r apparent, Thutmose, on his lap. Standing before him is Hekerneheh and a small Prince Amenhotep, who is carrying a bouquet. Hekreshu is specifically

Edward Newberry, “Akhenaten’s Eldest Son-in-Law ‘Ankhkhe-prure’,” JEA 14 [1928], 83–84). Redford points out that Newberry’s argument is not compelling, as all of the others in the scene could easily be wearing the cartouche of Thutmose IV out of deference to the son who succeeded to the throne. He further suggests that perhaps the six princes in the background are sons of Thutmose IV, while Amenhotep could be a brother, and for that reason was singled out to be depicted in a position of honor (Redford, “Coregency of Tuthmosis III,” 113). The problem, however, with the suggestion that the six princes are the sons of the seated Thutmose is that Thutmose and Amenhotep themselves, whoever they might be in reality, are depicted in the scene as children, and it would be odd to depict in the same scene both a father and his children as children. A possible rebuttal against Redford’s suggestion that Thutmose and Amenhotep are brothers might take the following form: Hekreshu is specifically stated to be the tutor of the king’s eldest son, Thutmose, while Hekerneheh is the tutor of the king’s son, Amenhotep. Since a father-son relationship existed between the tutors, perhaps a father-son relationship existed between their charges. Redford dismisses this idea by offering a parallel depiction found in graffiti from Konosso. A king’s son, Amenhotep, is mentioned twice at Konosso, once with Hekreshu and a second time with Hekerneheh. The presence of the cartouches of Thutmose IV in the immediate vicinity lends support to the dating of the graffiti to his reign. More importantly, Amenhotep’s name is accompanied by that of another prince, Okheprure, and the parallelism in the graffiti between the two names strongly suggests a fraternal relationship. Okheprure again is shown on the knee of an unidentified scribe in Tomb 226 of the Theban necropolis, along with three of his brothers. If, as his name would indicate, he was a son of Amenhotep II, then most likely Prince Amenhotep was also his son. On the wall painting from Tomb 64, therefore, Prince Amenhotep also should be considered a brother to Thutmose IV, and not a son (Ibid.). If Princes Thutmose and Amenhotep from Tomb 64 are indeed brothers, who are the six princes in the background? Certainly the fact that all of the princes, including the seated Thutmose, are wearing pectorals that bear the nomen and praenomen of Thutmose IV seems to indicate that the princes are all on the same level, and therefore brothers, as was the case with the Konosso graffiti and Tomb 226. The problem that remains, then, is that Thutmose IV is universally accepted as not having been the firstborn child, which is both confirmed by Thutmose IV’s own account on the Great/Sphinx Stele and by the fact that Prince Amenhotep was shown to be the rightful heir to the throne of Amenhotep II before Thutmose IV. Thus one of two options must be true: either (1) the Tomb-64 painting is falsifying the truth by assigning Thutmose IV the status of “the king’s eldest son,” or (2) the Thutmose who sits on the lap of Hekreshu is intended to portray a different Thutmose. The former option hardly seems possible, since the tomb-wall painting is located in a deeply secluded place, not at all prominently displayed whereone would expect to see propagandistic depictions of a king’s grandeur. If Redford is correct that Prince Amenhotep, who never is called “the king’s eldest son,” was not the eldest son of Amenhotep II, and that by custom a king named “Amenhotep” would name his first son “Thutmose,” and thus that Amenhotep II did name his first son “Thutmose,” the Thutmose sitting on the lap of the royal tutor indeed may be “the eldest son” of Amenhotep II, who could have died a premature death during the tenth and most gruesome of the plagues on Egypt. The painting may be depicting the entire entourage of Amenhotep II’s sons during the time when his firstborn son was still alive. The presence of Thutmose IV’s praenomen on the pectorals of all of the princes, even on that of the long-deceased plague-son, may indicate that the painting was made during the reign of Thutmose IV. Newberry, for one, was convinced that Tomb 64 was constructed for Hekerneheh during the reign of Thutmose IV (Newberry, “Akhenaten’s Eldest,” 82). The reason for the cartouche of Thutmose IV next to each of the princes, which could be a later addition to the painting if instead it originally was painted during the reign of Amenhotep II, may simply be that the painter wanted to demonstrate the sovereignty of Thutmose IV over all of his brothers, being that he was the only one from among them who rose to the position of pharaoh. Certainly this interpretation would better explain why Amenhotep, who was in line for the throne before his younger brother Thutmose IV, was being depicted as smaller in stature than the Thutmose who sat on his tutor’s lap. This detail is highly problematic for any view that instead purports Thutmose



IV to be “the king’s eldest son,”
since Prince Amenhotep is known to have been in line for the throne before him. 59. Wood, “The Rise and Fall,” 478. Shea correctly notes that “Ex 14–15 is not directly explicit upon this point,” though he subsequently takes an unjustified logical leap by extrapolating, “but it is the logical inference there [that pharaoh also drowned]” (Shea, “Amenhotep II as Pharaoh,” 46). 60. Wood, “The Rise and Fall,” 478. 61. Shea disagrees: “Yahweh says that he will get glory over pharaoh. While some of that glory could be maintained by his loss of troops in the Sea of Reeds, if he escaped with his own life, some of that glory could have been diminished” (Shea, “Amenhotep II as Pharaoh,” 46). This statement, though well intended, is not true whatsoever. God displayed his glory by decimating Sennacherib’s army when the Assyrians marched against Judah (2 Kgs 19:35), but his glory was not diminished when Sennacherib returned to Assyria unscathed. A far greater shame for a defeated monarch is to be left in humiliation to rule over a shell of his former empire after being defeated by God, depleted of his army, and—in the case of the exodus-pharaoh—stripped of his servantile workforce. 62. No doubt exists among Egyptologists that this mummy is the corpse of Amenhotep II. Although he was taller than both his father and his son who succeeded him, his physical features bear a marked resemblance to theirs, especially his son’s, particularly in respect to their crania and teeth (James E. Harris and Kent R. Weeks, X-Raying the Pharaohs [New York: Scribners, 1973], 138). 63. Nicholas Reeves, Ancient Egypt: The Great Discoveries (London: Thames & Hudson, 2000), 103. 64. The king’s praenomen is inscribed on one side of the jar, while the other side is inscribed with “Year 26” and “Panehsy,” the name of the king’s vintner (Der Manuelian, Amenophis II, 42). 65. Redford asserts that since polearn spanish

A revealing retelling of Justin’s account, combined with elaborate allegory, can be seen in the work of the great 12th century commentator of th

Joseph in any of the lodging places or houses because of the many travelers from the house of David coming for the registration. So the two of them were obliged to go to a cave near Bethlehem which was a shelter for animals (my translation).32 Here we enter an entirely different exegetical world. This venerable father’s account is rich in the spirituality of his age and his tradition is well worth reading. It is of little help, however, in our attempt at recovering the original Palestinian intent of the material. The Arabic and Syriac versions, like Brown, have opted for neutral words, such as “lodgings,” as their traditions focus on the allegories of the medieval period. What, then, does all of this mean for the faithful as we look forward to the recollection of the miracle of the incarnation? We all face the enormous weight of church tradition which surrounds us with the “no room at the inn” mythology. If our conclusions are valid, thousands of good Christmas sermons, plays, filmstrips, films, poems, songs and books will have to be discarded. But is the traditional myth of a lonely birth in a stable a help or a hindrance to the reality the text proclaims? Surely a more authentic cultural understanding enhances the meaning of the story, rather than diminishing it. Jesus was rejected at His birth by Herod, but the Bethlehem shepherds welcomed Him with great joy, as did the common people in later years. The city of David was true to its own, and the village community provided for Him. He was born among them, in the natural setting of the birth of any village boy, surrounded by helping hands and encouraging women’s voices. For centuries Palestinian peasants have been born on the raised terraces of the one-room family homes. The birth of Jesus was no different. His incarnation was authentic. His birth most likely took place in the natural place for a peasant to be born—in a peasant home. We can and should theologize on the glorious resurrected Christ who meets us in the Eucharist. But a proper understanding of the story of His birth forces us to not lose sight of the One who “took upon himself the form of a servant and was found in the likeness of man.” And, after all, it is still possible for us to sing: Ox and ass before Him bow,For He is in the manger now,Christ is born to save,Christ is born to save. (Reprinted by permission from the Theological Review of the Near East School of Theology, Vol. 2, No. II, November 1979.) Recommended Resources for Further StudyJesus ThroughMiddle Eastern Eyes 50 Proofs for the NTNIV ArchaeologicalStudy Bible Footnotes 1 M. Baily, “The Crib and Exegesis of Luke 2, 1–20,” Irish Ecclesiastical Record, 100 (1963), 358–376; R.E. Brown, “VI. The Birth and Naming of Jesus,” in The Birth of the Messiah (London: Geoffrey Chapman, 1977), pp. 393–434; J.D.M. Derrett, “The Manger: Ritual Law and Soteriology,” Theology, 74 (1971), 566–571, and “The Manger at Bethlehem: Light on St. Luke’s Technique from Contemporary Jewish Religious Law,” in Studia Evangelica, VI, edited by L. A. Livingston (Berlin: Akademia-Verlag, 1973), pp. 86, 94; C.H. Giblin, “Refl ections on the Sign of the Manger,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 29 (1957), 87, 101; M.D. Goulder and M.L. Sanderson, “St. Luke’s Genesis” Journal of Theological Studies 8 (1957), 12–30; H.L. MacNeill, “The Sitz im Leben of Luke 1:5–2:20,” Journal of Biblical Literature 65 (1946), 123–130; R.M. Wilson, “Some Recent Studies in the Lucan Infancy Narrative,” Studia Evangelica I (Berlin: Akademia, 1959), 235–253: P. Winter, “Some Observations on the Language in the Birth and Infancy Stories of the Third Gospel,” New Testament Studies 1 (1954–55), 111–121. 2 A single Greek text from the sixth century (Bezae) gives an interesting variant to 6a. It reads, “As they arrived the days were completed,” rather than “It came to pass while they were there the days were fulfilled.” The Bezaen text has no support from any earlier Greek texts and none from the early versions. It would seem that Bezae has been accommodated to the myth of a late arrival on the night of the birth. The transcribers of the Bezae text were more consistent than we are. Our text denies a late night arrival theory and yet we manage to maintain it. 3 Dalmann has a diagram of just such a house from a village near Jerusalem. In this particular instance the entire one room house is in the cave. Cf. Gustaf Dalmann, Arbeit und Sitte in Palästina, Vol. VII (Gütersloh: Hermann Werner, 1940), plate n.40. 4 Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, LXXIX. Cf. The Writings of Justin Martyr and Athenagoras, trans. by M. Dodds, G. Reith and B.P. Pratten (Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1868), pp. 195–196. 5 Plummer, The Gospel According to S. Luke (Edinburgh: T. and T. Clark, 1922), p, 54 6 Justin Martyr, The First Apology of Justin 1:32; cf. Op. cit., p. 34. 7 Justin Martyr, Dialogue with Trypho, LIII; cf. Op. cit. p. 155. 8 O. Cullmann, “Infancy Gospels: the Protevangelium of James,” in New Testament Apocrypha, Vol. I, ed. by E. Hennecke and W. Schneemelcher (Philadelphia: Westminster, 1963), pp. 383–388. 9 Naboth and his famous vineyard (I Kings 21:1–14) is a classical example of the peasant attachment to the inheritance of his fathers. This same attachment is why Palestinian refugees in the current Middle East cannot simply move elsewhere. 10 K.E. Bailey, Poet and Peasant (Grand Rapids: Wm. Eerdmans, 1976), 147. 11 William Thomson, The Land and the Book, Vol. II (New York: Harper and Brothers, c. 1858, 1871), p. 503. 12 E.F.F. Bishop, Jesus of Palestine (London: Lutterworth Press, 1955), p. 42. In spite of the passage here quoted, in his volume Bishop offers another alternative, that of a shed attached to a village guest house. This ignores the fact that mangers are in homes and the fact that the Holy Family has been in Bethlehem for some time. In a public lecture in Jerusalem in 1958 Bishop reaffirmed his earlier view that the birth was in a private home. 13 Gustaf Dalmann, Sacred Sites and Ways, trans. from the German by Paul P. Levertoff (London: SPCK, 1935), p. 41. 14 G. Dalmann. Arbeit und Sitte in Palästina, plates 1–91. 15 Everyone sleeps on mattresses on the raised terrace floor in the village home, so placing a baby there is perfectly natural. 16 G. Dalmann, Sacred Sites and Ways, p. 41. 17 Ibid. 18 Miller suggests that the birth “was probably unattended” because Mary wraps her own child. Cf. D.G. Miller, Saint Luke (London: SCM, 1959), p. 35. The assumption of Miller’s remark is that the mother in her supposed weakened condition after childbirth would not choose to wrap her own child if she had had assistance. The difficulty with this assumption is that Palestinian peasant women are not physically incapacitated by childbirth. The present writer has heard first-hand accounts of Palestinian peasant women caught in the fields with labor pains who gave birth in the fields and then picked up the newborn child and returned to the village with no unusual



