Interview with Derrick Favors

"Forgetting pressure from Obama, I think that LeBron will end up wearing a Knick jersey."

No wonder why Brett Favre came out of retirement! It isn't easy taking a 7-8-week hiatus and I didn't even leave yet. So I have a list of interviews for after camp, but first lets take a look at a premier NBA player (or in an hour he will be).

If you followed NBA mock drafts you saw this guys name listed after the top two players, John Wall (Kentucky) and Evan Turner (Ohio State). That is Derrick Favors, the 6' 10" power forward, freshman from Georgia Tech. Favors at just 18, is rumored to be selected by the New Jersey Nets at tonight's NBA Draft (7 ET on ESPN). This soft-spoken giant took the time out of the happiest day of his life to do an interview for The King of Sports Blog. Here we go:

BW: What are your NBA goals?

DF: To win championships and to be considered one of the best players in the game.

BW: Who is your idol and why?

DF: Kobe Bryant because how hard he works and plays and that he is a good person overall.

BW: When did you know that you were great?

DF: My senior year in high school I knew was going to be drafted into the NBA.

BW: Who do you look forward to playing against?

DF: Everybody and anybody who is in the NBA.

BW: Are you nervous to become a top NBA draft pick?

DF: No, I’m not nervous. I’m ready for it and ready to work hard and improve my game.

BW: What has been the best opportunity that has arisen for you because you are such a star?

DF: Being able to go to the NBA and to the Draft in New York.

BW: What advice do you have for someone trying to get better at basketball?

DF: The biggest thing is to work hard and keep your head on straight and work hard.

BW: Will you be comfortable being a New Jersey Net tonight considering that trading you and many other picks is possible throughout the summer?

DF: Yeah I'm comfortable. I’m happy to be here at the NBA Draft no matter where I go.

I left out something important on my [not so] farewell posting. Where LeBron James will land! I think that LeBron will go. I don't think it is where Mr. Favors will be drafted which probably is New Jersey and I don't see him as a member of the Miami Heat. So that leaves my state, New York, and the other city I love, Chicago. Forgetting pressure from Obama, I think that LeBron will end up wearing a Knick jersey. I feel like I am going to barf saying that because that is what I never imagined, but all the pieces aim to New York. With Tom Izzo not going to Cleveland that said that he loves Michigan State, but that LeBron was not a guarantee in Cleveland, but if he signed with the Cavs, all signs lead to his hometown. Comment below on your LJ23 picks.

The End

No, The King of Sports Blog hasn't reached its final post ever, but just the final post for the next 7-8 weeks. On Saturday, I will be leaving for summer camp for 7 weeks. I had the option to continue and have interviews posted automatically throughout the summer, but chose against that because I would rather start of August with a splash of great interviews. Currently, I am compiling a list of phone numbers of athletes that I want to call for interviews after camp. I will have interviews with a Hall of Famer in two sports guaranteed when I get back. What I want my readers to do is to shoot me an email with the subject: "I want an interview with..." and inside the email give me 5 names of athletes you want me to interview. Email KingofSportsBlog@aim.com. I want you also to pass around my link to friends and family to show them where to check out my older posts.

Check back August 15, the day I come home for an interview with Ma.. It's a surprise

Before I leave you, let me make some summer predictions:

• The Mets will fail to trade for Cliff Lee/Roy Oswalt, but will trade for an average pitcher
• Chris Johnson will not hold out of playing due to contract issues, but Darrelle Revis and Albert Haynesworth will
• The Twins will trade for Cliff Lee

If I continue, my jinx will continue and I will jinx all of these predictions.

Thank you for being such loyal readers for this year and the past years.

Brad

Interview with Mark Sanchez, New York Jets Quarterback

Mark Sanchez. Where can I start? The Sanchise took the New York Jets to the AFC Championship game last season. His great personality has led him to appear with Tina Fey on Saturday Night Live and to present at the Tonys. Sanchez threw for 2,444 yards last season with 12 touchdown passes. Here is my interview with No. 6:

BW : What did you learn from Carson Palmer by being his ball boy? [When Palmer, the Heisman winner and quarterback for the Bengals, was in high school, Sanchez was his ball boy.]

