They have their degrees, resumes and internships, but how do recent college graduates get the job?

Online social media is a growing trend in the professional networking world. Top Fortune 500 CEO’s to entry-level employees are using sites like LinkedIn.com to make connections and job search.

Although the hiring process has changed a lot since the last generation graduated college, it’s still about who people know and what people know. The difference is, it’s online and knowing how to use it may determine who gets hired.

But that doesn’t mean everyone is on board. There are pockets of professionals and industries that don’t know how to use it or refuse to use it. Still, with the national unemployment rate above eight percent, more young professionals are turning to it to give them an advantage.

“These websites open you up to a diverse world of companies and professional contacts,” says Christina Paxman, a graduate teaching assistant in the communication school at the University of Iowa, “This new technology is shaping the way people get hired.”

As of last December, professionals are signing up on LinkedIn at a rate of two members per second, totaling about 150 million members in over 200 countries, according to LinkedIn.com’s annual report. That makes it the world’s largest professional networking site in the world.

LinkedIn connects professionals and college students to other professionals through a process called “connecting.” One person sends a request to connect to another person and once the other person accepts, they become virtual friends. This is similar to the social networking site, Facebook which has the same connecting process. However, LinkedIn is designed for professional networking rather than social.

Paxman says the size of the site lets recent graduates connect with professionals across the globe, allowing them a glimpse into many industries and professions.

“Messaging is just one of many tools LinkedIn and Twitter offer. It’s a great way to ask for advice or tips from someone who is already doing the job you want,” said Paxman.

It’s hard to know how many young professionals are using these networking sites but, according to LinkedIn, students and recent college graduates are its fastest growing demographics.

Paul Spooner, a 2011 graduate from the University of Iowa school of Journalism and Mass Communications, used LinkedIn to search for jobs and make connections in the public relations industry.

“LinkedIn was a gateway to many companies and professionals I was interested in. It let me connect to them in a way no other resource could-directly,” said Spooner.

Even though he was active during college, having held seven internships, he said it was difficult to find entry-level positions.

“It’s a tough time to search for jobs, but having my resume on LinkedIn and sharing my other skills and interests really gave me an advantage over other applicants who did not have that online brand,” says Spooner, who now works full time at the public relations firm Osborn and Barr.

LinkedIn counts executives from all Fortune 500 companies as members and 82 percent of Fortune 100 companies use it to hire, according to the site. But some professionals and smaller companies are still not using it.

“It’s very industry and age specific. Right now there is a specific sector of people and businesses that are benefiting from it,” says Paxman.

Kara Kelly, broadcast news director at KCRG Television 9 news station in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, says social media doesn’t work for her when she’s hiring.

“I don’t waste my time on there. I think your work should speak for itself, but that might be because of the industry I am in,” says Kelly.

She says the broadcast industry is small; therefore professionals make connections on a face-to-face level.

“People in this field get connections from knowing people who know people who know more people. It’s easier to pick up the phone and call someone who can help you rather than looking them up online,” said Kelly.

Kelly says she will probably never have a LinkedIn profile or use it to look at job applicants.

Another issue hiring managers have with the new technology is not knowing how to use it. And some don’t want to learn either.

“I have never used LinkedIn. I let other staff post to it because I don’t know how it use it,” says Jan Rigotti, human resource representative at the University of Iowa Alumni Association.

Rigotti has been in human resources for about six years, but she says she has no desire to learn how to use online social networking sites.

“The way I hire has worked very well for me without screening applicants on those sites,” says Rigotti.

But it’s not only the ones doing the hiring who are unfamiliar with online networking sites. Students in certain majors sometimes don’t have exposure to what these sites are or how to use them.

“I don’t have a LinkedIn because I had never heard of it until recently. It’s not something they teach or tell you to do as a psychology student,” says Kayla Sivesind, a senior psychology major at the University of Iowa.

Sivesind says she probably didn’t know about the site because her career will not start until after graduate school. But she still wishes she would have known for internship opportunities.