Bronze Age Camel Petroglyphs In The Wadi Nasib, Sinai

As the calm waters reflected the slowly rising sun over the Sea of Galilee, a lonely figure walked from Capernaum along a path near the rocky shore

2½ kilometers to the west of Capernaum. Warm water flowed from these springs, loaded with organic matter that attracted fish during the winter and spring months. Josephus, the first century Jewish historian, called the largest spring at this location the “well of Capernaum” (Wars 3:519; LCL 2:723). It was here that the lonely Man spotted several Capernaum fishermen. Simon, later called Peter, and Andrew were wading in the shallow waters using their cast nets. This circular net, usually 6 to 8 meters in circumference with small stones attached to the edge, was carefully folded so that when the fisherman cast it forth it would open like a parachute and fall over the shoal of fish. The fisherman would dive down, gather the small stones on the edge of the net in order to entrap the fish inside the net, and drag the net to shore to sort out their catch.The lonely Man called out from the shore, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” This was not the first time these fishermen had encountered the Lord Jesus. More than a year and a half prior, Andrew, a follower of John the baptizer, heard his mentor proclaim with excitement: “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” In the process of leaving the Baptizer, Andrew found his brother Simon and told him: “We have found the Messiah” and brought him to Jesus and both followed Him (John 1:29-42).Three days later, Jesus and His new found followers were attending a wedding, probably a relative of Nathanael’s (John 1:45; 21:2), in Cana of Galilee. It was here that the Lord Jesus performed His first miraculous sign by turning water into wine, thus revealing His glory. His disciples (students) put their trust in Him for their eternal salvation (John 2:1-11; cf. 20:30, 31). On several occasions they journeyed to Jerusalem with Jesus and other pilgrims for the various festivals. On the Passover of the next year the Lord Jesus shared with Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews, his need to be born from above by the Spirit of God, as well as God’s tremendous love for the world in sending His Son to provide salvation to all who put their trust in Him (John 3:1-21). On another occasion the following winter, while returning to Galilee, the Lord Jesus stopped with his disciples at a well near Sychar in Samaria. Here He offered a sinful Samaritan woman living water, eternal life. He then challenged His disciples to “… look at the fields, for they are already white for harvest!” (John 4:1-42). A month later, following up on this challenge, Jesus said, “Follow Me, and I will make you become fishers of men.” Simon and Andrew left their nets to follow this lonely Man (Matt. 4:19, 20; Mark 1:17, 18).Further along the shore, the Lord Jesus spotted two brothers, James and John, mending their trammel nets in their father’s large boat which was moored in the harbor near the Seven Springs. He called them as well and they left their father, Zebedee, and his servants and followed Him (Matt. 4:21, 22; Mark 1:19, 20).That evening, Jesus and His new found “fishers of men”, returned to Capernaum for Shabbat. Jesus began training His new followers in the art of “fishing for men” by casting a demon out of a man in the synagogue and healing Simon’s mother-in-law. These demonstrations of power provided two powerful lessons; “fishing for men” included meeting both the spiritual, as well as the physical needs of people (Mark 1:21-35). Early on the morning after Shabbat, Jesus slipped out of town to a quiet place to pray. Later, Simon searched for, found, and informed Him that everybody was looking for Him. He continued His lessons of fishing for men by taking His disciples along as He preached in the synagogues throughout Galilee (Mark 1:35-39).“Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!” (Luke 5:1-11)Discipling people is not an easy task. It takes time and effort because those being discipled do not grasp the lessons being taught or the seriousness of their decision to follow the Lord Jesus. Jesus must have been frustrated with Peter at times, yet He was ever so patient with him.After several months of following Jesus around and listening to Him preach in the synagogues of Galilee, Peter decided to go back fishing. This decision had an adverse effect on the other disciples because several of them went back as well. Jesus needed to get them to understand who He was and that He could be trusted to provide their daily needs..Peter and his fishing partners had fished all night and caught nothing. They had moored their fishing boat in the harbor of the Seven Springs and were washing their nets in the small waterfall near the shore. Jesus borrowed Peter’s boat and used it as a floating pulpit to preach to the multitudes which were gathered to hear the words of the famous Teacher. When He had finished teaching, He again turned His attention to His wayward disciples. Instructing Peter, He said: “Launch out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” Peter protested for a minute because he and his partners had fished all night and caught nothing. Something else was in the back of Peter’s mind, the trammel net which he was instructed to let down was used only and night and close to shore! Jesus was asking him to do the absurd.The trammel net was 200-250 meters long (656-820 feet) and consisted of three layers of net, a fine meshed net sandwiched between two large meshed outer nets. The fish swim through one of the large meshed outer nets and into the fine meshed middle net and through the other outer net. When the fish tried to escape, it gets hopelessly entangled in the nets. These nets are used only at night because the fish can see the nets in daylight. Peter must have questioned Jesus’ thinking in giving these instructions and was probably secretly daring Jesus to do something, yet he obeyed His words. Much to Peter’s amazement, there was a miraculous catch of fish and the nets began to break. He called for assistance from his partners on the shore. When they came to help, they filled the boats and began to sink. Peter fell down before Jesus and said, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord!”Peter realized that he failed to learn the lesson that Jesus taught the day before while preaching on the mountain (Matt. 5-7). The sermon, addressed primarily to those who already trusted the Lord Jesus for their salvation and decided to follow Him, touched on the issue of the disciples daily provision for food, drink and clothing. The Lord Jesus promised He would take care of these daily needs if they sought first the Kingdom of God and his righteousness. If they did, all these things would be provided (Matt. 6:25-34). Peter failed miserably at this point. Rather than seeking the Kingdom of God and His righteousness and trusting the Lord for his daily needs, he went back fishing to provide for himself and his family. The goodness of God led him to repentance (Rom. 2:4) when he realized he was being discipled by the Lord of all Creation whom he could trust for his daily needs.

Rosetta Stone

the agreement with the Sabbatical and Jubilee data and the evidence of the Tyrian king list

