With apologies to Suns-Spurs, there is not a more interesting 2nd round NBA Conference Semi match up than Cavs-Celtics. After two games in Cleveland it stands 1-1 and seems to have the most lingering questions heading into Game 3 on Friday Night.
1. How hurt is Lebron?- I am an unabashed Lebron James backer, but even I am very confused as to what is truly going on with his elbow. While I am not in the camp that thinks he is faking it or trying to create drama by acting like it is worse than it is, I still cannot figure out his situation is. In both games 1 and 2 he seemed very passive and was in passing mode for most of the first half. In game 1 he stepped it up and lead the Cavs back to win, but in game 2 he never got into a groove and just seemed out of it. If the Cavs have any chance to take a game in Boston they need Lebron in full attack mode from the opening tip. My question is can he do it physically? Is he playing passive in the opening half intentionally or doe she know that his elbow cannot handle the physical style he plays for 40 minutes so he is trying to manage his game accordingly. If the elbow is holding him back this could be a short series for the Cavs.
2. Can Rajon Rondo keep it up? Plain and simple Rondo has been the best player on the floor in this series so far. He is destroying the Cavs off the dribble and getting into the paint whenever he wants. The question becomes are we witnessing Rondo making the jump to elite NBA PG and alpha dog of the Celtics or are we witnessing a hot streak by a good young player? If he is making the leap to elite, than it will be hard for the Cavs to win 3 more games in this series.
3. Will the real Mo Williams please stand up? Williams has been rightfully criticized by his complete no show in the Eastern Conference Finals last year, but seemed to be finding his playoff groove against the Bulls in the first round. In game 1 vs the Celtics Williams single handily kept the Cavs in the game and helped spark the Cavs 2nd half rally. Game 2 however was a nightmare performance that looked awfully similar to his stinkbombs vs the Magic last year. So moving forward it has become very obvious that as Williams goes so goes the Cavs. Lebron creates so many open looks for Williams that when he is hitting his shots it is almost impossible to beat the Cavs. So which Williams will we see in Game 3?
4. Can the Celtics Big 3 handle a long physical series? Its no secret that Paul Pierce, Ray Allen, and Kevin Garnett have a lot of NBA miles on their legs, and this series will be sure to test them. Pierce has been tasked with trying to mark Lebron on the defensive end which is hard enough, but he is also the Celtics go to clutch scorer. To ask a veteran like Pierce to do this for 7 physical games seems like an almost impossible task. Garnett still looks rusty from his knee injuries and is being asked to exploit his match up with Jamison on offense. While Allen looks fresh, the fact remains Cleveland plays him very tough and has historically caused him to shoot poorly from deep. In order for Allen to get open looks he is running all over the court through backscreens, and this takes a toll on any shooter especially a pure jump shooter like Allen. All of these factors combine to make these next 2 games in Boston huge, because if they take both the Celtics are in great position to close it out early. If the Celtics drop one of these home games than the possibility of a 7 game series drastically increases, which begs the question, do the Big 3 have enough in them to win a Game 7 in Cleveland after 6 grueling physical games prior to Game 7?
5. What should Mike Brown do with Shaq? The Cavs got Shaq for 2 reasons the Magic and the Lakers. After watching 2 games in this series two things have became apparent. First, Shaq is struggling to score when he gets the ball in the post and second, the Cavs do not need Shaq in the line up in order to shut down Kendrick Perkins. So the question becomes what do the Cavs do with Shaq? They obviously need him to get minutes to prepare for battling with Dwight Howard and or Pau Gasol, but they clearly are hampered by Shaq when facing a smaller faster Celtics frontcourt. Mike Brown will need to find some sort of balance between these 2 factors or else the Cavs will be in serious trouble.
6. Will Celtics bench give them anything? While the Celtics bench has played decent so far, they clearly are not a deep team. There will come a point in this series where either due to fouls or fatigue that the Celtics will have to trust their bench to come up huge. The Celtics simply cannot rely on their top 5 to carry them 48 minutes a night for 7 games. The bench will get their chance and it will not matter if its against Cleveland's much stronger 2nd unit or against the Cavs starters, the outcome of the bench's performance will play a huge role in the final outcome of the series. The Celtics bench does not even need to outplay Cleveland's bench; they just need to hold their own. Can they do it?
7. How will the 4 day break between games 2 and 3 affect each team? The weird schedule means that game 2 was played on Monday while game 3 would not take place till Friday. Who will benefit the most from this extended time off. Both teams could use the rest because it gives the Celtics time to rest the Big 3, while also giving the Cavs more time to rest and treat Lebron's elbow. However, both teams probably wanted to play game 3 as soon as possible for very different reasons. The Celtics just game off two of their best all around games of the year and stole a game in Cleveland, so they would have loved to carry all that momentum into game 3 as quickly as possible. The Cavs on the other hand, turned in one of their worst performances of the year in game 2 and were probably desperate to get to game 3 to try and erase the feelings of the game 2 beatdown. Will these extra days off give any team an advantage?
I am very excited to see how this series turns out and in my gut I have the feeling that this series goes 7 games. As for a prediction, your guess is as good as mine. With so many unanswered questions the only thing that we can be sure of, is that the rest of this series will be must watch television.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Wasted Opportunity
By now the dust has begun to settle from the NBA MVP voting and as most of you already know Lebron James won by a landslide. Most of you also know that he missed the first ever unanimous selection in NBA history by 7 votes. Most you have probably heard that the 3 1st place votes for Dwight Howard came from 2 paid employees of the Orlando Magic staff and one Orlando based sportswriter. While you can count me in the group that is upset that 7 voters ruined what should have been the easiest vote in sports MVP history, my reasons are very different than most.
All my life I have loved sports. For as long as I can remember there is nothing I like more than watching sports whether it is in person, on TV, or even getting updates on my phone and computer. I imagine there are millions of other people out there who are as passionate and dedicated as I am. Ask almost any guy what his dream job would be and i can promise a good number of them would say sports writer, sports broadcaster or something along those lines. Hell the reason I started this blog was that I wanted the chance to write about sports even if I was the only one reading it.
That is why I am so upset about the way these 7 voters threw away their respective MVP votes. These 7 guys are living every sports loving Americans dream and they took it for granted to try and prove there point. (I have not heard where the 4 Durant votes came from so I cannot focus on them) These voters are paid to watch the NBA and serve as our window into the league through their observations and opinions; something that most of us would do anything to do even for a day. They owe it to us to give us there full effort and use their MVP votes (which are a privilege not a right).
Now I know I am way up on my high horse with this entry but it upsets me that voters used these 7 votes to try and stand out. The Orlando Magic writers and broadcasters can write and talk with bias for 364 days a year and I will still respect their work but the MVP vote is supposed to be without bias. Every other voter put their bias aside to cast their votes so it should be expected that these 7 would as well.
When the names come out of who voted against Lebron each voter will put out an article that voices why they believe their vote was correct but I can promise if you hooked them up to lie detector every single one of them would fail because this MVP vote was so obvious. There is no possible way that any person who watched even 25% of NBA games this year could honestly believe that Lebron was not the MVP.
So please MVP voters of any sport, please start voting with your head and not your heart, because it is a slap in the face to all of us sports fans out there who would love nothing more to have the awesome job that you currently have. If you cannot do that then please give up your vote because lord knows I will be chomping at the bait to get a chance to be in your shoes.
All my life I have loved sports. For as long as I can remember there is nothing I like more than watching sports whether it is in person, on TV, or even getting updates on my phone and computer. I imagine there are millions of other people out there who are as passionate and dedicated as I am. Ask almost any guy what his dream job would be and i can promise a good number of them would say sports writer, sports broadcaster or something along those lines. Hell the reason I started this blog was that I wanted the chance to write about sports even if I was the only one reading it.
That is why I am so upset about the way these 7 voters threw away their respective MVP votes. These 7 guys are living every sports loving Americans dream and they took it for granted to try and prove there point. (I have not heard where the 4 Durant votes came from so I cannot focus on them) These voters are paid to watch the NBA and serve as our window into the league through their observations and opinions; something that most of us would do anything to do even for a day. They owe it to us to give us there full effort and use their MVP votes (which are a privilege not a right).
Now I know I am way up on my high horse with this entry but it upsets me that voters used these 7 votes to try and stand out. The Orlando Magic writers and broadcasters can write and talk with bias for 364 days a year and I will still respect their work but the MVP vote is supposed to be without bias. Every other voter put their bias aside to cast their votes so it should be expected that these 7 would as well.
When the names come out of who voted against Lebron each voter will put out an article that voices why they believe their vote was correct but I can promise if you hooked them up to lie detector every single one of them would fail because this MVP vote was so obvious. There is no possible way that any person who watched even 25% of NBA games this year could honestly believe that Lebron was not the MVP.
So please MVP voters of any sport, please start voting with your head and not your heart, because it is a slap in the face to all of us sports fans out there who would love nothing more to have the awesome job that you currently have. If you cannot do that then please give up your vote because lord knows I will be chomping at the bait to get a chance to be in your shoes.
Pretty Boy Floyd
How does one define greatness? In most team sports greatness goes hand in hand with titles (Jordan or Montana), but even then a player can be great without winning titles (Marino or Malone). However, individual sports are much harder to grade greatness. In some sports like swimming or track we can rely on times or records to show how great a competitor is at his or her sport. If I say that Micheal Phelps or Usain Bolt are all time greats in their respective sports I can back that up with the world record times they have recorded.
The problem comes into play in individual sports that have no standard measurement of greatness. Sports like Golf, Tennis and Boxing have well established history and yet if you ask 10 people who the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) is they will likely give you a variety of answers. Often this boils down to one aspect the level of competition. The discussion turns to debating who faced more difficult challenges in reaching the summit.
Boxing makes this task even more difficult due to the variety of weight classes and title belts. Weight classes fluctuate over time with each going through periods of great fighters and not so great fighters. At least in golf or tennis you have to overcome all your opposition in order to be victorious. In boxing however you are left with the choice of fight the opposition in your weight class or move up or down to find higher level of competition. Therefore the age old question in boxing seems to be "Who did you beat?"
I was thinking about this after watching Floyd Mayweather (PBF) destroy Shane Mosley this past weekend, it was a masterful performance that seemed to further distance PBF from his contemporaries. After the fight though most of the dialogue centered on how PBF had finally fought a top notch opponent and won, which cemented his legacy as an all time great.
The more I listened to this logic the more upset I got. Shouldn't the legacy of a fighter be how he won instead of who he faced? PBF cannot control who was in his weight class, he simply has gone out and dominated everyone who has been put in front of him. It is not PBF's fault that his divisions lack the all time great P4P fighters that they once had and it would be unfair to ask him to jump to weight class he doesn't feel comfortable just so we can watch him fight another great fighter. Yet, somehow his legacy was tarnished by the fact that he was 40-0 with no real great challenges heading into Saturday night's fight.
