II himself completed the desecration of the female king’s monuments,” adding that “when [he] had finished his programme of erasures on the monuments of Hatshepsut at Karnak, he was able to concentrate on preparations for the royal jubilee at this temple.”179(2) Amenhotep II was the sole culprit in the campaign to destroy Hatshepsut’s image. The responsible individual likely possessed pharaonic authority, and one legitimate motive for Amenhotep II to have committed this act is if Hatshepsut raised Moses as her own son in the royal court (Acts 7:21). After the Red-Sea incident, Amenhotep II would have returned to Egypt seething with anger, both at the loss of his firstborn son and virtually his entire army (Exod 14:28), so he would have had just cause to erase her memory from Egypt and remove her spirit from the afterlife. The Egyptian people would have supported this edict, since their rage undoubtedly rivaled pharaoh’s, as they also were mourning deceased family members and friends. The nationwide experience of loss also would account for the unified effort throughout Egypt to fulfill this defeated pharaoh’s commission vigorously. A precedent even exists for Amenhotep II’s destruction of her monuments early in his reign: At Karnak Hatshepsut left . . . the Eighth Pylon, a new southern gateway to the temple precinct. . . . Ironically, evidence of Hatshepsut’s building effort is today invisible, since the face of the pylon was erased and redecorated in the first years of Amenhotep II.180 Perhaps Year 9 was when it all began.X. CONCLUSIONNow it is possible to answer the questions posed earlier. Does Amenhotep II qualify as the pharaoh who lived through the tenth plague because he was not his father’s eldest son? Yes, records show that Amenemhet was the eldest son of Thutmose III, allowing Amenhotep II to have lived through the tenth plague. Could the eldest son of Amenhotep II have died during the tenth plague, which must be true of the exodus-pharaoh’s son? Yes, the eldest son of Amenhotep II could have died then. In fact, none of Amenhotep II’s sons claimed to be his firstborn, and one prominent Egyptologist theorizes that the eldest son died inexplicably during childhood. Did Amenhotep II die in the Red Sea, as the Bible allegedly indicates about the exodus-pharaoh? No, he died in typical fashion, and his mummified body is still preserved. Yet despite popular belief, this conclusion does not conflict with the Bible, since no Biblical text actually states that the exodus-pharaoh died there with his army.Can any of Amenhotep II’s military campaigns be related to the exodus events? Yes, his second Asiatic campaign coincides extremely well with the exodus events, and many of the details related to it and Egypt’s post-exodus future cannot be explained without these connections. Can the loss of over two million Hebrew slaves, certainly Egypt’s “slave-base” at the time, be accounted for in the records of Amenhotep II’s reign? Yes, the loss of the Israelite slaves can be accounted for by Amenhotep II’s acquisition of 101,128 slaves in Canaan during his second Asiatic campaign, the only such campaign of its era that was launched in late fall and took so many captives. Is there any evidence to confirm that Amenhotep II interacted with the Hebrews after they left Egypt? Yes, Amenhotep II captured 3,600 “Apiru” (Hebrews) during his second campaign, which was launched just under seven months after the exodus. Despite many futile attempts to disprove the association of the Hebrews with the Apiru of the New Kingdom, far more evidence exists that favors their being one-in-the-same.If Amenhotep II is the exodus-pharaoh, could the obliteration of Hatshepsut’s image from many Egyptian monuments and inscriptions be attributed to backlash from the exodus events? Yes, Amenhotep II surfaces as the only logical candidate for the pharaoh who ordered this nationwide campaign of desecration. If Hatshepsut indeed was Moses’ Egyptian stepmother—and she is the only legitimate candidate—Amenhotep II and all of Egypt had adequate motive to remove her image from Egypt and her spirit from the afterlife. These answers prove not only that Amenhotep II is the only legitimate candidate for the exodus-pharaoh, but that the Biblical chronology of that era functions as a canon against which Egyptian history may be synchronized.It is hoped that the principal purpose of this article has not been lost in the extensive historical detail contained within it. In this analysis of the exodus-pharaoh and ancient Egyptian history, the arguments of those who compromise Biblical historicity proved unable to undermine Biblical inerrancy. Compromising the Bible’s inspired historical framework invariably will lead to the demise of its reliability as an accurate source for determining doctrine and enhancing spiritual growth. Conversely, to connect the book more directly with ancient history can only enhance its theological meaning.181 Unfortunately, however, even the strongest argumentation cannot remove presuppositions or persuade readers of the Bible’s life-impacting truths.Douglas Petrovich is former academic dean at Novosibirsk Biblical-Theological Seminary in the city of Akademgorodok (Siberia), Russia. He has a BA in Evangelism at Moody Bible Institute, and both an MDiv and a ThM from The Masters Seminary. He also has an MA in Ancient Near Eastern history and archaeology from the University of Toronto, where currently he is enrolled in the PhD program. This article was first published in the Spring 2006 issue of the Master's Seminary Journal. Posted with permission.Footnotes:1. George Ladd, The New Testament and Criticism (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1967), 16. 2. William G. Dever, What did the Biblical Writers Know and When did They Know It? (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2001), 4. 3. Israel Finkelstein, “City-States to States,” in Symbiosis, Symbolism, and the Power of the Past, ed. William G. Dever and Seymour Gitin (Winona Lake, Ind.: Eisenbrauns, 2003), 81. 4. Harold Lindsell, The Battle for the Bible (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1976), 206. 5. Donald B. Redford, Egypt, Canaan, and Israel in Ancient Times (Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 1992), 408–409. 6. Ibid., 412. 7. Kenneth A. Kitchen, On the Reliability of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2003), 310. 8. Bryant G. Wood, “The Rise and Fall of the 13th-Century Exodus-Conquest Theory,” JETS 48:3 (Sep 2005), 476. 9. Rodger C. Young, “When Did Solomon Die?,” JETS 46:4 (Dec 2003), 603. 10. Both here and throughout the present work, any dating that follows the formula, “ca. xxxx–yyyy BC,” signifies the regnal years of a given monarch, unless otherwise noted. The reason for settling on these dates will be discussed subsequently. 11. It is probably more accurate to refer to the Red Sea as the “Sea of Reeds,” but the traditional designation will be used here for simplicity. For an excellent study on this topic, see Hoffmeier’s chap. 9, “The Problem of the Re(e)d Sea” (James K. Hoffmeier, Israel in



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ausewitz's theory of states and war can be reduced to three ideas which he defines, unfortunately for Christians, as a "remarkable trinity&qu

e of the objectives Clausewitz believed necessary for total victory were achieved.In summary, these brief examples of principles of war at the strategic and tactical level illustrate that foundational lessons of military art and science can be gleaned from a careful reading of the pages of the Old Testament. My admonishment to all scholars who write, teach, and conduct research on military affairs, including myself, is for us not to overlook the valuable and important lessons that can be learned from the pages of the Bible. The Bible is not only a book with moral and theological stories, it is about real people, and is a reliable history written in a cultural mileu that enhances our understanding of civilizations thousands of years ago. Valuable lessons about the principles and foundations of politics, military strategy and tactics, economics, ethics, and many other academic disciplines can be gleaned from a study of its pages. Such lessons are as applicable today as they were thousands of years ago. To consider only "recent" history and consider Biblical history as unreliable is narrow-minded and wrong, and scholars do so at their own risk. Recommended Resources for Further Study Bible and SpadeCD-ROM NIV ArchaeologicalStudy Bible FootnotesBarton Whaley comes to the same conclusion and argues that the contemporary Israeli Army and its commanders consciously draw military inspiration, wisdom and lore from the Bible, and the Old Testament teaches its share of stratagems of war (1969: 81).See also my letter to the editor, and his response, on pp. 7-8 of the same edition.BibliographyFerrill, A. 1985The Origins of War: From the Stone Age to Alexander the Great. London: Thames and Hudson. Gabriel, R., and Getz, K.S. 1991From Sumer to Rome: The Military Capabilities of Ancient Armies. New York: Greenwood. Gichon, M. 1985The West Bank: The Geostrategic and Historical Aspects. In The West Bank: Line of Defense, ed. Aryeh Shalev. New York: Praeger. Lemonick, M.D. 1995Are the Bible's Stories True? Time, December 18: 62-69. Malamat, A. 1979Conquest of Canaan: Israelite Conduct of War According to Biblical Tradition.



