Marcus Camby Signs With Rockets

It looks like Dwight Howard isn't the only big name center headed to Houston when the NBA season starts back up. Dwight and James Harden will have veteran big man Marcus Camby playing alongside them. Camby signed a one year deal with the Rockets today worth the league minimum. Camby played last year with the New York Knicks, where he didn't receive much playing time on a team loaded with big names veterans. Camby was rumored to be in talks with the Miami Heat, but with the possibility of former number one pick Greg Oden headed down to South Beach, the Heat backed off and opened the door for the Rockets to further fortify their bench.

This isn't a game changer when it comes to the landscape of the NBA Western Conference, but it could shake up the Rockets roster just a bit. Omer Asik requested a trade soon after the team signed Dwight but the owner was adamant that Asik wasn't going anywhere. It remains to be seen, but this may give the Rockets the option of dangling Asik out there and fielding offers on the high paid rebounding specialist. One thing is for sure and that is the Houston Rockets will have no shortage of capable big men down low when they take the floor this fall.

The Flex's Top 5 Most Underrated NFL Players

Yesterday we brought you the top five most overrated in the NFL today. Some of you agreed and some of you couldn't see the light, but nonetheless, top we hit you all with the top five underrated gridiron gladiators that don't get the respect they deserve from talking heads and fans alike. These players need to be given more of the spotlight than they are receiving and could use a little more air time on ESPN if they ever decide to talk about anyone besides Tim Tebow or Joe Flacco. I wont hold my breath on that one. Without further ado, lets count em down.

1. Cam Newton

People might question whether a former number one pick could be considered underrated, but if you think Cam Newton doesn't deserve to be atop this list, than you haven't been paying enough attention to this superstar in the making. Newton is the most dynamic quarterback the league has ever seen and that is simply a fact. He can throw the deep ball as well as anyone and can thread the needle when he needs to. His arm alone would be enough to keep him in the top realm of quarterbacks, but Newton has much more in his skill set than an incredible right arm. Anyone who has seen Newton outrun defensive backs and run over defensive ends on the goal line might confuse him with a top level running back. Cam is a rare talent that is essentially a whole offense wrapped up in one gigantic quarterback. This guy continues to run wild on  defenses and pick them apart through the air and once Carolina can surround him with any sort of talent, the rest of the league will be in serious trouble.

2. Andy Dalton

Some will call me a homer, but look at the facts. In his two years of action Dalton has led the Bengals franchise to the postseason and successfully rinsed the taste of Carson Palmer's abandonment out of the mouths of Bengals fans. With the success of other young quarterbacks like Cam Newton and RG3, Dalton has largely gone unnoticed to the casual NFL fan when he has been getting it done in Cincy since day one. The kid has show veteran tendencies in his young career already and rarely makes the mistakes of a young quarterback we have come to expect. He has poise that even veteran QBs cant muster and looks to still be improving. 2013 will be a big year for Dalton as he is set for a jolt into the national spotlight with his skills still on the rise. With another great year, Dalton could become a household name and finally get the respect he deserves from the NFL community. Don't sleep on the Red Rifle.

3. Steve Smith

Back when the Panthers made their Superbowl run, Steve Smith was a superstar by production and he gained national status. After a few down years in Carolina everyone seemed to forget just how good Smith was, even though his production never dropped off, he just didn't get the attention he deserved. Now with the young star Cam Newton throwing the pigskin his way, people are beginning to take notice once again of the incredible feats Smith pulls off on Sundays. He is an incredible deep threat and can stretch the field as well as any receiver has ever been able to. Now with Newton and his huge arm able to air it out, Smith's skills are finally being utilized to the fullest once again. He has become Cam's main offensive weapon and is showing no signs of slowing down. He may be older than the last time he garnered the attention from the sports pundits, but make no mistake he hasn't lost a step. Quite the contrary, he continues to be the fastest player on the field week after week.

4. Geno Atkins

The leader of the best defensive line in football comes in at number four on our list, and his stock continues to rise every year. Geno Atkins is the best player on a very good, and very underrated Bengals defense led by the impeccable defensive front. Atkins was a pro-bowl defensive tackle last year and is starting to garner the respect he deserves from teams as they start to double team him, and he still finds a way to get in the backfield every Sunday and wreak havoc. After putting up huge sack numbers and striking few into the hearts of quarterbacks the past two years, Atkins seems poised to win a defensive MVP in the near future. The NFL landscape is taking note of this young DT and soon Geno Sacks will be regarded as the best defensive player in the NFL.

