Highland Park High School Texas Trio

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

Being a Florida resident, prior to the Detroit Lions 31-14 victory over the Jacksonville Jaguars Sunday in Northern Florida, I haven't had the chance to watch QB Matthew Stafford perform in person.

After all these games on TV, the boyish looking youngster, made a believer out of me, that as long as he stays healthy, the Detroit Lions "finally" have a Thoroughbred at this position.

After toying with the Jags by amassing 285 yards, a lot of things came to mind about the 24-year old gifted Tampa native.

* How much faster and younger would Stafford have hit the 10,000 (10,233) yard passing mark if he wasn't hampered by injuries earlier in his career? Would he already be second on the team's yardage list without the injury problems? Check my previous blog "Lions Mastery In Florida Continues" to see the team's all-time leaders.

* Would Erik Kramer be amongst one of the all-time leaders in Lions passing yards that Stafford would be trying to surpass, if Detroit had kept him instead of pursuing Scott Mitchell, Dan Marino's backup with the Miami Dolphins? Kramer was the last Lions QB to win a playoff game crushing the Dallas Cowboys 38-6 during the 1991 season.

* As the Lions continue to bolster the offensive line, wide receivers and running backs, would anyone even guess how many yards Stafford will amass when his playing days are over?

* It's inevitable that Stafford and Lions Hall of Fame QB Bobby Layne will be No.1 and No.2 in passing yardage. My advice to the Lions is when they seek Stafford's eventual replacement, instead of scouting college teams, check back to Highland Park High School in University Park Texas, in the Dallas Metro Area, where they both played and draft their next star signal caller. Lions Hall of Fame Halfback/Punter Doak Walker also played at Highland Park High School. Two Hall of Fame Players from one high school with another potentially on the way. Enough said.

* During the Lions post-game press conference, I was impressed with Stafford's attitude about reaching 10,000 yards indicating that he he simply didn't care about reaching that plateau. He was giving credit to the organization and his teammates. After speaking with his teammates in the locker-room, they're impressed as to how he quietly leads by example and has no ego whatsoever. He fits in well with Detroit's Blue Collar approach. During many of his press conferences, Stafford is often seen wearing a Detroit Tigers Baseball Cap. He seems to have fit in and has embraced his new hometown.

* I am still mind boggled that Lions Owner William Clay Ford Sr. gave Stafford a $40 Million signing bonus. But in this day and age, Ford knew that he had to. I'd be curious if Ford included a small piece of stock in Ford Motor Company. I have a feeling that Ford has no regrets especially after Stafford threw for 5,038 yards in 2011 and will shatter every franchise passing record by the conclusion of his career.

* The Red Wings retired Gordie Howe's No.9 and although the NFL doesn't retire many numbers, I have a feeling that when Stafford's career is over, his number will never be worn again. The Lions also retired Layne's No.22 and Walker's No. 37.

* How much more of an exclamation point can you get when there could be three numbers retired in the NFL, on the same team, that all went to one High School, this one Highland Park High School in Texas? I don't know much about the history of Highland Park High School in Michigan, but I have a feeling it doesn't compare to the one in Texas.  Other athletes that attended Stafford's alma-mater include: Olympic Gold Medalists David Browning (1952, Diving), Mike Heath (1984, Swimming), Harrison Frazar (Pro Golfer), Kyle Rote Jr. (NASL Soccer), Clayton Kershaw (LA Dodgers) and Chris Young (New York Mets).

In my mind, there will always two questions that remain unanswered. Would the Lions even have Stafford if Joey Harrington had a stable head coaching staff in place like Stafford has with Jim Schwartz?

Would Harrington have fared better with a good offensive coordinator like Scott Linehan?

Harrington's tenure in Detroit saw both spots turn into a revolving doors that led to the unrest and lack of stability in both areas.

But I have a feeling that Lions fans don't care anymore. They just want to see the team improve on their 1-10 post-season mark since 1958 and finally get that gorilla off their back as one of the four teams that haven't reached a Super Bowl.

The only thing that Stafford and Harrington have in common is that Joey is a College Football studio host for Fox Sports on Saturdays while Matthew plays 14 games a year for the NFL on Fox.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com.

