Nischelle_Turner's Blog

Well...well...well

I'm not sure how many of you tuned into the game yesterday for the game...the commercials..the halftime show...or Jillian but whatever you tuned in for you got a treat!

I'm a football fan through and through so yesterday's game was like Utopia for me..the biggest game onthe biggest stage going right down to the wire.  Steve and I talked about it on the air this morning...it was a game that lived up to the hype.  I will be the first to admit I thought the Giants had NO chance...didn't even think it would be close...I thought the final score would be like the Bears/Patriots game from 1985 46-10.  But boy was I wrong...and pleasantly surprised at this game.  It was a defensive clinic!  The Giants defense was spectacular..Tom Brady barely had time to say, "Gisele" before he had an Osi, a Tuck, or a Strahan in his grill....wow.

We saw a coming of age with Eli as well...no longer Payton's Bro...and let me put my skirt on for a sec...how awesome was it to see Payton's in the suite at the gae happier than anyone in the stadium for his little brother...very cool.

Congrats to the Giants....2008 Superbowl Champs!

By the way I loved everyaspect of the game...even To petty at halftime..at first I thought..Tom Petty? Huh?  But during the halftime show I found myself singing along to every song and he sounded great!  I also thought Pam Oliver's interview with Plaxico Burress at the end of the game was a classic and when he broke down i almost did too.  Also Kudos to FOX for giving us, what i think is the best piece of video of the whole gae and it came after the ghae was over...FOX got video during warm-ups of Eli Manning and Plaxico Burress practicing the exact touchdown play that won the the game...they ran that and then the shot from the game..it was great...way to go David Hill and Scott Ackerson.

Those are my thoghts..oh and my fav commercial...the Ben Rothliesberger/American Idol spot....let's talk.

HOLLA!

Okay so by now most of you know I have started doing sideline for the FOX sports and the NFL. This weekend is my second game....one that most of you probably won't see. I will be doing sideline for the Rams/49ers game. This could possibly be the toughest match-up of the week. You laugh? I say that because neither of these teams are very good and it's a battle for the bottom and SOMEBODY has to win. I am excited though because my family in Missouri will get to see me. Should be a fun time. So if you have nothing....and I mean absolutely nothing...to do on Sunday tune into my game! I don't think we are showing it on FOX though....me thinks you'll see Redskins/Cowboys. I'm sure I will talk about it Monday....too much cause Steve insists! (just kidding).

HOLLA!

Hi there Kelly...

 I read your blog that said I ignored you at the saints/49ers game.  First let me apologize if you think I gonored you.  Now let me give you an insight into what was going on.  When you are on the sideline it is full steam ahead and you have SO much to pay attention to.  First of all I have to listen to the game that's being broadcast in my ear, at the same time I have to listen to what the prodecuer of the game is saying to me.  While this is going on I have to pay attention to what is going on on the sideline AND keep an eye on the field when I can.  So you see, I have so many things going on PLUS it was my first game I was not trying to listen to fans in the stands.  I'm sorry.  I actually waived tpo some fans early in the game and they were yelling at me and I missed an opportunity when the booth wanted me to join in on their conversation and I got yelled at by the producer.  It was really hectic and fast so if you thought I was ignoring I probably was more ike tuning everything else out.  I don;t know if you know how loud it is there too but it is.  You get so busy during those games and I apologizre but for my first game I was defintely trying to concentrate solely on that and put my best foot forward.  I will be doing another 49ers game November 18th against the Rams.  If you are there please say hello but try to do it BEFORE the game when I can actually say hello back.  Again sorry if you thought I was rude cause it was not on purpose.

Nischelle

Hey All....

Ok....this month is bliss for me but a little much at times. If you love sports I dare say October is the month for you....why? Let me run it down....Your right in the heart of NFL time..and college football....the NBA starts back up...it's Worlds Series time..hockey is on the ice and I even saw track and field on TV the other day...wow! If you love sports it doesn't get any better than this.

What do you think? What is your favorite sports time of the year?

And, by the way, even though my Saints are 0-3..I still believe. I will not vacillate!!! And I actually feel pretty good today cause yesterday my Chiefs put a whoopin' on those Chargers!

HOLLA!!!

So I don't know about all of you but I am tired of the bad news sports stories we have been talking about lately...I want to talk about something I am WAY ready for...the start of football season!!!!!!!!!!

It's NFL and NCAA time and I want to know who you support...who you don't and who are your favorite players?  Let's also make predictions....for the nfl...BCS way too hard to predict although USC is a clear pre-season number one.

