Hello again to everyone- I know it has been sometime since I last blogged, and for that I apologize. Below I have written about five topics that would have become columns if I had more time, and a faster internet connection. Also, for those of you involved in my College Pickem, those scores will be up here ASAP. Here we go.
5. "Frye"ing our brains
Of all the sports stories in the last month, this one has to be the most comical. I had the privelage of being in Cleveland last Sunday celebrating the family's annual clambake, and happened to read The Sunday Plain Dealer. On the front page was a massive photo of Browns QB Charlie Frye, and beside that was a feature story about him. The story included quotes from former coaches who thought Frye would be the Browns starting quarterback for the next three or four years. Try the next three or four hours. How wrong they were, and how stupid The Plain Dealer looks. Frye was traded to Seattle earlier this week for a sixth round draft pick in next year's draft. It's time to bring on Brady Quinn.
4. The Nature of the Game
If you saw the play on the Buffalo Bills' Everett last week, you couldn't help but cringe. That play and injury reminds us all how dangerous the game of football really is. The biggest, strongest guys in the world are running at each other full speed and making contact- an injury like this could happen more often. Let's just be thankful that there is a little hope of him walking out of the hospital- or at least walking again.
3. An Awkward Meeting
When Michigan and Notre Dame meet later on today it will be the first time in history that neither team has won a game. This matchup has made for some incredible games in the past- games that had National Championship implications- but this year the teams will battle for a chance to turn their seasons into something, anything. Granid Notre Dame has faced two tough opponents (Georgia Tech and Penn State), but they have not shown any signs of greatness in either game. Today's contest should be a good one, but Mike Hart's guarantee will only fire up Tom Zbikowski and the Irish.- Notre Dame 20, Michigan 14
2. Cheaters never win, do they?
No matter how much everybody in the nation is enjoying this story, it is terrible for the NFL. Bill Bilicheck and the New England Patriots were caught cheating in last week's game against the Jets and have been punished for their actions. We have seen cheating in baseball in the form of steroids- in basketball in the Tim Donaghy scandal- and now in football. As much as I hate the Patriots, I am not at all happy about this story. It just makes you wonder how long they have been doing this and if it is the reason they have been so good. I guess we will have to wait and see how they perform on their own, without the advantage of the other team's signals.
1. Take a moment for prayer
Earlier this week my Uncle Rich's father, Henry Yarborough, had a serious bypass surgery that took nine hours to complete. He is very important to our entire family and I ask you to take a moment to pray for his full recovery. Thank you.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Saturday, August 25, 2007
"Girls of Summer" need, deserve help
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
"Girls of Summer" need, deserve help
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
"Girls of Summer" need, deserve help
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
"Girls of Summer" need, deserve help
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
"Girls of Summer" need, deserve help
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
"Girls of Summer" need, deserve help
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Let's face it- all sports fans consider the summer to be a down time and find it difficult to make it through. I mean NFL training camps are getting as much publicity as anything else and ESPN weeknights are filled with repeat episodes of The World Series of Poker. All that fans have to hang their hats on is a bunch of meaningless games in the middle of a long MLB season. Oh yeah, and the WNBA.
Fast forward to Saturday morning. I came out of the shower and was all dressed up and ready for the Fever game later on in the day. This prompted my little brother Patrick to ask the question "Why do you want to go see girls play basketball?"
I considered his question for a minute and could immediately come up with several legitimate answers. The WNBA players may be much shorter, (with the exception of Margo Dydek who is 7'2) they may be much less athletic, and they may play for a much shorter period of time, but boy do they make up for it. These players make in a year what Roger Clemens makes in a day and yet they go out and leave it on the floor each and every time they step on it. They have something that very few NBA players have nowadays- an intense passion for the game.
In Saturday afternoon's game I paid close attention to how the Fever played the game. I focused in on individual players, observed some actions on the bench, and listened to the talk back and forth on the court. From each aspect I was thoroughly impressed. Tamika Catchings is a professional and plays about as hard as any player I have ever seen. She is 6-1 and yet she seems to come up with almost every rebound. If you watched the triple overtime classic on Thursday night you saw Catchings put on a clinic by collecting a Fever record 20 rebounds- and that was on a sore foot. If you've never had a chance to see her play, I highly recommend it. Pay close attention to what she does when a shot goes up. She immediately finds somebody to put a body on and drives them out- a picture perfect example of a box out. Coaches stress it all the time, but how often do you actually see an NBA player push somebody out of the paint? I bet you could count them on one hand.
As the game went on and the Fever continued to roll, I really wished that more people in the state of Indiana could have seen basketball the way it is supposed to be played. Seven-thousand, two-hundred and ninety-eight have figured it out, but many more chose to see the Colts play in a preseason game in the RCA Dome.
Get the family together, grab a bite to eat, and give the Girls of Summer all of your support. They play as hard as any other athletes and rarely get the crowds they deserve. Give it some thought, and we'll see you on Monday night.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
Cubs cannot buy a win
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- So much for the hottest team in baseball. In the matter of a couple of weeks the Cubs have gone back to their former ways, leaving fans wondering what to expect next.
Following the All-Star break the Cubs quickly closed the gap on division leading Milwaukee. They even overtook the Brewers for about 24 hours, but got scared and gave the lead right back. Since that point, the Cubs have gone 3-10 and still trail Milwaukee by 1.5 games.
Who wants to win this division? Both the Brewers and Cubs are playing like they are new to the top (which they are), and the Cardinals are once again getting hot. I think it's time for another Piniella outburst, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if we see one here in the next couple of days. It has to be very frustrating- one day they can't get a hit but do get great pitching. Outcome: Opponent 2 Cubs 0. Then they get a game like last night where they are getting five doubles in an inning and Jason Kendall is hitting home runs, but the pitching is awful. Outcome: Opponent 11 Cubs 9. Something has to happen to spark a run and motivate this team. Maybe that will happen when Alfonso Soriano comes back from his injury, but what are they to do in the meantime? The Cubs have finally reached an easy part of their schedule and they start losing? I guess they don't want to win the pennant- or maybe they just don't know
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- So much for the hottest team in baseball. In the matter of a couple of weeks the Cubs have gone back to their former ways, leaving fans wondering what to expect next.
Following the All-Star break the Cubs quickly closed the gap on division leading Milwaukee. They even overtook the Brewers for about 24 hours, but got scared and gave the lead right back. Since that point, the Cubs have gone 3-10 and still trail Milwaukee by 1.5 games.
Who wants to win this division? Both the Brewers and Cubs are playing like they are new to the top (which they are), and the Cardinals are once again getting hot. I think it's time for another Piniella outburst, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if we see one here in the next couple of days. It has to be very frustrating- one day they can't get a hit but do get great pitching. Outcome: Opponent 2 Cubs 0. Then they get a game like last night where they are getting five doubles in an inning and Jason Kendall is hitting home runs, but the pitching is awful. Outcome: Opponent 11 Cubs 9. Something has to happen to spark a run and motivate this team. Maybe that will happen when Alfonso Soriano comes back from his injury, but what are they to do in the meantime? The Cubs have finally reached an easy part of their schedule and they start losing? I guess they don't want to win the pennant- or maybe they just don't know
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Nice thought, poor result
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Whoever thought up the idea of the Big Ten Network had a decent idea, but failed to consider all of the angles.
Because of the new Big Ten Network, many fans will not have the opportunity to see their favorite teams in select games. Local cable companies will not carry the Network, so anybody without DirecTV will not even have to make the choice of whether or not to pay for the channel. Indiana basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson doesn't seem to think it is such a bad thing.
"I think the Big Ten Network is a cutting-edge idea to have one place where Indiana fans can go to follow the Hoosiers and the Big Ten on a daily basis," Sampson said in a release.
Sampson is free to think whatever he wants, but the Big Ten Network is going to receive many more complaints then it does praise. Local Big Ten games have always been shown, and that method always seemed to work. Why the change? It's obviously a money move, but I question how much money is actually being made when only DirecTV carries the channel. The only people that will welcome the change are the owners of sports bars that are lucky enough to carry the channel. More and more people are going to have to leave their homes to see games that they would normally watch in their comfy chair on their plasma TV. What's next, the ACC Channel?
After a misguided idea that seems like no more than an experiment, thousands of Big Ten fans across the country will suffer. If the Big Ten Network is really necessary make it a free channel. I guess this is just another example of how everything costs money in this country. Yuck!
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Whoever thought up the idea of the Big Ten Network had a decent idea, but failed to consider all of the angles.
Because of the new Big Ten Network, many fans will not have the opportunity to see their favorite teams in select games. Local cable companies will not carry the Network, so anybody without DirecTV will not even have to make the choice of whether or not to pay for the channel. Indiana basketball head coach Kelvin Sampson doesn't seem to think it is such a bad thing.
"I think the Big Ten Network is a cutting-edge idea to have one place where Indiana fans can go to follow the Hoosiers and the Big Ten on a daily basis," Sampson said in a release.
Sampson is free to think whatever he wants, but the Big Ten Network is going to receive many more complaints then it does praise. Local Big Ten games have always been shown, and that method always seemed to work. Why the change? It's obviously a money move, but I question how much money is actually being made when only DirecTV carries the channel. The only people that will welcome the change are the owners of sports bars that are lucky enough to carry the channel. More and more people are going to have to leave their homes to see games that they would normally watch in their comfy chair on their plasma TV. What's next, the ACC Channel?
After a misguided idea that seems like no more than an experiment, thousands of Big Ten fans across the country will suffer. If the Big Ten Network is really necessary make it a free channel. I guess this is just another example of how everything costs money in this country. Yuck!
Friday, August 10, 2007
Good News, Bad News
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- There hasn't been too much to be happy about this year for the St. Louis Cardinals, but they were subject to a feel-good story on Thursday night. Rick Ankiel, a former Major League pitcher, made his debut as an outfielder with the Cardinals on Thursday night. He did not disappoint. Ankiel took a 2-1 pitch from Doug Brocail and crushed it over the right field wall for a 3-run shot.
"Unbelievable," Ankiel said in an interview with the Associated Press. "You almost can't put it into words."
This is one of the best sports stories I have heard about in a long time. If you saw the highlights of this guy as a pitcher, you would really feel sorry for him. He couldn't even find the catcher's mitt- it was a horrible thing to watch. But for this guy to work his tail off and come back as a power hitter; it is truly a testament to his work ethic.
However, the Cardinals had also received more troubling news earlier in the day. OF Scott Spiezio left the team to seek voluntary help for drug and alcohol abuse. Spiezio played a large part in the Cardinals World Series win a year ago.
This is just a depressing story for Major League Baseball. For kids to look up and see professionals abusing drugs, using steroids, chewing tobacco, etc- it sends a horrible message that could lead to more problems in the future. The only positive that comes out of this story is that Spiezio is reportedly seeking treatment on his own and wants to fix his problem. But who knows how much of that is true.
After everything that has happened this year, the Cardinals deserve some credit. They trail Milwaukee by just 5.5 games for the division lead, and are now just six games under .500. Their pitching rotation consists of five guys nobody has ever heard of, and besides Albert Pujols, nobody is hitting. And remember just before Spring Training, manger Tony La Russa was arrested for driving under the influence. What kind of a message does that send to your players? It was just a sign of bad things to come.
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- There hasn't been too much to be happy about this year for the St. Louis Cardinals, but they were subject to a feel-good story on Thursday night. Rick Ankiel, a former Major League pitcher, made his debut as an outfielder with the Cardinals on Thursday night. He did not disappoint. Ankiel took a 2-1 pitch from Doug Brocail and crushed it over the right field wall for a 3-run shot.
"Unbelievable," Ankiel said in an interview with the Associated Press. "You almost can't put it into words."
This is one of the best sports stories I have heard about in a long time. If you saw the highlights of this guy as a pitcher, you would really feel sorry for him. He couldn't even find the catcher's mitt- it was a horrible thing to watch. But for this guy to work his tail off and come back as a power hitter; it is truly a testament to his work ethic.
However, the Cardinals had also received more troubling news earlier in the day. OF Scott Spiezio left the team to seek voluntary help for drug and alcohol abuse. Spiezio played a large part in the Cardinals World Series win a year ago.
This is just a depressing story for Major League Baseball. For kids to look up and see professionals abusing drugs, using steroids, chewing tobacco, etc- it sends a horrible message that could lead to more problems in the future. The only positive that comes out of this story is that Spiezio is reportedly seeking treatment on his own and wants to fix his problem. But who knows how much of that is true.
After everything that has happened this year, the Cardinals deserve some credit. They trail Milwaukee by just 5.5 games for the division lead, and are now just six games under .500. Their pitching rotation consists of five guys nobody has ever heard of, and besides Albert Pujols, nobody is hitting. And remember just before Spring Training, manger Tony La Russa was arrested for driving under the influence. What kind of a message does that send to your players? It was just a sign of bad things to come.
Thursday, August 09, 2007
Will Reggie return?
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- The latest from ESPN is that Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge contacted Reggie Miller about possibly returning to the NBA. Miller, currently an analyst for TNT, says he is seeking advice from his friends and peers before he makes his decision.
Would this be good for Miller or the NBA? Personally, I think Reggie has a little left in the tank. He has always kept himself in great shape, and is only going on 42. He can still shoot the basketball, and when you can do that, there is always room on an NBA team for you. And Miller coming back would be great for the NBA. Reggie played during a period where the NBA and its playoffs were very popular. Bringing Miller back would bring back some of the TV viewers that were lost with the Donagy crisis.
The only people that might be against this move are the fans of the Indiana Pacers. Miller played his entire career with the Pacers, and if he came back for a different team, it could ruin that. But let's make it very clear- Miller has paid his dues to the Pacers and he has every right to go for a ring. He made the Pacers a good team while he was there, and owes them absolutely nothing. However, Boston is not going to win a championship this year. Even after bringing in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, this team has no defense and will not be able to compete with the teams in the Western Conference.
This story is nice, but it is unrealistic. We heard the exact same thing a year ago about Miller coming back to play for the Mavericks. He is happy with his current position and will not be returning to the NBA. Period.
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- The latest from ESPN is that Boston Celtics GM Danny Ainge contacted Reggie Miller about possibly returning to the NBA. Miller, currently an analyst for TNT, says he is seeking advice from his friends and peers before he makes his decision.
Would this be good for Miller or the NBA? Personally, I think Reggie has a little left in the tank. He has always kept himself in great shape, and is only going on 42. He can still shoot the basketball, and when you can do that, there is always room on an NBA team for you. And Miller coming back would be great for the NBA. Reggie played during a period where the NBA and its playoffs were very popular. Bringing Miller back would bring back some of the TV viewers that were lost with the Donagy crisis.
The only people that might be against this move are the fans of the Indiana Pacers. Miller played his entire career with the Pacers, and if he came back for a different team, it could ruin that. But let's make it very clear- Miller has paid his dues to the Pacers and he has every right to go for a ring. He made the Pacers a good team while he was there, and owes them absolutely nothing. However, Boston is not going to win a championship this year. Even after bringing in Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett, this team has no defense and will not be able to compete with the teams in the Western Conference.