Cultural Change and the Confusion of Language in Ancient Sumer
This article was published in the Winter 2004 issue of Bible and Spade.One of the primary areas of the Near East where civilization began is the Tigris-Euphrates river valley, comprising portions of modern Syria and Iraq. This region, the fertile valley between the two rivers, has been known since the times of the ancient Greeks as Mesopotamia, literally “the land between the rivers.” This area of course was the home of many peoples familiar to us from general ancient history and the Old Testament, such as the Assyrians and Babylonians. Before these peoples a group known as the Sumerians, the creators of classic Mesopotamian culture, inhabited the southern part of the valley. How and when did civilization start in this region? In order to at least partially answer this question, we will need to examine both written and archaeological source material. The earliest of that archaeological material comes from cultures in the valley that did not as yet know the art of writing.Archaeological EvidenceIn looking at archaeological material from these early cultures, we must make several preliminary observations. First, we should remember that people sharing the same basic culture tend to produce similar and in some cases identical material objects. This trend is particularly apparent with pottery, the basic food and drink storage medium of ancient times. This trend is very helpful to the archaeologist. If he or she is digging in a ruined city and finds a certain style and color of pottery, this pottery can be compared to pottery found elsewhere. Connections can thus be established between the two sites sharing pottery styles. [Ed: These are known as parallels.]Such conclusions must of course be supported by other material finds, but such similarities can show how a particular culture spread over a geographical area.This leads to a second introductory observation. When archaeologists discover a particular culture, it is often given a name by modern scholars. Without written material, we have no idea what the people of that culture called themselves. This name is normally the modern Arabic place name of the site where the culture was discovered. It should never be thought that the “type-site” (the site which gives the culture its name) was necessarily the most important city of the culture, or the place where the culture began. It is simply the first place where modern humans have found an example of that particular culture.Finally, a word about dates. The best way to establish dates is to have written documents, and even then establishing chronology can be a complex and difficult business. For many periods of modern history we have such rich written material that basic dates are not a problem. We know beyond doubt, for example, that Hitler became Chancellor of Germany in 1933, that Lincoln was killed in 1865, and that the Emperor Augustus died in AD 14. But, when we deal with ancient Near Eastern history, precise dates can be more problematical. This is most true of the periods we call prehistory; the time beRosetta Stone Japanese

It is this calendar that provides a date for the entry

into Canaan that is in precise agreement with the 480th-year datum of 1 Kgs 6:1. When Thiele’s date for the division of the kingdom is combined with a literal reading of 1 Kgs 6:1, the resulting dates for the exodus and conquest are in perfect accord with the multiple phenomena that have been cited related to the Jubilees and Sabbatical years. All this is explained by a thesis that is the quintessence of simplicity: Israel entered the Promised Land in 1406 bc with the only credible source for the Jubilee and Sabbatical-year legislation that has ever been postulated, the book of Leviticus, in its possession. II. HAWKINS’ ARCHAEOLOGICAL ARGUMENTS 1. First wrong archaeological argument: new settlements in the central hill country in Iron Age I (1200–1000 bc) signal the arrival of the Israelites. Surface surveys over the last four decades have revealed many new settlements in the central hill country in Iron Age I, ca. 1200–1000 bc. Hawkins reasons, “The implication seemed clear that a new population group had arrived in the Central Hill-Country during the transition from the Late Bronze Age to the Iron Age I.”[46] He believes this to be evidence for the initial arrival of the Israelites in Canaan.[47] The Iron I settlement data, however, undermine Hawkins’s thesis since the material culture of the Iron I settlers exhibits continuity with the previous Late Bronze culture,[48] indicating they were not newcomers at all, but had been in the land for a considerable period of time.[49] This continuity is best seen in the pottery, but includes other material culture items as well. Mazar views the situation as follows: “The settlers had no traditions of their own in the realm of architecture, pottery, crafts, and art. These were adopted from their Canaanite neighbors…Later, when the manufacture of such objects began in the settlement regions themselves, the Canaanite tradition continued to make itself felt in the forms of the tools and vessels.”[50] The evidence indicates a long period of contact between the Iron I settlers and the previous Canaanite culture: The objects of the early Iron Age indicate complete dependence on the culture of the Late Bronze Age. Because the early Iron Age settlement cannot be regarded as an offshoot of the former Canaanite cities, this continuity is best explained by intensive, prolonged contact with the Canaanite culture. This contact must have already occurred in the Late Bronze Age before the beginning of sedentary life. . . . The results of archaeological research indicate early Iron Age culture was highly dependent upon Late Bronze Age culture and they preclude conquest of the country by new immigrants.[51] These observations accord with the biblical model based on an early exodus. The Israelites arrived in Canaan in 1406 bc and initially continued the lifestyle they had followed the previous forty years, that of semi-nomadic pastoralists: “Your sons shall be shepherds for forty years in the wilderness” (Num 14:33, NASB). After ca. 200 years they became sedentary around 1200 bc, as illustrated by the story of Gideon,[52] possibly due to economic factors.[53] 2. Second wrong archaeological argument: an Iron Age I structure found on Mt. Ebal is the altar of Josh 8:30–31. In the 1980s a structure was excavated on Mt. Ebal which the excavator, Adam Zertal, believes was the altar of Josh 8:30–31.[54] Hawkins avers, “If Zertal’s Iron I structure on Ebal is the altar of Josh 8:30–35, there could be important implications for the understanding of Israelite origins.”[55] He then devotes eight pages of his paper to justifying the use of two scarabs to date the earliest phase of the site. This is not the main issue, however, as there is general acceptance of the excavator’s dates for the site.[56] The question is, can the structure excavated by Zertal be associated with the altar of Josh 8:30–31? We shall examine three problems associated with this identification: date, location, and size. a. The chronological problem. There were two phases to the Mt. Ebal complex. Str. II was founded on bedrock, and consisted of fragmentary structures and installations, with evidence of cultic activity (intensive use of fire on the bedrock, ash, and many animal bones). This early phase is dated by the two Egyptian scarabs discussed in detail by Hawkins, and pottery, to 1240–1200 bc, i.e., the very end of the Late Bronze Age. In the early twelfth century, the beginning of the Iron Age I period, a large stone construction, interpreted as an altar, related structures, and a low encircling wall were built over Str. II. This phase, Str. IB, is dated by pottery to 1200–1130 bc. [57] In order to relate Zertal’s altar to Joshua, Hawkins, by necessity, must date the entry of Israel to ca. 1200 bc, the time when the altar was constructed.[58] This is later than most evangelicals who favor a late date would place the event.[59] Hawkins’s dating, in fact, cannot be sustained since Israel was well established in Canaan long before 1200 bc as demonstrated by the Iron I settlement data discussed above, and documented by the Merenptah Stele.[60] Thus, there is a chronological disconnect between the Israelite entry into Canaan and Zertal’s altar. b. The location problem. Prior to crossing the Jordan into Canaan, Moses gave these instructions to the Israelites: So it shall be when you cross the Jordan, you shall set up on Mount Ebal, these stones, as I am commanding you today, and you shall coat them with lime. Moreover, you shall build there an altar to the Lord your God, an altar of stones; you shall not wield an iron tool on them. You shall build the altar of the Lord your God of uncut stones, and you shall offer on it burnt offerings to the Lord your God; and you shall sacrifice peace offerings and eat there, and rejoice before the Lord your God. You shall write on the stones all the words of this law very distinctly. . . . Moses also charged the people on that day, saying, “When you cross the Jordan, these shall stand on Mount Gerizim to bless the people: Simeon, Levi, Judah, Issachar, Joseph, and Benjamin. For the curse, these shall stand on Mount Ebal: Reuben, Gad, Asher, Zebulun, Dan, and Naphtali. The Levites shall then answer and say to all the men of Israel with a loud voice . . .” (Deut 27:4–8, 11–14, NASB). Following the conquest of Jericho and Ai, Joshua carried out the commands of Moses: Then Joshua built an altar to the Lord, the God of Israel, in Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had commanded the sons of Israel, as it is written in the book of the law of Moses, an altar of uncut stones on which no man had wielded an iron tool; and they offered burnt offerings on it to the Lord, and sacrificed peace offerings. He wrote there on the stones a copy of the laws of Moses, which he had written, in the presence of the sons of Israel. All Israel with their elders and officers and their judges were standing on both sides of the ark before the Levitical priests who carried the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the stranger as well as the native. Half of them stood in front of Mount Gerizim and half of them in front of Mount Ebal, just as Moses the servant of the Lord had given command at first to bless the people of Israel. Then afterward he read all the words of the law, the blessing and the curse, according to all that is written in the book of the law. There was not a word of all that Moses had commanded which Joshua did not read before all the assembly of Israel with the women and the little ones and the strangers who were living among them (Josh 8:30–35, NASB). It is clear from these passages that the people were gathered in the narrow Shechem pass between Mt. Gerizim on the south and Mt. Ebal on the north for this covenant ceremony, and that they were able to see and hear all that was going on. Joshua constructed the altar Moses commanded on the north side of the pass, at/on Mt. Ebal.[61] Zertal’s altar, on the other hand, is located on the other side of the mountain, 3.2 km map distance north-northeast of the Shechem pass,[62] “on a low, stony ridge,

