I was surprised.  You were surprised.  Heck, even Deron Williams was surprised.

On Wednesday, when the trade that sent Deron Williams to the New Jersey Nets for Derrick Favors, Devin Harris, two first-round picks and around $3 million, almost everyone was surprised by what went down.

I get why it went down, and think it's a good trade for both teams in the short-term, but in the long run I just don't think the gamble is going to payoff for New Jersey.

Ever since Mikhail Prokhorov stepped foot on US soil we've heard stories about how this multibillionaire was going to be able to resurrect a team that has been in shambles for years.

The game plan for the Nets all along was to get a superstar player and then build around them as they make their move to Brooklyn.  After a tumultuous offseason where they made a run at every superstar free agent that would listen, the Nets had to revert to plans G, H and I as their free agents signings included Jordan Farmar, Johan Petro, Anthony Morrow, Troy Murphy, Quinton Ross, Sean May and Travis Outlaw.

Not exactly what they were looking for.

The failure of a superstar offseason acquisition continued into the season when they tried almost everything to get Carmelo Anthony to come to the team and ended up failing again in their effort, almost losing all face at their ability to convince a franchise player to come to New Jersey.

Convince is the key word.  They couldn't convince Carmelo, but they did convince the Utah Jazz to give up one of the best players in the league.

Now the problem is convincing Deron Williams to sign an extension with a team that is the little sister to the New York Knicks.

During Williams' press conference yesterday he commented that he was just getting over the shock of being traded and no extension talk would even be discussed until next season.  

Definitely some poignant words from the best point guard in the league in my view and the view of many other NBA fans.

It will definitely be an uphill battle to keep Deron in New Jersey/Brooklyn after his contract expires in 2012.  The first and most important next step in the process is luring more star players to the Nets and turn the team into a perennial contender.

Easier said then done.

That may be the most significant problem that the Nets organization think they have, but I think their biggest problem is the New York Knicks.

Let's face it; if you could pick between playing for the Knicks and playing for the Nets who would you play for?

To put it in perspective, I liken the New York Knicks to a major university and the New Jersey Nets are a branch campus of the college.

There's nothing wrong with attending the branch campus.  You get the same education, same degree, at the same cost of the main campus, but, and a big but, it's just not the same thing.

Both schools may be equal in many ways, but once you drive through the front gates of the main campus, you know you're in a totally different situation.  

The size of it is massive compared to the branch school.  There are major college sports programs and there's an entirely different night scene when you visit.  The atmosphere and aura just surrounds you on a daily basis and it's something that can't be duplicated on a branch campus.

This is exactly the same case as the Nets and the Knicks.

Bringing Deron Williams to New Jersey may make it seem like the Nets organization is setting themselves up for success, but all they're really doing is giving Deron a campus visit of the New York Knicks university while he attends the branch campus until 2012.

Deron now gets to become comfortable in his new surroundings.  He'll be able to experience all that New York City has to offer and if it's the lifestyle he likes then why wouldn't he want to take the next step to where the Division I-A athletics are played?

Do we think he'll be hanging out with his Nets teammates such as Anthony Morrow, Damion Jones and Brook Lopez or will he cross over the George Washington bridge to associate himself with his Team USA teammates Carmelo Anthony and Amare Stoudemire?

I know who I would choose to hang out with.

The New York Knicks should be thanking the Utah Jazz for gifting Deron Williams to New Jersey and letting him sit in the backroom on layaway until his contract expires.  

At that point in time in 2012 when the Knicks will have the cap room to sign a superstar point guard to go with their superstar forwards, it will be a much easier task convincing one of the best point guards in the league to sign with them.  He'll know the city, understand the lifestyle, be settled in his New York area home and be ready to take that next step in his career and competing for championships every year while also getting to play at one of the most prestigious basketball institutes in the world.

There are factors that could change everything.  Maybe Chris Paul, Amare and Carmelo really did decide to make themselves the next Big Three at Melo's wedding and they'll stick to the plans.  There's also the collective bargaining agreement that could cause problems in maximum salaries that Deron will have to consider.

I'm not saying it's a done deal, but it's definitely a lot easier than it ever was before for the Knicks to grab that third pivotal player to their roster.

So Nets fans, enjoy it while you can, because you may think you can become on par with the New York Knicks, but the branch campus is never the same as the main one.

Ron Artest has been called many things.  White is not one of them.

A player who will be remembered for two things that have nothing to do with basketball; one being the immediate gratitude towards his psychiatrist after the NBA Finals Game 7 win last year and the other being the fan melee in the Palace of Auburn Hills.

