Top 50

Lebron on the radio last week was talking about how no one should ever be allowed to wear the number #23 and play basketball at the same time. Started to think about other famous athletes and numbers. Let's start a list and see if we can get to 50 of numbers that should never be worn again because the current athlete will never live up to the hype!

0 Gilbert Arenas
1
2 Moses Malone
3 Babe Ruth
4
5
6 Bill Russell/Dr. J (?)
7 John Elway
8 Kobe Bryant
9
10...

Yankees Look Out

Look out!

If A-Rod is going to be a guy who does things - like his home run in first round vs. Twins and his tying home run to send game into extra innings last night vs. the Angels, the Yankees are going to be tough to beat.

Yankees weakness is still Robinson Cano.

ACC Football

Va Tech vs. Ga Tech in a battle of the #4 and #19 ranked teams in the country and there were empty seats in the corners of the stadium.

UVA vs. Maryland crowd looked about the same as the Brown vs. Princeton Ivy league football game attendance.

ACC football just doesn't matter. They should not be given an automatic BCS bid, their bid should go to the Boise State crowd of mid-majors.

Notre Dame

In evaluating their chances, Mark Cuban, the owner of the NBA Mavericks, had a great comment when someone asked him who he thought would win.

Paraphrasing but it went something like this, "I'll take the future professional football players to beat the current student athletes."

Accurate!

Gilbert Arena's Silence

The Agent Zero who came up with the provocative blog now goes silent and says he is done talking to the media. Then he gets fined 25,000 and the Wiz get fined an additional 25,000. Then he speaks.

Just like his game, Gilbert lacks stick-to-it-ness. Remember when he said he wasnt' going to shoot anymore, lasted about 4 games. Remember when he was going to be a lock down defender, lasted about a week,. Now he goes silent, until fines and disgruntlement sets in.

Gilbert's demeanor very very similar to Clinton Portis.

Jurgensen

Sonny Jurgensen, ex-QB of Redskins, actually stated this week that the Redskins would be 5-0 if they started Todd Collins.

Ouch!

Preseason NBA Tats

Not sure who gets the award for most asinine tattoo added this offseason.

The Birdman's huge blue bird which looks a lot like the Atlanta Hawk's logo wrapping around his collarbone or DeShaun Stevenson who tattooed Abe Lincoln to his Adam's Apple.

Since both guys are idiots, it's hard to rationalize any of it but I guess I would say that Stevenson's is the more stupid, since he could have tattooed Ben Franklin there and represented a 100 dollar bill instead of a dinky ol' 5 dollar bill.

Sherman Lewis' Eyes

Supposedly Sherman Lewis, coming off the retirement home bingo circuit, was the 'extra set of eyes' all week with the Redskins.

Offense still looks horrible with one week of his input.

Maybe if we would have run plays called B5 or G34 his eyes could have helped.

Cincinnati Bengals

Carson Palmer leads the Bengals down the field 80 yards against the Ravens defense. Ray Lewis hit with a huge penalty and the Ravens have two pass interferences called against them.

Ravens fans serenaded the officials with the "officials suck" cheer. So loud it came through clear as a bell on the TV.

Ravens defense is not the same without Rex Ryan.

Boston Red Sox Exit

The Red Sox are a quick exit out of the playoffs. Watched the last two innings and I noticed something. There are no black people at the game. Are blacks allowed to go to Red Sox games or do they have to travel down to NY to watch the Mets. Just asking?

Redskins

Stink! Not sure what their plan is. I've never seen a team that has to call a TO every time they have 3rd or 4th and one yard. Jim Zorn has this huge laminated card with 1000 plays on it and none of them are a list of "plays to run on 3rd and short". What a mess.

And DeAngelo Hall is a bum. Can't cover and can't tackle. I think he is only probing around looking for interceptions at the expense of playing football.

Did I mention that Jason Campbell stinks too.

Baseball Playoff Prediction

Picks are the Angels and the Cardinals. Ever since the advent of the wild card the favorite very rarely wins.

Not a big fan of the Yankee pitching and the Red Sox just seem like they are a piece away. Dodgers with Manny are starting to get used to each other and they seem to have fallen off.

If not the Angels or Cards, then I would go with Phillies.

Brett Favre

Well, now we know why Green Bay didn't want to play against him. Favre made some unbelievable throws.

However, I do think in a little bit the Vikings are going to have some 'team issues' as Adrian Peterson starts thinking about how many carries he is losing with Favre doing so much passing.

JaMarcus and Vince Young

I refuse to rank them as Black QBs.

JaMarcus isn't a QB, he just takes the first snap from center. There is nothing he does that makes him a QB. He's usually 9-17 for about 54 yards no TDs and 3 picks. So he doesn't get ranked in post below.

Vince Young was the starting QB and lost it to Kerry Collins. One is an emotional mess and the other one was a drunk. If you become the starting QB because your issues are worse than your competition, that is not winning a starting job.

Rating Black QBs

Okay, you've asked for it. Here goes:

1. McNabb

2. Vick

3. Jason Campbell

4. David Garrard

5. Byron Leftwich

6. Tavaris Jackson

God, what a horrible list.

Couple of things

1) The Eagles have the two best black QBs on the same team.

2) Jason Campbell who is the 6th best QB in the NFC East is clearly the 3rd best black QB, since Garrard barely beat out Leftwich a couple of years ago and Jackson got beat out by a retired/unretired/retired/unretired/ Brett Favre.


Suggestions to Daniel Snyder - "Play any white guy". In fact, play any of the whities on your bench like Collins, Colt Brennan or if he wasn't cut Chase Daniels.

In fact, I think if Warren Moon came out of retirement at 60, I would put him #3.

6th Best

After peeking in on Eagles game, I just realized that Jason Campbell is now the 6th best QB in the NFC East.

McNabb, Manning, Romo, Vick, Jeff Garcia and then Jason Campbell.

The Redskins might want to evaluate how the Eagles have 3 Quarterbacks on their team that have been All-Pro, Jason Campbell is ..... NAP....Not-All-Pro.

Jason Campbell and Clinton Portis

Jason Campbell - I'm with the rest of the Skins fans --- he's a bum!

Clinton Portis - I'm with John Riggins --- he gains yard but never breaks a tackle!

Redskins and Softness

Redskins lose to a team on a 19 game losing streak with a rookie QB who is erratic as a passer, a running back who got hurt and had to leave the game, and bum offensive and defensive lines.

Here's why the Redskins lose. They hire a pretty boy, North West QB who is soft and is more concerned with schemes and being creative than he is with playing football.

Give me the Rex Ryan's of the world. Did anyone see the Jets today? They were flying around the field crushing people and blitzing from everywhere.

The Redskins were trying to 'out-creative' the other team.

Big Papi and A-Rod

NY vs. Boston Series going on and when those two ex-steroid guys come up to bat does anyone else notice they have 27 home runs or so for the year?

All these ex-home run hitters have 27, 29, maybe 30 --- when before they were hitting 40, 47, 49. Not to mention the Bonds, Maguires and Sosas who were hitting 60+ and 70+ home runs.

There shouldn't even be baseball records.

Miami vs. Va Tech

Miami and Florida State are frauds! Miami beats Fla St. (who loses to South Florida) and Fla St. beats a bum BYU and everyone thinks those programs are back.

Wrong! Both teams are extremely poorly coached. Someone might want to tell Randy Shannon that you don't pass and fumble and bumble around in the first quarter in a torrential rainstorm and get your team behind by 21 points, while Va Tech runs the ball every time down your throat.

Fla State? Bobby Bowden is a statue and whenever his team loses, he's looking around all confused and everyone just ignores him. He has no say into what is going on, he should go up into the press box so he doesn't get hurt.

Big 10 / Michigan Officials

For the second time in three weeks the Big 10 officials have decided a football game with questionable and some would say, crooked officiating. The play taken away from Indiana was borderline 'point shaving/on the take'.

These same Big 10 Officials basically won the Notre Dame for Michigan when they called back three touchdowns by Notre Dame (the Allen touchdown still being contested by ND people) and whistled ND for 9 penalties and 5 holding calls/late hits after plays were concluded. Some maintain that ND's penalties were called after they had already broken free for big yardage. Sort of like in pickup basketball when a guy calls a foul after he realizes he didn't make the shot.

Michigan has always operated below the credibility line in sports, e.g Weber and the Fab Five with Myron Piggy, Dick Rod and his illegal practices, etc....but now there might be a conspiracy as well as officials.

Opposing teams are not getting a fair shake at the Big House (appropriate name?)

Sonny Jurgensen

After Skins/Rams game in the locker room, Sonny Jurgensen, Redskins old QB and now color commentator says to Jim Zorn,

"If you would have sent that play in (the Clinton Portis halfback pass from the 3 yard line on 3rd down inside the red zone)when I was the QB, I would have ignored it and called my own play"

Zorn said, "If you would have done that I would have called TO and benched you"

Great exchange!

Somehow I can't see Jason Campbell doing that. They don't make QB's like they used to.

The other thing Jurgensen said was, "when I played the QB was the money maker!"

Ouch!

Maryland FB

The Fridge looks great! He must have lost about 100 pounds. Too bad his team stinks and is losing games faster than he is losing weight.

The only thing MD has going for it locally is that UVA is worse.

Instant Replay in College FB

There's too much! After every sideline catch, after every fumble, and what's really annoying is after every touchdown. Throw in injuries and timeouts as well as the longer TV timeouts and there is no flow to the game.

The worst is a long touchdown pass in the corner where the receiver gets his feet in, crowd goes crazy, played reviewed, crowd bored, officials confirm, crowd mildly cheers, lame extra point, commericial, kick off out of endzone, commerical......ugh.

Too many breaks in the action.

Washington's Upset of USC

Last year Washington under Ty Willingham did not win a game! This year they lost to LSU in the final minute and they upset USC. Coach Sarkisian has to be doing a good job but is this another indictment of the job that Ty does.

USC

For the fifth year in a row, USC loses to a non-ranked Pac 10 opponent to knock them back from the national championship picture.