Lions Mastery In Florida Continues

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

JACKSONVILLE, FL-----The Detroit Lions did more than improve to 4-4 with their 31-14 win over the Jaguars at EverBankField.

They have created an interesting streak that began on December 19, 2010, continued on December 26, 2010, added to it on September 11, 2011 and built on it Sunday.

Detroit has a four-game winning streak in the State of Florida.

Game One saw Detroit end it's NFL record 26-game road losing streak with a 23-20 overtime triumph over the Tampa Bay Bucs.

A week later, the Lions faced the Miami Dolphins and won for the first time ever in South Florida.

Detroit returned to Tampa and defeated the Bucs 27-20 to begin their 10-6 playoff run.

In these four wins, the Lions won with three different quarterbacks.

Stanton defeated the Bucs the first time, Shaun Hill took out the Dolphins while Matthew Stafford defeated the Bucs and the Jaguars to complete the Florida Tri-fecta.

Going into this game, Stafford needed 52-yards to reach the 10,000 yard passing total. He added 285 and is at 10,233. He accomplished this in his 37th career game and reached this goal in the second fewest games.

The fastest was Kurt Warner, who did it in 36.

Warner was 30 years and 142 days while Stafford did it at 24 years and 271 days.

Only Drew Bledsoe, Dan Marino and Peyton Manning reached 10,000 yards at a younger age.

Here is some more history.

The last time the Detroit Lions defeated Jacksonville was at home crushing the Jaguars 44-0 at the Pontiac Silverdome in 1995. This was the largest margin of victory in Lions history. I can just imagine the age of most of the players on this roster.

The only thing this game showed me was why the Lions are 4-4 and the Jaguars are 1-7.

The Lions cruised from start to finish. Detroit took a 21-0 lead at halftime and used a balance offensive attack to close out an opponent that played without it's best running back. Jacksonville could have used Maurice Jones-Drew.

Detroit out gained Jacksonville in total yards 434-279.

To see Stafford rise up the Lions quarterback passing totals means only two things. The kid has uncapped potential or that position has been that bad.

To think that Bobby Layne has 15,710 yards is Number One is just amazing.

In the Lions next game on the road against the Minnesota Vikings, Stafford will pass Joey Harrington (10,242) to move to sixth on the all-time list.

Eric Hipple is currently fifth with 10,711 while Gary Danielson is fourth with 11,885.

We might as well finish the ladder as Greg Landry stands third with 12,451 and Scott Mitchell is second with 12,647. This distance between Mitchell and Stafford is 2,414 yards. Stafford could be second by the end of the season or by the first four games of 2013.

That's remarkable. This is just for passing yardage.

As long as he stays healthy, he'll shatter career touchdown passes and career pass completions. He's already the team leader with 13, 300-yard passing games.

Against the Jaguars, Stafford didn't have to be the gunslinger. Running backs Mikel Leshoure and Joique Bell helped him. Bell had 13 carries for 73 yards and a touchdown while Leshoure had 16 carries for 70 yards and three touchdowns.

Calvin Johnson had his usual fine outing with seven receptions for 129 yards while rookie Ryan Broyles had six catches for 52 yards.

When the game was over, Stafford downplayed his milestone.

It's cool, but other than that, I don't really care," Stafford said. "The lucky thing for me is that I'm surrounded by a lot of great talent. That makes a quarterback in a lot of instances. It's fun to be able to play in this offense with these guys."

Lions Coach Jim Schwartz said the team came to Jacksonville for one reason, "The biggest thing we were able to accomplish was getting the win and certainly that's the only thing that we're concentrating on.

"So obviously, our future is bright with Matt Stafford. Whether it's a game like this where he's handing it off a lot, again he's got to go and play with a lead, or a game where he has to catch us up. He's able to do anything on the football field."

Kyle Vanden Bosch didn't know about the Lions four-game Florida winning streak until I told him. But he said the teams attitude has definitely changed when they board an airplane.

"This team when I got here had a lot of road problems historically," Vanden Bosch said. "It feels good, but it's not easy to win on the road in the NFL. It's a difficult thing to win on the road. We practice in 40 degree weather so to come down here in hot and humid weather and be able to execute and put a good game together was important. It's part of the process."