Rosetta Stone English

Roman anchors were made of wood and lead

As opposed to stone anchors of earlier periods. Douglas Haldane, a nautical archaeologist, has divided the wooden-anchor stocks into eight types (Haldane 1984: 1-13; 1990: 19-24, see diagram on page 21). Five of the types were used in the first century AD, Type IIIA, IIIB, IIIC, IVA and IVB (Haldane 1984: 3,13).The Type III anchors are made up of five parts (for pictures, see Bonanno 1992: Plate 67; Cornuke 2003: Plate 7, bottom). The main part is the wooden shank, usually made of oak, which has a lead stock across the upper part. Haldane subdivides the Type III anchors into three parts based on the design of lead stock. Type IIIA is made of "solid lead with no internal junction with the shank." Type IIIB is made of "solid lead with lead tenon through [the] shank." Type IIIC is made of "lead with [a] wooden core" (1984: 3). This core of wood, called a "soul," goes though the shank in order to pin the stock to the shank (Kapitan 1969-71: 51). On the bottom of the anchor are two wooden flukes, sometimes tipped with metal (usually copper and called a "tooth"), perpendicular to the anchor stock. A "collar" made of lead, sometimes called an "assembly piece," secures the flukes to the shank (Kapitan 1969-71: 52; Cornuke 2003: Plate 6, bottom; in the picture the collar is below the anchor stock).When an anchor is dropped into the sea, the heavy lead stock brings the anchor to the bottom of the sea. One fluke then digs into the sea bottom. The stock also keeps "the anchor cable pulling at the correct angle to the fluke" (Throckmorton 1972: 78).Mr. Cornuke concluded from his research that the anchors from an Alexandrian grain ship "would have been huge, lead-and-wooden Roman-style anchors common on huge freighters like the one Paul sailed on" (2002: 15).Nautical archaeologists and divers generally find only the anchor stocks and the collars and not the wooden parts because the wood rots in the sea. However, that is not always the case. Sometimes the wooden core, or "soul" still is found inside the stock. Wood can also be found in the collar (Kapitan 1969-71: 51, 53). In some cases the wood does not disintegrate. A case in point is the wooden anchor from a 2,400 year-old shipwreck off the coast of Ma’agan Mikhael in Israel (Rosloff 2003: 140-146).Sometimes lead anchor stocks have inscriptions or symbols on them. Symbols may be of "good luck (dolphins, caduceus), or related to the sea (shells) or apotropaic (Medusa head)." Also are found "numbers, names of divinities (= names of ships), e.g. Isis, Hera, Hercules, and rarely, names of men ... [that] may provide evidence for senatorial involvement in trade" (Gianfrotta 1980: 103, English abstract).One of the reasons antiquities laws are so tough is to prevent divers from looting sunken ships and removing, forever, valuable information such as the wood which could be used to carbon date the anchor and identify the type of wood used for making anchors. Some Israeli nautical archaeologists have begun to use carbon dating to date some of their shipwrecks (Kahanov and Royal 2001: 257; Nor 2002-2003: 15-17; 2004: 23). Archaeologists also work to maintain any inscriptional evidence on the anchor stock.For a brief survey of the recent developments in the maritime heritage of Malta, see Bonanno 1995: 105-110.The first anchor (#1) described in Mr. Cornuke’s book was found by Tony Micallef-Borg and Ray Ciancio in front of a big cave in the outer Munxar Reef at about 90 feet below the surface (2003: 101-105). When it was discovered in the early 1970’s, it was only half an anchor that was either "pulled apart like a piece of taffy" (2003: 121) or sawn in half with a hacksaw (2003: 231, footnote 18), depending on which eyewitness is most reliable. The recollection is that it was three or four feet long, with a large section cut off (2003: 102). The discoverers melted it down for lead weights not knowing its historical and archaeological value. One diver, Oliver Navarro, had two small weights with "MT" stamped on them for Tony Micallef-Borg. (Actually "MT" is the reverse image of Tony’s initials, see Plate 6, top). There is a drawing of the anchor at the top of Plate 7.Unfortunately, #1 was melted down. If it had been found in a controlled archaeological excavation and it contained an inscription, it would have been helpful in identifying the ship or its date.In a reconstruction of how the anchor stock was ripped apart, the author surmises that this was the first anchor thrown from the Apostle Paul’s ship and then "ravaged by the reef and the waves" (2003: 122, 123). The problem with this scenario is that a fluke goes into the seabed where it would serve to slow down the ship, not the anchor stock. If anything had been torn apart like taffy it would have been the collar, not the anchor stock, assuming the wooden fluke did not break first. More than likely, the anchor stock was sawn in half by means of a hacksaw by some unknown person in modern times.The second anchor (#2) was also found in the early 70’s and was a whole anchor stock found near anchor #1 (2003: 105-110). It was brought to shore by Tony Micallef-Borg, Ray Ciancio, Joe Navarro and David Inglott and taken to Cresta Quay (Cornuke 2003: 105, 106). It eventually came to rest in the courtyard of Tony Micallef-Borg’s villa."Tony's anchor" (2003: 125) is described by different people as a "large anchor stock" (2003: 106), a "huge anchor" (2003: 114), as a "large slab of lead" (2003: 126), and a "massive Roman anchor stock" (2003: 126). Unfortunately, unlike anchor stocks #1, #3, and #4, there are no measurements given in the book for this one. The only size indicators are the adjectives "large", "huge", and "massive."The reader viewing the photographs of anchors #2 and #3 on Plate 5 might get the impression that anchor #2 (bottom) was much larger than anchor #3 (top). The bottom picture was taken with the anchor on a bed sheet with nothing to indicate the actual size. Anchor #3 has three men squatting behind the anchor to give some perspective of size. The impression the reader would get is that anchor #2 is almost twice the size of anchor #3. If these anchors were published in a proper excavation report both anchors would have the same scale in front of them and the photograph of each anchor would be published to the same scale. It then would be seen that anchor #2 is considerably smaller than anchor #3.On Friday, January 14, 2005 and Monday, January 17, 2005 I visited the second floor of the Malta Maritime Museum in Vittoriosa. "Tony’s anchor" was tagged "NMA Unp. #7/2 Q’mangia 19.11.2002." This anchor stock came from the village of Q’mangia and was handed over to the museum on November 19, 2002, only four days before the amnesty expired (2003: 223).The anchor stock was one of the smallest on display, measuring about 3 feet, 8 inches in length. Large Alexandrian grain ships would have had for the stern much larger anchors than this one. The author’s lack of quantifiable measurements regarding the anchor stock keeps the reader uninformed about its actual size. This anchor stock is a lead toothpick compared to "huge, lead-and-wooden Roman-style anchors" that Mr. Cornuke surmised would be on the ship (Cornuke 2002: 15).The "Museum Archaeological Report" for 1963 describes an anchor stock found off the coast of Malta. It was an "enormous Roman anchor stock lying on the sea bed 120 feet below the surface 300 yards off Qawra Point... its dimensions, 13 feet 6 inches long, were confirmed.... On the same occasion part of the same or another anchor, a collar of lead 84 cms. long, was retrieved from 25 feet away from the stock" (MAR 1963: 7; Fig. 6; Plate 3). It weighed 2,500 kg, which is two and a half metric tons! (Guillaumier 1992: 88). This anchor stock is the largest anchor stock ever found in the Mediterranean Sea and most likely came from an Alexandrian grain ship. It is in storage in the National Archaeological Museum in Valletta.

