1. As the NBA playoffs are just around the corner, candidates for the league’s MVP are up for grabs. Who is your pick for this year’s MVP?

ZACH: After all the fighting, all the whining and all the losing, this year is finally Kobe’s year to win his first MVP. He is the star of his own team (no more Shaq) and finally has some help on the scoring end. He’s become more of a team player than in past years, leading the Lakers to first place in the Western Conference. He deserves it.

CHRISTIAN: Without a doubt, that honor should go to Clay Bennett. Oh, wait. Is the question about who should be MVP? Or is it about who can draft the sappiest love letter to the NBA commissioner? I got confused. If it’s not the latter, then I guess Kobe Bryant.

SHEENA: Using individual stats alone, Kobe Bryant takes the cake, but the NBA MVP award isn’t just about numbers — though they are important. LeBron James is a potential candidate, but the Cavs don’t look to be reaching that golden 50-win mark, which kind of puts him out of the running. And though Chris Paul is leading the league in steals and assists, my pick for MVP still goes to Bryant. This award should go to the guy who any averagejoe would choose first in a pickup game, and I dare you not to choose Bryant.

EVAN: I hate to say it, but Kobe Bryant has got to be the league MVP this year. He’s taken a mediocre Lakers team that wasn’t very good last year and catapulted them to the No. 1 seed in the daunting Western Conference. He’s second in the league in scoring, averaging 28.3 points per game, and has played in all of the Lakers 82 games this season, proving that he’ll be there night in and night out.

2. Who should be the Seahawks’ top draft pick this year?

ZACH: The Seahawks need to fill a large hole in their roster at the tight end position. The Seahawks have been hoping to fill that hole since they acquired Jerramy Stevens in 2002. The tight end is integral to the West Coast offense. They can look at either Dustin Keller of Purdue or Fred Davis of USC. With their draft position, they have a possibility of getting one of the first tight ends drafted this year.

CHRISTIAN: Someone to fill the void that the loss of Shaun Alexander’s tubby butt will leave in the locker room, assuming they cut him. And someone to replace Alexander’s speed. So any offensive lineman will do, probably

SHEENA: After losing two defensive tackles this year, it’s a pretty clear choice for the Hawks to go with a DT. As of right now, they don’t have too good of a standing in the draft at 25th pick, but they should probably go with a solid and versatile player like Kentwan Balmer, who has the potential to fill some gaps.

EVAN: The guy with the coolest name in the entire draft, Limas Sweed, a lanky wide receiver out of Texas. Sweed is 6-5 and weighs 219 pounds, which would immediately make him Matt Hasselbeck’s biggest target. The downfall of the Seahawks (before last season’s debacle in the backfield) was a mediocre receiving corps that would drop balls in big moments. Sweed would certainly help out that cause.

3. Do you think the MLB players are the prima donnas of professional athletes and get off way too easy when they are just slightly injured?

ZACH: No, it’s well known that professional badminton players are the prima donnas of professional athletes. Shuttlecock injuries have been known to end careers. Compared to them, baseball players are tough as nails.

CHRISTIAN: Erik Bedard is a pussy. Does that answer the question?

SHEENA: Not so much. Athletes in general have a right to be concerned about even the smallest issues with their bodies since their career depends on it. The only prima donna of the sport who seems to stand out is Barry Bonds, who is clearly injury-prone from steroid usage. In general though, it doesn’t seem like MLB players are let off the hook any easier than other pro athletes.

EVAN: Absolutely not. The MLB season is 162 games long, and despite the fact that they aren’t cracking heads with each other (unless you’re Mike Cameron or Johnny Damon — check it out on YouTube), these guys still get hurt just like all other professional athletes.

4. Do you think Kevin Durant will win Rookie of the Year?

ZACH: Definitely. He is clearly the best rookie. He led all rookies in points per game averages and was the only reason to watch a Sonics game. He shouldn’t be punished for being on such a bad team.

CHRISTIAN: Is Clay Bennett a scumbag? Does Carmelo Anthony hate driving sober? Is Ron Artest insane? Yes, yes and yes. The answer’s the same as far as Durant taking home the ROY hardware. It’ll be a crime if it’s not unanimous.

SHEENA: Of all the candidates, Durant clearly had to put up with one of the most frustrating seasons for a team and has shone through it with 34.4 minutes per game, an 87.5 mark from the free throw line, 2.3 assists and 20.1 points on 42.5 percent shooting. If you look at any of the other first-year guys’ stats, they would pale in comparison, making Durant the ideal pick for Rookie of the Year.

EVAN: Kevin Durant should definitely win the Rookie of the Year. He’s played extremely well on a lame duck Sonics team that may not be here next year. The Sonics management has stripped nearly all of the talent away from Durant and he still managed to be named Rookie of the Month four times this season.