ranted, then, that the reign length data of Kings and Chronicles are historically accurate, could it be that some ancient editor was astute enough to add up the numbers and derive a 480-year figure in a fashion something like that of Wellhausen or Barnes, and then project this 480-year figure back into the time between the exodus and the start of Temple construction? In other words, those who are seeking ways to show that the Bible is not to be trusted in historical matters could say that the 480 years were deduced somehow from the regnal data, which can be accepted as historically correct. They would claim that the editor decided to stop counting either after the thirty-seventh year of Jehoiachin’s captivity (Barnes) or after the return under Cyrus (Wellhausen, Burney, and Hawkins). Then this late-date redactor, once he or she had discovered a 480-year sum in the regnal data, imposed it on the time between the exodus and the start of construction of Solomon’s Temple. One would wonder what purpose this might serve, since the pattern had to wait to modern times to be discovered. It would also imply that this editor knew nothing about the proper methods of interpreting the dates, but merely added numbers from various starting and stopping places until a nice sum was found. But let us, for now, consider this option as a possibility: namely, that the 480 years of 1 Kgs 6:1 were extracted somehow from the regnal data. This idea cannot be right because it cannot be reconciled with what has just been established. Since the regnal data of Kings and Chronicles, covering a period of over four centuries, have been demonstrated by careful scholarship to have every mark of authenticity,[28] then how could it be that when we come to 1 Kgs 6:1, the chronological data there are suddenly no longer historical, but contrived and mythical? For those who prefer redaction criticism, if we grant that the surrounding numerical figures, including the “fourth year” of Solomon, are to be taken literally, then could any judicious approach that deals with literary genre say that the 480 years in the same verse are to be taken as unhistorical? This is particularly pertinent if we accept Cassuto’s argument that the very form in which the number is written is meant to convey exactness.[29] Some numbers in the Bible clearly are not to be taken in a strictly literal sense (the “seventy times seven” of Matt 18:22, for example). The context and literary convention being followed are usually plain enough in such cases, however, to show that a non-literal interpretation is intended. For 1 Kgs 6:1, similarly, the context and literary convention being followed dictate that the 480 years must be taken as literal in intention. There is no indication that ancient readers would have understood it in any other sense. To treat it as other than literal would open the door to the radical revisionism that no interpreter with a high view of the inspiration of Scripture could accept: the forty years of Israel in the desert would not be literal, nor the forty days of the temptation of Jesus, nor his three days in the tomb, and so on without end, so that we would no longer be able to understand the plain meaning of any factual statement in Scripture. d. The Jubilee and Sabbatical cycles show that the 480 years are literal years. Redaction criticism, such as would seek to impose a non-literal 480 years in the midst of an otherwise historical account, has been shown by its practitioners to be a very subjective methodology. It can be, and has been, bent to favor propositions that fly in the face of archaeological or historical facts. Fortunately we do not need to use this unreliable method in order to investigate whether the 480 years of 1 Kgs 6:1 are authentic. A proper way of determining their validity is to examine their agreement with the Jubilee and Sabbatical cycles. Once we accept the small adjustment that Solomon died before Tishri 1 of 931 bc, instead of on or after Tishri 1 as Thiele assumed, then we not only have a correction for Thiele’s problems with the reigns of the Judean monarchs that he was never able to resolve,[30] but also, by placing the start of Temple construction in 967 bc instead of 966 bc, the Sabbatical and Jubilee years all fall into place with precision and harmony. This precision and harmony cannot be explained as the interpolations of a late-date deuteronomist and his supposed daughters (dtr1, dtr2, etc.) who were interspersing into their account the various allusions to these events in order to fool readers into thinking that the Jubilee and Sabbatical cycles were observed in Israel’s past. Although interpolations by a “deuteronomist” are the standard wisdom of rationalist scholarship, it is clear that any deceiver who was interspersing allusions in this fashion could never have gotten all the dates right. The principle of the Jubilee years, first presented in JETS in 2003,[31] was cited in Wood’s “Rise and Fall” article (pp. 477, 488) and by Steinmann in the same issue of JETS[32] as an important argument in favor of the early date for the exodus. It is also important in demonstrating the integrity of all the chronological data of Kings and Chronicles and in establishing the date for the composition of Leviticus. The argument, however, has never been addressed by advocates of a thirteenth-century exodus, even though there have been several expansions of the basic thesis and additional information in its support since the original presentation in JETS. These later articles have provided new evidence to show that Israel’s priests were keeping track of the Jubilee and Sabbatical cycles all the time that Israel was in its land, and that the start of counting must have been in 1406 bc. Since these various later articles dealing with the Sabbatical and Jubilee cycles may not be readily available to all readers, a summary will be given here of their findings. This will be a brief summary only; for more complete information the articles referenced must be consulted. The reader may also wish to compare the dates that will be given with the dates for the kings of Judah given in Young’s “Tables of Reign Lengths” article.[33] The simple thesis that Israel’s priests began counting for the Sabbatical and Jubilee cycles when they entered the land in Nisan of 1406, as they were commanded to do in Lev 25:1–10, explains the following facts: First, for the Jubilee years: The Hebrew text of Ezek 40:1, by saying that it was both Rosh HaShanah (New Year’s Day) and the tenth of the month, establishes that Ezekiel saw his vision at the beginning of a Jubilee year. Only in a Jubilee year did the year start on the tenth of the month (Lev 25:9). The date was the Day of Atonement, Tishri 10 of 574 bc.[34] Since the Jubilee year was identical to the seventh Sabbatical year,[35] the first year of this cycle must have been forty-eight years earlier, starting in 622 bc. 1406 bc, the year that Israel entered Canaan that can be derived from the chronological note of 1 Kgs 6:1, was 784 years, or sixteen Jubilee cycles earlier than this date, thus showing that 1406 would have been the first year of a Jubilee (and Sabbatical) cycle. This is in agreement with an entry into Canaan in that year, since Israel was to start counting the cycles when they entered the land of Canaan (Lev 25:1-10).[36] Entirely consistent with this, the Talmud and the Seder ‘Olam explicitly state that Ezekiel’s Jubilee was the seventeenth Jubilee.[37] The Seder ‘Olam, the older of these sources, does not cite the fact that Rosh HaShanah was on the tenth of Tishri in Ezek 40:1 as an argument establishing that it was a Jubilee year. Rabbi Yose simply states that Ezekiel saw his vision at the beginning of the seventeenth Jubilee, apparently based on historical remembrance. The Seder ‘Olam and the Talmud state that another Jubilee was observed in the eighteenth year of Josiah.[38] According to Judean Tishri-based reckoning, Josiah’s eighteenth year began in Tishri of 623 bc, which was forty-nine years, or exactly one Jubilee cycle, before Ezekiel’s Jubile

Rosetta Stone German

Whichever derivation is chosen

the main point is that the 480 years cannot be trusted because according to Wellhausen, whom Burney and Hawkins are following here, the regnal data for Solomon and his successors were manipulated to produce a fictitious 480 years.[15] Hawkins apparently agrees with Wellhausen’s assessment that the regnal data have been falsified, because he writes, “When the books of 1–2 Kings are viewed as a whole, therefore, it seems clear that its author(s) wanted to place the building of the Temple at the center of the biblical history.”[16] The implication is that the regnal data of Kings are not genuine history and cannot be used to create a proper chronology of the kingdom period. To demonstrate this supposed artificiality in the regnal data, Burney added the balance of the years of Solomon’s reign after the initiation of the construction of the Temple (37), to the lengths of reigns of the succeeding kings of Judah (393), to the duration of the exile (50, presumably from the fall of Jerusalem in 587 to the first return in 537), thus obtaining an interval of 480 years.[17] In Burney’s summation there are three mistakes: First, the thirty-seven years assigned from Solomon’s fourth year to his fortieth year should be thirty-six. Second, six years are assigned to Athaliah, from 2 Kgs 11:3, which is the accession equivalent for the seven years of non-accession reckoning that is given to her in the next verse, and which should have been used in keeping with the non-accession system being used at that time in Judah.[18] Third, fifty years are assigned from the exile to the return under Cyrus, instead of the proper forty-nine years (587 to 538 bc). Moreover, we know from modern investigations that this whole procedure is fallacious, a fact Hawkins acknowledges.[19] Timespans in Judahite history cannot be determined simply by adding the lengths of reigns of kings, due to coregencies and non-accession reckoning.[20] The actual duration from Solomon’s fourth year (967 bc)[21] to the end of Zedekiah’s reign (587 bc) was 380 years, not 430, and the total to the first return under Cyrus in 538 bc (Ezra 1:1) was 429 years, not the artificial 480 years calculated by Wellhausen and Burney and cited by Hawkins. It is Wellhausen and Burney who are playing games with the numbers, not the authors of 1 and 2 Kings. The thesis of Wellhausen and Burney that Hawkins follows is premised on an exilic or post-exilic authorship of 1 Kgs 6:1, and depends upon the further presupposition that an author who was recording chronological data in the time of Solomon, or shortly thereafter, had no way to accurately compute long periods of time over the course of Israelite history. This presupposition and the presupposition of exilic or post-exilic authorship of 1 Kgs 6:1 are both false. This will be demonstrated in secs. c and d below. b. The attempt by Barnes to show that the 480 years are artificial. Another attempt to demonstrate an artificial span of 480 years is given by William Barnes. By examining his approach, we can see how arbitrary these schemes are. Like Wellhausen and Hawkins, Barnes does not seem to be aware that the Hebrew text of 1 Kgs 6:1 means that 479 years, not 480, had passed between the exodus and Solomon’s fourth year. He writes: As the reader will no doubt recall, the book of Kings ends on a rather quiet note: in the 37th year of the exiled king Jehoiachin, the Judahite monarch was freed from prison by the Babylonian king Evil-merodach (= Amel-marduk); every day, we are then told, he dined at the king’s table. Now, it is undoubtedly not coincidental that according to the Judahite regnal totals as extant in Kings, exactly 480 years separated this event from the original coronation of King David over Judah. (Once again, the actual historical situation need not concern us at this point, although it would seem that only some 449 years actually separated these two events.)[22] Barnes shows how he gets this calculation of 480 years in a table on p. 145 of his book. Here, each reign length is reduced by one in order to conform to the non-accession reckoning of rabbinic scholarship. Thus David is given 39 years, Solomon 39 years, Rehoboam 16, down to 10 years for Jehoiakim. He then adds thirty-six years to get to the thirty-seventh year of the captivity of Jehoiachin. The sum is indeed 480 years, even though, as Barnes notes, this does not represent actual elapsed time. In his view, however, it shows that the numbers have been manipulated to give an artificial total. This approach is similar to that of Wellhausen cited earlier, as followed by Burney and Hawkins, even though the methods of Wellhausen and Barnes contradict each other: one uses accession years, the other non-accession years; one starts with the construction of the Temple, the other with David’s accession; one ends with the return from exile, the other with Jehoiachin’s release from prison. But both conclude to their own satisfaction that they have shown that either someone has manipulated the reign lengths so that they do not reflect historical reality, or that the 480-year figure of 1 Kgs 6:1 is contrived and artificial. c. The integrity of the chronological data of 1 and 2 Kings shows they are authentic, not artificial. A problem with these schemes is that they are just too clever. The late-date deuteronomists that these scholars posit as the authors of Kings would lack any motive to put together a scheme like this, since it took until the nineteenth century ad (for Wellhausen’s scheme) or the twentieth century (for Barnes’s scheme) for someone to figure it out. And it is not because no one was trying to find numerical schemes in the Scriptures. An example of such searching for patterns is found in the Seder ‘Olam (second century ad), where Rabbi Yose calculated 850 years from the exodus to the exile. He did this by starting with the 479 years from the exodus to Solomon’s fourth year, and then adding, in a non-accession sense, all Judean reign lengths from that time to the last year of Zedekiah. The sum comes to 851, but Rabbi Yose adjusted this to the round number of 850, which he interpreted as seventeen times fifty.[23] Perhaps he got rid of the extra year by taking six years for Athaliah instead of seven, as Burney did. The Seder ‘Olam’s 850-year figure is accepted as authoritative at several places in the Talmud, where no explanation is given for how it was derived; indeed the Seder ‘Olam itself does not explain the derivation, nor does Guggenheimer in his recent translation and commentary.[24] It shows that Rabbi Yose was looking for patterns to impose on the Scripture, but he failed to see the scheme of either Wellhausen or Barnes that covers the same time period. If schemes like this were inherent in the text, why did the Seder ‘Olam, the most extensive and detailed document from antiquity devoted to OT chronology, fail to recognize them? But the main, indeed insuperable, obstacle that confronts the idea that the regnal data of Kings and Chronicles are artificial and late is the fact that these data have all been successfully integrated into a chronology that has every indication of reflecting the actual history of the times. This is more than can be said for the chronologies of Wellhausen and Barnes; their chronological schemes (which are different between the two scholars) have not found any wide acceptance among historians, whereas the Thiele/McFall chronology that accepts these data as authentic is the most widely accepted of any chronology of the divided kingdom.[25] In particular, Thiele’s date of 931 bc for the beginning of the divided monarchy is accepted by the majority of scholars who are most influential in this field, including Jack Finegan, Kenneth Kitchen, T. C. Mitchell, Gershon Galil, Leslie McFall, and Eugene Merrill.[26] This date was derived by accepting the chronological data of Kings and Chronicles as genuine history, not the manipulations of a late-date deuteronomist and his kin to come up with an artificial and obscure numerological puzzle. Furthermore, it is additionally established by two independent methods