Rosetta Stone Chinese

10 Mar 11 Choosing Your Wedding Invitations to Create a Permanent Impression

Choosing Your Wedding Invitations to Create a Permanent ImpressionBy: minerva97mi .... Click author's name to view profile and articles!!!Retargeting by ChangoTweet Wedding invitations have grown to be a very important element of the whole wedding process but some people are not certain the best way to appropriately select exactly what wedding invites to use, what is the correct etiquette to use, or even what you should say on the invitations.If that sounds like you then this should help you bust through those blocking points and also propel you to the ultimate wedding invite for you and your wedding.Below you'll get every one of the basics it is important to understand to pick out wedding invitations which are uniquely you and that surely impresses the family and friends you give them to.Set a Price Range and Be Inventive.Although you can certainly go out and find many panies where you'll be able to obtain eye-catching yet pricey invitations, there's also numerous inexpensive alternatives that will enable you to have just as fantastic ones that will fit in easily in your price range.You just need to let the creativity flow and understand where to look.You may well think that sounds odd yet what is proven to work is to establish a practical spending budget.Something about a spending budget, gets those creative juices flowing and it's remarkable what wonderful ideas you will have and discover while attempting to decide on that “oh so perfect" invite.First Select a Theme and Color Motif for Your WeddingWedding and reception invites really should be suggestive of and support the theme and colors you've picked out for your big event.Do it with panache and style and let your resourcefulness run amok; try to bine distinct ponents to achieve that personal feel that says "you".Add a few of the fabrics you'll be utilizing in your dress. Put some sort of veil over every wedding invitation. Do something that says “you".Make Your Wedding Guest List EarlyBy pleting the wedding guest list promptly you'll discover that you have plenty of time to correctly plete it to your requirements and preferences. This'll also let you know what amount of invites to purchase or to help to make sure there is no rush at the end.Get started as early as 8-12 months ahead of the wedding; this gives you plenty of time to get the best phrasing and, if perhaps something goes wrong, you will have sufficient time to resolve the difficulties to get them exactly the way you want them.Find Expert HelpEven though you should really pick a style that uniquely displays your personality and preferences it's very useful to ask for expert help for the appearance and style of your wedding invitation.This is particularly valuable if you're having trouble selecting or pulling your options together.A number of professionals will perform this for free (in hopes of getting your business) and you'll be more likely to have an incredibly lovely invitation with their help.An expert can also be consulted to ensure that the actual wording and etiquette of the invitation is good. Make Other Decisions FirstBefore you can make or order your invitations, make perfectly sure that every single necessary element, for example the date, time and location of both the ceremony and the wedding ceremony party already are pletely arranged and have been verified with all parties (locations, caterers, band, floral suppliers, etc.)Have More Than You'll NeedWhen making or purchasing your wedding invitations, be sure you get about 5-10% more invitations than you actually need, to be able to take care of misplaced invites and people you did not remember to mail them to.Be Specific in Your WordingWhen you are utilizing a printing shop, you must give them the precise phrasing of your wedding invites in typewritten form not handwritten. Type it up on your puter and print it out so there is absolutely no misunderstanding regarding what you wish to say.Article Source: abcarticledirectoryWe sincerely hope that you have found this article about wedding invitations very educational and helpful. There are a number of sites and articles that can tell you more about wedding invitations, so check them out and e up with creative ideas for your dream wedding withouNote: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, minerva97miRetargeting by ChangoDid You Like This Article? Share It With YourFriends!Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 Not yet Rated Click the XML Icon to Receive Free Articles About ASP via RSS!Additional Articles From - Home Web Development AspWedding Shower Decorations with the Bride-to-be and Expense in Mind- By : minerva97miHire ASP NET Web Developer, ASP NET Programmers- By : Rishi MandloiUseful Social Networking Site Development with ASP Dot NET Development- By : Jessica WoodsonGauge Control For Asp Net- By : Huong NguyenThe Benefits of ASP.Net Excel- By : Mark FitsenAll about Dotnetnuke- By : Dave Bush5 Dave Bush5 Still Searching? Last Chance to find what you're looking for. Try using Bing Search!

5 Mar 11 Affiliate Marketing - Make your Living Online

Affiliate Marketing - Make your Living OnlineBy: Hans Hasselfors .... Click author's name to view profile and articles!!!Retargeting by ChangoTweet Affiliate marketing's been a staple of the internet marketing scene for many years now. It's highly touted as a money maker for newbies and experienced marketers alike. But does it really pay to be an affiliate marketer? Let's take a look to learn more... Basically affiliate marketing's an agreement between a web site owner and a merchant. The web site owner's actually an advertiser for the merchant orHockey Jersey
product creator. The agreement is a contract between the two parties that stipulates that the site owner can use various methods including the space on his site to promote the merchants goods. The merchant meanwhile agrees to pay a percentage of each sale generated through the affiliates personalized link. This benefits both sides because the product creator spends nothing to advertise their goods and the affiliate pays nothing to research and develop new products. This creates a win-win situation. The product creator wins by saving money on advertising, which is one of the most costly aspects of doing business, by passing this cost on to affiliates. Basically it's a pay-per-performance deal because the merchant doesn't accrue any costs until the sale's made and the merchant pays the specified commission. The affiliate marketer wins by being able to sell an already developed product, thus saving the time and money on the front end by not having to deal with R&D and product creation. The product is already developed and proven by the merchant, and all you have to do as an affiliate is find as many prospects as you can that will bring in the profit for both the merchant and yourself. Another benefit to the affiliate is that most programs are free to join and have pre-made sales material so your marketing experience doesn't have to be that of an expert. Probably the biggest benefit to being an affiliate marketer on the internet's the internet itself. Because of the global reach of the internet it's very easy to reach tens of thousands of prospects for almost any type of Pittsburgh Penguins jersey
product line. It's also very easy to intensify your efforts as an affiliate marketer to exploit new and productive strategies such as viral marketing, ebooks, special reports and autoresponders. Lastly, as an affiliate marketer you get to pick and choose between many different products to promote. You're not married to a specific product or even a specific product type. Your risks are minimal because there are no long term binding contracts so if one product doesn't bring in a profit you can quickly and easily replace it with another. All in all affiliate marketing's still an excellent way to earn income from the internet. Perform your due diligence, find a hungry market, find a good product and go for it!Article Source: http://www.shop-on-sale.com This article was published by Hans Hasselfors, from PowerClickAds.com. Get the net working for you. Join a community of like-minded affiliate marketer's and make your living online. Become a member of: www.PowerClickAds.comNote: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, Hans HasselforsRetargeting by ChangoDid You Like This Article? Share It With YourFriends!Please Rate this Article 5 out of 54 out of 53 out of 52 out of 51 out of 5 Not yet Rated Click the XML Icon to Receive Free Articles About Affiliate Programs What Cloth Diaper Provides The Top Match For Newborns?- By : mirtagaylWhat is Affiliate Marketing and Why You Should Do It?- By : James A AndersonEarning Money Quickly With Email Marketing - True or False?- By : Penguins jersey
chad buistMoney Creating Tips For Individuals Involved In An Online Affiliate Marketing Home Business- By : Johnny BarrellGlobal Success Club And How To Make Money Online- By : Don SeanMake Cash Over The Internet With Affiliate Marketing- By : Leroy WheelerWhich Affiliate Networks To Look Out For When Promoting ?- By : Elsa Braxton Still Searching? Last Chance to find what you're looking for. Try using Bing Search!

24 Jan 11 Penn State Football: Will the Iowa Hawkeye Still Stand Tall?

Will Herky the Hawkeye Still Stand After Saturday?SATIRE; We have a tradition in my household. We have been collecting the stuffed mascots of Penn State's opposing teams since we joined the Big Ten in 1993.In fact, the first Big Ten mascot we ever acquired was Herky the Iowa Hawkeye.We line up all our mascots on our fireplace mantle each season, although I must confess that I never acquired a Youngstown State Penguin. So I'm using a stuffed Opus penguinclose enough of a substitute for our purpose here!At the beginning of the season, all thePittsburgh Steelers jersey
mascots stand. Then as we play the game, we reflect wins and losses. If the mascot's team loses, the mascot lies down. If the mascot's team wins, they continue to stand.So for now our mantle piece looks like this: The Penguin, the Golden Flash, and the Owl are lying down. Big Al the Elephant is standing.So is Herky the Hawkeye, as are the rest of the mascots on our Big Ten schedule, for now.Frankly it's been a bit tiresome having Herky the Hawkeye standing all season during the last couple of years. Nothing would give us more pleasure than to see him join the Owl on his back!

