OK, so I took a couple months off while I moved across the country, but now I'm back and I hope to start writing consistently again. Being back on the east coast, I also hope to be able to keep up with my favorite teams a bit more.
With that, let's start talking about the Bobcats recent trade of Okafor for Tyson Chandler. First off, I love the irony of a Bobcats-Hornets trade. I'd also like to thank George Shinn for finally doing something good for Charlotte basketball for the first time in a long, long time.
I think this trade is good on several levels. I think Okafor has been overrated since his 2nd season. I know he's a steady triple double, but with the team he was playing with, he should have been much more. I think Bobcats fans were, in general, to enamored with their first draft choice, and it is good to see him go so we can move on.
I think Tyson has played on playoff caliber teams and will bring good experience to go along with Boris Diaw and Raja Bell. Even though Okafor was a presence in the lane to block shots, I think Tyson will be better all around on defense. He can guard the pick and roll and perimeter big guys better than Okafor.
I also think it's a plus to get rid of the length of Okafor's contract. He was highly overpaid last summer, so it's nice to see that disappear. Now, hopefully, they won't overpay Felton to get him to stay.
I think this is a good trade, but we'll have to see if it's enough for them to get to the playoffs. I'm ready for training camp!
Monday, August 3, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
NBA Finals
Ok, so I'm a little disappointed Lebron didn't make it the finals. I was really looking forward to seeing him win a title. That being said, let's look at the matchup we do have.
I think LA is going to have the same matchup problem with Dwight Howard that the Cavs had. LA doesn't have a big strong guy down low to bang on Howard. The Gasol/Bynum combo might work better the Big Z/Wallace, but it's still not enough to handle Howard.
That being said, I think LA has two advantages that Cleveland didn't. One, they have better size to guard Turkoglu and Lewis. Expect them to have a much harder time getting shots off this series. Two, the Lakers have a much deeper bench than Cleveland or Orlando. How Odom plays could be one of the bigger issues in the series.
As much as I don't want the Lakers to win, I think it's theirs to lose. Of course, I didn't think Orlando would win either of their last two series either. It should be a good matchup that relies more on how role players fill their roles than on how Howard and Kobe play.
I think LA is going to have the same matchup problem with Dwight Howard that the Cavs had. LA doesn't have a big strong guy down low to bang on Howard. The Gasol/Bynum combo might work better the Big Z/Wallace, but it's still not enough to handle Howard.
That being said, I think LA has two advantages that Cleveland didn't. One, they have better size to guard Turkoglu and Lewis. Expect them to have a much harder time getting shots off this series. Two, the Lakers have a much deeper bench than Cleveland or Orlando. How Odom plays could be one of the bigger issues in the series.
As much as I don't want the Lakers to win, I think it's theirs to lose. Of course, I didn't think Orlando would win either of their last two series either. It should be a good matchup that relies more on how role players fill their roles than on how Howard and Kobe play.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Greatest playoff series ever?
All the talk this morning is about the Chicago Bulls vs Boston Celtics series. And it should be after the sixth game went into three overtimes last night. While the series saw it's fourth overtime game last night, I'm not sure I agree with everyone that this is the best series ever.
Overtimes are exciting, but I think it takes more than overtime to make a great series. Isn't it just as exciting to see a last second buzzer beater go in than it is to watch another five minutes of basketball?
There are a lot of fun and exciting things about this series. There is a superstar missing and another hobbled by injury. We have two superstars in the making. An old veteran shooting the lights out, again. And there's some role players stepping up to new levels.
When game seven starts, I think we're going to be in for a good hard fought game. I expect Boston to win on the home court and with the veteran abilities. Chicago should learn a lot from this series and very hungry next year.
Overtimes are exciting, but I think it takes more than overtime to make a great series. Isn't it just as exciting to see a last second buzzer beater go in than it is to watch another five minutes of basketball?
There are a lot of fun and exciting things about this series. There is a superstar missing and another hobbled by injury. We have two superstars in the making. An old veteran shooting the lights out, again. And there's some role players stepping up to new levels.
When game seven starts, I think we're going to be in for a good hard fought game. I expect Boston to win on the home court and with the veteran abilities. Chicago should learn a lot from this series and very hungry next year.
Monday, April 27, 2009
NFL Draft
I don't think there was a big surprise at the NFL draft over the weekend. I don't think I could have gone with Matthew Stafford number one, but the pick doesn't surprise anyone. And yes, the New York Jets traded up for the number five pick, but that wasn't a surprise either.
I think Mark Sanchez will be good for New York. Coming out of USC, he understands what pressure is and what it's like to have a very large city watching you play. That and his seemingly great presence will help him charm New York, if he can win.
I like what the Carolina Panthers did even though they didn't have a first round pick. When they saw a first round quality defensive end available at the 11th spot in the second round, they made a move to get him. This makes tons of sense with the Julius Peppers situation.
I was a little surprised to see Michael Crabtree fall to San Francisco at tenth. I do think it made their draft though. Now the quarterbacks there won't have the excuse of not having a viable wide receiver.
I think Al Davis needs to let someone else make the football decisions in Oakland, and this draft shows why once again. I think there were two better receivers on the board when he took Darrius Heyward-Bey, but Davis' love of speed won out again.
Philadelphia benefited the most from Al Davis' pick, winding up getting Jeremy Maclin with the 19th pick. If Maclin can learn the system quickly, it gives Donovan McNabb an elite wide receiver for the first time in years.
I think Mark Sanchez will be good for New York. Coming out of USC, he understands what pressure is and what it's like to have a very large city watching you play. That and his seemingly great presence will help him charm New York, if he can win.
I like what the Carolina Panthers did even though they didn't have a first round pick. When they saw a first round quality defensive end available at the 11th spot in the second round, they made a move to get him. This makes tons of sense with the Julius Peppers situation.
I was a little surprised to see Michael Crabtree fall to San Francisco at tenth. I do think it made their draft though. Now the quarterbacks there won't have the excuse of not having a viable wide receiver.
I think Al Davis needs to let someone else make the football decisions in Oakland, and this draft shows why once again. I think there were two better receivers on the board when he took Darrius Heyward-Bey, but Davis' love of speed won out again.
Philadelphia benefited the most from Al Davis' pick, winding up getting Jeremy Maclin with the 19th pick. If Maclin can learn the system quickly, it gives Donovan McNabb an elite wide receiver for the first time in years.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
LeBron, Cleveland survive Detroit's comeback bid
The Cleveland Cavaliers took a 2-0 series lead last night by defeating the Detroit Pistons 94-82. The Cavs came out on fire and jumped to an early lead. Up by 27 at the end of the third quarter, it looked as if the starters were done for the night.
Detroit had other ideas. They came out shooting well and playing defense to start the fourth quarter and got the lead under 10. Mike Brown was forced to put his starters back in.
The Cavs starters seemed to have adopted the mindset they were done for the night, so it took them a while to get back into the flow of the game. Eventually they did, and they started to play the way they're supposed too.
James ended up with 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. As always, he looked dominate and like he was having fun at the same time. This is one of the reasons I want to continue to see him walk all the way to the NBA Finals. I love watching him play.
Don't get me wrong, I love the NBA in general, but watching some of the things LeBron can do is simply amazing. Unlike some other NBA players, his first instinct doesn't seem to be to score, even though he can score at will. His first instinct is to get the ball to the player with the best chance of scoring on that possession. He's also smart enough to know who that is.
I look forward to seeing him for another decade, since he's only 24, but I want his championships to start collecting this year. I'd love to see him win as many as Bill Russell, but that's crazy talk.
Detroit had other ideas. They came out shooting well and playing defense to start the fourth quarter and got the lead under 10. Mike Brown was forced to put his starters back in.
The Cavs starters seemed to have adopted the mindset they were done for the night, so it took them a while to get back into the flow of the game. Eventually they did, and they started to play the way they're supposed too.
James ended up with 29 points, 13 rebounds and six assists. As always, he looked dominate and like he was having fun at the same time. This is one of the reasons I want to continue to see him walk all the way to the NBA Finals. I love watching him play.
Don't get me wrong, I love the NBA in general, but watching some of the things LeBron can do is simply amazing. Unlike some other NBA players, his first instinct doesn't seem to be to score, even though he can score at will. His first instinct is to get the ball to the player with the best chance of scoring on that possession. He's also smart enough to know who that is.
I look forward to seeing him for another decade, since he's only 24, but I want his championships to start collecting this year. I'd love to see him win as many as Bill Russell, but that's crazy talk.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
Spurs and Celtics even their series
The two surprises from the NBA Playoffs on Saturday were corrected last night. San Antonio and Boston won their games in totally different fashions.
San Antonio sent Dallas a message by responding to Saturday's loss with a 21 point win. They did it behind Tony Parker's 38 points, 21 in the first half. By the end of the game the Dallas bench was looking completely dejected, which isn't surprising.
