Yes, it's that time again. FOOTBALL SEASON!!! Check out my picks for this week at

       

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The New Orleans Hornets were just the latest victim to fall to the Cavs on their road to total domination of the league. Though, if you turned on the game midway through, you may not have known it was the Hornets due to the white and red retro "Bucs" uniforms they wore. The Cavaliers also paid homage to the old school uniforms with the maroon and yellow version of their hardwood classic jerseys. While I'm all for taking a little retro here and there, it seems that teams nowadays have taken it to the extreme and are throwing on a new uniform every other game. Even as a female I'd like to see less focus on fashion, and more on the game. While I suspect this has something to do with making a few extra bucks in the team shop, in this economy, it's hard to hold it against them.

The Cavs came into the game 19-0 at home and this fact was not lost on the crowd. In fact, one fan's sign implored "CP3 Get that Weak Stuff Outta Here" and their wish came true as Chris Paul was never able to run the offense with the precision that he can against most opponents. Defensively, the Hornets, like most teams, had a hard time controlling LeBron. Though they were able to hold him to 8 points in the first half, he broke free by the second half and put up 21 more for a total of 29 points.

Though one might have expected for this game to have a lot of action due to the back and forth that the Hornets and Cleveland started the game with, it ended up surprisingly slow paced. The Cavs started to pull away with a series of three-pointers courtesy of Wally Szczerbiak and Sasha Pavlovic that put the Cavs ahead 28-17 at the end of the 1st quarter and never looked back.

The half ended with a technical foul on the usually calm Chris Paul; which is just another example of the frustration the Cavs cause their opponents. The baby faced Paul usually stays out of conflicts, but after having almost every offensive play shut down and their defense give up three after three, no amount of light eyes and baby doll lashes could disguise his aggravation. After the half if was clear the Chris Paul attempted to step up for the Hornets and put some points on the board, it was not enough to stop Wally & Sasha from draining threes or to stop LeBron from being... LeBron.

LeBron James - Locker Room

The crowd was silenced for a bit when LeBron went down hard on his elbow with 6:18 left in the third quarter. While it is common for teammates to check on a hurt player, the entire Cavs bench cleared out as they went to check on the status of "The King." LeBron acknowledged that they are "a close team on and off the court" so it's not surprising that they show so much concern. LeBron stated after the game that his elbow "still hurts" and that he will "see how it feels tomorrow." LeBron actually played all positions this game as the Cavs went with a small lineup with LeBron at the 5. When asked how he liked playing the 5, LeBron said that he, "would do anything for his team" and it's clear the same is true in reverse.

Mike Brown - Post- Game Interview
Donnie Burton in foreground

As the game wound down the Hornets became even more frustrated and showed it with a technical foul on David West and the ejection of Chris Paul and James Posey due to techs. If a calm team like the Hornets can get riled up at the Q it seems like the Cavs might just be unstoppable this season. Coach Mike Brown attributes their success to the "multiple effort" and the fact that they "stayed in and contested shots." Even without the help of starters Delonte West and Zydrunas Ilgauskas, Cleveland was able to get it done with a little MO-tivation from Mo Williams and help from its bench. It's this depth, teamwork, and overall love for one another that I think will be their greatest asset this season. As a female, it's nice to see these typically macho men play with emotion that leads them to work more closely together and be a better team. This Cleveland Cavalier love-fest looks like it's going to take them straight to the finals.

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Ben Wallace opened the game with a big slam that brought the crowd to its feet and set the tone for the game. When the first 4 of the opening 8 points of the game are scored by Big Ben, a player who usually get 4 points the whole game, you can rest assured the game is going to be face paced. The big men were an integral part of the entire game. Anderson Varejao and Ben Wallace for the Cavs and Kendrick Perkins and Kevin Garnett of the Celtics were doing most of the work on both ends of the floor in the first half of the game. In fact, KG and Kendrick Perkins were the leading scorers for the Celtics. Without Z it was good to see Andy and Big Ben step in a way that you barely noticed Z's absence.

Though the Celtics came out re-energized after the half and brought them to within 3, it was as close as they would get. The Cavs continued the good team ball that had served them well in the first half. LeBron James looked for the open man and came up with 6 assists and also took over in the 3rd quarter and went on a scoring spree when it looked like the Celtics might be making a come back. The "Big 3" looked almost in as poor condition as Detroit's Big Three as they all left the game with over 4 minutes left to play.

Frustration was apparent in the Celtics play as Paul Pierce went into the crowd after falling back after a shot attempt. The fan pushed Pierce back up and Pierce came up with a look of disgust that was more disdain than "Sorry I just fell into you guy." Kevin Garnett also had more than a few choice words with LeBron during the game. While lip reading from media seats is pretty difficult, it was clear that whatever was said wasn't pleasant. One can only hope that they will "mic up" NBA players they way they do NFL players so we can know what is really said. I'm sure all the friendly trash talk will make for good future stories. The Celtics even attempted to "hack a Ben" in the waning minutes of the 4th quarter but the big man stepped up to knock down 5 out of 10 free throws.

As I made my way to the locker room, the stares continued. Though I did come across a woman or two typing way on her Blackberry the cameramen still looked at me as if I were an alien. I think I even caught Mike Brown doing a double take as the crowd parted and I was able to sneak my 5'5 frame up to the front of media clamoring for a post-game interview. As I neared LeBron James I sensed that the onlookers suspected I'd rather have a date than an interview. When asked about the team's performance LeBron James replied, "We want the team to get better and we got better tonight." If this performance means the Cavs has just gotten better, any future opponent will have to be sure to bring their 'A' game if they hope to have any chance of beating the Cavs, especially if they play at home. LeBron said they have to "lock down their home court" and indeed they have. The Cavs are now 19-0 at home and are looking pretty unstoppable. The Q has become a fortress ruled by King James and even giving your heart and soul to the game won't save you from your eventual doom.

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Robert Littal:

Season: 119-68-1
Last Week: 10-6

Amber Fox:

Season: 123-64-1
Last Week: 9-7

I am now up 3 games with only 3 weeks left to go. It's down to the wire but I'm confident I'll be able to pull this out.

Check out the video for all the picks and be sure to check me out at Foreverafox.com

Amber Fox & BlackSportsOnline.com present Week 14 NFL Picks

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Robert Littal:

Season: 107-64-1
Last Week: 8-8

Amber Fox:

Season: 114-57-1
Last Week: 11-5

I am now up 7 games! I think Robert should just quit and let me have the title of "Bonafide Sports Expert" since there really isn't time for him to catch up. I also have concluded that the Browns are playing like this torture me. They purposefully beat good teams (Giants) and lost to questionable teams (Texans) to screw up my picks every week. Next time I'm in Cleveland and I see any one of them, it's over!

Check out this video: Amber Fox & BlackSportsOnline.com present Week 13 NFL Picks

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I'm still up one game since we both went 10-4 last week. And yes, I know I say week 12 in the vid... I was getting ahead of myself... LOL.

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Just some silliness before I made my video for the picks this week.







And here's the video:

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