Now the Lions can take another stadium off the list that they've never won as they are 1-2 in Jacksonville and 2-3 overall in the all-time series. The Lions have now won in the Tampa Bay Area, North and South Florida.

It's too bad that they don't receive their paychecks in Florida because there is no state income tax.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com.

Self Destruction 101

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

I'll never forget what Ivan Drago's trainer said in Rocky V when describing his powerful fighter.

Whatever he hits, he destroys.

The same can be said about NHLPA Executive Director Donald Fehr. Whatever league he leads, he destroys.

In 1994, Major League Baseball cancelled the World Series for the first time in history as a result of a labor conflict.

This ultimately led to the demise of the Montreal Expos, who were on pace to reach the "Fall Classic" for the first time in team history. The Expos are now the Washington Nationals.

Thanks to a home run battle between Sammy Sosa and Mark McGwire, along with Cal Ripken Jr's consecutive game streak, baseball eventually recovered although I wouldn't doubt it if some of the fans never came back.

During the last baseball negotiations, both sides quietly put another deal together in the off-season enabling peace and harmony to continue.

Meanwhile, Fehr is working for a league that cancelled the 2004-2005 season. The players revenue decreased from 74 percent down to 57 percent.

Once again, players have flocked overseas to play for minimum wage so they can pay their bills.

Nobody sees them on TV and you can rest assure that the crowds at the arenas are lower than the 15-20,000 per-game in the NHL.

Before he took the NHL gig, didn't Fehr realize that he's in a sport which has the worst TV Contract of the four?

I have a strong feeling that NASCAR's TV Contract is better than the NHL's.

To the NHL's credit, at least they're no longer buying their air-time on NBC because the product and star power is much better.

Oh well, now that the 2013 Winter Classic has been cancelled, it's time to say good-bye to the 2012-2013 season.

The Southeastern Michigan Region figures to lose $75 Million while Detroit figures to take a $25-35 Million hit that could have bolstered it's battered economy. Estimates of 114,000 fans were expected to go to Michigan Stadium's "Big House" to watch Hockey's Attendance Records get shattered.

The NHL has already announced that the 2014 Winter Classic will be played between the Red Wings and Toronto Maple Leafs providing that the owners don't get too mad in their quest to break the union again!

The fans aren't going to care. The NBA has all of the winter sports headlines to itself.

The NFL, College Football, Basketball, The Final Four, will hold us over until MLB begins Spring Training.

In a bad economy, there will be no sympathy for NHL Hockey.

I was looking forward to seeing the Detroit Red Wings play the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers in the Sunshine State.

There was an outside possibility I was going to spend my 50th birthday in Michigan then see the Winter Classic at the "Big House."

Instead, it will be short sleeves this winter and No. 50 will be spent near the beach.

I'm grateful to Fehr that he's saved me a lot of money with the high gas prices.

As I mentioned earlier, Michigan Stadium gets the 2014 Winter Classic. The only thing that will change are the players who will participate in the old-timers, regular game and the festivities.

Hopefully, some of the legends that were scheduled in the 2013 game won't be deceased.

Nonetheless, the NHL has set an example that they don't learn from past mistakes.

Look for empty arenas and lower television ratings.

As was the case with the Tampa Bay Lightning, the Los Angeles Kings get to keep their Stanley Cup Trophy longer.

While I never visualized the Detroit Tigers would face the San Francisco Giants in the World Series during a recent blog, I safely made this prediction that the NHL would alienate its fans again thanks to greed.

The NHLPA will once again cave in.

The owners will make sure of that. They're stubborn and Commissioner Gary Bettman won't negotiate a bad deal for the owners even if it means losing another season.

They're losing revenue now and with the 2013 Winter Classic history, the owners aren't spending money on payroll.

Fehr the Fehr and congratulations Donald for wrecking another sport.

The backlash from the fans will be far worse than the damage caused by Hurricanes Katrina (New Orleans) and Sandy (New York City) as Donald Fehr was the eye of the MLB and is the eye of the NHL Labor Storm.

Especially since Hockey has self destructed for the second time within a decade over greed.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com.

My Halloween Treat

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

As painful as it was to watch the Detroit Tigers get swept 4-0 in the World Series by the San Francisco Giants, there was a tremendous amount of gratification as to what transpired in the American League Championship Series (ALCS).