22 Jan 11 Colorado Football: Buffs Rally to Rout Hawai'i, 31-13

September 18, 2010 - Boulder Colorado 31, Hawai'i 13Alfred Williams couldn't have done it any better himself.Perhaps inspired by the halftime ceremonies honoringthe ColoradoAll-American's induction intothe College Football Hall of Fame, the Buffs turned a 10-0 halftime deficit into a 31-13 rout of Hawai'i. Quarterback Tyler Hansen passed for 200 yards and two touchdowns,while Brian Lockridge and Rodney Stewart both rushed for over 100 yards as Colorado erased a poor first half showing with a dominant second half performance in the Buffs' 2010 home opener.Before many of the 47,840 in attendance had settled into their seats, the Hawai'i Warriors set about making sure Buff fans did not forget the 52-7 rout handed to the Buffs by Cal seven days earlier. On the second play of the game, Hawai'iquarterback Baltimore Ravens jersey
Bryant Moniz hit Kealoha Pilares on a crossing route which turned into an 80 yard gain. Jimmy Smith caught Pilares at the Colorado three yard line, but a Warrior score, and another Colorado debacle, seemed imminent.Then Hawai'i did Colorado a huge favor.The Warriors ran the ball.A week after rushing for only ten yards against Army, the Warriors decided to run the ball against the Buffs. Three straight running plays netted only two yards, however, leaving Hawai'i with a fourth-and-goal at the Colorado one yard line. Eschewing the field goal attempt, Hawai'i head coach Greg McMackinopted to go for the touchdown. The snap between center and quarterback was muffed, though, with Colorado safety Anthony Perkins recovering the fumble at the Buff three yard line.Colorado did manage to get one first down on its first drive, but, saddled with yet two more false start penalties, was forced to punt. The Buff defense stiffened on the Warriors' second possession, forcing a three-and-out. The Hawai'i punt, though, was mishandled by Travon Patterson, with the fumble bouncing eighteen yards back to the Colorado three yard line, where it was recovered by Hawai'i.Same song; different verse.Hawai'i was once again at the Colorado three yard line with a first-and-goal.And once again, the Warriors came away with no points.Going back to their strength, Hawai'i went back to the passing game. The Colorado defense, though, forced three incompletions. When a 20-yard chip shot field goalwas missed by Hawai'i kicker Scott Enos, Buff fans began to harbor thoughts that this was going to be the Buffs' day, after all.Or not.On the Buffs' next possession, Rodney Stewart fumbled, setting up the Warriors at the Colorado 42 yard line. This time, Moniz and the Warriors were not to be denied. It took only three plays for the Warriors to score, with Moniz hitting Pilares for a seven yard touchdown with 50 seconds remaining in the first quarter.7-0, Hawai'i.The second quarter moved along quickly, withthe twoteamsposting onlytwo possessions apiece. The Buffs posted three first downs on each of their drives, moving the ball fairly well, but eachdrive resulted in a punt. The second drive ended, when, on third-and-one at the Hawai'i 39-yard line, the shotgun snap to Tyler Hansen went between the junior quarterback's legs, resulting in an 18-yard loss.Hawai'i took the subsequent punt and marched smartly down the field, covering 56 yards in only 1:42 of game clock, with Enos connecting on a 31-yard field goal on the last play of the half.Halftime score:Hawai'i 10, Colorado Buffalo Bills jersey
0.Shut out in the first half for the first timeat home since the Iowa State game in 2008, Colorado staged a remarkable comeback in the second half, putting forth as dominant an effort as any Buff team in recent memory.Colorado took the second half kickoff, and, just as in the second quarter, moved with ease down the field. This time, however, the Buffswere not to be denied the endzone. Rodney Stewart, who would rush for 102 yards on 19 carries on the afternoon, capped a 14-play, 80-yard drive with a four yard touchdown run.Colorado was back in the game - Hawai'i 10, Colorado 7.Then, Hawai'i started playing like Colorado had against California the week before.A holding penalty on the kickoff put the Warriors in a hole at their own nine yard line. A false start and an incompletion wereoffset by a five yard completion, leaving Hawai'i with a third-and-ten at their nine. This time, it was the Warriors' turn to mishandle a shotgun snap. Swarmed under in his endzone, Moniz was able to get off a dump off pass to running back Alex Green. Green, though, fared no better, and was tackled by Colorado junior defensive back Anthony Perkins for a safety.Hawaii 10, Colorado 9.Buoyed by the now raucous home crowd, the Colorado offense seized control of the game. Utilizing a semi hurry-up offense, the Buffswere able to keep the Warriors' defenseoff balance. Taking over at their 40-yard line after the Hawai'i free kick, the drive opened with four straight Rodney Stewart runs,netting 25 yards. After a Tyler Hansen to Scotty McKnight hookup for ten yards and a first down on a third-and-six (after a false start penalty on third-and-one), junior running back Brian Lockridge took over. Lockridge, who would post the first 100-yard game of his career (109 yards on 14 carries), handled the ball on the next four plays, netting 28 yards. Rodney Stewart then did the honors from two yards out, giving Colorado its first lead of the game with 7:05 to play in the third quarter, 15-10. The lead was upped to 17-10 a moment later, when Hansen hit freshman wide receiver Paul Richardson for a two-point conversion.Hawai'i did not go quietly after surrendering the lead, however.An 11-play, 76-yard drive by the Warriors ensued, but the Colorado defense again stiffened in the red zone, and Hawai'i had to settle for a 32-yard Enos field goal.17-13, Colorado, with 1:58 to play in the third quarter.The two teams traded punts before the Buffs came up with the big play which had eluded them for the first three games of the season. On third-and-eight at the Buffs' 27-yard Carolina Panthers jersey
line, Tyler Hansen was flushed from the pocket. Hansen bought himself enough time that the Warrior pass coverage broke down. Toney Clemons got behind the Warrior secondary, and Hansen lofted the ball to the junior wide receiver near the Hawai'i 40-yard line. Clemons did the rest on his own, taking the ball in for a 73-yard touchdown.Colorado 24, Hawai'i 13.The Clemons' score was a back-breaker for the Warriors, who suffered two penalties and a sack on their next drive before quickly punting the ball back to Colorado. The Buffs' offense was feeling it now. Brian Lockridge carried the ball on five of the Buffs' next six plays, gaining 40 yards. On third-and-six at the Hawai'i 23, the Buffs got lucky. A Hansen pass intended for Toney Clemons was tipped, with the ball landing in the arms of a waiting Scotty McKnight at the Hawai'i four yard line. Touchdown, Colorado.The 31-13 rout was complete two plays later when Jonathan Hawkins, the fourth Buff to play nickel back in three games, intercepted a Bryant Moniz pass.Final score:Colorado 31, Hawai'i 13."Lord knows we've had our share of adversity," said Dan Hawkins after the game. "To the (players') credit, they have never bagged it in, and they have never quit. They have never doubted and they keep coming back." Hawkins was pleased with his defense in the first half - "I thought our defense was absolutely stellar; once again they made some tremendous stops ... It was fun to see their hard work rewarded" - and with his offense in the second half - "We did a good job in doing the no-huddle ... The offense got a lot of confidence and got back into the full of it. Once we got a little mojo going we were rolling."Much of the credit for the victory went to the defense, who faced to first-and-goal at the three situations early in the game, but surrendered no points. "They hit the long play, we huddled, we said, 'We'll bend but not break' ", said linebacker B.J. Beatty. " 'They're not going to get out to a huge lead like their other game, 21-0 at Army'. We took it upon ourselves to take that moment and make a statement."It could have been a disastrous first half -"It's a difference of one inch and three inches," said Hawai'i head coach Greg McMakin. "It should have been 21-0 at halftime" - but the Buffs were still in the game at half, down only 10-0. Then the Colorado rushing game took over. The Buffs posted 452 yards of total offense, with 252 yards coming on the ground. The two 100-yard efforts by Brian Lockridge (109 yards) and Rodney Stewart (106 yards) marked the first time since 2002 that two Colorado running backs went over 100 yards in the same game.For his part, quarterback Tyler Hansen was efficient, if not spectacular. Hansen went 19-of-26 for 200 yards, with two touchdowns and no interceptions. Almost half of Hansen's yardage came on the Chicago Bears jersey
two touchdown passes, with neither play as they were designed in the playbook (Clemons' 73-yarder coming after a scramble by Hansen; McKnight's 23-yarder coming on a tipped pass). Most of the day, Hansen and the Colorado offense were content to throw underneath, trying to control the ball and the clock. "We were just trying to get (Hansen) into a rhythm and get comfortable back there," said Dan Hawkins. "We are trying to regain his confidence, so I thought it was a good idea."Overall, the Buffs posted decent stats, out-gaining Hawai'i 452 yards to 337. The Buffs ground out 252 yards rushing, holding the Warriors to a net of seven yards rushing. Colorado held onto the ball for 35:49, helped by converting ten-of-14 third down opportunities.The Buffs will now enjoy a bye week, waiting for Georgia (1-2 after a 31-24 loss to Arkansas Saturday). The Bulldogs still must play again, at Mississippi State, before coming to Boulder. Colorado will be the underdog to Georgia, but, at least for a week, can bask in the glow of one very good half of football.Not to mention the first "winning month" since the 2008 team opened with a 3-1 September record.Game Notes -- Junior Brian Lockridge posted his first 100-yard rushing game. His previous best came in 2007 when, as a true freshman, he went for 90 yards against Miami (Ohio).- For junior Rodney Stewart, the 106 yards against Hawai'i was his ninth 100-yard effort, tying him for 11th on the all-time list in that category with three other players (including his position coach, Darian Hagan). Stewart now has 1,679 career yards, moving him from 25th to 22nd on the all-time list.- Junior quarterback Tyler Hansen's 200 yards moved him into the top 15 in career passing yards, with 2,278 overall. On Saturday, Hansen passed four players Saturday, including such well known names as Jeff Knapple, Ken Johnson, and Bobby Anderson.- It took an extra week, but Scotty McKnight finally eclipsed the 2,000-yard barrier. In catching a pass in 39th straight regular season game, McKnight had six catches for 65 yards and a touchdown, moving him into sixth place all-time with 2,057 yards (Javon Green had 2,031).- The safety recorded by Anthony Perkins against Hawai'i running back Alex Green marked the first safety for Colorado since 2005 (against Kansas).- Cincinnati Bengals jersey
The last time Colorado was shut out at home in the first half came in 2008, when Iowa State also led 10-0 at the break. Colorado came back to win that game as well, posting a 28-24 victory.- Ever wonder about the ' in Hawai'i? Well, it's called an 'Okina. According to the Hawai'i media release, it translates literally as separator - "Phonetically, it is referred to as a glottal stop, similar to the sound that would be made in the English oh-oh. The 'okina is actually a letter in the Hawaiian language." So now you know ...