Would PBF have been held in higher regard if he had lost some all time battles with great opponents like Sugar Ray Leonard? Does a guy, who has dominated boxing to point where no fighter has really challenged him in any match up, have to go out of his way to fight another all time great in order to be recognized as Top 20 P4P fighter of all time?
I say no. In my eyes its about how you fight instead of who you fight. PBF has been dominating force throughout his entire career and has yet to taste defeat or even really come close to it and that to me is much more impressive than any criticism a person has with his opponents. So if a dominating victory over a 38 Shane Mosley is the "great victory" you needed to finally believe that PBF is an all time great. In my humble opinion he was already in that discussion and has been for a long time.
The problem comes into play in individual sports that have no standard measurement of greatness. Sports like Golf, Tennis and Boxing have well established history and yet if you ask 10 people who the Greatest of All Time (GOAT) is they will likely give you a variety of answers. Often this boils down to one aspect the level of competition. The discussion turns to debating who faced more difficult challenges in reaching the summit.
Boxing makes this task even more difficult due to the variety of weight classes and title belts. Weight classes fluctuate over time with each going through periods of great fighters and not so great fighters. At least in golf or tennis you have to overcome all your opposition in order to be victorious. In boxing however you are left with the choice of fight the opposition in your weight class or move up or down to find higher level of competition. Therefore the age old question in boxing seems to be "Who did you beat?"
I was thinking about this after watching Floyd Mayweather (PBF) destroy Shane Mosley this past weekend, it was a masterful performance that seemed to further distance PBF from his contemporaries. After the fight though most of the dialogue centered on how PBF had finally fought a top notch opponent and won, which cemented his legacy as an all time great.
The more I listened to this logic the more upset I got. Shouldn't the legacy of a fighter be how he won instead of who he faced? PBF cannot control who was in his weight class, he simply has gone out and dominated everyone who has been put in front of him. It is not PBF's fault that his divisions lack the all time great P4P fighters that they once had and it would be unfair to ask him to jump to weight class he doesn't feel comfortable just so we can watch him fight another great fighter. Yet, somehow his legacy was tarnished by the fact that he was 40-0 with no real great challenges heading into Saturday night's fight.
Would PBF have been held in higher regard if he had lost some all time battles with great opponents like Sugar Ray Leonard? Does a guy, who has dominated boxing to point where no fighter has really challenged him in any match up, have to go out of his way to fight another all time great in order to be recognized as Top 20 P4P fighter of all time?
I say no. In my eyes its about how you fight instead of who you fight. PBF has been dominating force throughout his entire career and has yet to taste defeat or even really come close to it and that to me is much more impressive than any criticism a person has with his opponents. So if a dominating victory over a 38 Shane Mosley is the "great victory" you needed to finally believe that PBF is an all time great. In my humble opinion he was already in that discussion and has been for a long time.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Iverson to the Clippers!?!?
The latest rumor going around the NBA Free Agency Season is Allen Iverson to the Clippers. I cannot overstate how awful an idea this is even for the woeful Clippers. If the Clippers sign Iverson it would go down as one of the worst moves in franchise history. Let that sink in this is The Clippers and it would be the worst move in their franchise history! The Clippers are maybe the worst run franchise in all of sports, I mean people in Detroit, Cleveland, and Buffalo look back after failed seasons and say "Well it could be worse, we could be The Clippers." and this could be there worst move ever.
While there are numerous reasons while this is a terrible, I will focus on 4.
1. Iverson and Baron Davis are the same player- They both require lots of shots and need the ball in their hands to create their own shot. Not to mention they both are awful on the defensive end, which is an area where the Clippers drastically improve. The two of them cannot coexist on the same team let alone on the floor together. If they sign Iverson, than The Clippers will be ruining their major free agent signing of last summer.
2. Iverson is uncoachable- Listen, Iverson is a first ballot Hall of Famer but we all know he is not a coaches dream. There are mayber 2 or 3 coaches who could actually manage Iverson and Mike Dunleavy is not one of them. There is no way that Dunleavy, who is his own right is an awful coach, can get Iverson to play as part of a team. This would be the coach-player nightmare. I would give it a month before either Iverson turns the team against Dunleavy or Dunleavy quits on Iverson and buries him on the bench.
3. The Clippers have a decent core- Baron Davis can still score with the best of them and is one of the best clutch players in the league. Eric Gordan is a fantastic young player who has the potential to be a perennial All Star. Blake Griffin is a fantastic player, who will be a force in this league if he stays healthy. They have 3 quality players and need to develop and sign some quality role players who can help out the 3 stars. Allen Iverson is not what the team needs. He will destroy the the young players and will hurt their development.
4. The promotional factor- The Clippers apparently want to sign Iveson because he will sell tickets and on the same hand they are talking about bringing him off the bench. You cannot sell your franchise to fans on the premise of "Hey come watch our 6th man play 20 minutes a game!" If you want to sell tickets with Iverson you will have to start him almost every night, which will hurt the team. As for Iverson coming off the bench, there is no possible way that this idea will end well. Iverson may say all the right things but we all know after about 1 month he will start complaining to the media and destroying the team.
So please Donald Sterling and Mike Dunleavy please rethink this idea. Despite your best efforts the Clippers could actually be not terrible this year, and signing Iverson will just destroy that progress.
While there are numerous reasons while this is a terrible, I will focus on 4.
1. Iverson and Baron Davis are the same player- They both require lots of shots and need the ball in their hands to create their own shot. Not to mention they both are awful on the defensive end, which is an area where the Clippers drastically improve. The two of them cannot coexist on the same team let alone on the floor together. If they sign Iverson, than The Clippers will be ruining their major free agent signing of last summer.
2. Iverson is uncoachable- Listen, Iverson is a first ballot Hall of Famer but we all know he is not a coaches dream. There are mayber 2 or 3 coaches who could actually manage Iverson and Mike Dunleavy is not one of them. There is no way that Dunleavy, who is his own right is an awful coach, can get Iverson to play as part of a team. This would be the coach-player nightmare. I would give it a month before either Iverson turns the team against Dunleavy or Dunleavy quits on Iverson and buries him on the bench.
3. The Clippers have a decent core- Baron Davis can still score with the best of them and is one of the best clutch players in the league. Eric Gordan is a fantastic young player who has the potential to be a perennial All Star. Blake Griffin is a fantastic player, who will be a force in this league if he stays healthy. They have 3 quality players and need to develop and sign some quality role players who can help out the 3 stars. Allen Iverson is not what the team needs. He will destroy the the young players and will hurt their development.
4. The promotional factor- The Clippers apparently want to sign Iveson because he will sell tickets and on the same hand they are talking about bringing him off the bench. You cannot sell your franchise to fans on the premise of "Hey come watch our 6th man play 20 minutes a game!" If you want to sell tickets with Iverson you will have to start him almost every night, which will hurt the team. As for Iverson coming off the bench, there is no possible way that this idea will end well. Iverson may say all the right things but we all know after about 1 month he will start complaining to the media and destroying the team.
So please Donald Sterling and Mike Dunleavy please rethink this idea. Despite your best efforts the Clippers could actually be not terrible this year, and signing Iverson will just destroy that progress.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
The British Open
On Thursday The British Open will begin at Turnberry in Scotland. While I cannot say who will win, my out on a limb pick some guy named Eldrick Tiger Woods, I will say this there may not be a better experience in sports than being at The Open Championship.
I attended The Open in 2004 when it was at St. Andrews. I was there for a practice round and the first round and my mind was blown. The courses are like nothing you have ever seen. Bunkers so deep that you cannot see out of them when you are in them and these are just the fairway bunkers! Heather so thick that you could play with a bright orange ball that was 3 times normal size and you would not be able to find it.
We got there at the start of the first round and started at the first fairway so that we could see Jack tee off. We then walked the course for about 3 hours just trying to see every hole, and at every hole we were stunned by the difficulty and beauty of each hole. We then positioned our self up in the grandstand behind the 2nd hole. In this spot we go to see players hit in to the 2nd Green, hit into the 17th hole, and tee off on 18, it was like golf heaven. It was up on the top of the grandstand that we felt the true test of The Open. The wind was blowing at about 20 MPH and you could feel every gust of cold wind, and I was floored that players were actually playing in the wind because it was at least a 3 club wind.
As we left it had started to rain which once again reminded me how difficult the conditions really are at The Open. We were walking and stopped to see David Duval's group play their approach shots onto the 7th hole. The rain was escalating as one of Duval's playing partners stuck his approach shot to the roar of the crowd. Next to hit was Duval who was fighting a broken umbrella and thick rough. He shanked one way left and after letting out a few F-bombs he took his malfunctioning umbrella and threw it as hard as he could into the hill next to him. The umbrella went probably halfway through as the poor caddie was left to try and pull it out.
It was an amazing display of the emotions that golfers have during a major and it was a perfect end to a mind blowing day of watching golf.
So I beg you if you ever get the chance even if its only for one round go see The British Open at least once before you die because it will be a truly wonderful experience.
I attended The Open in 2004 when it was at St. Andrews. I was there for a practice round and the first round and my mind was blown. The courses are like nothing you have ever seen. Bunkers so deep that you cannot see out of them when you are in them and these are just the fairway bunkers! Heather so thick that you could play with a bright orange ball that was 3 times normal size and you would not be able to find it.
We got there at the start of the first round and started at the first fairway so that we could see Jack tee off. We then walked the course for about 3 hours just trying to see every hole, and at every hole we were stunned by the difficulty and beauty of each hole. We then positioned our self up in the grandstand behind the 2nd hole. In this spot we go to see players hit in to the 2nd Green, hit into the 17th hole, and tee off on 18, it was like golf heaven. It was up on the top of the grandstand that we felt the true test of The Open. The wind was blowing at about 20 MPH and you could feel every gust of cold wind, and I was floored that players were actually playing in the wind because it was at least a 3 club wind.
As we left it had started to rain which once again reminded me how difficult the conditions really are at The Open. We were walking and stopped to see David Duval's group play their approach shots onto the 7th hole. The rain was escalating as one of Duval's playing partners stuck his approach shot to the roar of the crowd. Next to hit was Duval who was fighting a broken umbrella and thick rough. He shanked one way left and after letting out a few F-bombs he took his malfunctioning umbrella and threw it as hard as he could into the hill next to him. The umbrella went probably halfway through as the poor caddie was left to try and pull it out.
It was an amazing display of the emotions that golfers have during a major and it was a perfect end to a mind blowing day of watching golf.