Pete Carroll comes across as a nice guy who is loose as a goose and fun-loving. But when your team repeatedly is not ready to beat teams of lesser talent, you've got some explaining to do.

Semenya and Testes

Testing is back on the woman's runner from South Africa who had to be tested to find out if she was a man. The testing showed that she didn't have ovaries but had internal testes. They are saying that this makes her an hermaphrodite --- someone with both sex organs.

Heck, if I had situation going on, I'd never leave the house!

Miami vs. Florida State

Watched this game last night and I don't think either one of them is very good. They have average QBs, neither had much of a running game and their defenses were porous! Both these teams will be playing for middle of the pack bowl games - Little Caesar's Bowl.

Game of Shadows

If you haven't read it make sure you do. The book is about Balco and all the players who took steroids and human growth hormone. Suffice to say that pretty much every baseball player and track and field sprinter was on the juice.

Also leads me to believe that they aren't being caught now because the dopers are ahead of the testers once again.

Dick Rod and Michigan

Dick Rod survives another week after Michigan trounces Western Michigan. Notre Dame has an obligation to beat UM so that Dick Rod's head goes back on the chopping block.

BCS Nightmare

Boise State vs. Brigham Young --- lot of white mid-westerners watching that one!

OSU vs. Boise Fight

Suspending the guy for one year seems way too excessive. But I have a sneaking suspicion that it might be because his own team didn't stick up for him too much. I've heard that he was a overweight and not participating in preseason stuff and that he had already been kicked off the team once by the coaching staff only to be brought back. Seems like an issues guy!

So, if you're an issues guy when things go bad, people try to stick it to you and your own team and coaches remain silent.

Rick Pitino and Ted Kennedy

Pitino must be a big fan of Uncle Ted, mentioned his death a few times in his awkward presser.

If I were Pitino's ex, I'd watch out. Uncle Ted had a bit of a rep for making unwanted girlfriends disappear.

2008 NBA Draft - Beasley?

Anyone remember the order?

1) Derrick Rose, 2) Michael Beasley, then 3) OJ Mayo


Let's see if i can now fit it all into the big picture


1) cheated on SATs by having some else take test for him, check

2) bounced school to school with psychological/substance abuse problems, check

3) was paid off with cash on the barrel head, check


Who says crime doesn't pay. Oh, it pays and it pays big!


Let's see how it affected the coaches that recruited these three

1) coach was able to escape out backdoor, like Joe Smith running from Mormon haters.

2) coach will be fired

3) coach fired

Brian Orakpo

As a Skins fan, have to go on record as saying this rookie out of Texas is going to be a good one. All the papers have been touting his play and in both preseason games he has been all over the place.

Usually as a whole the Redskins miss on their draft picks but i think he's going to be a good one.

This should help the Redskins who will be led again by the 5th best quarterback in the NFC East now that Michael Vick is an Eagle.

Rick Pitino's 2nd News Conference

Just listened and he did not come across very good. His whole argument was that this was now messing with his family b/c they were having to read about all the lies.

The whole idea that this woman is a blackmailer and a pathological liar and can't be trusted and that the story is 100% false is believable to me.

Did he rape her (probably not), did he rape her again (probably not), did he pay for an abortion (probably not), was she even pregnant with his kid (probably not), did he force his asst to marry her as a way of covering up (probably not)

But he still had sex outside his marriage with a psycho wacko and for that the penalty is severe. So severe that it will probably destroy him, his family, his reputation in NY and KY.

Hey Rick! That's why most men don't cheat when give the opportunity if and when it pops up. They start thinking, "this is a possibility" but finally they say, "nah, she's sort of a weird messed up chick and i don't think i can trust her".

Plax on E60

Watched the interview and my observation is the following. 100% lies. Well, maybe that's being too harsh, 99% lies.

got patted down and got let in, nope (nightclub would be sued and bodyguards would lose their jobs, no way).

gun fell down inside pants and he grabbed it and it went off, nope (impossible to grabbed trigger and pull hard enough for glock to go off, verified by lots of gun guys)

here's a scenario - snuck a gun in, was showing it off with his finger in the trigger, pulled the trigger by accident and shot himself.

now this might not be correct but closer than his concocted story.

Calipari's Legacy

One of these days if John Calipari isn't careful, we won't be able to talk about him when we sit around on our rockers having drinks and smoking cigars. Can you imagine the conversation.

"Hey, who are the top 10 coaches of all-time in college?"

"John Wooden, Dean Smith, Bob Knight, Coach, K, John Calipari...."

"Who?"

"Calipari, he won a bunch of games at UMASS, oh wait, I mean, Memphis, oh wait...."

"What games?"

"Well, he won a lot of 'vacant games'"

"Vacant games, what is that?"

"Forget it"

Plaxi-con

Seems a little harsh to sentence him to 2 years since people on the streets are shooting each other every night and not many of them go to jail at all.

I think he got a little extra because he's a jerk and he's famous. Also he's dumb. He could have done 3 months and turned it down and now he's doing 2 years. Probably didn't take a lot of math in his degree studies at Michigan State.

I'm going on a limb and predicting he didn't get his degree. Maybe he can 'bone' up on his studies in prison.

Favre The 13th Part XII

He's back !!!!!

Like Mike Myers from Friday the 13th fame, Brett Favre has multiple lives.

Bank this ! At some point this year Adrian Peterson is going to be looking around and saying, "why, is this old man with a torn labrum throwing 40 times a game and getting picked off 5 times a game? When if they just give me the ball I will lead the NFC in rushing AGAIN.

By the way, Jason Campbell just dropped lower in your NFC fantasy football QB draft because of first, Vick, and now, Favre.

Pitino's Clown Mask

After watching his presser the other day, does it seem like Rick Pitino has had a face lift? He sort of has that bug-eyed stare to him.

He seems to me to look like a ventriloquist dummy.

Florida Gator Football

Talking to one of my colleagues and he reminded me that the #1 team in college football, the Gators, opens up with Charleston Southern and Troy.

How can this be? Those aren't even hard football games for the Citadel or Samford.

You got the best players/player, you got the best weather, you got the best coach, you got the best looking women walking around, you no definitive academic requirements and you open with Charleston Southern and Troy....as they say on Saturday Night Live.....Really!

Michael Vick #4

Still needs to go on record with the fact that Michael Vick is the 4th best QB in the NFL East behind of course, Manning, McNabb and Romo.

Have the Redskins thought about the new Wildcat formation with a direct snap to Clinton Portis - at least as long as he can go before he gets tired and takes himself out of the game!

Return of Vick

It would be great if McNabb goes down with toe issue and by the 7th week the Eagles turn to Vick because Feeley/Kolb are not getting the job done.

This way Vick's first game is vs. the Redskins.

Could you imagine the goings on. Skins vs. Eagles in the stadium and PETA vs. the Native American Injins protesting going on outside of stadium.

Outside the stadium pictures and placards of Vick with bloodied dogs and likewise Dan Synder with the old Native American actor guy in a boat crying as he rows past litter.

Inside the stadium the Eagles jumping around 'woofing' and chanting 'who let the dogs out?' and the Skins dancing in a rain circle tomahawking it.

Great theater for the masses.

Health Insurance $3000

Pitino's spokesman now says Pitino did not pay his 'jumpoff' $3000 for an abortion but $3000 to attain for herself health insurance.

Now that's a solution to the health care reform that is plaguing Obama mama!

Just get rich guys to pay for the health insurance of the 47 million uninsured. Pitino like most of his college coaching colleagues makes about 5 million a year so...

Mathematically, the coaches in the Big East can cover all the uninsured in the Northeast corridor.

No fuss, no muss.

Abortion $3000

Pitino paid $3000 dollars for his dalliance's abortion.

Sounds like he was actually blackmailed before he turned her in to the police for extortion!

Also he admitted to having sex in a restaurant after it had already closed. Who does this and gets away with it?

The friend who kept it open was lying on the floor listening but not be able to see the goings on.

C'mon! I hate to say this but I think he's a going to lose his job over this one.

Pitino

C'mon. Can't anyone stay away from the wine, women and song? If its not drugs (hard or prescriptions, the women (whether they be crazy wives, crazy girlfriends, etc) and/or the booze. It seems like the same scenarios over and over again.

Does anyone really believe that a guy who is as suave and debonair as a Pitino wouldn't fall prey to the wiles of the other woman. You can't be a shoot the cuffs kind of guy and not be a little obsessed with the 'appearance' of things.

I feel sorry for the wife. Remember Pitino is the guy who had a game named for his brother-in-law (wife's brother) who died in 911 and Pitino/wife have also lost a son not soon after childbirth.

Now his wife gets this on top, a husband who says all the right things and does all the wrong things! And for a hack looking beatup skank. Ugh

Spanish Benefit of the Doubt

Listening to Ortiz's presser on taking or not taking steroids, I can't tell if he's lying or not. One thing Spanish speaking players have going for them is that it's hard to read their voice inflection or tone for deception.

I do agree he gets some credit for not reading his lies like A-Rod. But I'm still not buying the i was taking supplements and vitamins which i didn't know anything about.

Iverson to Heat?

Rumor that AI going to Heat?

How come I think that a couple of months into the season we'll hear that there is chemistry issues and that now D Wade is going to be coming off the bench while Iverson mans the other guard position.

Hey it happened in Detroit when they sent Rip Hamilton to the bench and started Rodney Stuckey and Iverson. What happened Pistons lost, AI quit, coach fired.

NY vs. Red Sox Math Question

There are 103 or 104 names on the Mitchell report for players who tested positive for steroid use. Watch tonight as the Yankees host the Red Sox at new Yankee Stadium. About half of all the 100+ players on that list will be playing in this series!

Vintage 76ers

On ESPN Classic the other night, 76ers were on versus the Knicks. The 76ers front line was Dr. J, Charles Barkley and Moses Malone. How did they ever lose? Oh wait, they didn't. That was the year they went on to win the NBA Championship. Moses memorable quote of "Fo, Fo, Fo"

The Washington Nationals

Anyone paying attention to the Nats? They are playing pretty well lately. They are still bums and the worst team in baseball but they are starting to win. I think 10 of their last 16 since the axe fell on Manny Acta.