This story is nice, but it is unrealistic. We heard the exact same thing a year ago about Miller coming back to play for the Mavericks. He is happy with his current position and will not be returning to the NBA. Period.
Wednesday, August 08, 2007
Does Bonds deserve our praise?
By Justin Albers
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Just before nine o'clock on the West Coast, Barry Bonds sent a 3-2 pitch into the right field bleachers. He stuck his arms up in the air with the weight of the record lifted off of his back. But, is the record forever tainted?
First of all it is not "forever" tainted because there is more than an outside chance that Alex Rodriguez catches Bonds before it is all said and done. Besides that, let me start by saying that Barry Bonds is a great player. Hitting 776 home runs off of Major League pitching is an incredible thing to accomplish; especially if you factor in all of the times he has been walked. However, Bonds is a clear steroids user and a cheater of the game. This is kind of like a kid entering a science fair. There might be that one really smart kid that always wins everything, but you are not dumb yourself. Maybe you use an illegal material in building your project and end up winning first prize. Are you a really smart kid? Yes. Do you deserve to be in first place and have everyone praise you? Probably not.
Bonds handled his situation about as well as he could have handled it. He rarely made a big scene with a reporter, and dealt with the constant criticism without a word. I respect Barry Bonds as much as any player in baseball, but I am not going to be one sitting around talking about how great it is that he broke the record. The home run record is tainted- for now anyway.
basketballss132002@yahoo.com
INDIANAPOLIS- Just before nine o'clock on the West Coast, Barry Bonds sent a 3-2 pitch into the right field bleachers. He stuck his arms up in the air with the weight of the record lifted off of his back. But, is the record forever tainted?
First of all it is not "forever" tainted because there is more than an outside chance that Alex Rodriguez catches Bonds before it is all said and done. Besides that, let me start by saying that Barry Bonds is a great player. Hitting 776 home runs off of Major League pitching is an incredible thing to accomplish; especially if you factor in all of the times he has been walked. However, Bonds is a clear steroids user and a cheater of the game. This is kind of like a kid entering a science fair. There might be that one really smart kid that always wins everything, but you are not dumb yourself. Maybe you use an illegal material in building your project and end up winning first prize. Are you a really smart kid? Yes. Do you deserve to be in first place and have everyone praise you? Probably not.
Bonds handled his situation about as well as he could have handled it. He rarely made a big scene with a reporter, and dealt with the constant criticism without a word. I respect Barry Bonds as much as any player in baseball, but I am not going to be one sitting around talking about how great it is that he broke the record. The home run record is tainted- for now anyway.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Carmona is special pitcher
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- I don’t have any experience in the matter, but I would imagine living away from your native country would be difficult to do. Especially when you end up living away from home, in a place where they don’t speak your language.
Fausto Carmona came to the United States last year from the Dominican Republic and signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians. Both sides probably thought they made a huge mistake. Carmona was placed into the closer role, but he never ended up with even a single save. He blew nine of them in nine opportunities, and ended the 2006 season with a record of 1-10.
I know that if I was in the same situation Carmona was in, I would have given up and gone back home. But that is what makes Carmona so special; he spent the off-season working as hard as he could to become a great pitcher. Then, when Cliff Lee got injured early in the season, he got his chance to become a starter. He has not disappointed.
Carmona (13-4) has an ERA of 3.31, and is tied for the most wins in the Major League. He has become a ground ball specialist; forcing three ground ball outs for every fly ball out. He is every manager’s dream pitcher with nasty enough stuff that he could become an eventual Cy Young winner. His turnaround is unbelievable and unprecedented, but it doesn’t appear to be a fluke.
The Indians got lucky in this case, finding the future ace of their pitching rotation. And oh yeah, they are only paying him $387,500. That is about three percent of what the Yankees are paying Andy Pettitte, and he has six wins. Go figure.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- I don’t have any experience in the matter, but I would imagine living away from your native country would be difficult to do. Especially when you end up living away from home, in a place where they don’t speak your language.
Fausto Carmona came to the United States last year from the Dominican Republic and signed a contract with the Cleveland Indians. Both sides probably thought they made a huge mistake. Carmona was placed into the closer role, but he never ended up with even a single save. He blew nine of them in nine opportunities, and ended the 2006 season with a record of 1-10.
I know that if I was in the same situation Carmona was in, I would have given up and gone back home. But that is what makes Carmona so special; he spent the off-season working as hard as he could to become a great pitcher. Then, when Cliff Lee got injured early in the season, he got his chance to become a starter. He has not disappointed.
Carmona (13-4) has an ERA of 3.31, and is tied for the most wins in the Major League. He has become a ground ball specialist; forcing three ground ball outs for every fly ball out. He is every manager’s dream pitcher with nasty enough stuff that he could become an eventual Cy Young winner. His turnaround is unbelievable and unprecedented, but it doesn’t appear to be a fluke.
The Indians got lucky in this case, finding the future ace of their pitching rotation. And oh yeah, they are only paying him $387,500. That is about three percent of what the Yankees are paying Andy Pettitte, and he has six wins. Go figure.
Wednesday, July 25, 2007
Cubs continue unlikely run
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- When the Chicago Cubs spent over $300 million during the busy off-season, many expected the Cubs to at least be better. But it didn’t start out that way.
On June 1st the Cubs were 22-30, and looked to be getting worse. On that day Carlos Zambrano, the ace of the pitching staff, got into a fist fight with catcher Michael Barrett. Zambrano then had a record of 5-5. On the very next day, manager Lou Pinellia came out to argue a call that was clearly correct; ending with him kicking dirt on the umpire and getting a three game suspension.
But things have since turned around. Michael Barrett was traded a little more than a week later, and Zambrano got hot. Since the fight with Barrett, Zambrano is 8-2 with an ERA under 2. He now has the most wins of any pitcher in the National League, and could make a run at the Cy Young.
Some other guys have turned it around as well. Pitcher Ted Lilly (10-4) has gone 6-1 since the Lou Pinellia outburst, and has become a very consistent second man in the rotation. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez has been as hot as any hitter in the game. Ramirez has upped his average from .299 on June 2nd to .321 as of this morning. The Cubs have finally found that third baseman they have been searching for years to find. They can thank the Pirates for that.
Was all of this success a direct result of Lou Pinellia’s outburst? Maybe not, but you better believe it had something to do with it. Many said Pinellia was not the right man for this job; many were wrong.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- When the Chicago Cubs spent over $300 million during the busy off-season, many expected the Cubs to at least be better. But it didn’t start out that way.
On June 1st the Cubs were 22-30, and looked to be getting worse. On that day Carlos Zambrano, the ace of the pitching staff, got into a fist fight with catcher Michael Barrett. Zambrano then had a record of 5-5. On the very next day, manager Lou Pinellia came out to argue a call that was clearly correct; ending with him kicking dirt on the umpire and getting a three game suspension.
But things have since turned around. Michael Barrett was traded a little more than a week later, and Zambrano got hot. Since the fight with Barrett, Zambrano is 8-2 with an ERA under 2. He now has the most wins of any pitcher in the National League, and could make a run at the Cy Young.
Some other guys have turned it around as well. Pitcher Ted Lilly (10-4) has gone 6-1 since the Lou Pinellia outburst, and has become a very consistent second man in the rotation. Third baseman Aramis Ramirez has been as hot as any hitter in the game. Ramirez has upped his average from .299 on June 2nd to .321 as of this morning. The Cubs have finally found that third baseman they have been searching for years to find. They can thank the Pirates for that.
Was all of this success a direct result of Lou Pinellia’s outburst? Maybe not, but you better believe it had something to do with it. Many said Pinellia was not the right man for this job; many were wrong.
Tuesday, July 24, 2007
I feel bad for...
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND-
Aaron Harang (Cincinnati Reds)
What, who? Exactly. Harang is the ace of the Reds pitching staff, but few know who he is because he is on one of the worst teams in the league. Harang has a 10-2 record with a 3.45 ERA, and oh yeah his team is 42-58. He has accounted for almost 25 percent of his team’s wins, and just last night, he pitched 10 innings and didn’t even get the win. He would be a Cy Young candidate and eventual winner if he was somewhere else, but that is just the reason I feel sorry for him.
Roger Goodell (NFL Commissioner)
He had just finished taking care of Pacman Jones, Chris Henry, and Tank Johnson, and was probably feeling pretty good about himself. But then it got a whole lot worse: Michael Vick, an icon in his league, was indicted for dogfighting. I don’t know that any commissioner has had more to deal with in his tenure then Goodell has had to deal with in his last two years. It is completely unfair, but he is doing an outstanding job- at least to this point.
Phoenix Suns
If you read my column yesterday (first of all, thank you), then you know about Tim Donaghy and the NBA scandal. Well, after I wrote that column I went to ESPN.com and read a story written by Bill Simmons. It was extremely well written and pointed me in the direction of YouTube. YouTube is a video site where any person in the world can post a video about any topic. There was a video on there that showed Tim Donaghy clearly blowing calls to help the Spurs and hurt the Suns during Game 3 of that series. It was absolutely pitiful, and totally blatant.
NOTE: ESPN’s Bill Simmons made a great point in his Sports Guy column, something all basketball fans need to think about. When next season rolls around and a bad call is made against your team, you are going to wonder if it is fixed. Tim Donaghy has ruined the NBA as we knew it.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND-
Aaron Harang (Cincinnati Reds)
What, who? Exactly. Harang is the ace of the Reds pitching staff, but few know who he is because he is on one of the worst teams in the league. Harang has a 10-2 record with a 3.45 ERA, and oh yeah his team is 42-58. He has accounted for almost 25 percent of his team’s wins, and just last night, he pitched 10 innings and didn’t even get the win. He would be a Cy Young candidate and eventual winner if he was somewhere else, but that is just the reason I feel sorry for him.
Roger Goodell (NFL Commissioner)
He had just finished taking care of Pacman Jones, Chris Henry, and Tank Johnson, and was probably feeling pretty good about himself. But then it got a whole lot worse: Michael Vick, an icon in his league, was indicted for dogfighting. I don’t know that any commissioner has had more to deal with in his tenure then Goodell has had to deal with in his last two years. It is completely unfair, but he is doing an outstanding job- at least to this point.
Phoenix Suns
If you read my column yesterday (first of all, thank you), then you know about Tim Donaghy and the NBA scandal. Well, after I wrote that column I went to ESPN.com and read a story written by Bill Simmons. It was extremely well written and pointed me in the direction of YouTube. YouTube is a video site where any person in the world can post a video about any topic. There was a video on there that showed Tim Donaghy clearly blowing calls to help the Spurs and hurt the Suns during Game 3 of that series. It was absolutely pitiful, and totally blatant.
NOTE: ESPN’s Bill Simmons made a great point in his Sports Guy column, something all basketball fans need to think about. When next season rolls around and a bad call is made against your team, you are going to wonder if it is fixed. Tim Donaghy has ruined the NBA as we knew it.
Monday, July 23, 2007
Gambling with the Game
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- Tim Donaghy had an alleged serious gambling problem, and he took it way too far. Gambling with your own money is one thing, but gambling with the integrity of the NBA- over the line. Now the question becomes “How much will the league be affected?”
The NBA is already starting to draw fewer fans because of the fact that the players don’t always leave it out there on the floor. In select playoff games, sure, but what about the 17th game of the year- or the 30th? For one thing the season is too long, but that is beside the point.
To be completely honest I have mixed emotions on the effect Tim Donaghy will have on the NBA. I don’t think it will make too many fans stay home and forget the game, but I believe television ratings will suffer dearly. Who is going to watch a game where the players aren’t trying and the officials could be cheating? Not I.
On ESPN’s prime time television show, Pardon the Interruption, Dan Levetard made a great point. If one ref is convicted (Donaghy), then who’s to say that more refs aren’t like him and shave points in the same way? Or coaches? Or even players? David Stern has a serious issue on his hands, one that is going to hit the league much harder then Ron Artest did when he went flying into the stands. If anything Artest’s incident brought in more viewers- for a couple of weeks anyway.
Until he is taken to court, Donaghy better be protected because he himself is in extreme danger. Think about all of the people in the nation that are die-hard basketball fans. And what about if he does end up going to prison? He is going to have to be put in a room by himself because he will even be hated by the other inmates. Donaghy faces a long road ahead of him- one that will make him pay for gambling with the NBA.
The only thing Stern can hope for now is that another official is not found to be shaving points in the way Donaghy did. If that happens then watch out- the NBA could be done, forever.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- Tim Donaghy had an alleged serious gambling problem, and he took it way too far. Gambling with your own money is one thing, but gambling with the integrity of the NBA- over the line. Now the question becomes “How much will the league be affected?”
The NBA is already starting to draw fewer fans because of the fact that the players don’t always leave it out there on the floor. In select playoff games, sure, but what about the 17th game of the year- or the 30th? For one thing the season is too long, but that is beside the point.
To be completely honest I have mixed emotions on the effect Tim Donaghy will have on the NBA. I don’t think it will make too many fans stay home and forget the game, but I believe television ratings will suffer dearly. Who is going to watch a game where the players aren’t trying and the officials could be cheating? Not I.
On ESPN’s prime time television show, Pardon the Interruption, Dan Levetard made a great point. If one ref is convicted (Donaghy), then who’s to say that more refs aren’t like him and shave points in the same way? Or coaches? Or even players? David Stern has a serious issue on his hands, one that is going to hit the league much harder then Ron Artest did when he went flying into the stands. If anything Artest’s incident brought in more viewers- for a couple of weeks anyway.
Until he is taken to court, Donaghy better be protected because he himself is in extreme danger. Think about all of the people in the nation that are die-hard basketball fans. And what about if he does end up going to prison? He is going to have to be put in a room by himself because he will even be hated by the other inmates. Donaghy faces a long road ahead of him- one that will make him pay for gambling with the NBA.
The only thing Stern can hope for now is that another official is not found to be shaving points in the way Donaghy did. If that happens then watch out- the NBA could be done, forever.
Friday, July 20, 2007
MLB News and Notes
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With the All-Star break now behind us, every Major League game means so much more. Here are some of the top stories from this week.
Bad News Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals received even more bad news on Thursday night when they found out that their pitching ace, Chris Carpenter, was going to have Tommy John surgery. This means that Carpenter, who has been on the DL since the second day of the season, will miss the rest of 2007 and part of ’08.
How awful could things get for St. Louis? After winning a World Series a year ago, everything has fallen apart. I give the Cardinals credit for hanging in there after they lost all five starting pitchers from last year, and have had to deal with top hitters like Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, and David Eckstein on the DL. If the Cardinals think they really have a chance to catch the Cubs and Brewers in the division, then they need to make a move for a starting pitcher right now. The trading deadline is in a little over a week, and they need all the help they can get.
Sabathia gets win No. 13
C.C. Sabathia had a fantastic first half of the season- nobody can debate that. But he has looked like a completely different pitcher in his last three starts. He has lacked command, given up several home runs, and has failed to work deep into the game. If the Indians have any hope of catching the Tigers in the AL Central, then they are going to need Sabathia on top of his game.