It will be interesting to see how Dallas responds. They have the next two games in Dallas, which will help, but with all the playoff disappointment they've experienced over the last several years, will this mess with their head?
In Boston, it was a much closer game that came down to the wire. Chicago won a very close game on Saturday, and Boston did the same last night. Ray Allen hit the last shot and Boston held on as a half court heave fell short.
Ben Gordon had the best playoff game for a Bull since Michael Jordan retired, scoring 42 and hitting six threes. This probably would have worked out better for him and the Bulls if he could play defense like MJ too.
As it were, Ray Allen also went off in the 2nd half. He had 30 points and also hit six threes, including the game winner. The Celtics are extremely happy to get Allen on a hot shooting streak heading to Chicago, especially as they seem to get someone hurt every game.
San Antonio sent Dallas a message by responding to Saturday's loss with a 21 point win. They did it behind Tony Parker's 38 points, 21 in the first half. By the end of the game the Dallas bench was looking completely dejected, which isn't surprising.
It will be interesting to see how Dallas responds. They have the next two games in Dallas, which will help, but with all the playoff disappointment they've experienced over the last several years, will this mess with their head?
In Boston, it was a much closer game that came down to the wire. Chicago won a very close game on Saturday, and Boston did the same last night. Ray Allen hit the last shot and Boston held on as a half court heave fell short.
Ben Gordon had the best playoff game for a Bull since Michael Jordan retired, scoring 42 and hitting six threes. This probably would have worked out better for him and the Bulls if he could play defense like MJ too.
As it were, Ray Allen also went off in the 2nd half. He had 30 points and also hit six threes, including the game winner. The Celtics are extremely happy to get Allen on a hot shooting streak heading to Chicago, especially as they seem to get someone hurt every game.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
NBA PLayoffs 2009 Round 1
Cavs vs Detroit
The Cleveland Cavaliers rested it’s starting lineup Wednesday night after securing the best record in the NBA. The good news for Cleveland is that even with those guys out, they still pushed another playoff team into overtime before losing. That does not bode well for anyone else in the NBA.
The Detroit Pistons on the other hand, have limped into the playoffs. A month ago, they were thinking about being the sixth seed in the playoffs. Now they have lost their last three and six of nine. They are the eighth seed and looking over the hill.
The one thing Detroit has is experience. I think that will get them a win in the series, but not more than that. Rip Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace are playing again after missing time with injuries, and that will help, but it won’t be enough.
The season series was won by Cleveland three games to one, with Detroit’s lone win coming in November at Detroit. Even with the odds against them, don’t expect Detroit to role over and play dead. Tayshaun Prince, Wallace, and Hamilton all have a championship ring and are more than eager to show that shutting down Allen Iverson was good for the team.
Cleveland will just be too much for Detroit to handle though. LeBron James is a man on a mission. He only wants one thing now, a championship. He’s having the time of his life, but only for one end. He will face a lot of good defense coming from the Pistons, but this year he has good teammates to help him.
Mo Williams is new to Cleveland this year, and made his first all-star team. Zydrunas Ilgauskas played more games this year than he normally does, and he’s healthy. Anderson Varejao has made great strides this year too, showing a lot in the 42 games he started.
The one question mark for Cleveland going into the playoffs is Ben Wallace. He strained his knee after sitting out a couple of months with a broken leg.
So my prediction? Cavs win the series, four games to one.
The Cleveland Cavaliers rested it’s starting lineup Wednesday night after securing the best record in the NBA. The good news for Cleveland is that even with those guys out, they still pushed another playoff team into overtime before losing. That does not bode well for anyone else in the NBA.
The Detroit Pistons on the other hand, have limped into the playoffs. A month ago, they were thinking about being the sixth seed in the playoffs. Now they have lost their last three and six of nine. They are the eighth seed and looking over the hill.
The one thing Detroit has is experience. I think that will get them a win in the series, but not more than that. Rip Hamilton and Rasheed Wallace are playing again after missing time with injuries, and that will help, but it won’t be enough.
The season series was won by Cleveland three games to one, with Detroit’s lone win coming in November at Detroit. Even with the odds against them, don’t expect Detroit to role over and play dead. Tayshaun Prince, Wallace, and Hamilton all have a championship ring and are more than eager to show that shutting down Allen Iverson was good for the team.
Cleveland will just be too much for Detroit to handle though. LeBron James is a man on a mission. He only wants one thing now, a championship. He’s having the time of his life, but only for one end. He will face a lot of good defense coming from the Pistons, but this year he has good teammates to help him.
Mo Williams is new to Cleveland this year, and made his first all-star team. Zydrunas Ilgauskas played more games this year than he normally does, and he’s healthy. Anderson Varejao has made great strides this year too, showing a lot in the 42 games he started.
The one question mark for Cleveland going into the playoffs is Ben Wallace. He strained his knee after sitting out a couple of months with a broken leg.
So my prediction? Cavs win the series, four games to one.
Friday, April 17, 2009
NBA PLayoffs 2009
The NBA Playoffs begin tomorrow. I love this time of year. My love of basketball has been waiting for this since the NCAA Champion was crowned a few weeks ago.
There should be some good games to watch this year. In the Western Conference, the only matchup that should be heavily favored to one team is the one vs. eight, Lakers vs Jazz. I think the other three matchups could be one by either team.
In the East, I expect the top three seeds to advance, but with Kevin Garnett out for Boston, that's a little less assured than I originally would have thought. The Miami vs Atlanta series should be good, if for no other reason than just to watch Dwayne Wade.
I can't imagine anyone beating Cleveland in a seven game series before the NBA Finals, especially with them having home court advantage. They have enough of a supporting cast now, that if Lebron is having a slightly off shooting night, he can rack up the assists until he finds his rhythm.
I feel the same way about the Lakers. They have proven they can win against good teams when Kobe doesn't score a ton of points. Pau Gasol was a great addition to the team. They have some good players coming off the bench in Jordan Farmar, Sasha Pavlovic, and Lamar Odom when Bynum is healthy.
So that means I think the top seeds from each conference will be in the Finals. That's a little more likely that when picking NCAA teams, mainly it's because of the seven game series instead of the one and done.
And the NBA champions? I think that's the Cleveland Cavaliers. The home court advantage will be big in this one, and I think that's what it will come down to. The Lakers do have more playoff experience, but I don't think that will win it for them. I expect Lebron and company to win in six.
There should be some good games to watch this year. In the Western Conference, the only matchup that should be heavily favored to one team is the one vs. eight, Lakers vs Jazz. I think the other three matchups could be one by either team.
In the East, I expect the top three seeds to advance, but with Kevin Garnett out for Boston, that's a little less assured than I originally would have thought. The Miami vs Atlanta series should be good, if for no other reason than just to watch Dwayne Wade.
I can't imagine anyone beating Cleveland in a seven game series before the NBA Finals, especially with them having home court advantage. They have enough of a supporting cast now, that if Lebron is having a slightly off shooting night, he can rack up the assists until he finds his rhythm.
I feel the same way about the Lakers. They have proven they can win against good teams when Kobe doesn't score a ton of points. Pau Gasol was a great addition to the team. They have some good players coming off the bench in Jordan Farmar, Sasha Pavlovic, and Lamar Odom when Bynum is healthy.
So that means I think the top seeds from each conference will be in the Finals. That's a little more likely that when picking NCAA teams, mainly it's because of the seven game series instead of the one and done.
And the NBA champions? I think that's the Cleveland Cavaliers. The home court advantage will be big in this one, and I think that's what it will come down to. The Lakers do have more playoff experience, but I don't think that will win it for them. I expect Lebron and company to win in six.
Thursday, April 16, 2009
Sports Legend John Madden Retires
John Madden retired from the broadcast booth today. He has been broadcasting football games for 30 years, and before that he was the Oakland Raiders coach for 10, winning one SuperBowl with them.
John Madden will always be a part of my childhood. I heard him announce games almost every week, and I owned about 80 percent of the Madden video games over the last 20 years.
I will always remember that he toured the country in a bus because he was afraid of flying. And that he had turkey with eight legs created for the annual Thanksgiving Day turkey leg awards at whatever game he was working, usually a Cowboys game.
Of course, none of this has spoken to his knowledge of the game. He is a fantastic football mind. He always had some Yogi Berra type sayings to throw into a broadcast, but you never doubted he knew the game, even if you didn't agree with what he was saying.
As a big sports video game player, his games were an annual staple for me. I can't tell you how many seasons I've played over the last 20 years, I probably don't want to know. In many ways, those video games helped me learn and understand the game of football.
What I missed of Madden was his coaching career. He coached very young, won a lot and then left. Not many people do that now, so it's hard to believe. But, he has a very high winning percentage.
But most of all, I will remember John Madden as someone who was passionate about the game. He sometimes seemed as if he would burst because of joy watching a game. He loved a great block or hard hit more than a long pass.
We will miss you every week John, thank you for everything.