MS : It is one of those situations where you watch him so much every day in practice and games and then.... My dad and I would go to the practices at UC Irvine and you would see how he was always the same person, he would always say hi to us and ask how our family was doing. I learned from him off the field and saw how great of a player he was and teammate. I would see how nice of a person he was and how that affects how you are viewed the team chemistry and all that. As much as I learned on the field, I learned off the field.

He has always been a great person so it was great to see that. All the coaches talked about him as a great guy and a great player and same with his teammates. He was a good friend who happened to be a good football player, not the other way around.

BW : What are your career goals as a Jet?

MS : We gonna win a couple of Super Bowls. We got so close last year. Once you get so close you see the time and effort it takes and you see what it's all about. It really helps pulling in your focus on what you really want. That is the ultimate goal. All of the other stuff will come. Touchdown passes and the individual accolades come along with your team being great and special. The chance of winning a Super Bowl in a city like New York, there's nothing like it. Once you win one, you get that bug to win another one, that edge.

BW : Which coach did you like playing for more: Rex Ryan [coach of the New York Jets] or Pete Carroll [coach of the Seattle Seahawks, but Sanchez's coach at USC]?

MS : They both were perfect for what I needed at the time. Coach Carroll really helped you develop as a person and a leader and as a competitor. He was so big on competing. I was a competitive guy growing up. That definitely helped and enhanced my competitive edge. He taught me what it meant to compete and how to respect your opponents and so many other life lessons that he taught me, along with a lot of X's and O's from football along with Coach [Steve] Sarkisian [coach of the Washington Huskies, former offensive coordinator at USC].

Once you get to this level in the NFL, you are expected to have those skills and that ability to compete and to know what it is all about. When I got to be with Rex, I needed someone who could help take the pressure off me as a freshman quarterback in New York, make me laugh at all times, and some one who at the end of the day will do anything for you.

Some of those games last year felt like some of the worst days in my life because I was playing so poorly at certain parts of the season and there was only one guy who I could go to and that was Rex. The only one who knew how I felt and understood what I was going through and wanted to be there for me. They were both great coaches for me to play for and I recommend them both, but I felt that they both fit at the right time in my career. I'm pretty fortunate to have that.

BW : Were you nervous going into the playoffs with all of the hype from Coach Ryan?

MS : I don't think so. I think that's what we believed. We felt like we slandered an opportunity at the end of the year like we weren't going to make the playoffs after the Atlanta game and we knew we were a playoff caliber team, but we just didn't perform like it and there's no other way to prove it than to get into the playoffs at the last minute. Win and we're in.

Then it's like, "None of these other teams want to play us." We were in that bracket where we are the bracket buster team like in the NCAA tournament and no one wants to play us because we run the ball so well and because I started playing better and taking care of the ball better and our defense will just beat you up. We got to a situation where our guys would line up with the guys across the ball and be like, "They don't want it on this play, they don't want it on the next play, they're not going to want it for the rest of the game."

That's just the kind of football that Rex loves and the kind of attitude that was contagious throughout our locker room. We feel that way now. I don't think anybody wants to play our team because the way we run the ball and now I got a year of experience under my belt. Who knows, we might be able to play a little better and then teams will really be in trouble if we have the same kind of defense as last year. I think the nerves kind of went away when Rex talked to us and told us and that was all we thought about.

BW : What was the favorite game of your career so far?

MS : The highlights have to be my first start at SC at home against Arizona. I loved that game. Also the Rose Bowl my last year. My first game as a Jet against Houston was pretty good. I guess the San Diego [playoff] game. It felt like I was on a home team. We had a hundred plus people there. I had twenty of my best friends in a box next to Adam Sandler. It was great because he is a huge Jet fan. So he had a suite right next to theirs. My best friend Scott was going crazy the whole game.

San Diego had to have been cool and at Cincinnati. That was weird because I have never watched the other team's offense. Even if we're playing Brady or Manning, you don't really get a chance to watch the other team's offense. But when we played Carson, I made sure I got to watch him a little bit. It was pretty cool.