My personal opinion on the situation is that Sabathia is a little bit worried about his future. He loves playing in Cleveland, and wants to remain an Indian as long as possible. But he remains the only core guy not to be signed to a long term contract. Designated hitter Travis Hafner received a four year, $57 million last week, and manager Eric Wedge was resigned through 2010. I think Sabathia is worried that he is going to be offered more money by some other team and may have to leave Cleveland behind. That remains to be seen, but it is a possibility.
Barry Bonds hit home runs No. 752 and 753 on Thursday to pull him within two of Hank Aaron’s record. He is scheduled to play today and Sunday in Milwaukee.
The Boston Red Sox continue to struggle. Boston, who leads the AL East, has lost eight of its last 11 games, and holds just a seven game advantage over the Yankees.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With the All-Star break now behind us, every Major League game means so much more. Here are some of the top stories from this week.
Bad News Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals received even more bad news on Thursday night when they found out that their pitching ace, Chris Carpenter, was going to have Tommy John surgery. This means that Carpenter, who has been on the DL since the second day of the season, will miss the rest of 2007 and part of ’08.
How awful could things get for St. Louis? After winning a World Series a year ago, everything has fallen apart. I give the Cardinals credit for hanging in there after they lost all five starting pitchers from last year, and have had to deal with top hitters like Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, and David Eckstein on the DL. If the Cardinals think they really have a chance to catch the Cubs and Brewers in the division, then they need to make a move for a starting pitcher right now. The trading deadline is in a little over a week, and they need all the help they can get.
Sabathia gets win No. 13
C.C. Sabathia had a fantastic first half of the season- nobody can debate that. But he has looked like a completely different pitcher in his last three starts. He has lacked command, given up several home runs, and has failed to work deep into the game. If the Indians have any hope of catching the Tigers in the AL Central, then they are going to need Sabathia on top of his game.
My personal opinion on the situation is that Sabathia is a little bit worried about his future. He loves playing in Cleveland, and wants to remain an Indian as long as possible. But he remains the only core guy not to be signed to a long term contract. Designated hitter Travis Hafner received a four year, $57 million last week, and manager Eric Wedge was resigned through 2010. I think Sabathia is worried that he is going to be offered more money by some other team and may have to leave Cleveland behind. That remains to be seen, but it is a possibility.
Barry Bonds hit home runs No. 752 and 753 on Thursday to pull him within two of Hank Aaron’s record. He is scheduled to play today and Sunday in Milwaukee.
The Boston Red Sox continue to struggle. Boston, who leads the AL East, has lost eight of its last 11 games, and holds just a seven game advantage over the Yankees.
Thursday, July 19, 2007
What should Falcons, NFL do?
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- I know it is all anybody has talked about for the last two days, but it is such a huge story that I have to comment on it. I mean to read just how gruesome the alleged dog fighting was, it absolutely blows my mind.
The indictment says that Vick and his “buddies” held dog fighting rings; fighting the dogs very near to death. But this is what really gets you- the losing dogs were killed by means of electrocution, hanging, drowning, or gun shot.
This dog fighting took place in 2001, just before Michael Vick’s rookie season in the NFL. Why would a kid that is about to make millions of dollars start doing something cruel and unusual like this? Did he have something against dogs? I don’t understand how anybody could get entertainment out of this type of thing, it is completely disgusting.
I would like to say that the NFL should act immediately and suspend Vick, but that would be the wrong thing to do. What happens if he is found to be innocent in court? Roger Goodell needs to wait until the legal process takes its course, and then go crazy. If Pacman Jones gets suspended for the entire season when he has not yet been convicted with anything, then Vick should get several years for what he is up against right now. Not only was he fighting and killing dogs, he was also gambling, and he lied to the commissioner about his involvement in the matter. The NFL’s image has deteriorated steadily over the last several years, and this incident is going to hurt it even more.
Vick has left the Falcons in a very sticky situation. So many of the fans in Atlanta are upset by what has taken place that I don’t know how many people are going to show up for games next season. They can’t cut Vick because he ties up way too much of their salary cap and they would be left with hardly any money. They can’t trade him because nobody wants him. And he can’t play because he is going to be tied up with his court hearings most of the time. Joey Harrington is going to have to step in and start, and the Falcons will win seven or eight games and miss the playoffs. But football will take the back seat to what is going on with Vick, which is such a shame for the rest of the guys on the team. Vick was the whole reason anybody came to see this team play in the first place- and the only reason they ever played on prime time. The excitement he could provide was unlike any other; key word there being was.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- I know it is all anybody has talked about for the last two days, but it is such a huge story that I have to comment on it. I mean to read just how gruesome the alleged dog fighting was, it absolutely blows my mind.
The indictment says that Vick and his “buddies” held dog fighting rings; fighting the dogs very near to death. But this is what really gets you- the losing dogs were killed by means of electrocution, hanging, drowning, or gun shot.
This dog fighting took place in 2001, just before Michael Vick’s rookie season in the NFL. Why would a kid that is about to make millions of dollars start doing something cruel and unusual like this? Did he have something against dogs? I don’t understand how anybody could get entertainment out of this type of thing, it is completely disgusting.
I would like to say that the NFL should act immediately and suspend Vick, but that would be the wrong thing to do. What happens if he is found to be innocent in court? Roger Goodell needs to wait until the legal process takes its course, and then go crazy. If Pacman Jones gets suspended for the entire season when he has not yet been convicted with anything, then Vick should get several years for what he is up against right now. Not only was he fighting and killing dogs, he was also gambling, and he lied to the commissioner about his involvement in the matter. The NFL’s image has deteriorated steadily over the last several years, and this incident is going to hurt it even more.
Vick has left the Falcons in a very sticky situation. So many of the fans in Atlanta are upset by what has taken place that I don’t know how many people are going to show up for games next season. They can’t cut Vick because he ties up way too much of their salary cap and they would be left with hardly any money. They can’t trade him because nobody wants him. And he can’t play because he is going to be tied up with his court hearings most of the time. Joey Harrington is going to have to step in and start, and the Falcons will win seven or eight games and miss the playoffs. But football will take the back seat to what is going on with Vick, which is such a shame for the rest of the guys on the team. Vick was the whole reason anybody came to see this team play in the first place- and the only reason they ever played on prime time. The excitement he could provide was unlike any other; key word there being was.
Wednesday, July 18, 2007
What's wrong with Milwaukee?
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- I know everybody is probably wondering why I am not writing about Michael Vick this morning. After all he was indicted for dog fighting in 2001, but that is beside the point. Vick does not deserve the attention for what he did, so I am not going to give it to him.
Reports yesterday said that there is “no chance” of Yi Jianglian playing for the Milwaukee Bucks. His Chinese team will reportedly block him from making a move to the United States. Who is at fault here?
When it was first reported before the NBA Draft that Yi did not want to play for Milwaukee, I took the side of the Bucks. I mean you had to figure that this guy was all talk and that he wasn’t going to give up that large sum of money and stay in China. However, Milwaukee should have at least been a little cautious when it wasn’t even allowed to send any of its representatives to see Yi workout. But, what is wrong with Milwaukee? Would he rather have played in Boston? Charlotte? Atlanta? I highly doubt it. But even if he was against the Bucks, this is the NBA Draft, the team has the choice. Many guys don’t initially want to go to the team they are drafted by, but they suck it up and play anyway. They don’t pout and beg for a trade.
What is going to be done now? In my opinion, if Yi refuses to play and says that he will stay in China until the next draft, then David Stern should ban him from the league forever. It would be completely unfair to the Milwaukee Bucks if you let him come back into the draft and be drafted by another team. This guy is making a mockery of the league (an even bigger one) and he is setting a terrible example for future international players. Be a man and take your $3 million a year- or stay home in China never to be heard from again. Whichever you choose, do it without pouting. Thank you.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- I know everybody is probably wondering why I am not writing about Michael Vick this morning. After all he was indicted for dog fighting in 2001, but that is beside the point. Vick does not deserve the attention for what he did, so I am not going to give it to him.
Reports yesterday said that there is “no chance” of Yi Jianglian playing for the Milwaukee Bucks. His Chinese team will reportedly block him from making a move to the United States. Who is at fault here?
When it was first reported before the NBA Draft that Yi did not want to play for Milwaukee, I took the side of the Bucks. I mean you had to figure that this guy was all talk and that he wasn’t going to give up that large sum of money and stay in China. However, Milwaukee should have at least been a little cautious when it wasn’t even allowed to send any of its representatives to see Yi workout. But, what is wrong with Milwaukee? Would he rather have played in Boston? Charlotte? Atlanta? I highly doubt it. But even if he was against the Bucks, this is the NBA Draft, the team has the choice. Many guys don’t initially want to go to the team they are drafted by, but they suck it up and play anyway. They don’t pout and beg for a trade.
What is going to be done now? In my opinion, if Yi refuses to play and says that he will stay in China until the next draft, then David Stern should ban him from the league forever. It would be completely unfair to the Milwaukee Bucks if you let him come back into the draft and be drafted by another team. This guy is making a mockery of the league (an even bigger one) and he is setting a terrible example for future international players. Be a man and take your $3 million a year- or stay home in China never to be heard from again. Whichever you choose, do it without pouting. Thank you.
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
To sit or not to sit
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With Barry Bonds just four home runs shy of Henry (Hank) Aaron’s record, every game is becoming more important. But assuming he hits three more home runs, should the Giants sit Bonds until the next home game?
To me this is not even debatable, there is no way Bonds should break the record on the road. It would be terrible- not only for Bonds, but also for the league and the fans. He would be booed like anything and the record would forever be tainted. Granid it is already going to be tainted because of steroid use, but if he doesn’t do it at home it will be so much worse.
As I watched the Cubs play the Giants on ESPN last night, a game that was obviously on the air to showcase Bonds, I realized something about San Francisco. Bonds had benched himself earlier in the day because of “swollen ankles” and the remaining Giants lineup was unimpressive. If Bonds was not on the roster, I am not sure anybody would ever come to the games. What to see Randy Winn and Omar Vizquel? The Giants are old and really need to start rebuilding. Because once Bonds is gone, so are the fans and the nationally televised games. My advice- trade Bonds as soon as he breaks the record. He will have a high trade value at that time, and will give the Giants some guys in return that will help them start to turn things around. With the current roster the Giants have, it could be years before they make another playoff run.
MLB News and Notes
The Cubs traded C Rob Bowen and a minor league pitcher to the A’s for veteran C Jason Kendall.
Indians manager Eric Wedge agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in Cleveland through 2010.Marlins pitcher Scott Olson was suspended for two games for insubordination. However, he will not even miss a scheduled start. Have a good vacation
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With Barry Bonds just four home runs shy of Henry (Hank) Aaron’s record, every game is becoming more important. But assuming he hits three more home runs, should the Giants sit Bonds until the next home game?
To me this is not even debatable, there is no way Bonds should break the record on the road. It would be terrible- not only for Bonds, but also for the league and the fans. He would be booed like anything and the record would forever be tainted. Granid it is already going to be tainted because of steroid use, but if he doesn’t do it at home it will be so much worse.
As I watched the Cubs play the Giants on ESPN last night, a game that was obviously on the air to showcase Bonds, I realized something about San Francisco. Bonds had benched himself earlier in the day because of “swollen ankles” and the remaining Giants lineup was unimpressive. If Bonds was not on the roster, I am not sure anybody would ever come to the games. What to see Randy Winn and Omar Vizquel? The Giants are old and really need to start rebuilding. Because once Bonds is gone, so are the fans and the nationally televised games. My advice- trade Bonds as soon as he breaks the record. He will have a high trade value at that time, and will give the Giants some guys in return that will help them start to turn things around. With the current roster the Giants have, it could be years before they make another playoff run.
MLB News and Notes
The Cubs traded C Rob Bowen and a minor league pitcher to the A’s for veteran C Jason Kendall.
Indians manager Eric Wedge agreed to a contract extension that will keep him in Cleveland through 2010.Marlins pitcher Scott Olson was suspended for two games for insubordination. However, he will not even miss a scheduled start. Have a good vacation
Monday, July 16, 2007
The Bibby Effect
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- It has been less than a week since the official start of NBA free agency, and yet several moves have already been made. Steve Blake signed with the Blazers, Derek Fisher headed back to the Lakers, Grant Hill made the move to Phoenix- just to name a few. But the Eastern Conference champions from a year ago want to get into the mix and make a move to help the franchise.
The Cavs had an over-achieving season when they reached the NBA Finals a year ago, we all know that. That was especially true when they met the Spurs without guard Larry Hughes; it became LeBron James versus the world. General Manager Danny Ferry wants to make sure his team is prepared for a much improved Eastern Conference, besides the fact that he would rather not be swept again this year.
It was rumored that the Cavs tried to trade away Hughes and Eric Snow on draft day, but both deals fell through. Now there have been several different trade propositions that would allow Cleveland to acquire PG Mike Bibby from the Sacramento Kings. Reports in the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Saturday said the Cavs offered forward Drew Gooden and guard Damon Jones, with a third team- possibly the San Antonio Spurs- causing the deal to fall through.
The question I see stemming from all of this talk is “How much SHOULD the Cavs give up in order to get Bibby?” Mike Bibby is a fantastic player. He is at an age (29) where he should be solid for the next several years. However, Cleveland has to be careful about giving up a guy like Drew Gooden. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is getting old and Anderson Varejao, assuming he is re-signed, will never been an offensive threat. That would leave Cleveland with a strong exterior and nobody that can score close to the basket. If possible, the Cavs should get rid of Larry Hughes, Damon Jones, and a future draft pick to get their hands on Bibby, and hold to Gooden for dear life.
Gooden is a player that was outstanding in college when he played for the Kansas Jayhawks, but most experts said he was not big enough to be a good NBA player. He is beginning to prove them wrong. Gooden was a large part of the Cavs Finals run last year, and has become a solid scoring threat in the low post. He is still not a great defender, but he makes up for it with he great hustle. Just imagine Cleveland with a triple threat of James, Bibby, and Gooden- the Cavs could be looking at a trip back to the NBA Finals sooner than expected.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- It has been less than a week since the official start of NBA free agency, and yet several moves have already been made. Steve Blake signed with the Blazers, Derek Fisher headed back to the Lakers, Grant Hill made the move to Phoenix- just to name a few. But the Eastern Conference champions from a year ago want to get into the mix and make a move to help the franchise.
The Cavs had an over-achieving season when they reached the NBA Finals a year ago, we all know that. That was especially true when they met the Spurs without guard Larry Hughes; it became LeBron James versus the world. General Manager Danny Ferry wants to make sure his team is prepared for a much improved Eastern Conference, besides the fact that he would rather not be swept again this year.
It was rumored that the Cavs tried to trade away Hughes and Eric Snow on draft day, but both deals fell through. Now there have been several different trade propositions that would allow Cleveland to acquire PG Mike Bibby from the Sacramento Kings. Reports in the Cleveland Plain Dealer on Saturday said the Cavs offered forward Drew Gooden and guard Damon Jones, with a third team- possibly the San Antonio Spurs- causing the deal to fall through.