John Madden will always be a part of my childhood. I heard him announce games almost every week, and I owned about 80 percent of the Madden video games over the last 20 years.
I will always remember that he toured the country in a bus because he was afraid of flying. And that he had turkey with eight legs created for the annual Thanksgiving Day turkey leg awards at whatever game he was working, usually a Cowboys game.
Of course, none of this has spoken to his knowledge of the game. He is a fantastic football mind. He always had some Yogi Berra type sayings to throw into a broadcast, but you never doubted he knew the game, even if you didn't agree with what he was saying.
As a big sports video game player, his games were an annual staple for me. I can't tell you how many seasons I've played over the last 20 years, I probably don't want to know. In many ways, those video games helped me learn and understand the game of football.
What I missed of Madden was his coaching career. He coached very young, won a lot and then left. Not many people do that now, so it's hard to believe. But, he has a very high winning percentage.
But most of all, I will remember John Madden as someone who was passionate about the game. He sometimes seemed as if he would burst because of joy watching a game. He loved a great block or hard hit more than a long pass.
We will miss you every week John, thank you for everything.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
NFL Schedule Release
Last night the NFL released the schedule for the coming season. As a Panthers fan, all I have to say is- WHAT?! OK, I know that the best teams get the toughest schedules, but the Panthers did not have the best record last year, and yet their schedule looks impossible.
First of all, they start the year against the Eagles,at the Falcons, and at the Cowboys. That could be three losses to start the season, easily.
Second, they four AFC teams they play against are Buffalo in week 7, Miami in week 11, at New York in week 12, and at New England in week 14. Buffalo is an unknown with TO joining the team, but the other three are playoff contenders and two are considerations for the Super Bowl.
Third, their easiest teams they play at home. They have a lot of tough road games; Dallas, Arizona, NY Jets, NY Giants, New England.
With the NFC South always seeming to be the most wide open in football, this schedule could sink the Panthers. When you add the lack of fan support for Jake Delhomme, the fans could sour quickly if the Panthers start slowly. The Panthers have to play well at home again this year to have a good season.
GO PANTHERS!
First of all, they start the year against the Eagles,at the Falcons, and at the Cowboys. That could be three losses to start the season, easily.
Second, they four AFC teams they play against are Buffalo in week 7, Miami in week 11, at New York in week 12, and at New England in week 14. Buffalo is an unknown with TO joining the team, but the other three are playoff contenders and two are considerations for the Super Bowl.
Third, their easiest teams they play at home. They have a lot of tough road games; Dallas, Arizona, NY Jets, NY Giants, New England.
With the NFC South always seeming to be the most wide open in football, this schedule could sink the Panthers. When you add the lack of fan support for Jake Delhomme, the fans could sour quickly if the Panthers start slowly. The Panthers have to play well at home again this year to have a good season.
GO PANTHERS!
Monday, April 13, 2009
Wade Goes Off
Yet another MVP candidate used the New York Knicks to have a huge game. Kobe and Lebron had huge nights earlier in the year, and last night was Wade's turn, as he scored 55 points.
In addition to his career high 55 points, Wade also had nine rebounds. The difference between this game and the other two MVP's is that this one was at home for Wade, while Kobe and Lebron did it in NY.
So how does this shape the MVP race? I don't think it does. NY isn't a defensive team and all these guys had comparable games versus the same team. This team is a Mike D'Antonio team, meaning they don't play defense and they and their opponents score a lot of points.
So with a couple of games left to play, my choice for MVP hasn't changed, it's Lebron James. I think he has been the MVP all year, doing more than any other player. It's a tough year to pick, but that's my choice.
In addition to his career high 55 points, Wade also had nine rebounds. The difference between this game and the other two MVP's is that this one was at home for Wade, while Kobe and Lebron did it in NY.
So how does this shape the MVP race? I don't think it does. NY isn't a defensive team and all these guys had comparable games versus the same team. This team is a Mike D'Antonio team, meaning they don't play defense and they and their opponents score a lot of points.
So with a couple of games left to play, my choice for MVP hasn't changed, it's Lebron James. I think he has been the MVP all year, doing more than any other player. It's a tough year to pick, but that's my choice.
Friday, April 10, 2009
To Stay or not to Stay
With the college basketball national champions declared a few days ago, it's time for underclassmen to decide if they want to continue playing in college or try the pros. There are plenty of reasons to stay, and millions of reasons to go.
There are a number of players that have already declared for the draft, and I'd be amazed if the coming weeks didn't involve several more declaring. Since the draft will be an increasingly popular topic over the next few weeks and months, I think it's time to tell you what I think of the players that have declared for the draft and those that stayed all four years.
My top 5:
1)Ricky Rubio, PG Spain- Talented point guard that gave the US team a lot of problems in the Olympics. He's also been a star on the best European teams. Has good size for a PG- 6'4
2)Blake Griffin, PF Oklahoma University- He's a young, athletic talent who can explode off the floor. The knock is that he needs to develop a jump shot. He seems to be strong enough already to bang inside with the big guys. Also has a great attitude.
3)Hasheem Thabeet, C University of Connecticut- He may go earlier, because he's 7'3. Has progressed tremendously in his three years in college and the pros will be expecting that progression in the future. Already good on defense, he'll need to improve his offense.
4)James Harden, SG Arizona State- His stock dropped some towards the end of the year, but he's great at getting the ball in the whole.
5)Jordan Hill, PF Arizona- A good rebounder whose offense improved this year. He needs to add strength, but I think he'll be a project for someone.
This list will most likely change as more people declare. I think Tyler Hansborough will be a top 25 pick, but his skill set isn't tailored to the NBA.
There are a number of players that have already declared for the draft, and I'd be amazed if the coming weeks didn't involve several more declaring. Since the draft will be an increasingly popular topic over the next few weeks and months, I think it's time to tell you what I think of the players that have declared for the draft and those that stayed all four years.
My top 5:
1)Ricky Rubio, PG Spain- Talented point guard that gave the US team a lot of problems in the Olympics. He's also been a star on the best European teams. Has good size for a PG- 6'4
2)Blake Griffin, PF Oklahoma University- He's a young, athletic talent who can explode off the floor. The knock is that he needs to develop a jump shot. He seems to be strong enough already to bang inside with the big guys. Also has a great attitude.
3)Hasheem Thabeet, C University of Connecticut- He may go earlier, because he's 7'3. Has progressed tremendously in his three years in college and the pros will be expecting that progression in the future. Already good on defense, he'll need to improve his offense.
4)James Harden, SG Arizona State- His stock dropped some towards the end of the year, but he's great at getting the ball in the whole.
5)Jordan Hill, PF Arizona- A good rebounder whose offense improved this year. He needs to add strength, but I think he'll be a project for someone.
This list will most likely change as more people declare. I think Tyler Hansborough will be a top 25 pick, but his skill set isn't tailored to the NBA.
Thursday, April 9, 2009
A black cloud over the season
The baseball season has a few games under it's belt. Some pretty exciting things have happened already, the Braves hit eight homers in three games, the Yankees are 0-2, but today the season turned sad.
Nick Adenhart, 22 and a rookie Angels pitcher, died in a car accident early this morning. Two others also died in the accident. The first thing that comes to mind was Bobby Phills, a Hornets basketball player that died racing his car after practice one day, but this wasn't his fault, a minivan ran a red light and hit his car into a power pole.
The season will never be the same in the Angels clubhouse, or throughout major league baseball. It will be a sobering thought that it could happen to anyone at anytime. I expect and hope that the Angels will now dedicate the season to him.
Adenhart had the start Wednesday night, and had pitched well. Hopefully this means he was happy just before he died.
Let us all stop to appreciate the sanctity of life, and to miss a young professional who will miss most of his life through no fault of his own. We're sorry to see you go, but we all hope you are in a better place.
Nick Adenhart, 22 and a rookie Angels pitcher, died in a car accident early this morning. Two others also died in the accident. The first thing that comes to mind was Bobby Phills, a Hornets basketball player that died racing his car after practice one day, but this wasn't his fault, a minivan ran a red light and hit his car into a power pole.
The season will never be the same in the Angels clubhouse, or throughout major league baseball. It will be a sobering thought that it could happen to anyone at anytime. I expect and hope that the Angels will now dedicate the season to him.
Adenhart had the start Wednesday night, and had pitched well. Hopefully this means he was happy just before he died.
Let us all stop to appreciate the sanctity of life, and to miss a young professional who will miss most of his life through no fault of his own. We're sorry to see you go, but we all hope you are in a better place.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
A Master's to remember
What a week in sports. Monday was opening day in baseball and the national title game. Tomorrow is the first round of the Master's golf tournament.
The Master's should be great this year, if the weather improves. Tiger is back full force after eight months away from the game, so he will be the lead story all week, unless of course he has an awful two or three days.