So I beg you if you ever get the chance even if its only for one round go see The British Open at least once before you die because it will be a truly wonderful experience.
Monday, July 13, 2009
The MLB All Star Week
I love the MLB All Star game because it is one of the few games where players give it their all. Luckily baseball is one of the few games where you cannot coast because the game comes to you. Batters cannot take it easy at the plate or they will look silly, pitchers have to throw good pitches or they will get shelled, and fielder better be ready or they will look like Dan Uggla and make 3 errors in the game.
I love the Home Run Derby even though I think it is a little too long and should only be 2 rounds and have 4 guys in the finals. That would ensure that the finals are still competitive and will still ensure some drama with a lot of home runs. Overall though I am a huge fan of the Home Run Derby because it is not fixed like the slam dunk competition. (If you need proof of that go youtube Rudy Fernadez two dunks from this years dunk contest and tell me if there was not an agenda to get Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard in the Finals.)
However I think the MLB should expand the All Star festivities to have some skills competitions. Here are my ideas.
1. Fast Pitch competition- Think about it, all of the hardest throwers in the game trying to hit the highest on the radar gun. The only rule the pitch has to be a strike. Broxton, Papelbon, Verlander and maybe 3 other guys. Each gets 10 pitches with a generous umpire calling strikes. The fastest strike for each player counts winner takes all.
2. Fastest Round the Bases- Crawford, Sizemore, Ichiro and 3 other speedsters. Each gets one run around all the diamond and the clock stops when the players crosses home plate. Who is the fastest man in the Major League? This will settle it.
3. Outfield Assist- My personal favorite. Straight out of Tom Emanski Defensive Skills video. Get all of the outfielders selected to the All Star team, go out to the out field. They each get 5 throws from Left, Center, and Right from about 250 feet out. There will be a trash can in place behind home place. If the ball hits the trash can you get 1 point but if it goes in the trash can you get 3 points. The top four highest scores will go to the finals and the highest score there wins.
Are these ideas perfect no but at least it gets everybody involved in the All Star festivities and will make it much more entertaining just like the NBA, NFL, and NHL skills competition. The MLB has more than just home run hitters and its time to showcase some of that talent.
I love the Home Run Derby even though I think it is a little too long and should only be 2 rounds and have 4 guys in the finals. That would ensure that the finals are still competitive and will still ensure some drama with a lot of home runs. Overall though I am a huge fan of the Home Run Derby because it is not fixed like the slam dunk competition. (If you need proof of that go youtube Rudy Fernadez two dunks from this years dunk contest and tell me if there was not an agenda to get Nate Robinson and Dwight Howard in the Finals.)
However I think the MLB should expand the All Star festivities to have some skills competitions. Here are my ideas.
1. Fast Pitch competition- Think about it, all of the hardest throwers in the game trying to hit the highest on the radar gun. The only rule the pitch has to be a strike. Broxton, Papelbon, Verlander and maybe 3 other guys. Each gets 10 pitches with a generous umpire calling strikes. The fastest strike for each player counts winner takes all.
2. Fastest Round the Bases- Crawford, Sizemore, Ichiro and 3 other speedsters. Each gets one run around all the diamond and the clock stops when the players crosses home plate. Who is the fastest man in the Major League? This will settle it.
3. Outfield Assist- My personal favorite. Straight out of Tom Emanski Defensive Skills video. Get all of the outfielders selected to the All Star team, go out to the out field. They each get 5 throws from Left, Center, and Right from about 250 feet out. There will be a trash can in place behind home place. If the ball hits the trash can you get 1 point but if it goes in the trash can you get 3 points. The top four highest scores will go to the finals and the highest score there wins.
Are these ideas perfect no but at least it gets everybody involved in the All Star festivities and will make it much more entertaining just like the NBA, NFL, and NHL skills competition. The MLB has more than just home run hitters and its time to showcase some of that talent.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Take It Easy Lebron
Allegedly Lebron James was dunked on by Xavier guard Jordan Crawford in a scrimmage after hours at Lebron James summer camp for top high school players. The scrimmage was between the counselors who are top college players and Lebron James, and early in the scrimmage Crawford went to the basket and dunked on Lebron. This was probably one of the highlights of Crawford's early career and probably would have gotten him on Sports Center and on multiple TV shows talking about the dunk. Unfortunately for Crawford Nike reps confiscated the video of the game and the tapes have not been released to the public. According to the people at the game after the dunk Lebron called over a Nike rep and said something and the rep later went around to gather the video evidence. Despite all of this Crawford acted maturely saying "It was exciting just to be playing on the same court as him. I can see why he is so great at what he does."
As much I love Lebron James and for the most part defend him when haters try to attack him, but I cannot defend this action. You got dunked on no big deal everyone who has played basketball at at least the college level has been dunked on by an opposing player. Jordan was posterized by Starks. Lerbon himself has posterized people from Sheed, to KG to Tim Duncan. Part of being one of the premier players in the league means people are gunning to score on you. Jordan dealt with everyone trying to make him look silly. Iverson crossed him once and the video is all over YouTube.
Lebron you cannot get upset just because a talented college kid threw it down on you, and as long as you are a premier player in the league you will be a target for people to try and dunk on you. Let the kid have his moment and let it go. No one will think you are less of an NBA player because you were dunked on by a college kid.
So please let the video out and throw on a smile. Laugh it off and give the kid some props. Nobody wants to root for a player who gets this upset at being dunked on by a fellow player. I promise you will still be considered the best player in the league.
As much I love Lebron James and for the most part defend him when haters try to attack him, but I cannot defend this action. You got dunked on no big deal everyone who has played basketball at at least the college level has been dunked on by an opposing player. Jordan was posterized by Starks. Lerbon himself has posterized people from Sheed, to KG to Tim Duncan. Part of being one of the premier players in the league means people are gunning to score on you. Jordan dealt with everyone trying to make him look silly. Iverson crossed him once and the video is all over YouTube.
Lebron you cannot get upset just because a talented college kid threw it down on you, and as long as you are a premier player in the league you will be a target for people to try and dunk on you. Let the kid have his moment and let it go. No one will think you are less of an NBA player because you were dunked on by a college kid.
So please let the video out and throw on a smile. Laugh it off and give the kid some props. Nobody wants to root for a player who gets this upset at being dunked on by a fellow player. I promise you will still be considered the best player in the league.
Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Steve McNair
I know everyone has already heard about the tragic death of Steve McNair, and I am also sure everyone has heard about the circumstances surrounding his murder.
In story's like that it is important to remember that athletes have two personalities. They have the on the field persona and a personal life as well. These are separate lives and need to be treated as such. Yes, Steve McNair made some bad decisions at the end of his life that may have eventually lead to his death, but that does not change how he should be remembered as football player.
At the end of the day Steve McNair was a warrior on the football field. The list of injuries that he played through is mind blowing, and he was a fearless leader whose teams rallied behind him. Not to mention he came from a Historically Black College in Alcorn State, and still manage to be a top 5 draft pick. He was a trailblazer who can serve as motivation for all football players who bust their humps at smaller schools. Also Steve McNair was a major contributor to the community and even paid for multiple football camps entirely out of his own pocket.
Was Steve McNair perfect off the field? Absolutely not, and the tragic nature of his death have blown his mistakes in his personal life into the mainstream media. However as a player, a role model on the field, a field general, and giving back to society he was most definitely perfect.
I will choose to remember the on the field version of Steve McNair because in my eyes he had that role down perfectly, and I hope you all do the same.
In story's like that it is important to remember that athletes have two personalities. They have the on the field persona and a personal life as well. These are separate lives and need to be treated as such. Yes, Steve McNair made some bad decisions at the end of his life that may have eventually lead to his death, but that does not change how he should be remembered as football player.
At the end of the day Steve McNair was a warrior on the football field. The list of injuries that he played through is mind blowing, and he was a fearless leader whose teams rallied behind him. Not to mention he came from a Historically Black College in Alcorn State, and still manage to be a top 5 draft pick. He was a trailblazer who can serve as motivation for all football players who bust their humps at smaller schools. Also Steve McNair was a major contributor to the community and even paid for multiple football camps entirely out of his own pocket.
Was Steve McNair perfect off the field? Absolutely not, and the tragic nature of his death have blown his mistakes in his personal life into the mainstream media. However as a player, a role model on the field, a field general, and giving back to society he was most definitely perfect.
I will choose to remember the on the field version of Steve McNair because in my eyes he had that role down perfectly, and I hope you all do the same.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Keep it Down Serena
I have nothing against the Williams Sisters. I think they are two of the greatest tennis players of all time, and helped bring a new style of tennis into this generation. They brought a power game that the women's side had never seen. They combined this power with grace and beauty and become icons. The fact that they were African Americans from the hard streets of Compton, California made them even bigger icons to all young girls.
I am always thrilled when they dominate a tournament like they did at Wimbledon this year. They steamrolled the competition to face each other in the singles final, and not to mention they crushed the doubles field to win another doubles title. Serena had one of the best two weeks of her life winning both singles and doubles on the same day. I even thought her shirt that read "Are you looking at my titles" was hilarious and a great way to play on her good looks.
What is did not like was her press conference about being ranked #2. She ripped number 1 Dinora Safina and the WTA rankings. Now I agree Serena is the best woman's player today, but that does not mean she should be ranked number 1. The WTA rankings are based on a year round performance not just the majors. Serena tends to only focus on the 4 majors and does not have the same intensity for the other tour events. Dinora Safina brings her A game to every tournament no matter how big and because of her consistency in those tournaments she has gained the right to be ranked number 1. Not only that its not as if she is losing in the first round of the big tournaments.
No one complained on the men's side when Nadal passed Federer even though Nadal had only won one major outside the red clay of Roland Garros and Federer had been in 3 Grand Slam Finals and 1 Grand Slam Final that season. Why because Nadal had a better year all around in the other tournaments. When Federer took it back after winning Wimbledon no one complained because he has had a better season in the past year.
So if Serena really wants to be number 1, she needs to go out and play all the tournaments on the circuit. She needs to give and A+ effort and win a few of those tournaments. If she only wants to focus on majors that is perfectly OK too. She can keep winning the big ones and get closer to the all time record and cement her legacy as one of the greatest players of all time.
However, if she does not play in the events necessary to accumulate points to overtake the number 1 spot than she needs to stop complaining. You cannot complain about a system that you do not fully participate. So Serena the proverbial ball is in your court, either give it your all and take back what you want, or stop whining about the system.
I am always thrilled when they dominate a tournament like they did at Wimbledon this year. They steamrolled the competition to face each other in the singles final, and not to mention they crushed the doubles field to win another doubles title. Serena had one of the best two weeks of her life winning both singles and doubles on the same day. I even thought her shirt that read "Are you looking at my titles" was hilarious and a great way to play on her good looks.