BW : What didn't you achieve in your college career that you wanted to?

MS : Maybe a National Championship, but other then that I never grew up dreaming about winning the Heisman or anything. I felt those individual things come when your team's great, but winning a National Championship would've been nice.

We came so close we just lost to Oregon State. That was a team we could've beat. After the way we played against Penn State, I think we could've beaten Florida or whoever played in the National Championship that year. I don't know if they would want to have played SC.

BW : What celebrity that you haven't met do you want to meet the most?

MS : I don't know. I have met quite a few being in New York. I'm big in the athletes. I love meeting other athletes. Guys that I have gotten to know are Joba Chamberlain [Former TKOSB Interview], CC Sabathia, A-Rod, and Jeter.

You come to New York and you want to meet all of the superstars there and hang with them and talk to them and ask them questions and learn. They have all been so open to helping me and giving me pointers and tips: to protect myself and be smart. That's hard!

Thank you to Mark and his brother and agent, Nick, for helping with this interview. Thanks for tweeting my blog out. Mark has organized a suite at the new stadium for every reader of this post. Just kidding!

Readers coming up Bill Walton and George Foreman!

Interview with Rick Cerone

Rick Cerone was a New York Yankees catcher. When Thurman Munson died, Rick Cerone was his replacement. He played for 8 teams in 18 seasons and played in the 1981 World Series. He owned the Newark Bears for 5 years from 1998 to 2003. Here is our interview:

BW: What was the most difficult part of your career?

RC: First getting to the big leagues, then lasting 18 years.

BW: What was the best moment of your career?

RC: Playing in the World Series in 1981.

BW: Who was your idol and why?

RC: Mickey Mantle because he could do everything.

BW: What current player are you similar to and why?

RC: No one now. I was one of a kind. (laughing)

BW: What was it like owning a pro baseball team? [Newark Bears]

RC: It was lots of hard work running a team, staffing, players, and getting fans.

BW: What is different from baseball currently and when you played?

RC: They make way more money, and seem to be enjoying it less.

BW: Did players use steroids when you were in the middle of your career?

RC: Steroids started with Jose Canseco in 1987 and I never witnessed them.

Interview with Gaylord Perry

Are you excited for the next Hall of Famer interview? Well The King of Sports Blog presents this interview with Gaylord Perry. He won 314 games in 22 seasons. Here is our interview:

BW: What was the hardest part of being a Major League player?

GP: Winning was the toughest part.

BW: Who was your idol and why?

GP: I didn’t really have one guy. Great friends like Juan Marichal and Willie Mays.

BW: What current pitcher are you most like?

GP: I don’t think I was like any other.

BW: What was the best opportunity that came up for you due to the fact you were a star pitcher?

GP: Opens some doors for you, to meet nice people, and travel.

BW: What were your goals as a kid in the majors?

GP: Try to get years in so you could get a good pension.

BW: What would you be if you weren’t a major leaguer?

GP: I didn’t think about anything else.

BW: What is worst for the current game: high salaries or steroids?

GP: I don’t think theres any bad parts. The game is all good. It gets better every year. I like the current game.

Interview with Hall of Fame Yankee Yogi Berra

The picture is me with Yogi Berra at a Yankees Old Timers Day many years ago.

Yogi Berra played catcher for the New York Yankees for 17 years and one season with the New York Mets. Yogi is one of four players to win AL MVP three times. He also won World Series' as a manager in both leagues. Yogi Berra played for 10 World Series teams. Yogi is known for his quotes like "It ain't over till it's over." Here is my interview with this baseball great:

BW: Did you not like hitting strikes since you are known for being a bad ball hitter?

YB: Maybe I just saw the ball good. I always felt if I could see it, I could hit it.

BW: How did you become a catcher?

YB: I played some as a kid, we played every position back then. The Yankees thought my future was as a catcher.

BW: Who was your favorite teammate and why?

YB: I had lots of them.

BW: Who was the toughest pitcher to hit against? Who was the easiest?

YB: Herb Score of the Indians, before he got injured, was real tough. I don't know about the other.