I'll give a little commentary then I'll make my picks.

1. In college I think there aren't many teams that will compete but I do see USCn and LSU leading the pack.  Most of you know I am a Missouri Tiger Alum so I will be pulling for my much improved Tigers this year..they should win the Big 12 North.  USC should far and away lead the pack in all of college football this year, but I have to say UCLA is rumored to be much improved and should win nine or ten games.

2.  In the NFL I will come right out and say that I am a Saints and Chiefs fan.  Sorry Radier Nation.  I have ben a chiefs fan since I could walk andI fell in love with the Saints while I lived in New Orleans and the love affair continues.  Can't say I think the Cheifs will be a contender this year but I do always love that Chiefs/Raiders matchup and if you have never seen a game at Arrowhead Stadium..go.  It's amazing.

    So here are my picks (short form) for the NFl.  I think the Saints and Patriots will go to the Superbowl and I'm saying right nowto my boss....if the Saints are in the big game in Phoenix and I'm not covering it I need to be off so I can go I will give anything to be there.  I think both of those teams are deep this year...the Patriots just do it well and I think Randy Moss is ready to prove to the NFL ge isn't a has been and he's not!  The Saints are lacking a bit in the receiver department but they are young and fast...and what do they say..you can't teach speed.  They got rid of Joe Horn, who is a good player, but in my opinion over hyped so let the Falcons take on "Hollywood"  They have improved on defense in the offense so I say Geaux Saints!

   So my favorite players right now are pretty simple: Deuce McAllister (Saints Running Back) for a bunch of reasons....One because he is a great friend of mine and two he is a bruiser and a work horse and since Reggie Bush got there he has been quietly getting the job done with no fanfare (y'all better recognize).  By the way, Deuceis 20 punds lighter this year and faster...He worked really hard during the off-season and he is ready.  If you guys remember that first playoff gameast year 26 put the saints on his back literally and carried them to victory.  My other fav player is Ray Lewis...simply because he is a snot rocker....I love the big hits and he is the king of them. 

   I am a big fan of the NFl but I'll give you guys guesses what my all time favorite sport is:  if you watch the show you may know...let the games begin you have a lot to answer!

HOLLA!!

Okay...so earlier this week Steve came up with an idea for my blog this week.  Great topic...do you support Barry Bonds yes or no?  Do you think he is doing baseball an injustice by being the one to break Hank Aaron's homerun record while under the cloud of performing enhancing drug suspicion? Or do you think "the media" has created more of an issue than there is.  Do you think there is a racial element to the dislike for Barry or is it because he's known to not be very friendly? And finally will you watch when he breaks the record or just ignore it all together? WHEW! That's a mouthful!...now let's talk! 

 HOLLA!
 

Hey Everyone....

 We are back talking sports and now that the NBA Draft is over time for us to play NBA General Manager.  What did you think of the Lakers pick?  FOr the second year in a row they've taken a point guard....and the Garnett trade that wasn't seems to be falling by the wayside so at the end of the day it looks like Kobe isn't getting what he wants and that is to win RIGHT NOW!  So what about the Clippers?  They, by all accounts, got one hell of a player oin Al Thornton with the 13th pick....they need to get better in a hurry fast because they are old and injured...who do you think came out a winner in the draft?  Besides Portland and Seattle (Oden and Durant) and who do you think laid a big old goose egg?  Let's talk NBA Baby...HOLLA!!!

 By the way...BIg ups to Nick Young to the Washington Wizards....covered this kid throughout the NCAA tourney and have to admit just became so fond of him...much luck to him and his family on the next level.

So just when I thought the NBA Playoffs couldn't get any duller this happens and now I have something to talk about.

Did you hear the exchange between the commissioner and Dan Patrick yesterday? Dan had the Commish on his radio show and was questioning him about the decision to suspend Amare Stoudemire and Boris Diaw after the got off the bench in game three.

The Commish did not like the fact that Dan was questioning him and got irritated. No let me say it...he lost his cool big time. Actually I think he just showed his true colors...I call it the unmasking of David Stern. Her berated and was condescending to Dan. Over and over again he tried to defend his position but in the process kept contradicting himself. Saying that when you get off the bench there is no gray area; no room for interpretation but yet he didn't suspend Tim Duncan when he did it the game before. He never answered why he suspended Robert Horry for the hip check but not Baron Davis or Bruce Bowen for what they did. Basically, the Commish acted like a spoiled brat. Like a kid who got caught doing something bad and was making up excuse after excuse. Dan Patrick got pimp slapped by the Commish and in the end I think David Stern looked really bad. I have said it before he has a dictator mentality and it showed big time yesterday.