By end of year the Nats might overtake Royals and Pirates to get out of 'toilet bowl'.

Broads

Romo ditches Jessica the day before her B-day and Reggie Bush and Kim Kardasian are also kaput.

Even though the theory that chicks make players 'moody' still holds, predicting here that Romo and Bush have bad years.

By the way is Reggie Bush the luckiest guy over the Tim Floyd paying BB players cash at USC? Took his case of fraud and money laundering off the USC front page.

The Mannings

Eli is now the highest paid quarterback in the NFL. ESPN had Eli as one of the top 3 earners and I think Peyton was somewhere around 7th.

So Eli makes 15.3 million and Peyton makes 13.7 million. I wonder how much Cooper makes? Slacker!

Gay-ness Part II

Heard today in story about Hawaii gay bashing coach that UH actually changed their mascot a few years ago from the Rainbows to the Warriors. Why? Because they didn't want the association with the 'agenda'. Seems like the state of Hawaii is being overly sensitive to name associations and name calling. Do they realize their state is in the middle of the water and no one cares.

Tiger Woods' Greatness

Here's how good Tiger Woods is. He just won another tournament beating a field of nobodies. The five or six guys behind him were unrecognizable by name. A bunch of fly by nighters. Where were all the other good players? With the exception of Phil who was with wife where were the rest of the field?

It just goes to show you that all the other players go up and down and up and down, in and out of money, in and out of tourneys. But Tiger, with exception of missing the cut at British (startling!), is right in it all the way, all the time.

AAU Championship Game

Watched Doc River's son play in the championship game vs. the team from Wash DC, some weird name like Team Terrible or something.
DC beat them but to me the game was almost unwatchable. Lots of 2 guards over handling, lots of 3 men jacking 3pt shots and lots of natural post players never touching the ball in the post then wandering out to the 3pt line and firing them up like the ball forwards.
Does any AAU team do anything beside run pick and rolls for over handlers.

The Entire City of Boston Sports

Give it all back:
R*D S*X cheated to break curse behind M*NNY and *RT*Z.
The Patriots cheated behind Spygate and Belicheck.
The Celtics cheated with the behind the scenes collusion on Ainge and McHale part and bought a championship acquiring Allen and Garnett to go with Pierce.

Boston Red Sox

The way to end curses. Cheat! The Red Sox are just like everyone else with their fallen heroes and tainted stars and statistics. All their World Series clothing should say R*D S*X with asterisks for their World Series wins. Much like Pittsburg's Super Bowls should say ST**L*RS for all their steroid guys.

Michael Vick

If Michael Vick played in the NFC East, he would be the 4th best quarterback in the league behind McNair, Manning, Romo. That means the Redskins should make a serious run at him, he's better than Campbell and Campbell is the worst QB in that conference. Seems like a no brainer to me.

Gay-ness Part I

It seems to me that the Hawaii coach is rather gay for practically crying during his "apology" about describing Notre Dame's chant as a faggot dance.

What the HELL is wrong with this guy?

He's lost it...

King James is a Bitch!!

EVERYONE GETS DUNKED ON SLIM!!!!

Is it just me or is this stupid and a waste of time?

Top #10

After watching the Jordan teaching video I pose these two questions. Right now today, would Michael Jordan be one of the top ten players in the NBA?

Secondly, as a GM in this years NBA draft would you have used your pick to select Michael Jordan if he announced he was playing for one more year?

Michael Jordan takes you to school.

Learn something from the greatest of all time people...

Behind the scenes with Blake Griffin

Blake Griffin after his first NBA summer league game getting on the bus and having fun with friends.



B. Griffin vs. A. Morrison

Arturo Gatti

In a previous post about Steve McNair it was mentioned that 'athletic stars' ought to stay at home with their wife and kids to avoid the dire consequences that happen to men who cheat.

Scratch that. Gatti was with his wife and his kid on his second honeymoon and it looks like his wife strangled him with her purse.

New advice: If you're an athlete stay at the gym whether it be basketball or boxing. Stay at the gym and keep working on your game. Stay away from the women whether they're your wife or someone else's wife or just a girlfriend.

A famous high school coach said it best, "No broads!"

Rasheed Wallace

Was talking to a basketball coach about the good and bad of the Rasheed Wallace to Celtics move and asked what the person thought of the acquisition. This coach's response, "I'm a big Doc Rivers fan".

Took that to mean that this will only work if Doc is able to keep Rasheed engaged in what is going on.

I also think consummate pros like Garnett, Allen and Pierce play a part in keeping him into buying in to what's going on.

Steve McNair

Another athlete dies and as usual what is part of the equation? A girl (not his wife) and gun. Why can't all the programs in place at the NFL, NBA and MLB level address these problems?

McNair by all accounts was considered a great guy, not a knucklehead by any means. But in the end, he's with his girlfriend with DUI charges, late night rendevous, and gun play. Meanwhile his wife and four kids were at home, where they were supposed to be, where he was supposed to be and they remain safe and he puts himself in harm's way.

A tragedy that sadly could have been avoided.

Artest to L.A.

Artest looks like he's going to LA to be the Western Triangle's version of Dennis Rodman. When the Bulls had Rodman in their main rebounding position he was a force to be reckoned with. Artest naturally fits that role.

However, the loss of Arize's athleticism is going to be costly. The Lakers aren't that athletic - Fisher and Odom are solid but not explosive, Kobe naturally has to conserve energy as the game goes on and Gasol is nimble but not athletic. Arize gave the team some burst. Even the Laker bench of Walton, Farmer, etc is more a solid role player bench.

Artest is not the beast he used to be. He wears down now, evidenced by his fading in the LA/Houston series. I'm not even sure he didn't get ejected to get a breather.

Alexis Arguello

Alexis Arguello, the boxer, was found dead. For those who don't remember he's probably most famous for having an epic fight with Aaron Pryor, a fight with the infamous water bottle with some 'stuff' in it.

Some might probably remember him more for fighting Boom Boom Mancini and he beat the stuffing out of Ray. That was about the time that Ray Mancini became a fraud and started taking 'announcer classes'

Mike and Mike/ Uconn

On Mike and Mike today they were discussing the Ben Gordon and Charlie Villanueva acquisitions and both were saying (i'm paraphrasing) 'you got to give it up for Uconn because no other school has as many players in the NBA (Allen, Gordon, Okafor, Boone, etc, etc) and that's what it's all about the size of your paycheck equating to your value'

then they said -the only other school that comes close is high school (lots of laughter and guffaws), the LeBrons, Kobes and Garnett's.

I thought it was kinda funny too because I was thinking the high schoolers might have more 'college credits' than the Uconners.

Curry Fired by the Pistons

The Coach sealed his fate when he went with 'team last guy' --- Iverson instead of 'team first guy' --- Richard Hamilton.

He was able to keep Iverson interested in playing the games for awhile (everyone knows he ain't interested in 'practice?')until the losing started and the shots were being counted.

Everyone gives Iverson a pass by citing his tough defense which basically involves alot of gambling for steals and his toughness which is more of a physical toughness than a mental toughness.

Hamilton is solid, reliable and good in the locker room. The sad thing is that in the next day or two Iverson will get picked up, probably Charlotte, displace a young PG and be playing again and Hamilton will probably be traded with a new staff coming to Detroit.

Turkgolu

Big mistake by the Magic letting him slip away. He was the key to what they were doing. He is a great passer and great in the Pick and Roll game. Howard and Lewis were good but Hedo is the glue to the whole thing.

Notice the Magic replace Turkgolu with Vince Carter the antithesis of a 'glue guy'. The Magic just went from a team who should have won the NBA finals to a team with chemistry and shot selection problems.

If Turkgolu ends up with LA or Boston or Cleveland or San Antonio, look out!

NBA Draft Predictions

Biggest Busts --- Blake Griffin (can't shoot) and Ricky Rubio (too weak, not that good a defender or the passer everyone makes him out to be)

Biggest Surprises --- Harden and DeJaun Blair, maybe Eric Maynor (they are men and they have polished old school games)

Ricky Rubio

Threatens Minnesota with the idea that he'd rather stay in Spain than come live in Minnesota. Not a totally irrational way of thinking.

However, if Minnesota trades him to the NY Knicks, Lil' Ricky will be swimming to America across the Atlantic.

USA Soccer

Lost 3-2 to Brazil so I guess that's something but do we, as a nation of sports fans, need hoops or football to start up again.

Give us high school, college, or pro BB/FB but please stop with the soccer and track and tennis.

There is a reason Americans don't watch soccer and if you can't figure it out by watching the actual soccer match itself, you'll never really get it.

I was going to post that another celeb died, Billy Mays, the TV pitchman. But then I realized that I was posting about death again instead of sports, then I watched soccer and thought I was watching death so it's all good.

Farrah Fawcett

Best movie - The Apostle

Michael Jackson

Best song "You Rock My World"

Just for the Sake of FT Fun!

Who has worked on and shot more Free Throws this offseason, Shaq or Dwight Howard.

Shaq with his elbow way out and the ball too much in his fingertips chuck?

Or Dwight Howard with his pull the string, incomplete follow through clanger?

I'll say D Howard because he still seems like he cares.

Celtics/Pistons Possible Trade

Allen and Rondo for Hamilton/Prince/Stuckey, didn't go off today as a possible trade.

What is baffling is that the Pistons were the ones who turned it down? Shocking.

Speaking of Steriods...

Tonight on ESPN, they will be breaking in to the College World Series to show Manny Ramirez's At Bats in Minor League Ball.

Does any one see the hypocrisy of this? Pro Baseball malcontent, team destroyer who used steroids, got a 50 game suspension and ESPN who is the voice of sports in America is going to break into an amateur game of college kids to show him?

