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Canes are going up to Blacksburg this weekend and I think if we score more than 24 we win the game. The VT offense doesn't scare me at all and their defense hasn't been as good as in past seasons. I think Cooper and JJ both have tremendous games. The big thing here for me is that this is a day game at Lane Stadium and not a night game. Lane at night is a lot more intimidating for an opponent than during the day. Canes: 31 VT: 17

happy b-day to the best admin on this earth!

Haha, thanks guys.

Bengals will win, Benson will make sure of it. 24-21.

By definition, prototypical means an original type, form, or instance serving as a basis or standard for later stages. PG: John Stockton I'm starting to come around to the idea of placing John Stockton at the PG spot, as much as I admire defensive qualities in a player, John was tenacious and one of the most toughest players you will ever witness. He was the first true PG that comes to my mind, and did establish a new basis for the PG position. The reason I'm not looking at Kidd anymore is because he was an above average rebounder, the best at his position, which is not normal in a PG's role. John did everything as a PG, which is the reason I switched my pick to him SG: Michael Jordan it's extremely difficult to agree with you here. Jordan established the SG position, and redefined the meaning of the shooting guard. Basketball is a two way game, regardless of the position you play, you have to be a great offensive talent along with being a great defender, in order to be considered in this topic. Jordan is a Shooting Guard at heart, he cannot be considered anything else. He has good range on his jumper, is an outstanding scorer both attacking the basket and shooting a midrange/three point shot. He is the go to guy in the clutch (very relevant in a shooting guard), and is a great playmaker. He did everything to the extreme, and then some, and for that, I have to put him on my starting list. SF: Scottie Pippen The SF spot is a toss up between Pippen and Bird, and while Bird maybe the better player, Pippen was much more well rounded and did things Bird could not do, and for that, I have to grant Scottie the SF spot. SF's should be well rounded, not necessarily to the extent that they have to be great on offense and defense, but at least successful on one end of the court, while being above average on the other end, and that is exactly what Pippen was. Versatile, but did not play out of position. He was much more athletic, more well rounded, and was a true SF, while Bird did see some time at the PF position with the height he was blessed with. the league today isn't surrounded with Bird-esque players, and are turning out to emulate Pippen's game, and what he was able to accomplish as the second fiddle of that Bulls team. A point forward is still a rarity today, but the way Pippen played, the ability to rebound, play great defense, and attack the rim fearlessly is seen more and more each year. I'm seeing it in the newly drafted Earl Clark from the Phoenix Suns, I'm seeing it in arguably the best player in the league, LeBron James, I'm seeing it in Tayshaun Prince, Luol Deng, Danny Granger, Gerald Wallace, Trevor Ariza, even Caron Butler. No, they aren't nearly as good as Pip was (with the exception of LBJ), they certainly show signs of what Pip did in Chicago. PF: Karl Malone The Power Forward position is tough, Barkley and Malone are strong contenders, Duncan could be known as a Center so he cannot qualify for this position. So that leaves us with the Mailman and Sir Charles. I think Karl takes the cake here, Charles was a PF, but had the size of a SF and the toughness of a Center, so he really has no definitive position. Karl was a very underrated defender in his heyday, the intangibles that don't show up in the statistics, but are overlooked because you couldn't see them unless you watched him play. He was fundamentally sound on offense, a very smart player who knew what he had to do, and did it with ease. C: Hakeem Olajuwon Hakeem is the closest to a Center now, there aren't many true big men in the league today. I find it hard to believe there are more players of Wilt's stature, who played just as physical in the paint, and as dominant as Wilt. The style of play definitely favors Olajuwon here if you ask me, good post game (much more talented with the ball than Wilt), great defender, can run the court easier, and has a good body frame. Now, there's no arguing that Wilt had the better numbers and got it done quicker, but I'm seeing more and more defensive based Centers in the league, which really reminds me of Hakeem in Houston. From Perkins, Okafor, Horford, Nene, Al Jeff, hell even Kwame Brown and Erick Dampier show their skills on defense more than the offensive minded Centers of the past. I'm not going to name every Center in the league today, but I surely can tell you this position changed since the 80's. The closest to Wilt right now is Dwight Howard, except he uses his athleticism more than Wilt ever did, but both finish above the rim, and have no fundamentals in the paint. From time to time, I see some Olajuwon in him on defense, with his shot blocking ability, which shows just how prevalent that style of play is in todays league.

Point Guard: John Stockton ... The prototypical point guard's first and foremost responsibility is to set up his teammates. Oftentimes this player is the smartest on the court, and is in charge of distributing shots effectively. Stockton was an intelligent court general with great vision and decision making skills, which makes him stick out in my mind over others. Mark Jackson and Jason Kidd are two others that came to mind. Shooting Guard: Ray Allen ... An ideal shooting guard is a master at the art of scoring. With a combination of quickness, shooting ability, and ball handling, playing the two is no easy task. Ray Allen exemplifies the off-guard position as well as anyone because not only is he a high-percentage shooter that moves well without the ball and uses a quick release to find an open shot, but he also has the ability to penetrate to the basket to create points in the paint. He is very versatile, and one of the most skilled players the league has to offer. Small Forward: Shawn Marion ... When I was younger, I would always try and rank the best players at each position in my head. Whenever I got to small forward, Marion was usually near the top of the list, for several reasons. When I think of small forwards, I think of a good perimeter defender and rebounder, with the ability to penetrate to the basket effectively as well as shoot the three and make the occasional inside basket. Marion was once a master at each of these traits in his days in Phoenix, and my nostalgia made him the first to come to mind. Power Forward A: Charles Oakley ... I decided to split the power forward position into two, because NBA history has shown two entirely different brands of power forward. Oakley represents the old school kind, the type that relied on rebounds, garbage buckets, and tough interior defense to earn their living. Not necessarily the most skilled player on the court, but this player's contributions are far often overlooked and underrated due to a lack of flash or flair. Power Forward B: Chris Bosh ... Lately, the NBA has gone from rugged, physical interior bludgeons at the four position to more athletic, skilled big men that usually have a strong faceup game complemented by an accurate jumper from 15 feet. The ability to run the floor is becoming increasingly important for power forwards, and if your game doesn't extend beyond the paint and you can't play center, your shot at success in the league isn't good. Of course, we still see the occasional Kevin Love starting for a team, but more often than not an athlete like Bosh holds the team's fourth starting position. Center: Shaquille O'Neal ... O'Neal is the complete package at center. A great interior scorer with strong rebounding skills, shot blocking ability, and a great passer out of the post, Shaq is everything you look for in a center and more. He is much more dominant than your average center, but since he fills every qualification I believe he deserves the mention here. The only thing lacking in his arsenal is a game outside of 8 feet, but unlike the power forward position, few NBA centers can stroke it the way Big Z or Mehmet Okur can. A faceup game or jump shot isn't a necessity like it is for post forwards.

dude why you here, clearly you're too cool for all of us..