“Not once have my professors ever talked about social networking,” says Sivesind.  “I think it’s a disadvantage not to know about it when it comes to finding information on my field.”

Paxman, the graduate teaching assistant, agrees. “There are pockets of students and majors who get over looked and don’t get the instruction they need for finding jobs,” she says.

Paxman also adds though, when it comes to searching for jobs, LinkedIn may have some pitfalls.

“I’ve wondered how valuable it is for younger professionals to use as a search engine for jobs,” she says.  “That part is mainly used by higher management positions. I would recommend they use another resource for that.”

Still, the task of searching for employment and hiring is changing quickly. In order to be successful, this new technology is forcing young and seasoned professionals alike to adapt to the new environment of online social networking.

“Now that I know about it, I’m going to make a profile tonight and tell other psychology majors to do the same. It can only help in the long run,” said Sivesind.

Rookie phenom Bryce Harper is hit by pitch from Cole Hames (Photo courtesy of cbsnews.com)

In the first inning of Sunday night’s game between the Phillies and the Nationals, Cole Hamels intentionally threw at Bryce Harper, pegging him in the lower back. When it happened, everyone watching knew what it was: intentional. However, just to be sure, Cole Hamels admitted to doing it after the game.

Hamels has since been suspended five games for his actions to which he claimed was a ‘welcome to the big-leagues’ moment, representative of ‘old-school baseball.’ While that may or may not be true, Harper responded well to the incident. He took his base and eventually moved up to third on a single. He then proceeded to steal home when Hamels was baited into throwing to first.

The bean-ball incident was fun, and entertaining. It made an early season game between two division rivals more interesting, but it was also completely ridiculous and asinine.

People don’t like Bryce Harper for reasons both real and imagined (mostly imagined in my opinion) saying he doesn’t respect the players that came before him, or that he is arrogant, or that he is disrespectful.

The truth of the matter is that Bryce Harper is no different from anyone who knows they are good at what they do. People who are above average at their chosen vocation; whether they are a teacher, doctor, or even custodian, tend to be a little cocky about it.

In many cases that arrogance is necessary for people to do their jobs correctly. Bryce Harper is no exception. It isn’t that he thinks he’s better than you, it’s that he knows he is.

Cole Hamels has been suspended 5 games for his actions (Photo by Daniel Shirey/Getty Images)

Consider this: at 19 years old, Bryce Harper has reached the highest level of his profession. Most other 19 year olds don’t know what their profession is going to be.

Bryce Harper is the real deal and choosing to hate him for his imagined slights against the game is foolish and displays nothing but thinly veiled jealousy towards someone who has enjoyed more success in the first 20 years of his life than most will experience in the entirety of their own.

The truth of the matter is that Cole Hamels threw at Bryce Harper because he was scared of him. People are complex animals, and displays of aggression are usually preceded with some internal feeling of fear.

Cole Hamels has heard all the hype about the 19 year-old super-stud, ready to rebuild baseball in our Nation’s capitol. Whether Hamels will ever admit it or not, his display against Bryce Harper says more about the fear and respect Hamels has for Harper, than the fear and respect Harper lacks for baseball.

President Barack Obama appeared in Iowa City on Wednesday, April 25th to speak at the University of Iowa Field House about the effects of increasing student loan interest rates and how doubling those rates could affect current and future college students in their quest for affordable education. KRUI News Reporters spoke with University of Iowa students about how doubling the interest rates of student loans would affect them.

Listen to responses from various students here:

Blue skies cleared the way for President Obama’s arrival in Iowa Wednesday morning, April 25th.

President Obama aboard Air Force One touched down at the Eastern Iowa Airport in Cedar Rapids just minutes before noon.

While the President spent a brief moment with supporters before heading into Iowa City to discuss college affordability, a sea of black and gold flooded into the University of Iowa Field House anxiously awaiting the President’s arrival.