Maybe at the Mayweather Jr. vs. Roy Jones boxing match in July someone can break in with news of Mike Tyson domestically abusing someone.

Zen Jackson --- Home Bo(d)y

Phil Jackson announces today he might only coach home games next year...HA

Last sports guy to do this was the infamous Roger Clemens who said he was only going to pitch home games in his hometown of Texas....then he began to use steroids!

Jackson might be on the coaching juice! No wonder he's successful!

All NBA --- the Entire Season

Guards - Kobe, Wade

Forwards - LeBron and Melo

Center - Howard


Only argument here is Howard because he was exposed for the fraud he is offensively in the Finals but who else could it be:

Shaq- only played well for a while
Duncan -slowed by injuries and his teams injuries
Garnett - not really a Center and didn't play
Yao - not a real defensive presence like Howard
Gasol - not really a Center even though he roamed the Low Post


Coach of the Year --- Vinnie Del Negro

Thought he did a good job with a team of misfits, wackos and jumping jacks.

Management

With the NBA playoffs now complete, one can see that pro sports is still about management. I've heard it said that High School sports is about players, College Sports is about the coaching but Pro Sports is about management.

Obviously, in all sports your teams need players and coaching but in the Pro Sports they all have players and pretty much good coaching but the PRO franchises that win and have continued to win have a plan, think Lakers and Celtics in hoops, Yankees and Dodgers in Baseball and maybe the Cowboys and Old 49ers/Redskins.

Redskins are a great example both ways with Gibbs/Beathard a wonderful team with vision with Snyder and cast of character coaches a train wreck.

Shaq the Road Pylon

The Cavs pursuit of Shaq is confusing.

Even though he had a better year with his comeback season with the Suns, everyone knows he really was just in the way. He ruined the driving angles that Nash usually takes advantage of. He got in the way of Leandro Barbosa and his running mates.

Shaq will be traded to the Cavs and LeBron will have one less side to drive on and Shaq's man will only be a step or two away. Shaq's shooting is a non-factor and LeBron's is up and down, getting a big guy who has to camp out under the basket does not help LeBron.

LeBron needs a Center like KG or Yao, get those guys instead.

McHale Let Go

Kevin McHale GM and lately Head Coach of the Timberwolves was let go today. Hard to believe that the Wolves were really good at one point when they had Flip Saunders with Sprewell, Cassell and Garnett and even a better Wally Szerbiak. McHale takes over and the bottom falls out. He was of no use as as GM and didn't make a dent with his coaching.

Let's hope the Saunders and Cassell staff helps the Wizards rejuventate themselves.

Lakers Win

Congrats to the Lakers organization for this year's NBA championship. As previously alluded to here, the Lakers won the series as well as the Magic losing it. Some might argue that the Magic should have been up 3-1 going into last night's game with a made Lee layup and a made Howard free throw.

But in the NBA a team will not win before their time and the Magic were not ready to win. Great comment last night that the Cavs and the Celtics should have been in the final games, so give the Magic credit for getting there.

Congrats to Kobe for #4 and Coach Jackson for #10.

Floyd Resigns, etc.

Tim Floyd of USC BB resigns under allegations he personally paid OJ Mayo one thousand dollars in cash.
The USC football program is embroiled in controversy over Reggie Bush's family getting monies and having their house paid for by a prominent booster.


Derrick Rose of Memphis has someone take the SAT for him and now has been found flashing gang signs in national photos.
Robert Dozier of Memphis has his SAT score go from 600 to 1200 which sounds the alarm for Georgia but not for Memphis.


Doesn't the NCAA know who is cheating? If they ask, sports fans can tell them. They don't need to investigate the entire country.

Start with SEC football and basketball, then move to PAC 10 fb and basketball. That should keep them busy for a decade or so and then they can move on to Penn State before the rest of the Big Ten.

Jackson and Buss

Another interesting article in the Wash Post about how in actuality Jeannie Buss was the reason that Phil Jackson came back to the Lakers. Phil and Jeannie have been an item ever since Phil took to sleeping with her.

Marriage is out for the coach because Jackson says he is 9-0 in NBA championship but 0-2 in the game of marriage.

O'Bannon / Bynum

Interesting article in the Wash Post about the rise and fall of Charles O'Bannon. Of how he went from being the MVP in the Natl Championship game with something like 35 pts and 17 rebs to playing only 2 years in the NBA before calling it quits.

He lasted about a year and half with the Nets who drafted him and half a season with the Mavs. Spent the next 10 years or so playing overseas and now is a car salesman in Nevada.

Combine that story with Phil Jackson saying he and Mitch Kupchack went round and round about drafting Andrew Bynum because he was only 17 and had played a combined total of about 20 high school games.

No matter what any one says the NBA draft and personnel issues are a crapshoot.

Taking Van Gundy to Task

Not sure why the pundits are all over Stan. He's got his team in the NBA Finals and if Courtney Lee makes a layup off a well designed out of bounds play and the Magic make some FREE throws, his team would be up 3-1.

I think SVG has done a serviceable job. The whole 'Shaq rap' on SVG is that he is a panic guy and will cause his team to lose in the end because he will panic. But not seeing it. He's one of the main reasons why they are there along with Howards rebs and blocks, Lewis' shooting and Turkgolu's ability to come off ballscreens.

Jason Whitlock wrote today that SVG should be forced to resign. Why? Not buying that one. I really think SVG gets a bad rap because he's a fat, dumpy, ex Div III white guy who never made the League. Therefore, he shouldn't be screaming at guys.

I think it is funny, SVG is whining and begging and pleading during huddles and no one is listening, then camera goes down to Jackson who is talking about rhythm and getting in the flow and getting centered and you look at the players on his bench... and no one is listening either.

They've played 100 games and they are NBA guys.

Better to Not Lose

Magic learned a magical lesson in Hoops last night. It's better to try to win than to try not to lose. They had the game in hand and were unsure of two things: 1) who their best players were, who they wanted on the floor at the end and 2) could they make a free throw, which of course they could not.

In the end the Lakers just tried to stick around and stick around hoping for something good to happen. Fisher's 3pter was the type of shot that he is paid to make. Here is where having Phil Jackson helps --- he knew he needed Fisher's experience during the playoffs and at the end. SVG doesn't even know he wants to play down the stretch of games. It doesn't help that his best player can't make a FT and shouldn't be in there.

Best White White Guy

We were having a discussion in the gym and one of our old friends stopped by and asked the coaches sitting around who was the best white NBA player not from a foreign country. Pretty hard game to play.

The consensus by the end of the day was Brad Miller with Kirk Hinrich in the mix and maybe a Kyle Korver.

Pretty sad.

How Important Big Time College Part II

To extend last post let's look at final four losing teams:

Cavaliers
Williams - Alabama
West - St. Joes
James - no College, HS
Verejao - no College, Brazil
Ilgauskas - no College, Lithuania

Nuggets
Billups - Colorado
Jones - Duke
Anthony - Syracuse (1 year)
Martin - Cincinnati
Nene - Brazil

So interestingly in the Final Two playing for the NBA Championship there is only 1 major college player and there are 6 major college players off the losing teams.

Someone might want to do a study on whether having two many good big time college players might have cost the Cavs and Nuggets their series.

How Important Big Time College?

Fisher - Ark Little Rock
Arize - UCLA
Kobe - HS
Bynum - HS
Gasol -Europe

Alston - And1
Lee- West Kentucky
Turkgolu- Europe
Lewis -HS
Howard- HS

I say not important!

The Real Magic - Johnson

Brings nothing to the booth. He really is not very good and not very insightful.

He sort of sits there as the fourth wheel but i guess he's needed because any real fan of NBA basketball is going to be suspect of Jon Barry since he wasn't that good of a player.

Barry says something provocative and everyone goes "hey, I wonder what Magic thinks about that?". Then Magic gives some lame answer and everyone just sort of looks around and Stuart Scott says, "way to go champ" and Magic smiles. Ugh.

He should go sit next to Bill Russell in the stands.

Who Is?

Who is the white haired man who sits next to Jack Nicholson?

He's been there as long as Jack and with his shocking white hair, beard and rimmed sunglasses he is hard to miss. Also there seems to always been some young girl within close proximity to both of them.

I suspect 'shenanigans'.

Kobe's Game Face

According to every paper and reporter as well as onlookers, Kobe has his 'mean' face on. Seems sort of silly when you think about it.

I wonder what Phil "Zen Master" Jackson thinks? Shouldn't he council him against this and make him practice stoicism and non-attachment to things and feelings?

Sort of ironic that the other Coach, SVG, is a maniac and his best player played half-asleep.

Lakers Game 1

Advantage to the Lakers for their focus and commitment to the game. Experience played a factor in that the Lakers seemed more sure of the moment and more engaged in the atmosphere. The Magic were groping to find their way. They seemed to force shots and settle for the jump shot.

Mike Brown could learn something from Phil Jackson as far as matchups. Make your matchup the other team's problem. Lewis and Turkgolu were destroyed inside by the Gasols and Bynums and Odoms.

Magic are going to have to adjust to things.

To Shake or Not to Shake

In the NBA shaking hands after a game is not the protocol. Most of the time in the regular season the players just leave the court and head toward the tunnel with the coaches/players sometimes giving a cursory wave to the other team or fans --- and most times not even that.

Same thing in the playoffs until the final game of a best of seven series where for some reason the teams fake congratulate or commiserate with each other, chest thump/bump and gladhand their goodbyes.

LeBron has taken a beating on this one but my thinking is that it isn't that big of a deal. Having said that, he should of have shook hands and/or played the part, just because that is what the NBA does and what is expected.

One thing LBJ had been always good at is knowing that "people are watching". He gets that part of the equation which is one of the reason he is admired more than let's say a Carmelo Anthony or an Allen Iverson or a Gilbert Arenas.

Cavs Fall, Van Gundy Exhales

Most relieved guy in the building for the Magic has to be Stan Van Gundy. After witnessing LeBron play 1 on 1 for a quarter and personally score or hand out scores on every possession, Van Gundy was able to sit back and relax as the Cavs reverted back to Plan B. Or maybe it was their Plan A. Who knows?