Detroit swept the New York Yankees 4-0 and living in an area where there are many Big Apple transplants, I couldn't be happier!

That was my early Halloween Treat being able to rub it in to these Cocky New Yorkers! They cheer you when things go great and hammer you when things go badly.

Even as I work with New Yorkers in this job market or lack there of it, I can't stomach there overall demeanor. Every time a team of mine wins, victory is always sweet!

When I was a resident of Arizona in 2001, while the rest of the country jumped on the Yankees bandwagon after 9/11, I was glad that the Diamondbacks defeated the Yankees 4-3 in the World Series. I wear my Diamondbacks golf shirts proudly.

But the Detroit Tigers have had the Yankees number in recent years.

These two teams made a blockbuster trade that New Yorkers thought would lead them to another World Series title when former Tigers center fielder Curtis Granderson landed in the Bronx, but  the Yankees haven't returned to the "Fall Classic" since their last World Series Championship in 2009.

As I look at the history of these two franchises, it's absolutely mind boggling when you digest these facts.

As a franchise, the New York Yankees All-Time Record is 9010-6581 with 27 World Championships, 40 American League Pennants and 51 Playoff Appearances from 1913-2012.

The franchise dates back to the New York Highlanders 1903-1912 (734-759) and the Baltimore Orioles 1901-1902 (118-153). The overall record for all three teams is 9862-7493. But the Yankees are the franchise with all of the post-season accomplishments.

The Detroit Tigers record from  1901-2012 is 8828-8578 with four World Championships, 11 American League Pennants and 14 Playoff Appearances.

The biggest debate amongst baseball purists is who was the greatest player of all-time?

The best way to answer this question dates back to 1936.

In the Baseball Hall of Fame's Inaugural Class, Detroit's Ty Cobb was the first player to ever be inducted with a vote of 98.23%. New York's Babe Ruth was tied as second player at 95.13% along with Pittsburgh's Honus Wagner.

The Tigers own the best record in baseball in their post-season history against the Yankees with a 10-3 mark. In each of their three meetings the Yankees were the No.1 seed.

In 2006, the fourth seeded Tigers won the ALDS 3-1. In 2011, the third seeded Tigers ousted the Yankees 3-2 in the ALDS while in 2012 Detroit earned a trip to the World Series by sweeping the Yankees 4-0 in the ALCS once again as the third seed.

Going into the post-season, New York won the regular season series 6-4, but as we all know, that didn't do them any good in October. Even though Delmon Young's days as a Tiger are over, he certainly was a Yankees killer in October.

Young did most of his damage against the Yankees, and now owns a Tigers record that figures to never be broken with eight post-season homers. It's hard to believe that the Tigers have been around since 1901 and Young owns this record.

But since he is a free agent, the Yankees can take the "If you can't beat em, join em approach and sign Young." With New York's home run friendly ball park, Young can certainly post powerful numbers.

The last time the Yankees were knocked out in the post-season in consecutive years by the same team was by the New York Giants, who won back-to-back World Series in 1921-1922.

Oh yes, those Giants, who seem to place World Series pain on anybody they face. First the Yankees and now the Tigers.

But my Halloween Treat is now Detroit fans have seen the last of Jose Valverde since his dismal performance in the opening game of the ALCS which nearly cost the Tigers a win.

Finally, I have an off-season to wear the Tigers Old English "D" much to the dismay of Yankees fans in South Florida. I guess the World Series loss is a small consolation compared to the big picture in "New York City South."

While Detroit came up short in the World Series, to draw over 3 Million fans in a battered economy shows what great fans the Metro Area has.

I'll never back down from this comment. I've been to a lot of sports towns over the years and Detroit is undoubtedly one of the best, and should be proud that they appreciate a great work ethic in addition to being grateful to winning teams.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com.

Sam The Man

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH


Three weeks ago, I just received word from my mother that the man who made My Journalist Passion a reality died on August 17, 2012 in Walled Lake, MI.

On December 29, 1979, My father asked me if I wanted to go see WXYZ Sports Talk hosted by Ron Cameron with a friend of mine. This 17th birthday present was made possible by a man that was a regular guest on the show named Sam Greenblatt.