Artest grew up in the rough neighborhoods of Queensbridge, NY, witnessed a tragic murder at a YMCA, and has produced his own rap album.

He’s controversial and zany; once showing up to a Pacers practice in a robe and during his rookie season he applied for a job at Circuit City just so he could get the employee discount.

Ron Artest has never been considered one of the greatest athletes in the game, yet still always one of the best defenders.  He’s never been considered one of the best behaved athletes, yet still one of the best teammates.  Artest is a character, yet so tough to characterize.

If I asked you to name some of the greatest black basketball players in history you’d tell me names like Michael Jordan, Kobe Bryant, Magic Johnson, Wilt Chamberlain, and Elgin Baylor.  If you described their games I’d hear finesse shooter, great dunker, dynamic scorer, and brilliant passer.

Now if you produce the same scenario with white players I’d hear names like Larry Bird, John Stockton, Tom Chambers, Kevin McHale, and Bill Laimbeer.  Their characteristics would be described as scrappy, feisty, savvy, smart, and competitive.
For the black players, their games are described by their athletic abilities for the white players it’s their mindset and how they play the game.

Ron Artest is part of the latter.

Artest may not be the most civil at times, but there’s no one like him on the court.  His scrappiness and feistiness make him a stifling defender that no player wants to face.  He is smart and savvy on the court, which allows him to make the right play at the right time, whether it is blocking a shot, grabbing a rebound off the rim, or taking a charge with an opposing player driving down the court.  Ron is competitive like no other; maybe not in the scoring sense like a Kobe Bryant, but more of his will to win the game by beating you on offense, stopping you on defense, or mastering you in mind games.

In the 80s and 90s these types of players were revered, these days they are a rare breed.  Maybe the game has just changed.  The white, less talented players who exceled back in those eras by utilizing the characteristics I described earlier are now gone.  Basically the only white players in the game are either foreign born players who don’t fit the mold or three point specialists who are one dimensional.

We won’t ever return to these ways, but maybe Ron Artest is The Great White Hope.

I don’t act like I’m color blind; clearly there were differences in play based on race 20 years ago just like there are differences in play now.  The biggest difference now though is that we don’t show the same respect for the variances in play.

In this day and age every player is supposed to have the complete game.  If LeBron doesn’t have a post-up game then he isn’t great.  If Wade doesn’t improve his 3 point shooting then he can’t be one of the best.  If Dwight Howard doesn’t show more toughness and more of a takeover role at the end of games then he isn’t supreme.  No player can just be praised for their game.

I’m praising Ron Artest for being the greatest white player in the NBA.  Maybe not the greatest in the eyes of the typical NBA fan of this millennium, but as one of the great whites that we used to adore in the 80s and 90s.

That’s Ron Artest though; unorthodox and fine with being so.

I'm fine with him being that way too.

 I hope you understand that what I'm trying to express is that so often we just look at the outer surface and don't see the interior.  If you just read the title of the column you'll assume it's about race, but really it's about perception.  It's actually not supposed to be about race at all.  I'm not saying it's unfair that people may think one way or another about the players in the game based on their race or that you should or shouldn't do so.

That 's how we are.  We see things or hear things and we don't delve deeper.  It passed the initial sniff test and that's all that matters.  Sometimes, just like in the case of Ron Artest, the sniff test just doesn't work.

Plus, what black person visits a psychiatrist?

Everyone stop what you're doing right now.  Stop reading this column and go straight to Hallmark to purchase an "I'm Sorry LeBron" card.

We've all wanted LeBron James to be someone he isn't and for that we should all apologize.

If you haven't seen Nike's new LeBron James commercial then you can check it out here:

The commercial showcases LeBron James speaking about some of his most criticized moments.  It opens up with LeBron reenacting The Decision and saying, "What should I do?  Should I admit that I've made mistakes?  Should I remind you I've done this before?"

As the commercial progresses it continues the Should I concept; discussing if he should remove his Witness tattoo, accept his role as a villain, or if he should tell us that he isn't a role model.  The ad finally commences with LeBron saying, "Should I be who you want me to be?" with the Nike symbol displayed and Just Do It below it.

Whoever thought of this concept is brilliant; such a thought provoking way to sell LeBron James as being his own person that does things his own way.  It grabs at our senses.  We see the visuals that we know so well of moments in LeBron's life.  We hear the questions that are asked to us throughout the ad.  Most importantly, at the end of it, it makes us think.