The President’s remarks were scheduled at 1:20 p.m, but before greeting the rest of his Iowa City supporters, President Obama held a roundtable discussion with 5 University of Iowa students who have felt the difficulty of barely getting by in college; and not getting by the tough academia of college, but getting by the burden of buying books and food while on a small budget that contains minimal financial aid.

The University of Iowa is one of three college campuses the President visited this week while calling on Congress to prevent interest rates on federal student loans from doubling come July.

Five years ago Congress cut interest rates on federal student loans in half.  The rate cut expires July 1^st 2012 causing interest rates to double.  An extra  $1,000 of student debt will accrue each year the rate cut is not renewed.

The young and able crowd arose and placed their hands on their hearts as they recited the Pledge of Allegiance.  They listened as a graceful singing of the National Anthem followed.

UI president Sally Mason spoke before the President took the stage. Maintaining and securing an affordable means of a college education for all Americans, she said, “goes to our very character as a culture and as a people.”

“Because I had access to an affordable college education, I’ve been able to pursue my interests, achieve professional success and contribute to society way beyond what I ever anticipated as an 18-year-old, first-year student,” Mason said.

With just minutes to go before President Obama strutted out, patriotic chants of “USA, USA, USA,” echoed off the walls of the Field House.

“Hello, Hawkeyes,” the President greeted the crowd flashing his smile. “It’s good to be back be in Iowa!”

President Obama kicked-off his appearance with a sincere statement to the kindness of midwestern hospitality: “Iowa always feels like home to me.”

“We love you, Barack!” an Iowa audience member shouted warmly welcoming the President, to which he responded, “I love you back.”

College affordability has always been at the heart a personal issue for the President.  He began his discussion by remarking on his and the First Lady’s own experience with handling the burden of student loan debt following law school. He stressed how immensely the burden of student loan debt can weigh down a family.

“I’m the president of the United States — it was only about eight years ago that we finished paying off our student loans,” as the crowd of nearly 5,500 young Hawkeyes laughed and applauded. “And let me tell you, it wasn’t easy making those payments, because once we had Malia and Sasha, we’re trying to save for their college education even as we’re paying off our own college educations.”

“This is an America issue,” the President exclaimed over a crowd of attentive and enthusiastic supporters. “We’ve got to get Congress to do their part. We’ve got to keep them [interest rates] from shooting up, and shaking you down.”

The President remarked on college affordability for the middle class and ensuring financial aid is safeguarded and Pell grants are available for those who need them.

“We can’t price the middle class out of a college education,” he said referring to talks in the House among Republicans about making college more affordable by cutting financial aid for low-income students.

“Let me scratch my head here for a second,” said Obama. “Think about that.  We’re going to help some students by messing with other students.  That’s not a good answer.”

Discussion in the House, the same members who consistently caused a hike in the deficit for the last decade, hints on middle class college students paying more to contribute to the decrease of the deficit.

“They voted to let millionaires and billionaires keep paying lower tax rates than middle-class workers,” Obama said. “They voted to give folks like me, the wealthiest Americans, an average tax cut of at least $150,000.”

Cutting education and job training programs that give students and workers the essentials to succeed would finance the average tax cut.

The President spoke strongly of awarding financial aid to those institutions keeping tuition affordable. Colleges and universities set on skyrocketing tuition will receive less funding.

“We’ve got to make college more affordable for young people,” the President stated as the crowed roared in agreement.

An affordable education is of great value to the economy, Obama said in response to a blast by Republicans who claim that the Obama administration is using student loans as a device to distract voters from the economy.

“This is the economy. This is about your job security. This is about your future. If you do well, the economy does well. This is about the economy,” the President said as the crowd praised those words with applause.

Accessible and affordable education for all Americans, said Obama, is the key to a prosperous economy.