Mike Brown's decision to play team ball and share the ball and rely on Wiliams, West, Szcerbiak and Gibson to win Game 6 on the road will be contested by critics throughout the offseason. Even the announcers were asking, 'when are they going to put the ball back into LeBron's hands?'

We won't know now. The Magic advance and the King's eyes turn to the Big Apple. Coach Brown should consider himself lucky he is not the Knicks coach because they would be running him out of town this morning on WFAN.

Spelling Bee?

Why is the Spelling Bee on ESPN?

This is not a sport.

Shoot arrows at them while they're spelling and maybe we got a sport.

Have The Birdman spell vs. JR Smith and maybe we got something watchable.

Finally the 1-4 Flat

Mike Brown must have went to see Merlin the Wizard for the magic elixir.

Finally! Finally! He put the ball in The King's hands and got the rest of the bums spaced and out of the way. 1-4 Attack with LBJ with the ball at the top, West and Williams on the wings flat and out of the way and the two post players near the hoop.

LeBron drives and scores/shoots/scores/shoots and occasionally passes to the shooters or dumps to the bigs for a layup.

Not rocket science that is for sure. If the Cavs would have done this for 4 games they would have advanced by now.

The big adjustment will be whether Van Gundy goes Zone when LBJ has the ball at the top.

Matchup Problems for Cavs?

I don't understand the defensive matchup problems that the Cavs have? They can't handle Rashard Lewis at the Power Forward? Why not go with LBJ in that matchup? If Z can't handle Howard, go with Ben Wallace! Seems to me that that solves the dilemma.

The biggest problem for the Cavs is that all the secondary shooters whom they acquired to play next to/with/along with LeBron are coming up as 'frauds'.

Sch-mo Williams, De-lame-te West, Boob-less Williams, Alesandra Pav-lo-dick are bums! They can't cover and they can make a shot that matters.

Play Szcerbiak like they did when they made their last title run, at least, play him before he reverts back to his normal self --- Szcerbi-yak!

Best Coaching Line of Night

George Karl during a timeout (I'm paraphrasing)

when Kobe comes down the court with the ball in the open floor one-on-one, we need to not only have someone pick him up but we all need all five guys to cover Kobe! When Kobe has the ball, all 5 guys have him, not just one guy

Not bad advice.

GK might want to add "and don't throw the ball to the other team on the last possession"

Ridiculous vs. Ludicrous

Who is playing more 'ridiculously' right now?

Kobe or LeBron?

LeBron brings me out of my seat every night but what Kobe did last night was 'ridiculous'.

His turnaround on the baseline over JR Smith as well as his eyeball 3pter with about a minute to go, cmon!

Inbounding the Basketball

First, get someone who can pass! This would eliminate Kenyon Martin right away. I suggest Chauncey Billups. See the Nuggets want to get the ball to Billups because he will make good decisions with the ball but if he doesn't get the ball from the guy who is going to make the wrong decision he won't be able to make the right decision......

Second, get a passer to inbounds the ball.

Third, get someone who can pass to take it inbounds.

The King!

Unbelievable ending to last night's game. Two things to consider. One, anybody who says they don't watch the NBA because they don't play defense and the college game is just better, is a loon. Two, how do you let LBJ get that shot. I would think you would have to triple team him, one in front, one in back and one on his side. Let any one else on the team take that shot, anyone!

Also, must add if LeBron didn't pass to SCHMO Williams in the first game the Cavs would have been up 2-0 right now. SCHMO was a whopping 7-21 again last night. Does this guy realize he's wide open and no one is guarding him.

Clippers Pick #1

The only crime worse than the Clippers picking number 1 in hoops is the Detroit Lions getting the #1 pick in the NFL draft. Geez, do the weak just keep getting weaker!

Greatest Game

NBA semis prove why this is the greatest game. Kobe goes for 40, Melo throws down 38 in same game and LeBron goes for 49 to top it off last night.

And the Magic pull the unlikely come from behind upset while the Nuggets were oh so close to pulling one off at the Staples Center.

Going to see how Cleveland responds if the Magic take both games in Orlando. How about Van Gundy saying in the timeout "look for the big on little matchup, use your ball moves and score"...they come out of TO, Lewis gets matched with Verajo, ball fakes low, brings defenders hands down, and shoots over him for game winner.

Guess the Coach of Panic was right on for this one. Sometimes the message is 'panicky' but the 'right one'

Horse Racing Update

Rachel Alexander, the favorite won. If you bet $5 dollars, then you won $9 dollars. That's about it.

Although the WP did have a photo of the crowd last year when drinking on the infield was allowed and this year's crowd when alcoholic beverages were prohibited.

Big difference in the crowd. So I think it's safe to assume that horse racing much like car racing is better with beer!

Lakers Win

Front line played well with Gasol and surprisingly Bynum playing better than they have throughout the series. Ariza and Fisher hit shots early which helped. Kobe, after Spike Lee's incredible show about him last night, played relatively tame today. I surely thought he would come out and take 60 shots.

The Rockets were stifled on the Pick and Roll and really didn't get many good shots throughout the game. I think Jeff Van Gundy was correct with his assessment of the lack of a lowpost player to drop the ball into. The Rockets just seemed to be probing around the perimeter looking for jumpshots.

Still got to be on record as saying the Lakers will beat the Nuggetts. As an old coach of mine use to say, "don't rely on unreliables", which the Denver team is filled with!

Old School Hoops

Going to go on record and say that the Laker coaches in their prime would beat the current Lakers.

Here's the lineup Brian Shaw and Craig Hodges at Guard, Kurt Rambis and Phil "Action Jackson" at Forward and Kareem Abdul-Jabbat Center. (My sub would have to be Jim Cleamons who might have been a better player than Brian Shaw now that I think about it)

The current Lakers are better at Guard but the Coaches win the Front Line Battle!

Just a thought.

Hockey Intermission - The Caps

The Capitals captivated the DC area recently for their Andy Warhol 10 minutes of fame.

Then in Game 7 they went down 5-0 in the 2nd period and all the TV sets in the Metropolitan area quickly flipped back over to Pro Wrestling.

Redskins, NBA and College Hoops, then Hockey. But hey, the Caps still are more of a draw than the Nationals who have about as many fans as the old Prince William Canons.

Laker Arrogance?

Some have speculated the the Lakers are not putting the Rockets away because they are arrogant and feel like they can just turn it off and on at a moment's notice.

Have to disagree and throw out the following excuse for their erratic play: the Lakers are not that talented once you get past Kobe and a somewhat soft but effective Pau Gasol.

Odom is a serviceable pro and is productive at times but he's floats in and out of games. Bynum is at times okay but seems to get in the way when he's not playing well.

Farmer, Fisher, Arizia, Brown, Walton, Vujacic are basically NBA roster players, they supply minutes for starters and subs to catch a break or breather.

Could be argued that Yao, Artest, Battier are a better front line and if not, they are considerably tougher!

Game 7 should be interesting.

Manny Ramiroidz

As the rock group, Queen, so affectionately put it "Another one bites the dust".

Why are people so alarmed by this? Stop testing baseball players! They are all on the juice.

Roger Clemens? Can't be! Alex Rodriguez? Can't be! Manny Ramirez? Can't be! Come on.

Might as well just pick any good baseball player right now that hasn't been caught, Jeter, Pujols, etc. Just give it time.

By the way, who cares about baseball anyway any more.

Pitino to Sacramento?

Already? We haven't even gotten really heated up yet with the recruiting of Louisville vs. Kentucky. I want to see how these two recruiters go up against each other. It will make for great news for the blogs and message board hounds.

Kobe Triangle vs. Battier

Anyone else out there noticing the Triangle Offense is slowing turning into the Kobe Triangle which used to be affectionately known as the Jordan Triangle?

By the way, Shane Battier might have given the best defensive performance by a guy who got lit up by 40 in game two. He was tight to Kobe and had a hand in his face all night, spectacular defense.

Kobe is proving why he is the '2nd best player in the game'

Chuck Daly

Sad news to hear that Original Dream Team coach, Coach Daly, died today. Class act who led the Bad Boys of Detroit to the NBA title. Scary to think about those Pistons teams over the years with Isaiah, Joe Dumars, Microwave Vinnie Johnson, Salley, Dennis Rodman, Laimbeer, James Edwards, etc.

I think it would be fair to say that those Pistons would have beat the later version 2004 of Billups, Hamilton, Rasheed, Tayshaun Prince and Ben Wallace.

Who says teams are more talented nowadays?

Brett Favre

Time to go away!

Great career with the Packers but by the end was holding them captive with his legacy. Gets one more stint last year with the Jets, plays well for half the season and then tears biceps which renders him a shell of himself.

Now contemplating return to the Vikings who have QB issues of their own. Someone needs to tell Brett to make room for others. Let the young bucks have their chance. Another example of a 'great' using his 'greatness' to milk a few more years.

Trying to think of a hooper who did the same, maybe "Barkley" in a Suns uniform. Maybe "Shaq" in a Sun uniform..............I'm starting to see a pattern here.

2nd Round Two Upsets

Celtics looked sluggish and had many ill-timed turnovers, especially Rondo. Rondo didn't play well down the stretch vs. Bulls in game 7 and didn't play well at all in opening game vs. Magic. He might be fatiguing.

Lakers were shooting jumpers and playing really soft and unengaged. They floated around looking for 3pters and jumpers in the lane. They had no low post play and the Rockets took advantage by using Yao and Scola to bang and play power basketball.

Prediction: one of these higher seeded teams is going to lose game 2 also. I'm going on a limb and say the Celtics.

Celtics Win Over Bulls

Shot selection and Turnovers. Somebody famous made the comment that there are two things good teams do: that take good shots and they don't turn the ball over. The Celtics down the stretch were taking layups and shots going to the basket and the open three ball. The Bulls were searching for shots and also over penetrating which led to some ill timed turnovers.