What is did not like was her press conference about being ranked #2. She ripped number 1 Dinora Safina and the WTA rankings. Now I agree Serena is the best woman's player today, but that does not mean she should be ranked number 1. The WTA rankings are based on a year round performance not just the majors. Serena tends to only focus on the 4 majors and does not have the same intensity for the other tour events. Dinora Safina brings her A game to every tournament no matter how big and because of her consistency in those tournaments she has gained the right to be ranked number 1. Not only that its not as if she is losing in the first round of the big tournaments.
No one complained on the men's side when Nadal passed Federer even though Nadal had only won one major outside the red clay of Roland Garros and Federer had been in 3 Grand Slam Finals and 1 Grand Slam Final that season. Why because Nadal had a better year all around in the other tournaments. When Federer took it back after winning Wimbledon no one complained because he has had a better season in the past year.
So if Serena really wants to be number 1, she needs to go out and play all the tournaments on the circuit. She needs to give and A+ effort and win a few of those tournaments. If she only wants to focus on majors that is perfectly OK too. She can keep winning the big ones and get closer to the all time record and cement her legacy as one of the greatest players of all time.
However, if she does not play in the events necessary to accumulate points to overtake the number 1 spot than she needs to stop complaining. You cannot complain about a system that you do not fully participate. So Serena the proverbial ball is in your court, either give it your all and take back what you want, or stop whining about the system.
Friday, July 3, 2009
The Return of Manny
As exciting as the frenzy of NBA free agency has been, I am putting that on hold till all the contracts become final on July 8th. Instead I am focusing on something more disturbing, the return of Manny to the Dodgers.
It has been the lead on SportsCenter all week long and frankly it makes me upset. Manny was suspended for steroids and yet he is being talked as the savior for the Dodgers World Series hopes. It would be different if he was returning from injury but he was suspended for taking performance enhancing drugs! He should be treated as a cheater not as a savior. For all the outrage over PEDs in the recent years, Manny seems to be getting a free pass. Bonds was rejected by all fans outside the San Fransisco area, Clemens is seen as a criminal, and A-Rod was ripped apart by every media outlet. Yet Manny does not seem to be getting any of this treatment.
I think one reason for this treatment was the suspension. Manny is the first superstar to actually be suspended for 50 games. There is a feeling that he did his time and now should be treated like a regular player. I just do not agree with this sentiment at all. He cheated and got caught this makes him a black sheep in the league and should be treated as such. Players should treat him differently in the locker room and the media should not put up with him avoiding questions about steroids.
If Manny continues to get a free pass then where is the real motivation to avoid PEDs. Yes you will miss 50 games games but if you are a valuable asset to your team you will return to hero's welcome when you get back. It is time for players, coaches, media and fans to treat Manny the way he should be treated, as a cheater who got caught and forever tainted his legacy. If not then the PED problem in baseball will never truly be fixed.
It has been the lead on SportsCenter all week long and frankly it makes me upset. Manny was suspended for steroids and yet he is being talked as the savior for the Dodgers World Series hopes. It would be different if he was returning from injury but he was suspended for taking performance enhancing drugs! He should be treated as a cheater not as a savior. For all the outrage over PEDs in the recent years, Manny seems to be getting a free pass. Bonds was rejected by all fans outside the San Fransisco area, Clemens is seen as a criminal, and A-Rod was ripped apart by every media outlet. Yet Manny does not seem to be getting any of this treatment.
I think one reason for this treatment was the suspension. Manny is the first superstar to actually be suspended for 50 games. There is a feeling that he did his time and now should be treated like a regular player. I just do not agree with this sentiment at all. He cheated and got caught this makes him a black sheep in the league and should be treated as such. Players should treat him differently in the locker room and the media should not put up with him avoiding questions about steroids.
If Manny continues to get a free pass then where is the real motivation to avoid PEDs. Yes you will miss 50 games games but if you are a valuable asset to your team you will return to hero's welcome when you get back. It is time for players, coaches, media and fans to treat Manny the way he should be treated, as a cheater who got caught and forever tainted his legacy. If not then the PED problem in baseball will never truly be fixed.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Singing a New Song
Sports are a simple game, usually the best team wins and usually the best players win titles and and MVPs. What makes sports so appealing is the fan's perspective and the arguments sports present. Who is the greatest of all time? Who was the best team in history? and etc. Everyone who follows sports even a little bit has opinions on all things sports and everyone likes to voice their opinions to anyone who will listen. My favorite part about this is how we change our perspective in an instant in order to support our favorite team.
I am just as guilty as the next one. Some of my personal favorite flip flops include; Hating Roberto Alomar for spitting in an umpires face and yet cheering for him the minute he put on the Indians uniform. Calling Jamal Lewis a thug and a criminal and yet now looking for him in fantasy drafts because he is the Browns best offensive weapon. There are countless other times as well.
So naturally I have been thrilled by some of the flip flopping happening in the last few days in the NBA. In March the Cavs were talking about signing Shaq. All the Cavs fans were saying "We do not need Shaq to win the title, he will just slow our team down." Now after the Cavs have signed Shaq the Cavs fans sign "We have Shaq, now we our the favorites to win the title. Just think of how good our offense will be with Shaq."
All playoffs long I listened to Magic fans talk about how Hedo Turkaglu was the heart and soul of their team and when the Magic needed a big bucket in the clutch Hedo was their man. Then he opted for free agency and the Magic signed Vince "I only try in a contract year and if I am not happy I quit on my team" Carter and suddenly the Magic fans are singing "We are even better than last year. Vince is a huge upgrade for our team we are the favorites for the title"
Even in Lakerland people are singing new tunes. During the season all we heard was that Trevor Ariza was the next Scottie Pippen for Kobe. They told us that Ariza was one of the cornerstones of the franchise for the next 10 years. Now Ariza is asking for a bigger salary and will most likely sign somewhere else. Now the Lakers fans are singing "Ariza was not a big piece to our title run, we can find someone to fill his role easily. We are still the favorites for the title next year."
Whose next? Celtics after they sign Rasheed Wallace? I don't know but I know I will enjoy the singing of new songs by all the fans of of the title favorites but for now "Shaq will absolutely dominate the paint and improve our offense so my Cavs have to be the favorites for the Title."
I am just as guilty as the next one. Some of my personal favorite flip flops include; Hating Roberto Alomar for spitting in an umpires face and yet cheering for him the minute he put on the Indians uniform. Calling Jamal Lewis a thug and a criminal and yet now looking for him in fantasy drafts because he is the Browns best offensive weapon. There are countless other times as well.
So naturally I have been thrilled by some of the flip flopping happening in the last few days in the NBA. In March the Cavs were talking about signing Shaq. All the Cavs fans were saying "We do not need Shaq to win the title, he will just slow our team down." Now after the Cavs have signed Shaq the Cavs fans sign "We have Shaq, now we our the favorites to win the title. Just think of how good our offense will be with Shaq."
All playoffs long I listened to Magic fans talk about how Hedo Turkaglu was the heart and soul of their team and when the Magic needed a big bucket in the clutch Hedo was their man. Then he opted for free agency and the Magic signed Vince "I only try in a contract year and if I am not happy I quit on my team" Carter and suddenly the Magic fans are singing "We are even better than last year. Vince is a huge upgrade for our team we are the favorites for the title"
Even in Lakerland people are singing new tunes. During the season all we heard was that Trevor Ariza was the next Scottie Pippen for Kobe. They told us that Ariza was one of the cornerstones of the franchise for the next 10 years. Now Ariza is asking for a bigger salary and will most likely sign somewhere else. Now the Lakers fans are singing "Ariza was not a big piece to our title run, we can find someone to fill his role easily. We are still the favorites for the title next year."
Whose next? Celtics after they sign Rasheed Wallace? I don't know but I know I will enjoy the singing of new songs by all the fans of of the title favorites but for now "Shaq will absolutely dominate the paint and improve our offense so my Cavs have to be the favorites for the Title."
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
The pressure of sports
So often in sports we take the athletes for granted. I know I am just as guilty as anybody else out there, too often I watch a reliever blow a lead, a two guard miss an open 3 in a clutch situation, or a QB throw a pick in the last two minutes and get upset. We say things like "that guy is a bum or why is he even in the big leagues" At games we shower the goat with boos and agree as he is ripped apart through the media. However after hearing the story of Ian Snell and his near mental collapse after being sent down to the minors, I was brought back to reality. Ian Snell recently came out and admitted that as he was struggling mental as he was failing in the big leagues and was sent back down. He talked about how he fell into depression and thought about suicide, but thankfully thought better and is using it as a source of strength as he battles to return to the big leagues.
Too often we forget the massive amount of pressure these players face. They walk out in front of thousands of people (or hundreds if they play for the Marlins) and in front of millions on live TV or highlight shows. Not to mention in the cutthroat world of professional sports a few bad performances can end the dream before it even begins. Yes they are massively well compensated but that can only increase the pressure. A high paid CEO can work in obscurity and will have years to work on their company.
Now I am not saying that professional athletes should be immune from criticism because after all it is their job. I am saying that sometimes we as fans we take for granted the amount of pressure these athletes are under. So the next time you see an athlete make a mistake or blow a game, just stop an appreciate the stress and pressure that he is under, then feel free to get upset at the result. Just remember that the athlete is probably 100 times more upset than you are.
Too often we forget the massive amount of pressure these players face. They walk out in front of thousands of people (or hundreds if they play for the Marlins) and in front of millions on live TV or highlight shows. Not to mention in the cutthroat world of professional sports a few bad performances can end the dream before it even begins. Yes they are massively well compensated but that can only increase the pressure. A high paid CEO can work in obscurity and will have years to work on their company.
Now I am not saying that professional athletes should be immune from criticism because after all it is their job. I am saying that sometimes we as fans we take for granted the amount of pressure these athletes are under. So the next time you see an athlete make a mistake or blow a game, just stop an appreciate the stress and pressure that he is under, then feel free to get upset at the result. Just remember that the athlete is probably 100 times more upset than you are.
Monday, June 29, 2009
Weekend Recap
I spent the past weekend at the Reds Indians series so I was not able to watch as much sports on TV as I would have liked. However I will still offer up some thoughts about happenings of the weekend.
Interleague Play- Interleague play wrapped up this weekend with the AL winning again. While I am not the biggest fan of Interleague, it was a pretty good weekend of games, except of coarse in Cleveland where the closest game was 7-3. I wish there was a way to eliminate the less appealing match ups of Interleague and play the match ups that people really like to watch. If the MLB insists on continuing Interleague play they should set up the match ups based on geographical rivalaries and last years records. I know I get a little more excited when the Indians are playing the Reds, than when they are playing the Rockies. If the MLB would like to eliminate Interleague play, I would not be upset either.