So what do you think? Did you hear it? Do you care? What do you think of the decision to suspend those two? I kind of feel like Stern is trying to take the human element out of the game. I believe you have to allow for human instinct...and if your friend just got cold cocked wouldn't you react? Let's talk about this!!! HOLLA!

Don't call it a comeback!!!  Yes I have been gone for a minute (vacation...blah blah blah) but I'm back let's talk.

What is up with the Lakers?  Don't hate me Laker Fans cause I'm just telling the truth but the Lakers are Fakers.  Not only do I think they will get swept by the Suns, but I don't even think it will be close.  Sound Harsh?  Yes. I know, but somebody needs to take this team to task for you Laker Fans.  The organization is cheating you.  There have been countelss moves the team could have made to improve but they didn't for one excuse or another. (Baron Davis, Jason Kidd, Ron Artest, Leandro Barboso, Josh Howard...shall I continue?) Nayway, Laker Fans deserve better than this.  I am a basketball fan...and I say shame on you Lakers.  Give the fans and Kobe a chance to get another ring.  Believe me I am NOT a Kobe apaoligist but I do think he is the best player in the game right now (not for long though) and he WILL NOT win another championship with Smush Parker as his point guard...it just won't happen.  What is it going to take for Laker managment to see that sumthin' ain't right!  What do you think Laker Fans or Laker Haters...sound off!!!!

HOLLA!!!!

Hey everyone....

    So if you missed the show today you missed us out at Dodger Stadium for Opening Day.  Let me start this blog with saying I am NOT a big Dodger Fan.  I have and always will be loyal to the St. Louis Cardinals.  SO I write this blog a little bit biased!  Sports Illustrated is predicting the Dodgers will win the National League Pennant this year and lose in the WOrld Series to the Angels (wouldn't that be something) I say no way.  The Dodgers are an improved team but NL Champs?  Come on.  You can't win a division if you don't have the bats.  The Dodgers have good pitching that will keep them in games but without a slugger down the stretch you are not going to win.  I would bet on the Yankees over the Dodgers in that category and day and I like them even less.  What do you think.  ANd is Jason Schmidt worth 47 million dollars?  He looks good now but I'm not so sure.  So if you were Frank McCourt and had the run of the team what moves would you make (within reason) and what do you think about your Dodgers and ANgels this year?  Let's talk.

HOLLA!!!!!! 

Hey there everyone!

Sorry I been gone so long but I'm back!!!!!! So last I left off I was bragging about how much I'd gotten right for my picks in the NCAA tourney. Well, I pulled an oh-fer during the final four and didn't get any picks right. I thought Georgetown would win it all..once again...I WAS WRONG!!!! So now I'm jumping to the big leagues...the NBA and boy do I have a bone to pick. If you caught the show (GDLA) yesterday you saw this discussion about whether or not the NBA should impose the one and done rule on college basketball players. The rule says you can't enter the NBA until you are 19 years old now..so that means most  kids have to go to college for one year before they leave. Technically you could go overseas and play for a year after high school then enter the league but most kids opt to go to school.

Here is the debate. Some people think that David Stern's rule is diminishing the college game and disrupting the "academic" process. Some people think these kids aren't really students that they are going to school for at the most a semester then not even caring because they know they are leaving anyway. This year that talk is about Kevin Durant and Greg Odom. Next year it will be about two kids playing here in Southern California, Kevin Love and O.J. Mayo. I tend to agree with what these critics of the rule are saying and even more. I think David Stern goes WAY TOO FAR with this rule. How can you deny someone the right to make money when they are of legal age? We don't have this discussion about any other athletes except for basketball. We don't care when it comes to golf, soccer, hockey..nothing..only basketball. We don't even care when it comes to academics. If there is a kid who is super smart and 14 years old we let that kid go to college without a second thought...we say things like this kid is a genius how can we hold him/her back? I say the same thing about Kevin Durant and Greg Odom...they are geniuses on the court..how, David Stern, can you hold them back? And if you look at the NBA today and it's superstars A LOT of them are right out of high school. Kobe, Kevin Garnett, Lebron James, Tracey McGrady, Jermaine O'Neal. David Stern these are the faces of your league.