“What I want all of you to know is that the degree you earn from Iowa will be the best tool you have to achieve that basic American promise — the idea that if you work hard, if you give it your all, if you’re responsible, then you can do well enough to raise a family and own a home, send your own kids to college, put a little away for retirement,” Obama said. “It’s the idea that each generation is going to have a little more opportunity than the last. That’s at the heart of the American Dream.”

It’s a long way to the top.

A New Low: I have tried all year not to repeat a Bottom 5 distinction for specific athlete or franchise, but unfortunately, the Charlotte Bobcats are the first nomination to make this list.  They have two very big reasons for repeating on my Bottom 5.  The first is that they have had arguably the worst season in NBA history, posting only 7 wins.  That sets a new low in season wins, as the 1972-1973 Philadelphia 76ers held the previous low mark at 9 wins.  Even though the ‘11-‘12 NBA season was shortened due to the lockout, there is absolutely no excuse for winning 7 of 66 games.  Fun fact: they actually had a winning record at one point this year when they were 1-0 coming off a home win over the Milwaukee Bucks.  The second reason is they posted the lowest

Charlotte has nothing else to be cheery about except its rookie Kemba Walker (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images North America).

winning percentage in NBA history at 11%.  I have a better shot at winning the Powerball.  But this team has failed miserably in just about every facet of the game, marring the bright spot of Kemba Walker’s somewhat promising rookie season.  They lost 23 straight games to close out the year and have not won since defeating the Toronto Raptors on March 17^th.  Another fun fact: the Bobcats were 2-1 over the Raptors this year, making it their only series win over an Eastern conference team.  I do not count any series this year against the Western Conference, because they only played a couple of teams more than once—though Charlotte was 1-0 against Golden State and 1-1 against New Orleans.  They should get the number 1 pick in the upcoming draft, unless the ping pong balls do not fall their way, but they have to be better next year, right?  How could any team be any worse?

No Class in Boston: Boston sports fans are notoriously known for loving their teams to the point of obsession and fixation.  (Those fans exist in any market, but perhaps there are more of them in New England).  They are often regarded as some of the best traveling fans, as major U.S. sports teams have some of their highest attendance games against Boston teams.  But their hockey fans took their love too far following the Boston Bruins loss to the Washington Capitals in Game 7 of the NHL playoffs.  In overtime, Capitals forward Joel Ward—one of the few black players in the NHL—scored the game winning goal to push the Caps into the second round, which is a rarity for Washington in recent years (I put the Caps on a Bottom 5 edition last year for failing to get out of the first round).  After the game, some frustrated Bruins fans used Twitter and Facebook to direct racial slurs at Ward.  Have some class, Boston.  I know you are proud of having some of the longest championship droughts in your respective sports (I am aware of the Celtics and Patriots dominant eras in their histories), but do not hate the opposing team’s players for being better than yours.  Put it behind you and look forward to next season.

Joel Ward was the hero for the Washington Capitals in Game 7, but Boston Bruins fans have shown no class in bashing him with racist comments (Patrick McDermott/Getty Images North America).

Being in Bad Skin: Brandon Meriweather, the new Washington Redskins safety, was arrested for DUI last week.  While this may seem like nothing to many sports fans, Meriweather has taken a nosedive in recent years and cannot afford any slip-ups in trying to get back to his former Pro-Bowl self.  He played miserably for the Chicago Bears last season, and now this. Meanwhile, the Redskins are trying to revive a franchise with a proud history.  They took a step in the right direction by drafting RG3 with the second overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft.  Management, obviously, does not want any negative publicity surrounding the team, but Meriweather has created just that with his arrest.  Unless he wants to play in the UFL (the United Football League, also known as the “U Fudged up League”), the safety should avoid doing stupid things (like the party scene, and transporting himself to and from such scenes) and focus on playing football.