Rosetta Stone French

10 Mar 11 Put These 5 Films Together and Spell Terrible 5 Times

Put These 5 Films Together and Spell Terrible 5 TimesBy: Ed Bagley .... Click author's name to view profile and articles!!!Retargeting by ChangoTweet ? 2006 Ed BagleyHere are five more movies you think would be really better than they are, unfortunately for the films, the scripts, the direction, and the actors, they are not.Love Letters – 1 Star (Terrible)Love Letters is a terrible, terrible, terrible film. One of the five worst films every made among those that give a pretense of actually being good while being awful, pared to those films you know are bad and do not disappoint.This stupid story line has two adults reading letters they sent to each other over their entire life, sitting on tall furniture, gazing down as the past action unfolds.Love Letters is beyond bad. It butchers a possibly good story line, has poor direction, poor production, poor acting, poor everything. There is not a redeeming quality in this piece of garbage, not even the opening, or credit lines.The film does not even introduce itself, it takes 5 minutes to realize how bad the film really is; after 10 minutes I put Love Letters on fast forward, and it did not get any better in fast forward. Even the dialogue is bad to awful.The only worse movie I can think of ever seeing is "Pat" (the androgynous character on Saturday Night Live), and that movie I expected to be terrible, and it was. The acting performances in Love Letters were absolutely juvenile, with no depth, no character development, and no delivery worth talking about. These were not 2nd and 3rd rate actors but 8th and 9th rate actors.What a piece of nothing this turned out to be; I was beyond disappointed. I expected a decent attempt at a relationship movie and could not have been more let down.Monster-in-Law – 1 Star (Terrible)Monster-in-Law has a lower class girl (Jennifer Lopez) meeting a rich family doctor (Michael Vartan), and a future mother-in-law (Jane Fonda) who decides to drive away the bride, only to do herself in, discovering that the bride has as much backbone as she does.This film is strictly entertainment and humor; there really is no story line as you know who is getting together at the end, and it will all work itself out when the edy skits are over. I have seen Lopez do a better job in better films, such as Maid in Manhattan.The Fast Runner – 1 Star (Terrible)The Fast Runner, a foreign film in the Inuktitut language with English subtitles, is about Eskimo life and culture on the tundra in Alaska. I promise you this is not filmmakings' crowning achievement. It may not even be Eskimo filmmakers' crowning achievement; if it is, Eskimo filmmaking is in serious trouble.The Fast Runner, also known by the title Atanarjuat, goes on and on for 172 minutes (call it 3 hours), which is about 1? hours too long.Myths and Logic of Shaolin Kung Fu – 1 Star (Terrible)This film lets you know early on that the best Kung Fu fighting style-Shaolin-es from the monks in China. The Myths and Logic of Shaolin Kung Fu is a sketchy, historical account of how the monks train and learn to simultaneously bee a religious as well as a deadly fighting machine.These future monks begin before age 10 and never really end a lifelong quest to bee a master in this fighting style; dividing their time equally between spiritual development and physical prowess. You will be amazed at the physical skills of these boys before they are 10 years old.Myra Breckenridge – 1 Star (Terrible)This is Gore Vidal's then (1970) controversial film about Myron Breckenridge, a man who goes to Europe for a sex change operation and es back as Myra Breckenridge (played by Raquel Welch, who I did not like in the movie), a man-hating woman.It is not clear in the movie if Myra still retains her male parts, not that it is important to the movie, because this film is garbage with no script flow, no message, no acting and an even worse presentation. Myra Breckenridge had a chance to deliver some information and a message about its theme, but failed miserably.I cannot even begin to imagine what Gore must have been doing when he attempted to write this script. Film efforts like Vidal's do not increase understanding, but encourage prejudice and ignorance about a controversial topic. This is one bad example of filmmaking, and deserves to die a slow death.Article Source: abcarticledirectoryEd Bagley is the Author of Ed Bagley's Blog, which he Publishes Daily with Fresh, Original Articles on Internet Marketing, Jobs and Careers, Movie Reviews, Sports and Recreation, or Lessons in Life intended to Delight, Inform, Educate and Motivate Readers. Visit Ed at . . .edbagleyblogMovieReviewArticles.htmledbagleyblogLessonsinLifeArticles.htmledbagleyblogInternetMarketingArticles.htmlNote: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, Ed BagleyRetargeting 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 Movies Film via RSS!Additional Articles From - Home Arts Movies FilmWhy Calibrate your High Definition TV?- By : Robert ShefferSweet Phone - By : Tim Webb.Find out Home Theater Methods! What You have Been Missing in Your TV and Movie Encounter.- By : Joesph MellbergPreparing and Setting up a Home Theater system is Easier Than you Think!- By : Zachariah DivensGrown Ups 2010 Movie In Review- By : Elenor CherryCamera Crew Hire- By : Mark A. WilsonReview of Drive Angry Movie- By : Gursel BatmazReturn Of The Horror Legend: Scream 4- By : Gursel BatmazMovie Review: Clash Of The Titans Leaves Audiences Wanting- By : Elenor CherryRed Riding Hood The Movie- By : Gursel Batmaz Still Searching? Last Chance to find what you're looking for. Try using Bing Search!

5 Mar 11 Why You Should Choose Affiliate Programs For Home Based Business

Why You Should Choose Affiliate Programs For Home Based BusinessBy: Reginald Sharp .... Click author's name to view profile and articles!!!Retargeting by ChangoTweet Are you a mother who wants to work at home and spend more time with your child(ren) and family?Are you tired of the daily "rat race" ofNHL Jersey
your 8 to 5 job?Are you stuck in a dead end job with little or no potential for advancement, working for a boss you don't like?Are you chasing a pipe dream that is getting you nowhere?If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, then affiliate programs will give you the opportunity to say goodbye to your dead end job.If your dream is to make more money than you have ever imagined, and want to work at home in a business of your own, then affiliate programs are for you.What Is An Affiliate Program?An affiliate program is a system that allows web site owners to earn money by selling services or products on their web site with no risk, overhead, inventory, shipping costs, employees, rent or maintenance. There is no charge to become an affiliate. All you need to do to begin making money from your web site is to sign up to become an affiliate and post links on your web site, then wait for your commission checks! Daily reports are available so you can track your sales.The affiliate programs we provide offer you the following benefits:* Superb quality products and services* The highest commission payouts on the web* Two-tiered commission structure that pays you for each affiliate you recruit* Long commission tracking period (Site Build It! program offers you lifetime commissions by cookie tracking)* Excellent training programs to ensure you reach your highest potential possibleWhat Do Affiliate Programs Offer?Affiliate programs provide you an excellent income opportunity on and off the internet. These affiliate programs will provide you with the HIGHEST commissions the internet has to offer! Whether you are new to affiliate marketing or an experienced professional, affiliate programs will provide a win-win situation for you and your customers - by delivering superb products and services, and providing you the highest payouts on the web! You can choose to market these programs on a full time or part time basis, on or off the internet. If you are looking for a "get-rich-quick" program, then affiliate programs are not for you. Washington Capitals jersey
However, if your dream is to make more money and earn a better living for you and your family, and desire to work at home in a business of your own, then affiliate programs are the key to reach your goals, and succeed! Remember, you get out of it what you put into it - the sky is the limit! With focus, persistence, guidance, commitment, determination and insight, you can succeed with affiliate programs!Article Source: http://www.shop-on-sale.com Reginald Sharp is a successful affiliate marketer and the webmaster of Free Affiliate ProgramsNote: The content of this article solely conveys the opinion of its author, Reginald SharpRetargeting 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 Capitals jersey
Marketing - True or False?- By : 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 SEC Football: Thursday Morning One-Liners

Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesSo why has Alabama given out nearly half as many medical redshirts as the combined total of the remainder of the SEC over the past three years?Ryan Mallett mentioned that it is hard to watch game film of Arkansas game with Alabama. I dondoubt him; I donthink I could watch the game again either.Auburn is playing great football right now, but the defense could use a little bit of a better start to games.Ahmad Black, a Florida defensive back, had this to say about the Gators match with Alabama: Last year we didncome out and play our best.A change in Georgiaathletic director brought a change in scheduling. (Personally, I feel that the Georgia football program is on the decline, and non-conference road game losses are instilling fear in the UGA program.)The leaders of the Kentucky football Minnesota Vikings
program approached head coach Joker Phillips with an interesting request.A former Tennessee coach, Louisiana State defensive coordinator John Chavis is not letting on that he misses the Volunteers in any way. (And why would he? He is currently 4-0 with a No. 12 team.)A number of injuries are currently affecting Mississippi, which is bad news considering it is coming off its best win of the season.Mississippi State head coach Dan Mullen: I look around and a lot of people aren't playing Top 25 teams at the beginning of their schedule around the country.It is now clear why South Carolina head coach Steve Spurrier pulled starting quarterback Stephen Garcia: He did not want to get sued for letting Garcia play bull-rush, head-down football.Who is the worst in the nation on third down? I donknow, but Tennessee is second-to-last at 119th.The backup quarterback position at Vanderbilt has been settled for some time now.