Greenblatt (78) was the Manager of My Fathers sporting good store All Pro Sporting Goods in Oak Park, MI.

Sam spent over 30-years as one of the leaders in the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association. He was inducted into the Michigan Jewish Sports Foundation Hall of Fame in 2001.

Greenblatt has been in My Hall of Fame for 33 years.

Unfortunately, I saw him once at My Grandmother Sophie Morganroth's funeral in April of 2000 for five minutes after he departed All Pro Sporting Goods in the early 1980's.

It was too bad we couldn't talk longer because I was editing my grandmother's eulogy after taking a cross country red-eyed flight from Phoenix, AZ.

Still, I hope that over the years that Sam had a chance to see My Stories with the Detroit Monitor, the occasional work I did on the radio as well as the Detroit Sports Broadcasters Association Blog.

I'll never know that.

But I do know that without Sam, there wouldn't be my first major interview with Tommy Lasorda, the Los Angeles Dodgers Hall of Fame Manager. There would be no opportunity to write about the greatest fighter of All-Time, Muhammad Ali.

Without Sam, I wouldn't have covered four Super Bowls and have seen the Final Game ever at Tiger Stadium in 1999.

I wouldn't have had close relationship with Ernie Harwell that began in 1983 along with the good times that I enjoyed with the late Joe Falls, who was a father figure to me.

I wouldn't have had the opportunity to write about all of Detroit's four major sports teams and the great relationships that were created with these classy franchises. There would be no great times at the Michigan International Speedway.

What was figured to be just a one-time visit to Sports Talk Show turned out to be a lifetime full of memories.

What occurred on December 29, 1979, was a dream that would shape my life both in Metro Detroit as well as on the National Sports Scene.

Besides the gift of doing what fans would dream of doing, that birthday gift enabled me to create the best relationship one could ever imagine.

My best friend and older brother George Eichorn and I have teamed up on an infinite amount of projects. We've had a blast doing it and continue to find more quality things to create.

Thanks to Sam, while this writer never had a chance to play high school, collegiate or professional sports, at least I had the opportunity to sit in numerous press boxes, at court-side and have been in plenty of locker-rooms.

I enjoyed listening to press box announcers telling us that we weren't allowed to cheer and to be professional otherwise we'd be removed from the premises. Though I wonder how many media people were paying attention at Lions games at the Pontiac Silverdome when Barry Sanders was carrying the football.

Thus far, this has been a tough year losing close people starting out with a woman named Doris Burks, a former housekeeper but great friend that was a mother figure that died at the age of 76. Pearl Zivitz followed on June 17 and now Sam is gone on August 17.

Yet, all of these individuals made their mark on me in unforgettable ways.

In Sam's case, the word legendary in my eyes, would be the biggest understated word on the planet because of the tremendous magnitude of the unforgettable moments that I've experienced.

There wouldn't be the nickname that Gus Pantelides tagged me with, "Scoop."

I would be a normal fan and after covering sports for so many years, I could never fathom being a fan having been a professional media guy for years.

All I can say is God Bless Sam and I hope you rest in peace. Thanks for everything and if you've ever Googled yourself, at least you know that I've never forgotten you and never well.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33@aol.com.

Good Riddance Notre Dame

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

Now that Notre Dame has decided to end their rivalry with the Michigan Wolverines because of their five game commitment to the ACC, it's time to find the Maize & Blue some new opponents.

Before I do, I want to mention that Michigan won't miss Notre Dame because the Irish are giving up a chance to play the No.1 winningest program of All-Time in the FBS Division.

With the addition of Nebraska to the Big Ten, the Wolverines versus Cornhuskers is a rivalry waiting to heat up.

But here is a list of some of the match-ups that seem quite appealing to me that could even make national sense.

1. Lets replace one FBS Independent for another with the addition of Brigham Young University. Lets not forget that the Cougars only National Championship occurred in 1984. BYU (12-0-0) faced the Wolverines, who were 6-5-0 in the Holiday Bowl and defeated U-M 24-17. BYU concluded the 1984 season with a 24-game winning streak. The Cougars aren't a member of the Bowl Championship Series Coalition therefore, adding Michigan to it's future schedules will enhance BYU's strength of schedule plus increase name recognition.