18 Jan 11 College Football: Five Big Games, Winners Will Manage Intangibles Better

Crazed fans are essential to college football.Christian Petersen/Getty ImagesCollege football fans are in store for a great weekendin this the week 4 of the 2010 season. Three games involving six teams from the Top 25 of the USA Today Coaches' Poll are scheduled. If you do what I like to do and stretch the coaches' poll out to the Top30 two more big games surface.I belong to a fraternity of college football writers. We've hashed out and rehashed the X's and O's.So, I wrote this article to present another side of these games, the motivations, inspirations, and drive these teams San Diego Chargers jersey
carry to the big games, beyond what is said in the headsets.The 10 teamsin the five big games all rank in the top quartile,the top 30 teams, of theFootball Bowl Subdivision. Think about it. Theseason is still young, this weekendenteringthe second quarter. It's just turned to autumn. It'sstill close right now. Anything can happen with any of the top 30 teams, especially as they go after each other.In fact, the races are so tight so early that the whoooshing sound you hear is statistics going out the window. The outcomes Thursday night and Saturday and into early Sunday morning are going to go down to the team that better manages these intangibles, the motivations, the inspirations, and the drive.I avoid picking outcomes. I work with advantages that bringin the intangibles, the inferences.A team with an inferentialadvantage can use that advantage to overcome difficulties on the field, the bad bounces of the ball.An advantage works both ways. If it isovercome by the team's opponent, the advantage is challenging to get back. An example is home field. A couple of big scores by the road team can render the crowd quiet.******The games this weekend are:******No. 19 Miami visits No. 29 Pittsburgh Thursday night September 23rd on ESPNThe Pittsburgh Pantherscan still feelthe sting after losing at Utah in overtime, thenplummeting in the polls. Beating FCS New Hampshire in Week 2 was meaningless. The win did not earn any new friends in the polls.Aside from defeating essentiallyno one, there have beenplenty more issues there tomess with Pittsburgh's minds.Key injuries and legalproblems always createunwanted distractions. That's a lot for one team to work through.It's been two weeks since theMiami Hurricanes were defeated convincingly in Columbus by No. 2 Ohio State. The question is: have the 'Canes also had time to gather their thoughts? Frustrating miscues such as untimely penalties and turnoverslimitedMiami's chances to pull off a major victory. Exasperating mistakes tend to linger.It comes down to this: Miamihas to clear its head of Buckeyes almost had and play nearly perfect football.Pittsburghalso has to focus, forgetthe polls, forget Utah,and play nearly perfect football.There is no homesod Heinz Field advantage in this game. Pittsburgh is bruised and Miami traditionally plays well on the road.It's an ever-so-closebattle for conference respectability. Interestingly,it could be described as UtahandOhio State.The Big East may be hurting again.Advantage: Miami******No. 28 Oregon State goes to No. 3 Boise State Saturday September 25th, for ABC/ESPN Game Day. Kickoff is at 8:00 pm EDT on ABC.Oregon State hosted Big East bottom-fisher Louisville September 18th. It was too close for comfort.Boise Stateadministered ashellacking of the Cowboys at Wyoming.Interesting, these are. But, they don't change the fact that this is a really close mid-major WAC vs BCS Pac-10 contest that both teams desperately need to win.Threeweeks into the season and Oregon State has essentially not beaten anyone. Combine that with the fact thatthe Beavers have recently lost to the Broncos twice, and you get paybacks. Paybacks are a...well, we all know what paybacks are.Boise State has been travellingin the 2010 season. Finally, they areplaying on their home turf. The fans San Francisco 49ers jersey
in the stands will be unhinged,thinking this is the national championship season. Boosters, especially the influential type, say it will be the national championship season.That's dangerous.Can Oregon State get cranked up enough to quiet the Boise crowd?Does Boise State still play football as the hunter, or, as the ESPN sidelines reporter said before the Virginia Tech game, are the Broncos so adept at proving them wrong that it's tough to prove them right?Advantage: Oregon State******No. 15 South Carolina at No. 14 Auburn in an inter-divisional matchup in the Southeastern Conference.South Carolina has a big win over Georgia in Columbia and its obligatory FCS game, this time against the privatein-stateFurman.To describe the annual battle the Gamecocks have with themselves, I refer to Darren Everson, a reporter with The Wall Street Journal. Everson wrote of the university's perennial gridiron woes, a school where football success is met with surprise.According to the Journal, only two of the current 120 FBS schools have never played in a major bowl game, those being defined as the Rose, Orange, Sugar, Fiesta, and Cotton.South Carolina is one.Even with head coach Steve Spurrier, a man whom success follows, it could still get tough. And, there's no better place for it to get it tough than against Auburnon The Plains.Last season, West Virginia completed a home-and-home by hitting the highway to play against a multitude of Tigers fans. As a WVU Featured Columnist I filed mypregame article early,comparing Auburn to the Mountaineers previous opponent, East Carolina.Close to 5,000southern gentlemen read the piece, most of whom politelytold methe way it is going to be. Later that week, I wrote another article extolling the virtues of the game. Some of the5,000 and their friends let me have it again.They won,the game and in Bleacher Report. And, that'sAuburn, where success is expected.AfterSouth Carolina star record-setting ex-wideout Kenny McKinley took his own life in his Denver home Monday, theGamecock family will bein mourning. No one completely understands suicide. Consequently, those close to the victim are most confused, and extremely angry.******No. 1 Alabama goes to razorback country to take on No. 11 Arkansas in FayettevilleAlabama has been blessed with the institution of college football over so many decades that the school has a unique reaction to its success in winning a national championship.Reload.The head coaches,Bryant, Stallings, and Saban, instilled that attitude in players like Namath, Seattle Seahawks jersey
Stabler, Musso, Todd, Parker, Teague,now McElroy and Ingram. Those players pass it on.It is reload time for the Crimson Tide offense. For the defense? Not so much. The word is:Rebuild.However, for Saban it may be as simple as reaching into his two and three-deep and just coming up with a good one.Forgames on the 2010 Crimson Tide's schedule, the defense could get by by digging in and playing on inspiration alone. That may haveworked against Penn State. Maybe Auburn. Perhaps Florida.Enter Arkansas.Against the Hogs, a rebuilding defense could be Alabama's Achilles' heel.The offensive mind of coaching genius Bobby Petrino turns in ways no one knows. Maybe the late Don Coryell calling plays from Up There, but he's about it.Incredibly, coach Petrino has thequarterback he wants, along with four wideouts, a tight end, and four top running backs from last year. It's Louisville 2006 all over again for Bobby Petrino, except this is 2010 and Petrino has the all-the-way attitude.This time, it's not West Virginia and Rutgers, then Wake Forest. It's Alabama and LSU, then Florida, then Ohio State or Boise State?Nick Saban and Bobby Petrino have become the coaches they are because they think there are no limits. He who better sells those ideals to his players will lead them to victory.Advantage: Arkansas.*****No. 21 West Virginia invading bayoucountry to play No. 12 Louisiana State in "Death Valley" TigerStadium in BatonRougeESPN2 at 9:00 PM eastern.The Mountaineers and Tigers are similar in two basic aspects: a) each team has more athletic talent than their respective rankings might indicate, and b) each team has what I call "megaboosters" who have placed their respective head coaches on the dreaded "hot seat."It's mind-boggling that LSU's Les Miles, at 54-15 with a national championship in 2007, and West Virginia's Bill Stewart, at 22-9includingone of the classic bowl upsetswinsover Oklahoma 48-28 in the 2007 season's Fiesta Bowl, could possibly fear for their jobs.It's true.However, these men have been around long enough to know that their best chances to get off the charcoal chair involves winning.I can't speak for LSU players on the subject of how much they likeLes Miles. It's my guess that they do because of the recent successes and the 2007 national championship, the team for which 2010 seniors were freshmen. There's got to be some muscle memory there, and a lot of mutual respect.I can speak more knowledgeably about the relationships between Bill Stewart and WVU's players. I have heard directly from a St. Louis Rams jersey
couple ofthose who would know that Stewart's players like him.The Mountaineer seniors played in the Fiesta Bowl of the 2007 season at a time when West Virginia football was in complete turmoil. Bill Stewart was the man who found a way pull everyone together. The final score indicates he did a fine job.This game is going to be a prize fight. It's the old-fashioned "who wants it more."Or, perhaps, "who wants it more forthe coach."Advantage: West Virginia