There are more interesting stories to keep you going, if you get burnt out on Tiger. Rory McIlroy is a 19 year old from Ireland that has been playing lights out golf and is playing in his first Master's event. I've seen him play twice and I really like his style and his charisma. I don't expect him to win, but I won't be surprised if he's in the top 10 on Sunday.
There's also Phil Mickelson. He has two Green Jackets already and is probably considered Tiger's strongest competitor. Sergio Garcia is still looking to live up to his potential, in the eyes of most people in the sport. Which is kind of funny, since he almost unseated Tiger as the number one player in the world a few weeks ago.
Today is the traditional par-3 golf tournament at Augusta before the real thing starts tomorrow. No one really wants to win today, because the Par-3 winner has never won the main event, but it's a great thing to see.
I always reminisce on Par-3 day. Nine years ago, my dad and I were lucky enough to be in Augusta on Wednesday for the practice round and Par-3. I got to see (and take good pictures of) Jack, Arnold, Tiger, Vijay and a host of others.
The par-3 is more about family and fun than about fierce competition. Frequently you'll see kids carrying their dad's bags. One of my clearest memories from that day is watching Vijay Singh let his son putt and then when it wasn't quite hard enough to get over the ridge in the green, he got down ground level and starting blowing the ball until it rolled down the crest.
So get ready for some good golf and southern tradition. What a great week for sports!
The Master's should be great this year, if the weather improves. Tiger is back full force after eight months away from the game, so he will be the lead story all week, unless of course he has an awful two or three days.
There are more interesting stories to keep you going, if you get burnt out on Tiger. Rory McIlroy is a 19 year old from Ireland that has been playing lights out golf and is playing in his first Master's event. I've seen him play twice and I really like his style and his charisma. I don't expect him to win, but I won't be surprised if he's in the top 10 on Sunday.
There's also Phil Mickelson. He has two Green Jackets already and is probably considered Tiger's strongest competitor. Sergio Garcia is still looking to live up to his potential, in the eyes of most people in the sport. Which is kind of funny, since he almost unseated Tiger as the number one player in the world a few weeks ago.
Today is the traditional par-3 golf tournament at Augusta before the real thing starts tomorrow. No one really wants to win today, because the Par-3 winner has never won the main event, but it's a great thing to see.
I always reminisce on Par-3 day. Nine years ago, my dad and I were lucky enough to be in Augusta on Wednesday for the practice round and Par-3. I got to see (and take good pictures of) Jack, Arnold, Tiger, Vijay and a host of others.
The par-3 is more about family and fun than about fierce competition. Frequently you'll see kids carrying their dad's bags. One of my clearest memories from that day is watching Vijay Singh let his son putt and then when it wasn't quite hard enough to get over the ridge in the green, he got down ground level and starting blowing the ball until it rolled down the crest.
So get ready for some good golf and southern tradition. What a great week for sports!
Monday, April 6, 2009
Opening Day
Today is one of the annual days where people all over the country call in sick to work, a day when parents keep their kids home from school. Today is the beginning of summer. Today is opening day.
Today is a day when adults get to be kids again. Today is a day when parents teach their children the rules of the game, a day when kids learn about teamwork. Today is a day when kids put on there newly broken in glove for the first time.
Baseball is the national pastime. It connects generation to generation, because it’s everywhere. If you don’t have a major league team close to you, you have a minor league team nearby. It is time to reminisce about days gone by and celebrate those ahead.
It doesn’t matter what team you root for, today every team is tied and anyone can win the championship. Every team will play 162 games in the next 182 days. In the next three months fans will be overcome with joy, overwhelmed with heartache and they will show up every day to pull for their team.
From Seattle to Miami and San Diego to Boston, in small towns and big cities, today starts with a new hope. It is a time for cheering, and time to come together with old friends. Sit in the stands today with family, friends and the ghosts of days gone by.
Get out the peanuts and cracker jacks, it’s time to watch the boys of summer. Today is opening day.
Today is a day when adults get to be kids again. Today is a day when parents teach their children the rules of the game, a day when kids learn about teamwork. Today is a day when kids put on there newly broken in glove for the first time.
Baseball is the national pastime. It connects generation to generation, because it’s everywhere. If you don’t have a major league team close to you, you have a minor league team nearby. It is time to reminisce about days gone by and celebrate those ahead.
It doesn’t matter what team you root for, today every team is tied and anyone can win the championship. Every team will play 162 games in the next 182 days. In the next three months fans will be overcome with joy, overwhelmed with heartache and they will show up every day to pull for their team.
From Seattle to Miami and San Diego to Boston, in small towns and big cities, today starts with a new hope. It is a time for cheering, and time to come together with old friends. Sit in the stands today with family, friends and the ghosts of days gone by.
Get out the peanuts and cracker jacks, it’s time to watch the boys of summer. Today is opening day.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
NCAA tourney
There was one great game yesterday and one good game. Michigan State against UConn was a great game that was anybody's game until there was 30 seconds left. Carolina- Villanova was a good game, but you knew for a while Carolina was going to win.
Uconn gave away a chance to play for the national title by not hitting free throws. They shot 63 percent from the line. With there play down low and the amount of fouls they were drawing, they probably should have won by ten. The Michigan State guards kept them in it long enough to overcome the foul issues. I actually thought the officials were giving UConn the game. It seemed like they were getting every little call while Michigan State wasn't getting any in the first half. Seven of the first eight fouls were against Michigan State. Luckily for them they play ten guys and the fouls were spread out.
Carolina overcame a slow start to dominate for most of their game. There were about three minutes in the first half and a couple in the second where Carolina let Villanova back in the game, but they didn't let those mini runs phase them.
I'm a little disappointed not to see Hasheem Thabeet go against Tyler Hansborough. But I think Monday night holds a great matchup. Suton is a good big man that has shooting range, so Hansborough will have to play away from the basket some. I also think Ty Lawson will have his hands full with the Michigan State guards.
I think Carolina holds the edge so far. They seem like they can run with Michigan State, but they've also been shooting lights out all tournament. Unless Michigan State can change that, I don't think they can win. They need to gets lots of turnovers and transition baskets to win.
Uconn gave away a chance to play for the national title by not hitting free throws. They shot 63 percent from the line. With there play down low and the amount of fouls they were drawing, they probably should have won by ten. The Michigan State guards kept them in it long enough to overcome the foul issues. I actually thought the officials were giving UConn the game. It seemed like they were getting every little call while Michigan State wasn't getting any in the first half. Seven of the first eight fouls were against Michigan State. Luckily for them they play ten guys and the fouls were spread out.
Carolina overcame a slow start to dominate for most of their game. There were about three minutes in the first half and a couple in the second where Carolina let Villanova back in the game, but they didn't let those mini runs phase them.
I'm a little disappointed not to see Hasheem Thabeet go against Tyler Hansborough. But I think Monday night holds a great matchup. Suton is a good big man that has shooting range, so Hansborough will have to play away from the basket some. I also think Ty Lawson will have his hands full with the Michigan State guards.
I think Carolina holds the edge so far. They seem like they can run with Michigan State, but they've also been shooting lights out all tournament. Unless Michigan State can change that, I don't think they can win. They need to gets lots of turnovers and transition baskets to win.
Friday, April 3, 2009
Michael Vick
Michael Vick was in court in civilian clothes yesterday and it looks like he'll be out of jail by the summer. It's also been reported he's reached an agreement with the Falcons that will allow him to be released. All this paves the way for some NFL team to take a chance on signing him.
After he gets out of jail, I think there are two major obstacles standing between him and playing. First the commissioner has to reinstate him. This basically means Vick needs to go say he's sorry, he knows how wrong he was, and that he has learned from his time in jail and will stay out of trouble for the rest of his career.
The other big obstacle is going to be finding a team that doesn't mind a little negative publicity, because I'm sure PETA is going to be at the stadium gates the day after Vick is signed.
I'm sure after some time away from the game there is going to be some rust, but, if his head is on straight, I still think he has some things to offer a team. Although I don't think he will get the ten million a year that he reportedly is expecting.
I am an animal lover and I think bank rolling a dog fighting ring is atrocious, but I also think he has done his jail time, lost everything he owned through bankruptcy and deserves a chance to work again. If he shows any signs of not having learned from his mistake, that needs to be addressed. Maybe the commissioner should require a psych evaluation before he reinstates him, just to make it look even better to the public, but I think he should be reinstated and that he will get a chance to play....but I don't want him on my team.
What do you think of Vick?
After he gets out of jail, I think there are two major obstacles standing between him and playing. First the commissioner has to reinstate him. This basically means Vick needs to go say he's sorry, he knows how wrong he was, and that he has learned from his time in jail and will stay out of trouble for the rest of his career.
The other big obstacle is going to be finding a team that doesn't mind a little negative publicity, because I'm sure PETA is going to be at the stadium gates the day after Vick is signed.
I'm sure after some time away from the game there is going to be some rust, but, if his head is on straight, I still think he has some things to offer a team. Although I don't think he will get the ten million a year that he reportedly is expecting.