The question I see stemming from all of this talk is “How much SHOULD the Cavs give up in order to get Bibby?” Mike Bibby is a fantastic player. He is at an age (29) where he should be solid for the next several years. However, Cleveland has to be careful about giving up a guy like Drew Gooden. Zydrunas Ilgauskas is getting old and Anderson Varejao, assuming he is re-signed, will never been an offensive threat. That would leave Cleveland with a strong exterior and nobody that can score close to the basket. If possible, the Cavs should get rid of Larry Hughes, Damon Jones, and a future draft pick to get their hands on Bibby, and hold to Gooden for dear life.
Gooden is a player that was outstanding in college when he played for the Kansas Jayhawks, but most experts said he was not big enough to be a good NBA player. He is beginning to prove them wrong. Gooden was a large part of the Cavs Finals run last year, and has become a solid scoring threat in the low post. He is still not a great defender, but he makes up for it with he great hustle. Just imagine Cleveland with a triple threat of James, Bibby, and Gooden- the Cavs could be looking at a trip back to the NBA Finals sooner than expected.
Friday, July 13, 2007
A-Rod, Ichiro- Worth the Money?
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With constant talk of contract negotiations and extensions thrust upon us, it is only fair to break down the situations at hand. Are these guys worth the money they are getting?
Let’s start with A-Rod. Yesterday the Yankees agreed to go against what they normally do and talk about contract extensions during the regular season. However, Rodriguez was not interested, saying “I think it would be selfish on my part to talk about my contract status when our team desperately needs wins.” The latest estimates have A-Rod getting anywhere between 30 and 40 million dollars a year with a new contract. There are only about four or five teams that could afford to pay him that kind of money, but is he worth it? Absolutely not. The Yankees do not need Rodriguez. They already have Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Bobby Abreu, and other big names that will put fans in the seats. A-Rod has never been a part of a winning program and it won’t start now. The Yankees would be wise to spend the money on pitching, something they need more than anything else right now.
However, if a team like the Angels wanted to bring in A-Rod, then I could maybe see them spending that kind of money. The Angels need another star that will get people talking about them, but like the Yankees, they would be smart to spend their money on pitching.
Ichiro’s situation is in a whole other ballpark. It has been reported that the Mariners have agreed to pay Ichiro $100 million over the next five seasons, which would average out to about $20 million a year. This is a very smart move by Seattle for a couple of reasons. First of all, Ichiro is a great player who gives this team a chance by getting on base. He is the best hitter in the game, and arguably the best lead-off man. The second, and biggest reason this is a good move is because of the fans the Mariners get from Japan. Ichiro is one of the most popular men in his native country, and Seattle gets a much larger fan base with him around. He puts people in the seats, and that is what it is all about, being a business and all. Smart move by the M’s, now if they could just figure out what happened to Mike Hargrove. But that’s a topic for another day.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With constant talk of contract negotiations and extensions thrust upon us, it is only fair to break down the situations at hand. Are these guys worth the money they are getting?
Let’s start with A-Rod. Yesterday the Yankees agreed to go against what they normally do and talk about contract extensions during the regular season. However, Rodriguez was not interested, saying “I think it would be selfish on my part to talk about my contract status when our team desperately needs wins.” The latest estimates have A-Rod getting anywhere between 30 and 40 million dollars a year with a new contract. There are only about four or five teams that could afford to pay him that kind of money, but is he worth it? Absolutely not. The Yankees do not need Rodriguez. They already have Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Bobby Abreu, and other big names that will put fans in the seats. A-Rod has never been a part of a winning program and it won’t start now. The Yankees would be wise to spend the money on pitching, something they need more than anything else right now.
However, if a team like the Angels wanted to bring in A-Rod, then I could maybe see them spending that kind of money. The Angels need another star that will get people talking about them, but like the Yankees, they would be smart to spend their money on pitching.
Ichiro’s situation is in a whole other ballpark. It has been reported that the Mariners have agreed to pay Ichiro $100 million over the next five seasons, which would average out to about $20 million a year. This is a very smart move by Seattle for a couple of reasons. First of all, Ichiro is a great player who gives this team a chance by getting on base. He is the best hitter in the game, and arguably the best lead-off man. The second, and biggest reason this is a good move is because of the fans the Mariners get from Japan. Ichiro is one of the most popular men in his native country, and Seattle gets a much larger fan base with him around. He puts people in the seats, and that is what it is all about, being a business and all. Smart move by the M’s, now if they could just figure out what happened to Mike Hargrove. But that’s a topic for another day.
JJ's Midseason MLB Awards
QUESTIONS OF THE DAY:
1. What would you pay to have Alex Rodriguez on your team? Is he worth $30 million a year?
2. Was is smart of the Mariners to re-sign Ichiro to a contract that pays approximately $20 million a year?
A.L. MVP- Magglio Ordonez (Tigers)
I know that this sounds ridiculous, but why not? Ninety-nine percent of sportswriters in the nation have Alex Rodriguez in this position, but look at where his team is in the standings. The Yankees are not going to make the playoffs, and the Tigers are one of the best teams in the Major League. And, Ordonez is hitting a league high .365 with 13 HR and 72 RBI. Right now he is the MVP, no questions asked.
A.L. CY Young- C.C. Sabathia (Indians) (12-3 3.58 ERA)
This guy is simply unbelievable; if you have never seen him play, I highly recommend it. Sabathia works quickly and efficiently each and every night he is on the mound, and works himself out of jams better than any pitcher I have ever seen. His pitching style is very similar to that of Carlos Zambrano, but he has a leg up because he doesn’t let his emotions get to him. He is a workhorse who almost always works into the eighth inning, and provides some much needed relief to the bullpen. Sabathia will win 21 games this season and lead his Indians to a division title.
A.L. Rookie of the Year- Daisuke Matsuzaka (Red Sox) (10-6 3.84 ERA)
This one is very easy, and I am almost positive that he will end up winning this award at the end of the season. The only way he won’t is if he somehow gets himself injured and has to miss time. Daisuke has lived up to the hype, and will become the Red Sox ace at some point in his career. He too is a thrill to watch, and his strikeout ability is second to none. Watch for this guy to make some serious noise in the postseason, and win 18 games in the regular season.
N.L. MVP- Prince Fielder (Brewers)
Although this one is very easy to choice at this point in the season, I don’t think Fielder will take away the hardware at the end of the year. He had a great first half with 29 HR and 70 RBI, leading his Brewers to a division lead, but Milwaukee is not going to win the N.L. Central and he is going to fall off. My other N.L. MVP candidates include the Cubs’ 1B Derek Lee, the Mets SS Jose Reyes and OF Carlos Beltran.
N.L. CY Young- Brad Penny (Dodgers) (10-1 2.39 ERA)
Penny didn’t start this year’s All-Star game because he received that honor a year ago. He hit the wall in the second half last season, but I think he will stay motivated and keep the pressure on with the division up for grabs. I think if the Dodgers win the pennant then Penny takes home the hardware, but if the Padres win it then Jake Peavy takes it home. Should be an interesting race.
N.L. Rookie of the Year- Mike Fontenot (Cubs)
The Cubs were pleasantly surprised when they called up Fontenot and received some production. Nobody expected him to do what he’s doing; maybe it’s because he was teamed with his old friend and teammate Ryan Theriot. In 28 games this season Fontenot is hitting a .356 with 3 HR and 16 RBI. He has 37 hits in 114 at-bats and is playing very well in the field. I think he will deserve this award at the end of the season, and will definitely be in the discussion.
1. What would you pay to have Alex Rodriguez on your team? Is he worth $30 million a year?
2. Was is smart of the Mariners to re-sign Ichiro to a contract that pays approximately $20 million a year?
A.L. MVP- Magglio Ordonez (Tigers)
I know that this sounds ridiculous, but why not? Ninety-nine percent of sportswriters in the nation have Alex Rodriguez in this position, but look at where his team is in the standings. The Yankees are not going to make the playoffs, and the Tigers are one of the best teams in the Major League. And, Ordonez is hitting a league high .365 with 13 HR and 72 RBI. Right now he is the MVP, no questions asked.
A.L. CY Young- C.C. Sabathia (Indians) (12-3 3.58 ERA)
This guy is simply unbelievable; if you have never seen him play, I highly recommend it. Sabathia works quickly and efficiently each and every night he is on the mound, and works himself out of jams better than any pitcher I have ever seen. His pitching style is very similar to that of Carlos Zambrano, but he has a leg up because he doesn’t let his emotions get to him. He is a workhorse who almost always works into the eighth inning, and provides some much needed relief to the bullpen. Sabathia will win 21 games this season and lead his Indians to a division title.
A.L. Rookie of the Year- Daisuke Matsuzaka (Red Sox) (10-6 3.84 ERA)
This one is very easy, and I am almost positive that he will end up winning this award at the end of the season. The only way he won’t is if he somehow gets himself injured and has to miss time. Daisuke has lived up to the hype, and will become the Red Sox ace at some point in his career. He too is a thrill to watch, and his strikeout ability is second to none. Watch for this guy to make some serious noise in the postseason, and win 18 games in the regular season.
N.L. MVP- Prince Fielder (Brewers)
Although this one is very easy to choice at this point in the season, I don’t think Fielder will take away the hardware at the end of the year. He had a great first half with 29 HR and 70 RBI, leading his Brewers to a division lead, but Milwaukee is not going to win the N.L. Central and he is going to fall off. My other N.L. MVP candidates include the Cubs’ 1B Derek Lee, the Mets SS Jose Reyes and OF Carlos Beltran.
N.L. CY Young- Brad Penny (Dodgers) (10-1 2.39 ERA)
Penny didn’t start this year’s All-Star game because he received that honor a year ago. He hit the wall in the second half last season, but I think he will stay motivated and keep the pressure on with the division up for grabs. I think if the Dodgers win the pennant then Penny takes home the hardware, but if the Padres win it then Jake Peavy takes it home. Should be an interesting race.
N.L. Rookie of the Year- Mike Fontenot (Cubs)
The Cubs were pleasantly surprised when they called up Fontenot and received some production. Nobody expected him to do what he’s doing; maybe it’s because he was teamed with his old friend and teammate Ryan Theriot. In 28 games this season Fontenot is hitting a .356 with 3 HR and 16 RBI. He has 37 hits in 114 at-bats and is playing very well in the field. I think he will deserve this award at the end of the season, and will definitely be in the discussion.
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Best NBA Duo
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With a busy off-season filled with trades and free agent signings, a legitimate question arises: Who has the best NBA duo?
A couple of new duos have already been created in the Eastern Conference, some that have the potential to be very effective. Orlando added Rashard Lewis to complement Dwight Howard, Charlotte added Jason Richardson to complement Gerald Wallace, Boston added Ray Allen to complement Paul Pierce. All three of those situations have a similar quality, something that will ultimately hold them back. Those three teams all added players that play the same position as the star they already had. It makes very little sense, but because it is rarely done I don’t have any precedent to set it against.
You would assume that the best duo has to come out of the West since it has become such a dominant league. Phoenix has the combination of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire, San Antonio has Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, Utah has Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, Dallas has Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitski, Denver has Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, and Houston has Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. It remains to be seen if Jerry Buss will add anybody to complement a very angry and confused Kobe Bryant. But of all of those duos, I would have to say that a healthy combination of McGrady and Yao is the best right now. It would be easy to make a point for Parker and Duncan because of their numerous championships, but they have a better supporting cast and therefore a better team. Houston has McGrady and Yao and that is it. Until they add the third piece, the Rockets are going to continue to be a one and done team.
If, and I use that word lightly, the Lakers somehow end up with Kevin Garnett, then he and Kobe would become the best duo. Bryant is the most dominant player in the game today, and if you give him a strong inside presence without an ego, then it should work out well. L.A. could also add Jermaine O’Neal and it would have a similar effect, just for a longer period of time.
Of the newly created duos in the East, I think the Magic are the best off with Howard and Lewis. They already have a rising point guard in Jameer Nelson who can feed them the ball, and with Howard becoming better and better, this team should be very hard to beat. Look for them to win a couple of playoff series in the next year or two.
We still have what looks to be a busy off-season in front of us, but it already figures to be a much more exciting season than last year. Stay tuned.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With a busy off-season filled with trades and free agent signings, a legitimate question arises: Who has the best NBA duo?
A couple of new duos have already been created in the Eastern Conference, some that have the potential to be very effective. Orlando added Rashard Lewis to complement Dwight Howard, Charlotte added Jason Richardson to complement Gerald Wallace, Boston added Ray Allen to complement Paul Pierce. All three of those situations have a similar quality, something that will ultimately hold them back. Those three teams all added players that play the same position as the star they already had. It makes very little sense, but because it is rarely done I don’t have any precedent to set it against.
You would assume that the best duo has to come out of the West since it has become such a dominant league. Phoenix has the combination of Steve Nash and Amare Stoudamire, San Antonio has Tony Parker and Tim Duncan, Utah has Deron Williams and Carlos Boozer, Dallas has Josh Howard and Dirk Nowitski, Denver has Allen Iverson and Carmelo Anthony, and Houston has Tracy McGrady and Yao Ming. It remains to be seen if Jerry Buss will add anybody to complement a very angry and confused Kobe Bryant. But of all of those duos, I would have to say that a healthy combination of McGrady and Yao is the best right now. It would be easy to make a point for Parker and Duncan because of their numerous championships, but they have a better supporting cast and therefore a better team. Houston has McGrady and Yao and that is it. Until they add the third piece, the Rockets are going to continue to be a one and done team.
If, and I use that word lightly, the Lakers somehow end up with Kevin Garnett, then he and Kobe would become the best duo. Bryant is the most dominant player in the game today, and if you give him a strong inside presence without an ego, then it should work out well. L.A. could also add Jermaine O’Neal and it would have a similar effect, just for a longer period of time.
Of the newly created duos in the East, I think the Magic are the best off with Howard and Lewis. They already have a rising point guard in Jameer Nelson who can feed them the ball, and with Howard becoming better and better, this team should be very hard to beat. Look for them to win a couple of playoff series in the next year or two.
We still have what looks to be a busy off-season in front of us, but it already figures to be a much more exciting season than last year. Stay tuned.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
La Russa Crazy, Selig Undecided
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- When Tony La Russa decided to bring along his Gold Glove first baseman, Albert Pujols, I imagined he’d get in within the first four innings. But we didn’t see him in the fourth, or the fifth, or even the ninth.
What was Tony La Russa thinking? Albert Pujols finished second behind Prince Fielder in All-Star voting for first basemen, and yet he never saw the field. Even in the ninth inning with the game on the line, Pujols remained in the dugout. After the Mariners J.J, Putz walked J.J. Hardy, Francisco Rodriguez came in and walked Derrek Lee and Orlando Hudson. That meant Aaron Rowand had a chance to bat with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the ninth. Rowand flied out and the game was over. After all the times Pujols won the game for La Russa in the past, he never even got a chance here.
"It's the All-Star Game. He can do what he wants," Pujols said Tuesday night. "He does whatever he wants. If I wasn't expecting to play, I wouldn't have come up here."