Yankees Starting Pitchers: While many people may disagree with this nomination, I feel that the Yankees starters are just not up to par as an MLB rotation.  C.C. Sabathia is outstanding in the long run and will get better as the season progresses, but he is just one of five guys.  The rest create a giant question mark.  Phil Hughes has been terrible all season long and shows few signs of improving.  Hiroki Kuroda hasn’t had enough starts (4) to show how can be.  Two great starts have been offset by two terrible starts, so inconsistently is a theme of the rotation’s weakness.  For some mysterious reason, Ivan Nova is struggling to keep his spot in the rotation despite the fact that he’s a good pitcher.  He has not lost a start since June 3^rd, dating back to last season.  The team has considered sending him down to the AAA level or trading him.  The team has also lost Michael Pineda for the rest of the year, while finding a replacement will be difficult through their farm system.  Freddy Garcia has been lit up in all three of his starts this year and has pitched only 12 innings while posting a 9.75 ERA.  Can this team win the AL East back-to-back years right now?  The answer is simply no at this point.

John Terry of Chelsea (Laurence Griffiths/Getty Images)

 No Soccer Sportsmanship: The English Premier League will not have Chelsea and the Queens Park Rangers perform a ceremonial handshake before their upcoming game on Sunday.  While no opposing European soccer teams like each other, not having them shake hands is a very disrespectful gesture and sends the wrong message to teams.  The EPL claims that they are suspending the handshakes because of John Terry’s racism trial and the fact that one of the Queens Park players is black.  Regardless, there are racist people all over the world and the league should still require the players to shake hands.  This could open a can of worms that could lead to future teams not shaking hands for stupd reasons (I am not saying this reason is stupid by any means).  I am putting the EPL on my Bottom 5 this week for not upholding decent sportsmanship rules.

2011′s deservedly acclaimed  Black Up was something of an anomaly among rap albums: one part hip-hop head heaven, two parts acid-dripped enlightenment, all laced with beats that bend, crunch, and bleed over a good mix of electronic and acoustic (and sometimes arrhythmic) percussion. These tracks treat conventions as an afterthought, trading verse-chorus structure for that of an inspired daydream and swerving around any chances of comparisons to contemporaries (save for MF Doom and Madlib, but even that’s a stretch). Shabazz Palaces has done a good job of letting the music speak for itself – even after landing album-of-the-year-list spots across the board, the group has a Wikipedia write-up of about fifty words and interviews are far and few between. Before Wednesday night, envisioning how this kind of thing might play out as a live show was tricky.

A Shabazz Palaces show is almost twice as engaging as their debut album and about half as abstract (though not a drop less exciting). Their set was built around favorites from Black Up punctuated with tracks from EP’s and a few that might not have yet surfaced. MC Ishmael Butler and musician Tendai Maraire had almost every move they made choreographed: hand claps at high hat hits, fist-bumps at bass drops, the kind of movements that might have made a cynic groan had everything else been any less organic. Instead, it came off as a bit of reverence, both for the opportunity to make music and for the crowd that came to hear it.

With no DJ present, both members of the group take an active part in creating the music live. Butler’s been quoted as describing Shabazz Palaces’ recorded songs as a kind of launching point for their live shows, and the description is dead-on. Butler and Maraire were able to take tracks exactly where they wanted them to be, whether that meant hanging around the epiphanic chants of “Free Press and Curl” and “…(Felt)” for a few more bars or seeing if “Youlogy” could get any woozier. But juxtaposed with the kind of control and precision demonstrated in the choreography, these jams never got stale and stayed truer to an art show than a Phish show.

Shabazz Palaces packed Gabe’s to about a quarter capacity, though neither side of the stage seemed to notice. It was intimate without artifice, Palaces going as hard as they might to a crowd triple the size, audience as engaged as if they were lucky enough to get so close to the stage. At their last song, Butler and Maraire left the stage to wade through about ten rows of people and were called back for an encore before they could even clear the crowd.

Joe Pug visiting KRUI in 2010. (Photo by Fred Galoso)

Folk chanteur Joe Pug has become an Iowa City favorite over the years. Once upon a time, he channeled his creative efforts into playwrighting. Nowadays, he uses his dusty, whiskey-tinged vocals and strums his guitar to tell his stories. Pug’s latest album, The Great Despiser, was released on April 24, 2012.

