Welcome to Starting 5 – a weekly column by Operation Sports!
Each week, Senior Game Editor Clay Shaver and Managing Editor Shawn Drotar will tackle the world of sports and sports gaming in a rapid-fire discussion.

Is there a question on your mind? Find out below how to submit your question for next week’s column!

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Starting 5 – Five hot-button topics in the world of Sports and Sports Gaming

1) #1 Stanford (23-0) and #2 St. Joseph’s (24-0) remain unbeaten and at the top of the standings in the NCAA after weekend wins. Do either of these teams have a chance at going into the NCAA Tournament undefeated?

Clay: Can I think both of their schedules are favorable to running the table, but I feel like something’s got to give. Someone is going to sneak in and steal one from these teams. I’m going to predict that both of these teams finish the conference season with 26-1 records. I’ll go a step further and call the losses. Stanford loses at Washington and St. Joseph’s loses to Rhode Island. That’s just my feeling…please…no wagering!

That said, these are both very, very good teams and I think at least one of them (Stanford) has a great chance at making a run for the National Championship. I think St. Joseph’s has overachieved a little bit and may be in for a rude awakening in the tourney. Either way, “March Madness” is coming…and it’s a beautiful thing!

Shawn: I think both of them will be undefeated heading into the NCAA tourney, and Stanford could run the table. St. Joseph’s is a solid team with an outstanding point guard in Jameer Nelson. I think they’ll make the “Sweet 16” at the very least. This has been an exciting college basketball season, and there about half a dozen teams with an excellent chance of winning the title. I can’t wait for it to start!

2) It’s been said that EA Sports develops it’s titles in a two-year cycle. Year one: innovate. Year two: renovate. With the football off-season in full-swing, thoughts go to next year’s crop of titles. While “Madden” is in a “renovate” year after the Owner’s mode addition last year, “NCAA Football” (an OS favorite) is in their “innovate” year. What would you like to see from this year’s NCAA title?

Clay: I’ve said it before, but it bears repeating. Take the “Owner’s Mode” model and build an “A.D. Mode” into NCAA. Give us a chance to have a say in what happens in our conference and the entire NCAA. Make us generate revenue for the school. Let us vote on a new system when the BCS expires. Let us vote on for inviting new team into our conference. Let us see the actual bowl invitation and decide whether it’s a good move for the school. Upgrade the stadium. This is, in my opinion, the best game out there the past two years. It can only get better from here!

Shawn: I went to Colorado, so “A.D. Mode” doesn’t sound that fun right now…
Seriously, though – the things that Clay mentioned would be great additions to the series. I like the idea of picking between multiple bowl invites, and generating revenue – fleece those alums! “NCAA Football” is an outstanding title – so good that its competitors gave up fighting it. As long as they don’t change that formula too much, I’m sure I’ll be happy with what’s coming next.

3) The NFL rumor mill is cranking away – and now it has the Washington Redskins and Denver Broncos exchanging Pro Bowlers in a deal that would feature cornerback Champ Bailey and halfback Clinton Portis swapping uniforms. Will it happen - and why are there so few player-for-player trades in the NFL?

Clay: Words, words, words, talk, talk, talk. I’m sorry but I don’t understand why Denver would even consider this trade unless they think that they have ticked off Portis to the point that he will not resign with the Broncos. I’m sure Shawn can shed some better light on that, but I don’t see it happening. And, as far as the trades, I think salary caps, franchise tags, and all the fine print mumbo jumbo in the NFL is what prevents teams from making many player-for-player trades. It’s too bad really, because that would make a great league even more exciting.

Shawn: The cap is king. It’s the reason nearly every move in the NFL is made – many times even over personnel considerations.
As far as this trade goes, Portis wants paid. Denver doesn’t have a problem with that, but they tradionally only rip up existing contracts in their final year, and Portis has two left. Does Portis deserve more cash? Absolutely – but there’s that cap again…and they don’t want to set a precedent. There’s another issue that has to do with the Indianapolis Colts. Denver was annihilated by Indy in the playoffs, and Peyton Manning dissected the Broncos’ suspect defensive backfield. The very next week, Manning faced a similar team in the New England Patriots, with two exceptions: Their running game was vastly inferior to Denver’s , and their defensive backfield was vastly superior. Led by star cornerback Ty Law, the Patriots shut Manning down; intercepting him four times (Law had three), and New England went on to win the Super Bowl. Denver sees Bailey as Law’s equal (as do many personnel types in the NFL), and a potential difference maker for their struggling defense. Why Washington would make the trade is obvious – Bailey’s not coming back, and Joe Gibbs has. A top-five halfback would be awfully fine value for the departing Bailey, and add some star power to Gibbs’ rushing attack.