BW: What was your greatest thrill in baseball?

YB: I had lots of them. Catching the perfect game in the World Series. Winning 10 championships. Making the Hall of Fame - it's hard to say.

BW: What made your Yankee teams so great?

YB: We won a lot. We had great team spirit and pretty good players.

BW: Is there a current player that is very similar to you? If so, who?

YB: That I don't know. I always liked Pudge Rodriguez because he's short like me. I like short catchers.

BW: Who was your idol growing up?

YB: Ducky Medwick of the Cardinals. He was my newspaper customer when I was a kid, and a great hitter.

BW: Did you really scuff the ball when Whitey Ford pitched? Why?
YB: No.

MLB Predictions 2010

I held off on making these predictions until I got a sense of what teams would be like and here are my predictions:

AL East

1. New York Yankees

2. Tampa Bay Rays

3. Boston Red Sox

4. Baltimore Orioles

5. Toronto Blue Jays

I think that the Yankees will slimly defeat the Rays if they stay healthy. On the bottom half of the division, I think that the Orioles will make a September run and beat Toronto. Boston is just not good enough this year and will fall in the middle of the standings.

AL Central

1. Minnesota Twins

2. Detroit Tigers

3. Chicago White Sox

4. Cleveland Indians

5. Kansas City Royals

I think that Detroit will be a top team for the wild card but not good enough to win the central. The Indians will slip back but Kansas City will finish dead last. I think Minnesota's division lead will slip as the year goes on.

AL West

1. Oakland A's

2. Texas Rangers

3. Anaheim Angels

4. Seattle Mariners

I think that the Angels are done being AL West leaders and Texas and Oakland will duke it out all of September. I think that Cliff Lee will not last in Seattle past July. This division is the worst division in the AL but Texas is a good team for years to come.

AL Wildcard

1. Tampa Bay Rays

2. Detroit Tigers

3. Anaheim Angels

NL East

1. Philadelphia Phillies

2. Florida Marlins

3. Atlanta Braves

4. New York Mets

5. Washington Nationals

I think that Florida will be a good team this year but the Phillies are the NL's team to beat. The Nats and Mets will fight for forth place and the Braves will make a good run in July but fall to .5o0.

NL Central also-known-as The NL's Worst

1. St. Louis Cardinals

2. Milwaukee Brewers

3. Cincinnati Reds

4. Houston Astros

5. Chicago Cubs

6. Pittsburgh Pirates

I think that the Cards will win the division by 7+ games, but the Reds and Brewers will fight for the second spot until the last day of the season. If Houston, hits well they could steal the fourth spot, and the Cubs need a pitcher to contend but without they are the second to last worst in the central.

NL West

1. San Francisco Giants

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

3. Colorado Rockies

4. Arizona Diamondbacks

5. San Diego Padres

I think that Lincecum and Co. will lead the Giants to their first division title since 2003. I think that the Dodgers aren't good enough and the Padres will slip to last and trade Adrian Gonzalez. The Giants will be able to go far in the playoffs due to an NL off year.

NL Wildcard

1. Milwaukee Brewers

2. Florida Marlins

2. Los Angeles Dodgers

Playoffs

Phillies vs Brewers

Here is a rematch of the 2008 Divisional Playoffs where the Phils won 3-1. I think that the end result will be the same as Prince Fielder faces Ryan Howard in a Big Hitters Duel.

Cardinals vs Giants

When Chris Carpenter faces Tim Lincecum in game 1 of this series, fans will get to see two of the NL's best in action. I think the Cardinals will win the series 3-2 in a pitchers series.

Twins vs Rays

I think the Twins will play hard to play the Yankees again in the playoffs, and they will succeed. The Twins will beat the Rays in 5 games as they will meet the Bombers.

Yankees vs A's

Here is another playoff rematch, this time from 2001. I think the Yankees will sweep this series because Oakland slipped into the playoffs.

NLCS

Cardinals vs Phillies

Can you say rematch? The Phillies will win the series as they win in 6 as Chase Utley heats up with 2 two-home run games.