The title track from the new album shows a more upbeat, pop-oriented side of the musician. While, in the past, Pug favored solo acoustic guitar and minimalistic arrangements, this track is a welcome change, as it includes some harmony vocals, springy drumming, and a killer electric guitar part.

Listen to “The Great Despiser” by Joe Pug:

Want more?

• Joe Pug will play at The Mill on May 15, 2012 in support of The Great Despiser.

• KRUI caught Joe Pug performing at the Englert Theatre in October 2010 and churning out songs like the gorgeous “Hymn #101″ and the protest song “I Do My Father’s Drugs”.

• Joe Pug also visited KRUI and performed live on February 23, 2010.

The Antlers took over Iowa City’s Blue Moose Tap House to perform on the 31st of March as a part of the Mission Creek Festival. Not currently on tour, the band made it all the way to Iowa City for a special performance and managed to give a hauntingly powerful show.

Opening bands Emperor’s Club and Tires set the mood just right – not too raucous, not too quiet.

The Antlers started the show with single “Parentheses” taken from Burst Apart, their 2011 album which was featured heavily on many Top Albums of 2011 lists written by music bloggers/enthusiasts/aficionados everywhere. A sense of connection was in the air and although the music was sad, the crowd swayed and sang along to the lyrics, lapping up all melancholy hues in good spirits.

Peter Siberman’s Jeff Buckley-esque haunting vocals and high falsettos were on key and moving in a way that was almost animal in nature. Somewhat disappointingly to some fans of the band, The Antlers performed only few numbers from their critically-acclaimed and masterpiece of a debut album, Hospice.  The only reasoning that comes to mind for this would be perhaps due to Hospice being such a raw and personally-moving album that should not be overplayed for fear of losing its sentimentality. Furthermore, just how true-to-life Hospice is has always been hush-hush as Peter Siberman has maintained reticence in the legitimacy of the story portrayed in the album. Although most songs were performed from ‘Burst Apart’, the show remained a powerful one with standout song performances including “Every Night My Teeth Are Falling Out”, “No Widows”, and, of course, the phenomenal “Putting the Dog to Sleep”.

On a special note, it was also Peter Siberman’s birthday on that day. The curly-haired frontman was presented with a strawberry cake onstage followed by the crowd singing “Happy Birthday” to him.

The show was most definitely a cathartic one – not just for the band, but also for the crowd. All in all, it was a beautiful experience to remember.

Want more?

• Check out KRUI’s interview with The Antlers at the KRUI Mission Creek Lounge in Public Space One.

It’s a long way to the top. 

What a Goof: College conferences and members are constantly shifting, and in moments of change, new t-shirts and other merchandise must include every school in the new-look conference.  Before that new apparel gets circulated into the market, you would think that the clothing would be accurate.  Not so, as Aggieland Outfitters released a new SEC T-shirt that has a couple of big flaws in it.  The shirts, shockingly, do not include Texas A&M, the school where Aggieland Outfitters is based.  New SEC member Missouri is also absent, but the state of North Carolina is somehow represented while their schools’ athletics representation remains in the ACC.  Does proofreading mean anything to a college store?  I would think so, since it is a huge part of many classes a college offers.  But I just cannot get over how Aggieland Outfitters left out their own school.  The store is not directly affiliated with Texas A&M, so it will avoid fines from the NCAA for its silly mistake.  The big reason the store makes my Bottom 5 this week, however, is for leaving out the two schools that have made high-profile moves to the SEC, one of which is the school you profit from, while somehow including the state of North Carolina, which has three power conference schools, none of which are in the SEC.

Notice how the states of Texas and Missouri are missing, but the state of North Carolina is included. Major goof (design by Aggieland Outfitters).