Celtics are very limited especially on the front line. Hard to believe that Kendrick Perkins can't be off the floor now. Luckily, the Magic doesn't really try to get the ball inside with Howard, they are more of a 3pt shooting team.

Dwight Howard's Suspension

Really? How silly is this? Howard stuck a bow in Dalambert's face and 'chucked' at him. A one game suspension in the NBA playoffs. When will Stern stop legislating fighting and suspending players after the fact. Remember when he ruined the Suns playoff run with suspending Boris Diaw.

Does Stern know why the NBA has 6 fouls rather than 5 like College. Because they want to keep the best players on the floor for the longest time. The NBA is about players and entertainment. The Magic without Howard is a bad midseason NBA game.

Brad Miller

Okay, it might have been a flagrant foul and he might have lost a tooth or some blood but come on! You're an 85% FT shooter who's in the game because you can make a shot/free throw.

Many are complaining how Miller was flagrantly fouled --- but he's 7'tall and weighs about 280 and he catches the ball at the FT with no one in front of him and he's shoots a 10 finger roll! At least Noah or Thomas would have flown in there and tried to dunk the ball.

Bulls Celtics Game 5

Great game with lots of action throughout. This series is coming down to Pierce and Ray Allen and Rondo playing one on one vs. Rose and Ben Gordon and occasionally Hinrich down the stretch.

Two things are separating the teams: One, the Celtics are used to winning and are just gutting out victories and Two, the Bulls shot selection is, at times, bizarre! Some of the shots that Rose and Gordon have made have been fantastic but having said that, those shots are also lucky.

The Celtics are more polished when it comes to execution.

Worst Team Play

Atlanta Hawks!

Did anyone else see Barkley and K. Smith making fun of the Hawks' offense and their coach. They basically threw the Hawks' coaching staff under the bus.

Best line by Barkley to Smith back in the TNT studio (not an exact quote but close), "Do you remember when the NBA used to have good players and good teams. This is hard to watch - an NBA team of bad players not move the ball and then settle for a bad contested shot."

Worst Play by Play NBA Announcer

As previously stated Van Gundy is great. Hubie Brown has been thorough and analytical without being over the top. I think Jon Barry is good too, he did a great job of analyzing J.R. Smith's contributions and limitations for the Nuggets.

But P.J. Carlesimo is awful. He's been doing the 76ers and Magic game today and he adds nothing. His talking and yakking makes me want to strangle him. Oops, went a little Sprewell for the moment!

Dos and Donts

If you are Denver, 'Do' pull the trigger on trading Iverson for Billups.

If you are Detroit, 'Don't' trade for Allen Iverson.

Geez, the annoucers were putting it to Iverson and his disappearing act.

How come I see Iverson somehow ending up in Washington playing for the Wizards. I have no basis for this except he's from VA and he went to GU and of course because the Wiz have a way of taking guys after their prime. In fact, they have a way of getting rid of guys before their prime too.

All Tat-less NBA

Got to have Joakim Noah, Paul Pierce and Rondo on the all playoff tat-less team. Wonder why those guys don't have any tatoos, especially Noah, with that hair thing going on, just seems like some tatoos would finish the look off.

Friday NBA Hoops Roundup

Cavs series is over, let's face it the Pistons will play to win and try to get a game, until.................they fall behind by three or four baskets, then they roll up shop and want to go home. Pistons trying to win: Stuckey, Rip and McDyess, looking to go home: Rasheed.

76ers and Magic is turning out to be the upset series and the 76ers have been impressive with their energy. The Magic's shot selection is questionable: their outside shooters Hedo, Courtney Lee and Lewis are shooting way too streaky and when they throw it inside to Howard his post moves and ft shooting strickly make it a 'guessing game' on whether there will be a good shot or a made free throw (although last night Howard played well).

The Rockets and the Blazers is turning out to be the most entertaining series with good players all around making plays. I really like the Rockets 'team' and still around wondering why they aren't better with McGrady, but they just are. The Blazers are talented but sometimes don't know where their bread is buttered. Case in point: Steve Blake's piece of crap 3pt shot with 16 secs to go and his team down 1. I wonder if Aldridge could have gotten off a better shot vs. Yao or Scola than that garbage.

Magic Upset

Having picked the Magic to win the East, I was obviously disappointed in the way they played this weekend.

I do have two observations about them:

1) why are so reliant on Hedo Turgelu, he couldn't cover A.I. on the final 76ers possession and he couldn't get his off his shot vs pressure on the last shot of the game.

2) Shaq may have been right when he slammed Van Gundy (the Bad Van Gundy) saying he was too frantic and that he'll never win as a coach, I think Shaq said something about how he is a worry wort and causes panic on his teams. I definitely saw that Sunday.

My pick of the Magic was really based on not liking the Celtics chances as much this year. With the Magic playing like Bums, I think this just opens the door for THE KING.

Bulls First Round Upset

Derrick Rose's coming out party. Got to be impressed with the showing he put on. And the fact that he was going against Rondo, who is playing remarkably well lately, makes it even more impressive. Rose is going to be a star someday and this year's playoffs will begin laying the foundation.

By the way --- Joaquin Noah! I didn't think it was possible to be a Pro nowadays and strictly be a #4 man who can't shoot or pass or stop anyone in the open floor or in the post. He reminds me of when the high school basketball coach has to convince the school's football player to come out for the team for rebounding help but then must devise offenses to keep him away from the ball.

Noah's got to be playing because Luol Deng is hurt or maybe because his dad's a famous tennis player or maybe it's his hair --- but it ain't his game or his skill set.

Jeff Van Gundy

The best right now!

Van Gundy tells the truth and very rarely throws the other coach or even a player under the proverbial bus. He even defended Alan Iverson last night saying most of the problems with A.I can be traced to other factors with coaching/personnel issues.

Van Gundy will only get after 'team play', when teams are not closing out on shooters or allowing drivers to get to the basket too easy. He will also call out a team's shot selection or lack of movement. But again, he never blames a specific player or a coach.

Much better than the Bill Walton, "what the heck is 'so and so' doing" slam. Although, Walton would be my second favorite announcer, then I'd have to go with Marv Albert.

J.J. Redick

Got a chance to watch J.J. play last night for the Magic vs. the Knicks. He came in the game and clanged a 3pter off the board and his man scored twice in a row. Jon Barry the announcer immediately said they have to get J.J. out of the game and put Pietrus in the game to be able to cover.

Checked his stats online, he shoots around 30% from the field, averaging 6pts per game. And no one is covering him! The other teams are running around and chasing the likes of Dwight Howard, Hedo Turkeglu, Rashard Lewis and even Rafer Alston. He's a fifth option at times.

Time to go back to Duke and sit on the bench as an assistant coach for Coach K. He can sit with his chin in his hand with one finger running up the side of his head, looking pensively at the game at hand, getting ready to jump up on the slightest questionable call and look at Coach K with tears in his disconsolate eyes.

It's really not a hard posture to get down, Wojo has the look, Chris Collins has the look, he can sit right next to them, it would be like a Mt. Rushmore of Fussy Pots.

Oh and don't forget, because it's not about producing basketball players, he'll be able to provide the country 'with future leaders' because that's what they are all about at Duke.

A.I. = Almost Indistinguishable

Allen Iverson has shut it down for the season. Don't be deceived, he isn't hurt. He's just not coming back to be a come off the bench guy.

Once great player with no regard for life and limb has become a shell of his former self. From the time when he and Larry Brown began to bang heads and he got himself out of Philly, his star has faded. The Denver days never developed and this trade to the Pistons has piddled off.

Time to face the music Denver's better off without AI and with Chauncey Billups.

Detroit's better off without AI and with Rodney Stuckey.

When you are no better than Rodney Stuckey from Eastern Washington, it's time to retire.

Oden and Przybilla

Got a chance to watch the Spurs vs. the TrailBlazers tonight.

How did the fact that Joel Przybilla starts over Greg Oden go so unnoticed in the NBA. Oden was supposed to be then next Bill Russell.

By the way, Przybilla had 17 rebounds before i turned it off so I guess he should be playing over Oden but still Greg Oden was a shooting star, now he's an NBA backup, like Etan Thomas or Brian Scallabrini.

The Human Eraser

Just read that Marvin "The Human Eraser" Barnes died today. Local Washington DC sports fan might remember 2 things about him

1) that he starred at Morgan State before going on to a fine career in the NBA

2) he was the starting Center on the Seattle "Super" Sonics team which the Washington Bullets beat for the NBA Championship.

Sort of interesting to that the Seattle Supersonics' and the Washington Bullets' monikers have been replaced by the Oklahoma City Thunder and Washington Wizards. The Thunder is a horrible nickname! Sounds like a MLS or a NHL club.

NBA Playoffs

Now that College Hoops is officially over, it's time to turn our attention to the ensuing NBA playoffs.

The East playoff picture is set up about right with the teams sorting themselves and shifting positions very little. The West is very volatile and the scenario seems to change every day as far as who might play whom. One thing about the NBA playoffs is that certain shifting of seeds and homecourts will affect sometime unexpected outcomes.

The West belongs to the Lakers. Against over-coached, methodical execution teams they seem to be able to execute and thrive. Against less-coached, more fastbreak, frenzied teams they seem to be able to make them look silly. Spurs without Ginobili not going to beat them, Rockets not going to beat them. Conversely, teams like Nuggets and Mavericks just don't seem to be able to lock in.

The East is up for grabs. The Celtics are just not as good defensively this year and Garnett is far from a given. The Cavs are better because now they are The King and Mo Williams but the other cast of characters is still not proven enough. Even though I'm a huge LeBron fan, I'm going to have to go with the Magic to win the East.

Lakers over Magic in Finals because Dwight Howard can't make a FT.

2009 Basketball Hall of Fame Inductees

2009 Inductees into Basketball Hall of Fame:

Michael Jordan (greatest player ever!)