ALCS

Yankees vs Twins

Yankees in 5. Yankee fans are already buying their Back-to-Back championships shirts.

World Series

Phillies 2, Yankees 4

The Phillies simply aren't the same team without Cliff Lee and will win the games when Cole Hamels and Roy Halladay pitch. But now I am going to making car arrangements to go see the 2010 championship parade.

MVP's

Albert Pujols and Evan Longoria

Cy Young

Roy Halladay and Andy Pettitte

Comment below on your predictions!

Interview with Samantha Prahalis

Samantha Prahalis a guard for Ohio State. Last season she was named to All-Big Ten first team. She is from Commack, Long Island and is ready to take over women's basketball next season. Here is our interview:

BW: What are your goals for your basketball career?

SP: To win a National Championship, be an All-American and play pro.

BW: What would you be if you weren't going to play pro basketball?

SP: A makeup artist or a hairstylist.

BW: Who is your idol and why?

SP: My nanny because she had great strength and was a great person.

BW: What NBA or WNBA player are you most like?

SP: I am a mixture of Steve Nash, Jason Williams, Rajon Rondo, Baron Davis and Chris Paul.

BW: What do you bring to a team?

SP: I bring high effort, energy, intensity and fun to a team.

BW: What is the Michigan-OSU rivalry like in women's basketball?

SP: The Michigan rivalry isn't too big for women's basketball like football but whenever you play Michigan, you make sure we get the win.

BW: What was your favorite part of living in Commack [Long Island]

SP: Just being on a such a fun team. Just those girls, we were all friends. And having all my family and friends coming to the games. High school basketball was so much fun.

Win Silly Bandz/Animal Bracelets!

Win Silly Bandz/Animal Bracelets at The King of Sports Blog. Here are the contest details:

Sometime between Monday May 10 and Monday May 17, I will be posting a new interview. The first person to comment this on the comment section on the interview wins one pack of Silly Bandz. Here is what you must comment:

• Your Name (first, last)
• Email address

Check back daily or even hourly to check for the newest interview. If you don't win the contest feel free to follow the ad at the bottom of this to buy CHEAP Silly Bandz.

Interview with Robert Quinn

He is ranked third on Mel Kiper's 2011 big board. He is just 19 and a superstar Tar Heel defensive end. Robert Quinn is his name and this star even battled brain cancer. Here is an interview with my second Tar Heel superstar of the past two months:

BW: Who Is your idol and why?

RQ: I dont have one now, but I used to be a huge Deion Sanders fan.

BW: Did battling brain surgery help you on the football field? Why or why not?

RQ: Yes, because it’s making me go hard every play.

BW: What NFL player are you most like?


RQ: I have no idea.

BW: What NFL quarterback do you dream of sacking?

RQ: All of them.

BW: Would you say the UNC-Duke football rivalry is close to the basketball?

RQ: Not at all.

Interview with Greg McElroy

This quarterback is one of my favorites in college football. He took his Alabama Crimson Tide to the BCS National Championship and won. Alabama has a good chance in repeating next season with the help of Greg McElroy, their senior quarterback. Here is my interview with this pre-season Heisman nominee:

BW: How important is it for you to have a great receiver?

GM: Having a big-time wide receiver is extremely important. Not only for myself, but for the offense as a whole. Julio [Jones] has been as reliable as anyone in the country for the past few years and on every play he occupies at least two defenders. That goes a long way in allowing for the offense to be successful and allowing other wide receivers to have success.

BW: In your career you have played with two Heisman candidates including last year's winner [Mark Ingram], are you the next to win it?

GM: would love to think that my name would be mentioned for an individual award such as the Heisman Trophy, however, I would be completely content playing my role in the offense and having the best season as a team possible. Individual awards are great, but most people would trade them in for wins.

BW: What is your favorite part about Alabama football?

GM: My favorite part would have to be the tradition and the atmosphere on game day. Alabama stops for three hours every Saturday afternoon to tune into the Tide. That is extremely special and I know every player on the team is grateful for such terrific fan support.

BW: What goals would you like to accomplish this season?