USA loses heart breaker in the Confederations Cup- This was a tale of two halves. The first half the USA came out looking like the best team in the world. They were attacking in all 3 parts of the field, firing shots on goal, and grabbed a 2-0 lead. While Brazil had some moments of promise in the first half it seemed more than probable that the USA could pull it off. Then the 2nd half started and before you could even get your first "USA! USA! USA!" out Brazil had scored to make it 2-1. The rest as they say is history, and the USA lost 3-2. No matter the result this was a great moment for USA soccer. While it will not make it a main stream sport or even stay in many people's thoughts for more than a week, but it was a watershed moment because the USA played and beat some of the big boys of the world and this should give them confidence going into South Africa next summer. The key will lie with Bob Bradley to keep the team confident but motivated. The team should know that they can hang with anybody in the world but also be well aware that if they decide to just rest on their laurels than they will come crashing out early in the 2010 World Cup.
Wimbledon- Monday represents the 4th round for both men and women. Look for Federer, Murray, Djokovic, and Roddick to cruise on the men's side. On the woman's side, its the Williams sisters' tourney to win it is just a question of which one. The second week of Wimbledon is one of the greatest weeks in sports so I highly recommend you check out the coverage this week.
That's all for now. I promise to have a full week of posts this week.
Interleague Play- Interleague play wrapped up this weekend with the AL winning again. While I am not the biggest fan of Interleague, it was a pretty good weekend of games, except of coarse in Cleveland where the closest game was 7-3. I wish there was a way to eliminate the less appealing match ups of Interleague and play the match ups that people really like to watch. If the MLB insists on continuing Interleague play they should set up the match ups based on geographical rivalaries and last years records. I know I get a little more excited when the Indians are playing the Reds, than when they are playing the Rockies. If the MLB would like to eliminate Interleague play, I would not be upset either.
USA loses heart breaker in the Confederations Cup- This was a tale of two halves. The first half the USA came out looking like the best team in the world. They were attacking in all 3 parts of the field, firing shots on goal, and grabbed a 2-0 lead. While Brazil had some moments of promise in the first half it seemed more than probable that the USA could pull it off. Then the 2nd half started and before you could even get your first "USA! USA! USA!" out Brazil had scored to make it 2-1. The rest as they say is history, and the USA lost 3-2. No matter the result this was a great moment for USA soccer. While it will not make it a main stream sport or even stay in many people's thoughts for more than a week, but it was a watershed moment because the USA played and beat some of the big boys of the world and this should give them confidence going into South Africa next summer. The key will lie with Bob Bradley to keep the team confident but motivated. The team should know that they can hang with anybody in the world but also be well aware that if they decide to just rest on their laurels than they will come crashing out early in the 2010 World Cup.
Wimbledon- Monday represents the 4th round for both men and women. Look for Federer, Murray, Djokovic, and Roddick to cruise on the men's side. On the woman's side, its the Williams sisters' tourney to win it is just a question of which one. The second week of Wimbledon is one of the greatest weeks in sports so I highly recommend you check out the coverage this week.
That's all for now. I promise to have a full week of posts this week.
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Miracle in South Africa
All that was missing was Al Michaels counting down the time; 3, 2, 1 Do you believe in miracles?
USA 2 Spain 0. The USA team that a week ago looked like they did not even belong in the tournament, delivered the knockout punch to the #1 team in the world.
The USA came out early and played with passion and strategy. They knew that the only way to stop control Spain was to attack the midfield and try to score early and they did just that dominating the play in the first 3o minutes and getting the score on a brilliant move by Josie Altidore to get free and score. The goal signaled everything the USA needed. First they attacked in an odd man rush then Altidore made a great move to get in on goal. Finally the shot was partially saved by the Spanish keeper but still manged to catch the inside post and go in for the goal. This was a great break and great breaks never seem to go against the USA in big games.
Once the first goal was scored, the game was on. The giants from Spain realized this would be a dogfight and came out swinging. Tim Howard was breathtaking in the goal. He took a barrage a shots. The back line of the USA looked like hockey players laying out in front of shots to deflect them. As the game wore on and Spain kept pushing it seemed like it was impossible for the USA to hold them off. Then out of nowhere the USA was on the counter and Landon Donovan opted to pass instead of shoot, which seemed like a terrible decision but the deflection sat on Sergio Ramos foot for a second too long and Clint Dempsey put it home for an improbable 2nd goal. Now the win seemed possible. Despite and iffy red card on Michael Bradley in the 87th minute, the defense continued to protect the goal.
As the time ran out their was a sense of shock. I sat there in disbelief that it actually happened. I went into this game hoping that the USA could save face and keep it close. This was Spain the #1 team in the world, the defending EURO Champs, riding a world record 15 match winning streak, unbeaten in 35 games, and had yet to give up a goal in the entire tournament. The USA had backed their way into the semifinals. There was no way the USA was supposed to even compete in this game let alone win.
USA soccer is in a position to win a FIFA tournament for the first time ever. If they manage to beat Brazil/South Africa, it would be one of the most improbable turnarounds in soccer history. Regardless of the outcome the USA has found something that was severely lacking on the national team, confidence and pride. Next year the USA can show up to the World Cup and know that if they play with passion and strategy, they can hang with and beat anybody in the world.
What happens next is up to the 23 members of the national team and Bob Bradley, but for the first time in a long time I feel confident that the USA National Team is heading down the right path.
USA 2 Spain 0. The USA team that a week ago looked like they did not even belong in the tournament, delivered the knockout punch to the #1 team in the world.
The USA came out early and played with passion and strategy. They knew that the only way to stop control Spain was to attack the midfield and try to score early and they did just that dominating the play in the first 3o minutes and getting the score on a brilliant move by Josie Altidore to get free and score. The goal signaled everything the USA needed. First they attacked in an odd man rush then Altidore made a great move to get in on goal. Finally the shot was partially saved by the Spanish keeper but still manged to catch the inside post and go in for the goal. This was a great break and great breaks never seem to go against the USA in big games.
Once the first goal was scored, the game was on. The giants from Spain realized this would be a dogfight and came out swinging. Tim Howard was breathtaking in the goal. He took a barrage a shots. The back line of the USA looked like hockey players laying out in front of shots to deflect them. As the game wore on and Spain kept pushing it seemed like it was impossible for the USA to hold them off. Then out of nowhere the USA was on the counter and Landon Donovan opted to pass instead of shoot, which seemed like a terrible decision but the deflection sat on Sergio Ramos foot for a second too long and Clint Dempsey put it home for an improbable 2nd goal. Now the win seemed possible. Despite and iffy red card on Michael Bradley in the 87th minute, the defense continued to protect the goal.
As the time ran out their was a sense of shock. I sat there in disbelief that it actually happened. I went into this game hoping that the USA could save face and keep it close. This was Spain the #1 team in the world, the defending EURO Champs, riding a world record 15 match winning streak, unbeaten in 35 games, and had yet to give up a goal in the entire tournament. The USA had backed their way into the semifinals. There was no way the USA was supposed to even compete in this game let alone win.
USA soccer is in a position to win a FIFA tournament for the first time ever. If they manage to beat Brazil/South Africa, it would be one of the most improbable turnarounds in soccer history. Regardless of the outcome the USA has found something that was severely lacking on the national team, confidence and pride. Next year the USA can show up to the World Cup and know that if they play with passion and strategy, they can hang with and beat anybody in the world.
What happens next is up to the 23 members of the national team and Bob Bradley, but for the first time in a long time I feel confident that the USA National Team is heading down the right path.
Monday, June 22, 2009
USA Soccer Remix
So I do not know if anyone is even reading the blog but if you are then you surely saw that the USA pulled a rabbit out of their collective hat and served me some humble pie after my harsh critique of the team last week.
USA came out dominant and played with purpose and handed it to Egypt 3-0 and thanks to Italy failing to show up against Brazil, which was one of the most embarrassing performance in their storied history, the USA advanced to the semifinals.
While I was thoroughly pumped up about the win, I knew that the best team in the world, Spain, was waiting for the USA in the semifinals. Yes. I would love to see the USA pull of the biggest win in the program's history, but I am also a realist. Spain is currently ranked #1 in the world, they have a 15 match winning streak and a 35 game undefeated streak, and feature one of the most skilled teams in recent memory; so it is safe to say the USA will be a HUGE underdog.
However this is not a time for USA soccer to subscribe to the "Hey no one expected us to advance so who cares what happens in this game" mentality. This is a huge opportunity for the USA to show its not just a team that got lucky. I realize they probably cannot win this match up but it will depend on how they lose that will set the tone for the future. If USA losses 2-1 or 3-2 and gives Spain a test, then they will have sent a message to the world that they are for real. If USA comes out gives up 2 early goals and loses 3-0 or 4-1 than its back to square one. The USA needs a clutch performance even if it is a losing one because anything less means this tournament gave them nothing except a fluke win and some help from Brazil.
So please USA come out play with purpose, play with pride, and lets make sure we actually gain something from this tournament.
USA came out dominant and played with purpose and handed it to Egypt 3-0 and thanks to Italy failing to show up against Brazil, which was one of the most embarrassing performance in their storied history, the USA advanced to the semifinals.
While I was thoroughly pumped up about the win, I knew that the best team in the world, Spain, was waiting for the USA in the semifinals. Yes. I would love to see the USA pull of the biggest win in the program's history, but I am also a realist. Spain is currently ranked #1 in the world, they have a 15 match winning streak and a 35 game undefeated streak, and feature one of the most skilled teams in recent memory; so it is safe to say the USA will be a HUGE underdog.
However this is not a time for USA soccer to subscribe to the "Hey no one expected us to advance so who cares what happens in this game" mentality. This is a huge opportunity for the USA to show its not just a team that got lucky. I realize they probably cannot win this match up but it will depend on how they lose that will set the tone for the future. If USA losses 2-1 or 3-2 and gives Spain a test, then they will have sent a message to the world that they are for real. If USA comes out gives up 2 early goals and loses 3-0 or 4-1 than its back to square one. The USA needs a clutch performance even if it is a losing one because anything less means this tournament gave them nothing except a fluke win and some help from Brazil.
So please USA come out play with purpose, play with pride, and lets make sure we actually gain something from this tournament.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
USA Soccer
After the disappointing loss to Italy to start off the USA's campaign in South Africa for the Confederations Cup, I was excited for this morning's game vs Brazil. This was a chance for a motivated USA team to come out and take it to the greatest soccer country in history. Brazil had been tested by the African champions and if there was ever a chance for the USA to pull off the upset it was today. Much to my dismay the USA came out flat gave up 2 goals in the first 20 minutes and never really tested Brazil.