I don’t know what La Russa’s strategy was here, or if he even had one. Maybe he thinks an angry Albert will ignite his home run hitting and ultimately the team. But I think this will have a negative result, something the Cardinals clearly do not need right now.
All the talk lately has surrounded Barry Bonds and whether or not Bud Selig will attend his game the night he breaks the record. I have heard it explained in every which way, but let me tell you right now, it means absolutely nothing. The media can make it what they want, but it does not matter if Selig shows his face or not. Everybody already knows how he feels about Bonds and the record, so simply coming to a baseball game is not going to change that. Besides the fact that if he were to be seen on the big screen, he would probably be booed. I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not but more and more people are coming over to Bonds’ side. Through all of these troubles, and all the cameras following him around, Bonds continues to control himself in such a manner that is making America forget about what he has done.
Major League Baseball currently has some angry folks, but everybody has to be angry sometime, right? Besides, if everybody was happy then it really wouldn’t be competition.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- When Tony La Russa decided to bring along his Gold Glove first baseman, Albert Pujols, I imagined he’d get in within the first four innings. But we didn’t see him in the fourth, or the fifth, or even the ninth.
What was Tony La Russa thinking? Albert Pujols finished second behind Prince Fielder in All-Star voting for first basemen, and yet he never saw the field. Even in the ninth inning with the game on the line, Pujols remained in the dugout. After the Mariners J.J, Putz walked J.J. Hardy, Francisco Rodriguez came in and walked Derrek Lee and Orlando Hudson. That meant Aaron Rowand had a chance to bat with the bases loaded and two out in the bottom of the ninth. Rowand flied out and the game was over. After all the times Pujols won the game for La Russa in the past, he never even got a chance here.
"It's the All-Star Game. He can do what he wants," Pujols said Tuesday night. "He does whatever he wants. If I wasn't expecting to play, I wouldn't have come up here."
I don’t know what La Russa’s strategy was here, or if he even had one. Maybe he thinks an angry Albert will ignite his home run hitting and ultimately the team. But I think this will have a negative result, something the Cardinals clearly do not need right now.
All the talk lately has surrounded Barry Bonds and whether or not Bud Selig will attend his game the night he breaks the record. I have heard it explained in every which way, but let me tell you right now, it means absolutely nothing. The media can make it what they want, but it does not matter if Selig shows his face or not. Everybody already knows how he feels about Bonds and the record, so simply coming to a baseball game is not going to change that. Besides the fact that if he were to be seen on the big screen, he would probably be booed. I don’t know if you’ve noticed or not but more and more people are coming over to Bonds’ side. Through all of these troubles, and all the cameras following him around, Bonds continues to control himself in such a manner that is making America forget about what he has done.
Major League Baseball currently has some angry folks, but everybody has to be angry sometime, right? Besides, if everybody was happy then it really wouldn’t be competition.
Tuesday, July 10, 2007
The Beast of the East
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With the NBA Draft behind us and trade rumors calming down, it is time to take a look at the new Eastern Conference. After a night filled with trades and surprises, the East has a different look; and different contenders.
When we arrive at the 2007-08 playoffs next year, the Eastern Conference could be represented by several teams that haven’t been there in years. Of this year’s playoff teams Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, and New Jersey have done nothing to improve their chances. Sure the Nets re-signed Vince Carter, but neither he nor Jason Kidd or getting any younger, and Mikki Moore is also a free agent. Toronto let Morris Peterson slip away and have not added anyone to complement a very talented Chris Bosh. Cleveland is still yet to add anyone to take some of the pressure off of LeBron James and Detroit is becoming old news.
The teams that have helped themselves significantly so far include the Magic, Bobcats, Celtics, and Hawks. Orlando slid into the playoffs as an eight seed a year ago, swept by the Detroit Pistons in the first round. Dwight Howard is a heck of a player, and after adding Rashard Lewis, this team becomes a true contender. The Magic will be a five seed at worst next season.
Michael Jordan is desperate to win now, and he showed that on draft night. After trading the draft rights to Brandon Wright for Jason Richardson, he was highly criticized by almost every professional sports analyst in the country. But he made the right move. The Bobcats have a roster full of young kids that have never proven themselves, and with a star like Richardson, this team is a solid big man away from being up there in the East. If they could become part of the Kevin Garnett deal, who knows what could happen.
The Hawks are in a similar situation. With a dominant player like Joe Johnson, this team is only a big man away from being a top team in the East. They had a great draft with Al Horford and Acie Law, and now they have to convince Amare Stoudamire that he wants to be a part of this new era in Atlanta Hawks basketball. I see the Hawks as a playoff team next season regardless, either a seven or eight seed.
Finally, the Celtics. Boston has a golden opportunity to get back to the playoffs if they can land a solid inside presence. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen provide a great scoring duo, Rajon Rando is a fantastic defender who also has the ability to get in the paint, and Al Jefferson is a rising star in this league. If they could come up with Kevin Garnett, the Celtics would be a top four team in the East, no questions asked.
So as the off-season rolls on, the “Beast of the East” remains unclear. A lot of it could depend on how the Kevin Garnett saga comes to an end. But one thing is for sure; it is going to be one crazy year.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- With the NBA Draft behind us and trade rumors calming down, it is time to take a look at the new Eastern Conference. After a night filled with trades and surprises, the East has a different look; and different contenders.
When we arrive at the 2007-08 playoffs next year, the Eastern Conference could be represented by several teams that haven’t been there in years. Of this year’s playoff teams Toronto, Detroit, Cleveland, and New Jersey have done nothing to improve their chances. Sure the Nets re-signed Vince Carter, but neither he nor Jason Kidd or getting any younger, and Mikki Moore is also a free agent. Toronto let Morris Peterson slip away and have not added anyone to complement a very talented Chris Bosh. Cleveland is still yet to add anyone to take some of the pressure off of LeBron James and Detroit is becoming old news.
The teams that have helped themselves significantly so far include the Magic, Bobcats, Celtics, and Hawks. Orlando slid into the playoffs as an eight seed a year ago, swept by the Detroit Pistons in the first round. Dwight Howard is a heck of a player, and after adding Rashard Lewis, this team becomes a true contender. The Magic will be a five seed at worst next season.
Michael Jordan is desperate to win now, and he showed that on draft night. After trading the draft rights to Brandon Wright for Jason Richardson, he was highly criticized by almost every professional sports analyst in the country. But he made the right move. The Bobcats have a roster full of young kids that have never proven themselves, and with a star like Richardson, this team is a solid big man away from being up there in the East. If they could become part of the Kevin Garnett deal, who knows what could happen.
The Hawks are in a similar situation. With a dominant player like Joe Johnson, this team is only a big man away from being a top team in the East. They had a great draft with Al Horford and Acie Law, and now they have to convince Amare Stoudamire that he wants to be a part of this new era in Atlanta Hawks basketball. I see the Hawks as a playoff team next season regardless, either a seven or eight seed.
Finally, the Celtics. Boston has a golden opportunity to get back to the playoffs if they can land a solid inside presence. Paul Pierce and Ray Allen provide a great scoring duo, Rajon Rando is a fantastic defender who also has the ability to get in the paint, and Al Jefferson is a rising star in this league. If they could come up with Kevin Garnett, the Celtics would be a top four team in the East, no questions asked.
So as the off-season rolls on, the “Beast of the East” remains unclear. A lot of it could depend on how the Kevin Garnett saga comes to an end. But one thing is for sure; it is going to be one crazy year.
Monday, July 09, 2007
Surprise HR Leaders
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- He was the most criticized man in professional sports last season, and is making up for it in this one. While it was hard to feel bad for a guy making over $25 million a year, Alex Rodriguez was still producing, just not like this.
A-Rod had 35 home runs and 121 RBIs all of last season. Those are considered to be good numbers, but this year he is not human. Nobody expected this guy to come out and do what he’s doing; in fact, nobody thought he would be in a Yankees uniform. At the All-Star break, Rodriguez has hit 30 home runs and has driven in 86. He has silenced the critics for the time being, and is playing better baseball than anybody else in the entire league.
The National League home run leader comes from the other end of the spectrum. Prince Fielder, only in his second professional season, is one of the lowest paid position players in the game. Fielder’s salary in 2007: $415,000. However, he has recorded 29 home runs and has driven in 70; somebody better get their check-books out.
Fielder is a guy that has had to prove plenty of people wrong himself; those who said he was too fat or too lazy to play professional baseball. He hit just 30 home runs all of last season, and yet he appears to be chasing 60 this year. Fielder is a guy that is naturally big and is clearly not involved with steroids. It is great to see a young player performing so well at the highest level.
So will the power continue to come for A-Rod or will he fall into the hole like last year? Will Fielder push the Brewers to their first division title in who knows how long? Only time will tell, and a long time at that.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- He was the most criticized man in professional sports last season, and is making up for it in this one. While it was hard to feel bad for a guy making over $25 million a year, Alex Rodriguez was still producing, just not like this.
A-Rod had 35 home runs and 121 RBIs all of last season. Those are considered to be good numbers, but this year he is not human. Nobody expected this guy to come out and do what he’s doing; in fact, nobody thought he would be in a Yankees uniform. At the All-Star break, Rodriguez has hit 30 home runs and has driven in 86. He has silenced the critics for the time being, and is playing better baseball than anybody else in the entire league.
The National League home run leader comes from the other end of the spectrum. Prince Fielder, only in his second professional season, is one of the lowest paid position players in the game. Fielder’s salary in 2007: $415,000. However, he has recorded 29 home runs and has driven in 70; somebody better get their check-books out.
Fielder is a guy that has had to prove plenty of people wrong himself; those who said he was too fat or too lazy to play professional baseball. He hit just 30 home runs all of last season, and yet he appears to be chasing 60 this year. Fielder is a guy that is naturally big and is clearly not involved with steroids. It is great to see a young player performing so well at the highest level.
So will the power continue to come for A-Rod or will he fall into the hole like last year? Will Fielder push the Brewers to their first division title in who knows how long? Only time will tell, and a long time at that.
Tuesday, July 03, 2007
The Athletic Way
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- It is a topic that has been highly debated about this time of year. The Fourth of July marks a day of fireworks and family time, but it also marks the famous hot dog eating contest on ESPN.
The question the nation has been debating for some time is “Are these ‘eaters’ considered athletes?” Let me start out by saying how amazing it is to eat 59 ½ hot dogs in 12 minutes; that seems almost impossible. However, I do not consider these animals to be athletes.
Baseball, football, basketball, soccer, swimming- these are all sports that require a person to stay in excellent physical shape, and besides football, all of them make you healthier and increase your chances to live a longer life. This hot dog eating contest is wrong in every sense of the word. It is certainly not healthy to consume more hot dogs in 12 minutes than most people consume in a year. It more than likely takes years off of the lives of the individuals “competing” and will cause them to have all sorts of internal problems at a young age.
Now these eaters are going to come back with the argument that “Hey, this is very competitive, so it has to be a sport.” Give me a break. Video games can be competitive, and they certainly are not a sport. Or maybe they will say “But we have to train for a long time to get ready for this, so of course we are athletes.” Please. Drinking gallons and gallons of water does not constitute a training regimen, only a very boring afternoon where there was nothing else to do.
So these so-called “athletes” can pig out all they want in tomorrow’s eating contest, and people will watch, but only to make fun. These people need to find a real sport to get themselves into, and beer drinking doesn’t count.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should these competitive eaters be considered athletes?
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- It is a topic that has been highly debated about this time of year. The Fourth of July marks a day of fireworks and family time, but it also marks the famous hot dog eating contest on ESPN.
The question the nation has been debating for some time is “Are these ‘eaters’ considered athletes?” Let me start out by saying how amazing it is to eat 59 ½ hot dogs in 12 minutes; that seems almost impossible. However, I do not consider these animals to be athletes.
Baseball, football, basketball, soccer, swimming- these are all sports that require a person to stay in excellent physical shape, and besides football, all of them make you healthier and increase your chances to live a longer life. This hot dog eating contest is wrong in every sense of the word. It is certainly not healthy to consume more hot dogs in 12 minutes than most people consume in a year. It more than likely takes years off of the lives of the individuals “competing” and will cause them to have all sorts of internal problems at a young age.
Now these eaters are going to come back with the argument that “Hey, this is very competitive, so it has to be a sport.” Give me a break. Video games can be competitive, and they certainly are not a sport. Or maybe they will say “But we have to train for a long time to get ready for this, so of course we are athletes.” Please. Drinking gallons and gallons of water does not constitute a training regimen, only a very boring afternoon where there was nothing else to do.
So these so-called “athletes” can pig out all they want in tomorrow’s eating contest, and people will watch, but only to make fun. These people need to find a real sport to get themselves into, and beer drinking doesn’t count.
QUESTION OF THE DAY: Should these competitive eaters be considered athletes?
Monday, July 02, 2007
Sosa Snubbed
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- When the All-Star teams were announced on Sunday, there was one player left off that left people scratching their heads: Sammy Sosa.
The Texas Rangers are a terrible team and everybody knows it. There is nobody on that team that sticks out as the face of the franchise. When you think about the Red Sox you think about David Ortiz, Derek Jeter with the Yankees, Albert Pujols with the Cardinals. But the Rangers just don’t have “the guy”. Last year it was Michael Young; he made the All-Star team and had the game winning hit in the 9th inning of the All-Star game. But he certainly should not be on the team this season, it should be Sosa.
Sosa is fourth in the American League in RBIs with 63, Michael Young has 48. Sosa is ahead of David Ortiz, Ivan Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, and Paul Konerko, and he doesn’t even play everyday. He is ninth in the American League in home runs with 14, ahead of Ortiz, Ramirez, Jermaine Dye, and Magglio Ordonez.
I understand the fact that his batting average is low at .262, but this guy is putting up the numbers and deserves to be a member of the All-Star team. Michael Young was selected for the simple fact that he was there last year and produced, but he has done absolutely nothing this year that makes him an All-Star.
Now onto the topic that the rest of the nation will be discussing for today and probably the next several days: Barry Bonds. Bonds was selected as an All-Star starter for the National League, a position that was chosen by the fans.
When I heard about this story I was surprised but not shocked. I strongly disagree with the decision, but the fans want to see a guy like this in the big game. If they are going to pay the money to go out and see the All-Star game, there has to be a guy like Bonds playing in it. However, Bonds is putting up pretty big numbers- not All-Star starter numbers, but big numbers. His fielding is atrocious, but he is batting .304 with 16 home runs and 40 RBIs. Is he better than Alfonso Soriano, no, but this selection is not as pathetic as people are making it out to be. Apparently Barry has more fans than we thought.
When the Mid-Summer Classic takes place next week, think of how great it could have been to have Sammy on board; Sosa and Bonds. I guess we will never know.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- When the All-Star teams were announced on Sunday, there was one player left off that left people scratching their heads: Sammy Sosa.
The Texas Rangers are a terrible team and everybody knows it. There is nobody on that team that sticks out as the face of the franchise. When you think about the Red Sox you think about David Ortiz, Derek Jeter with the Yankees, Albert Pujols with the Cardinals. But the Rangers just don’t have “the guy”. Last year it was Michael Young; he made the All-Star team and had the game winning hit in the 9th inning of the All-Star game. But he certainly should not be on the team this season, it should be Sosa.