5. Stevie Johnson

Stevie got loose. As UK fans will remember, Stevie Johnson has the ability to break free from any defender and he has made his presence known in recent years while developing into the best offensive weapon the Buffalo Bills have to offer. Stevie had a breakout year two years ago and had another fantastic year last year all while having zero talent at the quarterback position throwing to him. Now with E.J. Manuel arriving in Buffalo Stevie may have a dynamic QB in the pocket who can get the ball to him and take full advantage of his talents on the edge and expose the fact that Stevie Johnson is an elite NFL receiver. Remember his name, because before you know it you will be wishing Stevie was dancing in the end zone for your team.

Honorable Mention: Robert Griffin III

Unlike the QB he is always compared against (Andrew Luck), RG3 was asked to do just about everything to create the offense for the Redskins in his rookie year. He aired it out and stretched the field and was asked to be the main rushing option as well, and he proved he was more than capable of doing anything asked of him. Whether burning the Dallas defense with an absolute bomb from the pocket, or outrunning the entire Minnesota defense on a 76-yard touchdown run, RG3 has done it all and he has only been in the league for one year. The number one threat to Cam Newton to overtake him as the next superstar QB is Griffin. He does everything an offensive weapon could and he may even develop into a better pocket passer than Newton. While Andrew Luck was babied with check downs and screen passes, Griffin was handed the keys to offense and he drove it full speed all while throwing for more touchdowns and less interceptions than Luck.

The Flex's Top 5 Most Overrated NFL Players

As you may remember, last year we presented a list and counted down the most overrated and underrated players in the NBA. Now with the NFL season quickly approaching, and training camps across the nation showcasing the top gridiron gladiators the NFL has to offer, we thought it was only right to let you know who isn't as good as advertised. We all know the media as well as fellow fans hype up certain players that when you see them on Sundays, don't live up to the hype. Some more than others. We'll countdown the ones with the most undeserved hype right now so you can openly mock the ones who sing the praises of these hyped up average joes.

1. Joe Flacco

This may be the easiest call in the history of anything in the realm of sports. Prior to last years Superbowl run that was aided by a great defense and an incompetent Denver safety who couldn't properly time a jump, Joe Flacco was just a run of the mill, interception machine that only Baltimore fans dared to ride for. Now he wins a title and plays well in a few playoff games and I'm supposed to call him elite? No way in hell. I cant be the only one who remembers Jacoby Jones running wild and winning the Lombardi trophy almost single-handedly, only to have his glory stolen by some schlub named Flacco, simply because he was the quarterback. If the Ravens' front office wants to give an average-at-best gunslinger all of their money, then so be it. But don't get mad at me when I point out how they are simply throwing their money away on a quarterback who has peaked. Joe Flacco deserves no hype, much less the Manning-like hype he has been receiving recently. I cant wait until the Bengals defense gets a hold of him and exposes him. I cant wait to see how ESPN reacts to the public shaming of their golden child.

2. Tony Romo

Tony Romo should go ahead and send Joe Flacco a gift basket for keeping him out of the number one spot on this list. Romo has never one a single thing in his career. Not a single thing, and yet he was just given more money than he could ever count by the Cowboys because the only entity more ridiculous than Tony Romo, is the team he plays for. Jerry Jones continue to bet his franchise on the underachieving arm of a no-name QB turned starter that has crapped away more games than he has won. Count up the interceptions and the miscues that led to turnovers and its plain to see that Romo deserves a spot on this list for life. If there is ever an overrated hall of fame, Romo is without a doubt a first ballot inductee.

3. Matt Schaub

We can bring up the subject of never winning anything without bringing up the always over hyped, Matt Schaub. The man under center for the Texans has been serviceable most of the time, but has for some reason gained a reputation for being an above average quarterback for no real reason. He has been the beneficiary of some amazing offensive weapons. From Andre Johnson, to Arian Foster and even Owen Daniels. And what has he done with it? He;s taken a backseat to Arian Foster and possibly wasted the prime years of Andre Johnson's career by only being able to throw a deep ball and never having any sort of touch or exceptional accuracy. He has a huge arm and will have a decent career, but don't get it twisted when it comes to Matt Schaub there is simply nothing special about him.