I love soccer and have been drinking the Kool-Aid that the US Soccer Federation has been serving since the teams incredible run to the Final 8 in the 2002 World Cup. When the team looked flat after the 2002 World Cup they said "We may be struggling because a new generation of players are coming up" and I believed that this generation would be the generation to take the USA to the next level. After the below par performance at the 2006 World Cup they said " We know we underachieved but we were in a brutal group and we tied the World Cup Champions in a great match". Although I was upset at the result, I believed them. When they went out on their tour of friendlies last summer with close loses to England, Spain, and a tie with Argentina. They said "Look how much better we are getting, we hung in with some of the best teams in the world". I was not overwhelmed by their performances against teams that were not at full strength, but still a believed them. As the team rolled through World Cup Qualifying, they said "Look we are the dominant team in CONCACF" and even though that was not saying much I believed them.
Then came this past month of qualifiers. An absolute beat down in Costa Rica, where they never looked into the game, and a win at home against Honduras, where they conceded an early goal and needed to rally late to win. Those last two performances had me doubting the actual ability of this USA team. So I was anxiously looking forward to the Confederations Cup knowing that they would face 3 very good teams in Italy, Brazil, and Egypt and there performance would serve as a barometer to see how much progress the team has really made.
Well after the last two performances against Italy and Brazil, I can safely say the USA has regressed under Bob Bradley and will be in for a very very disappointing World Cup in 2010 unless some things are changed quickly.
1. Fire Bob Bradley- I never like asking for a coach to be fired because I rarely think I can do better, but in this case I think it has to happen. The team is not responding to Bradley's coaching and the lack of effort on the field shows. They need to hire someone who will command respect in the locker room and will motivate both the young and old players to play with intensity.
2. Create a style identity- Look at the 3 premier teams in the Confederations Cup Brazil, Spain, and Italy. Spain is known for its dominance in the midfield and its ability to take over the possession of a game. Brazil is know for its wide open attacking style that puts pressure on every player in the midfield and back line. Italy is know for its lock down defense and the ability to strike quickly on the counter attack. What is the USA team identity? They are not know for their back line, their midfield play, or their scoring ability. The team seems to go into the game just hoping they catch some breaks maybe score a goal and hope Tim Howard can make it stand. It may take years to establish but the USA needs to create some sort of strategic game plan that they can excel playing.
3. Decide youth or experience- Currently the USA is a combination of either 7-8 year veterans or 1-2 year players. I realize you will never have all one or all the other but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the call-ups and team selections. If the USA wants to go with experience that is great but make the majority of the team veterans who have serious international experience. If they want to make this a youth movement, I love that idea too but lets really open the doors for young players to start and develop. There is no point in naming a lot of young players if they will only get minimal minutes or just training seasons.
4. Demand excellence on the national team level- When I watch the national team I get the feeling that some players are playing because they have to play not because they want to play. I feel that many of the players feel so secure in their spots on the team they do not bring their best effort for every game. Whoever the new coach is needs to be someone who demands excellence and pride in every game and if a player is failing to do that they sit the next game or do not get the call for the next international tournament. Playing for the national team is a privilege and I would much rather have a roster of 23 players who understand that than a team with more talented players who do not.
The US Soccer Federation has been trying to tell us for years that the Men's National Team is among the world's elite teams. Well I am not drinking the Kool-Aid anymore and I think majority of fans are coming around as well. Changes need to be made or else the USA is set up for disaster in 2010, which would be a huge blow to the efforts to grow the game in the USA.
I love soccer and have been drinking the Kool-Aid that the US Soccer Federation has been serving since the teams incredible run to the Final 8 in the 2002 World Cup. When the team looked flat after the 2002 World Cup they said "We may be struggling because a new generation of players are coming up" and I believed that this generation would be the generation to take the USA to the next level. After the below par performance at the 2006 World Cup they said " We know we underachieved but we were in a brutal group and we tied the World Cup Champions in a great match". Although I was upset at the result, I believed them. When they went out on their tour of friendlies last summer with close loses to England, Spain, and a tie with Argentina. They said "Look how much better we are getting, we hung in with some of the best teams in the world". I was not overwhelmed by their performances against teams that were not at full strength, but still a believed them. As the team rolled through World Cup Qualifying, they said "Look we are the dominant team in CONCACF" and even though that was not saying much I believed them.
Then came this past month of qualifiers. An absolute beat down in Costa Rica, where they never looked into the game, and a win at home against Honduras, where they conceded an early goal and needed to rally late to win. Those last two performances had me doubting the actual ability of this USA team. So I was anxiously looking forward to the Confederations Cup knowing that they would face 3 very good teams in Italy, Brazil, and Egypt and there performance would serve as a barometer to see how much progress the team has really made.
Well after the last two performances against Italy and Brazil, I can safely say the USA has regressed under Bob Bradley and will be in for a very very disappointing World Cup in 2010 unless some things are changed quickly.
1. Fire Bob Bradley- I never like asking for a coach to be fired because I rarely think I can do better, but in this case I think it has to happen. The team is not responding to Bradley's coaching and the lack of effort on the field shows. They need to hire someone who will command respect in the locker room and will motivate both the young and old players to play with intensity.
2. Create a style identity- Look at the 3 premier teams in the Confederations Cup Brazil, Spain, and Italy. Spain is known for its dominance in the midfield and its ability to take over the possession of a game. Brazil is know for its wide open attacking style that puts pressure on every player in the midfield and back line. Italy is know for its lock down defense and the ability to strike quickly on the counter attack. What is the USA team identity? They are not know for their back line, their midfield play, or their scoring ability. The team seems to go into the game just hoping they catch some breaks maybe score a goal and hope Tim Howard can make it stand. It may take years to establish but the USA needs to create some sort of strategic game plan that they can excel playing.
3. Decide youth or experience- Currently the USA is a combination of either 7-8 year veterans or 1-2 year players. I realize you will never have all one or all the other but there seems to be no rhyme or reason to the call-ups and team selections. If the USA wants to go with experience that is great but make the majority of the team veterans who have serious international experience. If they want to make this a youth movement, I love that idea too but lets really open the doors for young players to start and develop. There is no point in naming a lot of young players if they will only get minimal minutes or just training seasons.
4. Demand excellence on the national team level- When I watch the national team I get the feeling that some players are playing because they have to play not because they want to play. I feel that many of the players feel so secure in their spots on the team they do not bring their best effort for every game. Whoever the new coach is needs to be someone who demands excellence and pride in every game and if a player is failing to do that they sit the next game or do not get the call for the next international tournament. Playing for the national team is a privilege and I would much rather have a roster of 23 players who understand that than a team with more talented players who do not.
The US Soccer Federation has been trying to tell us for years that the Men's National Team is among the world's elite teams. Well I am not drinking the Kool-Aid anymore and I think majority of fans are coming around as well. Changes need to be made or else the USA is set up for disaster in 2010, which would be a huge blow to the efforts to grow the game in the USA.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Vick vs Dante
In the current firestorm about Dante Stallworth's ridiculous 30 day sentence for DUI manslaughter many people have pointed out that Micheal Vick served almost 2 years for his role in a dogfighting ring and Dante Stallworth only got 30 days for killing a man. While I am disgusted that Stallworth will only be in jail for 24 days one important thing needs to be pointed out. You cannot compare the two crimes and the two prison sentences.
1. Vick's case was a federal case- Vick's dogfighting ring operated in multiple states which meant that the case was a federal case that would be tried in a federal courtroom with federal attorneys. Federal cases are very rarely settled by plea bargains so it most likely all or nothing. Not to mention the fact that it was a federal case meant that the FBI was using its full capability and resources to investigate the case. The evidence was damning against Vick and once his partners rolled on him there was no chance of avoiding a serious sentence for his crimes. Stallworth on the other hand was a local crime so it was investigate by local police and persecuted by local attorneys. This is not a condemnation of local police and attorneys but they are often swamped with multiple cases and have limited resources.
2. Media outcry- Right or wrong DUI manslaughter cases are not that uncommon even within athletes. Lenard Little was convicted of it in the past decade. Nick Adenheart was killed in an accident with a drunk driver this year, and Danny Heatley killed a teammate while driving drunk 5 years ago. Unfortunately these cases happen enough that they are not breaking news and there is little media outcry. However Vick's case was unique because how often do you about dogfighting rings, let alone dogfighting rings run by a franchise QB, who just signed a $120 million contract and had the highest selling jersey in the NFL. The media took this story and ran with it and by the time the case was going to court Vick was the most vilified man in America. Also the public outcry was for Vick to be punished to the highest extent of the law. Groups like PETA and other animal rights groups protested everywhere Vick went. Look back at the Stallworth story; I remember hearing about the accident, hearing that he was over the legal limit, and hearing about the prison sentence. There were not protests or media outcry until he was sentenced. Right or wrong our society reacts differently to crimes and in the case of DUI manslaughter it unfortunately happens so often that we quickly brush over the story and move on to the next story.
3. Stallworth did everything the right way- This sounds stupid but Stallworth's acted in the correct way from the minute the accident occurred. He stayed at the scene of the crime, admitted fault as soon as the police got there, and volunteered to have his blood tested for alcohol. He immediately said he was in the wrong and that he was sorry and settled for a cash settlement with the family. While this in no way absolves him of his crime, it at least made the judge view him favorably. Vick denied the claims and tried to fight it by all means necessary despite the damning evidence against him. Everyone knew Vick was guilty in some regard and his continual denials made him seem as if he thought he was untouchable and would walk away from the charges.
4. The evidence in the case- The man Stallworth hit was running at full speed across the street, and was not at a crosswalk. This made the case much more difficult for the attorneys because they knew that Stallworth's attorneys would try to claim that the pedestrian put himself in harms way and even sober Stallworth would not be able to avoid hitting him. While this seems implausible, attorneys never know how a jury will react. The district attorneys were faced with a distinct possibility that Stallworth could be found innocent. The attorneys figured better to get something over nothing so the plea bargain was offered. In Vick's case the evidence was overwhelmingly against him, and it would have taken a miracle that no lawyer would have felt confident about. The federal prosecutors knew they had Vick between a rock and a hard place and could push as hard as they want.
5. Motive- This is black and white issue to me. Vick and his colleagues planned this dogfighting ring from start to finish. They knowingly set up arenas for dogfighting coordinated with other dog owners to set up the fights, and were willing to execute dogs in the most inhumane way possible. While Stallworth's crime was awful it was an accident. Yes he caused it by drinking and driving but he was not out to commit murder. Hence the reason he is charged with manslaughter and not homicide. While it does not excuse Stallworth for the crime, it shows there was no motive and in the criminal world motive is what drives sentences to the more severe level.