The NBA is becoming a one-man show, and not the Lebron James show...it's becoming the David Stern show and that is a shame....in his efforts to go global he is losing sight of the people that made the game great. What do you think? Should athletes be made to stay in school should they be allowed to make a buck whenever they want and does this water down the college game? Let's talk I can't wait to hear what you have to say.

HOLLA!

Hey Everybody!

 So once again we are on the road with USC.  This week I am in New Jersey for the Sweet Sixteen.  Tonight the Trojans take on the North Carolina Tar Heels and once again they've got a tough road to tow. 

  First though I have to tell you, I think I am a bad luck weather charm for the team.  Everywhere we got it rains.  Rained the whole time in Washington and it has rained the whole time in Jersey.  But on the other hand, maybe that is the Trojans god luck charm....wet weather.  Way to go Rick Dickert!

  So I am hesitant to pick a winner for tonights game.  I was dead wrong about USC against Texas and I could be dead wrong about the game tonight, HOWEVER, North Carolina is a number one seed for a reason.  Earlier this morning Rory Markus, the USC play-by-play guy, was on the air with me and he says USC pretty much needs to  play a perfect game tonight for a victory.  We both say, though, if there is a team to do it these kids can.  So tip off is in just under three hours and I have my pre-game jitters..what about you?

HOLLA!!!!

Listen closely 'cause this may be the only time you will here me say this.  I was wrong about USC.  I thought the Trojans would be two and out of the NCAA tournamant.  Ithought they would beat Arkansas but Texas would hand it to them.  I fell into the Kevin Durant trap.  But here is what watching USC over the past week has taught me again.  One man doesn't make a team.  USC is a TEAM, those guys play together and stay together.  It's a bit sad and ironic, but the thing that has bonded them has been the tragedy of losing a teammate.  Ryan Francis was shot and killed during the offseason and that makes all of those guys appreciate and trust one another.  They continue to say, "we do this for Ryan" and "he would want us to be one heartbeat".  They are.  So now the Trojans are in the sweet sixteen for the first time in six years.  They face North Carolina on Saturday....a tough task.  Carolina is a number one seed in the tournament and very tough.  Tyler Hansboro is a great player but once again, Trojan Fans, remember one man doesn't make a team. 

 I will again be with the Trojans for the second round of the tournament.  We are headed to New Jersey.  I'm not sure what will happen in this game I will say this; I wouldn't be surprised either way because the USC team truly believes they can play with ANYONE in the country.  You can see it in their eyes.  Their enthusiasm is infectious.  Sounds goofy, but it's true.  Even jaded journalists admitted it to me on the last road trip.  You could see the tide turning toward USC after the first game.  I was talking to J.A. Andande from the L.A. TImes and a sports writer from A Texas newspaper in the hotel gym the day before the game and asked them, "do you really think these guys have a chance?"   They both looked at me with a twinkle in their eyes and said, "Hell yes..." And wouldn't you know it....

  So Friday night at 7pm we'll see if USC's dream season continues.  They won't call themselves overachievers...way too proud; so hell, I will.  This team IS a team of overachievers.  They believe WAY too much.  Which in this game is a good thing 'cause believing it is sometimes half the battle.  If you are a sports fan and don't get caught up in the madness this time of year something is wrong with you!  This si why they call it March Madness....let the games continue.

Let's talk...HOLLA!

So hello again from Spokane...it's Friday morning and we are knee deep in the craziness we call March Madness!  So southern california sports fans where are you?  We have UCLA already into round two and now we have USC and Long Beach State playng today.  What do you think?  I think the Trojans will take this one but I do think it  will be a dogfight.  Arkansas is no joke!  The Long Beach State game is harder to call...it would be the "cool" pick to take the 49ers but I have to say I think Tennessee will be just too tough.  They play in a REALLY tough SEC Conference all year and I think seeing that type of competition is an advantage for them and not seeing that kind of competrition is a complete disadvantage for LBSU.  We'll see I really hope I'm wrong though.  Personal note I hope my Kentucky WIldcats pull it off against Villanova today i AM A huge Tubby Smith fan and I think he deserves better than he is getting right now.  So let's talk give me your picks...tell me what you think about the Dukies going down yesterday and anything other that you want to say.  Holla!!

P.S.  I've been making fun of Spokane a little cause it's small and quiet but I have to say it is BEAUTIFUL here.  Ther eis the Spokane River right outside my hotel river and it is gorgeous to see the rushing riover every morning...reminds me of how I grew up.  So i guess the moral to this story is: don't knock it til you try it!