15 Jan 11 St. Louis Rams Seattle Seahawks Commentary Leonard Little

In a production that had been played out seemingly countless times before, the St. Louis Rams were staring defeat in the face when the fates of fortune intervened and once again handed them a chance at a miracle victory.They're fickle, those fates.Holding a six-point lead, the Seahawks needed only to bleed the final 2:48 from the clock and kick an easy field goal for an insurmountable lead. Then, with his only concern being to protect the football, Maurice Morris was stripped by Leonard Little. Jimmy Kennedy recovered and gave the Rams their latest shot at an Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
improbable victory (Disclaimer: The writer and RealFootball365.com cannot be held responsible for the strong sense of déjà vu instilled by the previous paragraph).Leonard Little, as he has done many times this season, gave his team a shot at a miraculous comeback, and the Rams' offense would make good on its opportunity. With 1:54 remaining on the clock, Marc Bulger made the mistake of hitting a single-covered Torry Holt deep over the middle for a 67-yard bomb and the touchdown that would put the Rams up with a little more than a minute-and-a-half left in the game.That's right, I said mistake.You see, the Rams failed to heed the lessons of history. Let's set the way back machine to Feb. 3, 2002, and a little game known as Super Bowl XXXVI. The heavily-favored Rams were being handed their heads by the upstart New England Patriots. The Patriots were up 17-3 in the fourth quarter, when the Rams woke up and mounted a furious comeback to tie the score with (stop me if this sounds familiar) a minute-and-a-half left in the game. The whole world was privy to what happened next: the Patriots easily drove down the field against a suspect Rams defense, stopped the clock in field goal range with a handful of seconds left and launched the kick heard 'round the world.Are we beginning to see a pattern here? OnReebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
Sunday, Seattle drove into field goal range against little resistance and won a game that should have been the latest in a series of miracle comebacks for the Rams. The Rams' offense shouldn't need to worry about scoring "too early" at the end of close games due to the porous defense's penchant toward giving up at the end.Now, the Rams can blame the loss on any number of factors, such as the two highly suspect pass interference penalties that launched the Seattle comeback or Steven Jackson's Saturday Night Fever-like performance in the backfield. He netted a mere 56 yards at a 2.8 average per carry. However, there is a much more insidious culprit that can be fingered.Blame, thy name is defense.The Rams dominated the first half, mounting impressive drives that led to three touchdowns. The defense allowed only a single score, forcing Seattle to punt on the remainder of their drives. At halftime, conventional wisdom suggested continued dominance by the Rams in the second half. If the 2006 Rams have proven anything, it's that their games are anything but conventional.The Rams' defense crumbled in the second half, allowing Seattle's slumbering offense to spring to life to the tune of two touchdowns and four field goal attempts (three were made, including the final blow). While the special teams regressed with an ill-timed fourth quarter Kevin Curtis fumble that led to a Seattle touchdown, the Rams' offense played well enough to win and cannot be blamed for a defeat that puts the team at a serious disadvantage to Seattle in the battle for the NFC West crown.In order to remain in contention with the Seahawks, the Rams must shore up their defense and cannot rely on Leonard Little, nor the hand of fate to intervene after the 'D' turns victory into defeat. Granted, despite the loss, the Rams showed Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
up for this game and head into their bye week with a decent record of 4-2. In playing the defending NFC champs to a standstill, they have earned the respect of the league. That respect is little consolation to the Rams.Get more perspective on the St. Louis Rams (1)

14 Jan 11 Seattle Seahawks "Sadly say goodbye to Mack Strong"

The Seattle Seahawks' 21-0 loss in Pittsburgh was certainly a low point in franchise history - just the 10th time they had been embarrassed like that. But that sad result was eclipsed just a day later by a much more sobering circumstance: the forced retirement of longtime fullback Mack Strong because of a neck injury. Strong suffered a herniated disk in his neck that was pressuring his spinal cord, leading to numbness in his arms and legs after a collision against a Steeler on Sunday.That injury did what six players could not do -- knock Strong out of the lineup."TheReebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
decision has been made for me," he told reporters Monday. "I think you're always kind of in flux about when should I hang 'em up? When should I call it quits? It's a no-brainer."For most of this decade, Strong was the silent heartbeat of the Seahawks - a hard worker at a mostly ignored position who got little notice until he was finally voted to the Pro Bowl the past two seasons.Strong, 36, played 201 games for the Seahawks, second in team history to Joe Nash (218). Excluding kickers, only five active players have been in the league longer than Strong.Certainly no one saw this career coming. Strong was undrafted out of Georgia in 1993 and spent his first year on the practice squad. He didn't turn into the team's starting fullback until 1997. But then he helped pave the way for 1,000-yard rushers in eight straight seasons, including Shaun Alexander's league-leading 1,880 yards in 2005. Strong should have been voted to the Pro Bowl as early as 2001 and certainly in both 2003 and 2004 - when Alexander tallied 3,131 yards and scored 30 touchdowns. But the Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
fullback finally got his due in 2005 and 2006.He had to hold off a number of challengers for his position to do it. Heck, the team has been trying to push him into retirement since 1996, when it drafted Reggie Brown to replace him. Then it was Heath Evans (2001), Chris Davis (2003), Tony Jackson (2005) and David Kirtman (2006). Now Strong will be replaced, appropriately, by a fellow undrafted free agent: Leonard Weaver.Strong is sure his protege will succeed, telling reporters, "I have the utmost confidence in Leonard Weaver. I think he's going to make people forget about Mack Strong around here. He's going to have that type of impact. He has that type of ability and that type of talent."It is a typical comment from the guy who has long been one of the Seahawks' leaders. A team captain, Strong also was a five-time recipient of the Steve Largent Award - given to the player who best exemplifies the spirit, dedication and integrity of the Seahawks. Since the award was created in 1989, no one else had won it more than once.During the 2005 season, Mike Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
Holmgren lauded the fullback for all of his wonderful traits: "Mack Strong is about my favorite player of all time. The Mack Strongs of the world make it worth my while to coach and teach. He is unselfish. He has played 13 years, longer than anybody we have. He does all the dirty work. He is the lead blocker most every play for our halfback. He is a great man in the community. He is a great father and a wonderful family guy. ... I can't say enough about him."And for all of those reasons, it is a sad week as the Seahawks say goodbye to one of their all-time great players.

13 Jan 11 Mark Cuban, Are You Serious?

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesIt's official. Mark Cuban really does think that the sports world revolves around him and his Dallas Mavericks.Are you kidding me, Mark?The mighty NFL, with it's outrageous TV contract, should have changed their schedule to accommodate a regular season game between your precious Mavs and the Utah Jazz? On what network was that televised? And more importantly, was the few thousand you lost in ass-less seats really worth yet another pompous media uproar?Donald Trump said it best.In so many words, he proclaimed that New Orleans Saints jersey
the guy was "new money" and that no team he ever owns would win a championship. And that he was not a winner, nor will any team be that he gets his wallet on.He's just another Daniel Snyder. Or worse yet, an idiot fan who hit the lottery, and was allowed to buy a professional sports franchise.I have a ton of respect for how Mr. Universe cameabout his fortune.Congrats, Mark. You were a genius in the era of "how to make a gazillion on tech stocks". This does not make you an expert on professional sports, let alone, running an NBA team.If he had an ounce of basketball smarts, he would have positioned himself, with his deep pockets, to be cap-ready to go after LeBron and also Wade/Bosh, etc.He would try to put some winners on that court, instead of contstantly putting ball hogs like Jerry Stackhouse and Jason Terry around guys that actually care about winning, like Dirk Nowitzki and Josh Howard.Wake up, Cuban.Like in any other major sport, you cant outscore everyone every night, especially come playoff time. Ever hear the term, "role player"?And, coming from a Philly fan, did anyone else in Dallas give a crap about an early January Mavs-Jazz or did you want to watch your Cowboys in a rare playoff appearance,beat the hell out ofa division rival?Get real, Mark. It's all about the New York Giants jersey
'Boys come playoff time. Same can be said in any major city when it comes to football.Do yourself, and all of the long suffering Mavericks fans a favor. Continue to spend money, but hire a General Manager who knows something about the game of basketball to decide how to spend it.

12 Jan 11 Haiti: ESPN Commentator Spits On Relief Effort

Paul Shirley made waves Wednesday with his cold and cruel remarks regarding the tragic events that have taken placein Haiti.Shirley said,"I haven donated to the Haitian relief effort for the same reason that I don give money to homeless men on the street. Based on past experiences, I don think the guy with Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers #86 Hines Ward Realtree camo Jersey
the sign that reads 'Need Your Help' is going to do anything constructive with the dollar I might give him. If I use history as my guide, I don think the people of Haiti will do much with my money either.Needless to say, Shirley was fired by ESPN Wednesday, and the network had this to say about his remarks, "Shirley's views do not at all reflect our company's views on the Haiti relief efforts. He will no longer contribute to ESPN."The remarks actually came in the form of a letter. Asarcastic letter of thanks to the people of Haiti. A real winner this Shirley is. In the letter Shirley says, "Kudos on developing the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere. Your commitment to human rights, infrastructure, and birth control should be applauded."Shirley is an Iowa Stategraduate, andspent time in 2004-05 as a reserve forwardfor the Suns. Shirley also played in seven games with the Chicago Bulls back in 2003-04, averaging 3.0 ppg and 2.3 rpg in that span.Before joining the Bulls, Shirley was a member of the ABA's Kansas City Knights. Healso had a cup of coffee with the Atlanta Hawks back in 2002-03 and has played overseas in Greece.Shirley's mock letter also asked the Haitian people if they could refrain from the creation of flimsy-shanty and shack-towns.Perhaps Shirley's most Reebok Pittsburgh Steelers James Harrison Realtree camo Jersey
startling statement came when he felt the need to ask the Haitian people if they could perhaps use a condom every once in awhile.Shirley's commentating career, like his NBA career, was brief and a total flop. One can only hope we never have to hear this guy chime in about any topic ever again.