At the end of the day, I am disgusted that Stallworth got off so easily. I think he deserves to be behind bars for at least 3-5 years for his crime. If he gets to play football this upcoming year I think his whole salary should be donated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving or some charity similar to that. I know he will be forced to live with the knowledge that he took a man's life something that I cannot even comprehend, but I still do not believe that is punishment enough.
People have a million reasons to be outraged about the embarrassment that was the legal system on Tuesday but the one reason you cannot be outraged is that Stallworth got less time than Vick. They are both criminals but their crimes were different crimes and committed under different circumstances and therefore the punishments were different. I am furious that Stallworth got off so easily just not because Vick had a longer sentence.
1. Vick's case was a federal case- Vick's dogfighting ring operated in multiple states which meant that the case was a federal case that would be tried in a federal courtroom with federal attorneys. Federal cases are very rarely settled by plea bargains so it most likely all or nothing. Not to mention the fact that it was a federal case meant that the FBI was using its full capability and resources to investigate the case. The evidence was damning against Vick and once his partners rolled on him there was no chance of avoiding a serious sentence for his crimes. Stallworth on the other hand was a local crime so it was investigate by local police and persecuted by local attorneys. This is not a condemnation of local police and attorneys but they are often swamped with multiple cases and have limited resources.
2. Media outcry- Right or wrong DUI manslaughter cases are not that uncommon even within athletes. Lenard Little was convicted of it in the past decade. Nick Adenheart was killed in an accident with a drunk driver this year, and Danny Heatley killed a teammate while driving drunk 5 years ago. Unfortunately these cases happen enough that they are not breaking news and there is little media outcry. However Vick's case was unique because how often do you about dogfighting rings, let alone dogfighting rings run by a franchise QB, who just signed a $120 million contract and had the highest selling jersey in the NFL. The media took this story and ran with it and by the time the case was going to court Vick was the most vilified man in America. Also the public outcry was for Vick to be punished to the highest extent of the law. Groups like PETA and other animal rights groups protested everywhere Vick went. Look back at the Stallworth story; I remember hearing about the accident, hearing that he was over the legal limit, and hearing about the prison sentence. There were not protests or media outcry until he was sentenced. Right or wrong our society reacts differently to crimes and in the case of DUI manslaughter it unfortunately happens so often that we quickly brush over the story and move on to the next story.
3. Stallworth did everything the right way- This sounds stupid but Stallworth's acted in the correct way from the minute the accident occurred. He stayed at the scene of the crime, admitted fault as soon as the police got there, and volunteered to have his blood tested for alcohol. He immediately said he was in the wrong and that he was sorry and settled for a cash settlement with the family. While this in no way absolves him of his crime, it at least made the judge view him favorably. Vick denied the claims and tried to fight it by all means necessary despite the damning evidence against him. Everyone knew Vick was guilty in some regard and his continual denials made him seem as if he thought he was untouchable and would walk away from the charges.
4. The evidence in the case- The man Stallworth hit was running at full speed across the street, and was not at a crosswalk. This made the case much more difficult for the attorneys because they knew that Stallworth's attorneys would try to claim that the pedestrian put himself in harms way and even sober Stallworth would not be able to avoid hitting him. While this seems implausible, attorneys never know how a jury will react. The district attorneys were faced with a distinct possibility that Stallworth could be found innocent. The attorneys figured better to get something over nothing so the plea bargain was offered. In Vick's case the evidence was overwhelmingly against him, and it would have taken a miracle that no lawyer would have felt confident about. The federal prosecutors knew they had Vick between a rock and a hard place and could push as hard as they want.
5. Motive- This is black and white issue to me. Vick and his colleagues planned this dogfighting ring from start to finish. They knowingly set up arenas for dogfighting coordinated with other dog owners to set up the fights, and were willing to execute dogs in the most inhumane way possible. While Stallworth's crime was awful it was an accident. Yes he caused it by drinking and driving but he was not out to commit murder. Hence the reason he is charged with manslaughter and not homicide. While it does not excuse Stallworth for the crime, it shows there was no motive and in the criminal world motive is what drives sentences to the more severe level.
At the end of the day, I am disgusted that Stallworth got off so easily. I think he deserves to be behind bars for at least 3-5 years for his crime. If he gets to play football this upcoming year I think his whole salary should be donated to Mothers Against Drunk Driving or some charity similar to that. I know he will be forced to live with the knowledge that he took a man's life something that I cannot even comprehend, but I still do not believe that is punishment enough.
People have a million reasons to be outraged about the embarrassment that was the legal system on Tuesday but the one reason you cannot be outraged is that Stallworth got less time than Vick. They are both criminals but their crimes were different crimes and committed under different circumstances and therefore the punishments were different. I am furious that Stallworth got off so easily just not because Vick had a longer sentence.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The problem with relievers
I was watching the Indians-Brewers game Monday night and watched as both bullpens faltered especially the Indians bullpen as they gave up 6 runs in the 8th inning. As I was picking up the pieces from my remote after Rafael Perez gave up a grand slam to Prince Fielder to officially blow the lead, I started wondering why there are so few good relievers in the MLB. I came up with a few reasons and I think they may shed some light on why even though so many games are in won or lost in the 7th, 8th, and 9th; teams continually fail to address the problems with today's bullpen set up.
1. Starters are less durable- Through the first 75 some odd years off baseball starters were horses. Pitchers went into the 7th almost every start regardless of the score. Most went 8 or 9 unless they were really being shelled. In the past 25 years though managers have begun to control pitchers more and more which has hurt the pitchers endurance. Now most pitchers are done by the 7th inning unless they have a gem going, which means more innings for the bullpen and by the law of averages the more innings for the bullpen the more often then bullpen will blow a game.
2. Hitters are too good- Whether it is all natural or by some "scientific" means hitters are getting better and better. They spend more time training in the winter and have technology unlike any previous generation. Hitters can have a bad at bat in the 4th inning go look at the video immediately and start making changes that could pay off by the 8th. Not to mention hitters can use video to study every pitcher on a team before a series starts. Hitters are too good for mediocre pitchers to get through and unfortunately today's bullpens are filled with mediocre pitchers
3. The overvalue of closers- In today's game teams have made the mistake of overpaying and overvaluing the role of closers. Realistically though the game can be blown in any inning and the system is so illogical that the follows scenario happens often. The 3-4-5 hitters coming up in the 8th in a one or two run game, and yet even though these are the hitters who are the biggest risk to scoring runs managers will trot out the set up man who 90% of the time has worse stuff than the closer. How does that make sense? Why because teams and closers are too focused on the save statistic. Without the save statistic managers would bring out their best relief pitchers to face the best hitters, whether its the 7th, 8th or 9th inning.
4. The rush to make every effective pitcher a starter or closer- Most teams have pitching prospects with pitches effective enough to be a reliever in the big leagues, yet the best prospects are pigeonholed into being the starter of the future or the closer of the future. Look at David Price or Joba Chamberlain for example. Both of these young pitchers have electric stuff and were lights out as late inning relievers, but both have made the move to the starting rotation. I am not saying those two will fail as starters but as they say "if it ain't broke don't fix it". There are plenty of average starters that can fill the 3, 4, and 5 pitcher so why force a young guy who is an effective reliever to be the 3rd pitcher in the rotation?
These are just a few thoughts but just know if I was a major league manager I will be bringing my best pitcher in to face the heart of the order in the 8th. My young pitchers will start as late relievers and if they succeed in that role they will be a reliever until the day I get fired, which will be never because I will have the most effective bullpen in the MLB.
1. Starters are less durable- Through the first 75 some odd years off baseball starters were horses. Pitchers went into the 7th almost every start regardless of the score. Most went 8 or 9 unless they were really being shelled. In the past 25 years though managers have begun to control pitchers more and more which has hurt the pitchers endurance. Now most pitchers are done by the 7th inning unless they have a gem going, which means more innings for the bullpen and by the law of averages the more innings for the bullpen the more often then bullpen will blow a game.
2. Hitters are too good- Whether it is all natural or by some "scientific" means hitters are getting better and better. They spend more time training in the winter and have technology unlike any previous generation. Hitters can have a bad at bat in the 4th inning go look at the video immediately and start making changes that could pay off by the 8th. Not to mention hitters can use video to study every pitcher on a team before a series starts. Hitters are too good for mediocre pitchers to get through and unfortunately today's bullpens are filled with mediocre pitchers
3. The overvalue of closers- In today's game teams have made the mistake of overpaying and overvaluing the role of closers. Realistically though the game can be blown in any inning and the system is so illogical that the follows scenario happens often. The 3-4-5 hitters coming up in the 8th in a one or two run game, and yet even though these are the hitters who are the biggest risk to scoring runs managers will trot out the set up man who 90% of the time has worse stuff than the closer. How does that make sense? Why because teams and closers are too focused on the save statistic. Without the save statistic managers would bring out their best relief pitchers to face the best hitters, whether its the 7th, 8th or 9th inning.
4. The rush to make every effective pitcher a starter or closer- Most teams have pitching prospects with pitches effective enough to be a reliever in the big leagues, yet the best prospects are pigeonholed into being the starter of the future or the closer of the future. Look at David Price or Joba Chamberlain for example. Both of these young pitchers have electric stuff and were lights out as late inning relievers, but both have made the move to the starting rotation. I am not saying those two will fail as starters but as they say "if it ain't broke don't fix it". There are plenty of average starters that can fill the 3, 4, and 5 pitcher so why force a young guy who is an effective reliever to be the 3rd pitcher in the rotation?
These are just a few thoughts but just know if I was a major league manager I will be bringing my best pitcher in to face the heart of the order in the 8th. My young pitchers will start as late relievers and if they succeed in that role they will be a reliever until the day I get fired, which will be never because I will have the most effective bullpen in the MLB.
Monday, June 15, 2009
NBA 2010 Preview
Seeing that the Lakers closed the Finals out in five (as you heard here), I figured the the best thing to do was to forget this season and offer you a preview for next season.
I realize there may be some serious trades (Shaq to Cleveland) some big free agent moves (Turkoglu leaving Orlando for more money) and a sleeper rookie pick (Rubio to Oklahoma City). However this is a pre pre-season prediction.
Let me preface by saying this by saying this has the potential to be one of the most exciting seasons in NBA history. Just some of the story lines.
The last ride of Duncan and the Spurs- Duncan has one more year as a dominant post player in the NBA. With Manu coming off surgery and Parker exploding as one of the most underrated stars in the league, this will probably be the last season the Spurs big 3 will contend for a title. Can Manu and Timmy stay healthy for one more year? If so the road to the Finals may go through San Antonio.
Boston's Big 3 part duex- With the injury to Kevin Garnett the Celtics were never really a factor in the playoffs. However, the Big 3 return at full strength and with the development of Rajon Rando, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis, and this could make them the outright favorite for the title.