GM: I would like to make steady improvements throughout the season next year. I am not a huge believer in long-term goals, but I feel that it is very important to focus on the process that it takes to obtain success. Coach Saban has instilled that mindset in us, and I like to practice it day in and day out.

BW: What quarterback would you compare yourself to?

GM: I would compare myself to Peyton Manning. I know that is extremely high praise, but I think we are very similar in the way we prepare for opponents and try to beat opponents intellectually.

BW: What was it like playing head to head with Tim Tebow?

GM: It was great. I've known Tim for a number of years and he has had so much success. It was great to be able to compete on a level playing field against someone who has meant so much to the college game. He is a fantastic competitor and I wish him luck for the remainder of his career.

BW: Did Florida make the right decision in taking Tebow over you? [The Gators had a choice in taking Tebow or McElroy when they were in high school]

GM: Well, I must say that knowing my playing style versus Tim's, I think Florida definitely made the right decision. He was perfect for their offense and had tremendous success in his four years playing for the Gators.

Interview with Da'Quan Bowers

Da'Quan Bowers is defensive end on the Clemson Tigers. Bowers was a top prospect out of high school in 2008. Da'Quan is now a highly ranked 2011 NFL Draft prospect and in some sportswriters say that he is a front-runner to be the top pick of the NFL Draft. Here is my interview with Reggie White's clone:

BW: How did you learn to play football and when did you start playing?

DB: Well I started playing football around the age of 7 and I learned from an
older cousin who played at Clemson.

BW: What is your favorite NFL team?

DB: I am a Dallas Cowboy fan converting to a Eagle fan because of my cousin
Ricky [Sapp] being drafted.

BW: Why does an NFL team want you on their team? What will you bring to the

table?

DB: I bring leadership, and a work ethic, and they will be getting a hungry player.

BW: What are your goals for college football and after that?
DB: My college goal is to be a champion, and to go pro.

BW: What NFL coach do you want to play for?
DB: I would love to play for Bill Belichick [New England Patriots coach].

BW: What individual honor is most important to you?
DB: The most honarable honor I have gotten was the Under Armor MVP in first year.

Interview with Hakim Warrick

Hakim Warrick is a forward on the Chicago Bulls. Him and Carmelo Anthony were important roles in helping Syracuse win a National Championship in 2003. He averaged 8.7 points this year with the Bulls and is nicknamed "Helicopter". Here is our interview:

BW: What was it like winning a National Championship?
HW: It was a dream come true.

BW: WHo is your idol and why?
HW: Penny Hardaway because I always liked how smooth he was and how easy he made it look so easy.

BW: Who is the toughest person for you to guard and why?
HW: Dirk [Nowitzki] because he's 7 foot and can shoot the and create his own shot like a guard.

BW: Why didn't you declare early with Carmelo?
HW: I wanted to come back and finish school and try to win another national championship.

BW: Who is your favorite teammate?

HW: My favorite teammate in college was my roommate Josh Pace.

BW: What is your most embarrassing moment?
HW: Losing 1st round to vermont my senior year.

BW: What do you do pre-game?
HW: Usually listen to music and try to relax and get ready for the game.

BW: What advice do you give to a young basketball player?
HW: To work hard and always believe in yourself because if you dont believe in yourself nobody will.

Interview with Will Barton

Will Barton is the 11th best player in the 2011 college class. He is a great guard who chose to go to Memphis over Kentucky, Villanova, Syracuse and more. Here is our interview:

BW: Why did you pick Memphis?

WB: Coach Pastner, and assistant coach Glen Cyprien. Also getting a chance to come in and play with my brother Antonio Barton, making it a family atmosphere, and good academics.

BW: How long do you plan on staying college?

WB: Until im ready for the NBA.

BW: Who was your favorite player growing up and why?

WB: Kobe bryant because he is a winner and the best. Also he is a shooting guard like me so I can model my game after him.

BW: Who was your idol and why?

WB:My mom because she has been through alot to raise me, my brother, and sister. She is a single parent and she has always been there for me.

BW: Who do you model your game after?

WB: Kobe Bryant and Kevin Durant.