22 Jan 11 ASU: After Close Call In Madison, Sun Devils Return With Only a Moral Victory

Jonathan Daniel/Getty ImagesAs the clock ticked down to zero at Camp Randall Stadium, the expression on Dennis Ericksonface as he approached midfield for the handshake was priceless. Ericksonsquad found themselves staring a victory right square in the eyes, but once again, in a big game circumstance, the Arizona State Sun Devils failed to execute with the necessary effectiveness to earn a victory. The final result between the Sun Devils and Badgers was decided with ASU and Erickson wondering what if? How would the game have changed if Thomas Weber made an early 25-yard field goal? What if ASU capitalized on one of the many times Wisconsin threw into double and triple coverage? How about if George Bell, who has been absolutely dead silent the first two weeks, did not drop a sure touchdown pass in the Buffalo Bills jersey
second quarter, or just barely miss dragging his toe on another end zone grab? What about if true freshman Kyle Middlebrooks returned a Wisconsin kickoff following a late first half touchdown one extra yard, as he was tackled literally at the half yard line? I am not sure which was the final straw, but out of the next three plays, one of them certainly broke the camelback. The officials completely missed a pass interference call in the end zone that would have set up a first and goal for ASU in the fourth quarter; unfortunately a field goal was the result. The score was sitting at an unusual 20-19, and ASU had Wisconsin in a 3rddown and 5 from the Badgers 33 yard line, but a personal foul penalty away from the football by James Brooks would then set up Wisconsin with a first and ten from nearly midfield. At that point, even with three timeouts left, the game was already decided. ASU let another big game, big statement game slip away. This time, ASU lost by the narrowest of margins, just a single point. The difference between a win and a loss in football sometimes cannot even be measured, but in the game at Madison, WI, miscues, mistakes, penalties, and a Wisconsin team that was good, but not that good struck down, the Sun Devils. Once again Dennis Erickson walked into the post game press conference only to try and diagnose a few moral victories. Unfortunately, the NCAA does not recognize moral victories in the win column. And in a year where ASU can only count one of their FCS (formerly Div. 1-AA) victories, so wins are at a premium in the valley of the sun.For the most part, ASU kept that style boiling the entire game. With each hit, each tackle, and each play, the Sun Devils looked to move closer and closer to an upset. Spectators might even suggest that the maroon and gold offensive line was equally as impressive as Wisconsinheralded offensive line. The crowd noise and intensity inside the stadium did not affect the Sun Devils performance, if anything ASU fed off the crowdexcitement. With big play after big play during Saturdaygame the offensive line was an integral part of the Sun Devils success. The Sun Devils only rushed for 56 yards against Northern Arizona, but you could tell the gameplan Saturday was to attack the edge with speed and find a running lane created by the big Carolina Panthers jersey
boys up front. That strategy led to 169 yards on 28 attempts. ASU averaged 6.0 yards per carry, compared to Wisconsin4.6 yards per carry. Arizona State finished the game below their season average in total yards and passing yards, but the Sun Devils were not playing the Portland State Vikings this week. When the final whistle blew, ASU accumulated 380 yards of offense against one of the best defenses in the Big Ten, if not the country.As Steven Threet returned back to his old stomping grounds of the Big Ten, he was eyeing another big victory of the Wisconsin Badgers, similar to his performance as a Michigan Wolverine in 2008. Although, ASU was playing so well, Threet never had to worry about completing a monumental comeback. Threetnumbers on Saturday were good enough for a win (21 of 33 for 211 yards), but his numbers could have been better as well. Threet probably thought he had a touchdown pass to George Bell in the third quarter and I am sure Bell thought the samething, until he looked up only to see a Wisconsin defender primed to rip his helmet off. As we found out, Bell saw the hit coming, and sure enough dropped a touchdown pass.However, the Sun Devils never let up when mistakes or miscues found their way into the game. ASUleaders were forced to step up and take charge, but a huge reason the game remained close was the Sun Devils stifling defense. I am sure giving up 440 yards of offense was not the dominant performance that coordinator Craig Bray was expecting, but throughout the game, every single yard conceded was hard fought. Wisconsin never really looked in rhythm both running and passing and that can be credited to ASUathletic defense. The Badgers tried to take control, but ASU, led by linebacker Vontaze Burfict, would not allow it. ASU was well aware of the Badgers lofty rushing totals not only this season, but in years past. ASU's defense set a goal to keep their opponent under their 240-yard average. That mission was complete, but in the end the game was decided with the defense on the sidelines, and on a fluke blocked extra point.Dennis Ericksonsquad performed admirably in defeat, but in all reality, Wisconsin should be the team licking their wounds and feeling sorry for themselves. ASU earned a victory Saturday in all categories, except where it matters the most, the field. As ASU fans and Erickson understand, moral victories do absolutely nothing for your football program. This was just another instance where Dennis Erickson and the Sun Devils attempted to get over the preverbal hump with a victory over a top 15 team on the road. However, the result was just another close call, as the hometown favorite in the game walked away with an unblemished record, and the underdogs jumped onto another long cross country flight, Chicago Bears jersey
only to think about what could have been. Unfortunately the schedule does not get any easier for Arizona State. Now, the Sun Devils will have to regroup and shift their focus to another top ten opponent, as the Oregon Ducks flock to Tempe with their virtually unstoppable offense. Hopefully another near win and a moral victory on the road will not spark a third straight midseason collapse for Arizona State.

18 Jan 11 Houston Nutt Takes No Responsibility for Ole Miss Rebels' Poor Start

Well, it is official. The coaching staff at Ole Miss is not responsible for the Rebels' poor start to the 2010 football season.Houston Nutt listed many reasons for his team's 1-2 start, but coaching was not one of them.Arkansas fans complained about this failure to take responsibility until they were blue in the face. Now it's Ole Miss' turn to experience the used car salesman tactics of Houston Nutt.Shifting the blame to his players is one of the traits that Nutt has been infamous for during his career.This week Nutt blamed the Rebels' poor showing on a dysfunctional offensive line, a stagnant Green Bay Packers jersey
running game, and a defense that's prone to giving up big plays. There was plenty of blame to go around.Nutt also mentioned Jeremiah Masoli. He stated, "In this last game, we would have liked him to take care of the ball more. He's probably trying to do a little too much and be Superman on every play. There are some things that he forced, and he knows that. We emphasized that very hard yesterday. He just needs to take care of the ball more and realize that every play is not all on him."Nutt also referred to his defensive line, which was supposed to be the team's stalwart this year. At least Nathan Stanley didn't get blamed for anything. It seems the only guys safe from any blame on Houston Nutt's football teams are the players who ride the bench and the coaching staff.Let's recap the villains here. Ole Miss has fallen to the basement of the SEC because of a dysfunctional offensive line, a stagnant running game, an inexperienced defensive backfield, a defensive line that has regressed and not stepped up, and Masoli turning the ball over too much. Yeah, that about covers Nutt's assessment of the situation.Wait a minute. What's missing in that assessment? Oh, I knowany responsibility at all for the coaching staff!Nutt forgot to mention the lack of coaching adjustments over the first three games. He didn't mention the pathetic play Houston Texans jersey
calling. He didn't mention the continued attempts to run straight up the middle, even when Ole Miss was behind by two touchdowns with five minutes left against Vanderbilt. He didn't mention the ultra-conservative play calls during the first two games.I wonder who calls those plays. Oh wait, isn't it Houston Nutt who sends in the plays for the offense?The humble coach also forgot to mention the fact that his teams have been totally unprepared and unmotivated to play so far this season. His only comment about the Rebels' second half malaise was that he had never seen anything like it. Oh really?All of this shines a little different light on the situation.Could it maybe be that the offensive line is a bit dysfunctional because of poor coaching? Could it be that the defensive line, thought to be one of the best in the SEC, has regressed because of coaching issues? It is the same talented players, so what has changed?How about Jeremiah Masoli? For the third year Nutt has had a Heisman-quality quarterback that is prone to mental mistakes and turnovers. Could this maybe have to do with how the player is coached? The talent is obviously there. Yet both Jevan Snead and Masoli have made the same types of mistakes over and over. Hmm...Houston Nutt seems to lack the coaching skills to develop talented players. Then when his players don't perform, due to lack of proper preparation or poor coaching, he hangs them out to dry. It's Snead's fault. It's Masoli's fault. It's the offensive line's fault. It's the running backs. It's the defense's fault.Guess what, Coach Nutt: The buck stops with you! All of these issues originate with your coaching. It is the coach's responsibility to see these problems, take ownership of them, and correct them. Be man enough to accept the responsibility for your team instead of blaming the athletes that Indianapolis Colts jersey
you are supposed to be teaching and preparing.Blaming everyone under the sun but himself for Ole Miss' problems shows a lack of character. Houston Nutt seems to understand that there is no "I" in "team," but what he doesn't seem to understand is that there is also no "they" in "team."If one part of the team has a problem, then Nutt should address that problem in terms of "we" need to improve, not "they"and certainly not in terms of "the offensive line is dysfunctional." If a family is dysfunctional, the problems originate with the parents who are in charge of the family. At the end of the day, it is the coach's fault if his team is unprepared

15 Jan 11 Detroit Lions Mike Williams "Most Useless Player" Commentary

Subject of much hype this week was the release of the "most overrated player" list, a Sports Illustrated poll that had over 350 NFL players declaring Terrell Owens and Brian Urlacher No. 1 and No. 2 on this list of shame. (Note to those 65 or so guys who chose one of the two: Yeah, sure.)In response, today, RealFootball365 presents its own ersatz award. Based on a scientific poll of exactly one non-NFL playing, sportswriting dude and his Madden football knowledge, the winner of the First Annual RealFootball365 Most Overrated Player Award goes to ... Mike Williams ofPittsburgh Steelers jersey
the Detroit Lions!And how, you may ask, was this irrefutable opinion reached? Well, last week, in this writer's heartfelt sacrifice for the good of Lions fans, a simulation of the silver-and-Honolulu blue was undertaken playing "coach mode"-style in Madden NFL football. After tossing the Cover 2 defense and adapting a run-heavy (read: Kevin Jones-heavy) offense, the electronic alternate-universe Lions struggled through the 2006 season at a 9-7 clip, good enough for the playoffs. The guys got smoked in the Wild Card Round at Ford Field, but that's another story.(Incidentally, adding fan booing a couple of versions back was a good move by the Madden team, but hearing those ungrateful video #$!@#%#$%s in Detroit jeer the Lions off the field after appearing in the playoffs after 50 years of rebuilding makes me want to move the team to Santa Fe.)In the postseason, my Lions were hit with a number of retirements in key positions. The free agency market was strong, the draft weak; no matter; my guys are doomed to years' worth of an insufficient roster all because of a couple of obnoxious contracts, Mike Williams among them. Williams' fat contract, in tandem with being out of shape, is almost quite single-handedly responsible for the joke this team will - barring miracles - continue to be throughout the decade. Williams' $13.5 million (and $9.5 million guaranteed) salary tears a huge chunk out of the salary cap and virtually ensures that, even if a marquee player found a reason to play in Detroit, his signing is unlikely.In 2005, Williams signed for this ridiculous sum after being drafted ridiculously high in order to make a ridiculous game plan for a ridiculously overrated (at least by Lions brass) quarterback. The noise greeting the announcement of Williams' drafting was almost as hilarious as the pick itself (if you're not a Detroit fan); you can check out the YouTube clip on TrojanWire.com. (Hurry before the Tube's Google owners pull it.)Last year, after running up more than $500,000 in fines for reportedly setting an NFL record for missing team meetings and coming to camp resembling Charles Barkley circa 2003. As a rookie in 2005, the 10th pick overall made 29 catches while managing two fumbles. This year, head coach Rod Marinelli has had enough patience with the über-slacker to call two passes for him all year. Williams has dropped both; if the season ended today (and don't Detroit fans wish it would...), that's $175,000 per incompletion. What a bargain.And don't forget, sports fans, Williams is signed through 2009, so there should be many more chances for him to make the highlight reels.In fact, Williams' salary is so outrageously high that it actually kept him on the team. Throughout the preseason, new boss Marinelli made it clear that hard work was the No. 1 prioritySan Diego Chargers jersey
(if only winning ballgames had made the top 10...) on his team and that no one - bonus babies or no - was assured of a spot on the team. Ask Dan Wilkinson.Back in August, Detroit media had it that Marinelli wanted to cut both Williams and 2004 No. 2 overall pick Charles Rogers, but that salary cap restrictions would force the team to keep both. "Luckily," a little creative accounting allowed the dismissal of Rogers, a dude who later had the cajones to dog it through a workout with the New England Patriots.This season, with the Lions mysteriously short on receivers despite having drafted one a year in the first round in 2003, 2004 and 2005, Detroit couldn't make a play for Deion Branch, Joey Porter or any other WR that might make an impact due to financial restrictions. Instead, they welcomed Az-Zahir Hakim, a former Mike Martz favorite to fill the roster. Hakim was unceremoniously shown the door yesterday after letting the team throw a few bucks away while catching a whopping 17 passes. In the end (although this story may not end for another generation or so), the legacy of Mike Williams will go far beyond mere status as one of the biggest draft busts of all-time; Williams will be another notable chapter in another decade's worth of football busting, no matter how many more passes he drops. You could have any organism from Bill Cowher to a sentient ammonia cloud from a planet orbiting Arcturus calling the shots for this team, but there's only so far strategy can go when dollars are dictating the competence level.Of course, there is another way of San Francisco 49ers jersey
looking at Williams' worth. As one enterprising Detroit sportswriter calculated, due to the $600,000 in fines run up in 2005, Williams' salary of $230,000 and $350,000 (all figures reported before taxes) is completely swallowed by team management. Therefore, Williams is playing for free this season and, boy, is he worth every penny.P.S. Fire Millen.RealFootball365.com: Where we weekly contemplate the abyss that is the Detroit Lions. (3)