4. Clay Matthews

During the Packers' Superbowl run, the NFL nation was swept up in the flowing lochs and celebrations of one Clay Matthews. He had a great postseason run but he has been living off of those few games ever since. He can cause havoc when let loose, but struggles with his assignments especially when asked to drop back in coverage. Matthews has the ability to produce big plays, but they overshadow the lack of fundamental play he brings to the table, as well as the missed tackles he lets slip away in the backfield. He makes a big show of making a big play, but it is all or nothing for the Green Bay linebacker, and at the end of the day he makes many more mistakes than big plays and it forces the rest of that Packer defense to pick up the slack. He can be fun to watch when he makes a ball hawking play, but he is absolutely not an elite NFL linebacker.

5. Phillip Rivers

Besides occasionally making Jay Cutler look like a punk (we thank you for that Phillip) Rivers has never really achieved the potential that most still believe he possesses. Year after year the Chargers seemed poised to make a deep playoff run and also appear to have an elite offense led by Rivers. And year after year neither one of those things come to fruition. Yes, Rivers can lead the San Diego faithful to the playoffs, but for the praise he receives he has to be held to higher standards than that. He has a great deep ball and can have incredible performances but we have also seen complete meltdowns filled with turnovers and sacks piled high on top of each other. Phillip Rivers may be destined to be a quarterback who's potential always outweighed his NFL reality, but it is time for us to start accepting reality. That reality is that Phillip Rivers will never be a top quarterback in the National Football League, regardless of what any so-called experts would have you believe.

Honorable Mention: Andrew Luck

In the coming years Andrew Luck may very well become a very good NFL signal caller, but he has not proven a thing so far and since day one has been treated as the next coming of Dan Marino. He had good numbers last year, but lets not forget how the Colts babied Luck with their system. They asked him to do as little as possible to protect him, kept him in the pocket and never really called upon him to make difficult throws down field. With the heavy dependence on swing routes from the backfield and check down throws in the flat, Luck hasn't proved a thing yet in his young career. Not to mention the ungodly amount of interception Luck threw in his rookie year. I'm not saying he is a bust, in fact he is far from it but until he carries that team on his back like a Manning or Brady does, he will never sniff the upper-class of quarterbacks. He has not shown himself to be a field general or anything close and until the Colts ask him to make some real throws that should be expected of top-shelf QBs, we wont know exactly how good Andrew Luck really is.

What We've Learned From Ryan Braun

In the fragile, ritualistic world that is the world of baseball, cheaters are nothing new. From Bonds to McGwire to Sosa to Rodriguez. They have come and gone some of them with larger home run numbers and hat sizes than others, but all cheaters none the less. And now in the middle of the 2013 season we have a new round of cheaters than fans will cry and yell in the wake of and who reporters and players alike will blast. This new class of vagrants includes Nelson Cruz, Jhonny Peralta, A-Rod (once again), and Ryan Braun. Yes that Ryan Braun. The same Ryan Braun who adamantly denied using any banned substance or PED just a few years ago while getting off the hook because of a technicality with his urine test. The same Ryan Braun who publicly embarrassed his teammates and fans by telling us all bold face lies on national TV.

How could we as baseball fans be so incredibly stupid?

We saw Rafael Palmeiro wag his finger at congress to deny any PED use and McGwire refuse to discuss any use of steroids in the past as his biceps bulged and Roger Maris rolled over in his grave. And of course, each one of those claims were absolute lies. We have lived through lie after lie in the hallowed realm of baseball and after seeing such mighty idols fall, why would we ever believe Braun? Braun had elevated levels of testosterone so he took SOMETHING. We don't know what exactly but it was something illegal. Now with this second failed test Braun removed all doubt in every one's minds that he was just as fraudulent as we all thought in the first place. At this point in baseball history no one should be thought to be telling the truth when denying a positive drug test. Why should they? They have all lied and have left baseball fans with egg on their faces for believing such ludicrous lies.

Ryan Braun has taught us that if someone is suspected of taking steroids, we should just assume they are guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. Don't listen to what they say. Don't listen to the explanation soaked in lies. Don't fool yourself or let any player pull the wool over your eyes. They are guilty. And no matter what cockamamie story they want to throw at us we shall never let them brush off their crimes on the diamond and take their word for it.

For this writer at least, the belief of the lies ends here. No matter hat player decides to get in front of TV cameras and yell from the mountain tops about their so called innocence, I'm just not falling for it anymore.

Thank you Ryan Braun. Thank you for freeing me from the hassle of ever believing in the lies spewed through the dugouts from lying cheaters like you. Thank you for teaching me that if it looks like a cheater and sounds like a cheater, then no matter what story the player proclaims, they are without a doubt a cheater.