I am an animal lover and I think bank rolling a dog fighting ring is atrocious, but I also think he has done his jail time, lost everything he owned through bankruptcy and deserves a chance to work again. If he shows any signs of not having learned from his mistake, that needs to be addressed. Maybe the commissioner should require a psych evaluation before he reinstates him, just to make it look even better to the public, but I think he should be reinstated and that he will get a chance to play....but I don't want him on my team.
What do you think of Vick?
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Jay Cutler and the Broncos
Ok, again I'm going to take a personal moment, this time to curse the Bobcats. They blew a 9 point lead in the final 2 minutes of their game last night. It would have had them beating the Lakers one night and the Celtics the next. So irritating.
OK, onto the rest of the blog. Yesterday, the Denver Broncos said they were giving into the trade demands of Jay Cutler. This has been building for a few weeks now, and I'm not surprised by this. For those of you that may not know, Cutler got offended when he was involved in trade rumors with New England. To Jay, this is pro sports, you can't get offended about trade rumors. No one in pro sports is untradeable, if the right offer is on the table. If the Lakers were offering Kobe and Pau for Lebron, the Cavs would consider it. If you get traded and you feel like you are traded for a player that has less value than you, then you can get a little offended, but you have to understand the business of sports. These things will happen. If you don't get used to them, you will be upset every couple years and have a bad reputation in the league and in the public eye. I blame you for this whole mess. I think Denver has to trade you, because they don't need a disturbing presence in their locker room, especially with a new coach. I hope you can adjust to wherever you go and end up having a good career, but you need to grow up a bit.
Your turn! What do you think of Jay Cutler, the Broncos and the whole situation?
OK, onto the rest of the blog. Yesterday, the Denver Broncos said they were giving into the trade demands of Jay Cutler. This has been building for a few weeks now, and I'm not surprised by this. For those of you that may not know, Cutler got offended when he was involved in trade rumors with New England. To Jay, this is pro sports, you can't get offended about trade rumors. No one in pro sports is untradeable, if the right offer is on the table. If the Lakers were offering Kobe and Pau for Lebron, the Cavs would consider it. If you get traded and you feel like you are traded for a player that has less value than you, then you can get a little offended, but you have to understand the business of sports. These things will happen. If you don't get used to them, you will be upset every couple years and have a bad reputation in the league and in the public eye. I blame you for this whole mess. I think Denver has to trade you, because they don't need a disturbing presence in their locker room, especially with a new coach. I hope you can adjust to wherever you go and end up having a good career, but you need to grow up a bit.
Your turn! What do you think of Jay Cutler, the Broncos and the whole situation?
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Coaching Changes
Someone asked me my opinion on Calipari changing jobs, so I thought I'd make today's blog about recent college coaching changes and rumors, but first, I have to talk about one of my teams. Last night was one of four times this season I got to see the Bobcats play, because I live in LA and the Bobcats get zero national games. I'm happy to say that I got to see the Bobcats sweep the Lakers this season. I'm not sure why they have the Lakers number, but they've won 6 of 7 against them over the past 4 seasons. I'm not crazy enough to think they would win a 7 game series against them, but it's still exciting to see. The win also put them in control of their playoff destiny. They are tied with Chicago in the loss column and hold the tie break against them and play them one more time. They play 6 of their last 8 on the road, so it won't be easy, but I'm hoping!
OK, on to the coaching changes. I'm going to start with the smallest to keep you all reading. Tony Bennett left Washington State on Monday to become the head coach at Virginia. I have a couple of worries about this. First, Bennett is still relatively young for a coach. Second, I don't think he can possibly understand the pressure and basketball climate of an acc school. He went to a small school, Green Bay, WI if I remember correctly. He did play some pro ball in Charlotte and was a decent back up, so he might understand a little bit of the culture. You can ask Herb Sendek what happens to coaches in the ACC that before just better than average. One thing that might help Bennett is that UVA is about even on the football basketball scale, not like Duke, Carolina or Kentucky where it is all about Bball.
I was going to talk about Anderson in Missouri next, but I just learned he's not going anywhere and his salary is getting doubled to stay, so I'll move on to the big coaching move, Calipari has left Memphis to go to Kentucky. I'm sure some Memphis fans are upset and think the school could have done more to keep him, but I'm not sure if doubling what UK is paying him would have made him stay. UK is one of the top 5, maybe 10, historical basketball programs in the country. Calipari will finally stop being asked questions about being the dominate team in a weak conference, recruiting won't be an issue, he'll have all the boosters he wants, and as a bonus gets Rick Pitino as a rival. I've heard several times that Calipari has wanted to be Pitino for years, and this is his chance. He takes over his old job and gets him as an in-state rival. For those UK fans that are expecting the final four next year, stop now. I'm sure Calipari will have you winning, but he'll be coaching guys he didn't recruit and he won't have any veteran players that are used to his style and can help teach the freshman what coach means when he's yelling "you got man up" or whatever he yells at them. Give him three years, and then you can expect to be in final four every year again. Just remember that that pressure tends to push coaches out the door.
Now, for you poor Memphis fans, what to do? You're not a big enough school to likely lure a big name away from a school like a Rick Barnes. You might be able to steal Ok State's coach away, but that's close to a lateral move so you have to offer more than OSU can. That's what makes filling this job harder than filling the UK job. You might be big enough steal a guy from the lower half of a bigger conference the way ASU got Sendek when he was tired of the high expectations of the ACC. I think it's more likely you'll get a mid-major coach looking up though, like a guy from Davidson or Morehead state or something like those. Unless, of course, they can find an unemployed coach looking to come back that doesn't want to go to Georgia. I hope you find a good coach to continue you're success.
OK, on to the coaching changes. I'm going to start with the smallest to keep you all reading. Tony Bennett left Washington State on Monday to become the head coach at Virginia. I have a couple of worries about this. First, Bennett is still relatively young for a coach. Second, I don't think he can possibly understand the pressure and basketball climate of an acc school. He went to a small school, Green Bay, WI if I remember correctly. He did play some pro ball in Charlotte and was a decent back up, so he might understand a little bit of the culture. You can ask Herb Sendek what happens to coaches in the ACC that before just better than average. One thing that might help Bennett is that UVA is about even on the football basketball scale, not like Duke, Carolina or Kentucky where it is all about Bball.
I was going to talk about Anderson in Missouri next, but I just learned he's not going anywhere and his salary is getting doubled to stay, so I'll move on to the big coaching move, Calipari has left Memphis to go to Kentucky. I'm sure some Memphis fans are upset and think the school could have done more to keep him, but I'm not sure if doubling what UK is paying him would have made him stay. UK is one of the top 5, maybe 10, historical basketball programs in the country. Calipari will finally stop being asked questions about being the dominate team in a weak conference, recruiting won't be an issue, he'll have all the boosters he wants, and as a bonus gets Rick Pitino as a rival. I've heard several times that Calipari has wanted to be Pitino for years, and this is his chance. He takes over his old job and gets him as an in-state rival. For those UK fans that are expecting the final four next year, stop now. I'm sure Calipari will have you winning, but he'll be coaching guys he didn't recruit and he won't have any veteran players that are used to his style and can help teach the freshman what coach means when he's yelling "you got man up" or whatever he yells at them. Give him three years, and then you can expect to be in final four every year again. Just remember that that pressure tends to push coaches out the door.
Now, for you poor Memphis fans, what to do? You're not a big enough school to likely lure a big name away from a school like a Rick Barnes. You might be able to steal Ok State's coach away, but that's close to a lateral move so you have to offer more than OSU can. That's what makes filling this job harder than filling the UK job. You might be big enough steal a guy from the lower half of a bigger conference the way ASU got Sendek when he was tired of the high expectations of the ACC. I think it's more likely you'll get a mid-major coach looking up though, like a guy from Davidson or Morehead state or something like those. Unless, of course, they can find an unemployed coach looking to come back that doesn't want to go to Georgia. I hope you find a good coach to continue you're success.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Remembering a great
The Miami Heat retired a jersey for the first time last night. Alonzo Mourning's number will never be worn again by a Heat player. While most of his career was spent in Miami, my memories of Zo are from his early playing days in Charlotte. He was only there 3 years, but it was when I was in high school and one of the biggest Hornets fans around. In those 2 years I probably saw him play live 40 or so times, and they were great. Watching him team up with Larry Johnson is a fond memory from my adolescence. Zo and LJ were the biggest reasons that Charlotte had a great playoff run during those years. I remember walking into the Charlotte Coliseum for that first playoff game. You could feel the energy as soon as you were through the doors. I remember being there when Zo hit the last second shot from the top of the key and the place went wild. While the Hornets were in town for a few years after Zo and LJ left, those will always be the glory years to me. I will always tell the stories from those games and look upon those days with joy.