Did we all want LeBron to be someone he isn't?

The ad is spectacular.  It's penetrating on so many levels.  The only problem I have with it is the question it finally asks us. I don't want King James to be someone else; I just want him to be cognizant of his actions.

LeBron James doesn't get it.  He'll never get it.

Even this Nike commercial shows the narcissistic attitude LeBron James has towards the rest of the world.  It clearly shows that in LeBron's mind everything is about him and no other factors matter.

Who cares what his fans think.  Who cares what his friends think.  In LeBron's eyes, it's all about what he thinks.

This is what LeBron doesn't understand:

He doesn't understand appreciation; for all the people that supported him through his seven years in Cleveland and loved him like a God.

He doesn't understand compassion; having empathy for any of the distraught people that he knew his decision would cause grief to.

He doesn't understand respect; not giving the city of Cleveland and the Cavaliers organization his intentions before his spectacle on television.

He doesn't understand perception; seeing things in only one manner when many others see it another way.

All these things that are so hard for LeBron to understand seem so simple for everyone else to apprehend.

I don't think LeBron should do what I want him to do or you want him to do, but I do think he should be aware of the reactions that his actions will cause.  Be a little bit caring, be sympathetic to the situation.  Let's all that we're asking for.

The LeBron James Nike ad told me a lot.  It told me that he is unapologetic for any of his actions; that LeBron is his own person and that he doesn't care what anyone else thinks of him.

Ironically, the commercial asks us if LeBron should be who we want him to be, but after watching it I know exactly who he is.

Are people born greedy?  From the day out of the womb we're told we can be what we want to be, do what we want to do, and nothings unachievable.

Our goal in life isn't to help others, it's to help ourselves first and along the way if we just so happen to improve someone else's life then we did something right.  For some people these things can coincide; helping others is helping yourself.

Let's face the facts here.  If you're life mission and career path is in line with helping others then you're doing it for yourself.  You enjoy the satisfaction from the joy others get from you, you appreciate the gratitude, or you want to make a difference and that's the reason you do it.

No one is working at a job for ten years doing charity work and coming home everyday and saying, "This sucks."  The compensation isn't enough for anyone to stay in this career path and then claim that they don't get anything out of it.  They do.

On the other hand  we have the business world that is filled with so-called "greedy" folk.  People who are ruthless, overly compensated, and only care about themselves.  Are these type of people out there?  Definitely, but to classify them all as greedy isn't correct.

Just as everyone is born greedy, they are also born different.  The differences could mean that I want to make the most money I can while you may want to help the most people you can.

Does this make me greedier than you?  I don't think so.  I think everyone has the right to do whatever they want and achieve whatever they can achieve and as long as you are doing it in a ethical manner then I don't consider it greedy.

Greed to me is taking anything you didn't earn or wasn't given to you in a just cause.  If you cheat on your taxes, take an extra piece of Halloween candy, or accept the Nobel Peace Prize while still at war, then I'd probably consider you greedy.

One person who isn't greedy is Jenn Sterger.

Recently numerous reports have been transcribed stating that the ONLY thing Jenn Sterger wants is money from Brett Favre.  Isn't it fascinating how a person can be perceived just by using the world "only" in the title of an article?

I think everyone understands what happened during the Favre/Sterger situation.  Jenn Sterger was an employee for the New York Jets and during Brett's time there he repeatedly called her, had other Jets staff members contact her for him, and he inappropriately sent her pictures that not even his wife would want to receive from him.

What did Jenn do wrong in this situation? Nothing, absolutely nothing.  She didn't respond to him or participate in an affair.  Instead she negated his advances and eventually quit her job because of the awkwardness.

Now that the evidence has surfaced and the NFL is finally cracking down on the legend of the league, the commissioner wants to get all the details from Ms. Sterger so he can punish Mr. Favre accordingly.  Problem is, she doesn't want to.  Instead she'd rather get paid off, keep the dirt under the rug, and move on.  You can say that's greedy, I'll tell you it's smart.

Why would she want to participate in placing the scarlet letter on Brett Favre's jersey?  She doesn't need to be a good Samaritan to the NFL.  What's the benefit to her?

The NFL doesn't care about the victims, they care about punishing the players so they can look like they are taking retribution against the party charged.

If Jenn Sterger wants money to not talk then let her take the money.  Hopefully it's millions.  At what cost is it to Brett Favre to totally not have his public perception ruined?

Taking the money is the smart move.  She gets a paycheck, doesn't have her name associated with Brett Favre in every single conversation forever, and she still proves her story in the end.