2. Do you think that former Michigan alumnus Stephen M Ross would dream of having the Wolverines play in Joe Robbie Stadium, the home of his Miami Dolphins? A Michigan versus Miami Hurricanes match-up would be a natural. I've seen enough Hurricanes games over the years and I do believe that the Wolverines would pack the 70,000 plus seat stadium. In an area dominated by folks from the Northeast, I've seen the Red Wings play to capacity crowds when they face the NHL's Florida Panthers in Sunrise, Florida. I could see the same thing happening here as well. U-M has recruited well in South Florida.

3. Would current Arizona Wildcats Coach and former U-M boss Rich Rodriguez have the guts to play the Wolverines? You know that he's boasting that last year's U-M success is attributed to the players he recruited. But if the Wolverines want to recruit into the State of Arizona, this would be a good vehicle to get them into the Southwest.

4. Boise State will be joining the Big East in football in 2013 and did face the Michigan State Spartans in their opener this year. For a program that is looking for respect, facing Michigan would be the way to do it. If Michigan ever played on the Blue Turf in Idaho, Bronco Stadium, which has a capacity of 37,000, could easily double it's capacity if the Wolverines came to town. My advice to the Boise State athletic department is to get temporary seating and raise the capacity to at least the 50-60,000 mark to make it worth U-M's worthwhile to go to Idaho.

5. This would be a dream for myself but whether it becomes a reality remains to be seen. Raymond James Stadium is a place where the Wolverines have played in the past for the Outback Bowl. My University of South Florida Bulls occupy the building during the regular season and yes, I bleed Green & Gold especially for this game. Michigan used to play Lou Holtz when he coached at Notre Dame. His son Skip Holtz would love to see U-M pack this place as I'd predict that the upper and lower levels of the stadium would be jammed and loud. There are lots of Midwest transplants in the Tampa Bay Area. The Lions always have a great following when they play the Bucs while the Red Wings jerseys out number the Lightning when the face off with each other.

6. The Pittsburgh Panthers would be an easy commute for the Wolverines. Pittsburgh has a great building that it shares with the Steelers in Heinz Field. Both programs have had great players over the years. Major League Baseball has designated the Pirates as the Tigers new rival. The Red Wings and Penguins have a great Stanley Cup history with each team winning one title against the other squad. The Steelers won a Super Bowl over Seattle at Ford Field as they had a prohibitive home field advantage. Need I say more.

In the meantime, good riddance Notre Dame. Perhaps the only time Michigan will see you on the field is in a Bowl Game.

Scott Morganroth can be reached at scottsports33.com.

Superclown Goes To Hollywood

BY SCOTT MORGANROTH

At long last, the Dwight Howard Soap Opera is over and it ended in Hollywood.

Superman otherwise known as Superclown has landed in the Entertainment Capital Of The World.

It took four teams, 12 players, five draft picks and countless rounds of talks with different clubs to get a deal done. The NBA may have prevented the Lakers from acquiring Chris Paul from the New Orleans Hornets since it owned the Louisiana franchise.

But the NBA did itself a favor by approving this deal. The league did all of us a favor so we didn't have to hear the endless hours of trade rumors.

Even if Superclown's future is uncertain in Los Angeles, the Lakers committed grand larceny by keeping Pau Gasol in Purple and Gold in Southern California.

Orlando sent Guard Chris Duhon and Forward Earl Clark to Los Angeles to carry Howard's bags.

The Lakers knew that to land Howard, they'd have to move future superstar Andrew Bynum, whom they've nurtured since he was 17-years old. Former Pistons Coach Doug Collins is the right person to instill discipline in the center.

Like Howard, Bynum becomes a free agent after next season and both have indicated they'll test the market.

However, I doubt Bynum will leave because he grew up an hour away in nearby New Jersey, therefore playing closer to home around friends and family is enticing enough to stay. He'll be able to get a maximum contract with the 76'ers.

The 76'ers have a good young team and are on the rise. They're a very stable organization.

To think that former Detroit Pistons Guard Arron Afflalo is the best player Orlando received in this transaction is mind boggling. But indeed this is the case.

Former 76'ers Guard Andre Iguodala will fit in nicely for the Denver Nuggets. The last player with the initials A.I. Philadelphia traded to Denver was Allen Iverson.