4) E3, the biggest media event in the video game industry, is just over two months away and Operation Sports will be there to bring you all the details. What would be your dream headline to write coming out of E3 2004?

Clay: It’s got to be “EA and Microsoft Settle Their Differences: EA Sports to be Xbox Live Compatible”. If you’re a sports gaming nut, this would be the news of the decade. EA Sports is the top name in sports gaming and, sorry Sony; Xbox Live simply provides a better online experience. This marriage would be a defining moment in gaming history. As most of you know, there are rumors already circulating that this is all but a done deal. But I’m not counting on anything until I see my first live display of “Madden”, “NCAA Football”, or “NBA Live” running on XBL. The gaming community is begging for it. We’re willing to pay for it. Give it to us!

Shawn: I’ll believe it when I see it, but there’s nothing I’d like better. EA and Microsoft would each stand to make a mint off of such a partnership. It needs to happen, it should happen – it better happen. I guess we’ll see in May…

5) Pitchers and catchers have reported to Spring Training for most Major League Baseball teams. What’s one story to watch this Spring Training?

Clay: I think the obvious one is A-Rod’s move to third base. Arguably the league’s most complete shortstop is moving in the prime of his career. Sure, I think it will be an easy transition for him, but the wildcard is going to be Jeter. My two-year old has more patience than the average Yankee fan. Let Jeter boot a couple balls this spring and watch how quickly they are calling for A-Rod to move back to short.

If I can add a couple honorable mentions; I think the two other big stories are:

1) Superstars settling in with new teams (Vlad, Tejada, Pudge, Maddux, Clemens) and
2) Whether or not this young, talented Florida team comes out with the same fire that they showed in October.

Shawn: Of course, it’s Alex Rodriguez. But we’ll see enough of him. I’m more interested to see how the Cubs’ outstanding young pitching staff learns from the great Greg Maddux, or how Roger Clemens’ fire and Andy Pettitte’s professionalism will impact the very dangerous Astros. There have been so many interesting player moves in the offseason, nearly every team you look at has something interesting happening. Baseball season can’t come soon enough!

6th Man – A little help off the bench

6) The NBA trade deadline has come and gone with only one major move taking place. The Detroit Pistons sent highly paid role players, a couple late first-round picks, and some cash to Atlanta and Boston to acquire Rasheed Wallace and Mike James. Is this the most lopsided trade in recent NBA history?

Clay: It’s almost like Danny Ainge lost a bet! Yes, it is the most lopsided trade in recent NBA history…or ever! For one simple reason - Detroit gained a superstar and a more than serviceable guard (10.7 ppg), and the Celtics and Hawks gained nothing. Absolutely nothing! The Celtics got Chucky Atkins, who is a decent but highly overpaid player, and isn’t even as good as the guy they traded away in James. They also got Lindsey Hunter - who they immediately waived. The Hawks got Bobby Sura (who’s also overpaid and can’t hit the big shot), Zelly Rebraca (6 months removed from heart surgery), and Chris Mills (because everyone has to have a player named Chris Mills at some point). The NBA Citizenship/Man of the Year Award is named after Joe Dumars…what he did at the deadline though was just criminal!

Shawn: Almost makes those Pistons fans forget that Dumars passed on Carmelo Anthony… This trade is incomprehensible to me. It’s almost as if Ainge trades just for the sake of doing it. Maybe he and Knicks poobah Isiah Thomas have a bet going…
This was highway robbery, plain and simple, and it gives the Pistons more than a shot at the East, but an outside shot at the NBA Championship.

24 Second Clock – Get one more off in 24 words or less

Clay: I can’t stop playing “Links 2004”! This is the most satisfying online experience I’ve had with a sports title. If you haven’t…get it!