She isn't greedy, she's smart; and she's receiving payment for a just cause.

There are so many other instances where women exaggerate the truth when it comes to athletes and make claims about things that didn't happen.  Those are the ones the women that should be vilified.

The real question is what is the NFL going to do to Brett?  Are they going to take a stand with the evidence they have and suspend Favre or will they let this situation pass because Brett paid her off?  I'm guessing the latter.

The only greedy parties in this saga are Brett Favre and the NFL.  Both will do whatever benefits them the most in an unethical manner so they can be viewed better in the private eye.

Instead of claiming a person is greedy for making a large paycheck or a person is greedy from having unnecessary material items, start looking at real greed and who's really at blame.

Gross.

Creepy.

Perverted.

Disgusting.

Inappropriate.

Definitely a well rounded set of adjectives to describe Brett Favre after what we have heard and seen from the allegations that he was inappropriately contacting New York Jets employee Jenn Sterger.

Heroic.

Leader.

Winner.

Persistent.

Determined.

A completely different set of adjectives that describes Brett's on-the-field attributes.

Now as sports fans we're stuck in a predicament.  We have an NFL legend that we thought exemplified the same characteristics off-the-field that he does on-the-field and now we're supposed to decide how he will be remembered once he leaves the game for the fourth or fifth time.

In today's society it seems like we're supposed to be ultra sensitive to everyones feelings.  We're supposed to have values and care about other people's morals.

I don't.  The only morals I care about are my own.

If you want to be sleazy or unethical then go be those things, but you're the one who will have to deal with it.

Isn't that exactly what morals are?  People's personal beliefs and feelings of what they deem right and wrong within society.

I'm all for judging people.  I really don't care about what you think about that statement because you're probably already judging me for saying it.  We judge people everyday; from the clothes they wear, to the words they say, to the actions that they do.  Everyone constantly judges everyone and then acts like they don't.

When you step into the voting booth on November 2^nd what do you think you are doing?  You're judging who you think will be the best candidate for each position based on what you've seen on the slander commercials or read in the newspaper.

Unless you've truly got to know any of these candidate's personally then all you can go by is what you see and hear; and there's nothing wrong with that.

In the case of athletes' and their legacy I judge them by how they act at the workplace.

Do they give it their all every single time they step on the field?

Are they the consummate teammate?  Always taking the blame for a loss and passing off the congratulations when they win.

Do they have respect for the game? Do they truly love it and would do anything to continue playing it?

Not all legends can answer yes to each of those questions.  Brett Favre can.

Now the Minnesota Vikings acquired another legend when they traded for Randy Moss a couple weeks ago.  The problem is, in my eyes, Randy Moss is no legend.

Here's a man who has unthinkable skills, a great mind for the game, but most of all, he's a man that cares about himself first.

He's a quiet individual that acts like the greatest teammate in the world until he doesn't get what he wants.  Everyone wants to blast Terrell Owens for his antics and comments toward teammates, but at least TO doesn't quit on his team.

Randy Moss is a weak person.  When the going gets tough, the weak shut down, and that's exactly what Randy does.

The Vikings are in a situation that many teams would dream of.  They have a legend at quarterback, a legend at wide receiver, and carrying the ball, they have a legend in the making.

A team that was one play away last year from making the Super Bowl has added an enormous talent at wide receiver that is supposed to help the team get to the Super Bowl and cement both Randy and Brett as two of the greatest players to ever play the game.

Problem is Randy Moss won't be building on any legacies this year; instead he'll just be tearing one down.

If the Vikings don't make the Super Bowl this year, or even worse, don't even make the playoffs, then everyone will talk about how Brett Favre had one of the best receivers, one of the best running backs, and a more than capable defense and he still couldn't do it.

His legacy will still live on, but it will be remembered by his successes as a Packer and his failures post-Green Bay.

At the end of the year if this is the case, we will get another Brett Favre retirement press conference and in it we will hear about all the great players who he got to play with.  He will repeatedly talk about how much he loves the game and how much he is going to miss it.  As tears roll out his eyes we'll hear about how he gave it his all and he just couldn't get it done.

That's what legends do when failure happens.  They take the blame, they live with it, and they move on.

Randy Moss may not quit on the Vikings this year.  He may not bring up his contract status at the end of the year that he just happened to talk about the first week of the season.  He may actually play his hardest every game to prove the naysayers wrong about him.

Don't be surprised if he does though.

Randy Moss is a dick; and that's the only dick that will ruin Brett Favre's legacy.