Sosa is fourth in the American League in RBIs with 63, Michael Young has 48. Sosa is ahead of David Ortiz, Ivan Rodriguez, Manny Ramirez, and Paul Konerko, and he doesn’t even play everyday. He is ninth in the American League in home runs with 14, ahead of Ortiz, Ramirez, Jermaine Dye, and Magglio Ordonez.
I understand the fact that his batting average is low at .262, but this guy is putting up the numbers and deserves to be a member of the All-Star team. Michael Young was selected for the simple fact that he was there last year and produced, but he has done absolutely nothing this year that makes him an All-Star.
Now onto the topic that the rest of the nation will be discussing for today and probably the next several days: Barry Bonds. Bonds was selected as an All-Star starter for the National League, a position that was chosen by the fans.
When I heard about this story I was surprised but not shocked. I strongly disagree with the decision, but the fans want to see a guy like this in the big game. If they are going to pay the money to go out and see the All-Star game, there has to be a guy like Bonds playing in it. However, Bonds is putting up pretty big numbers- not All-Star starter numbers, but big numbers. His fielding is atrocious, but he is batting .304 with 16 home runs and 40 RBIs. Is he better than Alfonso Soriano, no, but this selection is not as pathetic as people are making it out to be. Apparently Barry has more fans than we thought.
When the Mid-Summer Classic takes place next week, think of how great it could have been to have Sammy on board; Sosa and Bonds. I guess we will never know.
Friday, June 29, 2007
Trading Places
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- Draft day was filled with many trades, some that could potentially have a large impact on the future of the NBA.
Portland made some serious moves on Thursday night, and I believe they will be a playoff team in two years. After drafting Greg Oden No. 1 overall, the Blazers traded their star, Zach Randolph, to New York for Steve Francis and Channing Frye. This is a move that surprises me a little, but it should work out in the end. Channing Frye is almost identical in physical size and talent to LeMarcus Aldridge. Why you would want two of those guys on the same team is beyond me. But Randolph was a guy that they had to get rid of because of his attitude issues; such a shame that a player of his caliber cannot control himself off the court. In the second round the Blazers drafted former Duke forward Josh McRoberts, a real steal in my mind. McRoberts is a guy that can do it all; shoot, dribble, pass, and defend. He has a real passion for the game and should be great coming off the bench for Portland. The Blazers are a good small forward away from being a real player in the Western Conference.
Seattle decided that Ray Allen and Kevin Durant could not play together, but chose to look toward the future. The Sonics took Durant with the No.2 pick and then traded Allen to Boston for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, and the No. 5 overall pick (Jeff Green). If Seattle can find some way to re-sign Rashard Lewis, then they are looking good for the future. The part I don’t understand about this trade is Boston’s position. If they already have Paul Pierce, why make a move for Ray Allen? Maybe they were looking for bait in the KG deal, but unless Boston gets a legitimate big man, the team will continue to struggle.
One of the biggest trades of the night involved Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats. The Bobcats traded to rights to Brandon Wright (No. 8 overall) to Golden State to get Jason Richardson. Personally, I like this move for the Bobcats. All they have on their roster is young guys that have not yet proven themselves at the NBA level. If they can find a way to get a guy like Amare Stoudamire into town, then the Bobcats instantly become a playoff team. Smart move by the Bobcats, let’s see if it works out.
So, after weeks of trade rumors, talk should die down a bit. But people will continue to wonder about the future of KG and Kobe, where will they go? Only time will tell.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- Draft day was filled with many trades, some that could potentially have a large impact on the future of the NBA.
Portland made some serious moves on Thursday night, and I believe they will be a playoff team in two years. After drafting Greg Oden No. 1 overall, the Blazers traded their star, Zach Randolph, to New York for Steve Francis and Channing Frye. This is a move that surprises me a little, but it should work out in the end. Channing Frye is almost identical in physical size and talent to LeMarcus Aldridge. Why you would want two of those guys on the same team is beyond me. But Randolph was a guy that they had to get rid of because of his attitude issues; such a shame that a player of his caliber cannot control himself off the court. In the second round the Blazers drafted former Duke forward Josh McRoberts, a real steal in my mind. McRoberts is a guy that can do it all; shoot, dribble, pass, and defend. He has a real passion for the game and should be great coming off the bench for Portland. The Blazers are a good small forward away from being a real player in the Western Conference.
Seattle decided that Ray Allen and Kevin Durant could not play together, but chose to look toward the future. The Sonics took Durant with the No.2 pick and then traded Allen to Boston for Wally Szczerbiak, Delonte West, and the No. 5 overall pick (Jeff Green). If Seattle can find some way to re-sign Rashard Lewis, then they are looking good for the future. The part I don’t understand about this trade is Boston’s position. If they already have Paul Pierce, why make a move for Ray Allen? Maybe they were looking for bait in the KG deal, but unless Boston gets a legitimate big man, the team will continue to struggle.
One of the biggest trades of the night involved Michael Jordan and the Charlotte Bobcats. The Bobcats traded to rights to Brandon Wright (No. 8 overall) to Golden State to get Jason Richardson. Personally, I like this move for the Bobcats. All they have on their roster is young guys that have not yet proven themselves at the NBA level. If they can find a way to get a guy like Amare Stoudamire into town, then the Bobcats instantly become a playoff team. Smart move by the Bobcats, let’s see if it works out.
So, after weeks of trade rumors, talk should die down a bit. But people will continue to wonder about the future of KG and Kobe, where will they go? Only time will tell.
Friday, June 15, 2007
Clean Sweep
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- That’s it, it’s all over. What was thought to be a fairy tale journey finishes with an unexpected ending.
It was supposed to be the year. The year that the name “mistake by the lake” no longer applied to Cleveland. The year LeBron needed to define his career. The year that everyone will remember. Not so. With San Antonio’s victory on Thursday night, we now have the makings of a new dynasty that will be talked about forever.
First of all, give it up for the Cavs. They had an outstanding season with an overachieving team. This NBA Finals series allowed us to learn so much about their team that is important for the future. We learned that LeBron James is a man way beyond his years who will be a great leader for many years to come. We learned that Mike Brown is a promising young coach who always gets the most out of his players. But we also learned the Anderson Varejao is not a shooter and that “Boobie” Gibson is better coming off the bench then playing as a starter. Now, before I criticize Andy, I have to give him a whole lot of credit. His low post defense against Tim Duncan was second to none. He worked his butt off on both ends of the floor to make up for that shot at the end of Game 3. But how can the guy say “I would have done the same thing if I was given another chance. I had the open lane and I took it.” I won’t even comment on that, I think it pretty much speaks for itself.
There was one major player that really killed the Cavs in this series, and they are paying him. Larry Hughes. Hughes was part of the reason Cleveland made it to the NBA Finals, and he was forced to sit the final two games of this series. Even when he did play in Games 1&2, he was hurting and ineffective. When the Cavs really made their big run late in the regular season it was because Hughes moved to the point guard spot and was playing great basketball. I’m not saying that Cleveland had any chance of winning this series, but if Hughes was in the lineup, we would surely be talking about a Game 5 on Sunday.
Now onto the Spurs. All the talk on ABC and ESPN lately has surrounded the one big question “Is this team a dynasty?” Let me give you a simple answer: Yes. Four championships in the last nine years. A record of 355-137 over the last six seasons; with 57 wins being the worst season. It is simply unbelievable. People tend to forget about the Spurs because, quite frankly, they are a boring team to watch. They go out on the floor and take care of business without doing anything fancy. They have a superstar in Tim Duncan who never does anything wrong. He is the epitome of what America should want from a superstar, but people like conflict and personality and they don’t get that from Duncan. And if you think this team is done, you’re in for quite a surprise. Duncan is only 31 years old, Tony Parker and Manu Ginoboli are signed until 2010-11, and Gregg Popovich has remaining years on his contract. The Spurs could very easily win two more championships with this roster before it is all said and done. Watch out Michael, your unreachable six NBA titles might be surpassed if San Antonio has anything to say about it.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- That’s it, it’s all over. What was thought to be a fairy tale journey finishes with an unexpected ending.
It was supposed to be the year. The year that the name “mistake by the lake” no longer applied to Cleveland. The year LeBron needed to define his career. The year that everyone will remember. Not so. With San Antonio’s victory on Thursday night, we now have the makings of a new dynasty that will be talked about forever.
First of all, give it up for the Cavs. They had an outstanding season with an overachieving team. This NBA Finals series allowed us to learn so much about their team that is important for the future. We learned that LeBron James is a man way beyond his years who will be a great leader for many years to come. We learned that Mike Brown is a promising young coach who always gets the most out of his players. But we also learned the Anderson Varejao is not a shooter and that “Boobie” Gibson is better coming off the bench then playing as a starter. Now, before I criticize Andy, I have to give him a whole lot of credit. His low post defense against Tim Duncan was second to none. He worked his butt off on both ends of the floor to make up for that shot at the end of Game 3. But how can the guy say “I would have done the same thing if I was given another chance. I had the open lane and I took it.” I won’t even comment on that, I think it pretty much speaks for itself.
There was one major player that really killed the Cavs in this series, and they are paying him. Larry Hughes. Hughes was part of the reason Cleveland made it to the NBA Finals, and he was forced to sit the final two games of this series. Even when he did play in Games 1&2, he was hurting and ineffective. When the Cavs really made their big run late in the regular season it was because Hughes moved to the point guard spot and was playing great basketball. I’m not saying that Cleveland had any chance of winning this series, but if Hughes was in the lineup, we would surely be talking about a Game 5 on Sunday.
Now onto the Spurs. All the talk on ABC and ESPN lately has surrounded the one big question “Is this team a dynasty?” Let me give you a simple answer: Yes. Four championships in the last nine years. A record of 355-137 over the last six seasons; with 57 wins being the worst season. It is simply unbelievable. People tend to forget about the Spurs because, quite frankly, they are a boring team to watch. They go out on the floor and take care of business without doing anything fancy. They have a superstar in Tim Duncan who never does anything wrong. He is the epitome of what America should want from a superstar, but people like conflict and personality and they don’t get that from Duncan. And if you think this team is done, you’re in for quite a surprise. Duncan is only 31 years old, Tony Parker and Manu Ginoboli are signed until 2010-11, and Gregg Popovich has remaining years on his contract. The Spurs could very easily win two more championships with this roster before it is all said and done. Watch out Michael, your unreachable six NBA titles might be surpassed if San Antonio has anything to say about it.
Thursday, June 14, 2007
A TRUE Champion
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- In life, things sometimes go your way, and other times they don’t. In the case of the St. Louis Cardinals, everything is going against them.
A year ago the Cardinals came from nowhere to win the World Series. Okay, sure they were a division winner, but they were barely over .500 (83-78) and were completely under the radar.
Now, St. Louis is 28-34 and hanging just 5.5 games behind the division leading Milwaukee Brewers. When you see that you might say “Well what’s the big deal, they should be much better.” But that’s just it, after everything this team has been through, it would have been easy for them to fold.
Last year’s World Series pitching staff consisted of: Chris Carpenter, Jeff Suppan, Jeff Weaver, and Anthony Reyes. Carpenter is currently on the DL, Suppan throws for the Brewers, Weaver is sleepless in Seattle, and Reyes is somewhere in the minors. Wow! The Cardinals are starting relief pitchers on a nightly basis and they are still hanging in there.
Then you take a look at the position players. Both Yadier Molina and Preston Wilson have been on the DL for some time; forcing St. Louis to use a much less effective catcher in Gary Bennett. Both Wilson and Molina were a big part of the 2006 World Series; Molina even hit a huge home run in Game 6 of the Mets series to preserve the victory.
Given all of those facts, these St. Louis Cardinals are “true” champions. And Albert Pujols is the best leader there is in the majors. You never hear anything about the Cardinals complaining, or trying to throw there money at some big free agent. Don’t look now but the Cardinals are flying under the radar again; perhaps right back into the playoffs.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- In life, things sometimes go your way, and other times they don’t. In the case of the St. Louis Cardinals, everything is going against them.
A year ago the Cardinals came from nowhere to win the World Series. Okay, sure they were a division winner, but they were barely over .500 (83-78) and were completely under the radar.
Now, St. Louis is 28-34 and hanging just 5.5 games behind the division leading Milwaukee Brewers. When you see that you might say “Well what’s the big deal, they should be much better.” But that’s just it, after everything this team has been through, it would have been easy for them to fold.
Last year’s World Series pitching staff consisted of: Chris Carpenter, Jeff Suppan, Jeff Weaver, and Anthony Reyes. Carpenter is currently on the DL, Suppan throws for the Brewers, Weaver is sleepless in Seattle, and Reyes is somewhere in the minors. Wow! The Cardinals are starting relief pitchers on a nightly basis and they are still hanging in there.
Then you take a look at the position players. Both Yadier Molina and Preston Wilson have been on the DL for some time; forcing St. Louis to use a much less effective catcher in Gary Bennett. Both Wilson and Molina were a big part of the 2006 World Series; Molina even hit a huge home run in Game 6 of the Mets series to preserve the victory.
Given all of those facts, these St. Louis Cardinals are “true” champions. And Albert Pujols is the best leader there is in the majors. You never hear anything about the Cardinals complaining, or trying to throw there money at some big free agent. Don’t look now but the Cardinals are flying under the radar again; perhaps right back into the playoffs.
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Too many chances
By Justin Albers
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- They can’t say they didn’t have the opportunities. The Cavaliers had multiple chances at the end of the game to take the lead and failed to do so. But it was a first half decision that truly cost them the game.
Late in the first half Cleveland had a 38-30 advantage, and appeared to be in control of the game. LeBron James picked up his third personal foul, and Mike Brown quickly yanked him from the game. Bad move. You have to live and die by your star player- which means trusting him to stay on the floor in any situation. The team cannot afford to lose him for four minutes; it just can’t happen. Who is going to score the points? That move enabled the Spurs to end the half on a 10-0 run and go into the locker room with all of the momentum.
Then, in the closing seconds of the game, the Cavs had another opportunity to tie the game. But guess who took the shot? Anderson Varajeo. Think about that for a minute. The season is on the line and a guy that averages less than seven points a game in the postseason is taking the shot? I completely understand why he did it. He wanted to be the hero- the guy everybody will be talking about for days to come. But now he will be talked about for a reason he failed to think about. Just make the simple play and pass the ball back out to LeBron. It was clear late in the game that James was the only one who wanted the ball anyway.
On a more positive note, Cleveland should be commended for an outstanding effort. The Cavs shot the ball horribly, 3-19 from the 3-point line, and the Spurs couldn’t miss from downtown (10-19). I mean how many times did Brent Barry and Bruce Bowen just find an opening and knock down a killer three? But the Cavs kept coming back. Sasha Pavlavic hit two big 3’s late, and the team battled on the defensive end. But in the end, it was not meant to be.
Everybody will be talking about LeBron James getting fouled at the end of the game: and yes it clearly was a foul, but it was not called. That foul did not really affect James’ shot, so it becomes a non-issue. Should it have been called- absolutely. But it was not; leaving the entire town of Cleveland wondering “what if”.