NHL Fighting: Before anyone gets angry with me and wants to start a fight, I understand that fighting is a big part of hockey; it’s an aspect that makes the sport unique.  As many people have noticed this postseason, there have been more fights (and more mayhem) than in any previous season in NHL history.  I am a fan of pugilism on the rink, but there have been too many nasty hits, fines, and general brawling than I can take.  I already put Shea Weber on my previous Bottom 5 edition for his runaway fisticuffs. There just have been too many fights, staining the postseason for me in a shade of bergundy.  The point really is to win, not to agonizingly slow the game with needless fights.  This is the NHL, not the UFC.  The Phoenix Coyotes’ Raffi Torres ignited a huge controversy when he took out Blackhawk Marian Hossa in Game 3 of the series.  Goon behavior is becoming too prevalent in the postseason, taking away from major headlines (like the L.A. Kings destroying the #1 seed Vancouver Canucks, or Alex Ovechkin’s dreams of winning a Stanley Cup diminishing with each passing season).

Broken BCS Trophy: One of the funniest spots in my Bottom 5 this week belongs to Carleton Tinker, the father of an Alabama football player, for breaking Alabama’s crystal football national championship trophy.  He actually tripped on a rug walking by the trophy and accidentally knocked the piece off its stand, likely shattering it into thousands of tiny crystal bits.  While Tinker was extremely apologetic for his actions, he still gets the nomination for breaking something worth $30,000 (and a whole lot more to Crimson Tide fans).  The school is ordering a replacement, but I cannot imagine how his son must feel.  He has probably received a lot of chiding from his teammates.  I would not be surprised, either, if his coaches have made or make him do extra drills—or perhaps carry the equipment—for his father’s slip up.  Breaking the championship trophy is any fan, coach, or player’s greatest nightmare.  I know parents have a duty to seemingly embarrass their children, but that may have been too much for Tinker.

The Falling 76ers:  In early January, the Philadelphia 76ers were viewed as the favorites to win the Atlantic Division, and Doug Collins was a potential candidate for Coach of the Year.  Now, the 76ers are the #8 seed in the east and in danger of falling out of the playoffs.  They are 4-7 in their last 11 games and only lead the Milwaukee Bucks by 3 games.  That is still a huge lead to squander, considering there are only 3 games left for Philadelphia—though one is against the Bucks.  The 76ers did win in overtime at Indiana on Saturday.  It would be one of the franchise’s most historic chokes if they somehow end up falling out of the playoffs in their manageable last three games.  One thing is for sure, however: If they do make the playoffs, they will be first-round fodder for a better team.  The Bulls or Heat will destroy this team because their youth and inexperience is inconcealable at this point.  Jrue Holliday and Andre Iguodala must find their usual groove and tempo if they want to win a championship this season.  Their current free-fall is a clear goof of how good (or bad) this team really is.

Carlos Marmol has been a disappointment early in the season and a crummy fantasy baseball pick (Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images North America).

 The Lovable Losers: Who else could this possibly be?  The Chicago Cubs, of course!  I just love taking shots at the North Siders, as I am a White Sox fan and relish in tearing down our rivals anytime I have the chance.  This should come as no surprise to my friends and family that the Cubs are in my Bottom 5, as their current goofs and constant mistakes have earned them an abysmal 4-12 record in this early season—with problems all over the team.  While Theo Epstein still faces Lebron James-to-Miami pressure to win a World Series this year, clearly that will not happen.  The Cubs bullpen is atrocious and the hitting is more along the lines of whiffing.  You cannot win if you cannot score, and the ‘pen really hasn’t kept a game close all year.  I sort of regret drafting Carlos Marmol in one of my fantasy leagues, because he has only one save and has not pitched well.  He is just one of many problems plaguing this team.  Newly acquired outfielder David DeJesus has not hit well in the leadoff spot, which is what he was brought in to do.  His play has been anything but devine.  The starting pitching has been there in terms of Ryan Dempster and Jeff Samardzjia, but Chris Volstad and Paul Maholm have been awful.