Monday, March 30, 2009
A missed weekend
Sorry for the late post today. I was out of town this weekend and had to spend the day catching up on what went down. It looks like I missed some great stuff. I love the Michigan State was able to topple the number 1 seed. They're a top team that was entering their conference tourney hoping to get a number 1 seed. It looks like they've played up to that. I'm not surprised Villanova beat Pitt, I called that on Saturday. Pitt just wasn't able to put any team away in this tournament. I think that comes down to coaching, so I hoped he learned something this year and is able to teach his kids how to win by next year. Carolina and UConn are no surprise, they've been dominating all tournament. I'm looking forward to the weekend.
I'm also sorry I missed Tiger's return to the winner's circle. He loves Bay Hill, and it wasn't the strongest field, but he came from behind and won. We knew his passion was still there, but his putter was there this week too. I think it's good news for golf and sets up some great story lines heading into the Master's in a couple of weeks.
I'm back in town and staying up to date now. See you tomorrow!
I'm also sorry I missed Tiger's return to the winner's circle. He loves Bay Hill, and it wasn't the strongest field, but he came from behind and won. We knew his passion was still there, but his putter was there this week too. I think it's good news for golf and sets up some great story lines heading into the Master's in a couple of weeks.
I'm back in town and staying up to date now. See you tomorrow!
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Great Eight
Last night the final eight teams in the NCAA were determined. In the final eight are all four number one seeds, two number two seeds and two number three seeds. This is very unusual for the tournament. The weirdest thing about the round of sixteen to me was the amount of blowouts.
All of the number one seeds, except Pitt have been winning convincingly. Pitt has struggled in every game so far, but has kept finding a way to win. That makes me nervous for them. Starting now, they are going to be playing opponents that can close out tight games. I'm not sure they've faced that yet. on the other side, Louisville looked very impressive with it's press. I think if anyone is going to beat them, it will be a team that plays at least 8, but probably 10, guys, all of whom can pass that ball. I didn't see that from Michigan State, so it'll be interesting to see that game play out and if MSU can survive their turnovers. Moving down, UConn has been hard to play with. They have an inside presence like no other, but I think they can be beat if you match up well with the rest of the team. I personally don't like their coach, so I would love to see Mizzou win, but we'll see. And then there's UNC. I think Hansborough- Griffin will be a great match up, but I think Lawson will be too much for Oklahoma to handle.
When you have nothing but high seeds like this, I don't think there can be anymore upsets. I just hope, for college basketball sake, the games stop being blowouts and are good, solid games to watch. So who's my adjusted Final Four? I'll go with Louisville, Mizzou, Villanova and UNC. See you Monday!
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All of the number one seeds, except Pitt have been winning convincingly. Pitt has struggled in every game so far, but has kept finding a way to win. That makes me nervous for them. Starting now, they are going to be playing opponents that can close out tight games. I'm not sure they've faced that yet. on the other side, Louisville looked very impressive with it's press. I think if anyone is going to beat them, it will be a team that plays at least 8, but probably 10, guys, all of whom can pass that ball. I didn't see that from Michigan State, so it'll be interesting to see that game play out and if MSU can survive their turnovers. Moving down, UConn has been hard to play with. They have an inside presence like no other, but I think they can be beat if you match up well with the rest of the team. I personally don't like their coach, so I would love to see Mizzou win, but we'll see. And then there's UNC. I think Hansborough- Griffin will be a great match up, but I think Lawson will be too much for Oklahoma to handle.
When you have nothing but high seeds like this, I don't think there can be anymore upsets. I just hope, for college basketball sake, the games stop being blowouts and are good, solid games to watch. So who's my adjusted Final Four? I'll go with Louisville, Mizzou, Villanova and UNC. See you Monday!
If you like what you read, you can become a follower in the right hand column.
Friday, March 27, 2009
A little rant and golf
I have to start out today with a rant about sports coverage in the media. I'll start with CBS and the NCAA Tourney. I think it's crazy that on a day where there are only four games, that they schedule 2 at a time. Yes, I know they want them in prime time, but what's the point if you can only see one of the games anyway? Are they afraid the stands won't fill up? Most of the fans travel to see their teams play, so it's not like they're coming after work to the game, they had to take time off just to get there. If you have one venue start the games at 3, and the other venue start the games at 7:30, all the games get to be on tv all over the country. Of course not everyone will get to see their team play, but they don't get to when two games are on at once either.
OK, now I'll move to ESPN. When I was growing up and I would wake up to ESPN, I would see at least the scores, if not highlights, of every game played the previous night. Now I realize it's hard to fit everything in, but when you give Mel Kiper Jr and Todd McShay 10 minutes of every Sportscenter hour to say their draft board hasn't changed and to yell at each other over a draft that is a month away instead of showing scores, I think that's crazy. I'm not talking about wanting to see spring training scores either, but NBA games, some with playoff implications seem to get looked over. If there is a big change or something happens or when the draft is a week out, give them the face time, but until then, give them once or twice a week, max. And to the guys at PTI, I love your show, but Tony K, you gotta stop seeming like American Idol is paying you to be there spokesperson every week. It's nice when you guys drift away from sports occasionally, but give up pushing American Idol as what to watch over the NCAA tourney, COME ON!
Ok, now I can move on to some actual sports talk. Tiger Woods is playing the PGA event at Bay Hill this week. It's a course he has performed well at his entire career and probably a smart place for him to make his third start since knee surgery just 2 weeks before Augusta. In his last start he looked good, except for barely missing a dozen or so putts. If he makes some of those lipped out puts, he's in the hunt for the event and it's a whole other story. Tiger had a good opening round today at Bay Hill and looks poised to stay in the running for this tournament. I, for one, am glad to see Tiger back on the course. I have to admit, that I didn't really watch golf for last half of last year. The sport is just more fun with him playing. I apologize to all the die hard fans that watch every week no matter who's playing and to Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Vijay Singh. They're all great golfers and I like seeing them hit those amazing shots, but they're not Tiger. I think everyone should be happy he's back, especially the way the economy is going. Golf needs ratings to be as high as ever if companies are going to continue making deals for sponsorship and ads during these times, and that means Tiger. I'm betting the Masters will have one of it's highest ratings ever if Tiger is on the leaderboard going into Saturday and Sunday, because the world will want to know if he's made his full comeback and we can all start talking about him winning all 4 majors in one year and stop talking about his knee and a comeback. Welcome back Tiger, we missed you.
OK, now I'll move to ESPN. When I was growing up and I would wake up to ESPN, I would see at least the scores, if not highlights, of every game played the previous night. Now I realize it's hard to fit everything in, but when you give Mel Kiper Jr and Todd McShay 10 minutes of every Sportscenter hour to say their draft board hasn't changed and to yell at each other over a draft that is a month away instead of showing scores, I think that's crazy. I'm not talking about wanting to see spring training scores either, but NBA games, some with playoff implications seem to get looked over. If there is a big change or something happens or when the draft is a week out, give them the face time, but until then, give them once or twice a week, max. And to the guys at PTI, I love your show, but Tony K, you gotta stop seeming like American Idol is paying you to be there spokesperson every week. It's nice when you guys drift away from sports occasionally, but give up pushing American Idol as what to watch over the NCAA tourney, COME ON!
Ok, now I can move on to some actual sports talk. Tiger Woods is playing the PGA event at Bay Hill this week. It's a course he has performed well at his entire career and probably a smart place for him to make his third start since knee surgery just 2 weeks before Augusta. In his last start he looked good, except for barely missing a dozen or so putts. If he makes some of those lipped out puts, he's in the hunt for the event and it's a whole other story. Tiger had a good opening round today at Bay Hill and looks poised to stay in the running for this tournament. I, for one, am glad to see Tiger back on the course. I have to admit, that I didn't really watch golf for last half of last year. The sport is just more fun with him playing. I apologize to all the die hard fans that watch every week no matter who's playing and to Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia and Vijay Singh. They're all great golfers and I like seeing them hit those amazing shots, but they're not Tiger. I think everyone should be happy he's back, especially the way the economy is going. Golf needs ratings to be as high as ever if companies are going to continue making deals for sponsorship and ads during these times, and that means Tiger. I'm betting the Masters will have one of it's highest ratings ever if Tiger is on the leaderboard going into Saturday and Sunday, because the world will want to know if he's made his full comeback and we can all start talking about him winning all 4 majors in one year and stop talking about his knee and a comeback. Welcome back Tiger, we missed you.
Thursday, March 26, 2009
A general day
I'm not sure what to write today. I wasn't expecting to write about college basketball until tomorrow, but it came out yesterday that UConn might have some recruiting violations coming out soon. While most of the talking heads on ESPN have been talking about it being a distraction for the rest of the tournament, I'm wondering if it is true and UConn isn't allowed in the tournament, even for a year, how many of there players will leave for the NBA this year instead of staying for the next couple of years. The future of the program could be in real trouble, depending on the sanctions the NCAA imposes if it's true.