Expect better results with Denver Coach George Karl.

I'm sure the Nuggets have compassion for Orlando since former star Carmelo Anthony held them hostage and forced a trade to the New York Knicks for several players.

Denver made out fine landing pieces which led to the playoffs despite Anthony's departure.

It's ironic to see the Nuggets in another blockbuster trade involving a superstar.

What really happened in Orlando? Magic General Manager Rob Hennigan, 30, panicked and didn't get the best deal he could.

New Jersey offered a nice package around Center Brook Lopez and plenty of first round picks.

Instead, the Magic shipped Howard West because seeing him twice a season, once at home and once on the road was all the drama Orlando wanted to see in the regular season. Orlando wanted to avoid a duplication of the Lebron James fiasco where he could haunt them in the playoffs plus the negative story-lines four times a year.

Getting rid of Howard had to be done, but firing former Coach Stan Van Gundy was completely stupid! I repeat completely stupid!

Time will tell whether the hiring of a new coach will be the right decision. This is a tough situation for Jacque Vaughn to inherit. I wish him well.

But Van Gundy has a winning percentage of .641 and a 579-371 record. He took the Magic to an NBA Finals. That will be difficult to replace.

One thing is guaranteed, Kobe Bryant won't tolerate any controversy, waffling or drama about Howard's future! You can bet on that!

Bryant will rip Howard, 6-11, 265, apart to avoid such distractions. Despite being in Hollywood, this is one act that will draw rage, not ratings.

Howard, 26, will need hearing aides if his antics continue.

I expect to see Kobe Bryant as an NBA head coach one day. Despite the fact that many great players don't turn out to be excellent head coaches, he'll be the exception to the rule.

I saw him on the bench towards the end of the regular season in street clothes. Bryant was coaching his teammates in the huddle during timeouts as well as in the game. Bryant has a great work ethic and has been around basketball his entire life. He'll demand that from his players and will get that respect.

Howard's presence is a good test run.

The Lakers have a veteran group that will pounce on Howard. Magic Johnson will also read Howard the "Riot Act" if Howard continues to become a distraction.

Howard's lucky he's in Los Angeles to rehabilitate his image. There are championships and legends and winning can stabilize a person's psych. We'll see if it does with this clown.

If Howard ever left for his hometown of Dallas, then I'll know the guy is Scrambled Eggs. But I don't think he's dumb enough to do this. Former Lakers Forward Lamar Odom crumbled when he was traded to the Dallas Mavericks. Odom is now with the Los Angeles Clippers.

The Lakers are the Bentley of NBA franchises.

They have appeared in the NBA Finals 31 times and have won 17 titles. The Lakers still hold the NBA's longest winning streak which is also the longest in American Professional Sports History at 33 games that was set in the 1971-72 season.

I don't think Howard will commit Reputational Suicide, but I've been wrong before, and I'll be wrong again.

Thankfully, I like many others, won't have to hear anymore trade rumors with Howard.

One of my colleagues at work said the Howard to Los Angeles trade wasn't fair. He's a big Miami Heat fan and deep down inside believes that the Heat's chances of repeating took a major blow.

If Miami were to beat the Lakers in the first meeting between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant, this will improve James and Company's legacy. If the Heat were to lose, then they will have lost to a great team and the TV Ratings would be off the charts. We'll find out in June of 2013.

The new collective bargaining agreement will limit future "Superstar Alliances" which began with the Boston Celtics, continued with the Miami Heat and has now happened again in Los Angeles.

Seeking multiple Olympians on a few teams and not in small markets will be a thing of the past.

I still haven't figured out which act was worse. Is it Howard's ongoing Soap Opera, or James TV Show "The Decision?"

But I guarantee you one thing.

There will be plenty of empty seats at the Amway Center in Orlando. The Magic has a long rebuilding process which is all too familiar when there is a Lakers---Magic connection.

The Original Superman Shaquille O' Neal left the Magic through free agency and won three titles with the Lakers and the Magic received no compensation.

With Howard's departure, they'll receive next to nothing.

The Amway Center is the building that Howard "Built" then "Bolted."

Scott Morganroth can be reached at www.scottsports33.com and at scottsports33@aol.com.