Basketballss132002@yahoo.com
CLEVELAND- They can’t say they didn’t have the opportunities. The Cavaliers had multiple chances at the end of the game to take the lead and failed to do so. But it was a first half decision that truly cost them the game.
Late in the first half Cleveland had a 38-30 advantage, and appeared to be in control of the game. LeBron James picked up his third personal foul, and Mike Brown quickly yanked him from the game. Bad move. You have to live and die by your star player- which means trusting him to stay on the floor in any situation. The team cannot afford to lose him for four minutes; it just can’t happen. Who is going to score the points? That move enabled the Spurs to end the half on a 10-0 run and go into the locker room with all of the momentum.
Then, in the closing seconds of the game, the Cavs had another opportunity to tie the game. But guess who took the shot? Anderson Varajeo. Think about that for a minute. The season is on the line and a guy that averages less than seven points a game in the postseason is taking the shot? I completely understand why he did it. He wanted to be the hero- the guy everybody will be talking about for days to come. But now he will be talked about for a reason he failed to think about. Just make the simple play and pass the ball back out to LeBron. It was clear late in the game that James was the only one who wanted the ball anyway.
On a more positive note, Cleveland should be commended for an outstanding effort. The Cavs shot the ball horribly, 3-19 from the 3-point line, and the Spurs couldn’t miss from downtown (10-19). I mean how many times did Brent Barry and Bruce Bowen just find an opening and knock down a killer three? But the Cavs kept coming back. Sasha Pavlavic hit two big 3’s late, and the team battled on the defensive end. But in the end, it was not meant to be.
Everybody will be talking about LeBron James getting fouled at the end of the game: and yes it clearly was a foul, but it was not called. That foul did not really affect James’ shot, so it becomes a non-issue. Should it have been called- absolutely. But it was not; leaving the entire town of Cleveland wondering “what if”.
Saturday, June 02, 2007
What's Next?
Okay, so the Pacers finally found their next coach. Where do we go from here? When Jim O'Brien was named the new coach, I know how you all reacted "Who the heck is this guy and what are the Pacers thinking." That's fine, I did the same thing. But the more I look at this guy and listen to him talk, the more I think he is the right man for the job. He wants to run, and he wants discipline. If anybody get get Tinsley to behave, O'Brien is the guy. And, he is expected to bring in an assistant coach that knows everything there is to know about playing defense. What more do you want?
The funny thing about the whole hiring procedure was Larry Bird's comments at the hiring press conference. He said "There were so many people interested in this job. People wanted to coach the Indiana Pacers, but we found our guy. I know we need a shooter, and especially a back up point guard, but we are going to be an exciting team to watch."
Come on Larry, nobody is going to buy that line of bull. You may have very well found the right coach, but this team is not going to be exciting to watch. Were they fun to watch last year? A deal has to be made if those comments are to hold true.
Now on to the trade talks. A trade between the Pacers and the Lakers seems imminent, but it could take longer then you think. The reason: Kobe Bryant. Until the Kobe saga is all figured out, no deal is going to happen. But when it does, this is what I expect to happen. The Pacers send Jermaine O'Neal to L.A. for Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, and the No. 19 overall pick.
The Lakers have been hesitant to move Bynum in the past, but this is the time that they will finally pull the trigger. They desperately want to have a good team, and are willing to do anything to get Kobe some help. Especially since he has been asking for a trade, they have to get help and they have to get it right now. O'Neal and Kobe could be very good together; possibly returning the Lakers to elite status in the Western Conference.
The funny thing about the whole hiring procedure was Larry Bird's comments at the hiring press conference. He said "There were so many people interested in this job. People wanted to coach the Indiana Pacers, but we found our guy. I know we need a shooter, and especially a back up point guard, but we are going to be an exciting team to watch."
Come on Larry, nobody is going to buy that line of bull. You may have very well found the right coach, but this team is not going to be exciting to watch. Were they fun to watch last year? A deal has to be made if those comments are to hold true.
Now on to the trade talks. A trade between the Pacers and the Lakers seems imminent, but it could take longer then you think. The reason: Kobe Bryant. Until the Kobe saga is all figured out, no deal is going to happen. But when it does, this is what I expect to happen. The Pacers send Jermaine O'Neal to L.A. for Lamar Odom, Andrew Bynum, and the No. 19 overall pick.
The Lakers have been hesitant to move Bynum in the past, but this is the time that they will finally pull the trigger. They desperately want to have a good team, and are willing to do anything to get Kobe some help. Especially since he has been asking for a trade, they have to get help and they have to get it right now. O'Neal and Kobe could be very good together; possibly returning the Lakers to elite status in the Western Conference.
Saturday, May 26, 2007
HOT TOPICS
1. Right move by Rashard?
This morning the news came in that Rashard Lewis has decided to opt out of his deal with Seattle and test the free agent waters. My question is, "What is he thinking?" I understand the fact that he thinks he can make more money elsewhere, but if that were the case, why did he stick around as long as he did? The Sonics found out on Tuesday that they will receive the number two pick in the June 28th draft, so it appears that Seattle is in as good of shape as it has been in several years. Ray Allen and Nick Collison will be back, and assuming they can stay healthy, this should be a team that can get back in playoff contention. Here's what I think is on Lewis' mind; he wants to go to the Eastern Conference. And who wouldn't? The East would give him a lot better chance to move through the playoffs, and he will probably get some decent offers over there too. Rashard is making the right move, and Seattle shouldn't be too upset either. Lewis' absence will leave room and allow for the emergence of Kevin Durant.
2. LeBron, LeBron, LeBron- Can the guy do anything right?
Following a game two collapse by the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James continues to be criticized. After Game one everybody was on him for passing up a potential game tying shot in the closing seconds. This time he took the shot, thought he was fouled, but missed. Is it LeBron's fault that Cleveland is down 2-0, partially, but is it all his fault? Absolutely not. People continue to forget how good of a team Detroit really is, and how much experience it has on its roster. Is anybody else seeing similarities between the Yankees and the Pistons? It seems like both teams want you to believe that the game is yours early, but then they come out and steal it in the late moments. The Cavs just don't have the depth and experience the Pistons do, and stand no chance of winning this series. They will take one of two at home and go back to Detroit to end their season in game five.
3. Yankees struggles
I know what you're thinking- let's not talk about it and maybe it will continue. Everybody in the country is waiting-and waiting-and waiting for the Yankees to wake up and put together a winning streak, but it is just not happening. In fact, the Bronx Bombers have had to deal with new problems as time has progressed. Jason Giambi is making stupid comments, and the Joe Torre media saga continues. I still fully expect the Yankees to put it together late, but it is looking more and more unlikely that they will catch Boston.
4. Any takers?
When Stan Van Gundy took his name out of the running for the Pacers head-coaching position, Indiana received what some people call a "shot to the groin". But why would Stan really want this job? Better yet, why would anybody want this job? The day Larry Bird fired Rick Carlisle was probably the best day of Rick's life. Now he is free to be an analyst on ESPN and do whatever he wishes. There is no more dealing with the attitude problems, the club riots, and everything else that went on in his tenure with the Pacers. The team has absolutely nothing to offer. No draft picks. No room in the salary cap. No talent. This is a very sad franchise right now; a franchise that will take several years to rebuild. I think the only logical move would be to trade Jermaine O'Neal and start over. The management has to understand that this is not going to be an immediate fix and that it will take time to return to top of the Eastern Conference. The Pacers are going to end up with a coach within their current staff and go from there. It really is too bad too because in a year when there is going to be so many coveted free agents; the Pacers have no money to spend. Go figure.
This morning the news came in that Rashard Lewis has decided to opt out of his deal with Seattle and test the free agent waters. My question is, "What is he thinking?" I understand the fact that he thinks he can make more money elsewhere, but if that were the case, why did he stick around as long as he did? The Sonics found out on Tuesday that they will receive the number two pick in the June 28th draft, so it appears that Seattle is in as good of shape as it has been in several years. Ray Allen and Nick Collison will be back, and assuming they can stay healthy, this should be a team that can get back in playoff contention. Here's what I think is on Lewis' mind; he wants to go to the Eastern Conference. And who wouldn't? The East would give him a lot better chance to move through the playoffs, and he will probably get some decent offers over there too. Rashard is making the right move, and Seattle shouldn't be too upset either. Lewis' absence will leave room and allow for the emergence of Kevin Durant.
2. LeBron, LeBron, LeBron- Can the guy do anything right?
Following a game two collapse by the Cleveland Cavaliers, LeBron James continues to be criticized. After Game one everybody was on him for passing up a potential game tying shot in the closing seconds. This time he took the shot, thought he was fouled, but missed. Is it LeBron's fault that Cleveland is down 2-0, partially, but is it all his fault? Absolutely not. People continue to forget how good of a team Detroit really is, and how much experience it has on its roster. Is anybody else seeing similarities between the Yankees and the Pistons? It seems like both teams want you to believe that the game is yours early, but then they come out and steal it in the late moments. The Cavs just don't have the depth and experience the Pistons do, and stand no chance of winning this series. They will take one of two at home and go back to Detroit to end their season in game five.
3. Yankees struggles
I know what you're thinking- let's not talk about it and maybe it will continue. Everybody in the country is waiting-and waiting-and waiting for the Yankees to wake up and put together a winning streak, but it is just not happening. In fact, the Bronx Bombers have had to deal with new problems as time has progressed. Jason Giambi is making stupid comments, and the Joe Torre media saga continues. I still fully expect the Yankees to put it together late, but it is looking more and more unlikely that they will catch Boston.
4. Any takers?
When Stan Van Gundy took his name out of the running for the Pacers head-coaching position, Indiana received what some people call a "shot to the groin". But why would Stan really want this job? Better yet, why would anybody want this job? The day Larry Bird fired Rick Carlisle was probably the best day of Rick's life. Now he is free to be an analyst on ESPN and do whatever he wishes. There is no more dealing with the attitude problems, the club riots, and everything else that went on in his tenure with the Pacers. The team has absolutely nothing to offer. No draft picks. No room in the salary cap. No talent. This is a very sad franchise right now; a franchise that will take several years to rebuild. I think the only logical move would be to trade Jermaine O'Neal and start over. The management has to understand that this is not going to be an immediate fix and that it will take time to return to top of the Eastern Conference. The Pacers are going to end up with a coach within their current staff and go from there. It really is too bad too because in a year when there is going to be so many coveted free agents; the Pacers have no money to spend. Go figure.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Just Shut Up
If any of you has ever watched ESPN's Mike and Mike in the Morning, you have heard about the "Just Shut Up" award handed out each week. Well, I'm ready to give mine, and it is directed towards the majority of people in the country.
Everybody criticizing LeBron James today needs to shut up. LeBron did the absolute right thing in passing the ball to an open Donyell Marshall in the closing seconds of last night's Conference Finals game 1. Why shouldn't he have? Marshall has proven to be a consistent three point shooter in the past, and he was wide open! A leader does not take every shot; he does what is best for the team. And what are we saying if Marshall hits that shot? James would have had a triple-double and everybody would have been singing a different tune. And what if Lebron did take the shot and he happened to miss? I guarantee there would be more than a handful of people talking about the wide open Marshall in the corner.
Give the guy a break, he is one of the NBA's best players and he is only 22 years old. He did the right thing, and just because he isn't Kobe Bryant doesn't mean he should hear about it.
Everybody criticizing LeBron James today needs to shut up. LeBron did the absolute right thing in passing the ball to an open Donyell Marshall in the closing seconds of last night's Conference Finals game 1. Why shouldn't he have? Marshall has proven to be a consistent three point shooter in the past, and he was wide open! A leader does not take every shot; he does what is best for the team. And what are we saying if Marshall hits that shot? James would have had a triple-double and everybody would have been singing a different tune. And what if Lebron did take the shot and he happened to miss? I guarantee there would be more than a handful of people talking about the wide open Marshall in the corner.
Give the guy a break, he is one of the NBA's best players and he is only 22 years old. He did the right thing, and just because he isn't Kobe Bryant doesn't mean he should hear about it.
Monday, May 21, 2007
Everybody needs a little luck
In professional sports, luck is always nice, and usually needed. Very rarely do you see a team win a championship without a little luck along the way. Just look at Utah being in the Western Conference Finals this year; they were lucky to have top seeded Dallas knocked out in round number one. Or the Cardinals a year ago; lucky to get some timely pitching from Jeff Weaver (who by the way has made people sleepless in Seattle).
But what I am referring to is the NBA Draft- which will be held at 8:30 p.m. ET Tuesday night. Luck is always evident when a ping pong ball determines your fate. Just look at Cleveland a few years back. Had the Cavs not gotten the number one pick, what happens? They used that pick on LeBron James, but what if they had gotten the number 6 pick, or 7? What if they ended up with a Darko Millicic? The Cavs would still be a lottery team today if that were the case, but they got lucky and now they are amongst the elite Eastern Conference teams. That is if you could call anybody in the East "elite". But luck is just what the Pacers are going to be looking for tomorrow night. Nobody likes their odds, but what if? What if they end up with Greg Oden? I'll tell you one thing, if they don't get lucky it's going to be another long season. You can be sure of that.
But what I am referring to is the NBA Draft- which will be held at 8:30 p.m. ET Tuesday night. Luck is always evident when a ping pong ball determines your fate. Just look at Cleveland a few years back. Had the Cavs not gotten the number one pick, what happens? They used that pick on LeBron James, but what if they had gotten the number 6 pick, or 7? What if they ended up with a Darko Millicic? The Cavs would still be a lottery team today if that were the case, but they got lucky and now they are amongst the elite Eastern Conference teams. That is if you could call anybody in the East "elite". But luck is just what the Pacers are going to be looking for tomorrow night. Nobody likes their odds, but what if? What if they end up with Greg Oden? I'll tell you one thing, if they don't get lucky it's going to be another long season. You can be sure of that.
Sunday, May 13, 2007
NBA PLAYOFFS
The NBA Playoffs are really heating up, and every game is pivotal. Below I take a look at each of the four remaining series and what I expect to happen.
Cleveland Caviliers vs. New Jersey Nets (CLE leads 2-1)
This series is very intriguing. On paper, New Jersey is the better team. The Nets have the trio of Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, and Jason Kidd; all with playoff experience. Mikki Moore is an up and coming player that has done well in replacing Nenad Kristic, and Bostjan Nachbar has a deadly three-pointer.
The Cavs are the higher seed because they have LeBron James. But until Cleveland puts more people around him, the Cavs are never going to make it out of the Eastern Conference. James might be enough to get them past the Nets, but once Detroit comes around say goodnight. Just think what the Cavs could be if they still had Carlos Boozer on their roster. Scary isn't it?
PREDICTION: The home court advantage proves to be just enough to hold off the Nets. Cleveland wins in a thrilling game seven.
Utah Jazz vs. Golden State Warriors (UTAH LEADS 2-1)
To me, this is the most exciting match-up remaining. The Warriors run and gun style is thrilling to watch, especially when they are playing at home. Utah is probably still a year or two away from really having the team needed to compete, but the Jazz kind of got thrown into an extraordinary opportunity in getting the No. 8 seed in the second round.