Kobe Quest for Repeat- Kobe got his 4th ring, and has cemented himself as one of the Top Ten players in history. So he will probably just settle to enjoy the rest of his career and relax. I just cannot see that happening. Not to mention the Lakers could return with their entire nucleus back from a team that dominated the Finals.
Lebron- Will he stay or will he go? Will the Cavs get over the hump? What moves will be made to make Lebron believe they are a contender? Can Lebron repeat as MVP after one of the best statistical seasons in recent memories? Its a season of questions for Cleveland and yet I think everyone expects them to be a 60 win team.
60 wins- We could legitimately see 6 teams win 60 games this season. Lakers (lock for 60), Cavs (lock), Celtics (lock), and the Magic and Spurs could easily get above 60 wins themselves. The Nuggets could even be near that number as well.
Young Talented Teams trying to break through- Blazers, Bulls, Thunder, and Hawks. 4 teams that are loaded with young players and have the talent to be in the mix very deep into the postseason.
So my pre pre-season predictions
MVP: Lebron James
Coach of the Year- Greg Poppovich
Defensive Player of the Year- Dwight Howard
Rookie of the Year- Ricky Rubio
6th Man of the year- Manu (unfair because he is really a starter)
1st Team All NBA 2nd Team All NBA
G-Rajon Rondo G- Steve Nash
G- Kobe Bryant G- Dwayne Wade
F- Lebron James F- Kevin Durant
F- Dirk Nowitzki F- Paul Pierce
C- Dwight Howard C- Tim Duncan
Playoffs:
East:
1. Celtics
2. Cavs
3. Magic
4. Bulls
5. Heat
6. Hawks
7. 76ers
8. Pacers
9. Raptors
West:
1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Nuggets
4. Blazers
5. Rockets
6. Mavericks
7. Jazz (if Boozer returns)
8. Thunder
9. Suns
Round 1-
West: East:
Lakers over Thunder in 5 Celtics over Pacers in 4
Spurs over Jazz in 6 Cavs over 76ers in 5
Mavericks over Nuggets in 6 Magic over Hawks in 7
Blazers over Rockets in 7 Bulls over Heat in 6
Round 2:
Lakers over Blazers in 6 Celtics over Bulls in 6
Spurs over Mavericks in 7 Cavs over Magic in 7
Conference Finals
Spurs over Lakers in 6 Celtics over Cavs in 7
NBA Finals:
Spurs over Celtics in 6
So there is my pre pre-season review. We will check back in on these before the season and at the end of next year.
I realize there may be some serious trades (Shaq to Cleveland) some big free agent moves (Turkoglu leaving Orlando for more money) and a sleeper rookie pick (Rubio to Oklahoma City). However this is a pre pre-season prediction.
Let me preface by saying this by saying this has the potential to be one of the most exciting seasons in NBA history. Just some of the story lines.
The last ride of Duncan and the Spurs- Duncan has one more year as a dominant post player in the NBA. With Manu coming off surgery and Parker exploding as one of the most underrated stars in the league, this will probably be the last season the Spurs big 3 will contend for a title. Can Manu and Timmy stay healthy for one more year? If so the road to the Finals may go through San Antonio.
Boston's Big 3 part duex- With the injury to Kevin Garnett the Celtics were never really a factor in the playoffs. However, the Big 3 return at full strength and with the development of Rajon Rando, Kendrick Perkins, and Glen Davis, and this could make them the outright favorite for the title.
Kobe Quest for Repeat- Kobe got his 4th ring, and has cemented himself as one of the Top Ten players in history. So he will probably just settle to enjoy the rest of his career and relax. I just cannot see that happening. Not to mention the Lakers could return with their entire nucleus back from a team that dominated the Finals.
Lebron- Will he stay or will he go? Will the Cavs get over the hump? What moves will be made to make Lebron believe they are a contender? Can Lebron repeat as MVP after one of the best statistical seasons in recent memories? Its a season of questions for Cleveland and yet I think everyone expects them to be a 60 win team.
60 wins- We could legitimately see 6 teams win 60 games this season. Lakers (lock for 60), Cavs (lock), Celtics (lock), and the Magic and Spurs could easily get above 60 wins themselves. The Nuggets could even be near that number as well.
Young Talented Teams trying to break through- Blazers, Bulls, Thunder, and Hawks. 4 teams that are loaded with young players and have the talent to be in the mix very deep into the postseason.
So my pre pre-season predictions
MVP: Lebron James
Coach of the Year- Greg Poppovich
Defensive Player of the Year- Dwight Howard
Rookie of the Year- Ricky Rubio
6th Man of the year- Manu (unfair because he is really a starter)
1st Team All NBA 2nd Team All NBA
G-Rajon Rondo G- Steve Nash
G- Kobe Bryant G- Dwayne Wade
F- Lebron James F- Kevin Durant
F- Dirk Nowitzki F- Paul Pierce
C- Dwight Howard C- Tim Duncan
Playoffs:
East:
1. Celtics
2. Cavs
3. Magic
4. Bulls
5. Heat
6. Hawks
7. 76ers
8. Pacers
9. Raptors
West:
1. Lakers
2. Spurs
3. Nuggets
4. Blazers
5. Rockets
6. Mavericks
7. Jazz (if Boozer returns)
8. Thunder
9. Suns
Round 1-
West: East:
Lakers over Thunder in 5 Celtics over Pacers in 4
Spurs over Jazz in 6 Cavs over 76ers in 5
Mavericks over Nuggets in 6 Magic over Hawks in 7
Blazers over Rockets in 7 Bulls over Heat in 6
Round 2:
Lakers over Blazers in 6 Celtics over Bulls in 6
Spurs over Mavericks in 7 Cavs over Magic in 7
Conference Finals
Spurs over Lakers in 6 Celtics over Cavs in 7
NBA Finals:
Spurs over Celtics in 6
So there is my pre pre-season review. We will check back in on these before the season and at the end of next year.
Friday, June 12, 2009
The Greatest Spectacle in Sports
While I would love to write a 50,000 word post about how the Orlando Magic choked away the NBA Finals last night to the Lakers, I will instead focus on the the positives of the sports world. Tonight features the greatest moment in sports, Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
As I have posted before I think the NHL playoffs are the greatest playoffs in sports due to the grueling games and the physical abuse that a team must go through in order to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. The best event in any sport is a Game 7 so naturally when the you get a Game 7 to decide the Stanley Cup Finals, it could easily be considered the best event in all of sports.
I am downright giddy at the prospects of this game. You have the old guard Red Wings trying to add another Cup to their dynasty. On the other hand you have the never say die, young guns Pittsburgh Penguins trying to establish themselves as the new team to beat. You have a series that the home team has held serve throughout the series going back to one of the greatest hockey atmospheres left in the NHL.
You have two great sports cities vying for a title. The downtrodden city of Detroit who has suffered so much economy wise, infrastructure wise, and sports wise. A Red Wings title will not fix their problems but will take some sting out of the Pistons collapse and the 0-16 Lions season. You have Pittsburgh who is trying to continue one of the greatest sports seasons in the city's history. A Steelers Super Bowl win, and University of Pittsburgh run in the NCAA tournament add a Stanley Cup Title and maybe the Pirates season does not look as bad.
You have some of the greatest players in the league taking the ice tonight. Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, and Datsyuk. You have Marion Hossa who left the Pens after last year's defeat to go to the Red Wings just because he wanted to win a Cup. You have two goalies trying to prove themselves for different reasons. Chris Osgood, who is looking for his 3rd Cup as the starting goalie, which would elevate him to HOF status and eliminate the questions about his ability. Marc Andre Fleury, who is trying to win his first Cup, and wants to firmly establish himself as a premier goalie in the league.
Finally, there is the great unknown of Game 7 in the NHL, which is that anyone can be the hero. It could be the 3rd line winger or the 2nd line defense man. This is why Game 7's in the NHL are so amazing. There is not tomorrow so every player will be going for broke on every shift. If we are really lucky it will be tied going into the last 8 minutes and that's when the real fun begins. Every shot could be the shot that wins the Cup.
In the greatest of scenarios we could see overtime, and at that point everything goes out the window. You will see stars double shifting and role players delivering huge hits and any bounce or deflection could lift either city to total jubilation while plummeting the other into a crushing defeat.
My prediction Red Wings win 3-2 in overtime. Detroit needs this badly and I am just hoping for a great game.
As I have posted before I think the NHL playoffs are the greatest playoffs in sports due to the grueling games and the physical abuse that a team must go through in order to hoist Lord Stanley's Cup. The best event in any sport is a Game 7 so naturally when the you get a Game 7 to decide the Stanley Cup Finals, it could easily be considered the best event in all of sports.
I am downright giddy at the prospects of this game. You have the old guard Red Wings trying to add another Cup to their dynasty. On the other hand you have the never say die, young guns Pittsburgh Penguins trying to establish themselves as the new team to beat. You have a series that the home team has held serve throughout the series going back to one of the greatest hockey atmospheres left in the NHL.
You have two great sports cities vying for a title. The downtrodden city of Detroit who has suffered so much economy wise, infrastructure wise, and sports wise. A Red Wings title will not fix their problems but will take some sting out of the Pistons collapse and the 0-16 Lions season. You have Pittsburgh who is trying to continue one of the greatest sports seasons in the city's history. A Steelers Super Bowl win, and University of Pittsburgh run in the NCAA tournament add a Stanley Cup Title and maybe the Pirates season does not look as bad.
You have some of the greatest players in the league taking the ice tonight. Crosby, Malkin, Zetterberg, and Datsyuk. You have Marion Hossa who left the Pens after last year's defeat to go to the Red Wings just because he wanted to win a Cup. You have two goalies trying to prove themselves for different reasons. Chris Osgood, who is looking for his 3rd Cup as the starting goalie, which would elevate him to HOF status and eliminate the questions about his ability. Marc Andre Fleury, who is trying to win his first Cup, and wants to firmly establish himself as a premier goalie in the league.
Finally, there is the great unknown of Game 7 in the NHL, which is that anyone can be the hero. It could be the 3rd line winger or the 2nd line defense man. This is why Game 7's in the NHL are so amazing. There is not tomorrow so every player will be going for broke on every shift. If we are really lucky it will be tied going into the last 8 minutes and that's when the real fun begins. Every shot could be the shot that wins the Cup.
In the greatest of scenarios we could see overtime, and at that point everything goes out the window. You will see stars double shifting and role players delivering huge hits and any bounce or deflection could lift either city to total jubilation while plummeting the other into a crushing defeat.
My prediction Red Wings win 3-2 in overtime. Detroit needs this badly and I am just hoping for a great game.
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