14 Jan 11 Seattle Seahawks "Made secondary the primary focus"

The Seattle Seahawks' defensive backfield has been a train wreck the past two seasons, and it's obvious that team president Tim Ruskell has made the secondary his primary focus for the 2007 season.The trouble started in 2006, when safety Ken Hamlin was literally knocked out for the season when he was bashed in the head outside a Seattle nightclub. Marquand Manuel took over for him and played well, but he got hurt in the Super Bowl and the Seahawks simply did not have the depth to make up for it. Manuel's inexperienced replacement was Reebok Green Bay Packers #12 Aaron Rodgers Realtree camo Jersey
out of position on two huge plays that helped the Pittsburgh Steelers pull out a 21-10 win.The Hawks let Manuel leave in free agency last offseason, but they seemed to have themselves covered with Hamlin returning and veteran Mike Green coming over in a trade from the Chicago Bears. Alas, Hamlin was more bluster than buster, his biggest plays seemingly coming against his own team on the occasions he received 15-yard penalties for taunting. Meanwhile, Green was lost for the season before it ever began and therefore was not available to replace Michael Boulware when the third-year player regressed, giving up too many big pass plays, and was benched. Jordan Babineaux replaced Boulware and helped against the pass but got run over by opposing rushing attacks. No matter what the Seahawks did at safety, they were not safe.So the Seahawks let Hamlin leave in free agency and signed two new safeties who are expected to start, Deon Grant and Brian Russell. The talk after the recent minicamp was all about the talking Grant and Russell were doing."We were missing that element," defensive coordinator John Marshall told reporters. "We've never had our safeties communicating as well as we do right now."It's not the scheme. It's the players," he said. "And if they're playing together, now they're really good. If they're not communicating and they're blowing assignments or they're not in the right spots (see Hamlin and Boulware last season), then you've only got a 50 percent chance of winning."Grant said communicating has always been his forte. "I really haven't gotten the whole defense down yet because the coaches haven't given us everything yet," said the seven-year veteran, who signed a six-year deal worth more than $30 million. "But the talking part just comes naturally. Whatever I'm seeing, I'm going to make sure everyone sees the same thing. That's always been a strong part of my game."Grant and Russell (signed for $13 million over five years) weren't the only additions the Seahawks made in the secondary. They also hired Reebok Green Bay Packers #52 Clay Matthews Realtree camo Jersey
Jim Mora, the erstwhile Atlanta Falcons head coach, to mentor the defensive backs, and they used their top draft pick on cornerback Josh Wilson.At the post-draft minicamp, Mora was impressed with his new charges."You never want to get too high or too low on a guy or a group this early in camp," Mora said. "But there's real potential between Brian and Deon, and Michael Boulware and Mike Green and Jordan Babineaux. It's a nice group of players."The best player in the secondary, according to Mora's effusive praise, is cornerback Marcus Trufant, whom Mora plans to move from the right side back to his more natural left side.Trufant played well on the right in 2006, and Mora said it's time for the next step back at the spot where he began his career: "First and foremost, it's becoming a shutdown corner that helps us get to and win the Super Bowl. Then, we need to get him across the water (to Hawaii for the Pro Bowl). ... In the league, that's where most of the premier corners work (the left side). This guy has the ability to be a premier corner."With Trufant moving to the left side, which last season was manned by Kelly Herndon, second-year corner Kelly Jennings gets the first chance to start on the right side.Asked if Jennings, the team's first-round pick in 2006, is ready to replace Trufant, Mora said: "Off of the eight practices we've had so far, which is my only exposure to Kelly, I would say yes. But of course we've got to get through a season and see him do it. But I really like Kelly, as well, in terms of the work ethic. He's serious about his craft. He wants to be a great player. He's not content to be just a player in the NFL."Wilson figures to push for playing time in the nickel immediately and perhaps challenge Jennings for the starting spot at right cornerback. "I like the big draft pick," Mora said of Wilson. "He's short (5-9), not little. I tell you, he plays bigger than he measures. When we evaluated him in college, we watched him against the kid from Georgia Tech (wide receiver Calvin Johnson), and he played him straight up and played him well. He's got speed. He's got a burst."With Jennings going to training camp as the starter and Wilson the nickel guy, Herndon is probably the odd man out. Herndon, whom Ruskell signed in 2006, likely will be released once his broken ankle heals. Reebok Indianapolis Colts 18 Peyton Manning Realtree camo Jersey
The Seahawks went into the playoffs last season without both Trufant and Herndon, using the rookie Jennings, the multifaceted Babineaux and street signees Rich Gardner and Pete Hunter.With Grant, Russell, Green and Boulware at safety and Trufant, Jennings, Wilson and Babineaux at corner, the Seahawks have the best depth they have had in a long time in the secondary, which looks like it might no longer be Seattle's primary problem.Keep tabs on the Seattle Seahawks and the rest of the NFL

13 Jan 11 Utah Jazz Still Need to Implode And Rebuild

Kevork Djansezian/Getty ImagesMy generation never had its own Cold War. We didn't fear?nuclear?disasters and the prospect of being overrun by a supposed "evil-empire," no.But take it from the Utah Jazz, who are in the midst of a nuclear fallout.They need an atom bomb dropped squarely on the head of Arizona Cardinals jersey
the franchise. They may continue to smile and use upbeat words like "will" and "time" in dire attempts to silence those critics that know just exactly who this Jazz team is.That would be "pretenders" if you just joined the conversation.A team that is at full capacity both salary and talent wise, is, right now, the fourth-best team in the Northwest Division.?Fourth-best.Sure, the division has spiked in talent over the past few years. 21-17 isn't exactly something to be ashamed of, is it?If you're a Jazz fan, then yes, it most certainly is.?Last summer, the Jazz front office saw a make-or-break for the future of the franchise. Carlos Boozer was supposed to hop in his sports car and blaze a trail out of town, and Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver possibly doing the same.?Nothing happened. And by nothing, I mean, the players decided that guaranteed cashola is the most important thing.?Looking back on it now, would the Jazz be in better shape had those three guys opted out of their contracts and landed someplace else?Well, it's hard to say yes or no, but 38 games into the season, a team that was an up-and-coming force a few years back has regressed epically.Three games away from it being the halfway point of the season, the Jazz are four (count 'em) four games above .500.?Subjective fans will blame it on injuries. The Jazz "always" catch the injury bug, and the chemistry doesn't come on until later in the season.?Last time I checked, a seemingly younger, cheaper, and less-known Portland Trail Blazer team has lost, literally, almost everyone on their roster to injury at some point this season. Some being season-ending injuries.I hate to play the grinch, but CJ Miles and Kyle Korver aren't exactly saviors of the franchise, let alone a crutch to hold onto in hopes of the leaf turning.?As it has been for the last two seasons, the front office is content with being good, but not great.?Content with seventh or eighth seed playoff?appearances.Content with being so conservative that they make Ann Coulter somewhat of a resemblance to a Kennedy.?Truth is, one of Atlanta Falcons jersey
the strongest and most-loyal fan bases in the NBA heard enough before the season started.?When was the last time you saw EnergySolutions Arena half-empty?Funny, fans can smell the bull#%$ when they see it, and still, the front office is holding onto a thread of ambition that this team will become a Western Conference powerhouse overnight.Recently, Jazz GM Kevin O'Connor said that the team's No. 1 priority is in fact not to shred payroll and dip itself under the luxury tax, but rather just "winning ball games."O'Connor's platforms are as bad as his ability to draft decent players.The team's chemistry is shot.They will say no.They will say, "Nah, man. We just need to win some games, play some defense, and we'll be ok."But at what point do we all realize that the answering machine is on repeat?We've heard this for the past two years, and for a team this young and talented to painfully regress as it has? Well, if you can't read the writing on the wall, then that's your?prerogative.?Utah overpaid players that have certain ceilings in terms of their basketball prowess.Deron Williams has no ceiling.Boozer, Okur, Kirilenko, even youngsters like CJ Miles have ceilings.?Yeah, 2007 was magical, but this is the NBA. Teams will work tirelessly to become better year in and year out.The Jazz have kept their same hand, hoping that it'll be a hand that could possibly win, but there's no guarantee.?No risk, no reward. In the meantime, Utah will continue to play down to the level of its opponents, break down behind closed doors and maybe, possibly make the playoffs Baltimore Ravens jersey
and get bounced in the first round.?So much for the dream Larry H. Miller had.?There was to be a team in Utah that was a contender year in and year out. The only thing keeping the Jazz from contending is itself.?We can only wait and see how things play out.? But there will be a time, I promise you that, when the likes of O'Connor and the front office will be stuck in six feet of mud.?And all we'll say is, I told you so.