Also yesterday, LeBron led the Cavs to their 58th win of the season. That's the most ever for a Cavs team. If your memory is short, you might not think that is a big deal, but if you remember the 80's, and before, you remember that Brad Doughetry and Mark Price combined to make some very strong Cavs teams that probablt would have been championship team if not for The Bad Boys of Detroit and MJ in Chicago.
In the NFL yesterday, Mangini told the media he has given Favre an open invitation to training camp. Not as a player but as an observer and mentor. I admit, on first thought it seems like an ok idea. You have a hall of famer giving young QB's advice on how to play the game and handle being an NFL QB. But when you look closer, he brings several negatives too. One is a media circus that's going to be constantly asking him if he will play again or stay retired. Being asked those questions constantly around to underachieving QB's could spur him into playing again, something no one wants to see. I think it's a mistake. You employ a QB coach, if you have any confidence in him, let him work and let Favre stay at home.
Also yesterday, LeBron led the Cavs to their 58th win of the season. That's the most ever for a Cavs team. If your memory is short, you might not think that is a big deal, but if you remember the 80's, and before, you remember that Brad Doughetry and Mark Price combined to make some very strong Cavs teams that probablt would have been championship team if not for The Bad Boys of Detroit and MJ in Chicago.
In the NFL yesterday, Mangini told the media he has given Favre an open invitation to training camp. Not as a player but as an observer and mentor. I admit, on first thought it seems like an ok idea. You have a hall of famer giving young QB's advice on how to play the game and handle being an NFL QB. But when you look closer, he brings several negatives too. One is a media circus that's going to be constantly asking him if he will play again or stay retired. Being asked those questions constantly around to underachieving QB's could spur him into playing again, something no one wants to see. I think it's a mistake. You employ a QB coach, if you have any confidence in him, let him work and let Favre stay at home.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Curt Schilling
OK, it's time to put basketball aside for a day and for me to do my first baseball post of the year. Curt Schilling announced his retirement yesterday. Schilling ended with his career with 216 wins and a 3.46 ERA. The Hall Of Fame debate has begun, and I am on the side of him getting in. His regular season numbers may be average when compared to the other great pitchers from the same era (Greg Maddux, Randy Johnson, Pedro Martinez, Roger Clemens, John Smoltz, Tom Glavine), but his postseasons put him over the edge. Without Schilling, Boston would still be suffering the curse of the Bambino. He has 3 World Series rings and one World Series MVP, not to mention the grit to pitch through the bloody sock in 04. That's probably what he'll be remembered for most, and I'm betting there will be a picture of that sock in his display in Cooperstown. I have no doubt he will make it in. It'll depend on who else is on the ballot if he gets in the first vote or not, but he will make it. I think the other 6 pitchers I mentioned above will make it too. I'd vote for them all. The game will miss him.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Playoff Race
The NBA season is coming to a close. Everyday another team realizes it won't make the playoffs. I think the west is set. The Suns are the only ones that have a chance to change the current playoff grouping, but being 3 games back with 12 to play might be more than they can handle. Even if Dallas only plays .500 ball down the stretch, the Suns would have to win 9 of 12. If Dallas were to win more than that, which seems likely, the Suns basically need to win out. Considering they've already won 5 in a row, making it a 17 game win streak seems unlikely. Had they been playing this way all season, they'd probably be in, but alas. I think the more important race is between Dallas, Portland and Utah to not face the Lakers in the first round, they're separated by a game and a half,
In the east, there are still several things that could change. Seven of the teams are set. The Bobcats are one and a half games behind Chicago and the Bucks are 2 games back. The Bulls and Bucks have 11 games left and the Bobcats 12. I think the 2 game difference will be too much for the Bucks to overcome, especially with the Bulls playing well. The Bobcats have a chance, but I think it's a small one. They were blown out on the road by Indiana in their last game and have eight road games left. I think Chicago could win 8 of 11, which means the Bobcats need to win 9 of 12 to tie, which the Bobcats win on head to head games. The key could be when the Bobcats play the Bulls in the last week of the season. I should also mention that this is a race to lose to Cleveland in the first round. The Cavs will be the number one seed and they've only lost one game at home.
In the east, there are still several things that could change. Seven of the teams are set. The Bobcats are one and a half games behind Chicago and the Bucks are 2 games back. The Bulls and Bucks have 11 games left and the Bobcats 12. I think the 2 game difference will be too much for the Bucks to overcome, especially with the Bulls playing well. The Bobcats have a chance, but I think it's a small one. They were blown out on the road by Indiana in their last game and have eight road games left. I think Chicago could win 8 of 11, which means the Bobcats need to win 9 of 12 to tie, which the Bobcats win on head to head games. The key could be when the Bobcats play the Bulls in the last week of the season. I should also mention that this is a race to lose to Cleveland in the first round. The Cavs will be the number one seed and they've only lost one game at home.
Monday, March 23, 2009
Sweet Sixteen
It Seems my prediction about no seed higher than 5 making it to the final four might just come true, as Arizona is the only team to make it to the sweet sixteen that's higher than a 5. And they're only getting there because they are coming out of the weakest 4-5 teams, Wake and Utah. You've already heard me rant on Wake, so I won't do that again. I think Arizona might be pumped up after hearing all week that they were the team that shouldn't be in. I'm sure they used that in the locker room.
Aside from Arizona making it as a 12 seed, I think the biggest surprise is that Pitt is struggling against every opponent. They were the only number 1 to struggle the full game in round 1, and then they had a single digit win in round 2. I think OSU is a good team, that might should have been seeded lower, but it still isn't giving me hope that they'll play well enough for a championship.
There should be some good games this weekend as Carolina and UConn get tested for the first time, and we have 4 games pitting a 2-3 match-up. It will be interesting to see if Pitt continues to struggle going against higher seeds, facing number 4 Xavier, and if Arizona can continue it's Cinderella run against Louisville. Enjoy, and come back tomorrow as I talk about something other than college basketball for a change.
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Aside from Arizona making it as a 12 seed, I think the biggest surprise is that Pitt is struggling against every opponent. They were the only number 1 to struggle the full game in round 1, and then they had a single digit win in round 2. I think OSU is a good team, that might should have been seeded lower, but it still isn't giving me hope that they'll play well enough for a championship.
There should be some good games this weekend as Carolina and UConn get tested for the first time, and we have 4 games pitting a 2-3 match-up. It will be interesting to see if Pitt continues to struggle going against higher seeds, facing number 4 Xavier, and if Arizona can continue it's Cinderella run against Louisville. Enjoy, and come back tomorrow as I talk about something other than college basketball for a change.
If you like what you see, you can become a follower by clicking the link on the right.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
NCAA round one
Let's face it, there were some good games in round one. We had overtimes, buzzer beaters, missed buzzer beaters. But with all those great games, there weren't a ton of upsets, surprisingly. Pitt hung on, meaning only 1 of the top 16 teams in the tourney fell, which I warned you about Wake. So I'm guessing that while not many people picked Cleveland State to win most of us still have at least 14 of our sweet sixteen intact. Three of the number one teams dominated, which we expect, but this is shaping up to be a good tournament, and I would be surprised if they dominated all the way through to the final four. I'm still thinking no more the 2 of them will make it there. I'm not sure anyone higher than a 5 seed will make it to the final four this year, that would shock me, but that doesn't mean there aren't some great games going on. So turn the tv on and enjoy.
Friday, March 20, 2009
MVP
There has been a lot of talk about the three man race for the NBA MVP going on recently. I think the first thing you have to figure out in who you think the MVP is, is what MVP means to you. Some people think the MVP has to play on a winning team, which I agree with in basketball. Basketball is a sport where one player can make a huge difference, and while one player may not carry you to the championship, one player can make you a winning team. Other people think it should be the player that is most important to his team, and others think it should be the best player in the league.
If we were going with the player most important to his team, I would have to go with Dwayne Wade. Without him, before or after the trade, Miami is out of the playoff race. and that's saying something in the east, where Washington is the only team really out of the race. I think if you take LeBron off Cleveland or Kobe off LA, they both still make the playoffs. But that's not the way I pick an MVP, so we move on.
Let's compare the players numbers, which isn't all telling either. Every team plays a different style and so the players have different numbers possible. For example, a guy scoring 20 a game for the Bobcats, the lowest scoring NBA team, can't compare to a guy averaging 20 a game for the Suns or Warriors. OK, back to the big 3. Wade is scoring the most with 29.9 a game, followed by Lebron with 28.7 a game and Kobe with 27.8 a game. I think this needs to be qualified though. Wade has to do a higher percentage of his teams scoring, because his help isn't as good, but also LeBron and especially Kobe can routinely sit out all or part of the 4th quarter. That's why Kobe is playing 2 less minutes a game than Wade. So basically, points are even, so let's move on to rebounds.
