By Matthew Maurer

Thank God some ballers don't take their nicknames literally. "Apollo 33" Jamario Moon isn't risking flight with NASA, Andrei Kirilenko never brandished an AK-47 assault riffle, and Andrew "Boston Strangler" Toney...well, you get the idea. So here we have Glen "Big Baby" Davis getting all watery-eyed on national TV in last week's game against Portland. Davis obviously doesn't know one of basketball's biggest unwritten rules - never cry when your future rests on your persona as an enforcer. Davis proclaimed post-game to have no for regrets for the emotional meltdown, but if you ask me he just flushed his reputation down the toilet. He's always been a fun-loving player, but when you're 6-foot-9 and weigh 289 pounds, crying just isn't an option on the court. Man up, big baby.

Okay, I'm very pissed off at EA sports and have been for a while now. These jerks bought an exclusive deal with the NCAA (just like they did with the NFL) to be the only licensed developer to make games featuring college basketball teams. The outcome is NCAA Basketball 09, which is so bad I honestly have too little time to spell out everything that's wrong with it. My beloved College Basketball 2K series has been shelved, not because the series was bad, but because it was too good. Instead of embracing the spirit of competition and improving their product, those EA chumps took the corporate way and flashed some green to secure themselves as the only provider. WHY? Because they can't beat 2K Sports! EA doesn't understand that people like me have no problem updating the rosters with the new recruits and removing graduates. It's all about 2K9, baby! Screw EA Sports. To all my fellow gamers - don't settle for hamburgers when you can have steak. In the next few weeks I'll post my rosters here on the TDR site as well as in the 2kShare system.

Now I know some will question this, but mark my words. The foreign reign of 13 consecutive years of an overseas player drafted in the first round is in jeopardy. That is unless someone comes out of nowhere, or some team owes an agent a favor or just really feels like reaching. The international flavor is a bitter drink to swallow this year. This is the result of years of NBA teams taking near high school-aged players out of Europe. Now the pickings are super slim. Only Brandon Jennings stands a chance, but he doesn't really count because he's American. And have you checked out his game lately? Jennings isn't exactly killing it overseas right now. Add to the fact that Victor Claver is injured and signs that point to Ricky Rubio staying one more season, and it all adds up to a lukewarm international draft class. I'm sure some publication will put together a fluff piece in the near future about an overseas player that's purported to be shoe-in. And I'm sure some team will be high on that player, as another team, alleged by some oblivious source, will proclaim their plan to draft him in the first if he's available. But please hold the hype. This year's draft class isn't that strong and the prospects are not mind blowing overseas. The Euro dollar may be strong but it'll be American muscle flexing on draft night.

As Jimmy V was celebrated once more this past week for his courageous fight against the cancer that took his life, I also celebrate every other person with cancer who battled just has hard or is presently continuing their battle when no one is looking.

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