10 Jan 11 NBA Trade News: Tracy McGrady Swapped, Houston Rockets Get a New Look

Lisa Blumenfeld/Getty ImagesSoon after Tracy McGrady's huge debacle with the Rockets Organization, they started having trouble winning games. Well, not winning games, more like finishing out games. Then people started saying how taking out McGrady was a bad idea and they should just let him play. Charles Barkley even went as far to say that the Rockets Organization was disrespecting McGrady.I do not really like the trade deadline because of the many random trade rumors, and other reasons in which you can find here . But many of them have involved McGrady Kansas City Chiefs jersey
due to the fact that he was not playing and the Houston Rockets were not able to finish out games.In the End, McGrady was traded in a three-way deal that allowed the Rockets to get hold of Kevin Martin, Jordan Hill, and the dreadful Jared Jeffries. The sad part of this was that the Houston Rockets lost fan favorite Carl Landry and Joey Dorsey. Oh, and we get to get rid of McGrady.This trade has its pros and cons, but Morey decided to play it safe and to try to continue to fight for a playoff spot this year rather than see them slowly get out of the playoff picture in hopes for Miami Dolphins jersey
a second tier name (AKA not Lebron, Kobe, DWade). I personally do not like Kevin Martin that much. His defense is probably worse than McGrady defense, he also has a history of bad injuries, and his jump shot is sort of funny looking. But nonetheless, he can get to the line and has shown he has a knack for putting the ball into the hoop. Though he does not do much other than score, it could be what the Houston Rockets need to push for that 8th seed in the playoffs this April.To be honest, I have not really watched Hill that much so what I write about him is based on what Ive seen in a few videos. I think he has talent, but he was buried by DAntoni and barely played (totaling for 24 games). I believe he could be somewhat useful in Adelman system as long as he is willing to listen. Though I could be entirely wrong, and he could suck like Brian Cook (they do have the same number after all). For the Knicks, they got what the player the wanted. For the Kings, they get the tough Carl Landry who has been a fan favorite in Houston, and will continue to become one in Sacramento. Minnesota Vikings
So in conclusion, the Rockets played it safe and got their wing scorer (Martin) and a hopeful prospect to replace Carl Landry (Hill). If both work out the way Morey hopes, we could see the Houston Rockets in the playoffs. Oh, and some people are going to have to change their numbers (Martin, 23) (Hill, 43) or (Cook, 43)

9 Jan 11 The Los Angeles Clippers Do Their Best Harlem Globetrotter Impersonation

Jeff Gross/Getty ImagesI really want to see the Harlem Globetrotters live. I grew up watching the 'Trotters on Saturday morning TV. Sometimes, they would be special guest stars on Fat Albert! Good times. Even as a kid, I knew the games were fixed. The 'Trotters were all about entertainment, and that was okay by me. I Reebok Minnesota Vikings 28 Adrian Peterson Realtree camo Jersey
watched in awe as Curly would lay on his side and dribble the ball while the Washington Generals flailed away haplessly. Maybe it's because I was groomed at such a young age to accept phony basketball as entertainment that I can watch the Clippers play today. I'm happy the team is playing well, glad to see some passion on the court, and the three wins in a row are nice, but let's not kid ourselves: this is phony basketball. By trading away Marcus Camby, Al Thornton, and Sebastian Telfair the Clippers went all-in. They showed their hand and confidently winked at the others around the table. What's in the pot isn't clear, but we all know what, or who, they have their eye on. We won't know for a few months, however, if they played their cards right. So, between now and then we are left to watch the Clippers play the part of Harlem Globetrotters. Let's call them the West Coast Wannabees. The Wannabees are a team tossed together for the balance of the year. Everyone on this team understands that. They play not for any real long-term purpose but for the love of the game. There are worse places to play the game you love than in Los Angeles. It's no wonder the team has played with passion recently, wouldn't you if you were being paid very well to play a game of pickup ball? Phony basketball. In the role of the Washington Generals have been the Kings, Bobcats, and Pistons. It was against the Pistons that I noticed things not seen in Clipper games for some time. There were bench players pounding the floor to encourage their teammates. I saw smiles, Reebok Minnesota Vikings #4 Brett Favre Realtree camo Jersey
enthusiastic high-fives, and general passion from a team that has been about as passionate as Tiger holding a news conference. Of course, it's easier to play with passion when you have nothing to play for but the passion. The mark of a great team, not to mention a great player, is when they can excel in a pressure situation. Playing with passion when everything is on the line separates the ordinary from the extraordinary. Clearly, there is nothing on the line for the Clippers. "...We want to go into each game trying to win, but I also want them to have fun. We have banter in practice and stuff I think is refreshing. I think basketball should be fun." Lame-duck, I mean Interim, Coach Kim Hughes said recently.That's what's left for the Clippers this year. In a year that started with playoff aspirations, excitement around Blake Griffin, and what looked to be a solid core of players, the season is winding down as an entertainment piece. Of course, the team could have continued down the road they were on and played passionless boring basketball (see game result 2/10/10 against the Warriors). Given the option, of course I would rather see them play with a little energy. It's a welcome change, but it's temporary. This is still a lame-duck team led by a lame-duck coach and very possibly a lame-duck G.M. I can hear you screaming Clipper fan, no the owner is no lame-duck, he remains firmly entrenched. I feel bad for pointing out that the emperor has no clothes. I should be happy that Steve Blake is an assist machine, that Drew Gooden is pulling off an Reebok Minnesota Vikings #69 Jared Allen Realtree camo Jersey
impressive Marcus Camby impersonation, and that Bo Outlaw is most likely an improvement over Al Thornton, but the Clippers are parading around Figueroa Avenue with their ding-a-ling showing, and someone has to point it out. Maybe they can sign Meadowlark Lemon to a 10-day contract.

8 Jan 11 Despite Struggles the Lakers Are Still Looking Down on Dallas and Denver

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty ImagesIt's funny how perception can sometimes differ from reality, and after recently glancing at the NBA's Western Conference Standings, the struggles by the front-running Los Angeles Lakers may have been wildly misconstrued.Debate has beenlively concerning the Lakers since they endured a rough stretch, in which they lost three consecutive games for the first time in almost two years.The Lakers' slide corresponded with a surge by the Dallas Mavericks and the Denver Nuggets and it changed the perception of Reebok New Orleans Saints #9 Drew Brees Realtree camo Jersey
the conference race.Whispers began to emerge that perhaps the dominance of Los Angeles was nearing its end, and maybe a confident Nuggets' team or a re-tooled Mavericks' team could end the Lakers' two year reign atop the conference.A 13 game winning streak by Dallas and a six game winning streak by Denver added fuel to the rumors of the Lakers' demise, but the last week has shown us the predictions of ruin were over-blown.After a combined 19 game win streak, the Nuggets and Mavericks were able to carve only a single game off of the Lakers' conference lead, and in Dallas' case a 32 point loss to the New York Knicks raises some interesting questions of their own.For one, what type of true championship contender loses a home game at this point of the season, by such a large margin, to a team which has absolutely nothing left to play for?I understand futility breeds desperation and teams under those circumstances can be dangerous, so a loss is understandable, if not acceptable.But to lose by 32 points at home? That is not the mark of a true contender and despite recent roster upgrades Dallas may still exist in the shadow of their playoff failures of 2006-2007.Choking in the Finals of 2006, and the Maverickssubsequent defeat the next year in the first round of the playoffs as the number one seed has Reebok New York Giants #27 Brandon Jacobs Realtree camo Jersey
left a discernible mark on the franchise.Epic failures like those tend to leave residual damage which is capable of following teams for years, and the manner in which Dallas conceded to New York brought back memories of those disasters.Denver on the other hand, is the one team which can cause the Lakers problems because of their team speed and athleticism, plus they have a proven champion in point guard Chauncey Billups.The Nuggets have been consistent for much of the year, and have gained valuable confidence in their two wins over the Lakers this season. They sincerely feel they are capable of defeating Los Angeles in the postseason.The Lakers, however know they can beat the Nuggets and have done just that the past two years in the playoffs, and despite some issues, nothing much has changed in that area.Additionally, Los Angeles is beginning to show some life, and the Lakers are putting together a little run of their own in preparation for the postseason.Since a loss to Orlando, the Lakers have won four gamesin a row, and a moment of tension between Kobe Bryant, Pau Gasol, and Andrew Bynum may have provided the team with necessary motivation.Gasol and Bynum have asserted themselves in the post, and Bryant has shown the ability to compromise, seemingly recognizing the efforts Reebok New York Jets #6 Mark Sanchez Realtree camo Jersey
of his beleaguered big men.Both Bynum and Gasol caught heat for their statements to the media, but they have shown they can be dominate in the paint with more touches, as they have controlled the paint in recent games.More importantly, Bryant has began to find his shooting touch after his finger injury, and the Lakers are discovering the rhythm which carried them through to last season's championship.The road ahead for Los Angeles is perilous, and afuture five game road trip will test their fortitude, but the Lakers seem to be finding their stride at just the right time.The prospects are fair forthe Lakers even though they have had to endure adversity to reach this point, but that is the sign of a true championship contender, and the first place team in the Western Conference.