But to count the Warriors out because they are tough and relentless. Baron Davis looks like an MVP; who knows what this team could have been if he hadn't been injured for the majority of the season.
PREDICTION: The speedy Warriors will wear the Jazz out late in the series to take it in seven games.
Detroit Pistons vs. Chicago Bulls (DET LEADS 3-0)
This one is very simple. Like I said in an earlier blog, the Bulls still don't have that player that represents Michael Jordan, and the Pistons have far too much talent and experience for them. Detroit really has a better guy at each position, and will easily win this series.
PREDICTION: Detroit sweeps through the Bulls.
Phoenix Suns vs. San Antonio Spurs (SA LEADS 2-1)
Most people expect the winner of this series to go on to win the title, and I can't say I disagree. The Suns are led by Steve Nash (who should have won the MVP) and they will not quit until it is all said and done. BUT as we very well know, defense wins and the Spurs definitely play defense. The Suns have a good team, but Duncan and Parker will prove to be too much as San Antonio heads on the win the NBA Championship.
PREDICTION: Spurs in 6.
Cleveland Caviliers vs. New Jersey Nets (CLE leads 2-1)
This series is very intriguing. On paper, New Jersey is the better team. The Nets have the trio of Vince Carter, Richard Jefferson, and Jason Kidd; all with playoff experience. Mikki Moore is an up and coming player that has done well in replacing Nenad Kristic, and Bostjan Nachbar has a deadly three-pointer.
The Cavs are the higher seed because they have LeBron James. But until Cleveland puts more people around him, the Cavs are never going to make it out of the Eastern Conference. James might be enough to get them past the Nets, but once Detroit comes around say goodnight. Just think what the Cavs could be if they still had Carlos Boozer on their roster. Scary isn't it?
PREDICTION: The home court advantage proves to be just enough to hold off the Nets. Cleveland wins in a thrilling game seven.
Utah Jazz vs. Golden State Warriors (UTAH LEADS 2-1)
To me, this is the most exciting match-up remaining. The Warriors run and gun style is thrilling to watch, especially when they are playing at home. Utah is probably still a year or two away from really having the team needed to compete, but the Jazz kind of got thrown into an extraordinary opportunity in getting the No. 8 seed in the second round.
But to count the Warriors out because they are tough and relentless. Baron Davis looks like an MVP; who knows what this team could have been if he hadn't been injured for the majority of the season.
PREDICTION: The speedy Warriors will wear the Jazz out late in the series to take it in seven games.
Detroit Pistons vs. Chicago Bulls (DET LEADS 3-0)
This one is very simple. Like I said in an earlier blog, the Bulls still don't have that player that represents Michael Jordan, and the Pistons have far too much talent and experience for them. Detroit really has a better guy at each position, and will easily win this series.
PREDICTION: Detroit sweeps through the Bulls.
Phoenix Suns vs. San Antonio Spurs (SA LEADS 2-1)
Most people expect the winner of this series to go on to win the title, and I can't say I disagree. The Suns are led by Steve Nash (who should have won the MVP) and they will not quit until it is all said and done. BUT as we very well know, defense wins and the Spurs definitely play defense. The Suns have a good team, but Duncan and Parker will prove to be too much as San Antonio heads on the win the NBA Championship.
PREDICTION: Spurs in 6.
Tuesday, May 01, 2007
A fighting chance?
Tonight the Mavericks and Warriors will fight it out, for the fifth time. Dallas, the top team in the NBA in the regular season, has been knocked on its butt in 3 out of 4 games. It might have been a clean sweep had Stephen Jackson and Baron Davis not lost control of themselves. But this is it, can the Warriors close it out and complete the biggest upset in NBA history?
Not so fast my friend. Dallas has had some serious off the court issues in the last couple of days, but don't let that fool you. They are prepared for this game. Before Sunday night's game 4 Dirk Nowitski said "If we lose tonight it is pretty much over."
He has received a ton of crap for that, but who wouldn't say that? He was trying to motivate himself to win that game. He did not mean that he would quit if they lost the game, he was just trying to pump himself up, something many guys have done in the past. Dirk is going to come out and score 30+ in game 5, and the Mavericks are going to send it back to Golden State with the Warriors feeling pressured. Some may say that the Warriors have nothing to lose, but that is completely wrong. They had nothing to lose coming into the series, but now they are one game away from knocking out the number 1 seed. Nobody is giving Dallas a chance, so the Mavericks are really the ones with nothing to lose.
All of the shows on ESPN and TNT have been saying the same thing, "Where did the Warriors come from?" But I don't see what the big surprise is. This is a good team. The only reason they finished 41-41 in the regular season was because they were without Jason Richardson and Baron Davis for most of the season. Once they got those guys back and added the athleticism of Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington, they became a dangerous team. Don Nelson allows his team to play loose and run it all they want. They have become the next coming of the Phoenix Suns, but they play some defense too. And Baron Davis is a more lethal scorer then is Steve Nash. Had Davis been healthy all year I think you could make the argument that he deserves the MVP.
I expect Golden State to win this series, but let's not kid ourselves. The Warriors are not going to win the West, no question asked. They would not be able to handle the Suns who would run them right off the court. And San Antonio is much better too. Golden State has made the headlines, but it won't be for too long.
Not so fast my friend. Dallas has had some serious off the court issues in the last couple of days, but don't let that fool you. They are prepared for this game. Before Sunday night's game 4 Dirk Nowitski said "If we lose tonight it is pretty much over."
He has received a ton of crap for that, but who wouldn't say that? He was trying to motivate himself to win that game. He did not mean that he would quit if they lost the game, he was just trying to pump himself up, something many guys have done in the past. Dirk is going to come out and score 30+ in game 5, and the Mavericks are going to send it back to Golden State with the Warriors feeling pressured. Some may say that the Warriors have nothing to lose, but that is completely wrong. They had nothing to lose coming into the series, but now they are one game away from knocking out the number 1 seed. Nobody is giving Dallas a chance, so the Mavericks are really the ones with nothing to lose.
All of the shows on ESPN and TNT have been saying the same thing, "Where did the Warriors come from?" But I don't see what the big surprise is. This is a good team. The only reason they finished 41-41 in the regular season was because they were without Jason Richardson and Baron Davis for most of the season. Once they got those guys back and added the athleticism of Stephen Jackson and Al Harrington, they became a dangerous team. Don Nelson allows his team to play loose and run it all they want. They have become the next coming of the Phoenix Suns, but they play some defense too. And Baron Davis is a more lethal scorer then is Steve Nash. Had Davis been healthy all year I think you could make the argument that he deserves the MVP.
I expect Golden State to win this series, but let's not kid ourselves. The Warriors are not going to win the West, no question asked. They would not be able to handle the Suns who would run them right off the court. And San Antonio is much better too. Golden State has made the headlines, but it won't be for too long.
Monday, April 30, 2007
Sick and tired?
First of all I wanted to apologize for not blogging in the last week. Even though nobody reads this blog (at least they don't comment) as a journalist it is my job to update more frequently. That being said let's get to it.
The New England Patriots must be awful sick of losing to the Indianapolis Colts. On Sunday, they picked up a talented yet troubled wide receiver in Randy Moss. Moss was great in Minnesota. He came out and did his job each and every week, but he NEVER WON A CHAMPIONSHIP. Bottom line. You can be a good player, but until you win a championship you will never be a member of that elite class.
He was traded to Oakland, a place everybody, including Moss, thought he would succeed. I mean the Raider nation personality and Moss' personality go hand in hand. But it did not work out, and Moss was not happy about it. He would stop running routes in the middle of games, and start to pout on the sideline. Is this really a guy to take a risk on? For a fourth round pick absolutely, but what about some of the other things the Patriots have done this off-season. They signed Adeylius Thomas of Baltimore and Dante Stallworth of Philadelphia; two guys that have been known for attitude issues in the past. Then, on Saturday, they drafted a player in Brandon Merriweather, who has serious problems. If you remember the brawl between Miami (Fl) and Florida Atlantic this past college football season, Merriweather was the guy stomping on people with his cleats. What? New England is going to pick a guy like that with its first round draft pick?
In my opinion the Patriots organization wants another championship, and they want it now. Bill Billicheck probably thinks he can handle the attitude issues because he has done it in the past, but this was different. He handled Corey Dillon just fine, but that was one issue. And he was giving Dillon the ball all he wanted it. Look what happened as soon as Lawrence Maroney came in last year and took away some of his playing time; he hated it and wanted out. You don't think that is going to happen with Randy Moss, Dante Stallworth, Wes Walker, Javar Gaffney? Brady is famous for hitting all of his receivers, will Moss be okay with that? What about the fact that Moss is known to be a long ball guy while Brady likes to move down the field with short routes? What New England has done is risky at best, so don't pencil them into the Super Bowl just yet.
The New England Patriots must be awful sick of losing to the Indianapolis Colts. On Sunday, they picked up a talented yet troubled wide receiver in Randy Moss. Moss was great in Minnesota. He came out and did his job each and every week, but he NEVER WON A CHAMPIONSHIP. Bottom line. You can be a good player, but until you win a championship you will never be a member of that elite class.
He was traded to Oakland, a place everybody, including Moss, thought he would succeed. I mean the Raider nation personality and Moss' personality go hand in hand. But it did not work out, and Moss was not happy about it. He would stop running routes in the middle of games, and start to pout on the sideline. Is this really a guy to take a risk on? For a fourth round pick absolutely, but what about some of the other things the Patriots have done this off-season. They signed Adeylius Thomas of Baltimore and Dante Stallworth of Philadelphia; two guys that have been known for attitude issues in the past. Then, on Saturday, they drafted a player in Brandon Merriweather, who has serious problems. If you remember the brawl between Miami (Fl) and Florida Atlantic this past college football season, Merriweather was the guy stomping on people with his cleats. What? New England is going to pick a guy like that with its first round draft pick?
In my opinion the Patriots organization wants another championship, and they want it now. Bill Billicheck probably thinks he can handle the attitude issues because he has done it in the past, but this was different. He handled Corey Dillon just fine, but that was one issue. And he was giving Dillon the ball all he wanted it. Look what happened as soon as Lawrence Maroney came in last year and took away some of his playing time; he hated it and wanted out. You don't think that is going to happen with Randy Moss, Dante Stallworth, Wes Walker, Javar Gaffney? Brady is famous for hitting all of his receivers, will Moss be okay with that? What about the fact that Moss is known to be a long ball guy while Brady likes to move down the field with short routes? What New England has done is risky at best, so don't pencil them into the Super Bowl just yet.
Tuesday, April 24, 2007
Why to watch?
Since it has been a relatively quiet day in sports and I am pressing for time, here are some reasons to watch the games I have recommended.
1. Cleveland Indians @ Minnesota Twins
The Indians won a thriller last night behind youngster Jeremy Sowers, and you better believe the Twins will be out for revenge. They definitely have the advantage playing indoors, and with ace of the league Johan Santana on the mound things should be interesting.
2. L.A. Lakers @ Phoenix Suns Game 2
The NBA Playoffs are now in full swing, and what better way to end your day then watch a couple of the league's best players? Kobe Bryant will be trying to carry his team on his back while Steve Nash dishes it to his teammates. Kobe couldn't do it by himself in Game 1, will tonight be any different?
3. San Diego Padres @ Arizona Diamondbacks
There is one reason to keep an eye on this game: Randy Johnson. Johnson his making his first start with the D'Backs since 2003, and his first start this season after coming off the disabled list. He was the Arizona ace in the past, can he return to his old ways or has he become a has been?
4. Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls Game 2
Game 1 left us with a cry baby Shaq, and an accusatory Pat Riley. Wow, this is better then a reality show. The Bulls will look to take complete control of the series while Dwyane Wade will try to return to form. Can the Heat continue a quest at a repeat?
1. Cleveland Indians @ Minnesota Twins
The Indians won a thriller last night behind youngster Jeremy Sowers, and you better believe the Twins will be out for revenge. They definitely have the advantage playing indoors, and with ace of the league Johan Santana on the mound things should be interesting.
2. L.A. Lakers @ Phoenix Suns Game 2
The NBA Playoffs are now in full swing, and what better way to end your day then watch a couple of the league's best players? Kobe Bryant will be trying to carry his team on his back while Steve Nash dishes it to his teammates. Kobe couldn't do it by himself in Game 1, will tonight be any different?
3. San Diego Padres @ Arizona Diamondbacks
There is one reason to keep an eye on this game: Randy Johnson. Johnson his making his first start with the D'Backs since 2003, and his first start this season after coming off the disabled list. He was the Arizona ace in the past, can he return to his old ways or has he become a has been?
4. Miami Heat @ Chicago Bulls Game 2
Game 1 left us with a cry baby Shaq, and an accusatory Pat Riley. Wow, this is better then a reality show. The Bulls will look to take complete control of the series while Dwyane Wade will try to return to form. Can the Heat continue a quest at a repeat?
Sunday, April 22, 2007
Why not us?
The baseball season has officialy begun now that we have seen a spring weekend. The Yankees are battling the Red Sox while the Cubs take on the Cardinals.
Why can't the Cubs be a championship contender this year? Granted they have had a very slow start, but they have the roster that can really do some damage in October. Adding Alfonso Soriano, Mark DeRosa, and Cliff Floyd only made this lineup stronger. They have struggled at the plate so far this season, but you have to believe that things will only get better.
The pitching has been fantastic, especially the youngster Rich Hill. Hill has a 3-0 record and an ERA of less then 0.5 per game. Marquis has been better then advertised, and Lilly has been stellar. The one pitcher that has struggled is the club's ace, Carlos Zambrano. The big Z has a 1-2 record with a 7.77 ERA so far in April. But if you look at his numbers from Aprils in the past you will notice that he has struggled early in the season. Never has his ERA been below 4 in the month of April, so things will get better for him. He just needs to get his arm strength back up and feel more comfortable on the mound. Once that happens you better believe he will be in contention for the NL CyYoung.
So watch out for those Cubbies, because this year is the year to end the curse; 2007.
Why can't the Cubs be a championship contender this year? Granted they have had a very slow start, but they have the roster that can really do some damage in October. Adding Alfonso Soriano, Mark DeRosa, and Cliff Floyd only made this lineup stronger. They have struggled at the plate so far this season, but you have to believe that things will only get better.
The pitching has been fantastic, especially the youngster Rich Hill. Hill has a 3-0 record and an ERA of less then 0.5 per game. Marquis has been better then advertised, and Lilly has been stellar. The one pitcher that has struggled is the club's ace, Carlos Zambrano. The big Z has a 1-2 record with a 7.77 ERA so far in April. But if you look at his numbers from Aprils in the past you will notice that he has struggled early in the season. Never has his ERA been below 4 in the month of April, so things will get better for him. He just needs to get his arm strength back up and feel more comfortable on the mound. Once that happens you better believe he will be in contention for the NL CyYoung.
So watch out for those Cubbies, because this year is the year to end the curse; 2007.
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