Lebron leads this category with 7.6 a game, followed by Kobe with 5.4 and Wade with 5.1. This is a decent sized discrepancy, but it should be. Lebron plays forward while the other 2 play guard, so he should be winning this category. Ok, onto assists. Wade has 7.6, followed by Lebron 7.3 a game, while Kobe has 4.9. So Kobe clearly falls off a bit here. If it was Wade that fell off, I'd blame it on the lack of talent around him but it's Kobe, so I have to assume something else. Kobe plays with a better point guard and back-up point guard than either Wade or Lebron. I know this applies to Wade more than Lebron. Before you start yelling at me, I know Mo Williams was an all-star for Cleveland. But I still think Fisher does a better job of running the LA offense and Kobe isn't needed to start the offense the way the other 2 are.
Ok, I have one more area to talk about. The much debated, who do you want to take the last shot in a close game. Most people I've heard say Kobe, and I think I agree. This has been the hardest thing for me in picking my MVP. It seems like that should make the order Kobe, Wade, and then Lebron for my voting, but I just can't get there. I'm voting for who I think is the best player.
And I have to go with...LeBron James. He is a play maker for himself and everyone else on the team. He is the only nightly triple double threat in the NBA besides Chris Paul. He can score with Kobe and Wade. He'll guard any position, even center when Cleveland has gone really small. He's got to be the most athletic player in the league. If this were last year, I'd knock his jump shot, but I can't do that this year. He's simply the best player in the league.
If we were going with the player most important to his team, I would have to go with Dwayne Wade. Without him, before or after the trade, Miami is out of the playoff race. and that's saying something in the east, where Washington is the only team really out of the race. I think if you take LeBron off Cleveland or Kobe off LA, they both still make the playoffs. But that's not the way I pick an MVP, so we move on.
Let's compare the players numbers, which isn't all telling either. Every team plays a different style and so the players have different numbers possible. For example, a guy scoring 20 a game for the Bobcats, the lowest scoring NBA team, can't compare to a guy averaging 20 a game for the Suns or Warriors. OK, back to the big 3. Wade is scoring the most with 29.9 a game, followed by Lebron with 28.7 a game and Kobe with 27.8 a game. I think this needs to be qualified though. Wade has to do a higher percentage of his teams scoring, because his help isn't as good, but also LeBron and especially Kobe can routinely sit out all or part of the 4th quarter. That's why Kobe is playing 2 less minutes a game than Wade. So basically, points are even, so let's move on to rebounds.
Lebron leads this category with 7.6 a game, followed by Kobe with 5.4 and Wade with 5.1. This is a decent sized discrepancy, but it should be. Lebron plays forward while the other 2 play guard, so he should be winning this category. Ok, onto assists. Wade has 7.6, followed by Lebron 7.3 a game, while Kobe has 4.9. So Kobe clearly falls off a bit here. If it was Wade that fell off, I'd blame it on the lack of talent around him but it's Kobe, so I have to assume something else. Kobe plays with a better point guard and back-up point guard than either Wade or Lebron. I know this applies to Wade more than Lebron. Before you start yelling at me, I know Mo Williams was an all-star for Cleveland. But I still think Fisher does a better job of running the LA offense and Kobe isn't needed to start the offense the way the other 2 are.
Ok, I have one more area to talk about. The much debated, who do you want to take the last shot in a close game. Most people I've heard say Kobe, and I think I agree. This has been the hardest thing for me in picking my MVP. It seems like that should make the order Kobe, Wade, and then Lebron for my voting, but I just can't get there. I'm voting for who I think is the best player.
And I have to go with...LeBron James. He is a play maker for himself and everyone else on the team. He is the only nightly triple double threat in the NBA besides Chris Paul. He can score with Kobe and Wade. He'll guard any position, even center when Cleveland has gone really small. He's got to be the most athletic player in the league. If this were last year, I'd knock his jump shot, but I can't do that this year. He's simply the best player in the league.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Final Four
By my count, which could be totally wrong, there are 90 hours from the time the NCAA tournament brackets are announced until the tip-off of the first game. Of those 90 hours, approximately 90 are filled with professionals doing a break down of every game telling you how and why no one knows who will win. I don't know either, but since it's only a couple of hours until the first tip-off, I thought it was my turn to write about the tourney.
This years tourney is a bit different than more recent years, because I don't think there is a dominant team. There are good teams, but no great teams. Here's my argument for that, all the teams have at least 4 losses. We normally have at least one team coming in with 0 or 1 loss. This year, the tournament is more wide open, and yet most pundits are still picking 2 or 3 top seeds to make the final four. While it's hard to pick against number one's, I think you're just as safe picking any of the top 5 seeds. Of course, I still have 2 number 1 seeds in my final four, and both of them get to the championship.
I think there are some teams to be careful of. Wake Forest has been inconsistent all year, so they could lose the first round or dominate all the way to the championship. My estimate, is they will fall somewhere in the middle of that. I think Clemson, Arizona State and Purdue are the lower seeds that have a good chance to make some noise. As always, you have to be careful of teams with and outstanding player, so Maryland could be a good pick to do well too.
Ok, now for my predictions. In the Final Four, I have Louisville meeting Memphis, and Villanova meeting Carolina. Then I have Carolina beating Louisville for the title. I'm assuming Carolina will be healthy for the run, but that's an assumption that could come back to bite me. Have fun with your brackets and the tournament.
This years tourney is a bit different than more recent years, because I don't think there is a dominant team. There are good teams, but no great teams. Here's my argument for that, all the teams have at least 4 losses. We normally have at least one team coming in with 0 or 1 loss. This year, the tournament is more wide open, and yet most pundits are still picking 2 or 3 top seeds to make the final four. While it's hard to pick against number one's, I think you're just as safe picking any of the top 5 seeds. Of course, I still have 2 number 1 seeds in my final four, and both of them get to the championship.
I think there are some teams to be careful of. Wake Forest has been inconsistent all year, so they could lose the first round or dominate all the way to the championship. My estimate, is they will fall somewhere in the middle of that. I think Clemson, Arizona State and Purdue are the lower seeds that have a good chance to make some noise. As always, you have to be careful of teams with and outstanding player, so Maryland could be a good pick to do well too.
Ok, now for my predictions. In the Final Four, I have Louisville meeting Memphis, and Villanova meeting Carolina. Then I have Carolina beating Louisville for the title. I'm assuming Carolina will be healthy for the run, but that's an assumption that could come back to bite me. Have fun with your brackets and the tournament.
Wednesday, March 18, 2009
The all 35+ team
With all the talk about the resurgence of a dominating Shaq, I thought it was time to put together an all 35 and over team. I was a little surprised when I started researching to find only 17 active players over 35, and that's including Marcus Camby who is a week away from his 35th birthday. Six of the players who are actually active come from the Spurs and Suns, and they're all good players. Ok, so onto the team:
C- Shaq, age 37 Suns
PF- Marcus Camby, age 35 on March 22 Clips
SF- Grant Hill, age 36 Suns
SG- Jason Kidd, age 35 Mavs
PG- Steve Nash, age 35 Suns
Sixth man- Michael Finley, age 36 Spurs
Bench- Kurt Thomas, age 36 Spurs
Bench- Bruce Bowen, age 37 Spurs
Bench- Brent Barry, age 37 Rockets
Bench- Dikembe Mutombo, age 42 Rockets
I struggled some putting Kidd and Nash in the starting lineup together, but I couldn't start Finley over Kidd and I was putting Nash over Kidd. I also moved Camby to PF because I couldn't start Kurt Thomas. He's playing well this year, but just doesn't seem like a solid starter. So this is over half of the players in the NBA that are over 35. Most of the others are players that had decent careers, but that aren't contributing anymore, like Juwan Howard, Eric Snow, Bobby Jackson and Kevin Ollie. There will be some good, active additions to this team next fall, like Rasheed Wallace. But this is it for now, not too bad a team, but one that would probably fight injuries and fatigue quite often.
C- Shaq, age 37 Suns
PF- Marcus Camby, age 35 on March 22 Clips
SF- Grant Hill, age 36 Suns
SG- Jason Kidd, age 35 Mavs
PG- Steve Nash, age 35 Suns
Sixth man- Michael Finley, age 36 Spurs
Bench- Kurt Thomas, age 36 Spurs
Bench- Bruce Bowen, age 37 Spurs
Bench- Brent Barry, age 37 Rockets
Bench- Dikembe Mutombo, age 42 Rockets
I struggled some putting Kidd and Nash in the starting lineup together, but I couldn't start Finley over Kidd and I was putting Nash over Kidd. I also moved Camby to PF because I couldn't start Kurt Thomas. He's playing well this year, but just doesn't seem like a solid starter. So this is over half of the players in the NBA that are over 35. Most of the others are players that had decent careers, but that aren't contributing anymore, like Juwan Howard, Eric Snow, Bobby Jackson and Kevin Ollie. There will be some good, active additions to this team next fall, like Rasheed Wallace. But this is it for now, not too bad a team, but one that would probably fight injuries and fatigue quite often.
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