12 Jan 11 Father Time Juwan Howard Has Found His Youth

With the fifth pick in the NBA draft...The Washington Bullets select Juwan Howard out of the University Of Michigan.That was in 1994, Sixteen years ago.Sixteen years, 15,739 points, 35,012 minutes played, 1,081 games played, 3 president changes, 40 international wars (documented), and 8 team changes later; Juwan is still standing, he's still fighting and he's still competing.In the summer of 2009, The Portland Trail Blazers signed the 37 year old veteran as an insurance piece for LaMarcus Aldridge. He was supposed to be that wiley veteran that could help Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
the young guys in practice and on the bench."...I feel I can help this team on the court with my veteran (ability) and experience. I've played in over 1000 games. I've played in a lot of playoff games. That being said, I've been around, I know how to play the game, I still have a lot left in the tank. I feel I can help this team in so many ways..."Is it just me or did he predict the future?Old man Rivers has been nothing short of amazing9.4 points per, 7 rebounds in 32 minutes since he started seeing regular court time.That stat line is far from breathtaking.He doesn't play with flash or "fur reals"He's not a fantasy big shot.But for the Portland Trail Blazers he has been the Ultimate Insurance Player.Before the season, The youthful roster had been spoiled with potential. With players like Jerryd Bayless, Nic Batum, Travis Outlaw and a starting lineup consisting of three possible All-Stars in Greg Oden, LaMarcus Aldridge, and Brandon Roy. The Portland Trail Blazers were poised to compete with the Los Angeles Lakers as the best team in the West.And then the injury bug riddled the Portland Trail Blazers Roster. It all started October 26, a day before the teams season opener. Starter Nic Batum was set to have shoulder Surgery on a torn Labrum muscle in his shoulder, out indefinitely.It all ballooned from there...Travis outlaw suffered a broken foot, 12 days later Oden fractured his patella; moving Howard closer to real NBA minutes.Then, seven days after the Greg Oden Injury, Joel Pryzbilla, the Blazers backup to Oden, Suffered a torn Patellar tendon. Leaving Howard as the only other big man available.Shortly after, Juwan began to experience serious minutes.His minutes average sky-rocketed from just over five minutes a contest on the first month of the season to 32 minutes a game since Reebok Dallas Cowboys #9 Tony Romo Realtree camo Jersey
then.With just under half of the Roster Missing, the Blazers have stayed on track. And Juwan Howard has been as big of a part of it as anyone. Including Brandon Roy.The 16 year vet is playing just as good as he was when he was 29 years of age.Shall we call him the ageless man?Nah, Lets just call him Mr. Insurance.

10 Jan 11 Knicks Make a High-Reward, High Risk Move In Three-Team Blockbuster

Kevin C. Cox/Getty ImagesThe New York Knicks just made a trade that may make the Knicks one of the best teams in the next decade or the same old Knicks? -one of the worst franchises last decade-.Here is what each team got in the tradeAs you can see the Knicks made sure to make a huge cap-space, while getting a Arizona Cardinals jersey
very good player. That cap-space is meant to be used for this upcoming season as some big names (e.g. Lebron James) will become free-agents.Here's the problem, what if T-Mac can't get over injuries and they don't get Lebron James? They would start next season as one of the worst teams ever assemebeld; even if the get another superstar like Dwayne Wade or Chris Bosh, I don't think they can do well enough without a good core of players in the lineup.Inmfact, the only player that I've ever seen carry a mediocre team into the playoffs is Leborn James.Just imagine, Chris Bosh would score his usual 25 points per game while the rest of the team would score around 70 points for a total of 95 points. Right now the Bobcats average 95.1 PPG and are ranked 28th in that category.This team would probably end up with 20 wins and a lot of misery for the fans in the next decade.Plus nobody plays in the teams knows to play defense except David Lee, so expect teams scoring 110 points on the Knicks a lot.Now if the team could get superstar T-Mac and were able to get LebronAtlanta Falcons jersey
James in the offseason, that would be a team to watch. That team wouldn't play defense either but, who cares? If you have a high scoring team nobody seems to care about the defense.That team would probably end up with 47 wins and time to develop young players.Only time will tell, if this trade made the Knicks the Clip's or a Dynasty in which either case nobody will forget.

9 Jan 11 Tragic Ending for Jayson Williams

Jayson Williams collided with Stephon Marbury in a game against the Hawks in April 1999. Williams broke his right leg after the collision.For all intents and purposes, his career was over. It's hard for any athlete to recover from a leg injury.Williams was going to do fine after his career was over. He knew he could get Washington Redskins jersey
a TV gig since he articulates his thoughts on the game well.NBC hired him in 2001, but based on his work, it looked like he showed no interest in doing well.It was clear he missed the game. Something in him died the day when injury forced him to retire.When he shot Costas Christophi by accident, he knew he was in trouble. It was bad enough he shot him, but it was worse when he covered it up.He was going to get his. He finally did when the judge sentenced him to five years in prison this week.He is going to be in prison now, but he has been a lost soul since the night of the accident. No one recognizes him anymore, and he has gone through mental problems.He went through a divorce too.Would this happen if he kept playing? That's a good question to answer.After reading stories about his past life, maybe it would happen few years later.Williams comes off a great guy on television for the public to see. A person's character is revealed when he does things when the camera is not on.The former Nets star proved he is no angel. He surrounded himself with bad people. He displayed his temper towards his coaches during his time with the Nets.He had an affinity towards guns to top of all that, and he drank a lot.Williams experienced his fame after his success with the Nets. He did not know how to handle it well.Fans don't understand how hard it is for players to handle success. The media can get to most of them. It's hard to teach them how to deal with that type of stuff.The former St. John's player was great with the media, but popularity overwhelmed him.Maybe Williams wishes now he wasn't popular. Things could have been much different.It's sad to see how this ended for him.Williams could have played for several more years, and maybe his jersey would have been retired in the rafters. It will never happen Reebok Arizona Cardinals Larry Fitzgerald Realtree camo Jersey
now.Most people will think of Williams as a killer. Some of them?think of him as an afterthought.It should have never come down to this. He had it all if he only stayed out of trouble and hung out with true friends.A true friend should have told Williams to stop doing anything that would hurt his career.This should be a lesson for people when it comes to handling success.Their success can be yesterday's news. Williams found out the hard way.