David Robinson (The Admiral, NBA Champion)

John Stockton (All time Assist and I believe Steals leader, to put into perspective Jason Kidd just passed Magic last night for 3rd place on the assist list and he's still 5000 behind Stockton)

Jerry Sloan (a great NBA guard who teamed up with Norm Van Lier to comprise one of the greatest 'defensive' backcourts of all time and who is now considered one of the premier NBA coaches today)

and finally

Vivian Stringer............what?

Come on!

Some day 20 years from now the NBA Hall of Fame will be LeBron, Kobe, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard and .................... Rebecca Lobo.

Good Lord.

Paired Off State BB Coaches

Can there be a more obnoxious combination than Jim Calhoun and Geno Aureima in any state in the Union. Clearly two guys who have done no wrong, in their opinion.

Bruce Pearl and Pat Summitt would be second place because.....

Oh my gosh, I just realized I can't play this game any longer because I don't know any more Womens coaches by name.

Oh well, it was a great idea.

Girls Final 4

Okla jumps out to 16-4 lead but Louisville comes back to take the lead and has 2 FTs with 5 secs to go to win it, girl makes front end but misses second.

Okla gets rebound pushes down the court and shoots a 3pt shot for the win, oh............just missed!

Gym seemed about 1/3 full. This game should have been televised on the Oxygen Network.

Has anyone noticed that there are no Mens Games and no NBA games on regular TV tonight, there is actually a conspiracy to force people to watch this.

I blame three people for this: Bobby Knight for marrying a women's coach as his second wife, David Stern for force feeding the WNBA down our throats and Bruce Pearl for taking his shirt off, painting his body orange and running down and participating in this nonsense.

Why There's a Coach

MSU plays defense, boxes out, runs the floor, crashes the board and shares the ball. Oh yeah and when UCONN drives to the basket, they take the charge and block their path. I give Izzo all the credit in the world. These are qualities of well-coached teams.

UCONN is soft!

No matter what anyone says they don't play tough defense (whatever happened to their press?), they don't box out they just rely on being taller, they don't get out and run the lanes on the fast break, the only time they get runouts is when they steal it and take it themselves, their offense is very blah (in fact i like what Greg Anthony said, "they didn't trust their offensive system tonight". And finally, they don't take the charge, they just reach down low and try to block it up high.

This game was won by one quality - toughness, MSU has it, UCONN does not. Being a Big East fan myself, I now find all UConn's success to be suspect. They were punked tonight and rolled up.

Time to head back to Storrs and steal some laptops!

Final Four - Best Pro/ Body Doubles

As far as players are concerned, there are only four right now

Tyler Hansborough, Ty Lawson, Scottie Reynolds and Hasheem Thabeet

1) Hansborough not going to be that productive but will stick around for 10 years, body double all the tall white guys who have gone to UNC and Duke, e.g Joe Wolf, Shavlik Randolf, Kevin Salvadori, Christian Laetner, Eric Montross, in fact for all the old school hoopers out there, Rich Yonaker..... Years in League 10.

2) Lawson too small to be a major player, spot duty guy who comes in and stirs things up, possibly a starter on not good teams, body doubles are Earl Boykins, Tyron Lue or Derek Fisher. Years in League 5

3) Scotty Reynolds is sort of positionless, he can play point but he's not really a pass first, shoot second guy but he's smart and serviceable, he can play PG and he'll be okay but he's really a 2 guard which he can't play in NBA, not going to be able to cover the Kobes, Pierces, Finley, Richardsons, Rashard Lewis, Gilbert Arenas of the world. But I see him as a pro and being around. Years in League 7

4) Thabeet is probably the best gamble because of size, he can come in and play because there are very few size guys and quality backups. Someone has to cover Howard, Shaq, Yao, Garnett, etc. Body doubles McGhee, Samuel Dalembert, maybe if he puts on weight an Oden, old school body double Manute Bol. Years in League 10 +

So NBA GMs it looks like Thabeet, Hansborough, Reynolds and then Lawson.

Having said that the players with the most impact on the final four will be the inverse order. Lawson plays like the MVP UNC advances, Reynolds outplays Lawson NOVA is going, Hansborough regains his form from being dominated by Griffin then UNC will be tough and if Thabeet plays like Bill Russell, Calhoun will win his 3rd NCAA Title.

By the way, the best pro prospect might be Jay Wright going to the Philly 76ers!

Time to enjoy the games.

A Little Offseason --- Football

Redskins dangerously close to signing mediocre Jay Cutler.

Bears sign him but give away a bum QB and two first rounders. Good deal for the Bears because they've upgraded their one glaring weakness. Plus Orlando Pace will help shore up the new QBs protection.

Redskins keep mediocre Jason Campbell who never gets intercepted because he only throws 2 yard passes, occasionally Santana Moss turns the 2 yard run into a 50+ yard scamper.

A Little Baseball Talk --- Preseason

Sports Illustrated preseason picks the Mets vs. the Angels in the World Series.

I'll disagree and go with the Yankees over the Phillies. Bank it!

The Wizards/Zephyrs

The 'Zards wearing Zeph' uniforms last night and also 'sporting' a new look with Gilbert Arenas and Brendan Haywood back in gear.

Easily handle the Cavaliers who are striving for home court advantage in the playoffs. Sad how far the Wizards have fallen with 2 starters out essentially the entire year.

If the Wizards are at full strength this year are they the "Cavs" of this year? Would they have been vying for Eastern supremacy. Tough call.

Calipari and Kentucky

Kentucky will win and win big with Calipari.

Current situation has two of the top 5 players in high school previously going to Memphis now possibly changing to Kentucky and one verbal for Memphis who will begin to waver.

Also any Kentucky star who might have thought Louisville or another high level program will begin to reevaluate.

Only problem Kentucky might win now but will they then around 2020 have to wash away the victories. Some forget that Calipari's UMASS teams were strickened from the record for the recruitment and seducement of one Marcus Camby.

Memphis has avoided such troubles. Who knows?

NBA GMs - Pay Attention

Do not draft Tyler Hansborough over Blake Griffin!

The Clippers have gotten rid of Elgin Baylor so the leading candidate to do such a foolish thing is not part of the equation.

I have a suspicion on who might do something so foolish. Yes! That's right, the Wizards...

Brennan/Obama/Mens Bracket

Christine Brennan, a relatively famous female sports writer, takes the Obama to task for only filling out brackets for the mens tournament and not the female tournament. Says that the Prez is practicing closet 'sexism'.

For Obama this one's got to hurt. When you're all about inclusiveness and opportunities for all, the bad guys can always get you for not being 'embracing enough'

I'm thinking Obama will have to come out with a public apology to the head of the Women's Tournament. Maybe sing a little Kumbaya with Geno and Pat Summitt to make amends for such a divisive act.

Too funny.

Duke in Hindsight

Wonderful year with 30 wins but this last loss to Villanova will have some aftershocks. With the emphasis on spacing the floor and driving to the basket or playing the pick and roll/pop game, Duke can be as dangerous as anyone.

But, and it's a huge but, when a team tries to do this against a team of equal or greater talent, the whole philosophy goes kaput. Duke didn't have the drivers to go by Nova, Nova played them tough on the perimeter and made Duke take tough 2s and Duke just couldn't do it repeatedly.

Duke's pressure defense is still good and works versus teams that have no plan for attacking them, duke's pressure versus teams that are on the attack is questionable, but they usually stay away from pressing good team. They might need a backup plan for playing against teams they can't beat off the dribble. They probably need to go back to some of their Bobby Knight motion.

Lawson and Griffin

When these two are playing and playing well, UNC and Okla are totally different teams and very tough to beat. Zags and Cuse thought they had something going but these teams were totally neutralized by the quickness of Lawson getting to the basket and by the strength of Griffin around the hole.

Shut Up! Shut Up!

How come Jim Calhoun at his presser yesterday didn't tell all the journalists investigating the 'creatively timed' recruiting scandal to "Shut up! Shut up". Must be his contract is more defensible than his recruiting habits.

Easy to think that whoever was out to get UConn, waited on this to cause the most harm top the program. What UConn should do is say, "we think there is a reason for the timing of these allegations, therefore, we will investigate them, but only after the tournament is over"

Girls NCAA Tourney

Not much support for the tourney so someone needs to step in:

How about lower the buckets to 8 feet, go 'shirts and skins' and we got ourselves a 'product'.

Celtic Strength now a Weakness

Think they are going to miss PJ Brown and James Posey more than people think. Marbury and House were horrible versus Magic last night. Moore was even worse, flopping around and falling down. Last year when the Celtics went to their bench there was not only very little drop off but defensively they might have even gotten better.

Now if KG becomes dominant again and is rolling by playoff time it might not even matter.

Celtics and even Lakers benches are not nearly as good this year. I can see one, maybe both of them, getting clipped before the Finals.

A Little NBA MVP Feedback

MVP -- LeBron, Kobe, Dwayne Wade, Dwight Howard, Chris Paul.

Per a conversation with some of my buddies yesterday not sure that Deron Williams is not surging into the top 5, as guys like Carmelo Anthony and Tony Parker and Steve Nash begin to fade just a little, just a little.

Big East Analysis

Teams that have looked good --- UConn, Syracuse
Teams that have not looked so good --- Louisville, Pitt
Team that has looked bad and good --- Villanova

WVU looked half asleep, Marquette played well today vs. Missouri and played without one of their best players so got to cut them a break.

MD Flex vs. Memphis Dribble Drive

Memphis just kept getting to the basket against MD not much MD could do. MD's offense of baseline screening in the flex forced them to be a jumpshooting team. One team on the attack and being active, the other team moving ball side to side and being passive. Memphis advances.

Greivas' comment that Memphis would have a losing record in the ACC seems way offbase. UNC did not look good today and if Lawson couldn't have gone, UNC would have gone down to defeat vs. LSU, Lawson was the difference!

Why this Game is So Great!

Watching teams like Dayton and realizing that not only once but even in a best of 3, they probably still beat WVU. Dayton's good!

Seeing Siena, small little school in upstate NY, take down a giant state school like Ohio State, a middle of the pack Big Ten team.