8 Jan 11 NBA Power Rankings: With Playoffs in Sight, Teams Jockey for Positioning

Sam Greenwood/Getty ImagesWith approximately 15 games left in the regular season, the NBA playoff teams are all but determined already.The top teams in the NBA are left to jockey for playoff positioning, trying to avoid dates with Kobe or LeBron until their respective conference finals. The teams in the NBA cellar will start tanking (or evaluating young talent, as they say), in hopes of earning themselves a few more lottery balls for the NBA Draft.That doesn mean there wasn some significant movement in the B/R featured columnists NBA power rankings this week.Now that the Knicks snapped Dallas 13-game win streak, the hottest teams in the NBA are the Oklahoma City Thunder, Milwaukee Bucks, and Charlotte Bobcats, and theyve been rising up our power rankings accordingly. (The Knicks also jumped five spots for their heroic efforts against the Mavs.)Meanwhile, after a thrashing at the hands of the Cleveland Cavaliers on Sunday, the Boston Celtics dropped three spots, to No. 10. The Bulls and Raptors were the other two teams to Reebok Baltimore Ravens #27 Ray Rice Realtree camo Jersey
plummet this week, as Chicago (No. 17 to No. 20) has been hit by a rash of injuries lately, and Toronto (No. 14 to No. 18) suddenly forgot how to play defense again.Agree or disagree with where your favorite team appears? Don be afraid to speak up and call us out!(Author's note: Teams' overall records appear next to their names, along with where they were ranked in last week's edition of the Power Rankings.)1. Cleveland Cavaliers (52-15, LW: 1) With LeBron James and Antawn Jamison back healthy and in the starting lineup again, the Cavs have picked themselves right back up after a loss to Milwaukee 10 days ago and ran off three straight wins against the Spurs, the lowly 76ers, and the Celtics on Sunday. (The Celtics are currently the East No. 4 seed...meaning a second-round playoff date with LeBron and Co.)The Cavs look to be cruising to the playoffs at this point, being the first in the NBA to 50 wins (last two first-to-50-win teams won the NBA title that same year) and the first to clinch a spot in the playoffs.2. Orlando Magic (47-21, LW: 2)The Magic were on an eight-game win streak these past two weeks (including a home win over the Lakers) before they hit a speed bump against Charlotte on Sunday.Dwight Howard is becoming ever more imposing down low as the playoffs near, which must comfort Magic coach Stan Van Gundy late at night. If D-Ho going for 25-15 every game, and Vince Carter, Rashard Lewis, Jameer Nelson, and J.J. Redick can stretch the floor by knocking down some threes, the Magic will have a return trip to the Eastern Conference finals punched.3. L.A. Lakers (49-18, LW: 4)Dare we say...do the Lakers look suddenly mortal lately? After three straight losses last week (at Miami in OT, at Charlotte, at Orlando), the Lake-show rebounded with three closer-than-expected wins this week against Toronto, Phoenix, and Golden State.For a team that was in the 70-win conversation before the season, squeaking out a three-point win against 18-win Golden State isn living up to the prestigious standards set for them. The Lakers may be becoming contented with the regular season and turning their focus to the playoffs, but two teams in the West are breathing hot down their neck for the best record in the West.4. DallasMavericks (45-22, LW: 3)Raise your hand if you had Dallas as the clear short-term winner of the trade deadline.No?Didn think so.But ever since the arrival of Caron Butler and Brendan Haywood from the Wizards, the Mavs only rolled off a 13-game win streak before being cooled off by the Knicks (of all teams) this past weekend.Suddenly, the Mavs are only four games out of the West top spot for the playoffs, and theyre looking more and more like legitimate Finals contenders alongside the Lakers and the Nuggets.Butler can shoulder enough of the offensive load to take some pressure off Dirk, Jason Kidd still a phenomenal facilitator, and Haywood provides a defensive intensity that the Mavs have lacked for years.5. Denver Nuggets (45-22, LW: 5)Before a heart-wrenching last-second loss to Houston last night, the Nuggets were one of the hottest teams in the West. Denver entered Monday on a six-game winning streak, including wins over possible playoff squads of Oklahoma City, Memphis, and Portland.Carmelo Anthony has clearly evolved to the next level of elite talent, as his commitment to rebounding and the defensive end only continues to develop in these final 15 games of the season. A potential second-round matchup of Dallas-Denver would be ahighly entertaining duel of Reebok Baltimore Ravens #52 Ray Lewis Realtree camo Jersey
NBA superstars (Dirk vs. Melo) and premier point guards (Kidd vs. Chauncey Billups).6. Atlanta Hawks (42-23, LW: 9)Besides a hard-to-explain hiccup against the Knicks early last week, the Hawks have been rolling toward the playoffs by feasting on a cupcake schedule as of late.The degree of difficulty in their schedule rises from here10 of the Hawks final 17 opponents are likely playoff-boundbut with Boston slumping, the Hawks will be gunning for the No. 3 seed in the East for the opportunity to avoid LeBron until the Eastern Conference finals. (Not like Dwight Howard much of an improvement.)7. Utah Jazz (43-24 , LW: 6)Slight cause for concern in Utah: After losing only seven games in January and February combined, the Jazz have already dropped three games in 15 days of March.While the Jazz notched a road win over the playoff-bound Suns last Thursday, losses to Milwaukee and Oklahoma City over this past weekend raise questions about whether or not Utah should be considered a legitimate contender for the West.8. Oklahoma City Thunder (41-24, LW: 10)The Thunder continued their surprising run toward the playoffs with four wins in the past eight days, having now guaranteed themselves of finishing no lower than .500 on the season.(Remember, this team won a total of 23 games last year, and they didn add too many key players this past offseason.)As long as Kevin Durant dropping 25-plus-point nights, Russell Westbrook scoring 20-plus and dishing six assists, and guys like Jeff Green, Thabo Sefolosha, and Serge Ibaka step up in complementary roles, the Thunder will be a nightmare of a first-round playoff opponent for any team in the West.9. Phoenix Suns (41-26, LW: 8)In a strange scheduling quirk, the Suns only had one game from last Sunday through this Saturday, and it was at home against the top-seeded Lakers. (They lost, 102-96.)Despite a convincing win over New Orleans on Sunday, the loss to the Lakers made it impossible to move the Suns up in the rankings any. If Amar Stoudemire continues his recently dominant play, that could very well change next week.10. Boston Celtics (42-24, LW: 7)What a difference a day can make for a team. On Sunday, the Cavaliers were having their way with the Celtics on ABC; on Monday, the Celtics returned the favor by hammering the Pistons at home.If the healthy Celtics show up in the playoffs, with Marquis Daniels contributing, Rasheed Wallace not jacking up 17 threes a game, and Big Baby Davis making headlines for his play instead of his name, Boston still not a team to sleep on.11. Milwaukee Bucks (36-29, LW: 13)The Bucks continue their surge up the East leadership, positioning themselves as the likely No. 5 seed in the East. The Celtics and Hawks will be battling until the last game in the season for the right to avoid the Bucks in the first round.Ever since acquiring John Salmons in a trade from Chicago and signing guard Jerry Stackhouse, the Bucks have looked like a brand new team (and theyre currently on a six-game win streak).12. San Antonio Spurs (39-26, LW: 12)It seems to be an annual tradition at this point: The Spurs start off slow, we NBA writers write the Spurs off as legitimate title contenders, then they come storming back come playoff time and run straight to the NBA Reebok Chicago Bears #54 Brian Urlacher Realtree camo Jersey
championship.Losing Tony Parker for six weeks to a hand injury certainly hurts the Spurs chances of winning it all, but George Hill has filled in capably for Parker. Theyve won eight of their past 10 games, with the only two losses coming at Houston and at Cleveland. (Wins included Oklahoma City, Phoenix, and Memphis.)13. Portland Trail Blazers (41-28, LW: 11)With Brandon Roy seemingly fully recovered from his hamstring strain, the Blazers have righted their season ship after falling apart in early February. Winning seven of your past eight games typically does that to a team.Since a loss at Denver last Sunday, the Blazers feasted on a cupcake special this week of Golden State, Toronto, and Sacramento twice. Not too surprisingly, the Blazers are now on a four-game winning streak.14. Memphis Grizzlies (35-32, LW: 16)While the playoffs are likely out of reach for the upstart Grizzlies, that hasn stopped them from playing hard every night. The Celtics found that out the hard way this past Wednesday, as the Grizzlies whooped them by 20 points.Throw in wins over New York and New Jersey, and it clear that the Grizz aren just content with an All-Star berth for Zach Randolph. Theyre looking to end the season with a plus-.500 record.15. Charlotte Bobcats (34-31, LW: 19)Charlotte enters these power rankings as one of the hottest teams in the NBA, currently on a six-game winning streak. (Their record is good for the No. 8 seed in the East currently.)With the slumping Bulls now three full games behind the 'Cats, Michael Jordan team appears primed for its first playoff berth in franchise history. Seeing as two of their past six wins came against the Lakers and the Magic, the Bobcats may be primed to make some noise in the playoffs once they get there.16. Houston Rockets (34-31, LW: 18)For those of you who doubted Rockets GM Daryl Morey when he traded Tracy McGrady expiring contract for Kings guard Kevin Martin and the New York Knicksntire future...what do you have to say now?Martin has been sensational paired with Aaron Brooks in the backcourt lately, and the Rockets are on a three-game winning streak (including a 125-123 nailbiter over the Nuggets last night).17. Miami Heat (35-32, LW: 15)Miami capitalized on its cupcake feast of a March schedule, and after stealing two wins against the Hawks and Lakers last week, the Heat have won six of their past seven games.Dwyane Wade been his usual phenomenal self as the playoffs approach, but the Heat have to be concerned with a bruised left thigh that kept Michael Beasley out of Miami past two games.18. Toronto Raptors (32-33, LW: 14)The allergic-to-defense Raptors have returned! After a surge of winning in late January/early February, the Raps have given up 100-plus points in each of their past five games...and, not surprisingly, theyre on Reebok Chicago Bears #6 Jay Cutler Realtree camo Jersey
a five-game losing streak to show for it.For a team that once looked to be a lock for the East No. 5 seed, the Raps look like theyve got first-round knockout written all over them. And Chris Bosh, their free agent-to-be superstar, has gone back to sounding like he got one foot out the door.19. New Orleans Hornets (33-35, LW: 20)Before a win on Monday against the Clippers, the Hornets had only won one of their past seven games, as theyve been struggling to put five healthy bodies on the court each night.With Chris Paul expected back in a week or so, the Hornets biggest challenge will be figuring out how to balance Paul return with the sensational play of backup point guard Darren Collison.20. Chicago Bulls (31-34, LW: 17)The Bulls are on red-alert, after Derrick Rose smacked into the Wall of Dwight last week against Orlando and sprained his hand (again!).Joakim Noah still battling plantar fasciitis, Luol Deng missed the past two games with a calf injury, and, much like the Hornets, the Bulls playoff dreams seem to be slipping away due to inopportune injuries. (At least Taj Gibson can benefit and become a fantasy basketball playoffs sleeper.)21. L.A. Clippers (25-43, LW: 21)March hasn been too kind to the Clippers, a team that was once in the thick the Western Conference playoff race this year.After a 108-104 win over Utah on March 1, Clipper Nation hasn been able to celebrate a win since. The Clippers, currently trapped in an eight-game losing streak, faced seven straight playoff teams and got blown out in six of those seven games.22. New York Knicks (24-43, LW: 27)The Knicks made the largest power rankings leap of any team, after being the unlikely foe that snapped Dallas 13-game win streak on Saturday.After scoring a win over Atlanta in the early part of last week and chopping down the barely breathing 76ers last night, the Knicks appear to be one team that refuses to tank the rest of the season. (Perhaps because theyve mortgaged their next three first-round lottery picks?)23. Sacramento Kings (23-44, LW: 25)Sacramento doing what it's supposed to do at this time of year: getting killed by playoff teams (losses to Oklahoma City and Portland twice in the past week) and beating up on the crappy ones (Minnesota, Toronto).Meanwhile, Tyreke Evans is averaging 20.6 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 5.6 assists; if he finishes the season with 20/5/5, hell join Oscar Robertson, Michael Jordan, and LeBron as the only rookies in NBA history to achieve such lofty stats.24. Detroit Pistons (23-44, LW: 24)The state of Deeeee-troit basketball must have Pistons fans wincing, as their team has gone 2-9 over its past 11 games.The Pistons didn even look competitive against the Celtics last night, a day after Cleveland dispatched of Boston. To make matters worse, Tayshaun Prince got kneed in the back by teammate Jason Maxiell, and he couldn even limp off the court without assistance.25. Philadelphia 76ers (23-44, LW: 22)Sixers management wants to tank the season and evaluate the young talent (read: get more lottery balls in the draft); Sixers coach Eddie Jordan says his job isn to evaluate players; it to win games.Is it any surprise that Jordan all but a certainty to be fired at the end of this season, after driving the Sixers into the ground in 67 games flat? Luckily for the Sixers, they don need to try and tank...theyre terrible enough to lose games on their own volition.26. Washington Wizards (21-44, LW: 23)What once looked like a promising new start after the trade deadline has quickly devolved into an eight-game losing streak, as the Wiz haven won since beating New Jersey on Feb. 25.But let be honest: the Wiz news of the week was about Gilbert Arenas: the death of Agent Zero (hell be Agent Six next year?), and Arenas tell-all interview with Esquire, where he reveals that he had a 400-500-piece gun collection (!!).27. Golden State Warriors (18-48, LW: 26)The Warriors may not win many games, but they still play one of the most entertaining brands of basketball in all of the NBA (assuming youre not a basketball traditionalist that loves defense).The Dubs have two big focuses for the rest of the season: Stephen Curry late-season Rookie of the Year surge, and whether or not they can win the six more games that would make coach Don Nelson (1,327 career wins) pass Lenny Wilkens (1,332 wins) on the NBA all-time wins list.28. Indiana Pacers (21-45, LW: 28)With only two games in the past week (W over Philly, L to Celtics), the Pacers continue chugging along one step behind the rest of the crappy teams with win totals in the low 20s.The Pacers, Wizards, Sixers, Knicks, Pistons, and Kings all have win-loss records within a few games of each other; expect a mad tanking dash to the finish as these teams jockey for a better draft pick.29. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-53, LW: 29)Since a four-game winning streak at the end of January/beginning of February, the Timberwolves have managed to lose 15 of their past 16 games. (The lone win came against Miami.)Their schedule gets no easiertheir next Reebok Dallas Cowboys #82 Jason Witten Realtree camo Jersey
seven opponents are all slated for the playoffs as of today. Barring a massive upset, theyre guaranteed to have the second worst record in the NBA, guaranteeing themselves (at worst) a top-five draft pick.30. New Jersey Nets(7-59, LW: 30)Three more wins. Three more wins. That all the Nets are thinking about in these final 16 games, as they try to escape tying the historically bad 9-73 Sixers from 1972-73.Dates with Memphis, Oklahoma City, Houston, and Dallas didn help their cause any. Neither will a game against Atlanta tonight. But the Nets have a real shot against the Sixers at home tomorrow.The Bleacher Report NBA Power Rankings are done by averaging individual feature columnist's tallies. Weekly contributors are: Alex McVeigh (Dallas), Rich Kurtzman (Denver), Denton Ramsey (Houston Rockets), Jose Salviati (LA Clippers), Keith Schlosser (NY Knicks), Curtis Finchum (Oklahoma City), Bryan Toporek (Philadelphia 76ers), Shaun Ahmad (Washington Wizards) and DeMarco Williams (NBA Lead).