Appreciating the effort (or in the case of Wake, a lack of effort) by Cleveland St. in their upset last night.

It should be noted that WVU, OSU and WF are good teams in great leagues but to reiterate previous posts, teams that have really done nothing except have good records. If you don't win tip off tournaments and you don't win regular seasons and you don't win conference tournaments and/or even go to championships games (OSU excluded) why are people shocked that they get beat.

Will the Real Wright Please Rise?

It's official the Chris Wright at Dayton is better than the Chris Wright at Georgetown.

Day 1-Afternoon NCAAs goes to...

Maryland! Upset of California. Maryland outscrapped them, took better shots and had a much better commitment to defense. California's guards were adequate but not as advertised.

In the DC area and have watched Maryland play 10 times this year and here is my description of them.

Maryland has 3 guys Vasquez, Hayes (off the bench) and a chubby white guy who can make a shot, all the rest of them are faceless nondescript poor man DJ Strawberry type players.

Wash Post was giving it to Gary Williams this year about a lack of high level recruitment and not catering to the AAU circuit but give him credit he beats teams with better talent by hustle and commitment.

Watched Georgetown play last night in the NIT, they were the "Not Maryland", they were walking around after loose balls and rebounds!

Barack-tology

Obama's picks on ESPN are not that bad!

Looks like he's much more up on his hoops and teams that might be FRAUDS than he is on financial graft and human beings who are THIEVES.

Stephen Curry

Needs to be a #2 guard in the Pros. The commentators mentioned that his dad grew to 6'7" in the NBA. The experiment of him at PG is a stretch. He's too loose with the ball and even though he has good vision his passes don't always arrive at the right time or place. Wasn't counting but he had to be close to 7 or 8 TOs last night.

NBA prospect - yes. NBA PG - maybe not.

Soso majors vs. Very Good Middies

In defense of the Majors

1) Penn State beat George Mason, even though it took a timely 3pter to send to OT. I guess this is one feather in the bonnet of the lower Big Conferences being better than the next best team, #2, in a Midmajor.

2) Also ND beat UAB for the Majors

In defense of the Midmajors

1) But St. Mary's, the #2 of their midmajor league beat Wash St. the #8 of Pac10

The other games were basically even or no one cares!!!

Games I'm keeping my eyes on tonight - tulsa/nw, vatech/duquesne, and gu/baylor

Rising NCAA Young Coaches

Travis Ford- OSU, Anthony Grant- VCU, Sean Miller- Xavier.

If these guys continue to win or win big again this year that might parlay into an even bigger job. Notice the UVA job just came open, seems like a nice fit for Grant. Kentucky job might come open since their last two coaches Pitino and Tubby are both in the dance with new schools, Ford having played there seems like a logical fit for Kentucky. Miller could end up a Big East coach down the road.

Women's NCAA Brackets Out

Washington Post has a big bracket running over and spanning the entire two inside pages of its sports page. This full newspaper size bracket makes it extremely difficult to xerox the brackets because how is anyone going to be able to do this easily without changing the copy size and copy paper. So inconvenient.

Just makes it hard on the average fan to get your women's brackets out and back in on time.

(Insert Crickets Chirping)

God (Part II) and College FB

The nation's number #1 HS recruit, Bryce Brown, has committed.
"I asked God to reveal it to me," Brown said. "He gave me the sign. When I first went there (on official visit) I wasn't feeling it. I had a lot of concerns about Tennessee and the offense. When I went back, I got the sign. God told me that I was a Volunteer. I just felt it."

God is a Tennesee fan! I knew it! Wonder why he's not a Gator Fan? Must have something to do with Urban Meyer or Steve Spurrier!

10th or lower seeds who might Win

Cleveland St, Northern Iowa, Utah St, Maryland, Wisconsin, VCU, Minnesota, Western Kentucky and Michigan.

I see the East and the West brackets being the ones which screw up everyone's brackets.

Vitale, Phony Holier Than Thou-s

Put him out to pasture, please!

His arguing for St. Mary's getting in was so 'forced', it's almost like he is trying to be an advocate for whoever doesn't get in the tournament. He has sort of become an apologist for the 66th, 67th, 68th best teams.

I like Bilas's comment, "hey, these last set of entry teams, are all seriously flawed, they were lucky to get in". I think Goetlieb or Kellogg even said something to the effect that the tournament field is not as strong and definitely top heavy

Possible Solutions to Help Midmajors

1) Knight Solution play tourney with 128

2) how about winner of regular season, plus both teams who make conference tourney championship game (see earlier post), would increase field but really would increase the midmajors more than the majors

3) don't allow any more than 4 teams per conference, this will force all the big conferences to start to secede, watch how fast the Rutgers will try to go Atlantic 10, watch how fast the Boston College tries to get into America East, watch how fast Penn State tries to get into the Horizon, etc, etc.

4) in next season's preseason NIT, have a blind draw conference to conference lottery where the NCAA committee puts all the 31 leagues in and draws two out, e.g pull out the card with Pac 10 and the card with let's say SEC and then the entire league matches up top to bottom. So the #1 seed from the regular seaason SEC, let's say LSU has to play #1 from Pac 10, let's say Washington, then we go to #2's with Miss St vs. USC, then Tenn vs. UCLA. This way teams have to play other leagues. This would also happen if a power conference took on a weaker conference, lets say ACC vs. MidAmerican --- e.g UNC vs. Buffalo, Duke vs. Bowling green, WF vs. Akron. This would force teams to play each other.

All the above solutions force more midmajors (even some minormajors) into the tournament.

Just thinking about ways to improve the product and make the greatest time of year even more exciting and more inclusive.

Syracuse So So Tired

Biggest reason given for Syracuse falling to Louisville last night. Fatigue!

C'mon, they played two overtime games, one 6 OT and another OT game but they never came out of their 2-3 zone.

How tired can you get, standing there?

If anyone should be tired, it would be Boeheim, whose voice must be strained from yelling, "Hands up!" for 8 quarters and 7 OTs.

Georgetown and Notre Dame

NCAAs are out, NITs might be out, would these two storied programs take the opportunity to go to the CBI, so they can win it.

Georgetown can change their chant from "WE ARE GEORGETOWN" to "WE ARE 85"

Notre Dame can combine their CBI BB championship with their FB's team Hawaii Bowl win. The tradition continues!

NCAA Balance of 'State' Power

Western Kentucky IN, regular ol' Kentucky OUT, Northern Iowa IN, regular ol' Iowa OUT!!!

to a lesser extent, Alabama St in the tourney and 'Bama out, Arizona State is in but 'Zona on the bubble.

still have the argument that maybe, just maybe East Tenn and/or Tenn Chattanooga are just as good as Tennessee.

oh wait, Fla St IN, Florida OUT, Miami OUT!

New Idea for NCAA Tourney

win or tie for your regular season title, win your conference tournament or make it to the championship game and end up runnerup. i'll bet that would add up to 65 teams.

this would allow the 31 tournament champs, plus some regular season champs (let's say 1/2 of the regular season champs lose during the tourneys) and then any other team that makes the conference championships (e.g Fla St, Purdue)

on the down side you would be letting teams like Holy Cross in from Patriot, a College of Charleston from the Southern Conference. Plus you would have to let UMBC in even after loss to Binghamton.

It would be a weaker tournament but at least it wouldn't be a tournament with the 7th and the 8th seeds from the Big Ten, ACC, SEC.

In fact if a team can't end up in the top 4 of its league, it shouldn't be allowed to go unless they get to the championship game. this would make all the teams who are joining this MEGA conferences think again and maybe they would slide back into smaller conferences where they started off and should be at any way.

Women's NCAA Update

between games I accidently turned on a women's game on my espn full court, decided to do a head count.

there are 11 people at the game!

catch the fever!

Duke's Legacy

Just think if Duke beats Fla State in the ACC Tourney, they won't just have won the ACC Tournament Title but Coach K's title will have also produced more 'leaders' for America. He's not just a coach but a 'molder of men'! At least that's what he reminds us of all the time.

Sure Way to Not win Big in the NBA

sign the following good players and start them over what was on the team before or what you might get in the future: Grant Hill, Larry Hughes, Stephon Marbury

another sure way to lose: hire any coach with a Kevin Bacon affiliation to past Bullets/Wizards coaching tree!

Teams (Big Ten?) I don't enjoy

Michigan State, Illinois, Ohio State, Minnesota, okay basically every Big Ten team but i do enjoy Northwestern and Michigan a little but that's not Big Ten, it's really Princeton and West Virginia from two years ago.

Now that i think about it I don't like watching Big Ten Football either!

Crab Dribbling

ESPN ticker is relaying that the NBA is thinking about allowing the the crab-dribble or what i affectionately refer to as the 'tennesse two-step', even though i'm not a fan of all the walking in the NBA already, think of how much ground the King will be able to cover now on his forays to the hoops.

Wizards fans (both of you!) may think the King has already been a consistent 'hop skip and jumper' as is.

The Triangle

Watching the Lakers vs. the Spurs and the Lakers are running the Triangle, after watching a day of college hoops, how come no college program runs the Triangle? just wondering, it looks good for a pro team but no college team readily uses it.

God's (Part I) Divine Providence

Coach Drew from Baylor being interviewed after the game about his team's upset of Kansas in the first round of the Big 12, "God shined down his blessings on Baylor tonight" (not exact quote but something like that).

God doesn't like Kansas? Didn't know that! Must have something to do with Larry Brown.

Changing of the Vocal Guard

The following announcers: Hubert Davis, Gus Johnson, Len Elmore and Stephen Bardo should be the voice of college basketball. This small change would certainly improve the product from a spectator point of view. NCAAs with Dick Vitale and Billy Packer is almost unwatchable, they are just nonsense. Let's bring on the new blood and get rid of those other two.

Also get rid of Knight, he's a grumpy ol' man, the other night he kept saying, "see how he set up his man" he must have said it 50 times almost like he was reading off an index card, "remember to talk about setting up your man".